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1. Melanesia includes the Island of Papua, or New Guinea (the second largest island in the world), and various groups of islands scattered eastward in the Pacific as far as the Fiji Islands. They are inhabited chiefly by the Papuans, a dark, woolly-haired race, and include some of the most degraded cannibal tribes on the face of the earth.

2. Of New Guinea (an island as large as the Austrian Empire) very little is known. It appears to be mountainous in the interior, to have a hot, uniform climate, an abundant rainfall, and a luxuriant forest vegetation. The mammals and birds are mostly of the Australian types, but the celebrated "birds of paradise" are all confined to this island and the lands in the immediate vicinity. Nowhere in the world are parrots, and pigeons, and kingfishers, so numerous and lovely as in this island.

3. The Solomon Isles, New Britain, New Ireland, New Hanover, and the Admiralty Isles, form one scattered group lying to the east of New Guinea. They are all fertile and covered with dense forests. The natives are fierce savages addicted to cannibalism.

4. The New Hebrides consist of a long chain of volcanic isles, all fertile, and some of considerable size. During the rainy season fever and ague prevail to such an extent as to make the climate very trying to Europeans. The natives of these islands, although cannibals, are less fierce and savage than those of the Solomon group.

5. New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands lie to the south of the New Hebrides. New Caledonia is a large island nominally in the possession of the French; but the natives, a peculiarly fierce race of Papuans, have never been thoroughly subjugated.

6. The Archipelago of Fiji, or Viti, comprises a group

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VIEW OF MINDANAO, ONE OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

of nearly 200 islands, besides rocks, reefs, and islets. Of these about eighty are inhabited by a population of abʊut 100,000. The islands are of volcanic origin, and remarkably fertile, bread-fruit, bananas, cocoa-nuts, sugar-cane, and arrowroot, growing freely; while cotton, sugar, pearlshells, maize, coffee, and cocoa-nut oil, are exported. The climate is a pleasant one, and, owing to their recent acquisition by the British Government, are likely to increase in importance. The white population-mostly British subjects-already numbers over 2,000.

7. POLYNESIA, or "Many Islands," comprises a number of distinct archipelagoes, of which the chief are the Friendly Islands and Society Islands; but many other groups, as well as isolated islands, are included under this name. Almost all the islands of Polynesia may be classified as mountainous and volcanic, or flat and of coral origin. The natives of Polynesia are a fine race of men, with clear light copper or brown coloured skins, yellow and curly hair, and good-humoured handsome faces. They are called Mahori.*

8. The Friendly or Tonga Islands are not so fertile, nor so well wooded as the Fijis. The inhabitants number about 22,000, and their government is framed on a European model under a king. The chief productions are coffee, cotton, and cocoa-nuts.

9. Most of the Society Islands are claimed by France. They are mostly volcanic. Arrowroot, cocoa-nut oil, indigo, sugar, cotton, and coffee, are among the products. Tahiti is the largest island, and Papeete is the capital. South of the Society group lies Pitcairn Island. Its interest consists in the fact that it has become the home of the descendants of the mutineers of the Bounty.

10. Of the island groups to the north of the equator, the Sandwich Islands are by far the most important. Hawaii is the largest of the group, and indeed the largest island in the open Pacific. This island is intensely volcanic. Its great volcanic mountain, Mauna Loa, rises to a height of 13,760 feet. There is also the famous crater

*See note on Maories, p. 303.

Kilauea, the floor of which resembles a lake of fire. The natives of the Sandwich Islands have made considerable progress in civilisation; they have a monarchical form of government and a written language, and their commerce in sugar, rice, coffee, wool, and sandal-wood, now extends to all parts of the Pacific. The largest town of the group, and indeed of all Polynesia, is the capital, Honolulu, on the island of Oahu.

11. MICRONESIA, or "Small Islands," includes the groups of Marshall Islands, Gilbert Islands, Caroline Islands, Pelew Islands, and the Ladrones, ail north of the equator. Like the Polynesian Islands, they are all either of volcanic or coral origin. Guam is the largest island of Micronesia.

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