1779* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 119 



number employed in the interior parts of the country, 

 amongst their plantations ; making in all two thou- 

 sand four hundred. If, therefore, this number be 

 applied to the whole extent of coast round the island, 

 deducting a quarter for the uninhabited parts, it will 

 be found to contain one hundred and fifty thousand. 

 By the same mode of calculation, the rest of the 

 islands will be found to contain the following num- 

 bers: 



Owhyhee, - 150,000 



Mowee 65,400 



Woahoo, 60,200 



Atooi, 54,000 



Morotoi, 36,000 



Oneeheow, 10,000 



Ranai, - 20,400 



Oreehoua, ----- 4,000 



Total of inhabitants, - 400,000 



I am pretty confident, that, in this calculation, I 

 have not exceeded the truth in the total amount. If 

 we compare the numbers supposed to be in Owhyhee, 

 with the population of Otaheite, as settled by Dr. 

 Foster, this computation will be found very low. The 

 proportion of coast, in the latter island, is, to that of 

 Owhyhee, only as one to three : the number of inha- 

 bitants in Otaheite, he states to be one hundred and 

 twenty-one thousand five hundred; though, according 

 to his own principles* it should be double that 

 amount. Again, if we compare it with the medium 

 population of the countries in Europe, the proportion 

 will be in favour of the latter nearly as two to one. 



Notwithstanding the irreparable loss we suffered 

 from the sudden resentment and violence of these 

 people, yet, in justice to their general conduct, it 

 must be acknowledged, that they are of the most mild 

 and affectionate disposition ; equally remote from the 



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