CHAPTER VIII 



DESCRIPTION OF THE GEOLOGICAL AND GENERAL PHYSICAL 



FEATURES {continued) 



Mount Vatu Kaisia and District 



This peak, 1,880 feet in height, starts up suddenly in the 

 mountainous interior of the island. Being situated in the valley 

 of the Yanawai river, which opens to the south, it forms a con- 

 spicuous landmark for vessels off the south coast ; but from most 

 other points of view, on account of its peculiar situation, it is 

 usually difficult and often impossible to obtain even a glimpse of 

 it. 1 From its remarkable blunt-topped conical shape it has 



Profile-sketch of the Vatu Kaisia district from S.S.E. 

 Nan dronandran.il 

 Ndrandramea Range I Vatu Kaisia 



Yanawai Valley 



received the not very appropriate name of Marling Spike in the 

 Admiralty charts. The natives name it Vatu Kaisia, the first 

 word signifying " rock," whilst the second is the name of a demon. 

 Some idea may be formed of its situation and of the character 

 of the neighbouring country from the profile-sketch and photograph 

 here produced. I was unable for reasons given below to take a 

 photograph of the mountain itself, as it was either too near or too 

 far away. Vatu Kaisia is approached either from Ndrawa on the 

 north or from Ndawara on the south, the ascent being best made 



1 Occasional views of its summit only are obtained from the eastward, as 

 from the Ndrandramea mountains and their vicinity. 



