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THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



A VTEW OF THE SUNSET IN THE BEAUTIFUL HARBOR OF VAVAU. FRIENDLY ISLES. 



Taken with a Goerz-Dagor lens. 



AN EIGHT YEAR OLD TONGAN GIRL— A 

 REAL CHILI) OF NATURE. 



The Friendly Islands. 



BY E. E. THORPE, NEIAFU, VAVAU, 



FRIENDLY ISLES, SOUTHERN PACIFIC 



OCEAN. 



Towards the sunrising lies a group 

 of comparatively small islands, whose 

 snow-white, sandy beaches are bor- 

 dered by emerald seas. Fronded cocoa- 

 nut palms raise their stately heads in 

 the tropical salt breeze, and native 

 houses lie half hidden in the midst of 

 gayly colored trees and flowers. 

 Dark skinned children roll on the sand 

 under the friendly shade, while older 

 ones can be seen searching among the 

 rocks for certain shellfish that are used 

 for food. Formerly the inhabitants of 

 these Friendly Islands, comprising the 

 groups of Tonga, Hasbai, and Vavau, 

 were cannibals. Although they were 

 not of the fiercest type, human blood 

 was mingled with their sacrifices, and 

 every man's hand seemed to be against 

 his neighbor. If only the sparkling 

 seas that break on the white shores of 

 these beautiful islands could speak, 

 what tales of sorrow and of bloodshed 

 could they tell ! 



The Friendly Islands lie 1,097 miles 

 northeast of New Zealand. The three 

 principal groups comprise about a 

 hundred islands. The native popula- 

 tion is 22,000. There are about two 

 hundred and fifty Europeans in the 

 three groups. 



The Tongans are a remarkably fine 



