CHAPTER XIV 



DESCRIPTION OF THE GEOLOGICAL AND GENERAL PHYSICAL 

 FEATURES {continued) 



The Natewa Peninsula 



This remarkable peninsula is connected with' the rest of the 

 island by the low-lying Salt Lake district, a narrow isthmus, de- 

 scribed in the preceding chapter, which one can cross without 

 rising 50 feet above the sea. My acquaintance with this region 

 is far from complete ; but from the following notes a fair general 

 idea of its geological characters may be gathered. 



By referring to the map it will be seen that there are three 



groups of mountains. The north-eastern culminates in Mount 



Freeland or Ngala, 2,740 feet ; the southern is formed by the 



rugged Waikawa Range, 1,540 feet ; whilst the Lea Range to the 



west attains in Ngalau-levu a height of 1,960 feet. They are much 



cut up by the denuding agencies, and all bear the stamp of an 



ancient land-surface. Though hot springs are not infrequent, as 



at Ndreke-ni-wai, Waikatakata, Ndevo, and Navuni, no evidence 



Df recent volcanic action came under my notice. Submarine 



deposits occur at intervals on the surface up to elevations of 



[,000 feet and over ; but with the exception of the comparatively 



•ecent upheaval or emergence of some 20 or 30 feet, indicated by 



he raised reef-masses and foraminiferous tuffs and clays in dif- 



erent parts of the coast, there is nothing to suggest that these 



':hanges did not occur ages since. In the frequent alteration of 



;ts andesitic rocks, and in the occasional occurrence of porphyrites, 



' /e have sufficient indication of the antiquity of this part of the 



island as far as its volcanic history is concerned. 



I will commence the description of this peninsula at its 

 ^ '^estern end. 



