SUCCESS OF AN EXPERIMENTAL PLANTATION. 55 
sul, had succeeded in raising New Orleans cotton on his 
estate, in the island of Wakaya, twelve pods of which 
weighed an ounce; whilst the seeds distributed by me 
amongst various people had evidently not fallen on 
barren soil. Of course, my plantation could only be a 
small one, but nevertheless it proved so far beneficial 
that it convinced those white settlers who had lately 
repaired to the group what quick returns cotton would 
yield, and some of them resolutely set about establish- 
ing plantations. The mail brought the news that some 
of them had as many as fifteen acres planted. Mr. 
Storck, my assistant, who went from Sydney with me 
to Fijis, made up his mind to remain behind when I 
came away, in order to devote his energies to cotton- 
growing. Mr. Pritchard supplying him with land, he 
commenced a plantation at Nukumoto, on the island 
of Viti Levu; and if the experiment should prove re- 
munerative, more land will speedily be brought under 
cultivation. 
The fact that cotton will grow, and will grow well, 
being established, the success of this and similar attempts 
will chiefly depend upon the supply of manual labour. 
Those best acquainted with the condition of the group, 
and the character of its people, confidently look forward 
to a steady supply of it. In Rewa, Ovalau, and other dis- 
tricts longest frequented by whites, the natives go round 
asking for employment. This is quite an innovation, 
and shows that the Fijian is becoming gradually accus- 
tomed to labour for fixed wages; and, when the chiefs 
shall have either voluntarily relinquished or been com- 
pelled to give up their claim to all the property ac- 
