318 THE CEUISE OF TEE 'GURAQOA: 



largely a^ntribute to the safety aud success of the mission. 

 Thus much it has been thought proper to say. 



The island of Eramanga measures thirty-five miles in its 

 greatest length, sixteen miles in its greatest width, and is 

 about one hundred miles in circumference. The population 

 is from four to five thousand, not living together in villages, 

 but scattered about in clusters of houses on the seaside. Its 

 temperature has not been well ascertained, but it is known 

 that the thermometer will sometimes vary 20°, and even 24° 

 Fahrenheit in the course of twenty-four hours. With the 

 exception of the most elevated parts of the island, the 

 climate is not healthy ; elephantiasis aud intermittent 

 fever are frequent. About the year 1840 an epidemic 

 was introduced by a sandal- wood trading vessel, which 

 caused great ravages, sweeping ofi" the people by what was 

 called red dysentery; again in 18G1 the measles cut ofi" a 

 great number of people ; and it is a question whether the 

 population can ever recover from the exterminating results 

 of these two attacks. 



The after effects are still visible in various forms : deserted 

 houses, numerous ' weeping places,' extinct tribes, or tribes 

 whose only representatives are a few dying people. All 

 bear mournful testimony to the havoc made. The last 

 epidemic was brought by the ' Bluebell,' Captain Bruce, to 

 Dillon's Bay. Captain Bruce, or one of his crew, informed 

 the late missionary of the fact as soon as he had anchored ; 

 and the missionary, the first who had settled there, the 

 Eeverend Mr. Gordon, at once gave notice to the natives, 



