CHAP. XVI.
A n Expedition o f M r . Banks to trace the R iv e r : M arks o f
fubterraneous F ire : Preparations fo r leaving the I f and:
A n Account o f Eupia.
1769. ( \ N the 3d, Mr. Banks fet out early in the morning, with
■ •|uly‘ ■ Some Indian guides, to trace our river up the valley
Monday 3. from which it iflues, and examine how far it’s banks were
inhabited. For about fix miles they met with houfes, not far
diftant from each other, on each fide of the river, and the
valley was every where about four hundred yards wide from
the foot of the hill on one fide, to the foot of that on the
other; but they were now Ihewn a houfe which they were
told was the laft that they would fee. When they came up
to it, the mailer of it offered them refreshments of cocoa-
nuts and other fruits, of which they accepted; after a fhort
flay, they walked forward for a confiderable time ; in bad
way it is not eafy to compute diftances, but they imagined
that they had walked about fix miles farther, following the
courfe o f the river, when they frequently paffed under vaults,,
formed by fragments of the rock, in which they were told
people who were benighted frequently palled the night.
Soon after they found the river banked by fteep rocks, from
which a cafcade, falling with great violence, formed a pool,
fo fteep, that the Indians faid they could not pafs it. They
feemed, indeed, not much to be acquainted with the valley
beyond this place, their bufinefs lying chiefly upon the de-
8; 3 clivity
clivity of the rocks 011 each fide, and the plains which extended
on their fummits, where they found plenty o f a wild
plantain, which they called Vae. The way up thefe rocks
from the banks of the river was in every refpedt dreadful;
the Tides were nearly perpendicular, and in Tome places one
hundred feet high; they were: alfo rendered exceeding flip-
pery by the water of innumerable Springs which iffued front
the fiffureson the Surface: yet up thefe precipices a way was
to be traced by a Tucceflion o f long pieces of the bark o f the
Hibifcfis tiliaceus, which Served as a rope for the climber to take
hold of, and affifted him in Scrambling from one ledge to
another, though upon thefe ledges there was footing only for
an Indian or agoat. One of thefe ropes was nearly thirty
feet in length, and their guides offered to aflift them in
mounting this pafs, but recommended another at a little distance
lower down, as lefs difficult and dangerous. They took
a view of this “ better Way,” but found it fo bad that they
did not chufe to attempt it, as there was nothing at the top
to reward their toil and hazard but a grove of the wild plantain
or Vae. tree, which they had often feen before.
1769.
July.
Monday 3.
During this excurfion, Mr. Banks had an excellent opportunity
to examine the rocks; which were almoft every where
naked, for minerals ; but he found not the leaft appearance
of any. The ftones every where, like thofe of Madeira,
Shewed manifeft tokens of having been burnt; nor is there
a Tingle fpecirrien of any Hone, among all thofe that were
collected in the ifland, upon which there are not manifeft
and indubitable marks of fire; except perhaps fome Small
pieces of the ha'rchet-ftoney and even o f that, other fragments
were collected which' are'burnt almoft to a pumice.’ Traces
o f fire are alfo manifeft in the Very clay upon the hills; and
it may, therefore, not unreasonably be fiippofed, that this,
and the neighbouring iflands, are either Shattered remains
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