160 



p that the sun slimes upon the town only between 

 the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The town is built at 

 the bottom of the gorge, and on the right bank of the 

 river, which at this place is a roaring torrent about 

 5 yards wide and Ifeet deep. The rocks on both sides 

 are agglomorate, and it is difficult to say whether the 

 chasm has been cut out by the water, or rent by an 

 earthquake, — most probably the latter. 



The scenery on some of the rivers is grand, espe- 

 cially on the Navua, and the upper parts of the Wai ni 

 Mala. In many places these rivers and their affluents 

 have cut out channels for themselves through the rocks 

 and hills, which present many curious and striking 

 features to the Physiographer. 



The island of Taviuni lies to the S.E. of Vanua 

 Levu, and is about 21 miles long by an average 

 breadth of 12 miles. It may be said to consist of one 

 mountain ridge, shaped like a pavilion roof, and 

 descending at its ends and sides to the sea. In the 

 centre it rises to an elevation of about 3,000 feet 

 above the sea. On the windward side it is covered 

 with dense forests from the sea to the summit of the 

 mountains. On the leeward side, where settlements 

 are most numerous, a good deal of timber has been 

 felled. There are no large streams on the island. In 

 many instances the water flows underground through 

 caverns, which are numerous, and boils up on the 

 beach, or a short distance out in the sea. There are 

 several extinct craters on it. Prom the position of 

 the island, its configuration and its dense forests, the 

 rainfall is very great, especially on the windward side. 



There are several line roadsteads on the N.W. side 

 of tKe island, but no harbours. Vessels do sometimes 

 anchor and shin produce at some places on the wind- 

 ward side, but in general it is an iron-bound coast, 



