35 



who, on being asked what countryman he was, drew 

 himself up and, with a great assumption of dignity, 

 replied, " Kai Birctania Saka," a British subject, Sir. 

 We ascended Mount Voma, from the top of which an 

 extensive view of the country, indeed of the greater 

 part of Fiji, was obtained. It extended to Ovalau on 

 the east and to Kadavu in the south ; on the west and 

 north, a dense forest and a series of hills rising above 

 and beyond each other until they seemed to meet in 

 the distant horizon. The view was an extensive one, 

 but many of the objects were too distant to stand out 

 in anything like distinctness. The prettiest objects were 

 the valley and the windings of the Wai-dina, which 

 latter, like a silver thread, meandered through all the 

 varied shades of colour which a fertile valley, partially 

 wooded, partially cultivated, and well populated, ever 

 presents to the eye. JNamosi used to be a clean and 

 well-kept village, but lately it has been much neglected. 

 In times gone by some of its people and their chiefs 

 were notorious cannibals. The stones, which are said 

 to be a record of the number of bodies consumed by 

 the chiefs, may be seen standing near the site of the 

 old heathen temple, or "Devil's Bure." The rocks 

 in the vicinity are basalt, agglomerate, and aqueous, 

 but principally the two former. The land is very 

 fertile ; in the bottom of the valley and on the sides of 

 the low hills surrounding it, sugar cane might be 

 grown, and coffee in more elevated parts. 



Prom Namosi we travelled to Vienunga (as pro- 

 nounced), a village about 20 miles to the west. When 

 about 4 miles on our journey, we were shewn the 

 place where a shaddock tree once grew, of which it 

 has been said, that the fruit which fell on one side 

 was carried to the sea by the Wai-dina and the 



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