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CHAPTER X. 



Hot Springs — Rocks — Minerals — Soil. 



Hot springs are met with, in many parts of Fiji. 

 I visited several of theni, viz., at Wai Basaga on the 

 Siga Toka, about 5 miles from Port Carnarvon ; one in 

 Rabi; one on the northern shore of Natawa bay 

 (where I believe there are several others) ; one at Wai 

 Nunu; and the famous springs of Savu-savu. At 

 Vuni-sawan at the head of Natawa bay, there were 

 hot springs which had a wide reputation for curing 

 many kinds of complaints. They were, in conse- 

 quence, resorted to by large numbers of people, and 

 the usual hospitality to strangers, enforced by custom 

 and tradition all over Fiji, became so heavy that it 

 impoverised those who lived near the springs ; there- 

 fore the people shut the springs up, after much 

 trouble and labour. The natives pointed out the site 

 of the springs, in the bottom of a muddy creek. 



The most extensive hot or boiling springs in Fiji 

 are at Savu-savu, on the south coast of Vanua Levu. 

 They extend for nearly half a mile along the beach, 

 where in many places, a hole scraped in the shingle or 

 black sand, is immediately filled with scalding hot 

 water. The principal boiling springs, three or four in 

 number, are situated about 100 yards from the beach, 

 in the centre of a hollow, which is surrounded by a 

 mound of earth. The water in these boils up to the 

 height of about a foot, with a gurgling sound. After 

 issuing from the springs, the hot water mingles with 

 a stream of cold water which flows within 3 feet 



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