MELANESIA. 61 



chiefs and landholders, who are not especially devoted to either 

 family, and act rather for the good of the state, or, in other words, 

 for their own interest, which would be affected by either of the hos- 

 tile families obtaining the undisputed pre-eminence. Finally, the 

 lasikau are a body of fishermen, who were brought to Mbau from a 

 small island near Kandavu, in order to keep the capital supplied with 

 fish. Although they have no chiefs among them, their numbers and 

 their close union give them considerable influence. Each of these 

 bodies has interests which are, in some degree, opposed to those of the 

 others, and it is by their mutual counteraction that the government is 

 preserved from degenerating into a despotism. The other states, in 

 making war upon Mbau, usually seek to tamper with one of these 

 parties, and the attempt is often successful. Nearly all the principal 

 towns have these internal divisions. 



Owing probably to this state of things, the form of government 

 approaches nearer to the republican than the monarchical. The 

 respect paid to the chiefs is great, but it is not servile. A head-chief 

 will seldom venture to take any step contrary to the wishes of the 

 great body of landholders, otherwise he will run the risk of being 

 deposed, or at least of a disaffection which, in case of a war, may lead 

 to serious results. It is also the policy of the inferior chiefs and 

 matanivanua to divide the supreme power as much as possible. 

 There is generally an officer, who is termed the Vu-ni-valu (head of 

 war), who is generalissimo of the land and sea forces, and commands 

 in battle, even though the king be present. This office is commonly 

 conferred on a high chief of a different family from that of the king, 

 and one whose interests would lead him to oppose any attempt on the 

 part of the latter to acquire supreme power. 



In the organization of labour, and the division of the various occu- 

 pations, the Feejeeans are much farther advanced than any of the Po- 

 lynesian tribes. In every large district there are towns inhabited by 

 people devoted to a particular trade or profession. In one all the 

 citizens will be warriors (tamatai-valu), in another fishermen (tunin- 

 dau], in another carpenters (matai-sau], &c. They are all considered 

 to be under the direction of the head-chief, who can, if he pleases, 

 order the warriors to assist the carpenters, or the latter to fight, and 

 so of the rest. Besides the principal professions, several others are 

 practised by individuals. There are physicians (vu-ni-rvai), and mid- 

 wives (mbui-ni-yone), who are said to possess considerable skill, and 

 to understand many of the arts and specifics employed among civilized 



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