64 THE CORAL LANDS OF THE PACIFIC. 



The ancient religion of the Fijians is most difficult to trace, 

 on account of the vagueness of their traditions, and the multi- 

 plicity of their gods. The relics of sacred trees and groves 

 clearly point to a Druidical form of worship. These groves 

 and trees, according to Dr. Seeman, were not worshipped as 

 gods, but, as in the Odin religion of our ancestors, looked upon 

 as places where certain gods had taken up their abode. There 

 were sacred stones on the same footing ; and one near Ban, the 

 abode of a goddess, was reputed to give birth to a little stone 

 whenever any woman of rank was confined in the Fijian capital. 

 The large stone was taken away on the introduction of Chris- 

 tianity, but the numerous little offspring still remain- in the once 

 sacred spot to testify to the reality of Fijian mythology. The 

 Fijian's tarawau does not seem to be regarded as a sacred tree 

 in the Druidical light, but it was held to be the business of the 

 dead to plant it, and was believed to grow not only in this world, 

 but also in Naicobocobo, or the Fijian one beyond. Hence the 

 saying : ' Sa laid tei tarawau Jci Naicdbocobo ' ' He has gone to 

 plant tarawau at Naicobocobo ;' that is to say, 'He is dead.' 



The Fijians firmly believed in a future state, and thought 

 that their time would be then spent in amusing themselves 

 with canoes and arms, and all fruits were supposed to abound. 



Serpent-worship existed among them. I have already re- 

 ferred to their tradition of the Deluge, and the means by which 

 some of the progeny of the first man and woman, together 

 with RoJcora, the god of carpenters, and Bokola, his head work- 

 man, were rescued. 



Benga, an island to the south of Viti Levu, is supposed to 

 be the place where the eight survivors of this inundation 

 landed, in virtue of which, and also of a tradition which relates 

 that the Ndengi, or chief god, first made his appearance there, 

 the chiefs of that place used to take precedence of all others. 



