NOTES 0\ THE TANNESE. 663 



the idpti that drinking' kava protects them from the influence 

 of evil during- the darkness. I have not yet found traditions 

 of its introduction to Tanna. In any case that must have 

 taken place long" since. The use of kava is referred to in 

 ancient folk-lore and songs. 



3, War.— I wish to revise my reference to war in another 

 ])art of this paper. What is stated there Avas true at the time 

 that it was written ; hut later experience has taught me a 

 few things that did not present themselves to me before : — 

 (1) There is, I beheve, a necessity for war in the conditions 

 of the life of these people. Human nature is just human 

 nature, and wrongs must arise. Indeed, it is not the sense 

 of right and justice, but fear and sentiment, that keep down 

 wrong. And when wrongs do arise, as they must, how are 

 they to be adjusted ? War is the only thing that can adjust 

 them by satisfying the public conscience. Compare David's 

 legacy to Solomon, 1 Kings, ii. 5-9. (2) The victory dej)ends 

 almost wholly on the falling of chiefs. Recently a chief Mas 

 shot, and in 24 hours after hundreds of people fled from their 

 homes, and chief after chief went over to the enemies of the 

 people of the fallen chief, on whose (the chief's) side they 

 had been till he was shot. (3) In such a case the separating 

 of the people is absolute. There is no longer any hesitation 

 as to the side on which a man is. If there was any doubt 

 such a man would be driven out or killed. (4) When things 

 have come to this pass war is beyond the conti'ol of every- 

 one, and must be fought out. This sometimes happens 

 among civilised peoples. Cannibalism is then jiractised on a 

 fallen foe, should he come into the hands of those who 

 wounded or killed him. There are various ways of heajjing 

 indignity on a fallen foe. One is to dig up his corpse antl 

 give it to dogs and swine. Another is to mutilate the dead — 

 sometimes those who are not dead. But the greatest of all 

 indignities is to eat your enemy. But I suspect there is a 

 limit as well as a significance in eating human flesh. From 

 what I have just heard I suspect that females are forbidden 

 this. More, it is only eaten by certain chiefs, whose is this 

 privilege, in the same manner as turtle can be eaten only by 

 certain persons. But there is probably the belief that eating 

 a piece of your foe confers strength on the eater. In relation 

 to cannibalism it must be remembered that these natives are 

 not troubled with our fine feelings about food. In this 

 respect they compare \vith Chinese, 



