Subterranean Caves In

Fiji

Natural Wonders of The Yasawas

I HAVE read with interest various ar ticles in the Pacific Islands Monthly referring to ancient Chinese symbols dis covered in Fiji by Mr. A. J. Vogan, writes Mr. Arthur Robinson, of Natovo Estate, Vanua Levu, Fiji.

The symbols are said to be 3000 years old, and were found in a cave in the Yasawa Group, Northern Fiji. Having been a trader there for 20 years, I know the caves and the peculiar carving very well.

I have a little to add concerning the extraordinary nature of the Yasawas Caves where the carved symbols exist.

The main cave is reached by a passage through limestone, and is apparently a single one, with a straight up and down wall open at the top. The bottom of the cave is filled with crystal clear water close to the entrance, which gradually deepens into a dark blue. On one side is a rock resembling a pulpit. If one swims to the far side of the cave, just near the big rock, under the water is an entrance to a second cave.

One can reach a third cave through an underwater entrance on the far side.

The only way to reach these two caves is by diving down at the side until one sees a faint glow of light in front, and then swims under water a few feet to come up inside the caves. The light is caused by small openings in the roof of the caves.

Once inside the subterranean cave, the entrance hole can plainly be seen.

The first experience of diving into the cave awes the swimmer, and for that reason hundreds have funked the dive under water —I funked it myself for years, but eventually did both dives. Once in side one finds thousands of names and dates chalked on the walls by people who have been there. There are plenty of ledges jutting out to rest on while in the inner caves. I generally used an electric torch to explore the caverns.

Mr. Vogan does not mention whether he examined these under-water caves; probably, like hundreds of others, he would not risk a dive into, darkness. Yet there is plenty of room inside above water to the roof of the caves. There are no carvings on the inside cave walls. Pro bably the people who left their records on the walls of the main cave did not know other caves existed, the entrances to which are under water, through the walls of the main cave where the symbols are situated high up on the straight smooth walls.

Mr. R. J. Winters, consulting geologist, left Sydney on August 27 by the Montoro to inspect and report upon gold-bearing areas at Misima Island, Papua. He will be engaged at Misima until the middle of October, when he will leave for New Guinea to visit the property of Sandy Creek Gold Sluicing Ltd., near Wau. At Sandy Creek he will confer with Mr.

Andrew J. Smeaton, the local represen tative, who was recently appointed a director, and will be on the field when the company’s No. 1 sluicing plant is inaugurated. Mr. Winters, who made some of the original discoveries on the Edie Creek field in the early days, will return to Australia in December.