174 
VOYAGE TO THE 
were pouring towards the sea. In one of these the lieu- 
/ 
tenant was nearly drowned, and indeed nothing but the 
prompt and efficient exertion of some of the natives saved 
him. There is not much cultivation inland in this part of 
the Island, the rocks being too steep and the forests too 
thick to tempt the natives to make much improvement, 
as there is abundance of much better land still unoccupied 
in the Island. Yet the numerous fine streams of water 
will probably one day induce both cultivators and manu¬ 
facturers to establish themselves on their banks. Mean¬ 
time our party was delighted with the beauty of all kinds on 
the road, and the botanical collection was enriched with many 
fine specimens. 
One of the first schemes we formed, on anchoring in 
Byron Bay, was to visit the great volcano of Peli, situated 
on the flank of Mouna Boa, a mountain not very inferior to 
Mouna Iveah in height, and like it exhibiting in every part 
traces of the action of volcanic fires. Mouna Iveah is how¬ 
ever now completely at rest, as well as Mouna Worarai, the 
third mountain of the Island, on whose summit is the great 
extinguished crater, of which a view is given by Vancouver; 
Mouna Boa on the contrary is full of cracks, and hillocks, 
and craters, all actively burning: it has its springs, hot and 
cold, its sulphur and pumice; so that it is no wonder the 
