About This Book
A wide-ranging travel narrative and historical survey of the Pacific presents geography, peoples, and customs through firsthand episodes and ethnological reflection. The author traces the origins of Polynesian settlement and offers descriptive portraits of island societies and continental neighbors across the Pacific Rim. Attention centers on social change brought by contact between native and foreign races, including shifts in marriage, markets, and everyday ideals. Later chapters move from personal observation to political analysis, examining economic ties, strategic alliances, and the diplomatic and financial entanglements that shape relations among Australasia, Asia, and America.