Vol. 66.] 
THE VOLCANO OF MATAVANtJ IN SAVAII. 
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whose grandfather had talked to him. about the event, but could 
not himself remember it. The lava-fields of this eruption are 
more extensive and more rugged in character than those of the 
present eruption, and like them they reach the sea. 
Prom a crater about 2 miles north-east of, and probably parasitic 
on, the volcano of Mauga Afi, and 4 miles south-south-east of Aopo, 
a small eruption took place in 1902. An indistinct crater was 
formed, and also a lava-stream nearly half a mile wide and 2 miles 
long. The lava is of the scoriaceous or aa ’ type. This eruption 
was accompanied by severe earthquakes, which was not the case 
in that of 1905. 
More to the east is a large crater with a crater-lake, the name 
of which, Mauga Lapaine or Pule, is suggestive of Montagne Peleo 
in Martinique, and Pele the goddess of the Hawaiian volcanoes. 
Prom it most of the flows near Papalaulelei (smooth lava), at the 
east of the island, have proceeded; while a little to the north of it 
and at a lower elevation, say 2000 feet above the sea, is the new 
cone of 1905, from which the eruption of that date took place and 
still continues. 
1 understand that, before the eruption, the place where the 
crater now is was a sort of elevated plain surrounded by mountains. 
It was almost level, and in fact a favourite camping-place for 
pig-stickers. It was near the now deserted plantation of Olonono. 
The name Matavanu is a native one, and was, I understand, first 
applied to the volcano by Herr von Biilow, a resident in the island 
and a cousin of the former German Chancellor. Prom near this place 
a deep and tortuous valley extended down to the sea, a distance of 
10 or 11 miles, though that measured in a direct line to the sea at 
Matautu is only about 7 miles. The lower part of the valley was 
very fertile, and along the coast at, and on each side of, its mouth 
were prosperous villages. This part is now overwhelmed by the lava. 
The western portion of the coast in question was protected 
by coral-reefs, and on it were situated the villages of Saleaula, 
Salago, and Toapaipai, and this district was called Le Ala Tele. 
Judging by the coast farther west about Matautu, these villages 
had been built on a bank chiefly formed of coral-sand raised 
not many feet above sea-level, and often with a swamp behind 
them. Parther to the east of Toapaipai came a stretch of iron- 
bound coast—that is, coast formed of old lava not protected by 
a coral-reef; a promontory here was called Asuisui, and this is near 
the point where the lava flows into the sea (1909). Parther east 
again was another region of coast protected by reef, and on it were 
situated the villages of Malaeola and Sataputu. A good buggy- 
road extended the whole way at varying distances from the coast, 
and led to the villages of Samaiaeulu and Patamea, which still exist. 
There were also in the vicinity of the crater valleys leading in the 
direction of Safotu, the upper parts of which are now filled up. 
The eruption began on August 1th, 1905. At first the ejecta 
were mostly solid, and the space covered was not large; but from 
