66 INDEX TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. 



vantage. The highest peak rises to a height of 5000 ft. In 1889 the population, 

 including Rotuma, was 124,010, of which 122,012 were native Fijians. These are 

 a fine race, all nominally Christian, although within the memory of man, can- 

 nibals. The language is a branch of the same stock whence the Polynesian lan- 

 guages have been derived, and is not difficult to acquire by English-speaking people. 

 As the consonants have a different pronunciation from that of the English language 

 the printed page seems far more remote from the Polynesian dialects than it 

 really is. The names of islands, for example, spelled in the form adopted by the 

 missionaries are quite different from the colloquial. The pronunciation is as 

 follows : b = mb, c = th, d = nd, g = ng, q = 11 q or ngg, p = v, vu = b. The 

 vowels nearly as in Italian. Dialects occur in several parts of the group, but not 

 at all to the extent found in the islands of the western Pacific. The group was 

 discovered by Tasman February 6, 1643, anc ^ Dv him named Prince William Isl- 

 ands. D'Urville made the first chart of the group, and in 1840 Wilkes spent six 

 months surveying the entire archipelago. In 1875 (September 1) Fiji was for- 

 mally proclaimed a British colony. Thakombau, like Kamehameha on Hawaii, 

 brought some order out of the devastating civil wars between petty chiefs, and 

 during the last years of his life his supremacy was fully recognized by all the 

 other chiefs. After the annexation the seat of the colonial government was at 

 Levuka on Ovalau, but since~i8S2 this has been transferred to Suva on Viti levn. 

 The foreign government seems wisely administered and is acceptable to the 

 natives. In February and March the rainfall reaches its maximum. During 

 the hot months, from December to April, cyclones often of great severity occur. 

 The temperature in the shade during the hot season ranges from 66° to 88°. From 

 April to November, the fine weather season, the average daily temperature in the 

 shade is about 78 . In 1876 the rainfall for the year at Levuka was 108.05 inches; 

 rain fell on 162 days, the greatest fall for one day being 5.6 inches. Products of 

 the group are copra, sugar, cotton, fruit, peanuts, fibre and pearl shell. Fiji is the 

 form of the name in the windward portion of the group, Yiti in the leeward. 

 Among the best books to be consulted for information on Fiji are Narrative of the 

 United States Exploring Expedition 1838-1842, by Wilkes; Fiji and the Fijians, 

 1858, by Rev. Thomas Williams; A Mission to Viti, by B. Seemann; King and 

 People of Fiji, by Waterhouse. 



Fila, a raised coral and wooded islet on the southwest side of Fate, New Hebrides. 



Firth, apparently a misprint for Frith. See Ilamu of the D'Entrecasteaux group. 



Fischel, islet in Astrolabe bay on the north coast of New Guinea. 



Fischer, see Yissehers of the Bismarck archipelago. 



Fishermen, a low, sandy group off the coast of Motu, surrounded by reef. So named 

 because the canoe which came off to the Bramble had long seines fitted like Eng- 

 lish nets. Natives of a dark copper color and numerous, o/^o's., i47°02 / E. 



FitZ, island 100 ft. high off the coast of New Britain. 4 52' S., 150° 31' E. 



Fitzroy, island off Cape Grafton, Australia. 16 56' s., 146° 02' E. 



Flat, islet of the^Haszard group, New Guinea. 



Flat, see Hemenahai of the Louisiade archipelago. 



Flat, islet on the south coast of Huapu of the Marquesas islands. 



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