November i, 1S83.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



{urther evidence iu proof of what I say. As it was quite 

 hopeless to attempt Apiamama, we steered for Bu Taritari, 

 which we reached iu due course, sailed iuside the lagoon 

 aud anchored in water as smooth as a duck-pond. 



This was the last of the islands we visited previous to 

 leaving for San Francisco. Before describing these curious 

 people, it will be well to mention that Mr. Philips aud an- 

 other representative of the Loudon Missionary Society in 

 Samoa are the authorities for much of what I have to 

 say. The latter, wliose name I forget, had visited one or two 

 of the islands in the *' John Wesley'' vessel, and had got 

 his information from a resident missiouai'y who was the 

 first to try and convert these people to Cha"istianity. This 

 gentleman's labours had only been for a period of eighteen 

 months, so that not much pi-ogrcss had been made iu that 

 respect. AU I learned from them was confirmed by my own 

 observations. 



The Gilbert islands are also known by the names of the 

 Kingsmilland Liueislandsandare situated almost immediately 

 on the equator and iu al)out 1U5 ° to 175 '^ west longitude. 

 They number altogether some thirty islands, Taputcowen 

 beiug the largest of all. The total length does not exceed 

 30 miles, and in uo place is it half-a-mile wide. To 

 describe one island is to describe all. Their uuiformity aud 

 similarity is one of the most peculiar and staking features 

 of them. They are mostly all crescent-shaped witli the 

 bow facing the direction from where the trade winds blow, 

 namely easterly. To the leaward they are encompassed 

 with reefs, which form a natural breakwater extending from 

 end to end of the islantl. But nowhere is any reef or reef- 

 patches to be found to windward. These reefs vary in distance 

 from the shore. Some are five or six miles away, others 

 twenty. At uo part of the reef are they quite bare at 

 low tide or sufficient water on to float a large-sized 

 sghooner over at high tide. From this it will be seen how 

 very dangerous it is to approach them from the leaward ; 

 especially as the land cannot be seen further from the 

 deck than eight or ten miles. The charts give the dist^auce 

 as eight miles from deck and twelve aloft. This inabiility 

 to see land from any distance is of course entirely owing 

 to their flatness. In no part of any of the islands is the 

 land ten f^et above high-water mark. They are much 

 longer in proportion to their width. In no place did I 

 see the land fmther than half-a-mile from sea to sea. 

 The soil is simply the absence of all soU — sand intermixed 

 with decayed vegetation can scarcely be dignified by the 

 name of soil. There is no basiu to receive or retain water 

 in, aud accordingly when rain falls it is quickly absorbed in 

 the sand aud disappears. The natives have no means of 

 retaining a supply, aid have iu consequence to do entirely 

 without fresh water. I wonder if there is any other people 

 in the world who are similarly situated. I never heard 

 of any, and would thank any one who could inform me 

 on the subject. I remember reading, from Livingstone's 

 travels of a race inhabiting the deserts of Central Africa 

 who had to dig through the sand to obtain water. These 

 places were situated very far apart aud the water supply 

 very limited ; but I never heard of a race who lived, thrived 

 and increased in a country where there was no fresh water 

 whatever. This appeared so very odd that I shall not be 

 at all surprized at some readers' incredulity. Such persons 

 I refer to the sea charts, and a careful examiuatiou of the 

 conformation of these islands, I feel assured, will convince 

 them of the truth of what I say. A^'ells can be dug, 

 aud are dug, but not to obtaiu water. "Water flows, 

 but is quite brackish, in fact, no more tit for drinking pur- 

 poses than sea-water. These well-like excavations are dug 

 out with great labour to a depth of four feet aud at the 

 bottom a little tare is planted which is carefully nursed 

 and attended to and is mostly used by the patriarchs and 

 kings. The only substitute for fresh-water which the natives 

 have is young-coconuts, the water of which they freely 

 use. The only tree grown is the cocoa palm, if we except 

 a few breadlruit trees, which have only lately been intro- 

 duced, and a rude cabbage-like tree, called a pandana, which 

 bears a kind of fruit. The natives chew this fruit, the 

 juice of which is very sustaining. A few shrub-like trees 

 stunted iu their growth completes the whole vegetation 

 I saw. I make no mention of a little gi ass, if a wiry-fibrous 

 and sapless growth can be called grass. 



The food of the natives consists mostly of coconuts pre- 

 pared iu various ways. Of fish they have a goodly supply. ) 



They are very expert fishermen. Their canoos are well 

 adapted for their purpose. They resemble the Sinhalesa 

 canoe very much, having the same outrigger. There are 

 no nails used iu the construction. Every thing is laced 

 together with fibre prepared from the coconut tree. They have 

 sails also, mostly of cahco, but, many of a material I could 

 not recognize, ueither could I find out how it was made or 

 where it was brought from. Their dress consists of coco- 

 nut fibres woven together and tied round the loins. The 

 laws which govern them are as strictly carried out as in any 

 civilized couatry. Some of the islands have a king whose 

 authority is as absolute as any potentate we read of iu the 

 centre of Africa. The kmg of Apiamama has Aranuka 

 and Kuria under his control, and woe betide the unlucky 

 subject who dares to oft'end his august majesty ! Touching 

 this I remember what was told me by tile two American 

 ladies I referred to in my first paper. They had landed 

 and were received with all the dignity fitting the 

 occasion. His august majesty forgot for a time his posi- 

 tion, aud gaped like the common herd. The ladies 

 were u-shered into the palace (?) and everything the king- 

 dom produced was placed at their disposal. But their 

 enjoyment was tempered by a very otfeusive eflluvium 

 arising from the back of the house aud fioating through 

 the building. They made their excuses aud hurried to 

 the fresh air. Kefreshed with the sea breeze they enquired 

 from a native who spoke pigeon-English the cause and were 

 told that a few days before their arrival, His Majesty had 

 occasion to be offended with two of his numerous wives, 

 aud had clubbed them ; also, to prevent future annoyances 

 and as an example to the others, he had them placed in 

 two boxes and perched conspicuously behind his house. Of 

 the truth of this, these ladies afterwards assured themselves. 

 His Majesty was touched with a tender feeling towards, 

 one of the ladies, and offered one hundred tons of copra 

 and quite a host of pigs and poultry if the captain would 

 sell lier. To appease the Idng, ho was told the matter would 

 be taken under consideration and that when the vessel 

 was emptied the captain woidd return for the copra and 

 bring the ladies with him. 



What I have above rela'ed I believe to be perfectly true. 

 On other islands, the natives rule them.' jves by a ki nd of 

 I'arliaraeut.conqiosed of anumber otoUl mLn,one chosen from 

 each village. Humanlifeismost sacred tothem If life istaken 

 the murderer at once must fly to the Pailiament-house, which 

 is also a sanctuary. Here heis perfectly safe from the enraged 

 relations, until a Council is called and the case enquired 

 into. But no crime I was informed, murder or other, 

 was punishable with death. This Council had jurisdiction 

 over everything, but could not deprive a man of his life. 

 Every man owns or has an interest in a certain number 

 of cocoanutpa'ins, and. according to the extent of his guilt or 

 enormity of the crime he may have commit! d, he loses a 

 percentage of his interest in the ownership of these palms. 

 If the criminal is entirely deprived of all ownership, he 

 is then reduced to slavery; or what is considered slavery 

 with them. He has no means of sustenance and is en- 

 tirely dependent on the charity of others. One day he 

 may be compelled to go to sea and fish all day long or 

 work hard at house-building or whatever may be required 

 of him. These slaves are always looked u]) m with con- 

 tempt. The scanty leavings of food, which are grudgingly 

 handed them, is a continual reminder of tlu'ir condition 

 and crime. Labor-vessels which come to these islands 

 always find wiUing recruits in these outcasts, criminals 

 or slaves, or whatever other name may best express their 

 condition. 



These islands are very thickly populated, in fact they 

 are credited with beiug the most thickly jieopled lands 

 in the whole world, that is to s.ay where the land 

 on which they live produces all that they consume. This 

 may appear sm-prizing, but I believe is perfectly true. All 

 the islands are simply crowiled with natives. 



The physical character of the islanders is as widely differ- 

 ent from the Samoans as it is possible to be. In colour 

 also they differ. In this respect they resemble the Tamils, 

 but the Samoans are much lighter than tlie Sinhalese. 

 To describe them describes exactly the Indians of Central 

 America. They are short in stature, sinewy, and square 

 across the shoulders. They have broad flat-like faces 

 mostly, and a determined look about them. The expies- 

 sioo is not soft, gentle or amiable; tbeir disposition I would 



