LIFE IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. 477 



islands whence King Solomon got his gold, might be induced to 

 colonize them. There are seven principal islands and numerous 

 smaller ones. The total land area of the group I estimate at 

 fifteen thousand square miles, or considerably more than twice 

 the area of Wales. They present evidences of recent volcanic 

 activity. The island of Savo was an active volcano at the time 

 the Spaniards discovered the group in 1567. There is an active 

 volcano near the center of the island of Bougainville ; hot springs 

 and sulphur are found at Savo, Simbo, and Vella Lavella, while 

 Kulambangara is an extinct volcano. During my residence of six 

 weeks at Alu I experienced frequent shocks of earthquake, but 

 of no great violence. The mountains of Bougainville rise to a 

 height of 10,000 feet, and those of the other large islands to from 

 3,000 to 5,000 feet, except on Guadalcanar, where they reach an ele- 

 vation of 8,000 feet. I made three attempts to reach the interior 

 of this island, but was prevented by the hostility of the mountain 

 tribes and the timidity of my guides. The highest point which I 

 attained on Guadalcanar was 1,110 feet. Tin and copper have 

 been found in small quantities on the island of San Cristoval, 

 while I myself discovered copper on the island of Guadalcanar, 

 and from the northwest end of the island of Malayta I obtained a 

 mineral from the natives which proves to be iron pyrites. The 

 people told me they used it for staining their teeth. The coast 

 natives buy it from the bushmen in bamboos, at the fair that 

 takes place on the coast every two or three days. The islands are 

 for the most part clothed from the coast to the mountain-tops 

 with the densest tropical forest, in which the immense ficus-trees, 

 of several species, are often conspicuous objects, their trunks cov- 

 ered with creepers and ferns ; the undergrowth consisting of small 

 palms of many species, among which and over the trees the im- 

 mensely long rattans or climbing canes twine in and out in inex- 

 tricable confusion. In the neighborhood of native villages the 

 beach will be found fringed with cocoanut palms, but my observa- 

 tion tends to prove that the cocoanut rarely grows unless planted. 

 I know, however, that this is opposed to the opinions of some. 



[Mr. Woodford made two or three visits to the Solomon Islands, 

 by means of the schooners engaged in recruiting boys to work 

 upon the plantations at Fiji, and returning them to their homes 

 at the expiration of their terms of service ; and by trading- vessels 

 from Sydney. It is not necessary to follow the author in the de- 

 tails of his journeying from place to place, and of bargainings 

 with the natives. We present the more striking incidents of life 

 in this region.] 



From the trading station at Rubiana, which is the center of the 

 head-hunting district, our first visit was to a small island occupied 

 by another trader. This island he is allowed to occupy on suffer- 



TOL. XXXV. — 30* 



