198 "ALBATROSS" TROPICAL PACIFIC EXPEDITION. 



the vertical limestone cliflfs of the southwest face of Vavau (PI. 120, fig. 2), 

 which has been formed by the sloughing off of large masses of limestone 

 rocks heaped up at the base of the cliffs. The cliffs are all deeply undercut, 

 and the first terrace is nearly everywhere obliterated by the mass of debris 

 which has fallen ofi' from the second and sometimes frou) the third terrace 

 (PI. 124, fig. 1). To the north of Muitoulo the second, third, and fourth 

 terraces are plainly visible ; to the south and east, looming up over the 

 slopes of Fata and Kapa, rises the island of Pangai. The second, third, and 

 fourth terraces are very distinct along the side of Mouugalafa, and form 

 the southern face of the bluffs on the western entrance into the harbor 

 (PI. 121, fig. 2). The height of Moungalafa is about 600 feet, while the 

 height of the three terraces to the south of it is probably somewhat less ; 

 when looking southwest, the cliffs of other islands rise vertically- to a height 

 of more than 200 feet (PI. 120, fig. 1). 



Rounding Point Fata, we pass into the main entrance to Neiafu, leaving 

 on the right Nua Papu, Oto, Ava, Kapa, Otungake and Pangai ; in the east 

 we can distinguish the line of islands on the edge of the Vavau Plateau and 

 an interior line flanking the western edge of the eastern part of the plateau 

 (PI. 120, fig. 1). All the islands to the south of Vavau. and the spurs 

 making out from the principal i.sland, show the immense amount of 

 denudation, disintegration, and erosion which must have taken place in 

 this limestone land during its elevation (Pis. 120, figs. 1, 3 ; 122, fig. 2). 

 The cliflfs are nearly vertical, deeply undercut, and all traces of the second 

 and third terraces have been obliterated. Some of the islets are almost cut 

 in two, deep canons having been cut into their faces (PI. 219). One of 

 the most striking of the canons of the Vavau group is the cut that separates 

 Kitu Island from Nua Papu (Pi. 219); it is not more than twent\- or twenty- 

 five feet wide. The vertical cliffs are full of caverns. North of the eastern 

 point of Pangai three terraces are plainly seen. On looking to the east 

 and south of Pangai we can see the numerous islands and islets com- 

 posed of elevated coralliferous limestone, some of which are still terraced, 

 scattered over the whole of that part of the Vavau Plateau (PI. 219). 

 To the north of Pangai rises Talau (PI. 121, fig. 3) ; one of the most 

 characteristic of the elevated points of Vavau ; it is a cone of elevated 



