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masses rested upon these volcanic rocks. From Gulewa I waded 
waist deep up the creek (there being no other way of getting up), until 
a huge vertical wall of limestone was encountered, the base of which 
was ioo feet above sea level. From beneath this escarpment the 
waters of the creek issued with a deafening noise. On scaling the 
cliff, I found myself on the dip-slope of a bed of limestone, full of 
gigantic swallow holes ; at intervals in the cliffs could be seen the en- 
trances to (as yet unexplored) caverns, from the roofs of which pen- 
dant-like masses of carbonate of lime depended. My native guides 
eventually led me to the edge of a gigantic swallow-hole, at the bottom 
of which water could be heard flowing. A perilous scramble down the 
face of the cliff, over 130 feet in height, brought us to the bottom of 
the hole. The section en route showed the coralline limestone resting 
upon a coarse volcanic conglomerate. At this point the waters of 
Gulewa Creek emerged from beneath a cliff of volcanic ash capped 
with limestone, entered a cavern 80 feet high, and disappeared from 
view with a most unearthly roar. '1 he cavern, about an acre in ex- 
tent, present a fairy-like appearance, on account of the presence of 
numerous beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. The stalagmites 
rested upon a foundation of sand. The limestone of the Gulewa Cave 
contains numerous corals, the structure of which had not been en- 
tirely oblitered by the chemical changes which rock had undergone. 
I was unable to ascertain, owing to linguistic difficulties consequent 
upon requiring at least three interpreters, whether the cave visited by 
an earlier explorer, Mr. Basil H. Thomson, was the one I visited 
This gentleman, in his “ Narrative of an Exploring Expedition to the 
Louisiade and D’Entrecasteaux Islands,” says : — “ The limestone hills 
which compose the centre of the Island of Misima are honeycombed 
with caves. Near a spot called by the natives Kaiaba, a stream, after 
taking its rise from a great wall of limestone, plunged into a great 
cavern in the opposite cliff. The mouth was a perfect arch, 150 feet 
from floor to roof. At the far end, the river thundered down into a 
dark tunnel, through which it passed under the range, emerging into 
daylight alter some three miles of darkness.” 
Such limestone caverns are common in the other areas of up- 
raised reefs, viz., the Solomon Islands, the Tongan Group, &c. 
The north-east coast has a large development of elevated reef 
masses. The vicinity of the village of Awaiama is a conspicuous cliff; 
Garirura presents to the sea a bold escarpment of white coralline 
limestone, which rises to altitudes reaching as much as 100 and 120 
eet in height. 
Leaving Gariruru, the coast was skirted, and after passing 
Emurimuri Point, the anchor was dropped off the village of Tauputa. 
A traverse some distance inland exposed horizontally bedded basic 
lavas, which, at an attitude of about 800 feet above sea level, were over- 
