Transcriber's Notes
When italics were used in the original book, the corresponding text has
been surrounded by _underscores_. Subscripted characters have been
preceded by _ and surrounded by {}. In some cases, ditto marks have been
replaced by the text they represent. Some corrections have been made to
the printed text. These are listed in a second transcriber’s note at the
end of the text.
OBSERVATIONS OF A NATURALIST IN THE
PACIFIC BETWEEN 1896 AND 1899
[Illustration: [Image: Publisher]
[Illustration: NA RARO (2,420 feet) from the south-west, a peak of acid
andesite.]
[Illustration: NDRANDRAMEA (1,800 feet) from the south-east, a peak of
acid andesite rising about a thousand feet from its base.]
[_Frontispiece._
OBSERVATIONS OF
A NATURALIST IN
THE PACIFIC BETWEEN
1896 AND 1899
BY
H. B. GUPPY, M.B., F.R.S.E.
VOLUME I
_VANUA LEVU, FIJI_
_A description of its leading Physical and Geological characters_
London
MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED
NEW YORK; THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1903
_All rights reserved_
RICHARD CLAY AND SONS, LIMITED.
BREAD STREET HILL, E.C., AND
BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.
Dedication
TO THE FIJIAN PEOPLE
PREFACE
DURING a sojourn in the Pacific, which covered a period of rather over a
year in Hawaii (1896-97), and of two years and three months in Fiji
(1897-99), my attention was mainly confined to the study of
plant-distribution and to the examination of the geological structure of
Vanua Levu.
With Hillebrand’s “Flora of Hawaii” always in my hands I roamed over the
large island of Hawaii, ascending the three principal mountains of Mauna
Kea, Mauna Loa, and Hualalai, and in the case of my second ascent of
Mauna Loa spending twenty-three days alone on its summit. Similarly in
Fiji, Seemann’s “Flora Vitiensis” was my counsellor and guide in the
matter of plants.
In Hawaii I was in a land of active sub-aerial volcanoes, and I paid my
devotions at all the altars of “Pele,” their presiding deity. In Fiji I
trod upon the surface of submarine volcanoes that emerged ages since
from the ocean and still retain their coverings of sea-deposits. Both in
Hawaii and Fiji I lived much among the people; and though my chief
interest lay in the comparison of these two types of volcanic islands, I
could not but be drawn to the kindly natives whose hospitality I so long
enjoyed.
Destiny led me to Vanua Levu in the following fashion. With the relief
party to take me down from Mauna Loa there arrived a well-known German
naturalist who, like myself, had been interested in coral-reef
investigations. We discussed this warm topic at an elevation of nearly
14,000 feet above the sea, with the thermometer at 20° F. As we sipped
our hot coffee and listened to the occasional “boom” from the bottom of
the great crater, at the edge of which we were camped, I remarked to my
friend that I was thinking of spending some months in Samoa. To this he
good-humouredly replied that I might leave Samoa to his countrymen and
describe one of the large islands of Fiji. International rivalry over
that group of islands was then rather keen. However, Dr. K. went to
Samoa, and I have now completed this volume on the geology of Vanua
Levu, Fiji.
It will not be necessary to lay stress here on the difficulties and
hardships connected with the exploration of little known tropical
regions. Many will be familiar with all that these imply, where the
rainfall ranges from 100 to 250 inches, where the forests are dense,
where tracks are few and swollen rivers are numerous, and where the
torrent’s bed presents often the only road.
The only extensive geological collections made in Fiji previous to my
visit were those of Kleinschmidt in 1876-78, which together with a small
collection previously made by Dr. Gräffe were examined by Dr. A.
Wichmann. These rocks were obtained from Viti Levu, Kandavu, Ovalau,
etc., but not from Vanua Levu. Dr. Wichmann’s paper of 1882, descriptive
of these collections, presents us with the results of one of the
earliest studies by modern methods of research of the volcanic rocks of
the Pacific Islands. It is to this investigator that we are indebted for
the establishment of the occurrence of plutonic rocks, such as granites,
gabbros, diorites, in Viti Levu.
Although, as far as I can ascertain, few, if any, rocks have been
specially described from Vanua Levu, this island was visited by Dana in
1840 when attached to the United States Exploring Expedition under
Wilkes. His observations on its geology were published in his volume on
the geology of the expedition. Although not extensive they are valuable
from their reference to his discovery of trachytic and rhyolitic rocks
as well as acid pumice-tuffs in the island. It is singular that his
observations have apparently been overlooked by all his successors.
Wichmann with this discovery unknown to him remarked on the seeming
absence of quartz-bearing recent eruptive rocks from the South Seas.
When the “Challenger” Expedition visited the group in 1875 some
geological collections were made which were described by Prof. Renard in
the second volume on the “Physics and Chemistry” of the expedition. No
collections, however, were made in Vanua Levu. In 1878 Mr. John Horne,
Director of the Botanic Gardens at Mauritius, made some important
observations on the geological structure of this island and of other
parts of the group, which he published in his account of the islands
given in “A Year in Fiji.” No collections were obtained by him; but
prominence is given to his observations by Dr. Wichmann and others. Like
Dana in the case of the acid volcanic rocks, Mr. Horne has forestalled
me in his conclusion that Vanua Levu amongst the other larger islands
has been formed mainly of the products of submarine eruptions.
The visit of Prof. A. Agassiz to Fiji in 1897-98 gave a fresh impetus to
its geological investigation. We are indebted to him not only for his
own extensive memoir on the islands and coral reefs of this group, but
also for the subsequent important explorations of Mr. E. C. Andrews and
Mr. B. Sawyer in Viti Levu and the Lau Islands. These two gentlemen have
since published a short paper on the caves of these islands. Mr. Eakle
has described the volcanic rocks collected during the visit of Prof.
Agassiz. It is, however, noteworthy that, although the collections were
made in Viti Levu, Kandavu and in many other of the smaller islands,
Vanua Levu is not represented. Mr. Eakle’s conclusion that basic
andesites and basalts are the characteristic rocks of the region, the
augite-andesites predominating, would apply to Vanua Levu in great part.
This island possesses also in fair amount hypersthene-andesites and
dacitic or felsitic andesites, which are very scantily represented in
the collections examined by Mr. Eakle. In connection with the
quartz-porphyries and trachytic rocks which also occur in Vanua Levu, it
should be observed that Mr. Andrews describes a rhyolite from Suva in
Viti Levu. Unlike Viti Levu, Vanua Levu displays but a small development
of plutonic rocks.
In conclusion it should be pointed out that much remains to be done in
the geological exploration of this island, and that I would have spent a
third year in this task much to my profit. Still I hope that a period of
two years devoted to its investigation will be regarded as some excuse
for a certain over-confidence in the expression of my opinions.
To enumerate all those from whom I received much kindness in these
islands would be a lengthy task. My indebtedness is very great to Bishop
Vidal, Father Rougier, and to various other members of the Roman
Catholic Mission, and I experienced similar favours at the hands of Mr.
Williams and other Wesleyan Missionaries in Vanua Levu. Mr. F. Spence
and Mrs. Spence showed me great kindness, and from Dr. Corney I received
valuable assistance on my arrival in the group. To the planters my debt
is equally great, more especially to Mr. Barratt, Mr. Dods, and Mr.
Mills.
In conclusion I would suggest the foundation of a “Fijian Society” for
the investigation of the islands, for the gathering together of all that
has been written about the group and its people, and for the advancement
of science.
HENRY BROUGHAM GUPPY.
_June, 1903._
_Note._—A type set of my geological collections representing the
massive rocks from this island has been kindly accepted by the
Curator of the Geological Museum, Jermyn Street.
LIST OF SOME OF THE PRINCIPAL AUTHORITIES QUOTED IN THIS BOOK
DANA, J. D., on the Geology of Fiji in vol. x, Geology, United States
Exploring Expedition Reports, Philadelphia, 1849.
KLEINSCHMIDT, T., “Reisen auf den Viti-Inseln,” Journal des Museum
Godeffroy, heft 14, Hamburg, 1879.
HORNE, J., “A Year in Fiji,” London, 1881.
WICHMANN, A., “Ein Beitrag zur Petrographie des Viti-Archipels,
Mineralogische und Petrographische, Mittheilungen,” band v, heft 1,
Wien, 1882.
RENARD, A., on andesites from Kandavu, “Report on the Petrology of
Oceanic Islands,” vol. ii of “Physics and Chemistry,” Challenger
Expedition, 1889.
AGASSIZ, A., “The Islands and Coral Reefs of Fiji,” Bulletin, Museum of
Comparative Zoology, Harvard College, vol. xxxiii, 1899, Cambridge,
Mass.
EAKLE, A. S., “Petrographical Notes on some rocks from the Fiji
Islands,” Proceedings, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, vol.
xxxiv, no. 21, May, 1899.
ANDREWS, E. C., Notes on the limestones and general geology of the Fiji
Islands, with special reference to the Lau Group. Based upon surveys
made for Alexander Agassiz. With a Preface by T. W. Edgeworth David.
Bulletin, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard College; vol.
xxxviii, Cambridge, Mass. 1900.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
GENERAL INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ON SOME OF THE LEADING PHYSICAL
FEATURES OF THE ISLAND
Its remarkable shape, 1.—Its building up, 2.—Study of its profile,
3.—Mount Seatura.—Regions of acid andesites.—Basaltic
tablelands.—Great ridge-mountains, 5.—Boundary of the regions of basic
and acid rocks, 6.—Its primary features, the dacitic peak, the
basaltic plateau, and the ridge-mountain
_Pages_ 1-6