15

A.—3b

construction, and are skilful in the management of them. They dress like Europeans, in cotton fabrics, which they have received from ships in exchange for cocoa-nut oil, or as wages at guano diggings, or other works away from their homes to which they make a practice of hiring themselves. They have carpenters' tools, and most necessaries. They profess Christianity, and can all read and write, having been taught by natives of the Hervey group, who have been landed among them from Mission ships. Although by nature industrious, these people are lapsing into indolence, from want of all incentive to systematic exertion. Their numbers also decrease annually by reason of so many of them going to other lands and returning no more, as they have a passion for rambling in order to see the world, and they soon forget their own native island, and do not care to go back to it. The valuable product of their immense cocoa-nut groves goes chiefly to waste. Beche-de-mer, of which they have abundance, they never gather now. Pearl shell they never fish for, except that now and then some old woman gets up a few baskets of it, in order to exchange for a pound of tobacco, when some chance vessel comes along. They say, "We are not in want, why should we work ?" The young men generally go away in labour ships to Honolulu, Tahiti, or the Guano Islands, where they earn wages to spend abroad. The young women have but one ambition, to run away in any ships whatever, in hope to be carried to foreign places to become the mistresses of Europeans, for whom they have an unconquerable liking. On their own island few remain permanently but the aged and infants. It is easy to prognosticate the immediate future of such islands as these. They must ere long become the property of commercial adventurers, who will inaugurate a more healthy state of things, and utilize their valuable products. There are upon this isle of Manihiki cocoa-nut groves of an area sufficient, if the produce were economized, to yield annually 300 tons of kobra (value £3,000) ; in two years, by a little labour and care, this return would be greatly augmented, and in seven years increased at least fourfold. The island of the Grand Duke Alexander, or Eakahanga, resembles Manihiki, except that it is not quite so large, and contains no pearl shell in its lagoon. The density of its cocoa-nut groves has excited the astonishment of all mariners who have visited it. This place is, however, very little known, much less so than even Manihiki, for the reason that its villages being built out of sight, and its anchorage difficult to find, it has more frequently been passed by under the supposition of being uninhabited. There are, however, about 400 people upon it, who are even superior to the Manihikians in hospitality, ingenuity, and the possession of everything necessary to their comfort and happiness. The village which they inhabit is built entirely of stone. The houses are large and substantial, plastered with snow-white coral lime; they have panneled doors and Venetian shutters ; the floors are laid with fine mats of variegated pattern, in the manufacture of which they are more skilful than any other people of tho Pacific. These mats they barter to traders when they have opportunity, at the rate of one fathom of mat for the same dimension of unbleached calico, of which the men make their clothing. The mats themselves are of so fine a description, that in civilized lands, when obtainable, they are highly prized for covering the floors of even the best houses. Those of one kind are even used as table-covers. The natives have good furniture, made by themselves, of their own island wood. Their hats, which they readily barter to traders, sell in the Pacific ports at one dollar each. They are similar to those of Panama. Their boats, of the fashion of a whaleboat, are handsome and seaworthy. They profess Christianity, and can read and write. They have a church in the middle of the village, handsomely decorated within, the woodwork inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The vessels which they use in their religious ceremonies are of solid silver, and were purchased from traders who had procured them from a wreck. Their laws are just and well administered ; they have no superstitious customs. They have no Europeans Jiving among them, and never have had, except, for a few months at a time, some strolling or shipwrecked mariners to whom they have extended the kindest hospitality. They have a teacher (or priest, as he might be called), one of their own countrymen, who derived his instruction from a Polynesian missionary, a native of the Hervey Isles, who came to them and died among them. All seafaring men who have visited their island, have been beyond measure surprised to find in so solitary a place a people so amiable, intelligent, and ingenious. Very much of their advancement in civilization and the useful arts is due to the friendy interest taken in their affairs by Captain English, a merchant mariner of Honolulu. Some ten or twelve years ago, he instituted a cocoa-nut oil manufactory on a large scale at Fanning Island, which lies about 4° north of the equator. Looking for labour, he found these people, and for several years made a practice of employing them. He supplied them with all useful articles and taught them handicrafts, which they displayed extraordinary aptitude in acquiring. He supplied them with the seeds and cuttings of valuable plants and trees adapted to their soil—notably tobacco and figs, which last have grown among them to great perfection, overshadowing their dwellings, and bearing abundance of fruit at all seasons of the year. Commercial misfortunes overtook him and brought his connection with these people to an end ; but as long as any of them remain, his name will be remembered as that of their great benefactor. Fanning Island is now (or was very lately) in possession of Messrs. Bicknell and Greig, of Honolulu, who make cocoa-nut oil there, but their operations are not extensive, they being men of limited means. It has never been formally claimed by, or placed under the protection of, any civilized State. It has no permanent or indigenous inhabitants. It possesses a fine and commodious harbour, and cocoa-nut groves of considerable extent. The pearl oyster does not exist in its lagoon, but there is to be found there, in great quantity, a shell-fish which, I am of opinion, will before long be regarded with equal if not greater interest by commercial adventurers. I have spoken of the Paahua or Tridachna, a species of large clam, which on many coral isles constitutes a great part of the subsistence of the inhabitants. There are two kinds : one grows chiefly upon the solid coral, and does not attain so great a size as the other, which is found not only on the hard reef but bound to loose rocks or lodged upon the sandy bottom. This attains extraordinary proportions. It is in some cases, especially near the equator, so large as to weigh several hundredweights. This is the kind of shell sometimes used in gardens as the basins of fountains. Some years ago, there was a trade in this kind of shell, and it was collected for shipment in the Navigators and elsewhere; for what purpose Ido not know, but I supposed for the making of what is called in