131 



In some districts, these tracts are now covered with 

 hardy ferns and rough kinds of grasses ; but in other 

 places of small extent, the subsoil lies exposed on the 

 surface. Unfortunately these fires are still occurring, 

 and only last dry season they laid waste a great part 

 of the province of Xavosa. 



The road (or rather bridle path) from Nadi on the 

 wesl coast of Viti Levu, to Fort Carnarvon at na 

 Tua-tua-coka in the interior, passes, on the top of the 

 mountains, through the charred, remains of what had 

 been a large and magnificent forest of the finest 

 timber trees in Fiji, now completely ruined by fire. 

 This happened about six or seven years ago. When 

 I passed through the forest in August 1878, the dead 

 blackened trunks, with leafless branches, were still 

 standing like great chimney stalks, but the under- 

 growth had been completely burned up. The natives 

 from the neighbouring towns had taken advantage of 

 the circumstance and planted large patches of the 

 ground thus cleared with yams, dalo, and bananas. 

 In some places a natural growth of young trees and 

 Bhrubs had started, but most likely it has been de- 

 stroyed in the conflagration of last year, which oc- 

 curred after my departure from Fiji. 



"What may be termed the natural tendency of the 

 land to re- wood itself should be taken advantage of ; 

 and there can be no doubt that lar<?e tracts of land 

 on the leeward side of Vitu Levu and Vanua Levu, 

 would speedily be covered with forest of a natural 

 will, were the ravages of fire prevented, and 

 browsing animals, as cattle, horses, sheep, goats, &c, 

 excluded. 



Before any tract of land is set apart to allow it to 

 become naturally re-wooded, it should be carefully 



