with an area I have set down at 1,650 square miles (although some authorities do not allow over 1,100 to 1,200 square miles), with a total population of 35,000. The modern name of the group was given to them by the French navigator, Bougainville, who visited them in 1768. They were visited, also, in after years by the ill-fated la Perouse, in 1787, who had a battle with the natives, losing a good many men in the conflict.

The islands are evidently of volcanic origin, but no traces of active eruptions are found at present. In 1867 a curious submarine convulsion took place in the strait between the islands of Mauna and Olosenga. The eruption lasted for about two weeks, ejecting mud, sand and water in large volumes to a great height. After the convulsion, which in no way disturbed the adjoining islands, the sea flowed peacefully over the volcanoes' watery tomb. Soundings taken at the time showed no apparent variation from the usual depth of water in the strait.

The people are among the straight-haired races of the South Sea. With a fertile soil, blessed with an abundant rainfall, and schools and churches in every village, the group may safely be classed among the garden-spots of the Pacific.

Savaii is the most western island of the Samoan group, and is also the largest, being forty miles in length and twenty in breadth. It is not, however, as populous or as important as some of the others. It differs from any of the others in appearance, for its shore is low, and the ascent thence to the center is gradual, except where the cones of a few extinct craters are seen. In the middle of the island a peak rises, which is almost continually enveloped in the

On

clouds, and is the highest land in the group. account of these clouds angles could not be taken for determining its height accurately, but it certainly exceeds 4,000 feet.

Another marked difference between Savaii and the other larger islands is the want of any permanent streams, a circumstance which may be explained, notwithstanding the frequency of rains, by the porous nature of the rock (vesicular lava), of which it is chiefly composed. Water, however, gushes out near the shore in copious springs, and when heavy and continued rains have occurred, streams are formed in the ravines, but these soon disappear after the rains have ceased.

The coral reef attached to the island is interrupted to the south and west, where the surf beats full upon the rocky shore. There are in consequence but few places where boats can land, and only one harbor for ships, that of Mataatua; even this is unsafe from November to February, when the northwesterly gales prevail. The soil is fertile, and was composed in every part of the island that was visited, of decomposed volcanic rock and vegetable mold. Upolu is ten miles to the eastward of Savaii, and is next in size. It is about forty miles long and thirteen broad. It has a main ridge extending east and west, broken here and there into sharp peaks and hummocks. From this main ridge a number of smaller ridges and broad gradual slopes run down to a low shore encircled by a coral reef, interrupted here and there by channels which form the entrances to safe and convenient anchorages for small vessels. At Apia the reef extends across a good-sized bay, and forms a safe and commodious harbor for large ships, with

an entrance through a deep and clear channel formed by a break in the reef.

Between Savaii and Opulu are two small islands; at the southeast end of Tutuila there is the small island of Aunu'u, and sixty miles to the east of this Maun'a. Of these islands the Rev. Mr. Powell, of the London Missionary Society, says:

"The first island that come in sight of voyagers arriving from the eastward is Ta'u, the largest of the three islands that constitute the group, which the natives call Manu'a. It is about six miles long, four and a half broad, and sixteen in circumference, and contains one hundred square miles. [This is an evident mathematical mistake of Mr. Powell, as under his description, taking length, breadth or circumference, the island could not contain more than twenty-five to twenty-seven square miles.] About six miles west of Ta'u is the island of Olosenga. This is a very rocky island, three miles long, 500 yards wide, and about 1,500 feet high."

Savaii and Opolu contain the largest extent of flat land; fully two-thirds of their area (about 500,000 acres) are fit for cultivation. The whole group is of volcanic origin; craters of extinct volcanoes are seen at various points. Some of the small islands of the group are composed of a single large crater rising abruptly from the sea. The soil on all the islands is exceedingly rich, and is everywhere covered with dense vegetation from the water's edge up to the tops of the mountains. The high mountain ridges extending through the middle of the larger islands attract the passing clouds, which furnish a copious and never-failing supply of moisture, and feed the numerous streams of beautiful, clear water that abound in every direction.

CLIMATE.

The climate is mild and agreeable; the temperature generally ranges between 70 deg. and 80 deg., but the heat is greatly subdued by the breezes that are constantly blowing. Mr. Williams, the British Consul, kept a meteorological register for the Board of Trade from 1860 to 1865, from which I made an abstract of the mean recorded temperature in every month in the year 1864. The southeast trade-winds blow steadily from April to October, being strongest in June and July. From November to March westerly winds frequently blow, but not for any length of time together. A strong gale may generally be looked for some time in January, but frequently an entire year will pass without a severe storm. February, as a rule, is fine, with variable winds. March is usually the worst and most boisterous month of the year, the winds being still variable, and gales occurring from north to northwest. Copious rains fall from the beginning of December to March. June and July are the coolest, and September and October the hottest months; although it will be seen, from the abstract above referred to, that there is very little variation of the temperature throughout the year. Hence the growth of vegetation goes on without check all the year around. Cotton and Indian corn will yield three crops a year. I saw some of the latter gathered in January, which had been sown at the beginning of October. Thus it was planted and the crop gathered within four months. The taro also comes to maturity in four months, and is planted continuously all the year round. When the natives take up the taro, they cut off the top, make a hole in the ground with a stick, into which the top is

thrust, without the ground being dug over or in any way prepared. A short time after it is planted, they clean the ground and mulch between the plants with grass and leaves to keep down the seeds. Bananas yield ripe fruit in nine months after planting, some of the introduced varieties coming to maturity in six months. This fruit attains a great size, especially the indigenous varieties, some of which I measured and found to be eight inches long and nine inches in circumference.

PRODUCTS.

The following are the principal productions of the group: Cocoanuts, cotton, native chestnuts, candlenuts, bananas, plantains, oranges, lemons, limes, citrons, pineapples, mangoes, guavas, Malay apples, rose apples, custard apples, pawpaws, tamarinds, bread-fruit, sweet casava, indigo, coffee, Indian corn, tobacco, chile and medicinal plants, several trees with very fragrant blossoms that might be used in the preparation of scents, some that exude aromatic gum, and others that furnish very handsome and durable wood, suitable for cabinet ware and furniture.

INHABITANTS.

The Samoan natives are a fine, tall, handsome race, of a light brown color. They are docile, truthful and hospitable, and are very lively and vivacious. In conversation among themselves, and in their intercourse with foreigners, they are exceedingly courteous and polite. They have different styles of salutation, corresponding with the social rank of the persons addressed; for instance, in addressing the chiefs or dis