THE SAMOAN OR NAVIGATORS' ISLANDS. 217 



month in the year, though there are frequent exceptions to the 

 rule. Rain falls copiously from December to March. June 

 and July are the coolest, and September and October the 

 hottest months but there is really little variation of tempera- 

 ture. The ' blows ' which do so much damage to the unen- 

 circled groups of the Pacific, rarely affect Samoa. Thus in 

 1840 there was a severe gale, but nothing approaching to a 

 hurricane. In 1850 a ' hurricane ' did occur, and two ships 

 and a schooner were wrecked at Apia ; and for fifteen years 

 afterwards the islands were entirely free from anything worse 

 than strong gales. Sometimes these are very local ; for instance, 

 in the January of 1870 a veritable cyclone passed over Tutuila, 

 but did not touch the other islands. 



The number of European or American residents may be set 

 down at about 300 ; the great majority of whom are British 

 subjects : but the States and Germany are well represented. 



There are few diseases indigenous to Samoa, which is one of 

 the healthiest places on earth. European ladies have better 

 health in Samoa than even in Fiji, where (perhaps only at 

 Levuka) they suffer occasionally from lassitude. The children 

 of white parents are robust, rosy, and vigorous. 



The only drawback which the Samoan Group possesses is 

 the presence of elephantiasis, from which disease the foreign 

 residents are not exempt. It is confined almost entirely to 

 settlers of twelve years and upwards. Quinine is said to be an 

 excellent remedy for it. 



Elephantiasis is most prevalent in low-lying districts. In 

 the little island of Aunu'u the inhabitants are entirely free 

 from this scourge. Excessive &ara-drinking aggravates it, and 

 it may be safely said that, with the exception of elephantiasis 

 and its incipient febrile symptoms, all the feAV diseases which 

 obtain in the Pacific are due in great measure to over-indul- 



