418 LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 



inhabitants. So far from it being unsafe to hold intercourse with 

 them, the natives are now known to be among the most docile of 

 the Pacific islanders. It was formerly supposed that there were 

 no harbours in this group. This is not so ; Tutuila has two, in 

 one of which the Pennsylvania, and, of course, the Macedonian, 

 might ride at anchor. Opolu is from one hundred and fifty to two 

 hundred miles in circumference, and has a fine haven open to 

 the north. The bottom is sandy, and within twenty yards of 

 the shore there are five fathoms water. A small river disem- 

 bogues into the bay. One would imagine the Macedonian might 

 get into such a harbour without much difficulty. The largest 

 member of the cluster is Savaii, which is at least two hundred 

 and fifty miles in circumference, with lofty mountains, which may 

 be seen at the distance of seventy miles. 



Thus it appears, sir, that one of the most considerable, as well 

 as the most populous groups in the Pacific, lying in the neighbour- 

 hood of the Society and Fiji Islands, and in the same range with 

 the New-Hebrides, New-Caledonia, &c.,rich in all the productions 

 of the tropics, remains to this day, so far as a minute and prac- 

 tical knowledge of it is concerned, a terra incognita. Yes, sir, 

 and this is not all ; it lies in the very track of our great whaling 

 operations, and a survey of its fine harbours valuable from their 

 abundant supply of all the varied productions of the tropics 

 would be of immediate and incalculable advantage to our fisheries 

 and other commercial interests in that quarter. 



Thus might I proceed, sir, if the limits within which I must 

 confine myself would permit, to enumerate the islands and clus- 

 ters of islands which the expedition should visit. I might show 

 how our trade could be rendered more secure, as well as greatly 

 increased,, by opening new markets for our agricultural and man- 

 ufacturing productions. Yes, sir, augmented to an extent of 

 which you probably never dreamed, or, at least, if you had any 

 idea of it, you carefully kept your knowledge perdu while speak- 

 ing of the expedition. It were an easy matter also to show how 

 one or two of the minor vessels might arid ought to make their 

 way south during the most favourable months of the southern 

 summer, and afterward, on the approach of winter in the southern 

 hemisphere, fall back to participate in the surveys going on among 

 the islands. By these efforts to reach high southern latitudes, re- 



