The French were now taking a share in the work of discovery, and in 1768 Louis Antoine de Bougainville sailed by way of the central Paumotus, the Society Islands, Samoa, the northern New Hebrides, the south coast of New Guinea and the Louisiade and Bismarck archipelagoes.
The toothbilled pigeon (Didunculus) is restricted to Samoa.
If earlier immigrants from Samoa or other eastern Pacific islands arrived they must have become absorbed into the native Papuan population - arguing from the absence of any distinct tradition earlier than that "of the six canoes."
They have an ancient spear which they believe was brought from Samoa, and they actually name the valley from which their ancestors started.
In 18 3 o the respected missionary John Williams paid his first visit to Samoa.
