Visit to Vavau

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XV, Issue 3, 1 July 1922, Page 133

Visit to Vavau

Those who visit Vavau should not fail to enter the entrancing Swallows' Cave. It is a sea cave on one of the many islands which lie about, within Vavau 's mighty harbour. No coral islets these, but volcanic rock rising sheer out of the deep — precipitous, and crowned with richest verdure. The time to enter is as the sun is slowly sinking in the western sky, for then its rays reach within the narrow portal and play upon the sides, producing colours and shades over which even the satiated traveller igrows eloquent, and leave a picture which it will take long years to efface from the mind. It is within rowing distance of the Tongan village and wharf which we lay at over night ; but in this instance our genial captain would fain have us wait till he cast off his lines and headed out to sea on the way to far Samoa. A hundred yards away from the cleft in the rock, the engines stopped and boats were swung out from the davits, manned by dusky natives, an officer in each, into which we tumbled and cast off. The entrance is a fair way for even such good-sized boats, with an arch above, then a wide gap through which one sees the sky silhouetted with heavy shrubbery and drooping trees. Peering down upon us were some native boys, whose chocolate skins verily glistened in the light and added a further touch of colour to the scene. Once within, we found Fairyland indeed; a great round chamber with- vaulted roof, here and there great stalactites hanging down still dripping, an almost perfect circle with one or two deep recesses leading off. The roof seemed like to have been chiselled out by human hands, ending in a perfect dome where sea swallows had built their nests, and, at our advent, came sweeping down and round as if protesting at our invasion of their home. But the colours are the marvel. Here is a wall of sapphire which shades off gently to a most tender green, in another quarter soft red glides off to cream and yellow, the water beneath the boat taking its colour from the dome above,, a glorious Prussian blue

transparent to the very bottom, fathoms below. In keeping with the setting sun, so did the colours ring their many changes. To heighten the effect there entered with us a boat-load of natives, who had made the trip for the pure joy of the cool and the rest within. They seemed to fit the place ; and the place fit them, whilst we were but outsiders only there on sufference. Slowly Ave revolved round the sides, or preferably the circle, and bethought us of the long ages that must have passed in the making of this palace of the Sea Nymphs. It is iron stone, but alas! not even at that impervious to the hand of the desecrator who conceives no such spot as this to be perfect, till he has inscribed his name and the date of his immortal visit upon its should-be sacred walls. So hard is the stone that to strike it is to brinig forth a bell-like note which rings and rings again within the vaulted chamber, and sends the swallow owners fresh swirling from their homes. We would fain have lingered long, and: left it with regret for the call of the world outside.