13

A.—3b

that they had formed part of the ballast of ships which had been wrecked at those places, and I still entertain that opinion. The harbour of Apia is not the only one on Upolu, neither is it regarded as the best. The reason of its having been made the site of the principal settlement was, that there the first Christian mission was established.- The Consuls took up their quarters at the same place, and so the other harbours were neglected. Surrounding them are tracts of rich land available for settlement, as extensive as those in the neighbourhood of Apia, and which the natives are equally willing to dispose of. They possess the additional advantage of not having been lately devastated by war to the same extent. As concerns local conditions and resources, what applies to the island of Upolu equally applies to Tutuila, which is distant from it, to the eastward, forty miles from reef to reef; but the area of the latter is more limited, being not more than ninety miles in circuit, with a population of probably 4,000. It possesses two good harbours, of which that of Pango-Pango is perfectly landlocked, and apparently one of the most secure for shipping to be found in the world. It is now much better known than formerly, by reason of its having been examined and reported upon as a coaling station of the late steam service between New Zealand and San Francisco. There are a number of detached islands in this latitude and in the direction of the Marquesas which are very little known, but which are nevertheless replete with commercial interest. One of the most remarkable lies about 500 miles eastward of the Navigators, and is known as Suwarrow. It is a coral atoll of a triangular form, fifty miles in circumference, the reef having an average width of half a mile, enclosing a landlocked lagoon twelve miles by eight in diameter. It has a wide entrance, half a mile across in the narrowest place, although divided by two rocks, 200 yards apart, into three channels, the depth being five fathoms at the lowest tides during the year, with a level bottom, and no concealed dangers. Inside is secure anchorage of all depths, from three to thirty fathoms. There is accommodation for all the ships of the Pacific to ride in safety in all weathers, with room to beat out, and a fair wind half-way round the compass in or out. It is uninhabited, and is not claimed by any nation. It is out of the track of hurricanes, which have never been known to extend in this direction in the Pacific so far to the eastward. There are nine islets upon the reef; two of them are about a mile and a half in length, and are covered with tall timber. Upon the one next to the entrance into the lagoon, are a great many cocoa-nut trees, and about forty acres of very rich soil, not encumbered by forest. There is no fresh water visible upon the surface, though there can be little doubt that it is procurable by digging. This place would support a population of at any rate 100 Polynesians, and they would prove an excellent investment to whoever might put them there,_ as, if supplied with boats and other requisites, and the seed of vegetables, they could prepare a large annual cargo of beche-de-mer, which is here in very great quantity and of good quality. The shoal water of the lagoon also abounds in pearl shell of the largest size and the finest lustre. In addition, the splendid harbour of this solitary isle could be utilized as a depot for the collection of various cargoes which are obtainable from the surrounding islands, and it would thus become a very valuable property to merchants who might choose to take possession of it. Near to the 10th parallel, but rather north of the latitude of the Navigators, are situated a number of coral atolls, which, though little known or regarded, could not fail to become extremely profitabfe possessions if their resources were systematically turned to account. Of these, the nearest to the Samoan group is the San Bernardo of Mendana, or " Danger Island " of Commodore Byron ; so called by him from its unsafe aspect, although, to voyagers acquainted with it, it presents no dangers whatever ; forasmuch as it lies out of the track of the hurricanes, which have never been known to extend to this locality, and a vessel may stand off and on, making fast to the reef with a kedge during the day, if necessary, for nine months out of the year, in a horseshoe bight on the lee side of the land. The island consists of a great triangular reef about thirty-five miles in circuit, enclosing a lagoon mostly shallow, but in places having a depth of 50 fathoms. There are three large cays upon the reef, of which the most considerable is about five miles in circumference. Some years ago they were thickly populated : the number of inhabitants is now less than 300, in consequence of slaving ships from the coast of Peru having carried off the greater number. These people are of a light copper hue and pleasing countenance ; they never practised tattooing or any kind of disfigurement. They have not, and never did have, any weapons of war. Crimes of violence seem to have never been known among them. They are a people simple, contented, honest, and perfectly amiable ; very ingenious in the manufacture of their clothing and implements, and very ready and anxious to learn from strangers whatever is useful. The most extraordinary characteristic of these islanders is that they speak a language more nearly identical with that of the North Islanders of New Zealand than any others in the whole Pacific. They profess Christianity, and have a teacher residing among them, a native of the Hervey Isles. They work willingly, and deal honestly. The products of their island are cocoa-nuts and beche-de-mer. Their cocoa-nut groves are very luxuriant, and produce about 100 tons annually, most of which is eaten by them—that is, in a great measure wasted —as they drink no water, but use only the young nuts ; so that each individual among them, young and old, consumes on an average not much less than twenty nuts per day. They have no object in saving them, being seldom visited by ships, their island being so little known, and out of the track of ordinary navigation. With a little labour and cultivation of the trees, as well as planting out fresh groves in the waste spots, this island could be made to produce in seven years' time, at least 500 tons of dried cocoa-nut. There being three islets, and a population not sufficient for the one upon which they all reside, they would willingly sell the other two at a cheap rate, and hire themselves to work for the purchasers. It is to be hoped that eventually some of our countrymen may take advantage of so good an opportunity of securing a large profit at a comparatively small outlay, and at the same time of benefiting the remnant of a people so amiable and naturally industrious, who are now wasting their lives in ignorance and sloth. Their lagoon abounds with beche-de-mer of good quality. Very large and fine pearl oysters exist in it, but as yet they have not been found in payable quantity. They are procured by the natives, with extreme labour, from great depths, only for their own domestic uses —that is, for dishes, the making of spoons, scrapers, and fish hooks, and for the spools on which they weave their fishing nets. The natives