96

The native population of Samoa at the beginning of 1872 was estimated at from 33,000 to 34,000. Of Europeans there were then about 250 on the group. The value of imports in 1871 was set down at £25,000 ; but the year before they amounted to £42,000. The exports in 1871 were valued at £45,000, and consisted chiefly of copra (dried cocoa-nut). Further particulars regarding the Navigators Islands can be gathered from Mr. Seed's report on Ihem, dated the 13th February, 1872, and printed in E.'—2, " Further Papers relative to the San Francisco Mail Service," presented to the General Assembly in the session of 1872. Cook's Islands. This group of islands, which lie scattered over a considerable space, extending from lat. 18° 54' S. to 21° 57' S., and from long. 157° 20' W. to 160° W., without any intimate connection between each other, consists of nine or ten separate islands, the greater part of which were discovered by Cook ; hence the appropriateness of their collective appellation. Mangaia is the south-easternmost of the group, is of volcanic origin, and is about 30 miles in circumference; population, 2,000. The productions of the island are numerous and cheap; they consist of pigs, turkeys, fowls, ducks, yams, sweet potatoes, pineapples, which the inhabitants obtain, in spite of the j)overty of the soil, by assiduous labour and care, but little common to these islanders. Marotonga is a beautiful island ; it is a mass of mountains, which are high, and present a remarkable and romantic appearance. It has several good boat harbours. The productions of this island, which is much more fertile than Mangaia, are exactly the same. The population does not exceed 4,000. Atui resembles Mangaia in appearance and extent. It is a more bank of coral, 10 or 12 feet high, steep and rugged, except where there are small sandy beaches and some clefts, where the ascent is gradual. Mitiero is a low island, from 3 to 4 miles long and 1 mile wide. Mauhi or Parry Island is also a low island ; it is about 2 miles in diameter, well wooded, and inhabited. Ilervey Islands. —This group consists of three islands, surrounded by a reef, which may bo G leagues in circumference. Aitutahai presents a most fruitful appearance, its shores being bordered by flat land, on which are innumerable cocoa-nut and other trees, the higher ground being beautifully interspersed with lawns. It is 18 miles in circuit. Population, 2,000. Tubai on Austral Islands. This is a dispersed group lying between lat. 21° 50' S. and 23° 42' S., and long. 147° 11' and 154' WV, to the southward of the Society Islands and Low Archipelago. They have not been much frequented, as they are small, and do not oft'er many inducements for the calls of passing navigators. Kekmedic IsLAsns. Are a scattered group of small rocky islets to the north-east of New Zealand, within lat. 29° 15' 30" and 3L° 37' 30" S., and long. 177° 51/ 52" and 179° 14' W. Society Islands. Tahiti. —The area of Tahiti and its dependencies is 1,175 square kilometers; the area of Poumotu Islands, 6,(!00 square kilometers. Tahiti is about 32 miles long from N."W. to S.E. Tetuaroa is a small low island, or rather group of small low islets, about 6 miles in length, enclosed in a reef about 10 leagues in circuit. Moorea, or Eivieo, is 10 miles distant from Tahiti. There are several large villages on the southern side of the island. Coffee, cotton, sugar, and all other tropical plants succeed well at Eimeo, and sugar is made to a considerable extent. Tapamanoa. —Length from E, to W. is about 6 miles. Iluaheine is the easternmost of the group, which was called the Society Islands by Cook. It is about 20 miles in circumference. Raiatca, or VUe/ea, is situated about 130 miles to the N.W. of Tahiti. It is about 40 miles in circumference, of mountainous character, covered with vegetation and well watered. The soil is exceedingly fertile. Taka, or OtaJia, lies to the northward of, and is about half the size of Eaiatea. Bola-Bola, or Bora-Bora, is four and a half leagues N.W. of Tahua, to which it is inferior in extent. Mania, or Maupiti, is the westernmost of the group. It is a small island of about G miles in circumference. Tubai, or Motu Iti, is the northernmost of the group, and consists merely of some very small low islets, connected by a reef about 10 miles N. of Bola-Bola. Population (foreigners from all quarters included) spread over Tahiti and the whole of its numerous dependencies is approximately estimated at 21,000, of whom some 500 or 600 are Chinamen, labourers, domestic servants, and artisans, whilst a largo number arc natives of distant islands in the Pacific, imported as contract labourers. Imports, during the years 1869, 1870, and 1871, valued approximately at from £110,000 to £120,000 per annum. About one-third of this consisted of British or British-colonial products and manufactures, imported for the most part from Australia and New Zealand. Exports. —Value of Tahitian and other island products : — 1n1869 £105,000 „ 1870 ■% 96,000 „ 1871 90,000 Cotton was the principal item of export. The value of it in 1871 amounted to about one-half the total value of exports. The apparent falling-off in 1870 and 1871 was owing to a reduction of the valuation of this chief article of export, The