NUKUBALAWU, TAGURU, NAVUA. 95 
natives, one of whom had been with him for years. 
Though he was moving across the bay, to take up his 
residence on the little island inhabited by Mr. Egger- 
strom, he made us very comfortable; and I took ad- 
vantage to arrange my collection of plants, which had 
seriously suffered from the heavy shower that drove us 
to seek shelter in this place. The rain continued all 
day, so that we were quite unable to stir. 
Leaving Nukubalawu next morning, we passed a re- 
markable rock on the shore of Viti Levu, which from its 
peculiar shape and large dimensions Mr. Pritchard and 
I named the “ Giant’s Thumb.” The rain continued, and 
after an hour’s pulling and sailing, we were obliged to 
land at Taguru, where we found three white men en- 
gaged in sawing and building boats. As Taguru be- 
longs to Kuruduadua’s dominions, we dispatched a mes- 
senger to Navua, the chief’s residence on the coast, to 
inform him that we would be with him as soon as the 
weather permitted. ‘Towards sunset there was a lull in 
the rain, and we at once resumed our way to the chief, 
who was not yet under missionary influence, and about 
whose cannibalism and despotic government we had 
heard so much. 
A pull of about two miles westwards brought us to 
the Navua, one of the largest rivers in Viti Levu, and 
not yet explored by any scientific man. There are se- 
veral extensive deltas at its mouth, composed of rich 
alluvial soil, and exceedingly well adapted for cotton. 
From information gathered, I was led to conclude that 
the sago-palm was a member of the Fijian flora. My 
inquiries commenced in the eastern part of the group, 
