This of course can be considered only as an approximation, but I am inclined to believe it rather above than below the actual number of inhabitants. It will be perceived that I have set down no more than five thousand for the number of inhabitants of the interior, although there are a number of persons who believe that this portion of the large islands is densely peopled. But all my own observations tend to confirm me in the opinion, that there are very few inhabitants in the interior of these islands. The circumstances attending a residence there are so contrary to Feejee habits, that I cannot give credit to a statement so entirely at variance with what we find at the other Polynesian islands. The food that the natives most esteem, is gathered near the sea-shore and from the sea, and there is little probability that any persons would dwell in the interior unless compelled by necessity.

The natives of the different islands are of various sizes: some have their forms more fully developed than others, as will have been seen. In the opinion of the white residents, the natives of Ovolau were thought to be of inferior size to those of the other islands; this, however, did not strike us particularly, and I was of opinion that they were a fair specimen of the natives of the group. Those who have Tonga blood are designated as the Vitonga, and are decidedly the best-looking natives that are met with. These are to be found more among the eastern islands than elsewhere, showing the effects of the intercourse.

Our accounts of the language are derived from the missionaries, who are making great exertions to become thoroughly acquainted with it, in its different dialects, of which there are several in the group. They have found more than ordinary difficulty in bringing the language into a written shape, and have not yet fully completed the task. The characters they have employed for this purpose are the Roman, and they have made such changes in the usual sounds of some of the letters, as are absolutely necessary to express the peculiar sounds of the Feejce tongue. The vowels are used generally to express the sounds they denote in the French language, except the broad sound of the a, which that letter is not always confined to; b is used to represent the sound m'b; c, that of the Greek ; d is sounded n'd; g, n'g. Of all the letters, r and s retain most closely the sounds by which they are known to us; t has a peculiar sound, partaking of th, and in some of the districts is not used at all. The sound of k is entirely wanting in the Somu-somu dialect, whilst it is much used and distinctly uttered in the others.

In the Lakemba dialect they use the j, sounded nja, which they derive from the Tongese.

The following is the alphabet adopted by the missionaries. It con

sists of twenty-four letters, being the same as our own, with the exception of the x, which is wanting. They were kind enough to give me the sounds of the different letters, which are as follows:

The missionaries were at first inclined to doubt that any affinity existed between the Feejee language and the other dialects of Polynesia; but this arose from a superficial acquaintance with it, for on close study they became satisfied that their original impressions had been prematurely adopted, and they are now satisfied that it is no more than a branch from the great root whence all the Polynesian languages are derived.

Originality and boldness appear to be the characteristics of the Feejee tongue. It has been found to be extremely copious, for a vocabulary of five thousand six hundred words has been already compiled, and still much remains to be accomplished. It furnishes distinctive names for every shrub and every kind of grass the islands yield; the names for various kinds of yam amount to more than fifty; each species of taro and banana has its distinctive appellation; and there are words for every variety of cocoa-nut, as well as for every stage of its ripeness, from the bud to the mature fruit.

Words may be found to express every disease to which the body is liable, as well as every emotion of the mind.

The most delicate shades of meaning may be expressed; thus, there are no less than five words equivalent to our "foolishness," each of which has its peculiar signification.

The superlative degree of adjectives is expressed in six or seven different ways; but all of these are not used at any one place, and this constitutes one of the features to which the differences in dialect are to be ascribed. These differences, however, are only verbal and not idiomatic, and are marked by an omission of letters.

According to the missionaries, at Rewa and in its neighbourhood the language is spoken in its greatest purity. The difference of dialect

was experienced by our parties in places, which rendered it difficult at times to communicate with the natives, but this was apparently confined to small districts. The natives themselves say, that the language of those dwelling on the west end of Vitilevu, is different from that which is generally spoken in the group. At the island of Malolo, which lies off this part of Vitilevu, we found no difficulty, however, in the communications we had with the natives. But this subject will be amply treated in the Philological Department, and on that perhaps I may have trespassed too much already.

The language has the dual number, and plurals for expressing large and small numbers. It has distinct inclusive and exclusive pronouns, and certain pronouns that are only used in speaking of articles of food. One of its peculiarities is the combination of consonants without the aid of the usual number of vowels; as, for instance, “ndrondrolagi," a rainbow; and this constitutes such a difficulty in its pronunciation, that natives of no other group can utter these sounds, unless they lived among the Feejees from infancy.

The language affords various forms of salutation, according to the rank of the parties; and great attention is paid to insure that the salutation shall have the proper form. Women make their salutations in different words from those employed by the men, and no less care is taken by them to observe the appropriate formula. Thus, the wives of the matanivanua, or landholders, say, on passing a chief's house, "a-a-vakau dn-wa-a;" women of the lower orders say, "ndnoo;" and fishermen's wives say "wa-wa," stooping, with their hands behind their heads.

Equals salute each other with "ei vilitui." Men of the lower orders address chiefs, "duo-wa turanga," and the chiefs reply, "ivea rakaw."

They have also forms of expression equivalent to our “yes, sir,” “no, sir;" as "io saka," and " sanga saka."

When the men approach a chief they cry out "duo-wa," to which the chief replies, "wa!" The salutation is not accompanied by any obeisance of the body, except when a chief is met on his route, when all retire out of his path, crouch, and lower their clubs.

The mode of salutation varies in different parts of the group; but in all, a chief would be thought ill-mannered if he did not return the salutation of a common man.

Dr. Fox, the acting surgeon of the Vincennes, had an opportunity, during the stay of the ship at the island of Ovolau, to examine many of the diseases of the natives, and of practising among them to some extent. The most remarkable disease, and one that is believed to be

peculiar to this group of islands, is what the natives call the "dthoke." It somewhat resembles the "yaws" of the West Indies, so common among the negroes. In adults who are afflicted with it, it assumes the form of secondary syphilis, and those unacquainted with the history of the disease, would unhesitatingly pronounce it a syphilitic taint. It usually attacks children from two to nine years of age, and, according to the natives' and white men's experience, none escape. Dr. Fox is of the same opinion; every child of ten years of age that fell under his observation, had had this disease, and in many cases, still had it.

Its first symptoms are fretfulness and inactivity on the part of the child; a swelling of the fingers and pains in the bones follow these pains, which are rheumatic in character, continue at intervals throughout the disease, and are followed by small red spots in different parts of the body. These become round pustules, varying in size, and result in ulcers. After the eruption has appeared, the pains about the bones cease to be so general. Sometimes they disappear in fine weather, but return when it is damp and wet. In other cases they lose the fugitive character, but have a constant fixed pain over some bone, which is not relieved until the integuments inflame and carious bones find exit.

In the first attack there is much irritation, particularly at night, and more or less fever. This also disappears in most cases as soon as the eruption is out. The mouth, arms, and umbilicus, ulcerate around. the whole circumference. The extent of the disease about these parts, Dr. Fox thinks is owing to the constant scratching of the child. Very large and extensive ulcers, at the same time, exist in various parts of the body, some having the appearance of a fungous mass. In adults the pericranium is oftener affected than in children, the bone is denuded, and frequently pieces of the table of the skull come away. In some cases the eruption does not appear, or after appearing immediately dries up. These cases are said to prove invariably fatal. Cases are by no means rare of the loss of the bones of the palate and nose. In several instances we observed the upper lip entirely gone, and the teeth and gums denuded. The females, in particular, are very often seen with deep cicatrices about the lips, so much so that in making inquiries relative to their customs, I was induced to ask Whippy, if making cicatrices in their lips was one of them. Dr. Fox imputes it to the dthoke, though Whippy refers it to tattooing: I am inclined to believe the former is the true cause. This disease varies in duration, from nine months to three years. The ulcerations continue longest on those parts of the body that are easily reached by the

fingers, and those about the mouth frequently remain after every other vestige of the disease has disappeared. The ulcers begin to heal in the centre, even while yet enlarging at the edges. They generally attain the size of a dollar, and are apt to become fungous about the mucous orifices. The natives say this disease has always prevailed among them, and always speak of it as a Feejee disease. We have observed something of a similar nature on the other islands which I have heretofore mentioned.

For this disease they have several remedies; and when the pain is severe and fixed, they make incisions over the part, which gives relief. The ulcers are usually left to nature, no applications being made until they are very foul, from the quantities of pus discharged, which serves in place of a covering. The mother takes a child who is affected with the disease to a running brook, and with a sharp shell or piece of bamboo, scrapes the ulcers all down even with the skin; she then rubs them with soot, and the ulcers usually heal rapidly after such treatment. It seems a very painful one, but I did not find the children complain or cry much while undergoing it.

They generally believe that the disease will run its course, but they avoid eating pork or any thing sweet, as they have found, by experience, it is hurtful and aggravates the disease. If the eruption has a tendency to dry up at too early a period, Dr. Fox says they give an infusion which has the effect of driving it out; but he did not learn particularly what it was.

While at Levuka, Dr. Fox had several of the white men, affected with the disease, under treatment. One of them had had it for about a year. Dr. Fox says that this man was improving when he first saw him, but was still labouring under severe pains in damp weather. All the ulcerations had been healed excepting one upon the frontal bone, which was exposed. This ulcer was of the size of a shilling. He placed his patient on a generous diet, gave him sarsaparilla freely, and before we left Ovolau his pains had left him entirely. The outer table of the skull came away, and the parts healed over it. He saw this man a month afterwards, when he was perfectly well. He adopted the same treatment with a number of others, applying the Citron ung. to the ulcers, which operated like a charm, healing them up very rapidly. Foreigners are not exempt from this disease. If they remain any time in the group, they are affected in the same manner as the natives. Age seems to influence it but little.

The natives assign no cause for the disease, but Dr. Fox thinks the climate, diet, and habits of the natives, are the general causes producing it.