190 A MISSION TO VITI. 



be sufficiently powerful, in nine cases out of ten the 

 nervous fears of the individual to be punished will 

 bring on disease, if not death ; a similar process is ap- 

 plied to discover thieves. In order to comprehend the 

 working of this abominable system, and the mischief 

 and extortion to which it gives rise, one must take into 

 consideration the absolute helplessness of the Fijian, in 

 fact the Polynesian generally, when anybody has ac- 

 quired a moral ascendency over him. A certain white 

 settler being very much annoyed by a native, told him 

 in as powerful language as he could muster, that he 

 wished him dead, and that he had no doubt he would 

 die within a twelvemonth. The native professed to treat 

 this prophecy with derision ; nevertheless on calling 

 about a year afterwards, the foreigner was informed that 

 the native had fretted so much that he died. The words 

 spoken in anger had thus had a fatal result, and the 

 white man in confiding them to me seemed truly sorry 

 for what he had done. 



The inhabitants of Namosi on being asked for their 

 name, will never give it when anybody else is present 

 to answer the question. I inquired for the reason, but 

 they could give no other explanation except that it was 

 their custom. It probably offends their dignity. They 

 feel in this respect more acutely than ourselves, who 

 deem it polite always to apologize when having to ask a 

 person's name, and generally endeavour to find it out in 

 a less direct way. 



The family life of the Fijian, especially in places like 

 Namosi, where not modified by Christian teaching, is 

 very curious. The men sleep, as has already been ob- 



