348 ViTl ISLANDS 
peak, as seen on passing, was suspected to bea volcanic cone. Among 
these, the high conical peak at the south extremity of Kantavu is of 
least doubtful character; but we had no opportunity for any but a 
telescopic inspection. Most others, as we afterwards had reason to 
believe, are merely basaltic needles and sugar-loafs. Our observations 
leave us no doubt that craters are of rare occurrence. The islands 
much more resemble Tahiti, in which no crater can be distinguished, 
than Upolu and Savaii of the Navigator Group, where extinct craters 
are numerous and streams of lava abound. 
The pumice and pumice-conglomerate which have been referred 
to, afford the most conclusive evidence here found, of recent vol- 
canic action; but our limited opportunities for examination did not 
enable us to trace the pumice to the place or places of its origin. 
Structure—The basalt frequently shows a tendency to a columnar 
structure, and at some places occurs in very perfect columns. At 
Nailoa Bay, a few hundred yards back from the watering-place, there 
is a rise of fifteen to twenty feet, running nearly parallel with the 
shores, above which the plain continues back, and is gradually lost in 
the mountain ascent. In the front of this twenty feet bank, a quarry 
has been opened by the natives, and a fine series of basaltic columns 
is exposed to view. They are mostly six-sided prisms, standing erect 
in the quarry, varying from one to two and a half feet in diameter. 
Art could scarcely have made them more regular. They have no 
horizontal cleavages; but for the whole length exposed—about eight 
feet—they are solid prisms. When broken transversely, the surface 
of fracture is flat. The rock is extremely compact and tough, and 
nearly black. Externally, the colour is brownish-yellow, and the 
surface is sandy, owing to decomposition and discoloration by iron; 
this alteration is quite superficial, the rock being very durable. 
The natives have some superstitions connected with them, and, on 
account of an imagined sacredness, they sometimes plant them about 
their spirit-houses. One of the columns had been carried to the 
watering-place, and there set up; and others were observed elsewhere 
in similar places. 
At Kantavu, there is a small island in the harbour consisting of 
basaltic columns, which have been long held sacred. ‘The natives 
defended them as they would have defended their lives, and never 
permitted one to be carried off, till conquered by the chief of Mbau, 
who transplanted several to his spirit-houses and sacred grounds. 
They resemble those near Nailoa. 
