Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-06-19
THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS,
Their Remarkable Fertility-chief
Food of the Islanders.

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The honor Of having discovered these
islands belongs to the renowned Dutch
navigator Tasman, who in 1643 explored
the southern group of the archipelago,
afterward ascertained by Cook to embrace
three distinct clusters Nayau
and Haabai, and now known under the
collective name of the Friendly Islands.
The three clusters comprise about one
hundred and fifty islands, of which Ton
gatabu, Lifuka and Navau are of consid-
srable size. With the exception Of about
fifteen, all of them are low, of coral for
nation, an elevation of fifty or sixty feet
above sea level being considered high
land.
The Friendly Islanders have been so
called from their peacefulness of dispo-
sition and habits. At the date Of their
first contact with the Christian mission
aries, from some quarrels arising out of
inter-tribal trading with the Fijians, they
had adopted more warlike character,
and from that the neighboring sayages
had borrowed some implements and Gus
toms of war.
The fertility of the Friendly Islands in
esculent fruits and vegetables and other
food plants surpasses that of any other
part of the world. The yam, taro, arrow
root, sweet potato, banana and bread
fruit are the everyday food of the island
ers, while oranges, lemons, lines, Gus
tard, apples, guava, mango and pine
apple add variety to his fare. Pigs and
fish are his only animal food, with the
exception, perhaps, of an occasional tin
of canned salmon or corned beef pur-
chased from the trader. But far above
every other product of his island, not
only for his own use, but as his great
means of revenue, is that most graceful
| of palms, the cocoanut tree. Upon this
he depends not only for food, drink,
household utensils and furniture, tools,
weapons, cordage and medicine, but also
as his means of purchasing his clothing
and other luxuries from the trader. The
Tongan, unlike many of his brothers of
other groups. is careful to propagate this
useful tree, and every year there are
thousands of young trees set out which
in the course of a few years will be add
ing to the wealth of the islands and the
comfort of the islanders. The export Of
''copra," the dried meat of the cocoanut,
from which the oil is pressed, from the
Friendly Islands exceeds that of Samoa
two or three times over, and already the
effect of care and forethought can be seen
in the dress of the natives, the weather.
boarded houses and the public buildings
maintained by the Government. Nor is
"'copra" the only article exported, for
coffee and cotton thrive marvelously in
that warm, humid climate, and although
insignificant in comparison to the mighty
cocoanut, are important articles of ex-
port. Among the less known of the
useful vegetable products of these islands
is the paper-mulberry, from which the
natives manufacture their nappa or cloth.
The bark of the tree is stripped from the
slender stalks, and, after process of
continual beating, labor which falls to
the woman, becomes similar to coarse,
rough kind of cloth, and, after process
of dyeing and painting, is worn on gala
days.
The future destiny of Tonga is prob
ably that of the other groups, namely,
annexation by some foreign power.
England has her eye upon these green,
fertile isles, and is awaiting favorable
opportunity to gobble them up, as she
has done so many Others. The present
king, George, is very old man, and his
death will probably be TIE signal for dis
sensions among the minor chiefs, when
England with the way already paved by
her missionaries, will only have to steE
in and add another jewel to the British
Crown San Francisco Chronicle.