LAEGE SNAKE. 155 



At Nagadi the river branches off in two different direc- 

 tions: the eastern branch is not navigable even for 

 small canoes, but said to be about forty miles long; 

 whilst the northern has deep water, of which we took 

 advantage in resuming our journey the next morning. 

 All our luggage was sent by land, on the backs of 

 natives. The weather still continued fine, so that we 

 fully enjoyed the beautiful scenery and rich vegetation 

 around us. We passed Bega, where our river was joined 

 by a small tributary stream ; hence the site of the town 

 (or koro) is termed Uci wai rua, the junction of two 

 rivers, the rivers being the Wai Koro Luva, and the Wai 

 ni Avu. We finally abandoned our canoes at Wai nuta, 

 to proceed on foot to Namosi there being no horses, 

 mules, or any other mode of conveyance. 



On stepping on shore I was shown the largest snake 

 I ever saw in Fiji. It was only six feet long, two inches 

 in diameter, of a light brown colour, and with a trian- 

 gularly-shaped head. I was very desirous of obtaining it 

 for my zoological collection ; but the natives said that 

 Kuruduadua had just seen it and ordered them to pre- 

 pare it for his supper on his return from Namosi. As 

 he had passed on, I could not get the order revoked ; and 

 the reptile having been put alive in a bamboo, which 

 was corked up at the ends, the boys, much to my regret, 

 trotted off with it. 



Climbing at once commenced. The paths being very 

 narrow we walked in single file, Kuruduadua taking the 

 lead, and showing us the sites of the various towns which 

 he or his fathers had taken when their victorious army 

 gradually fought its way from the interior of Viti Levu 



