Fiji and the Fijians . CHAPTEE Y. THE The population of the Fiji islands has been stated by some author-ities at 300,000; and by Commodore Wilkes, of the United StatesExploring Expedition, at 133,500, which is nearer the truth, thoughsomewhat too low; 150,000 1 am convinced being a truer opinion of Wilkess computation is based upon the following con-siderations. Several islands which he states to be uninhabited, have asmall population; and he is wrong in giving sixty-five as the numberof inhabited islands, eighty being the real nimiber. Speaking of thelarger islands, he co
Fiji and the Fijians . CHAPTEE Y. THE The population of the Fiji islands has been stated by some author-ities at 300,000; and by Commodore Wilkes, of the United StatesExploring Expedition, at 133,500, which is nearer the truth, thoughsomewhat too low; 150,000 1 am convinced being a truer opinion of Wilkess computation is based upon the following con-siderations. Several islands which he states to be uninhabited, have asmall population; and he is wrong in giving sixty-five as the numberof inhabited islands, eighty being the real nimiber. Speaking of thelarger islands, he correctly remarks that the climate of the mountainsis unsuited to the taste and habits of the natives; but he is not so cor-rect in confining the production of their food to the low ground. Thecocoa-nut only is restricted to the coast; yams, taro, and other escu-lents, flourish several hundred feet above sea-level, and the dwellers onthe heights purchase fish of those on the coast, or supply its lack withfowls and pork. His deduction therefore
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