GEOGRAPHY. 121 



twenty inconsiderable islands. The largest are termed Babeltuab and 

 Corure. 4. Lord Mulgrave's Archipelago, consisting of two groups : the 

 Radack and Ralick Islands in the north, sometimes called the Marshall 

 Islands, and the Gilbert's Islands, in the south. The number of the latter 

 amounts to seventy. In the vicinity lie the Brown's group, as also the 

 Fisher, Kutusow, and Suwarow Islands. 5. The Fejee Islands, to the 

 south of Gilbert's Islands and east of the New Hebrides, 200 and more in 

 number. Nearly all are small, but well settled ; the largest is Pau. 6. The 

 Tonga or Friendly Islands, south-east of the preceding ; 32 large and over 

 100 small islands, of which Wauwau, Lifuga, and Tonga-Tabu, are the 

 largest. The inhabitants are of a light brown color, friendly disposition, and 

 somewhat civilized ; they number over 200,000, with a king at their head. 

 7. The Samoa, or Sailor's group, north-east of the preceding, eight small but 

 densely populated islands, of which Pola or Otawhi, Ogalava, and Mauna, are 

 the largest. 8. CooA:'s/5/«;?z<^5, south-west of the last group. 9. T\\q Archi- 

 pelago of the Low Islands consists mainly of coral rocks, but little known. 

 They are probably the most recent of the Austrahan islands. The southern 

 group has received the name of the Dangerous Islands. Here belong the Palliser 

 Islands, and Pitcairn's Island lying out of the torrid zone. 10. The Society 

 Islands, fourteen large and numerous smaller islands, discovered since 1606, 

 and most visited and best known of all the south sea islands. The population, 

 governed by a king, amounts to 100,000 persons, some of which are of dark 

 brown, some of light olive, nearly white complexion ; they are of good 

 disposition, and have been brought within the pale of civilization by English 

 and American missionaries. The islands are divisible into two groups ; a, 

 the south-eastern, called George's Islands, including Otaheite or Tahiti, the 

 largest of all, 420-525 square statute miles, and very fertile, now under the 

 so-called protection of the French ; Eimeo, 52 square statute miles, and 

 1500 inhabitants ; Tabuai, Manu, Maitia, and the five Tetuaro Islands, h. 

 The north-western group, with Rajatea, 52 square statute miles, pop. 1800 ; 

 Taha, 31 square statute miles ; Huaheine, 26 square statute miles, with 

 1800 inhabitants ; Borabora, 14 square statute miles, pop. 1000 ; Maurua, 

 10 square statute miles. 11. Mendana's Archipelago, consisting of two 

 groups : a, a southern, the Marquesas Islands, five islands of 2352 square 

 statute miles (the largest is Hiwaoa, or St. Dominica, the most visited 

 Tahuata or St. Christina, owned by France since 1841) ; b, the eight 

 Washington or New Marquesas. The largest of these is Nukahiwa, with 

 18,000 inhabitants, occupied by the French since 1843. 



8. Scattered Islands. 



1. New Zealand, to the south-east of New Holland, consists of two 

 islands, separated by Cook's Strait : Ikanamauwi or North, and Tawai- 

 Punamu or South Island. The two together embrace an area of about 

 64,000 square geographical miles, with a pop. of 130,000. These are of 

 light brown color, and of very savage disposition. The English have taken 



