988 



POLYNESIA 



CHAPTER CLVII. POLYNESIA. 



1. Extent. This division, as the name indicates,* consists of a vast number of islands, scat- 

 tered in groups over a great extent of sea. They are all much smaller than those already de- 

 scribed. Polynesia comprises all the islands of the Pacific lying between 30° N., and 55° 

 S. lat., and between Australia, Malaysia, and Japan, on the west, and America on the east. 



2. Marianne or Ladrone Islands. This group, of which five are inhabited, belongs to 

 Spain. Some of the islands are fertile and well wooded, and they have some good harbors. 



3. Carolines. The Carolines form an extensive archipelago, stretching over a great dis- 

 tance from east to west, and consisting chiefly of those low coraline formations, so common in 

 the Pacific Ocean. 



The Pelevv, Magellan, Anson, Marshall, Mulgrave, and Gilbert Islands, are small groups, 

 scattered round in different directions, and for the most part low coraline formations. 



comprise eight inhabited islands lying be- 

 tween Mexico and China ; the principal are 

 Hawaii (Owhyhee),of 4,600 square miles; 

 Maui ; Oahu (Woahoo) ; Tauai (Atooi) ; 

 and Niahu. The whole group has an area 

 of 6,000 square miles, with 185,000 inhab- 

 itants. Some of the islands contain lofty 

 peaks, many of which are active volcanoes ; 

 Mouna Roa and Mouna Kea, in Hawaii, 

 exceed 15,000 feet in height. 



Blessed with a mild and healthful climate 

 and a fertile soil, provided with good har- 

 bors, and situated upon the great maritime 

 highway, which unites the 3 principal divis- 

 ions of the globe, these islands are inhabit- 

 ed by an intelligent and enterprising race, 

 who have already received the gift of civili- 

 zation and Christianity from our own coun- 

 try. The American missionaries have established upwards of 400 schools, with 50,000 

 scholars, set up printing presses, translated parts of the Scriptures and other books into the 

 native language, and introduced the decencies and comforts of civilized life among this interest- 

 ing people. Many of them have neat houses, comfortably furnished, and are well clothed ; 

 the government has a fleet of small vessels, employed in trading, and a treaty has been conclud- 

 ed by the king of the Sandwich islands with the United States. 



Idols of the Sandwich Islands. Death of Captain Cook. 



Tho most important production of the islands m a commercial respect has been sandal wood, 



4. Sandwich Islands. The Sandwich Islands 



Crater of I'oJcano in Hainaii. 



Fi-r.m Iwo Grppk wnrds qianifyiriCT many islands. 



