NUKUBALAWU, TAGURU, NAVUA. 95 



natives, one of whom had been with him for years. 

 Though he was moving across the bay, to take up his 

 residence on the little island inhabited by Mr. Egger- 

 strom, he made us very comfortable; and I took ad- 

 vantage to arrange my collection of plants, which had 

 seriously suffered from the heavy shower that drove us 

 to seek shelter in this place. The rain continued all 

 day, so that we were quite unable to stir. 



Leaving Nukubalawu next morning, we passed a re- 

 markable rock on the shore of Viti Levu, which from its 

 peculiar shape and large dimensions Mr. Pritchard and 

 I named the " Giant's Thumb." The rain continued, and 

 after an hour's pulling and sailing, we were obliged to 

 land at Taguru, where we found three white men en- 

 gaged in sawing and building boats. As Taguru be- 

 longs to Kuruduadua's dominions, we dispatched a mes- 

 senger to Navua, the chief's residence on the coast, to 

 inform him that we would be with him as soon as the 

 weather permitted. Towards sunset there was a lull in 

 the rain, and we at once resumed our way to the chief, 

 who was not yet under missionary influence, and about 

 whose cannibalism and despotic government we had 

 heard so much. 



A pull of about two miles westwards brought us to 

 the Navua, one of the largest rivers in Viti Levu, and 

 not yet explored by any scientific man. There are se- 

 veral extensive deltas at its mouth, composed of rich 

 alluvial soil, and exceedingly well adapted for cotton. 

 From information gathered, I was led to conclude that 

 the sago-palm was a member of the Fijian flora. My 

 inquiries commenced in the eastern part of the group, 



