A.—3a,

22

In 1871, four ships of war visited Apia, namely, one British, one American, one Trench, and one Russian. Referring to the trade of Samoa, Mr. Williams, in his last consular report to the British Government, states that " The imports are from the Australian Colonies and Hamburgh : the greater part, however, are of British manufacture. About one-third of the exports are shipped to the colonies, and go thence to England; two-thirds, to Hamburgh direct, being shipped by the representative of the German firm, Messrs. Goddefroy and Sons. " In 1858 the business of these islands was in the hands of two British merchants, one German house, and one American. In 1870, six British merchants and traders were established in Apia, besides a number of small agencies; one German house, with several out-stations and agencies; and three American houses, with their agencies." Large tracts of land are being sold by the Natives to the foreign residents. Upwards of 70,000 acres have already been so disposed of, principally on Upolu. The price paid has been from 4s. to 20s. per acre ; but where the land is near the sea shore, and covered with bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts, it has fetched as much as £2 and £3 an acre. Whilst enumerating the advantages possessed by the Navigators group, it is only right to point out that these islands, like all other tropical countries, are not free from certain drawbacks. Chief of these is the prevalence of elephantiasis, from which disease the foreign residents are not exempt. They are not usually attacked by it for several years after their arrival, and some have remained free from it after a lengthened residence; but most of the old settlers suffer more or less from it in some shape or other. Opinion varies very much as to the cause of this disease ; —some say that it is caused by incautiously lying about in the bush in wet weather; others, that it arises from the constant and almost exclusive use of vegetable diet; whilst others say it results from the malaria that must constantly arise from decaying vegetation. Many of the residents think that the moderate use of stimulants averts this disorder, and it is generally believed that quinine is an excellent remedy for it. At some parts of the islands, especially in damp, low-lying situations, the inhabitants are more affected by it than they are in others, whilst on the small island of Aunu'u they are entirely exempt from it. Flies and mosquitoes are very numerous, and are particularly annoying and troublesome, especially to strangers; but they will probably disappear, to a great extent, when wider clearings are made in the dense vegetation that everywhere surrounds the towns and villages. The Samoan natives are a fine, tall, handsome race, of a light-brown colour. 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 distinguished strangers they use the expression Lau-Afio, or "Your Majesty." In speaking to chiefs of lower rank they address them as Lau-Susu, as we would use the words " Tour Lordship." To chiefs of lower degree than those who are thus addressed, the term Ala-Ala is used ; and to the common people the salutation is Omai or Sau, simply meaning " You have arrived," or " You are here." The men only tattoo, and not on their faces, as the New Zealanders do, but on their bodies, from the waist to the knee, entirely black for the most part, where relieved here and there by graceful stripes and patterns. At a short distance this tattooing gives them the appearance of having on black knee-breeches. The clothing of both sexes is a piece of calico or native cloth wound round the waist and reaching to the knees. Some of the women wear a couple of coloured cotton handkerchiefs, in the shape of a narrow poncho, over their breasts and shoulders, and hanging loosely down to below the waist. When in the bush, or working in their taro plantations, or when fishing, they wear a kilt of the long handsome leaves of the Ti (Draccena terminalis). They have a kind of fine mat, plaited of fine strips of the leaves of a plant called Lau-ie. These mats are only used on important occasions, and they esteem them more highly than any European commodity. Some of them are quite celebrated, having names that are known all over the group ; —the older they are, the more they are valued. The oldest one known is called Moe-e-fui-fui, meaning "the mat that slept among the creepers." This name was given to it from the circumstance of its having been hidden away among the creeping kind of convolvulus that grows on the shore; —it is known to be over 200 years old, as the names of its owners during that time can be traced down. The best mats are made at Manu'a. They are the most coveted property a Native can possess, no labour or enterprise being considered too great to secure them. Both men and women spend a deal of time in dressing their hair, and frequently apply lime to it, which is laid on in a liquid state, about the consistency of cream, and has the effect of turning the hair to a reddish hue. Both men and women frequently wear flowers in their hair, —generally a single blossom of the beautiful scarlet Hybiscus, which is always found growing near their houses. Nature has supplied them so bountifully with food, in the shape of cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, bananas, native chestnuts, and other wild fruits, and tho taro yields them an abundant crop with so little cultivation, that they have no necessity to exert themselves much, and they are therefore little inclined to industry, and probably will never be induced to undertake steady labour of any kind. Their houses are neat, substantial structures, generally circular in shape, with high-pitched conical roofs, supported in the centre by two or three stout posts, and open all round, but fitted with narrow mats made of cocoa-nut leaves, which are strung together like Venetian blinds, and can be let down in stormy weather. The Samoans are very expert in the management of their canoes, of which they have five different kinds: the A-lia, or large double canoes, some of which are capable of carrying two hundred men ; the Tau-mua-lua, from 30 to 50 feet long—(these were first made about seventeen years ago, and are fashioned after the model of our whaleboats) ; the Va-alo, or fishing canoes, with outrigger—{these are most beautiful little craft, and very fast, —they look exactly like our modern clipper ships, and probably furnished the model from which they were designed) ; then there is the Soatau, outrigger aug-out canoe, capable of carrying five or six people ; and, lastly, the Paopao, a smaller dug-out canoe for one person. The Natives are all professed Christians. Christianity was first introduced into Samoa in August,