A MONTH IN FIJI.

Otago Witness, Issue 879, 3 October 1868, Page 5

A MONTH IN FIJI.

(by a. becent visrroß.)

25th June. — Left Bau at 6 a.m., but before taking final leave, must refer to one of its curiosities which I had quite overlooked — the Government buildings — by no means large, but, alas, empty. Their history is both purious and instructive. They were erected to enable the Constitution "granted by Ebenezer Cako Bau, supreme ruler of the Bau kingdom," to be brought into operation. Cako Bau has always had a great respect for King George, the constitutional ruler of the Tonga or Friendly Islands, who helped him more than once in his greatest straits. The population of Tonga is about 20,000, and the islands are very small, but the' Tongese are in energy and ability far superior to the Fijians. They are also a united people while the Fijians are split into numberless tribes, each intensely jealous of the other. Of course King George had to be compensated for his assistance, and had in this way obtained a strong foothold in the group — so strong, that his deputynowholdssome of the finest islands, and but for the arrival of the white men, weuld ere this have been, in all probability, the most powerful chief in Fiji — if not its master. In the early part of last year some white settlers helped. Cako Bau to imitate. King George, and indeed to improve upon what he had done, by organising a more complete government. The first step was- to grant a constitution. It is a' long and pretentious document, full of well rounded phrases, but on the whole looking remarkably like a vain attempt to make a man's hat fit a boy. As a matter of course, there is first a Declaration of Rights — the right of acquiring property and obtaining safety and happiness — freedom of conscience — free speaking, and printing, and right of petition. King Cako Bau also agreed "that the privilege of Writ of Habeas Oorpus belongs to all men" — "that no person should be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law ;" and made many similar concessions which no doubt he thoroughly understood, as at the subsequent coronation he took a formal oath to observe them. Altogether there are just 55 clauses — one of them declaring the King to be Commander- inChief of the " Army and Navy, and of all other military forces ;" and another, that it was his prerogative to receive ambassadors. The King also pledges himself not to quarter soldiers on civilians in time of peace. The last, and perhaps the wisest clause, declares the constitution to be in force for three years only from the 2nd May, 1867. White men and half castes are, and always have been, exempt from the jurisdiction of the King. They owe no obedience to him, but are bound to take the oath of allegiance if they assume office. Meanwhile they are under the jurisdiction of their respective Consuls, and, I may add, amenable to public opinion, which has always proved a severe and efficient check to wrong doers, and has hitherto preserved order in a manner which no Government or recognised courts could surpass.

Into the other clauses of this remarkable document, organising an Executive, or as it is therein variously called " The Cabinet," and " the King's Ministers," and also creating a Judiciary, I have not space now to" enter. Suffice it to say, that on the 2nd May, 1867, certain chiefs and certain white men assembled at Bau, and the Vu ni Valu •was then and there crowned with due state. The coronation robes consisted of a fine white shirt, tucked inside a plain white robe hanging from the waist to the ancles. The crown was a very handsome affair, resplendent with velvet and jewels. A half-caste who was present told me "it looked just like gold," and that it was made by Mr Boyne, the carpenter in Levuka. The price, jewels and all, I afterwards found, was 255 ; and ikat, probably owing to some defect in the vouchers, the money had not yet been paid by His Majesty's Treasury. However, the chiefs present paid due homage to King Cako Bau, and after the first had declared his allegiance, the others passed in turn before the Throne, each saying as he passed, " What Ratu has said, that say I — God bless your Majesty," The whole affair seems to have been a lamentable farce, calculated only to puzzle the poor King, and add to what 1 fancy is already a sufficiently overweening opinion of himself, his powd 1 , and dignity. The thing done, certain white settlers seem to have thought good might be got from it, and that it was at all events worth the trial. One accepted the office of Secretary of State, another that of Treasurer and Collector- General of the Revenue ; .and a third that of Minister of War and Police. Of course, their first duty was to lay in a stock of foolscap paper and stationery. The second was to

send to the settlers, circulars headed in regular style, " Office of the Collector General of Revenue," requesting them to pay in their poll tax and land tax by a certain date, to the Treasury in the Go vernraent offices at Bau. Now the settlers never had paid, and never intended to pay, taxes of any kind -whatever. They protected themselves and did their own work, and thought it high time to pay for a Government when they wanted one. The " Cabinet" consulted, but the settlers obstinately refused to take the least notice of its official communications, and King Cako Bau soon got tired of seeing his treasury emptied in the purchase of foolscap without result. So one day he came down to the " Government Buildings," called his Ministers together, told them as they could not brnng any money in, he did not see the use of all their letter- writing and consultations, and peremptorily dismissed them on the spot. As Cako Bau, after this prompt retrenchment and summary dismissal of the honourable the Secretary of State, did not see fit "to send for" a successor, the Government offices continue empty, and the King not only reigns but governs, in despite of the 20th clause of the Constitution which declares that "the Government of the Bau kingdom is that of a Constitutional monarchy under Cako Bau the First, his heirs and successors." If any enterprising members of the great Constitutional party lately formed in New Zealand should find themselves frozen out, 1 would respectfully draw their attention to this new and fine field for the exercise of their ability, a field in which the lightness and uncertainty of the pay will save them from any chance of the imputation of self seeking, which they are so fond of throwing at their opponents and occa sionally at each other. So much for the Constitution and the empty government buildings. It was a great and ludicrous farce ; but only in so far as the part the white settlers took in it is concerned. Cako Bau, in other respects, has turned to good account the laws promulgated with it, which are rigidly enforced, and a source of considerable revenue. A poll tax is levied and collected from the natives, while every conceivable offence is punished by fine or imprisonment, or so many "lashes with a legal cat." The fines are frequently at the discretion of a Magistrate or a Judge of the Supreme Court. Both Courts are created under the constitution which in this matter grants to the white men an apparently great privilege. They have the power of electing one of their number to sit with a Fijian Magistrate in all cases where the interest of a foreigner is concerned ; but they have not used thb power, and prefer seeking redress from the chief of the district, or applying to their respective Consuls. Sometimes they take the law into their own hands — a course evidently fraught with future difficulty, although maintained by some to have 'oeen the most effective hitherto. The Supreme Court was to have been presided over by one Fijian chief and two white men ; but as its sittings are at Bau where no white settlers live, and as there is no pay attached to the office, it may be easily conceived that this apparent boon is of no value. However, though a dead letter to the white settlers, the laws are vigourously administered among the natives. A Judge (Ratu Savanaca), said to be an excellent man, presides at Bau ; and Magistrates, with an active police, are to be found in every town. There are regular Court days when the Magistrate sits, with a tin cash-box before him, to receive the fines ; and in every town there is a whipping-post against which the culprit is tied to receive his punishment, immediately on the court rising. I say " his," but at Levuka I witnessed a woman publicly, flogged in this way, and can scarcely describe the disgust which most of us felt at the exhibition. In many respects the laws are wise and work well. Regard for space prevents anything like full reference to them, but there are two of sufficient importance to call for special notice. The first is, that all Fijian servants employed by the month or year, shall have a written contract signed before a Magistrate, |to whom a fee of 2s shall be paid, and that neglect of this shall deprive their masters of redress. The second provides for the free sale of land and payment of the price to the native holders, with Is per acre to the King, for his ratification of the sale. Some of the settlers have paid this shilling, but others refuse on the ground that Cako Bau's ratification is of no value, as in the case of "Duka" to which I have before referred.

The constitution, although so new, can scarcely be said to be on its trial. It is a complete failure, so far as the settlers are concerned and'one never hears it mentioned except in joke. It makes no provision for a Legislature bayond declaring that the King should not alter the Laws without due notice to the chiefs, and that where the interest of white residents are affected, they, with an equal

number of Fijian chiefs, shall, determine the alteration. Juries are to consist of six Fijian chiefs of equal rank, in ordinary, and 12 in capital cases. Of course this applies only to, the Fijianu. The jurors are not to be chosen from the district in which the crime was committed — a' provision based, no doubt, on some good reason. The Sabbath day is to be respected, and all parents are compelled to send their children to school at least three days in each week. In education, the system of Mr Squeers, of Dotheboys Hall, is adopted where the schoolmaster is not paid by the Government ; as the children are, if required, to assist him in planting and weeding one day in each week.

I hope the reader is not weary of the constitution and laws of Bau. The subject is inevitably dry, yet full of interest as a novel experiment. Absurd, too, as many of the provisions are, it has not been without good fruits in establishing an approach to law and order among the natives. But it does not abolish slavery in the teeth of its preliminary declaration of rights. It enjoins respectand obedience to the chiefs and officers, under penalties at the discretion of the Magistrate. There is no suffrage ; no freedom in any way, as we understand the term ; yet it is an immense advance on the old club law by which the chiefs formerly held sway. How far slavery can be maintained in the face of that advance remains to bo seen. Yet abolish it, and what is to become of the host of chiefs, owning no land, but dependent on their slaves for revenue and support ? What, too, with their habits, is to become of the slaves themselves? One can scarcely expect questions of this kind to meet with much consideration now, though that they must be faced some day there cannot be a doubt. Over all, so far as the white men are concerned, there is the graver question as to the policy of seeking to establish a central native power in any part of Fiji. My own experience was too short to justify venturing a positive opinion, but I have a strong feeling that it would be both wiser and safer to leave each Island, or even each district, to deal with its own chief in its own way. Associations like that of the Rewa planters would gradually spring up, and form connecting links and centres of organisation. From them might one day grow a constitution more suited to circumstances than any exotic production forced into premature existence. Time enough for this, however, when interests get more complicated, for in the meantime any inconveniences are amply compensated by the freedom from taxation, and from interference in any way which the settlers now enjoy.

From Bau, we ran along the Tai Levu coast with a fair wind, and at half-past three arrived at Wai Moro, the plantation of Mr T. Morton, who is the only settler in that part of Viti Levu. Onr first proof of this absence of white men was in the eagerness with which the Natives came about us ; and ia the purchase from one of them of half-a-dozen fresh eggs for an empty tin match box. Another had a basket of 20 fine lemons, for which he asked a Jew's harp — a recognised article of trade over a greater part of Fiji. The kind used is of the commonest and the cost under threepence a dozen in Sydney. Introduced to Ratu Joni, an athletic and goodtempered looking Chief from the neighbouring town. Also made the acquaintance of Tui Rara, who does the duties of mayor in another town close by. To these duties he adds those of cook and general overseer for Mr Morton, and had for the last three weeks been in sole charge of the house and plantation. Nothing — not even the precious Jews' harps, cottons, or other trade — was under lock and key. The house itself was always open in the same way. Yet everything was in order, and a considerable amount of weeding and picking had been done on the plantation. The rest of the day was spent in being stared at by successive parties of men and children — an infliction which we took with a good grace. I noticed the absence of women in these parties, and was told that they are everywhere kept under strict surveillance, and allowed much less freedom of action than the prevailing opinion as to Polynesians would lead one to suppose. 26th June — Severely bit by mosquitoes last night, but the morning fine and sea breeze delightful. The climate is neither so moist nor the soil so rich as at the Rewa, and it is, therefore, more suitable for Sea Island cotton. Along the coast there is altogether a considerable extent of level land, but broken here and there by the spurs of the distant hills, which separate this district from the Rewa. Ovalau is opposite, and other islands in sight, while canoes moving among therm, give lifeto the scene. The beach isbordered by mangroves, and always a fine nest for mosquitoes ; but it rises a short distance back into terraces, from which the view is wide, and the outlook bright and cheerful. The natives about here were cannibals itwo or three years ago, and are still so

in the hills at the back, but my experience warrants me , in Baying they age very good tempered, and honeirt.. Unlike the Maoris, they do not mind talking of the cannibal habits they have just put aside. Asking one of them his name, he, in accordance with their custom, politely asked a neighbor to tell me " his heathen and cannibal name had been Keronuanona, his Christian name Ten Moro. 9*9 * Walked over the plantation, consisting entirely of Sea Island, 'which here grows more like a large gooseberry bush, and less like a tree than on the Rewa j the branches are less rank and stand up better, so that there must be . less chance of the pods getting damaged by lying on the ground. Saw a fine sucking pig bought to-day for a tin of powder costing tenpence. I have before described the houses in which most of the settlers live. They are wonderfully cheap, strongly built, and for the climate very comfortable. In the following month I contracted with two Bau chiefs to build one of these houses 56ft. long and 24ft. broad, with a verandah all round. The price was six pounds, with an additional pound as a present if the building was well and strongly put together. The posts prepared, it takes only a few days to put up a house, as the chiefs who take the contract generally bring 150 or 200 men to do the work. Partitioning is separately contracted for. It is done very neatly by a double wall of reeds, and the coat is proportionate to that of the house. Many of the settlers are content with the earth, floor covered with mats, but boarding is both more healthy and agreeable. Doors are useful, but when the house has & verandah, round it, windows are quite a matter of taste — not of necessity. The most curious part of a manage in Fiji is the kitchen — always built 20 or 30 yards from the dwelling, and, owing to the inflammable character of the building, without a chimney. The smoke finds its way through roof and windows, or through the frequently open sides of tha kitchen. In these rude kitchens tha natives contrive to cook with considerable skill. In a chiefs kitchen the fire* place is generally large, sunk below the level of the floor. Pot-bellied jars made by the natives, and holding sometimes 8 or 10 gallons, are laid on their sides, filled with yams, and tha mouth closed with fresh grass. In thia way the yams are steamed to perfection, although occasionally the pod bursts in, the process. In the evening, thought I might improve the occasion by getting a lesson in the language from Ratu. Jonah. Got out Mr Moore's vocabu* lary of useful phrases, and set to work. Jonah read the Fijian, and I gave him the English in return. I shall not readily forget one phrase, " Taviraha: na vale." I gave Jonah the English, "sweep the house." He hesitated & minute, and burst out — "G d n. sweep — black nigger. — Oh yes — he knew ! Often heard white men say this before ii } * I explained to him the real state of the case, as far as possible ; but fear Ratn Jonah must have but a confused idea still as to the various meanings of "taviraha." He proved a great help to me in learning the language, and we got on very well together, in spite of a rather bad reputation which Jonah had obtained among tha. settlers, as I afterwards learned.

27th June. — To-day met the chief .o£ Na Mena, a town about two miles to tha north, and undertook to Jook at some land he and his people were willing to sell. On: going there, was detained till yams, fish,, and fish soup were prepared, as it is their custom to feed always before business* Liked the land, but could only get about 100 acres, for which they asked trade* costing Ll3 to Ll4. The land was so good and so easily extended backwards at a small cost, that I closed with them,, especially as the natives seemed anxious to have a white settler there, and promised to work for me as they did for Mr Morton — a promise which they would, no doubt, have kept, at all events, foe the first year. However, King Cako Ban had undoubtedly conquered these people,, and it was not safe to buy the land without paying him the shilling an acre pre« scribed by the laws of Bau. When the money was taken to him, Cako Bau declined to agree to any sale of land until the American debt was settled. Tha purchase consequently fell through, and the Na Mena people, who had coma over on purpose to get their trade, went back in no very good humour, as may ba supposed.

28th June.— Very few Natives about,' it being in their calendar " Siga tabu," or Sunday. The " tabu" is rigid, and the penalties for non-observance are heavy. When in Levuka, one of the Fiji women servants at the hotel was fined a dollar for bringing a pail of watec from the stream on Sunday. The master paid the fine, which would otherwise have been a terrible amount for poor Henrietta to make up from her scanty wages. Started in the forenoon on a visit to tliQ

town of Kqro Levu, occupying the plateau on a beautiful hill' between 700 and 800 -feet higli. ' The 1 fcilT is b6ld "'• and rocky ; ,the path narrow and here 'and there winding 1 round- "rather ugly precipices'; yet the ground is covered with cocoanuts, bread fruit, bananas, mummy apples,, sugar'cane, the "magnificent ivi, and a host of trees and creeping plants, growing in'tropical luxuriance between the rocks., and in .their interstices. "'The native plantations about the hill are carefully kept,- and the crops of taro, yam, kumera, and. fruits are said to be very good-.i; . In-. ascending, met for the first time with the "Salato- — a tree of considerable size, having a large round' leaf of yellowish green. The juice of the Salato produces an intense burning sensation when .applied- to the • skin, and as this lasts, for some time, branches were formerly-used for purposes of torture by the natives. The wood is equally dangerous to cut, and altogether the Salato is a tree .worth knowing, in order that it may be avoided.

After considerable exertion arrived at the town, and found the chief and his people dressed in their best, but listlessly hanging about, and the time apparently rather heavy on their hands. Being hot and tired with > the walk, we asked for cocoanuts, butit was " Sigatabu,"and there was considerable difficulty in inducing Ratu Joni to let his men bring them. At last we succeeded in getting three. They' were deliciously fresh and green, and the milk can only be enjoyed in perfection after ■ such. a'stiff'Olimb on a hot day. The view from the t lull fully compensated for the exertion. The island of Gam* lay on the distant left — Ovalau and Moturiki in front — Mokagi and Nairi, with islands «and islets -innumerable, gemmed the ocean— while the coast of,,Viti Levu ran back in a succession of hills and dales to the mountains of Rewa. The junction of the "Wai na Buka, a tributary- of the Rewa, is not 15' miles by land from Koro Levu, but it will be years before land traffic is practicable'; and at present the distance is at least 75 miles by water. Remained a couple of hours in the town, and found the natives like all those living on the bills, a fine athletic and good-tempered people. Returned by another path, which brought us to thetownof Suba, built on the side opposite to Koro Levu. These towns' are about' the . same in population, probably between 70 and 80 in each. At Koro Levu there was a good church, 40ft x 30ft, but the service, by a native teacher, •was over before we got there. The people are Wesleyans, known in Fiji as the " Lotu Dma," or true religion — a name originally given to distinguish it from Heathenism. The Roman Catholics (Lotu Popi) have their chief strength in Vanua Leyu and Taviuni, the great chief of which, Tui Cakau, is to them what Cako Bau js to the Wesleyan missionaries.

29th June. — Bought two fine bunches of bananas for half a dozen pipes of tobacco, and' three dozen oranges for a similar, quantity. Started this morning io look at an island in a river near the town of Nubo Sa — the island said to be very fine— not liable to floods — containing about 500 acres of rich land, and the whole to be bought from the natives for LSO. The country at the back of Nubo Sa looked level and promising, but the river much less so. The entrance is about 200 yards wide and the stream deep, sluggish, and dirty ; narrowing quickly and branching off into separate streams, of which the broadest is less than 50 feet. Pulling up a short distance, came to a fishing town buried in the mangroves which form the low and swampy banks. The people of this town iook poor and miserably wretched, but, living in so dismal a mosquito swamp, the wonder is that they can exist at all. The chief went with us to point out the Island, about three miles higher up the river. It looked pleasantly high and covered with trees, so promising in fact as-to compensate in some degree, for the miserable nature of the water approaches to it. But, climbing over a bank and getting on some elevated ground, found that the supposed island was a peninsula, with the back land falling away rapidly into what looked more like a continuation of the dismal flat through which we had passed in the morning. Sent the canoe round and walked across the peninsula to meet it. Passed over soil splendidly rich and deep, and covered with pine apples and fruit trees growing wild, but the whole so intersected with creeks of the dirtiest, deepest, and blackest mud. that it was impossible to move about. Had to wade for a quarter of a mile along one of the creeks,' over the knees in mud, ' and up to' the waist in dirty water, with myriads of sand flies and mosquitoes around. Got at last to the miserable little fishing village — glad to plunge into the sluggish stream and get rid of the mud, and left, heartily pleased that one's first impressions of Fiji had not been formed at Nubo Sa. Arrived at "Wai Moro at eight- o'clock, and found Ratu Jonah with a native pudding, which lie had brought as a return present

for a bead ri&cklace I had taken up for Ms 'little' girl 'yesterday. Heard afterwards from old settlers that it ia wrong to give presents ; too freely to natives, as among themselves doing so is ' ebnsidere'd' an: acknowledgment of inferiority. 1 There are !n'o 'rules ' however without exceptions, and' some of the- natives are, too shrewd and observant, not to Bee "quickly the dif-' ference between our customs and theirs. 'Ratu Jonah' too had been very civil/and if giving' a necklace to his little girl is to be taken as an admission of inferiority ! to her, the mischief cannot be 'great after all. RTor do I regret, the tobacco-pouch" which made so good a portemonnai'e for Adi Kiula; but after experience warrant's me in cautioning all new arrivals not to be too ready 1 in giving away. Excepting' the Missionaries,, .it must be admitted that we white men do not settle among these people with the most disinterested feeling for their welfare. In fact, not to put too fine a point upon it, they have been egregiously taken in by some of our colour now and then, and it is quite natural when they have presents made, that they should g«t suspicious and wonder what the object of the white man can be 1 What he ia expecting to make by them in return? They are shrewd enough to find out very quickly .that all white men are not alike ; but my advice to all new arrivals would be, treat them as you would other people — avoid above all things, undue familiarity, such as j slapping them on the back, &c, calling all — slaves and chiefs alike — by the easy name of 4< John," as new chums some- ! times do', and, in addition make no presents until you know them, and they know you. Then you_ may unbend without losing caste ; but if you act under the impression that you may do as you like, because you are in a savage country, I am afraid in the long run, you will find ! yourself mistaken. Advice gratis, is never very acceptable, but I am induced to risk this, from observing the delusions possessing many people on their first arrival in these islands. As to the pudding, which has given rise to all this moralising, it proved exceedingly good. The natives, in making them, are particularly cleanly, and the mixing is done with a kind of huge pestle and mortar, instead of with the hands, as among ourselves. The ingredients are generally tard, cocoanut, sugarcane, and arrowroot.' They are nicely cooked, and served up in a clean "banana leaf. There is nothing about them to which the most fastidious can take objection. The natives consume them in large quantities, and frequently bring them as presents to white settlers living in their neighbourhood! June 30. — Just a month out from Dunedin to day. The natives are all occupied with a a solevu" or great feast, for which they have been some time preparing. The books only tell us that a Solevu is a great feast at which the happy people meet to pay their taxes to the ruling chief. In the present case I was told that it was a substitute for the " fair" of olden times, with the important difference that instead of selling their wares the Fijians throw all into a common stock, and leave it to be equally distributed by the chief of the town in which the Solevu is held. No doubt there is some principle or feeling at the bottom which I am too ignorant of native customs to explain, and must therefore be content to describe only what took place on the occasion. The morning -was spent by the natives about the place in elaborate preparation. Ratu lonah— a good-looking, aquiline-featured fellow at all times — turned out with hair transformed into a barrister's wig, body rubbed with scented oils, and armlets made of the pearl oyster shell, which the natives all seem highly to prize. Tui Rara had polished tip a 1 formidable - looking necklace of pig's teeth. All had ornaments of some kind hanging from the neck. One would have a boar's tooth nearly circular, and another a necklace of shells, while many had brass wheels or odd parts of the machinery of American clocks, of which they seemed particularly proud. Flowers in the hair were universal, and on the whole they looked brighter and happier than they ever can hope to look when overtaken by civilization and dress- coats, as they probably will be hereafter. We went to Na Sogo, the chief of which town was the host of this Solevu. The people of several neighboring towns were mustered, to the number of some 450, on a beautiful flat, surrounded by an amphitheatre of low hills. Each town had its proper position assigned, and in the centre were huge piles of taro and yams, for the dinner to t c given next day. To bake them, and the pigs and fish which were to be served with them, huge native pvens had been made, and lined efficiently with rough stones. 'It was a busy scene. Men with huge pieces of t'appa rolled round their bodies would come up in file, unwind themselves, and deposit the cloth in a heap. Others would bring earthen cooking jars, water jugs, pigs, muskets, clubs, whales' teeth, mats, and all con-

ceivable articles, of nae. ( , Scattered abt>ut were the old women, busily .occupied withvermillion or, lampblack hi decorating the faces of the young coquettes, while the dandies were havirigiheir faces artistically painted jn different patterns and dolours: The Fijians, by the bye, do not tato'o the men, but it i& said the women, are' totooed generally round the waist. 1 ", The preparations completed, two muskets were fired' and the, people of Na Sogo marched off in single ' file to one end of the flat, seated themselves in a semicircle, and commenced a monotonous chant, accom.pahied by the noise of bamboo drums or lalis. The women were all kept separate throughout the ceremonies. Na Sago being ready a party of 70 men fromanother town formed into file in, their turn. "With painted faces; clubs, muskets, and spears, they looked' picturesque enough as they advanced by slow steps, making' a long pause between each advance., Two M'.'C.s were on the flanks to give the word of command, and the spears were quivered or clubs beat in > remarkably good time. This was evidently the crack" body of the day, and their advance and gestures were watched -with! breathless interest ' by the crowd, broken only by occasional applause. As they closed on the sitting semicircle, the leading five slowly took ground to the right and stepped back. They were followed in this movement by the resb, until the whole formed a column 15 deep. Then their martial exercises commenced, and one could not but adruire the vigour displayed and the wonderful time kept. Moving as one man, the whole 70 darted their spears forward, or plunged theminto imaginary enemies ontheground, and withdrew them for a new attack. The exercises being Over, this, body of men unwound themselves, and placed their gifts with the general stock. As they did so, one could not but admire the splendid athletic 'forms hitherto hidden in the rolls of tappa. They were evidently picked men. After this came dancing, and new arrivals with new gifts, xintil the rain beginning to fall, hastened the ceremonies to a conclusion. The chief of Na Sogo called for- ! ward another town, caused its people to be seated in a semicircle, and began the distribution by arrauging the articles in separate small piles. Then, with a heavy bundle of the much-valued whale's teeth, he came forward and made a speech, which was warmly applauded, deposited them with the chief of the tribe, which, in ignorance of its title, 1 must call the recipients. Calling each man of the town by name, he then awarded him a portion of the rest of the articles, until all were distributed. I was informed that it would ibe the duty of the chief who now had them, to redistribute the whole among the natives assembled next day. The rain was all the time falling heavily, and we returned, meeting on the way strings of women and children carrying baskets filled with food, pigs, and poultry, as contributions towards tomorrow's feast. Till late at night we could hear the music, dancing, and festive shouts. There was no drink among these people except their own yaqona, and judging by the piles of cloth and food one would say they must be industrious, although they have the repxitation of being just the reverse. Late at night Tui Rara, who had by-the-bye been acting as one of the masters of ceremonies, made his appearance wonderfully got up, but his painted face rather damaged by the wet, and presenting a somewhat laughable spectacle. He stayed at the house that night instead of going to his town as usual, and it was certainly interesting to hear this man — so lately a heathenpraying before going to bed, which he did both with fervour and zeal. I like this Tui Rara, on the whole, and could not, when I left a few days after, refuse his parting request, "if I loved him, to give him a shilling."