1898.] Funafuti, Rotuma and Fiji. 457 



SECTION II. 



The Lau Group. 



The Lau, or Eastern Group of Fiji, consists of a line of islands 

 and atoll-reefs, extending from lat. 16° 30" S. to lat. 21° S. with a 

 breadth of about 1° of longitude; the line is continued 1° north- 

 wards by the Ringold islands, and properly includes Thikombia-i-ra 

 as well. Of reefs, every description is to be found from the narrow 

 fringing to the perfect atoll -shaped. 



The islands may be divided into three classes in accordance 

 with the rock of which they are formed : — 



1. Limestone. 



2. Limestone and volcanic. 



3. Volcanic. 



Even at a considerable distance, it is possible with almost 

 absolute certainty to say whether the rock is volcanic or limestone. 

 The vegetation of the former consists of coarse grass, reeds and 

 small bushes ; the hills are usually conical, the gradients easy, and 

 at the base there is invariably a more or less extensive flat. The 

 limestone on the other hand is densely covered with heavy timber, 

 grass and reed being absent owing to a lack of surface soil ; the 

 hills are flat-topped with precipitous slopes,, which end seawards in 

 overhanging cliffs, appearing extremely white, where recent falls 

 of rock having taken place, against a light grey ground colour. 



1. Limestone Islands. 



To the south Fulanga (Fig. 6) presents an almost complete ring 

 of land, surrounding a central lagoon ; its diameter is about 

 5 miles in a north-west to south-east direction, and at right angles 

 to this 4. The ring is complete except to the north-east, where 

 for 3 miles it is broken up into separate islands between which a 

 coral reef extends except for a ship's channel, about 3| cables 

 long, 60 yards broad and 6 fathoms deep with a tidal current of 

 about 5 knots. The land varies from a few hundred yards to 

 a mile in width to the south-west with an average breadth of 

 about 800 yards. The enclosed lagoon, 3^ by 2 miles, has a 

 depth of 5 — 6 fathoms, but to the north-west 10 fathoms are 

 found. It is studded with rocks and islets varying in height up 

 to 100 feet, a distinct row extending right across to the south 

 of the ship's entrance. The above ring of land is very uniform in 

 elevation, ending precipitously at either end where the break 

 occurs; its general height is about 210 feet, but Quoin Hill to the 



