8 . PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



a salute. I approached him with a present of a hatchet and a large 

 butcher's knife, and the captain, who accompanied me, made a similar 

 offering. We then explained our business through an interpreter, and 

 he sent a pair of his gillies with me to find the trees. On my return I 

 found that dinner was served. To the captain and me taro-root and 

 water merely were supplied; but something was brought to the chief out 

 of a pot cooking on the fire. I thought, perhaps, it might be broth of 

 abominable things, and was not sorry that none was offered to us. The 

 chief's reception of us was most polite. To us he appeared most kind and 

 amiable, and when returning to the boat he helped to carry my speci- 

 mens, and seemed much amused with what I had been gathering. He 

 is a very fine-looking man, upwards of six feet high, and very well pro- 

 portioned, with powerful display of muscular strength. Except a very 

 small piece of cloth passed between his legs, he was quite naked. He 

 seemed to keep his people in great subjection. ."Whilst we were there 

 some petitioners came in, who humbly offered a gift, I suppose asking 

 a favour. It did not seem quite to please him, for he got up, walked 

 rapidly over the room and back again, slapping his thighs, and at the 

 same time uttering his orders in a loud tone. When thus excited, and 

 freely moving his limbs, he certainly had a most commanding presence. 

 I heard many stories of his doings, some showing great daring, and 

 others great cruelty. I will only mention one, which appeared to me 

 particularly cold-blooded and ferocious. 



He had, in one of his forays, taken a village where many were 

 killed, and, of course, eaten ; only one little girl, of about twelve years 

 old, was spared, but brought away as a captive. This child lived for 

 several months in his house, playing with his children, and treated like 

 one of them. But at last, when he was going to pay a visit to a neigh- 

 bouring chief, he took this little girl in the canoe. Nothing passed till 

 they came near where they were to land, then, at a word or sign, the 

 girl was clubbed, her body taken on shore, and served the party and 

 their friends who joined them as the dainty dish of the pic-nic. The 

 fact of the poor little girl having lived on familiar terms in the house 

 for such a length of time, stamps her murder with peculiar atrocity, and 

 I own that, when I shook hands in parting with my polite entertainer, 

 I did not feel very amiably towards him. Much allowance must, how- 

 ever, be made for custom. To the untaught Feejeean human life has 

 no sanctity. It is no greater crime in his eyes to kill a man for food, 

 than it would be in ours to kill an ox or a sheep. 



On the occurrence of the death of a chief it is customary to strangle 

 his women, often to the number, if he be a Turanga Leon, or noble, of 

 some ten to twenty. The duty is always undertaken by the next of 

 kin, the privilege belonging of right to the women's own children, who 

 generally perform the ceremony with the greatest coolness. The victims 

 are gaily dressed out, and the people collect from all parts to witness 

 the ceremony, and to admire. Some of the widows show a desire for 

 death, and almost all affect the wish to follow their lord and master to 

 the world of spirits. Occasionally a recusant occurs, but her prayers 



