1 64 Cruise of the "Alert." 



to forty or fifty, who squatted close together on the floor. In the 

 meantime some boys were engaged in a gloomy corner of the hut 

 in chewing the angona root, and in spitting the pulpy masticated 

 mouthfuls of fibre into the large wooden bowl which was destined 

 to contain the liquor. Suddenly the chant ended with a simultaneous 

 and abrupt clapping of hands on the part of the singers ; and now 

 the angona bowl was brought forward into the clear space in the 

 centre of the room, water was poured over the chewed pulp, and 

 finally the liquor was rudely strained by sponging it up with a 

 handful of hibiscus fibre, and filling the drinking cup with the 

 squeezed contents. Great respect was throughout shown to Joe, 

 the presiding chief; and on his emptying the bowl of angona, 

 which was handed to him solemnly by the cupbearer, all the 

 natives exclaimed in a loud voice, " Amadtha" (meaning, "It is 

 emptied "). Subsequently similar draughts were politely handed 

 to each of us guests by the official cupbearer, but notwithstanding 

 the historic interest attaching to this famous South Sea beverage, 

 and the impression made on us by the great concourse of native 

 dignitaries gathered together in solemn awe, few of us were 

 inclined to imitate the chiefs example and do justice to the 

 flowing bowl. 



However, we tasted it, and thought it rather nasty, giving one 

 the idea of a mixture of pepper and soapsuds. 



The Fijians spoke very favourably of British rule, and it would 

 seem that the Governor (Sir Arthur Gordon) had very wisely and 

 successfully adopted the policy of retaining, so far as was practi- 

 cable, the old native laws, only modifying them as much as was 

 necessary for the establishment of a reasonable degree of civiliza- 

 tion. Thus the old feudal power of the chiefs has been retained, 

 and in many instances those among them who were well-behaved, 

 and displayed a suitable amount of administrative ability, have 

 been invested with magisterial power over the districts to which 

 they belong. 



We slept for the night in Joe's hut, stretching ourselves out on 



