Green Dots of the Empire. 
21 
extensive chain of some thirty-four or thirty- 
five islands similar in appearance to the islets of 
Nukulaelae, but enclosing a noble lagoon, en¬ 
trance to which is given by good passages both 
on the south-west and north-west sides. The 
Russian navigator Kotzebue sailed his frigate 
through Funafuti Lagoon from one end to the 
other with a strong breeze blowing, and found, 
what trading vessels to-day know well, that un¬ 
less a vessel is making something like eight knots 
it is almost impossible to stem the fierce current 
that sweeps through the passages at half-tide. 
But once well within the lagoon, and away from 
the trend of the passage current, there is room 
for half a dozen or more battleships in which 
to manoeuvre. About six miles from the south¬ 
west entrance the ship may drop anchor off the 
main island of the chain; and here the native 
settlement is situated. Fifty years ago nearly 
every island in the lagoon supported a popula¬ 
tion ; to-day there are but four or five hundred 
natives all told, all of whom live on the island 
from which the whole group takes its general 
name, Funafuti. 
The natives are a hospitable, good-tempered, 
and intelligent lot, and express themselves as 
