210 A NATURALIST IN THE PACIFIC CHAP 



Savu-riti peaks of the chart, rise respectively to heights of 2,481 

 and 2,238 feet. The former is the Hale Peak of the Wilkes* 

 Expedition ; but as regards the native names there is some 

 confusion and I have not been able to clear it up. Several of the 

 lesser peaks rise to over a 1,000 feet, and four or five of them to 

 rather over 1,500 feet. 



With the exception of the fixing of the positions of the more 

 conspicuous peaks, the interior of this part of the island is un- 

 surveyed. I was able to lay down my positions approximately ; 

 but before a systematic examination can be made of the geology 

 of this region a survey is necessary. Several traverses and ascents 

 were made by me ; but much more in the way of exploration 

 remains to be done. I venture, however, to think that from the 

 data below given a fairly accurate notion of some of the leading 

 geological features of this region may be formed. The districts 

 visited will be described in their order from east to west. 



(a) The mountainous district east of the mountains of Vungalei 

 and Nailotha, extending to the vicinity of Tawaki. Mr. Thomson x 

 in his map of the sea-border of this district shows a continuous 

 coast range from near Tawaki to Natasa lying about two miles 

 inland. This is the appearance when the region is seen in profile 

 from a distance ; but when viewed from an elevation in its interior 

 its surface is seen to be for the most part traversed by a series of 

 mountainous and hilly ridges trending roughly north and south, 

 the greatest height not exceeding 1,500 or 1,600 feet. 



The geological character of the sea-border of this district has 

 already been described on page 208. It is there shown that fine 

 and coarse sedimentary tuffs, sometimes calcareous, and often 

 penetrated by basic dykes, here prevail. Their general story is 

 one of great denudation, and we have the same testimony 

 impressed on us when examining one of the inland mountain- 

 ridges. 



I followed the crest of one of these ridges from the hamlet of 

 Nawi, on the headwaters of the Vui-na-savu River, in a south- 

 easterly direction for about 4 miles to the peak of Uthulanga, 

 which overlooks Lakemba on the shore of Natewa Bay. During 

 the walk my level rose fairly gradually from that of Nawi, less than 

 100 feet above the sea, until near Lakemba, where a height of 

 1,400 feet was attained. Here the ridge abruptly terminates in 

 the round-topped peak of Uthulanga, which rises steeply from 



1 Proceedings, Queensland Branch, Geographical Society of Australia, 

 vol. i. ; 1886. 



