190 * 
CRUISE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER . 
charming scenery, numbers of islands being scattered 
about, each possessing some peculiar charm. But 
the eye, as well as the mind, felt greater satis- 
faction as we approached the Island of Ovalau, 
which, on nearing, had more the appearances of 
civilisation about it than the others. It is also the 
highest, most broken, and most picturesque. On the 
28th, we were off the harbour, which is surrounded 
with detached coral reefs, over which the surf was 
breaking in white foam : passing through an opening 
only 800 or 900 feet wide, we reached the anchorage, 
with its shallow, clear, and still water, affording as 
great a contrast as possible to the dark turbulent 
waves outside. The town is much larger than one 
would at first imagine : a row of stores, hotels, &c., 
occupies a position fronting the beach, while many 
of the better class of residences are situated on the 
side of the hill. In various directions beautiful walks 
stretch away through peaceful valleys, surrounded 
with dense groves of bread-fruit and cocoa-nut 
trees. 
Nature seems to have been very bountiful in dis- 
tributing her vegetable treasures to these islands, 
and annexation by the English Grovernment seems to 
be the one great thing to be desired,^ for colonial 
produce, properly so called, such as sugar, coffee, 
tamarinds, tobacco, and cotton, &c., may be expected 
in considerable quantities as soon as the settlers 
* Since this was written, it has become a British colony. 
