POLYNESIA.
This name is given to those islands lying in the Pacific ocean between Asia, the West India and Australasian islands on the one side, and America on the other. In this division Owhyhee, one of the Sandwich islands, is the largest. The inhabitants of the Sandwich, Ladrone and Navigator’s islands, are notorious thieves. Those of the Friendly, the Society, the Pelew islands, are hospitable and kind. Otaheite is the largest of the Society islands, and has a missionary establishment, as has also, Owhyhee. Many of the people have embraced Christianity.
The climate and soil of these islands are peculiarly adapted to the production of numerous fruits and necessaries of life. The productions are bread fruit, sugar, cocoa-nuts, oranges, limes, sandal wood, plantain, yams, and sweet potatoes.