' FROM ISLAND UNTO ISLAND: 341 



circumference of 30 miles. Many of us are unaware that this 

 little place is part of the British Empire, the Union Jack 

 having been hoisted there by Admiral Richards in 1859. The 

 natives, chiefly from the Hervey Group, are all Christians ; can 

 read and write, and have excellent schools. The trade is 

 entirely in the hands of an eminent London firm, and confined 

 to guano. About twelve ships a year used to leave the island, of 

 about 1000 tons burden each. The value of the exports may 

 be stated at about 60,000 per annum, while the imports are 

 merely nominal. By the most recent advices I learn that the 

 guano deposits on this interesting place are nearly exhausted, 

 so my correspondent will require to seek pastures new. 



North of the Kingsmills lie the Marshall Group, or what 

 are called the Ralick and Radik chains. There are about 

 forty-six islands, almost equally divided between the two 

 ranges, from 60 to 100 miles apart. They are all of one 

 description, low atolls, some of them of great extent. The 

 largest are Mille and Aur, upon which the king of the whole 

 group resides. These islands are fertile, for which reason they 

 were named by Alonzo de Saavedra, who first discovered them, 

 Los Buenos Jardines. They are covered with herbage and 

 great trees, besides cocoa-palms and pandanus, in abundance ; 

 they boast the usual plants, and several species of arum, which 

 is excellent food, and yields a capital fibre, as I have already 

 stated. Fish is plentiful, and fresh water is found in wells. 

 The people are good-looking and strong, remarkably courageous, 

 and of kind disposition. It is true some white men have been 

 killed by these people, and ships burnt, but these affrays were 

 invariably brought about by the Europeans. In regard to 

 these islands the blame must chiefly rest with the Spanish 

 Americans from Mexico and their cousins from Manilla, some 

 of whom, after doing the natives the honour of settling 



