The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-04-24
prepared by the National Geographic
Society. Washington. d. CO.
(WNU Service.)

(WNU Service)
~ NE of the worst hurricanes Of
recent weeks struck the Fiji
! islands, about which there are
probably more misconceptions
than about any other of the Pacific
islands. Three popular fallacies about
the Fijis are: that they are tiny islets;
that they are typical tropical lands,
hot and unhealthy; and that the ma
tives are savages.
In reality the Fills are the largest
islands situated well out in the Pa
cific Only New Caledonia, the Solo
mon islands, and the Bismarcks, all
relatively close to Australia and New
Guinea, are larger. The total area
of the Fijis is greater than that of the
Hawaiian islands; and VIII Lew, the
main island of the Fiji group, is al
most exactly the same size as Hawaii,
the giant of the northern islands. Fiji
is, in fact, often referred to as "the
Hawaii of the South"
The area of VIII Lew is more than
1000 square miles, and this island
alone is thus half the size Of the state
of Massachusetts. 1t is more than 70
miles long and so broad and contains
a mountain range with peaks 1000 to
5000 feet high. 1t is among the few
Pacific islands with a river so miles
long, which is navigable by small
boats.
Al ic MI hn
Tropics, having a south latitude CORE
spending to the north latitude of ia
maica, it has an Unexpectedly temper
ate climate. This is due chiefly to
the considerable size of the islands
and their mountains which intercept
the clouds and cool air currents and
bring them to lower levels. Suva, the
capital, situated on the largest island,
has it's tennis and cricket addicts who
play in comfort. Fiji is truly ''white
mans land" The temperature seldom
tops 90 degrees Fahrenheit or drops
below 63. So pleasant is it most of
the year that lightweight, white cloth
ing has not the vogue that it has else
where in the Tropics, and garments
like those worn in America and Eu-
rope are to be seen at all seasons.
Ranks High in Healthfulness.
On the score of healthfulness Fiji
stands particularly high. 1t is said
to be the most healthful tropical land
in the world. The rearing of children
by Europeans, fraught With difficult
ties in most other tropical lands,
causes no anxiety in Fiji. One sur
prise is the utter absence of malaria
in the islands. Mosquitoes are pres
ent, but they do not transmit this and
other diseases from which Europeans
suffer in other tropical lands.
When first we'll known to Europeans,
in the late Eighteenth and early Nine
teenth centuries, the Fijians were the
most blood-thirsty and savage canni-
balls in all the South Seas. Cannibal-
ism was not only INDUCED in when
enemies had been killed, these peo-
pie actually slaughtered relatives and
companions for meat. They quickly
came under missionary influence, how
ever, and the entire native population
became Christianized. The Fijian of
today is mild-mannered, kindly and
courteous.
The natives are predominantly of
Melanesian stocks, that is of the dark,
negroid, kinky-haired type Of islanders.
There has been, however, an admix-
ture of Polynesian blood Qike that
OF the Hawaiians and Marquesans)
which has given the Fijian a better
physique and handsomer appearance
than those Of the full blood Melanes-
ians. The Fijians are particularly race
conscious, and although Europeans
have been on the islands for a CEN
fury, and although East Indians have
made up large part Of the popula-
ton for many years, there are prac-
tically no half-breeds.
Many East Indians There.
So large is the East Indian popula-
ton that it was thought a few years
ago that the islands would eventually
become virtually a colony of India.
There are now about 10000 Indians,
$4,000 Fijians and 1850 Europeans
in Fiji. During the past few decades
sugar production has been Fiji's chief
industry. The Fijians do not take
kindly to plantation work, so thou
sands of East Indians were imported
to worE in the cane fields. They were
brought in on the "indenture" system,
binding themselves to work for five
years. After the indenture period,
thousands settled in the islands to
grow cane or rice on their own ac-
count. or to trade among the natives.
The indenture system was abolished
in 1920 and as result the sugar in
dustry seems doomed. The government