148 REMARKS AND OPINIONS. 



bad. Yet it is distinguislied from all the groups 

 of Radack, which we have visited, by its more 

 numerous population. We estimated the number of 

 people, who were collected at our approach, on the 

 shore and in boats, at a hundred at the least. The 

 considerable group of Otdia, with which we became 

 best acquainted, has scarcely so large a number of 

 inhabitants, including women and children. Only 

 one island of this latter group has lofty cocoa-trees, 

 and, on this alone, there are many roots and traces 

 of trees that have formerly perished. Erigup, near 

 Otdia, is a poor, inconsiderable group, inhabited by 

 only five men and some women. We found Kawen, 

 the largest group seen by us, in older cultivation, 

 and in a more flourisliing state. The Flora is richer, 

 and it was there we first discovered the plantain, 

 which seemed to have been newly planted. The 

 island of Tabual, the only one of the group of Aur 

 at which we landed, had an uncommonly luxuriant 

 vegetation. Behind a thick wood of lofty cocoa- 

 trees, there are in the low grounds plantations of 

 banana and arum, and some plants grow there, 

 which are not to be found on the other groups. 

 The southern groups of Meduro, Arno, and Mille 

 are said to be richer in bananas and roots, and 

 the two first are equal to all the rest of the chain 

 in population and power. Limmosaliilii, to the 

 north of Arno, is a reef or rock over which the 

 sea breaks, and which serves the mariners of Radack 

 as a guide. 



