CHAPTER VIII 



DESCRIPTION OF THE GEOLOGICAL AND GENERAL PHYSICAL 

 FEATURES {continued) 



Mount Vatu Kaisia and District 



This peak, i,88o feet in height, starts up suddenly in the 

 1 lountainous interior of the island. Being situated in the valley 

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

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

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

 t sually difficult and often impossible to obtain even a glimpse of 

 ii.^ From its remarkable blunt-topped conical shape it has 



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

 tian dronaadranu 

 Ndrandramea Pange \ Vatu Kaisia 



Yanawai Valley 



r€ ceived the not very appropriate name of Marling Spike in the 

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

 w )rd signifying " rock," whilst the second is the name of a demon. 

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

 ol the neighbouring country from the profile-sketch and photograph 

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

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

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

 nc 'th or from Ndawara on the south, the ascent being best made 



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

 fro n the Ndrandramea mountains and their vicinity, 



I 



