36 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
excess have beeii^ when all these destructive causes were 
in full operation ! There is now^ however^ every ground 
to indulge the expectation that the population will 
become greater than it has been in any former period 
of their history | and it is satisfactory^ in connexion 
with this anticipation^ to know—^that extent of soil ca¬ 
pable of cultivation^ and other rescourses, are adequate 
to the maintenance of a population tenfold increased 
above its present numbers. 
