Fijian History

The Fiji Islands were first sighted by a European in 1643 when Abel Tasman, having discovered Tasmania and New Zealand, sailed through the island. He did not land. More than 100 years later Captain Cook landed on one of the smaller islands called Vatoa. He wrote in his diary log: 'It is covered with wood amongest which are Cocoa-nut trees... some circumstances shew'd the Natives to be Docile people.'

Abel Tasman