236 COFFEE I ITS CULTIVATION AND PROFIT. 



From Messrs. Gordon and Gotch's " Australian 

 Handbook for 1885 " we glean the following 

 information : 



Since I5th March, 1877 (the date the "Real Property" 

 Ordinance came into operation), 1,020 deeds have been issued, 

 conveying 312,400 acres of land, consideration given for the 

 same amounting to "25,477. 



CLIMATE. The climate of Fiji as a whole is most agreeable 

 and healthy ; and, considering its proximity to the Equator, is 

 not nearly so hot as might be expected, the fierceness of the 

 sun's heat being lessened by sea breezes. For nine months 

 in the year the climate is delightful and free from diseases, 

 though during the hot season dysentery is prevalent. The 

 mean temperature of the colony is about 80, the greatest 

 extremes being experienced inland. 60 is the lowest and 

 122 the highest hitherto noted. From Christmas to March is 

 called the hurricane season, but there has been no heavy blow 

 since 1879. There is a dry and a wet season; the former is 

 cool and lasts from May to October, the latter is hot and lasts 

 from October to May. The meteorological observations taken 

 during 1880 at Delanasau Bay (S. lat. 16 38', E. long. 

 178 37^ by Mr. Holmes were as follows: Barometer 29.893, 

 thermometer, highest reading 93, lowest 59, mean 78 9'. 

 Rainfall on 168 days, amount 115.61 inches ; greatest daily fall 

 7.79 inches. On the Ra Coast, according to Mr. Leefe, rain 

 fell on 135 days, the total rainfall being 102.63 inches. 



NATIVES. The Fijian aborigines are a handsome, powerful- 

 looking set of people ; a dark copper is their principal colour ; 

 they are said to be a cowardly, unprincipled race, lazy and 

 tricky, but with a little management the white man can make 

 them subserviently useful. They are cleanly in their persons, 

 in fact so fond of the water that they are (both male and 

 female) semi-amphibious. 



LABOUR. The importation of foreign labour from the New 

 Hebrides, Solomon, and other Polynesian islands has of late 



