468 
COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 
mountainous, and rise abruptly from the sea. There is 
nowhere much level land; hills and lovely valleys suc¬ 
ceeding each other from the shore towards the interior, 
while lofty peaks rise in every direction, and numerous 
ridges and spurs branch off in endless complexity. Con¬ 
sidering their size and rocky nature, the islands are 
wonderfully well watered, and the two larger have 
numerous streams, many of which are navigable by boats 
for a considerable distance inland. The scenery in many 
of the valleys is very grand, abounding in precipices and 
gorges, and the soil is everywhere fertile, consisting of 
decomposed volcanic or coralline formations. In the 
opinion of Mr. J. Horne, government botanist in Mauritius, 
there is hardly any land that is not capable of profitable 
cultivation. 
Yiti Levu and Yanua Levu, the largest islands, 
occupy the north-western part of the archipelago. The 
former, oval and regular in outline, is about 90 miles in 
length by 65 in width, and has an area of 4112 square 
miles. It contains the largest rivers and the greatest 
extent of level land. On its southern coast, with a good 
and easily accessible harbour, is the town of Suva, now 
the official capital of the group, the old capital Levuka 
in the island of Ovalau having for various reasons 
proved unsuitable. The Eewa, on the banks of which 
are numerous sugar and other European plantations, 
debouches near the eastern extremity of the island; 
it is the largest river in the group, and can be ascended 
by flat-bottomed steamers for a distance of over 50 
miles. Yanua Levu lies to the north-east of Viti, and is 
of very irregular shape, and though nearly 120 miles 
long, is not much more than half the size of the latter 
island, its area being 2432 square miles only. It is 
traversed from end to end by a range of mountains, the 
