of sugar yearly. The native islanders
will not work in the sugar fields; so coolies from India were brought to
the islands to work on the plantations.

Suva (Viti Levu), and Leonka (Ovalu), the two largest towns, are much
like European cities, except that the houses are low and have large
yards filled with shade trees and flowers. In the native villages the
dwellings are much like those in Samoa, though a trifle better, perhaps.
The side walls are covered with plaited reeds, and the roof is thatched
with palm leaves securely fastened. In the lowlands it is customary to
build a platform of rock upon which the house stands and into which the
foundation poles are set. This is done for two reasons: when a typhoon
sweeps over the islands, the lowland coast is sometimes flooded;
moreover, the wind blows with such terrific force that none but the most
strongly built house will withstand it.

In the centre of the floor is a pit, or fireplace, much like the
cooking-place one sees in Samoa or in Hawaii. Chickens and pieces of
meat to be roasted are hung from a frame over the pit. Yams and other
vegetables are boiled in earthen vessels which the native potters make.
The floors are covered with closely woven mats; and in order to keep
them clean an earthen vessel filled with water is kept outside so that
whoever enters the house may bathe his feet. Inasmuch as the natives go
barefoot one may see the usefulness of this custom.

Great Britain has many islands in this part of the Pacific; Gilbert,
Ellice, Tonga, Cook, and some of the Solomon group all fly the Union
Jack. There is an English governor, or "High Commissioner," as he is
styled, who looks after British affairs in the islands. In Fiji he is
the real governor, but in many of the islands native chiefs and kings
govern their peoples about as they please, provided they do not
interfere with British interests.

CHAPTER XXIX

THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Almost midway between the United States and China a mountain chain more
than three thousand miles long crosses the tropic of Cancer. Only the
highest peaks, however, reach above sea level; most of the range is
fathoms deep in the waters of the Pacific. The eastern end of this great
chain constitutes the Hawaiian group of islands, or the Territory of
Hawaii.

Altogether they are pretty nearly as large as the State of New Jersey,
or five times the size of Rhode Island. All the islands are very rugged
in surface--steep and