CHAPTER III
The population of Samoa , when compared with thatof other groups, is large, but there are good reasonsfor thinking that it was much larger formerly, beforeEuropeans settled amongst them. For many yearsbefore the introduction of Christianity , it had beensteadily decreasing, principally in consequence of theferocious and bloody wars in which the natives soconstantly engaged. In various parts of Upolu I haveoften noticed traces of a much larger population, andthe general testimony of the natives confirmed thisbelief. Sites of deserted villages, and remains of plan-tation walls, could often be seen in the wild bush ;and in many parts of the islands places once largelypopulated have now very reduced numbers.
More than a century ago, 1784, La Perouse, in writingof a district at the east end of Upolu, says, ‘ At fouro’clock in the afternoon we brought to abreast of perhapsthe largest village that exists in any island of theSouth Seas, or rather, opposite a very extensive in-clined plane covered with houses from the summitof the mountains to the water’s edge.’ And again,