New-York tribune., 1898-12-25
AMONG THE Fills.
TIMID AT SEA, BRAVE ON LAND, AMI
EVER HOSPTrABLE.

! Sinking a bore. for scientific purposes, IN
| coral rock is generally regarded as some lal M
| tedious and unintcresting task, save py ts"so
! directing the operations, but those enSaseu IN
| the expedition organized by Professor ASasSiz
to invest gate the structure or the coral loIina
ton OH the Fijian coast seem to nave mao
charge of Mr. Andrews. Of the Sydney Univer-
sity who was assisted for several weeks Dy
Basil Sawyer another sydney University mah'
principally in connection with rock blastinS
| A cutter 81 feet in length. rigged with a
mainsan gan topsa tb and staysafl ana
manned by five Fijians under Fijian captain
was hired from a Fijan chief but the accom-
| modation on board was none OF the best Inere
was only one cabin, and this was OF such liilpu-
| tian proportions that nght-sleeping on deck was
| often preferred, despite the risk OF becoming
| saturated with salt water or night dew bus
| the cooking galley was source OF even greater
discomfort II consisted Of a wooden packing
| case with the lid removed and the interior
| filled with earth on which was placed layer
| of stones
In the middle OF the stones a fire was kindleI,
| on which the cooking utensils were placed. In
rough weather. however, cooking pots' ine'
stones and earth would get mixed up IN lnextrlc-
| able confusion, while the smoke would roll into
| the cabin. compelling the occupants to beat
| hasty retreat. Messrs Andrews and sawyer
| had plenty of biscuit and timed provisions; Dut
the subsisted mostly on yams, bananas,
| fish and cOcoanut milk. on visiting tribe they
never asked for food they simply looked nun
CRY, and supplies were readily forthcoming.
Mr.. Andrews had letter of Introduction. writ
ten in the native language, 10 the FlJidn chle1s,
requesting permission to tear up rocks ana
stones With the assistance of gunpowder but It's
presentation necessitated so many formailties
| that he occasionally read 1t aloud himself Ihis
deviation from native custom was not always
success for his pronunciation of many FiJian
words generally led to much half-suppressed
mirth among the natives, who, however, never
forgot the rites o: hospitality for moment
Mr. Andrews speedily became known as the
"stone gentleman" and Mr.. Sawyer as the iron
gentleman" these being the Fijan equivalents
for "geologist' and engineer" The natives
were as curious and reckless OF danger as q
crowd OF London street boys, and the news that
a blast to be fired was invariably followed
by a general roll-up of the tribe "The ma
| tiyes," says Mr.. Sawyer, men, women ana chill
dren. swarmed like ants around the spot where
the fuse was being lighted, and neither threats
nor arguments would induce them to quit.
They had never previously seen blasting opera
| tions though many had seen guns fired from
warshrs. They stood their ground, although
warned in graphic and artistic terms by some
Of the native crew or the coming pnehoHeha.
The Fijians are. indeed. a brave people, except
in the matter of navigating the hlgh seas, ana
have strong sporting instincts, and when there
is fun afoot like TO be at the focus or H. AS
each shot was fired there was roar or ap-
ulause the children capering about like so many
imps of darkness
island after island was visited. but no matter
how secret the Intentions Of the leaders OF the
expedition were kept. the natives at each place
were found fully apprised-by some mysterious
| system Of teegraphy-of their approach ana m
tentions The most adventurous portion or the
voyage Is thus described by MIR. Andrews:
next morning a. the Island Of TOoya, | called
my Fijian captain and announced my intention
Of making Vatu Lcile that day. via the solo
Light He went into ecstasies Of terror. Hg
showed me the broken twnc of the sails, the
yielding ropes and the broken backstay. All
right. / said. L gave you rest yesterday to
get water and mend the sails. Use my rope Tor
n stay He obstnatey refused. Then | told
him that | was not afraid. and suggested that
he should stay shore while the first mate
took us across the dreary ocean The effect was
magical. Up went the rotten sail in moment.
Then ! ordered him to take In a reef. because
the southeriy wind was bearing the trees TO the
ground. Ten miles took us out of the passage,
and then, under recfed mansail. We raced along.
I set the compass and sat for fifteen hours to
keep the steersnnan at his duty because out Of
sight Of land these fellows are at sea in more
senses than one. and are frightened"
Ultimately the voyage Of two hundred. miles
was accomplished in something like twenty
four hours bat not without several mishaps and
serious risks. After a geological examination Of
Natu Lee, the return voyage was made TO Slgl
atOke, where a considerable amount of worf
has been effected at the vast cliffs of doomitic
coral limestone. 10n0 to 1000 feet in height, on
the hanks of the Siaatoke River. from here
Messrs. Andrews and Sawyer proceeded to Suva,
the latter leaving the fijian capital for sydney.
Mr.. Sawyer states that the denseness OF the
vegetation in the Fijian group makes the work
Of running geological sections extremely diff
cult. Many of the hills. at distance, appear to
be covered with grass, but this proves to be
native reeds. growing closely packed to a height
Of about ten feet. 10 penetrate this reed forest
a path must either be cleared with the axe or
the reeds pressed down with small wooden log
or board held up in the hands and forced
against the reeds until they are bent down,
when the feet are placed upon them. and the
process is repeated, not pleasant task in
tropical climate. Despite all the difficulties en-.
countercd by the expedition, large amount OF
good geological work has been done. and over
couple Of tons OF specimens forwarded to Pro-
ri