1 84 THE CORAL LANDS OF THE PACIFIC. 



thoroughly understand the politics not only of the mother 

 country (and home is very dear to them), but of the United 

 States and the provinces of Australasia. The Imperial feeling 

 is naturally very strong, and although Punch treated the idea 

 as a joke, it would be quite possible to raise several regiments 

 of six-foot Fijians, officered by military or naval settlers in the 

 group, for service in any part of the empire. 



While I was in the Pacific the loyal Maoris of New Zealand 

 were intensely disgusted that they were not allowed to accom- 

 pany the Indian troops to Cyprus. We have Colonel Whit- 

 more's report that the men came forward in thousands to 

 volunteer. The ' gentlemen of England who live at home at 

 ease ' can but faintly picture the enthusiastic love for their 

 mother country felt by colonists, and the strength of the link 

 which binds the majority of our native fellow-subjects to the 

 Queen the Marama Levu, or ' great lady,' as they call her in 

 Fiji. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



A LITTLE ' BLOW ' AND SOME LIGHT FROM THE CANDLE-NUT 

 AND OTHER THINGS. 



THROUGHOUT Polynesia the summer months are the rainy 

 ones, and while in Savu Savu Bay we had plenty of evidence 

 that when it likes, ' the rain it raineth every day.' There is 

 moreover about the summer season a damp heat, which natu- 

 rally has its drawbacks, although infinitely more endurable 

 than a muggy day in London, or a Pacific fog in San Francisco. 

 The months of December, January, February, and March arc 

 those in which ' blows,' as hurricanes are locally termed, may 



