234 THE CORAL LANDS OF THE PACIFIC. 



The Union Group (or Tokelau), which consists of three 

 islands, Takafao, Nukunono, and Oatafu. 



The Ellis Group, Nukufetau, which is the property of 

 Messrs. Godeffroy, they having purchased it from the natives. 

 It has an excellent harbour, and is the only island of the archi- 

 pelago, extending between the Navigators and the Carolines, 

 which contains any deposit of pearl oyster ; but the quality is 

 very inferior, the shell being small, and the pearls of little 

 value. 



Oaitapu and St. Augustine. 



The Tarawau or Gilbert Group, commonly spoken of as the 

 Kingsmills ; Arorai, Tamana, Peru, Onotoa, Nukunau, Tape- 

 tuia Nonoiti, Maiana, Tarawa, Apiang, Marakei, Makiu, and 

 Puturitari. This includes all the Kingsmills, with the excep- 

 tion of Apemama, Kuria, and Aranuka, which belonged to the 

 King Tern Baiteke, who for years would not allow any Euro- 

 peans to settle on his islands. While in the Pacific I heard 

 that the great Hamburg monopoly had an agent there, but of 

 this I am doubtful. 



In the Marshall Group : Ebon, Jaluit, Namerick, Mille, and 

 Awe. 



In the Carolines : Strong Island, Ascension, and Yap, and 

 also in the Palaos or Pelew Group. 



And in Western Polynesia, in New Britain and New 

 Ireland, and also in the New Hebrides. 



We have so far traced the scope of the operations of this 

 gigantic establishment before the flash-in-the-pan prosperity of 

 Berlin tempted them to speculations which had such unfavour- 

 able results. Let me now quote from the New Zealand blue- 

 book (printed, by authority, at Wellington in 1874) the state- 

 ments of their employe, Mr. Sterndale, explaining what was 

 their modus operandi. These are Mr. Sterndale's words : 



