VITI ISLANDS. 339 
vated parts of the ridges, where the frequent rains and more frequent 
mists or clouds afford them the nourishing moisture, which, on the 
leeward side, is too scantily supplied to the slopes below. 
The appearances described vary somewhat upon the different 
islands, and also upon the opposite sides of the same island. Forest 
vegetation descends lower on the eastern declivities, which are well 
supplied with moisture from the trade winds. If our experience 
is any criterion for a general fact, we should judge that the rain 
of the southeastern side of Viti Lebu, at least trebles that of the 
opposite side. A few of the smaller basaltic islands, as [am informed, 
are covered throughout with luxuriant vegetation. Somo-somo, an 
island of considerable importance, has been compared to Upolu in 
richness. 
The indentations of the shores around the several islands, are nume- 
rous and large; but there are few which would form well-protected 
harbours without coral reefs as breakwaters. One or two of the deep 
bays which do exist among these islands are very remarkable. Such 
is the bay in the small island of Fulanga. The island is but a rim of 
land,—an elevated ridge—nearly surrounding the large bay or lagoon, 
which is fifteen miles wide and forty fathoms deep. In Vanua Lebu, 
there is a bay thirty miles deep, running half through the island and 
bordered on each side by a mountain ridge. Neither of these bays 
was visited by the writer. 
We deem it unnecessary to enter into a particular description of 
each of the islands in this archipelago, which, moreover, could not 
be done from personal observation. The general remarks above made 
will supply the place of much tedious detail. My investigations 
were limited to the island of Ovalau and the two large islands Viti 
Lebu and Vanua Lebu; and in these islands they were restricted 
to a very small portion of the surface. ‘The treachery of the savages 
compelled us to confine ourselves, in all instances, to the coast, and 
even there, we should have been clubbed, and soon served up for 
a feast, were it not for the salutary influence of our ships, and in 
part, also, the protection of our private weapons. Some afflicting 
events, of which a recital may be found in the history of the voyage, 
gave us most painful evidence of the necessity of caution among these 
savages. 
Vitt Lebu, the largest island of the Feejee Group, is traversed by 
several mountain ridges, which rise, in some parts, into abrupt cones 
with sharp or truncated summits, having an elevation of at least 
