MELANESIA. 47 



VITI, OR THE FEEJEE GROUP. 



This group is an archipelago of islands of various sizes, about one 

 hundred of which are inhabited. Two of them are so much larger 

 than the rest, that the natives do not apply to them the term "island" 

 (emu), but call them by that which signifies " land" or " continent" 

 (vanua). These are Viti-levu (great Feejee), and Vanua-kvu (great 

 land). They are nearly equal in size, containing each about two thou- 

 sand five hundred square miles. Viti-levu has, however, the greatest 

 extent of habitable land, and is the seat of the most powerful states, 

 most of the other islands being more or less subject to it. Next to 

 these two, in size and importance, though far inferior in both respects, 

 are Vuna and Kandavu, the former situated to the east of Vanua-levu, 

 and the latter to the south of Viti-levu. They contain between one 

 hundred and fifty and two hundred square miles each. The eastern 

 part of the group consists of an extensive chain of small islands, lying 

 in a direction from north-northwest to south-southeast. The principal 

 are Vatda, Ongg6a, Vulangi, Kambdra, Namuka, Mdthe, LaMmba, 

 Naidu, Thithia, Tuvutha, Mango, Vanua-mbaldvu, Kanatlila, Nai- 

 tomba, Kambia, and Rambe. Most of these are surrounded by ex- 

 tensive reefs. In the interior sea, between this chain and the two 

 large islands, are several of considerable size, of which the most im- 

 portant are Koro, Mokungai, Ovolau, Moturfki, Mbatiki, Naviai, 

 Ngau, Moala, Totdia, and Maluku. Between Viti-levu and Kandavu 

 are Mbengga, Namuka, and Vatulele, the first of which is celebrated in 

 the mythology and history of the group. Finally, west and north- 

 west of Viti-levu extends the Asaua chain, composed of numerous 

 islands, the largest of which are Asaua, Naviti, Virva, Waia, and 

 Malolo. This Viwa must not be confounded with another and 

 smaller island of that name off the east coast of Viti-levu, and the 

 Namuka near Mbengga must be distinguished from that near La- 

 kemba. 



Concerning the number of inhabitants in the group, the estimates 

 differ considerably, owing chiefly to the diverse accounts as to the 

 population of the interior. The lowest computation makes about one 

 hundred and thirty thousand souls, of which the two large islands are 

 supposed to have forty thousand each, and the remainder to be distri- 

 buted throughout the smaller islands, nearly in proportion to their 

 relative sizes. If, however, the interior of the large islands is as 



