320 FEEJEE GROUP. 
disturbances took place, which were observed with Gauss’s needle, and 
will be found in the chapter on magnetism, where also are recorded 
the dip and variation at the different points. 
For the manner in which the detail of the survey of this group was 
accomplished, I have to refer to the Hydrographical Memoir, where it 
will be fully explained and illustrated. ‘Taking into account the methods 
employed, and the means placed at my disposal, it will, I trust, be 
apparent that the comparatively short time in which so great a quantity 
of work was performed, can be no reason why its results should not be 
relied upon. 
Besides the four vessels of the squadron, which were for a con- 
siderable part of the time under way, seventeen boats were actively 
engaged in the surveys. Even the amount of work performed will 
give but little idea how arduous the duties were. The boats were 
absent from the vessels from fifteen to twenty days at a time, during 
which the officers and men rarely landed, and were continually in 
danger from the treachery of the natives, who were ever upon the 
watch for an opportunity to cut them off. It gives me great pleasure 
to be able, with but few exceptions, to bear witness to the untiring zeal 
of those who were attached to the Expedition, and to the accuracy 
with which the work was performed; and in the cases where error or 
careless work was suspected, the doubtful parts were resurveyed, cor- 
recting any mistake which might have been committed in the first 
instance, and verifying the survey where it was accurate. 
The opportunities of the naturalists were as great as could be 
afforded them consistently with their safety. It was considered 
desirable that the interior of the large islands should be reached ; this 
was partly effected up the river Wai-levu, by Lieutenant Budd. 
But journeys on foot into the interior were out of the question, and 
only those parts of the islands in the immediate proximity of the sea- 
shore could consequently be visited with safety. Many novelties 
have been obtained. For a more full description of the several 
branches of natural history and botany, I would refer the reader to 
the reports of the different naturalists. 
The climate of the different sides of the islands may, as in all the 
large Polynesian islands, be distinguished as wet or dry, the weather 
side being subject to showers, while to leeward it is remarkably dry, 
and droughts are of long continuance. The difference in tem- 
perature is however small, and on comparing the meteorological 
journal kept on board the Peacock, on the west side of Vitilevu, 
with that kept at Levuka, I find that at the same hours they stand 
within two degrees of each other. 
