THE Feejee Archipelago is one of the largest and most beautiful of the Pacific Ocean. But it is of minor importance to the commercial world, from the character of the people inhabiting it. They are a fine race, shrewd and enterprising, but, at the same time, the most ferocious and ruthless cannibals that have been hitherto described. Their treachery and violence have nearly counterbalanced any advantage that nature has bestowed upon the islands they occupy, and consequently they have been hitherto but comparatively little frequented. Still they offer, with proper caution, many advantages to vessels frequenting these regions.

It is to Tasman that we owe the discovery of the Feejee Islands. On February 6, 1643, he saw eighteen or twenty small islands, surrounded by rocks and reefs. He called his discovery Prince William Islands and Hemskirk Reefs. These probably were in the eastern part of the group. The next navigator who visited them was Capt. Bligh, in 1789, during his boat voyage after the mutiny of the Bounty. He traversed the group, which had been previously known from report of the Tonga Islanders, from the eastward, passing between the two larger islands. The same commander, in his second voyage in 1792, also traversed the South part of the archipelago. The southernmost of the group, Turtle Island, was discovered by Cook in 1773. Capt. Wilson, in the missionary ship Duff, in 1797, has given a tolerably accurate delineation of a large portion of the eastern islands. Since that period many have visited and described the various islands.

Capt. D'Urville, in the Astrolabe, in 1827, spent seventeen days in examining the group, of which he furnished a far more exact knowledge than had been previously acquired.

It is to the United States' Exploring Expedition that we owe the most complete and recent account of this beautiful archipelago, and it is from the third volume of the narrative of their proceedings that a large portion of the ensuing descriptions have been derived.

Capt. Wilkes offers the result of the survey with confidence to the world; "every portion of the group has been as thoroughly examined as is necessary for any nautical purpose, or for those of general geography." And again, “I am happy to know that we shall enable the navigator to visit this group without fear and with comparatively little danger, if he will but observe a proper share of caution; and there is now open to him one of the best groups in the Pacific for obtaining supplies and refreshing his men after their arduous labours."*

"We found the position of all the reefs and shoals through and amongst which we passed very correctly laid down in Capt. Wilkes' charts of the American Exploring Expedition, with the exception of Turtle Island, about which there is evidently some mistake, and the reefs and shoals within the Bay of Ambau; his description, also, of the island, with the appearance, habits, and customs of the natives, is very faithfully delineated."-Capt. Worth, R.N., H.M.S. Calypso.

There is one very great blemish in Capt. Wilkes's account of this group: he makes not the slightest allusion to any of his predecessors in exploration-most assuredly a very necessary, yet simple, duty. The only mention made of any other labourer in the same field is in terms of would-be disparagement, which we conceive to be unworthy of so important an expedition. It is sufficient here to mention this: it is too obvious, on every page of his volume, to any one at all acquainted with other authorities.

According to the American survey, the Feejee group is situated between the latitudes of 15° 40′ and 19° 30′ S., and the longitudes of 177° E. and 178° W. It comprises 154 islands, 65 of which are inhabited. The remaining 89 are occasionally resorted to by the natives for the purposes of fishing and taking biche-de-mar. There are also numerous reefs and shoals.

The island which gives its name to the group is called by the natives Viti-Levu (Viti-Levu, D'Urville, &c.), that is, Great Viti. The Feejee islanders call themselves Kaï-Viti, in the same way that they call the inhabitants of Tonga Kai-Ton-ha, and Kai Papalan-hi all civilized people, or rather, all their visitors who wear clothes, and it is only these three races that they are acquainted with. The origin of the name Fidji, Fidgee, or Feejee, or Fiji, is probably due to the Tonga islanders, who thus pronounce the word "Viti," and this even occurs among the Feejeeans themselves; they frequently saying, Vitchi, or Fitchi-Levu.*(See Journal de M. Gaimard, Voyage de L'Astrolabe, vol. iv. p. 699.)

The reason, probably, of the great difference in the orthography as given by different writers may arise, in addition to the two languages above noticed, from the imperfect pronunciations of the natives themselves, from the custom of knocking out the front teeth, which is so frequently the case.-(See Campbell's Voyage Round the World, p. 210; and Mariner's Tonga Islands, Introd., p. xliii.) In the elaborate paper by M. Gaimard, above quoted, there are given some comparative tables of the two modes (Tonga and Feejee) of pronunciation.

Of the NATIVES we cannot speak here in detail. They are of a different complexion to the Tonga Islanders, their neighbours, being nearly black. They are a fine race of men, and doubtless possessed of many good qualities, but they are preeminently bloodthirsty, ferocious, and cruel. Cannibalism is indulged in to an incredible extent, and this, not from the mere satisfaction of revenge, but as an appetite,-friend, relation, or foe, equally affording food to the more. powerful. The ample descriptions given by D'Urville, Wilkes, and others, will furnish details of their revolting habits and customs. The numbers inhabiting the group of course cannot be very closely estimated; M. Gaimard making it 70,000, while Wilkes raises it to 133,000. Among this number there is some variety of race, and there are many Tonga Islanders resident on various islands. The most thickly populated of the islands are Ovolau and Kandabou.

One difficulty in assigning the correct native names to the islands in the group is the variation in the orthography adopted by the different authors. Wilkes tells us that his names are written as they are pronounced (though without saying upon what system), and not according to the true construction of the language (vol. iii. p. 46). D'Urville received most of his information on this point from an intelligent native of the group Tamboua-Nakoro, and gives the names, of course, from the French system. In the added notes of M. Gaimard (Voyage de L'Astrolabe, vol. iv. part ii. pp. 709-10), there is a comparative table of the Feejeean and Tongese modes of pronunciation, from which it would seem that Wilkes has frequently adopted the latter.

In every communication with the natives it cannot be too strongly insisted on that caution, in the utmost degree, should be used. This should be the actuating principle of every one while in their vicinity, to guard against surprise or treachery. No canoes should be allowed to remain in any numbers close alongside the vessel, nor too many natives on deck at any one time. Every one should be properly armed and prepared for resistance, not concealing such readiness. Boat parties should not be too few in number, nor should they become detached from each other while on shore. And, although there is no necessity whatever for any violence in communicating with the islanders, yet, if it is seen that the means of resistance or defence are ready, they are not likely to be troublesome. With these proper precautions, there is no difficulty in procuring supplies and trading at the Feejees.

The group does not afford much encouragement for trading. A small quantity of biche-de-mar and tortoise-shell are the principal commercial productions; sandal-wood is exhausted. The articles which are in request by the natives for the supplies which may be required are muskets and ammunition, and the usual attractions to savages, but their taste is capricious and varying. Though no profitable trade may be conducted here,† yet this group offers great inducements for the recruiting crews and refitting ships after long voyages, yielding abundant supplies, and great facilities for wood and water. The harbour of Levuka in Ovolau, near the centre of the group, which is the residence of all the white inhabitants, is the best adapted for this purpose.

EARTHQUAKES are not unfrequent; according to the white residents they generally occur in the month of February. Several shocks are often felt in a single night. The only place where there are any signs of volcanic heat is Savu-Savu, on the South side of Vanua-Levu; but several islands in the group exhibit signs of craters. One of these is at the West end of Kantavu. There are others at Nairai, Goro, and in the Ringgold Isles. The peaks, however, are usually basaltic cones or needles, some of which rise to the height of severalthousand feet, and no running stream of lava has been seen occurring on any of the islands. It may consequently be inferred that the date of the formation of these islands is more remote than that of the other groups of Polynesia. Volcanic conglomerate, tufa, and compact and scoriaceous basalts, are found of every texture and colour, and in every state of decomposition. When decomposed, they afford a rich soil, which, clothed with a very luxuriant foliage, covers the islands to their very tops, clinging to every point where it is possible for a plant to take root. This rich vegetation gives a degree of beauty to the aspect of the whole group. The CLIMATE of the Feejee group is well adapted to all the tribes of tropical

* The traders who come for tortoise-shell in small vessels to these islands run no little risk; the natives have frequently attempted to cut them off. To effect this they dive for the cable, and cut it if the wind is on shore, and drag it ashore if otherwise. The moment a vessel touches the land, she is considered as an offering to the gods, and all hands, as stated elsewhere, are invariably sacrificed. Tortoise-shell constitutes the chief article of trade in these islands, and is endeavoured to be monopolized by the whites resident in the group. Vomo is the principal seat of this trade. "On our way across the reef (Direction Island South of Vanua-Levu, Feejees) we saw a school of sperm whales. These begin to frequent the seas around these islands in the month of July, and are most numerous in August and September, and continue about the reefs and islands four or five months."- Wilkes, vol. iii. p. 194.

plants, and to not a few of those of the temperate zone in the more mountainous portions of the islands.

The climate of the islands, as is not unusual within the tropics, is very different on the opposite sides of the various islands. From the constant prevalence of the wind in one direction, the windward sides of the islands are refreshed by showers, and the result of this is that the weather side exhibits the tropical and luxuriant vegetation which is so remarkable in this group. The lee sides of the islands, on the contrary, have a burnt and barren appearance, from the want of the moisture brought by the atmosphere. The difference in temperature, however, is not great; under the two different circumstances the hourly difference found by the American observers being only two degrees. The mean temperature observed during their six weeks' stay at Ovolau in June and July, 1840, was 77.81°. The barometer stood at 30° 126 inches. The lowest temperature was 62°, the highest 96°.

The WINDS, from April to November, prevail from the E.N.E. to S.E. quarter, at times blowing a fresh trade-wind. From November till April northerly winds are often experienced, and in the months of February and March heavy gales are frequent. They usually begin at N.E., and pass round to the N. and N.W., from which quarters they blow with the most violence; then hauling to the westward they moderate. They generally last two or three days.

A tremendous storm destroyed the missionaries' house at Rewa, at Viti-Levu, February 25, 1840. Wilkes says it appears to be coincident with, if not part of, the gale that occurred at New Zealand, 1st March.-(Vol. iii. pp. 113, 321.) It began, February 22nd, at Viti-Levu at N.E., with much rain, veering to North on the following day, increasing with violent gusts. On the 24th the gale was the same, much rain and wind, hauling to westward at midnight of the 25th. It became N.W. in the morning, moderating, and clearing gradually off at southward. It was not felt at Tonga. If identical with the New Zealand gale the vortex was upwards of 600 miles in diameter.

The TIDES throughout the group appear to be very irregular, until they are closely studied. The flood sets in opposite directions on the eastern and western sides of the group. Thus, on the South side of Vanua-Levu it flows from the East as far as Buia Point, where it is met by the flood coming from the West. It is high water at Ovolau at 6 10', full and change. At Muthuata, 5 30'.

From the observations of the United States' ship Porpoise, and information obtained from the natives, there appears to be a continual current setting to the eastward, at the rate of about half a mile an hour. This current were observed to exist both on the North and on the South sides of the island; and they were disposed to think it would be found to prevail for the most part of the year.

The greatest rise and fall of the tide are 6 feet. The currents set strongly in and out of the passages, until the water rises above the level of the reefs, when it flows over in all directions, and its force is much decreased.—(Vol. iii. p. 322.)

The CURRENT seems to set here in a contrary direction from what might at first be assumed. It is remarkable that during the examination of the S.E. islands of the Feejee group, in all the trials of the current, the American surveyors found it setting to the eastward about half a mile an hour, varying in direction from E.N.E.

to E.S.E. This fact is confirmed by the information obtained from the natives, that canoes which are wrecked to westward are always drifted upon these islands.* However, whether this remark holds good throughout the year, and in all portions of the group, we have scarcely the means of judging. D'Urville found it run to the S.S. W. 30 miles per day off Kandabou, and to the S.W. near N'hao; but between Vatu-Lele and Viti-Levu it runs strongly to the S.E. Perhaps the variations may not extend far beyond the islands, and may have been caused by the unusually bad weather that the Astrolabe had when here.t

The POSITIONS of the islands of the Feejee group, according to Wilkes's survey, depend upon the meridian of Observatory Point (on which he erected a pile of stones as a mark for the harbour) of Levuka Harbour in Ovolau. This, from moon culminating stars, is in lon. 178° 52′ 40.78" E., and the lat., from circummeridian observations of sun and stars, is 17° 40′ 46 79′′ S. The rest were carefully fixed by meridian distances from this, a chain having been carried round.

In the ensuing particular description of the islands composing the archipelago, we begin, as in former cases, with the south-easternmost, proceeding in succession to the westward.

VATOA or TURTLE ISLAND is the south-easternmost of the group. It was discovered by Cook in 1773. In itself it is unimportant, except in its position, as being the weathermost of the archipelago, and its low and dangerous character.

These points have not been diminished in importance by a singular mistake which has crept into the survey by the United States' Expedition. On May 5, 1840, the Vincennes "had a sight of Turtle Island, and determined it to be in lat. 19° 48′ S., lon. 178° 33′ W. It has the appearance of a small rounded knoll.” ‡ This would seem to be circumstantial, and is further confirmed by a foot-note on the same page. In a subsequent passage (vol. iii. p. 379) the United States' ship. Porpoise is said to have determined it to be in lat. 19° 50′ S., lon. 178° 37′ 45" W. "It was found to be 3 miles long by 14 miles wide. The reef extends all around the island, and is from 1 to 2 miles wide."

This singular variation in longitude from that assigned to it by the great discoverer, Cook (178° 0′ W.), or 37' in error, is startling, because the accuracy of Cook in this instance had been confirmed by other navigators. The following by Capt. Worth, R.N., may explain it :—

"I had procured from the master of the whale-ship at Apia Capt. Wilkes's (of the American Exploring Expedition) works, with his charts and plans of the Feejee Islands, in which it stated that Turtle Island had been surveyed, and the reef (on which an American whale-ship had been lost) examined. I cannot, however, conceive this to be the case, or, if so, some great error must exist in the publication, for not only is there no mention made of the detached and dangerous reef, but the position of the island itself is placed very erroneously, and which is the more necessary to correct from its being the S.E. point of this intricate group, and which vessels from the eastward would usually round in entering it. We made the centre of the island to be in lat. 19° 47′ S., and lon. 178° 8′ W., 29

* Wilkes, vol. iii. p. 173.

+ D'Urville, vol. iv. pp. 432, 442, 445, &c. Narrative of the United States' Exploring Expedition, vol. iii. pp. 45, 379.