212 THE CORAL LANDS OF THE PACIFIC. 



with the uncertain voyage of an ordinary sailing-vessel. It 

 was my good fortune to avail myself of the Bhering, Captain 

 Brown, and I have pleasant memories of my week's voyage in 

 his company. Captain Brown was a representative English 

 sailor in true courtesy and kindliness of heart, to which he 

 added a bonhomie peculiarly his own. Like all true Anglo- 

 Polynesians, he had an inexhaustible stock of yarns, and 

 many of these were recounted to very attentive listeners, as 

 we lazily stretched ourselves under the awning aft to avoid a 

 mid-day sun, or after a substantial dinner, watched the stars 

 light up one by one the dark blue heavens above us. 



The Bhering landed her passengers at Apia, the capital of 

 Samoa, which is situated on the north side of the island of 

 Upolu ; but before speaking of that town, I will give a short 

 description of the principal islands in the group. 



The Navigators are situated between 169 24' and 172 50' 

 west longitude, and between the parallels of 13 30' and 14 

 30' south latitude, the group being 265 miles long. There 

 are ten inhabited islands, extending from Ta'u, the easternmost, 

 to Savaii the most western island, viz, Ta'u Olosenga, Of'u, 

 Aunu'u, Tutuila, Nutele, Manono, Upolu, Apolima, and Savaii. 

 The native population may be estimated at about 34,000 to 

 35,000. In 1863 the native population was 35,097, and in 

 1874, 34,265. In 1839 Commander Wilkes visited and sur- 

 veyed the group, and he states it to contain 1650 square miles, 

 divided as follows : 



MILES. 



7 



100 

 24 

 10 



I have not heard that the group has been surveyed since 

 Wilkes's time. Savaii is nearly 50 miles in length, by 



