282 THE OCEAN. 
the absence of scoria, lava, and other volcanic pro- 
ducts, in these islands, has led him to the conclu- 
sion that they have been elevated by some expan- 
sive power, or volcanic agency, without eruption.* 
In one of the Tonga Isles there is a very curious 
submarine cavern, connected with an interesting 
legend. Mr. Mariner, who describes it, informs us 
that being in the vicinity one day, a chief proposed 
to visit this cave. One after another of the young 
men dived into the water without rising again, and 
at length the narrator followed one of them, and, 
guided by the light reflected from his heels, en- 
tered a large opening in the rock, and presently 
emerged in a cavern. The entrance is at least a 
fathom beneath the surface of the sea at low-water, 
in the side of a rock upwards of sixty feet in height; 
and leads into a grotto about forty feet wide, and 
of about the same height, branching off into two 
chambers. As it is apparently closed on every side, 
there is no light but the feeble ray transmitted 
through the sea; yet this was found sufficient, after 
the eye had been a few minutes accustomed to the 
obscurity, to show objects with some little distinct- 
ness. Mr. Mariner, however, desirous of better 
light, dived out again, procured his pistol, and after 
carefully wrapping it up, as well as a torch, re-en- 
tered the cavern as speedily as possible. Both the 
pistol and torch, on being unwrapped, were found 
perfectly dry, and by flashing the powder of the 
priming, the latter was lighted, and the beautiful 
grotto illuminated. The roof was hung with sta- 
* Williams’s Missionary Enterprises, p. 28. 
