158 PHYSICAL INVESTIGATION. [PART I. 



1870. Taylor, 1 an author well acquainted with the country 

 and the people, has recently denied the progressive mortality 

 of the natives, and cites facts against it. 2 Peace, appropriate 

 clothing, diet, and mode of life, may possibly lead to an im- 

 provement in this respect. 



With regard to Tahiti, where, according to the natives, the 

 diminution of the population had already commenced before the 

 arrival of the whites, 3 Yincendon-Dumoulin and Desgraz 4 have 

 endeavoured to show that the decrease was about one-third 

 from 1770 to 1814, and that from 1814 to 1825 the number of 

 the population remained stationary. In estimating the ancient 

 population, we must not take Forster's account 5 as a basis, 

 when it states that he found in Tahiti a fleet of 159 large double 

 canoes and seventy smaller ones ; some of the former with 144 

 rowers, for it is probable that of this fleet a comparatively small 

 portion only belonged to Tahiti, and the greater part to the 

 large neighbouring islands. The Spanish account of 1778 

 estimates the population of Tahiti at 15,000 to 16,000. 6 Wilson* 

 states that, according to a moderate estimate, the population 

 of Tahiti was in 1797 about 16,000. It is only subsequent to 

 this period that we learn that the population in 1804 amounted 

 only to 5,000. 8 This is probably a great exaggeration, caused 

 perhaps by the circumstance that about that period many 

 young persons were carried off. According to Kotzebue, 9 the 

 population amounted in 1824 to about 8,000, which is about 

 the same number as given by the missionaries in 1813. This 

 agrees with Wilkes's statement, 10 that the population in 1839 

 was about 9,000; to which he adds, that for thirty years 

 previously the births and deaths had been about equal. Though 



1 " New Zealand and its inhabitants," p. 256, 1855. 



2 Compare however, " E. der Novara," iii, p. 128. 



8 King and Fitzroy (" Narr. of the Surv. Voy. of the Adv. and Beagle," ii, 

 p. 520, 1839) are probably in error in stating that destructive diseases only 

 broke out after Cooke's arrival at Tahiti. 



4 lies Taiti," p. 288, 1844. 



5 " Sammtl. d. Ebschr.," xxi, p. 328. 



6 G. Forster's " Sammtl. Schriften," iv, p. 211. 



7 " Missionsreise in d. stille Meer," Magz. v. E., xxi, p. 333, 1800. 



8 Turnbull, " E. um. d. W.," p. 259, 1806. 



9 Neue Eeise," i, p. 97, 1830. 



10 " U. St. Expl. Exped.," ii, p. 49. 



