high, and the natives might profit greatly
by this state of things if they knew the value of money or how to
use it to advantage. But, as a rule, they spend it for any nonsense
they may fancy, to the joy of the trader, who makes an average profit
of 50 per cent. on all commodities; or else the natives economize
to buy a pig (tusked pigs have brought as much as forty pounds),
or they bury their money.

It is astonishing how easily a native might make a small fortune
here, and how little use he makes of his opportunities, not only
from laziness, but also because he has no wants. Nature supplies
food in abundance without any effort on his part, so that matches,
tobacco, a pipe and a knife satisfy all his needs, and he can spend
all the rest of his money for pleasure. Thus the native, in spite of
everything, is economically master of the situation in his own country,
and many traders have been made to realize this fact to their cost,
when the natives, to avenge some ill-treatment, have simply boycotted
a station. Needless to say that the traders always do their best to
excite the natives' cupidity by exhibiting the most tempting objects,
and, careful as the islander may be when buying necessaries, he is
careless enough when luxuries are in question.

The house of the planters is a long, low building with whitewashed
walls, a broad, flat roof and wide verandas. Around it is an abandoned
garden, and one feels that long ago a woman's hand must have worked
here; but now no one cares about keeping the surroundings clean
and pretty, and the wilderness is reclaiming its own and advancing
steadily towards the house. Inside, the house is clean and neat;
from the veranda there is a splendid view over the sea, in which the
sun disappears at evening.

The employes are quiet people, who have but little to say; the weather
and speculations as to the name and destination of some far-off
sail are their chief topics. After lunch they sit in easy-chairs,
enjoying the breeze and reading the papers. Soon the "Bubu" calls
to work once more, and the natives come creeping out of their huts,
away from their ever-burning fires.

The production of coprah varies greatly on the different islands. While
on some of them there is scarcely any to be had, there are others which
are practically covered with cocoa-nut trees; this is chiefly the
case on islands of volcanic origin, on which springs and rivers are
very scarce. It has been supposed that the