WITT ISLANDS. 8345 
the centre of this isolated rock, which is partially hollowed out, there 
are several jets of boiling water. The heat of the rock is greater than 
the hand can bear. 
Besides the places above described, there are some smaller springs 
on the shore, to the east of the rock-fountain just mentioned. Another 
hot spring is said to boil up near the village of Savu-savu, a mile and 
a half distant, which is famous as a place for preparing the cannibal 
feasts of the natives. 
According to the reports of the officers, there is no appearance of 
any volcanic cone or current of lava in the neighbourhood; and the 
specimens obtained by them are evidence of the same fact. They 
consist of different varieties of compact basalt, much resembling the 
collections from other parts of the island, and quite unlike subaerial 
volcanic products. ‘The natives say that the hot springs have always 
existed there, and have a belief that the spirit who resides in the 
mountains, sends this hot water for them to cook their food. 
From the analysis by Dr. C. ‘TI’. Jackson, as given in the Narrative 
of the Expedition, we may infer that the water is probably of marine 
origin. Its taste is bitter and saline. ‘There are no incrustations 
around the springs. No attempts were made to collect the escaping 
vapour, and we are, therefore, in doubt as to its nature. No odour 
was perceived, except on bringing the head very close to the surface, 
when a faint smell of sulphur was recognised.* 
Rocks.—The rocks of these islands have a very close resemblance 
to those of the groups to the eastward. Basalts of different colours 
and texture, scoriaceous and compact, and basaltic and volcanic con- 
glomerates, and sandstones or tufas, are found in different parts of the 
group. ‘The following descriptions will give an idea of their peculiar 
characters. 
The basalts have mostly an extremely compact texture, with very 
slight traces of crystallization, and are of black, brownish-black, 
grayish and brownish-red colours. Some of a black colour have a 
shining lustre, owing to the iron in their composition. Other varieties 
are porphyritic with minute opaque crystals of feldspar, or with large 
glassy crystals. A third class contains distinct erystals of black 
augite, perfect and lustrous, disseminated through an imperfectly 
crystallized base of a brownish-black colour. 
* A full account of this region of hot springs will be found in the Narrative by Cap- 
tain Wilkes, il. pp. 196—199, with a fine sketch of the region, 
87 
