340 VITI ISLANDS: 
five thousand feet. Numerous streams rise in these mountains, espe- 
cially on the eastern side, some of which, before reaching the sea, 
become large rivers, which we might have thought of continental 
origin, were we not acquainted with the limited extent of the land 
before us. One of the most remarkable of these rivers empties by 
several mouths along the coast near Rewa, on the southeastern side 
of the island. It is reported that a large portion of it also disembogues 
by a separate stream, which runs to the southern shores, the two 
continuing together till within forty miles of Rewa. The Rewa 
mouths are eight or ten in number: the more northerly one comes 
out near Mbau, eight miles above Rewa. The main branch at Rewa 
has a breadth of three hundred yards, with an average depth of four 
feet; during heavy rains it increases to eight or ten feet, and some- 
times floods the whole district. Captain Eagleston, of the ship 
Leonidas of Salem, informed me that he had watered ship with the 
water alongside, while lying at anchor in the bay three miles from 
the entrance of the river. The bay is a large open area many miles 
in extent, lying within the barrier reef. It is impossible, with the 
limited data we have, to ascertain accurately the quantity of water 
brought down by this river. The means at hand afford us the 
approximate result that, in each minute of time, 500,000 cubic feet of 
water flow out at the principal Rewa mouth; and by all the mouths 
in this region, at least treble this amount, or 1,500,000 cubic feet. 
This is the average during a period of comparatively dry weather, in 
which the stream, as it passes Rewa, runs about a knot and a half an 
hour, and has the dimensions above stated. In times of freshets we 
may estimate that at least five times this quantity is brought down, 
which gives 4,500,000 cubic feet as the quantity of fresh water which 
during each minute of time reaches the sea. 
Two of our boats, under the charge of Lieutenant Budd and Mr. 
Davis, ascended the river for thirty-eight miles on a surveying expe- 
dition. With the exception of two or three shoals, they found suffi- 
cient water for the boats, and in many parts there was a depth of six 
or seven fathoms. For twelve or thirteen miles, the river winds along 
through a flat country, between regular alluvial banks; beyond this, 
the surface of the country becomes undulating, and the rocks which 
prevail in the mountains make their appearance. 
The alluvial tract which has been formed by the deposits of this 
river, covers an area of about sixty square miles, and has a breadth 
of ten miles in its broadest part. Like the deltas of other rivers, it is 
