4G8 COMI'ENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



mountainous, and rise abruptly from the sea. There is 

 nowhere much level laud ; hills and lovely valleys suc- 

 ceeding each other from the shore towards the interior, 

 while lofty peaks rise in every direction, and numerous 

 ridges and spurs branch off in endless complexity. Con- 

 sidering their size and rocky nature, the islands are 

 wonderfully w^ell watered, and the two larger have 

 numerous streams, many of which are navigable by boats 

 for a considerable distance inland. The scenery in many 

 of the valleys is very grand, abounding in precipices and 

 gorges, and the soil is everywhere fertile, consisting of 

 decomposed volcanic or coralline formations. In the 

 opinion of Mr. J. Home, government botanist in Mauritius, 

 there is hardly any land that is not capable of profitable 

 cultivation. 



Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, the largest islands, 

 occupy the north-western part of the archipelago. The 

 former, oval and regular in outline, is about 90 miles in 

 length by 65 in width, and has an area of 4112 square 

 miles. It contains the largest rivers and the greatest 

 extent of level land. On its southern coast, with a good 

 and easily accessible harbour, is the town of Suva, now 

 the official capital of the group, the old capital Levuka 

 in the island of Ovalau having for various reasons 

 proved unsuitable. The Eewa, on the banks of which 

 are numerous sugar and other European plantations, 

 debouches near the eastern extremity of the island ; 

 it is the largest river in the group, and can be ascended 

 by fiat -bottomed steamers for a distance of over 50 

 miles. Vanua Levu lies to the north-east of Viti, and is 

 of very irregular shape, and though nearly 120 miles 

 long, is not much more than half the size of the latter 

 island, its area being 2432 square miles only. It is 

 traversed from end to end by a range of mountains, the 



