THE OCEAN, ITS ISLANDS AND PEOPLES. 27

stature than the Polynesians ; but in the western Mi­ cronesian islands they are of lighter complexion, andmore like the Japanese ,

For ages these oceanic races lived secluded on the is-lands of their watery domain, a world by themselves,with a romantic history of voyages from island to is-land, of pagan orgies, and savage wars. They laboredunder disadvantages, for advancing in civilization, fromtheir lack of metals, of which to make tools, and fromthe very salubrity of their climate and productiveness oftheir soil, which obviated the need of labor for a liveli-hood."They had but to throw the net into the stillwaters inside their reefs to catch fish, and to reach outthe hand to pluck the ripe plantain or breadfruit, andin the perennial mildness of their climate could live al-most without clothing. With great skill they madedwellings, canoes, and household fabrics, by the use ofStone adzes and knives of bones and shell, and beat outa poor kind of clothing from the bark of trees; but intheir primitive condition they were generally little betterin appearance than herds of wild animals.

In their social condition they were not much better.Though occupying regions of enchanting beauty, theywere by no means, as represented by some writers offiction, mere sinless creatures of love and light. ThePopular author , Hermann Melville , has humorouslyWritten of the felicity of their condition, with“notaxes to Pay, no mortages to be foreclosed, without theeverlasting strife of civilized nations for money.” Butthey did no¢ merely enjoy freedom and frolic and love-

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