Ocean and Isle (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1902. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... chapter vii. the tongan archipelago. entering tongan waters. he Tongan Archipelago consists of at least 100 islands and islets. The islands lie generally in a long north and south chain and form the subgroups of Vavau, Haapai, and Tonga, under the King of Tonga and the prptection of Great Britain. They were discovered by Tasman, the celebrated Dutch navigator, in 1643. He anchored on the north-west side of Tougatabu and named the island Amsterdam. Captain Cook on his second voyage in 1773, and third voyage in 1777, remained among the islands from April to August, and because of the apparently friendly disposition of the natives gave the name of the Friendly Islands. As a matter of fact, the natives were plotting murder all the while. The Spanish navigator, Maurelle, discovered Vavau in 1781. These islands all lie in the great hvirricane belt. Particulars of 125 cyclonic storms which have swept over this belt have been obtained. Seventy-four of these passsed through Tonga. The wind of these storms in the southern hemisphere revolves with the hands of a watch. The wind does not revolve in circles, but has a spiral movement inward towards the centre. From December to May is the hurricane season in these seas. The confused pyramid sea occurring during a hurricane is due to the wind blowing for a while in one direction, and then turning and blowingin directly the opposite direction. The rate of movement of the cyclonic storms here is between 250 and 300 miles a dav. The natives of 3 I O ui uj r u. Tonga belong to the fair Polynesian race, and surpass all other Pacific Islanders in mental development. The principal products for exporting are copra (the dried kernel of the cocoanut) and frui...