CHAPTER X 



DESCRIPTION OF THE GEOLOGICAL AND GENERAL PHYSICAL 



FEATURES {continued) 



The Va-lili Range 



THIS range extends from the Na Raro Gap before mentioned 

 to the Ndreke-ni-wai river. It is partly isolated on the north- 

 east from the Korotini Range, the extension eastward of the 

 mountainous axis of the island, by a depression or saddle which 

 at its lowest part is not more than 1,200 or 1,300 feet above the 

 sea ; but there is no real break in the line of mountains. It is, 

 however, convenient to make this distinction, and I have named 

 the dip between the two ranges, the Waisali Saddle. The range 

 now to be described attains its greatest elevation in the summit of 

 Va-lili, which is 2,930 feet above the sea. There are two or three 

 other peaks that exceed 2,000 feet, and much of the range is not 

 under 1,700 feet. My acquaintance with this range is not extensive ; 

 but it will serve to illustrate its general geological structure. 



The summit of Va-lili is very conspicuous from most points of 

 view. From the north, east, and south-east, it has a remarkable 

 broad and square-topped profile with a little conical elevation in 

 the centre. From the south-west, it displays a different outline 

 with a solitary squarish block on the top, and this is the form most 

 familiar to the navigator. Unfortunately, for reasons given below, 

 I did not quite reach the summit, and although I was able to 

 obtain sufficient data for forming a general idea of the structure of 

 this part of the range, the structure of the actual summit has yet 

 to be ascertained. 



(1) Ascent of Va-lili from Narengali. — This village, 

 which is elevated 400 feet above the sea, lies about two miles in a 

 direct line, N.N.E. from the peak. In traversing the intervening 



