194 A MISSION TO VITI. 



home," he continued, "all my thoughts are with my 

 family, and I am never so happy as when I am under 

 my own roof, and have my wife and children around me. 

 When a few days ago my youngest boy was ill, I sat up 

 with him three nights, and it would have broken my 

 heart had he died." The man was a savage, a heathen, 

 yet could any Christian parent have spoken more warmly 

 or naturally I Fortunately, affection is wisely placed by 

 Providence beyond the reach or influence of any system, 

 right or wrong. Like a beautiful flower, it springs up 

 freely in any soil congenial to its growth. If the Fi- 

 jians were only half as black as they have been painted, 

 they would long ere this have been numbered amongst 

 the extinct races ; for no society, however primitive, can 

 possibly continue to exist, if the evil passions the de- 

 structive elements preponderate over the good. The 

 best vindication of their national character is their na- 

 tional existence ; the best proof of their living a life as 

 free from vice and corrupting practices as any heathen 

 can be expected to live, is a physical development on an 

 average far above that of which our own race, with all 

 its advantages of civilization, can ever hope to boast. 



In the evenings, Batinisavu or other men would come 

 and entertain me with some of those innumerable 

 stories, in which the natives may be said to photograph 

 themselves, show in what direction their fancy wanders, 

 and which no travellers, worthy of the name, should 

 omit writing down. The supernatural element plays 

 a prominent part in all Fijian stories, and whilst 

 possessing a decidedly local colouring, they forcibly re- 

 mind one of our own nursery tales. The natives are 



