FEEJEE GROUP. 357 
before stated, is exhausted. On the other hand the group offers 
many inducements for the recruiting of crews after long voyages, and 
yields many of the necessary suppiies, with the best facilities for 
procuring wood and water. I deem the harbour of Levuka, in the 
island of Ovolau, to be best suited for these purposes. It is easy of 
access and egress, affords a safe anchorage after it is entered, and the 
natives are unusually well-disposed. It is also the seat of all the 
white residents, who are therefore at command, to act both as pilots 
and interpreters. 
The approach to it is attended with little difficulty, and if a vessel be 
foiled in entering it before nightfall, there is ample room to keep under 
way between Ambatiki and Ovolau. 
The articles most in request are muskets, powder, ball, and flints, 
whales’ teeth, plane-irons, vermilion, buttons, bottles, trunks and chests, 
looking-glasses, axes, natchets, cloth, gimlets, fish-hooks, knives, and 
scissors, and some places blue beads. There is, however, no certain 
and regular demand, the natives at one time preferring one thing, at 
another another, and sometimes refusing to trade altogether. Their 
tastes are in fact capricious. A little vermilion is generally a passport 
to their favour; when a native has a small quantity put on his nose or 
cheeks, his good-will is at once conciliated, and the envy of those 
around him excited. 
To trade at, or even to visit these islands for refreshment, is, as 
must already have been seen, attended with no little danger both to life 
and property. The character of the navigation in a sea abounding 
with reefs and shoals, of which no chart possessing any claim to confi- 
dence has hitherto been published, has not been the cause of less danger 
than the treachery, covetousness, and cannibal propensities of the 
inhabitants. Eight vessels, of which five were American, are known 
to have been lost within the Feejee Group between the years 1828 and 
1840. In one of these instances every soul on board perished. In 
addition, eleven trading vessels and one English ship of war have been 
on shore, and sustained greater or less damage within the same space 
of time. Considering how small a number of vessels have as yet visited 
these islands, these instances of total or partial loss bear an enormous 
proportion to those of escape without injury. I confidently trust that 
the labours of our squadron will have so far diminished the risks which 
had previously attended communication with this group, as to render a 
visit to them much less perilous. 
From the notes of the missionaries and conversations with them, I 
obtained the following information relative to their operations. There 
are six missionaries, viz: Messrs. Cargill and Jagger, established at 
