234 Memoirs Bcniice P. Bishop Museum 



According- to tlie Toiigan census of 1920 there were at that time 23,128 

 Tongans in the group. Census returns for the past twenty years show that as a 

 whole the Tongan population is increasing slowly. A temporary decrease was 

 shown in the reports for 19 18 and 19 19, hut returns for 1920 show a slight 

 increase. It is of interest to notice also that there has been considerably less mod- 

 ern mixture with other races than in many other Polynesian groups. The census 

 of 1917 records only 300 mixed bloods. How accurate this may be I do not know, 

 but since the same census records only 347 l^unipeans and 529 other I'acific 

 islanders, it is apparent that there have been fewer opportunities and tem])tations 

 to marry outside the race than there have been in many other places where the 

 aboriginal inhabitants are greatly outnumbered by the Europeans or Orientals. 

 These facts sht)uld be borne in mind. 



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