THE I'J.II ISLANDS 47o 



most striking of these, perhaps, are Totoya, and Mango. 

 The latter, in the southern part of the archipelago, is 6 

 miles in diameter, and is shaped in the form of a 

 ring, hroken towards the south, at which point the 

 sea has hurst through what was formerly the lip of 

 a large volcano and tilled the crater, forming a circular 

 lake 3 miles across, with fine surrounding peaks 

 and pinnacles, the summits of some of which are over 

 1000 feet above sea level. The decomposed volcanic 

 rocks have in almost all the islands formed a peculiarly 

 rich and fertile soil, which affords nourishment to a 

 most luxuriant vegetation. The eruptive action must 

 be of considerable antiquity ; no traces of recent out- 

 bursts are to be found, and no streams of lava or 

 solfataras, though hot springs exist in Viti Levu, Vanua 

 Levu, and Ngau. Earthquakes are of infrequent occur- 

 rence. They are said to be most numerous in the month 

 of February ; but though several shocks may follow 

 rapidly on each other, they are seldom severe. 



Situated as isolated land - masses of no great size, 

 exposed to the constant and beneficent action of the 

 trade winds, the Fiji Islands are on the whole very 

 healthy. Although on the weather side the atmosphere 

 is humid and the vegetation profuse in growth, while 

 on the lee side the air is drier and the soil more 

 or less barren, there is no great corresponding difference 

 in temperature. From observations made at Suva, the 

 absolute maximum and absolute minimum may be placed 

 at almost 90° and 63° Fahr. respectively, and the 

 daily mean at 79°. February and March are the 

 hottest months, with a mean of 83°, and July and 

 August the coolest. From June to the end of October 

 is the period of least rain, the heavier rains falling in 

 the hot season, a great advantai2[e from an auricultural 



