49 



village for boats drawing a few feet of water. Near 

 the village there are nearly 3 square miles of flat land 

 and low hills on which sugar cane could be profitably 

 grown. My friends at Suva on hearing that 1 had 

 arrived at Veseri, came in a boat for me at midnight 

 and took me to their home, where I once more expe- 

 rienced their hospitality and kindness. Two days 

 after my return to Suva the steamer formerly alluded 

 to called, on her monthly trip, and I returned to Levuka 

 via the western and northern parts of Viti Levu. 



On the way a short stay was made off the mouth of 

 the Navua, where a mail was landed, and then pro- 

 ceeding past Serua, we anchored for the night in 

 Nadroga harbour. The next place of call was off 

 the Ta^vu river, up which, with a small party, I went 

 8 miles in a rowing boat. Here we saw a fine planta- 

 tion of tobacco belonging to an enterprising settler, 

 in whose garden we saw some rare exotic trees 

 which, with much care and at great expense, had been 

 introduced from Australia, and they seemed to be 

 doing well. On the river there are about 6 square 

 miles of fine cane land. The country in the vicinity 

 is hilly, covered with long grass and dotted with screw 

 pine trees. The soil is not bad, but it has been much 

 injured by the fires which periodically burn up the 

 grass. We next stopped at Nacli, where there are 

 numerous settlers, who, instead of growing cotton as 

 formerly, now give their attention to the cultivation of 

 maize. Some of these settlers are raising stock, and 

 getting up herds of Angora goats, for which the place 

 seems well suited. The sugar cane would flourish well 

 here, but there are no mills to crush it or to make sugar. 

 Off the mouth of the Ba river the steamer stopped for 

 about an hour, then proceeded to Nananu Islands and 



Q2019. D 



