116 IOWA STUDIES IN NATURAL HISTORY 
recognized custom among the savages of Polynesia and in the 
course of ages have been firmly established by tradition and con- 
tinued usage. It seems to have prevailed among all the islands 
about which I have been able to procure information. In New 
Zealand it was apparently almost universal, and, according to the 
universal testimony of the white contemporaries, these Maoris were 
certainly an exceptionally fine race of men. It appears, moreover, 
that this custom, atrocious as it seems to us, was often accompanied 
by conspicuous virtues and strict morality. In this connection the 
reader may be interested in rereading the testimony of Captain 
Monkton, given on a preceding page, in regard to the morality of 
the cannibal tribes of New Guinea. 
Now that which has once been thoroughly established by custom 
and tradition is regarded as right by an overwhelming majority 
of any people or tribe. Conscience commends those who do that 
particular thing and condemns those who do not. Under these 
circumstances can we say that cannibalism was wrong from the 
standpoint of the old Fijians? Of course we regard it as atro- 
ciously wrong and criminal, but did the Fijian or his fellows con- 
sider it wicked to indulge in ‘‘long pig?’’ And if the answer is 
in the negative was the practice immoral? 
In connection with Baker Memorial Hall already referred to, 
another instance suggests itself of the necessity of realizing the 
viewpoint of native people before passing judgment on their 
actions, however revolting they may be in the estimation of civilized 
men. This building was erected in honor of a missionary, the 
Rey. Baker, who was murdered seemingly without any provocation 
at all. After leaving Fiji I was told what is claimed to be the 
true story of this atrocity and was given the viewpoint of the 
natives. The story may be garbled or absolutely false, so far as 
I know, but it points a moral just the same. 
It seems that a Fiji chief, accompanied by some of his follow- 
ers, visited the missionary and seeing a comb which took his fancy, 
lifted it from the table and stuck it into his own bushy mop of 
hair. The Rev. Baker, perhaps without due consideration, reached 
out his hand and removed the comb from the head of his visitor 
and was at once killed by the other Fijians; a most cruel and un- 
provoked murder, according to our ideas. 
But let us look at it from the standpoint of the Fijians them- 
selves. According to their traditions or laws, if you please, the 
chief had a perfect right to appropriate to his own use anything 
