VAVAU. 10] 



turned to a colour of bleuded ^'ellow and green, and after 

 liaving been lifted into the boat his first act was to appease 

 the fishes, whose sanctum he had invaded, by feeding them 

 most liberally. The natives said the correct way to proceed 

 is to dive in the ordinary manner to the entrance of the 

 passage, and then, turning on one's back, keep oti' the roof 

 witli hands and feet till the cave is reached. By the cap- 

 tain's account the interior (jf the cave, as fur as he could 

 judge by the fitful light, fully bore out Byron's description. 

 The legend that we heard agreed with that given in 

 Mariner's " Tonga" in the main, but some of us were told 

 ihat, whether from want of air, or anxiety during her stay 

 in this submarine or subterranean prison of refuge, the 

 young bride's hair turned grey. At the time of our visit I 

 had never read " The Island," nor, oddly enough, was I or 

 most of my messmates aware that this was the cave 

 described by Mariner and the theme of Byron's poem ; and, 

 diving being tit all times not only disagreeable but pahiful 

 to me, I had not concealed the fact that the retiring 

 modesty of my natiu'e woidd prevent the cave from ever 

 being inconveniently crowded by my adding to the nimiber 

 of its inmates. I fancy that if ever I should revisit the 

 spot, I should feel inclined to try the experiment of letting 

 a deep sea-lead slide down the line, which woidd lodge at 

 the lowest point of the bight, and so afford a fair leader to 

 keep one clear of the rocks above.'' 



The population of Vavan and of the small adjacent 



' Mcadu MS., H.JM.S. 'Esk,' i. pi.. 18-25. 

 * ., ■■ 



