The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume XII, No. 2 [‎302r] (106/154)

THE MONTHLY RECORD.
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western or coast cordillera the dry predominates. The peculiar character of this
dry vegetation, consisting largely of cacti, was especially noticeable on the sides of
the upper Maranon valley. The descent down the heated, waterless, slope occupied
nearly a whole day, after the stream had been first sighted.
New Expedition of Dr. Hermann Meyer— Like his brother, Dr. Hans
Meyer, Dr. Hermann Meyer has lately undertaken a new expedition to the scene of
his former explorations. It is announced in Globus (vol. Ixxiv. p. 20) that he is
to start during August for South America, where he hopes to explore the Atelchu,
one of the Xingu headstreams, discovered by him two years ago. There are still
unvisited tribes of Indians on this river, and Dr. Meyer hopes to obtain valuable
ethnological results. Three other Europeans are to accompany the traveller.
Sir Martin Conway’s Expedition— Sir Martin Conway has left for Bolivia
for the purpose of exploring the high group of the Andes, containing the peaks
Illimani and Illampu (Sorate).
AUSTRALASIA AND OCEANIC ISLANDS.
Prof. Haddon’s Expedition. —According to news received at Cambridge
from Prof. Haddon, the expedition which went out under his leadership to study
the anthropology of Torres Straits and other parts of the Eastern Archipelago
arrived at Thursday island on April 23. A week later a start was made for Murray
island, which was, however, only reached after a week’s trying navigation. The
expedition took up its quarters on Murray island in a deserted mission house, and
work had begun in earnest. Preparations are being made by Rajah Brooke to
afford the party every possible assistance on their intended visit to Borneo.
The Island, of Rotuma. —Mr. J. Stanley Gardiner in his paper on the
“Geology of Rotuma ” {Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, vol. liv. part i.),
treats at some length on the topography of the island. The author’s notes were made
during his visit to the island in the months September to December, 1896. The
island of Rotuma is situated in lat. 12° 30' S. and long. 177° 1' E. It appears to lie
on a great submarine plateau which includes the Tongan and Fijian groups, and which
has a northward extension of 4° to 5° of latitude, with a depth not greater than 1500
fathoms in a general depth of 2000 to 3000 fathoms. The breadth of this plateau
north of, and including Tonga, is about 10°, while in lat. 9° to 13° S., it has a
westward extension to join the plateau on which the Santa Cruz and Solomon
groups lie. Rotuma consists of two parts joined together by a narrow neck of sand.
The eastern end is about 5 miles long by 2£ broad, and the heights of its hills,
which are volcanic in character, vary up to 860 feet. On their outer faces, towards
the sea, are extensive beach-sand deposits. The western end is very sharply
separated from the beach-sand flat at the isthmus by steep cliffs of 70 to 100 feet,
surrounding the base of Kugoi, while the same hill continues to the south into
Kiliga, but to the north has a sharp drop into a valley, from which Sororoa rises to
the height of about 850 feet. A remarkable cavern in the lava of Sol Mafiri, with
lava stalactites is described, as also a similar cavern in An Hufhuf. The total
annual rainfall of the island is estimated at from 150 to 250 inches. The author is
of opinion that Rotuma was first formed of a kind of basaltic rock, such as is found
in Kugoi now. This rock he believes to have extended along the whole island as
it now runs, but to have been broken up by that great eruption, or series of erup
tions, which formed the central U-shaped range of hills of the eastern end. By
this eruption he believes that this basaltic rock was in places loosely piled up,
and then, by disintegration and admixture with lava, formed the hills and islands
of volcanic ash. The last stage is the washing away of these, and the formation of
the coral-reef and the beach-sand flats.
No. II.— August, 1898.]
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