0 A? ye ee 
MR. STORCK’S ILLNESS.—BEGA. 211 
even feed him, his appetite being good all the while; 
and he, poor fellow, was so helpless that at one time he 
was falling in the sea, and only saved by the presence of 
mind of one on board. All the Fijian doctors recom- 
mended the external application of Dilo oil; and for 
some calico we obtained two gourd-flasks full, with which 
the patient was rubbed several times a day. Fortunately 
our voyage was drawing to aclose; and I am happy to 
add, the greater comfort and change of food at Ovalau 
soon restored him to perfect health. 
We intended to proceed from Bega direct to Ovalau, 
but towards evening the weather became so fine— 
every sign of rain having disappeared—that the idea 
struck us to run over once more to Kadavu, and ascend 
if possible Buke Levu, the great mountain. The passage 
between Bega and Kadavu being an open sea, and we 
having a good pilot on board, in the person of Mr. 
Charles Wise, the consular interpreter, we left Bega just 
whilst the sun was gilding the feathery tops of the 
cocoa-nut palms, and diffusing a bright hue over the 
white coral beaches. 
Sailing all night, daybreak disclosed the bold out- 
line of Buke Levu, a mountain 3800 feet high, situate 
on the north-west point of Kadavu, and deriving its 
name from a certain resemblance to the hillocks (Buke) 
on which yams are planted; hence Buke Levu, the 
“large yam hill.” No white man had ever ascended 
it, and, though laid down in the latest maps, its very 
name was not recorded. It will be remembered that 
we had made two distinct efforts to reach its summit, but 
were baffled by gales and rain. We now were about to 
P2 
