506 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



while even in the heat of war they have shown them- 

 selves amenable to the influences of reason and religion. 

 The former warlike and rapacious character of the 

 Samoans has in fact undergone a cpmplete change since 

 the year 1836, when the archipelago became a chief 

 centre of missionary zeal. All, or almost all, are nomin- 

 ally Christians, chiefly owing to the efforts of the London 

 Missionary Society, who have over 200 native mission- 

 aries in the group ; but the Roman Catholics and Wes- 

 leyans are also well represented. 



The political dissensions of the last few years have 

 gradually reduced agriculture to a very low ebb. The 

 Consular Eeports of 1893 state that the Samoans have 

 almost entirely neglected all cultivation of the soil, and 

 are so indolent that they actually buy from traders the 

 dried kava root to make their national beverage, sooner 

 than take the trouble of planting a few kava shrubs near 

 their huts, although when once planted the tree requires 

 no trouble or attention. Coolies' wages vary from three 

 to six shillings per diem, and labour is hard to obtain, 

 although to supply this want natives of the Carolines 

 and Marshall Islands have in recent years been frequently 

 introduced. The imports and exports, which in 1883 

 were £93,607 and £52,074 respectively, sank in 1890 

 to £-13,626 and £20,509, and there has been only 

 slight improvement subsequently. Almost every tropical 

 product seems to succeed, but few are apparent in the 

 list of exports. Copra to the value of £25,000 was 

 exported in 1892, and about £2000 worth of cotton. A 

 little fruit is sent to the Australian market, and cacao 

 has recently been planted. The carrying trade is chiefly 

 in German hands, that of 1892 being £40,000, as 

 against £22,000 shipped by British vessels; but, on the 

 other hand, the imports from the British colonies of 



