FUNERALS IN TA VIUNL 85 



Fiji ; then old King Cacobau and his retinue, followed by the 

 chiefs in order of rank. Arriving at the spot which was 

 chosen as a resting-place for the once most powerful chief in 

 all Fiji, the service was read and the coffin was lowered into 

 the grave and wrapped up in mats, with which it had been 

 previously lined. Three rounds of blank cartridge were fired 

 over the grave, and the procession moved homeward, followed 

 by the landing-party to the bugle march. After this came 

 more mourning with conch shells ; the natives assembled to 

 drink the kava and thence to the feast. 



'Though the Fijians are large consumers of their peculiar 

 foods at meals, they must not be considered gourmands at 

 their feasts, for, though the preparations are on a large scale, 

 the desire is not to eat so much as to have plenty if need be.' 



CHAPTER XL 



FIJI LIFE, PAST AND PRESENT. 



IN olden days marriage among the Fijians was celebrated as it 

 is now by religious rites, and a short r6sum6 of the ceremonial 

 may be interesting. A woman could not marry without the 

 consent of her brother, even if she had obtained that of both 

 parents. The assent of the latter was shown by their accept- 

 ance of the lover's presents. The. daughters of chiefs were 

 engaged at a very early age ; but bond-fide courtships were 

 common among all ranks. In Commodore "Wilkes's account 

 of his cruise in the Pacific, he describes a wedding : ' The 

 ambati, or priest, having taken a seat, the bridegroom is placed 

 on his risrht and the bride on his left. He then invokes 



