THE FIJI ISLANDS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 501, 8 May 1869, Page 2

THE FIJI ISLANDS.

A correspondent who at one time was resident in "Westport, and who lately returned from a visit to the Fiji Islands, gives the following account of his impressions of the place and the people:— " You wish to know something about Fiji. Well, it is difficult to put in a letter sufficient to form a fair opinion. I was there almost five months, so I had time to get a tolerahlo idea of it. The climate is warm, with little or no variation in temperature, night or day; food—good, nourishing, food —scarce ; danger of some 'future outbreak by the Natives; no law, no protection to settlers. These, I in short, are the great draw-backs of Fiji. The Natives are a very pleasant, good-looking, and intelligent set of people; very inquisitive, of course. The population consists of 1200 Europeans and 200,000 Natives, scattered over two hundred islands, of which, however, thirty-five are inhabited. They vary from a few acres to a hundred miles in diameter, some of them densely populated. Yiti Levu or Great Fiji is the largest island. It is ! about a hundred miles across each way, and the interior is unknown, as it is inhabited by cannibal tribes, who sometimes commit depredations on the coastal tribes, who are Christians, or '' Lotu," as it is called. It has one large river, the Rewa, something like the Buller perhaps, only navigable for fifty miles or more. A considerable number of settlers are scattered about the lower parts of the river. The Polynesian Company's township, and probably future capital of Fiji, is a few miles from the mouth of this river. Luva is iis name, and it is situated on the only harbor, properly so called. It lies on the outside of the group, accessible for vessels of any tonnage without navigating the reefs, and probably if another (San Francisco) route to Australia starts, this will be the calling place, as it is just in the way.

" Ovalau 13 the present centre —an island twelve by eight miles ; and with a population of 10,000. Levuka, its chief town, where the principal whites are, —consuls, &c, —has a population of, perhaps, 200 whites, all told. It contains about ninety buildings, a few of which are the usual weather-board, but chiefly they are of Fijian make. They are built of reeds, something like basket-work, close and wellthatched. There are, as near as I can remember, eleven stores, large and small, six hotels ditto, two boatbuilders, a few carpenters, one drug and soda-water vendor, one cooper, one cobbler, two public cotton gins, worked by steam, ona packer, nno blackamifcVi, the Wesleyan mission, Eoinan Catholic ditto, the British Consulate, American ditto, two doctors, a seed-oil works, public reading-room, meeting-house, &c. I think that is all in Levuka, but there are a few stores in one or two other islands. There is for circulating medium almost every kind of coin you could name, at least iu gold and silver. I can name coins of value ranging from 3d. to Gis., comprising English, Trench, Spanish, Russian, Chilian, Peruvian, &c, but English are preferred. Now that a bank has been started, there will be greater convenience in the way of cheques, &c. Before, people mostly kept accounts at Sydney, and gave cheques. " The Europeans mostly wear light jean, or linen, and the Natives a " aula " — i.e. two yards of blue print round the loins. The heat is almost too much for Europeans, though while I was there it was not more than 82 ° in the shade, and I found it pretty warm to work ; but the whites don't work much. They get the Natives to work when they can, but they don't care to work either, if they can help it. For this reason it will always be difficult to get on in Fiji, for the planter must depeud upon Native labor. The best is imported from Tanna, Sandwich Islands, and other parts of the New Hebrides, but the supply is precarious, and likely to be stopped in consequence of some recent kidnapping exploits. " I see by recent accounts, that Cakabou is trying to raise a body of European Volunteers, but the English Government is, very properly, stepping in, and will not allow it. As well might Tawhio Matntiera try to raise a body of whites to levy war on the Taupo tribes ; it would be a similar case. The result, if enlistment were allowed, would be the putting of the Natives generally against the Europeans, when all would suffer. "The Natives are strong, well-made, and intelligent. They are, in my opinion, infinitely superior to the Maoris, and are not to be played with. The recent outrages were by the cannibals of Viti Levu, and were a consequence partly of the whites pressing too elose upon them. The British Government takes care to inform settlers that, if they will go to these places, they do so at their own peril. The fact is very unpalatable, and had a great share in causing me to leave. " As to the likelihood of success as a planter, I can hardly give an opinion. While I was there, I only heard of one instance where a person had made money by planting, but the chief rea- ! son probably is that, as yet, the whole is, as you may say, an experiment. The settlers are only just beginning to find out what will pay and what won't. Some parts are good for cotton, some for coffee, some for tobacco, &c I am confident that, as its capabilities become known, it will attract a considerable population, and, in time, will pay those who invest. But, like all

other new places, it has plenty of drawbacks, which time will cure ; and then, of course, the chances will be taken up. It ia not at present a place for tender women and children, at anyrate."