MEASURES FOR REPRESSING A REBELLION. 167 



business. During the whole time the people behaved 

 with great dignity ; none spoke except those who car- 

 ried on the discussion. When their foreign affairs were 

 satisfactorily concluded, the chief, quitting his seat, 

 begged us to remain, in order to see how they managed 

 their internal politics. This invitation we gladly ac- 

 cepted by taking up our position near the entrance of 

 the Bure, where we had a better view of the whole 

 assembly. 



It appears that one of the numerous tribes subject to 

 Kuruduadua had rebelled against his authority, and it 

 had been determined by the councillors that stringent 

 measures should be put in force against it. The princi- 

 pal and most renowned speaker of the Government, a 

 man about fifty, now came, staff in hand, out of the great 

 Bure into which Kuruduadua had retired, and explained 

 to the people at large the policy about to be pursued. 

 He moved freely about the circle formed by his audience, 

 and his speech was listened to with profound attention, 

 eliciting now and then exclamations equivalent to "hear, 

 hear ! " The drift of his argument was that the rebels 

 must be put down and peace restored, in order that 

 they might have plenty when the white men came to their 

 country, from whom Fiji already derived such benefits. 

 When he had finished, other speakers got up, all in 

 favour of the government measure, and much applauded 

 by the multitude. One old chief was much cheered on 

 saying, " I am no speaker, but know how to fight ; and 

 there (pointing with his hand) is the road to the enemy's 

 stronghold." 



All business matters having been disposed of, it only 



