NAVIGATORS' or SAIICYAN ISLANDS, a group of nine islands, with some islets, in the Pacific ocean, lying n. of the Friendly islands, in lat. 13° 30' to 14° 30' s. and long. 168° to 11'3° west. The four principal islands of the group are Mauna, Tutuila, and Savaii. Of these, Savaii, 40 m. in length by 20 m. broad, and having a population of 20,000, is the largest. Area of the group estimated at 2,650 sq.m.; pop. about 56,000. With the exception of one (Rose Island), the Navirmtors' islands are all of volcanic origin. For the most part they are lofty, and broken and rugged in appearance, in some cases to upwards of 2,500 ft. in height, and covered with the richest vegetation. The soil, formed chiefly by the decomposition of volcanic rock, is rich, and the climate is moist. The forests, which include the bread-fruit, the cocoanut, banana, and palm trees, are remarkably thick. The orange, lemon, tacca (from which a kind of sago is made), coffee, sweet-potatoes, pineapples, yams, nutmeg, wild sugar-cane, and many other important plants, grow Until recently, when swine, horned-cattle, and horses were introduced, there were no traces among these islands of any native mamma lin, except a species of hat. The natives are well-formed (especially the males), ingen
ious, and affectionate. The women, who superintend the indoor work and manufacture, mats, are held in high respect. There are English and American mission-stations on the islands, as well as several Roman Catholic establishments, and many of the natives have embraced Christianity. The government is in the hands of the hereditary chiefs. In 1875 col. Steinberger, from the United States, established himself as (virtually) dictator of the Navigators' islands; hut was removed by the commander of a British war-vessel in 1876. Trade is carried on with Sydney.