VAVAU. 101 



turned to a colour of blended yellow and green, and after 

 having been lifted into the boat liis 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 

 ]Dassage, and thcD, turning on one's back, keep off the roof 

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

 tain's account the interior of the cave, as far 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 

 that, 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 iny messmates aware that this was the cave 

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

 diving being at all times not only disagreeable but painful 

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

 modesty of my nature would prevent the cave from ever 

 being inconveniently crowded by my adding to the number 

 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 would 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 Vavau and of the small adjacent 

 ' Meade MS., H.M.S. ' E.sk,' i. jip. 18-25. 



