sometimes happens that the concluding round is performed in a state of nature.

In many respects parts of the Samoan Group are even more fertile than Fiji. Cotton succeeds well, and has run wild in all the sea-coast lands; but this is all of the kidney variety, and it thus prevents the Sea Island cotton from being propagated to advantage, as the bees and other insects carrying the pollen of the wild-cotton flowers inoculate that of the Sea Island, and cause it to become coarse. Large tracts of sugarcane and maize are cultivated by the Germans, who have also planted coffee and rice of a kind enormously prolific, which is grown upon the elevated plateaux without irrigation, it being of a species not requiring to be flooded at any time. The seed is said to have come from South America, but I am not certain as to this. Legumes and cereals of the temperate zone do better in Samoa than in Fiji, and the Catholic missioners have been very successful in their cultivation. Cabbages, cauliflowers, peas, beans, carrots, asparagus, cucumbers, and melons of every kind, with all the pot-herbs of Europe, are to be seen growing luxuriantly in the gardens of the Catholic clergy. Potatoes, as in Fiji, turn to komotès in the second season in the low lands, and onions do not exceed a grape-shot in size, though there is reason to believe that both these vegetables would grow very well upon the level summits of the high mountain lands. Barley, and the various kinds of millet, produce abundant crops, and English grass mixed with clover takes ready hold of the ground, and spreads rapidly. The products, however, more especially suited to the

climate and local conditions of Samoa are cotton coffee, sugar, tamarinds, tobacco, indigo, vanilla, rice, cinnamon (a tree analogous to which is found indigenous), nutmegs, ginger, arrowroot, and the various oil-producing trees. Tea and cinchona would undoubtedly do well in Samoa.

For the cultivation of the latter and tea, no climate or country presents more favourable conditions. There is no reason why Englishmen, having once conquered the popular prejudice that tea cannot be successfully cultivated or manufactured by Europeans, or outside certain localities, should not enter upon this industry in the great islands of the Pacific, especially as the amount of labour required is so small in comparison with that necessary for the cultivation and preparation of coffee, sugar, cotton, or tobacco.

Tea adapts itself to various temperatures in a manner impossible to coffee, is extremely hardy, and bears a crop which defies rains or hurricanes; it luxuriates on high and sloping grounds, especially those of ancient forest where the giant trees are allowed at intervals to remain, affording a shade in which it delights. It is, of all products, one of the most suited to the woodlands of Samoa. The seed could be easily procured from China, and if gathered at the fitting season, and packed in damp sand or sugar, would arrive in good germinating condition. The tea-shrub yields its first paying crop in the third year from the planting of the seed. For the plantation labour, the services of Polynesians are suitable, and easily procurable. The skilled workmen required for the manipulation of the leaf are to be met with in

Hawaii, or can be obtained from China, and at a low rate of remuneration.

All the long list of Fiji plants applies to Samoa, which has in addition some trees with very fragrant blossoms that might be used for the preparation of

scents.

Samoa is a perfect land of cocoa-nuts, and they are much larger than those in Fiji.

As regards minerals, there have for years been rumours in the Pacific that gold and other minerals were to be found in the group; but scientific men have generally regarded these rumours as very idle, if not mischievous.

Towards the end of 1873, two residents of Samoa, named Johnson and Bruce, brought to her Majesty's Consul, who was just then leaving for New Zealand, several specimens of auriferous quartz, in which gold was very plainly visible. The men stated that they found them in the neighbourhood of Apia, but the story was generally disbelieved; and nothing has been heard since of gold in Samoa. It is true that in several places there are cliffs of one hundred feet or more in height, composed of micaceous clay, and in other localities there are beds of conglomerate similar to those which overlie gold deposits in Arizona and elsewhere. Garnets of considerable size are found in the beds of streams among a highly magnetic black sand, and a stone resembling an opal exists in the crevices of sandstone rock. Sir Edward Belcher states that on Rose Island, the most eastern of the Samoan Group, there is a quartz dyke of micaceous shale. I have never visited Rose Island, but Mr. Sterndale thus refers to the matter:

'All coral islands are undoubtedly formed upon a foundation of other rock, but that a quartz dyke should crop out through the coral at this end of a great chain of isles like Samoa, and not be found at all throughout the remainder, would seem mysterious. I have found at various times large pieces of quartz of the same kind as that in which gold is contained upon coral islands, particularly upon Manuoae in the Hervey Group, and on Suwarrow, neither of which are more than twenty feet above the level of highwater, but I accounted for their presence by supposing that they had formed part of the ballast of ships which had been wrecked at those places, and I still entertain that opinion.'

Cattle thrive well in Samoa, as in Fiji, and many of the natives possess horses on which they ride about from town to town. Good roads are appreciated, and a great future lies before the group, if it could only secure the blessings of permanent peace, and freedom from adventurers.

CHAPTER III.

SAMOAN ROYALTY.

THERE are two royal families in Samoa-the old royal family of Tupua, and the more modern family of Malietoa. The family of Tupua was the reigning family for generations-as far back as Samoan history goes. The name of Malietoa, on the other hand, is of recent origin, and is due to a war between the Samoans and Tongans. The tradition is that a brave warrior-chief of Manono or Savaii chased the Tongans the whole length of Upolu, and forced them to take to their boats. For thus saving the country he acquired the name of Malietoa (Good Warrior). The supporters of the Malietoa family are the chiefs of the people of Savaii, Manono, Apolima, and the greater part of the middle division of Upolu.

The supporters of the Tupua family are the chiefs and people of Atua and Auna. A successor of the great Malietoa mentioned above conquered Atua and Aana, and thus became sole king of Upolu, Manono, Apolima, and Savaii. The principal titles of Samoa had been given him, but while yet young a plot was formed against him, and he was killed. His successor