UPOLU — MANONO- SAVAII. 97 



was rarely visible, but is covered with a deep and fertile soil, arising 

 from its decomposition, and mixed with vegetable mould. The whole 

 declivity, from the very summit of the peak to the shore of the sea, is, 

 like other parts of the island, clothed with a dense forest, which shuts 

 out all view of the ocean, except from the top of the mountain. The 

 ridge whence the cone rises was found to be one thousand one hundred 

 and fifty feet above the level of the sea, and the angle of ascent thence 

 upwards, was from 40° to 50°. The top of the peak, which forms the 

 edge of the crater, is not more than fifteen feet wide in any place, and 

 sometimes not more than half as much. It is of uniform height, and 

 has a circular form ; the cavity within it was estimated as having a 

 circumference- of about two and a quarter miles, and occupies the 

 whole summit. The depth of the crater was found to be three hundred 

 and sixty feet, and the whole of its interior is filled with lofty trees. 

 The slope of the inner declivity was 60°. At the foot of this is an 

 uneven plane, covered with earth and loose cinders or scoria. Upon 

 this grow forest trees, many of which were more than one hundred 

 feet in height, beneath which is a dense growth of shrubbery. 



It was remarked, that although it had rained constantly for several 

 days before this crater was visited, no water was found within it. 

 This is accounted for by the fact that many of the brooks and streams 

 on the island are subterranean throughout their whole course, while 

 others are partly so. The former gush up near the sea-shore in large 

 springs or fountains, forming natural, or feeding artificial pools, in 

 which the natives bathe. According to our observations, such pools 

 are so numerous on the western shore of the island, as to occur on the 

 average, at intervals of a mile. 



The rocks of this island are of the volcanic character that might be 

 expected from the existence of so many craters. They are principally 

 composed of a variety of basaltic lava, in which are found augite, 

 felspar, albite, and chrysolite. Extensive currents of lava are seen, and 

 are particularly abundant on the southern side of the island. 



It appears as if these had flowed down towards the sea-shore in 

 various directions, and that after their outer surface had cooled, the 

 portion that remained liquid within had run out, and left a sort of 

 tunnel. Such tunnels are numerous, and form the subterranean courses 

 of the streams. Some of these natural tunnels are remarkable : among 

 them, one visited near Sanga will serve as the type of all. It was 

 found to be a cavern nine hundred and fifty-eight feet in length, 

 extending in a southeast direction, and to have an average width of 

 about fifteen feet; its roof was about eight feet in height. At the 

 termination of this cave, there was a pool of water five feet in depth, 



VOL. II. I 13 



