206 A MISSION TO VITI. 



The next morning we left Vuniwaivutuka ; and after 

 a smart walk of about an hour and a half, we came to a 

 branch of the Navua river, where Batinisavu had a raft 

 of bamboos prepared. It seemed a very rickety contri- 

 vance ; nevertheless it was strong, and there was no 

 chance of capsizing in passing over rapids. But I found 

 it impossible to keep my collections dry, so four of the 

 boys took them on their backs to Navua. We then 

 passed down the river rapidly, and about noon reached 

 the town of Nagadi, where we had stopped a night on a 

 previous occasion. There we intended to exchange our 

 raft for a large canoe, but this intention was frustrated. 

 On that very day the " Vasu " to Nagadi had taken 

 away all the canoes, and other articles of the town that 

 took his fancy. A " Vasu " is a mighty personage in 

 Fiji. He is simply a nephew, but, according to the 

 usage of the country, he holds all the movable property 

 of his uncle at his absolute disposal, and can at any 

 moment take whatever he chooses. There are vasus 

 not only to families, but to towns and states, and it is 

 considered shabby to resist their exactions. Some vasus 

 have even sold the land belonging to their uncles, but 

 Fijians say that is going a little too far, and exceeds the 

 proper limits of the system. If therefore the uncles 

 wish to keep anything to themselves, they must not let 

 their nephews see it. I remember Batinisavu, having a 

 grasping nephew, and several American hatchets given 

 him, begged Danford to keep them at his house, so that 

 the vasu might not get wind of their existence. Of course 

 the Vasus are expected to make some return, and the 

 Vasu to the town of Nagadi, living on the sea-coast, 



