226 A MISSION TO VITI. 



not Mocuata or Mudwater, as sometimes written, a 

 small, stony isle, densely covered with ironwood, and at 

 present uninhabited. This isle has conferred its name 

 on the whole northern coast of Vanua Levu, and was 

 the head-quarters of three branches of the ruling Macu- 

 ata family, until about twenty-five years ago dissensions 

 amongst its members broke out, which led to the total 

 extinction of one of the branches, and proved to the 

 others that a house divided against itself cannot stand. 

 The whole coast had been subjugated by Tongamen; 

 Ritova, the head of the most powerful branch, and the 

 legitimate king of the district, was in exile ; whilst Bete, 

 who represented the weaker and subordinate portion of 

 the family, resided at Naduri, and was a mere puppet in 

 the hands of the artful Tongamen. 



When making Nukubati we met a canoe going to 

 Naduri, and sent a message by it to Bete, said to be 

 attending some festival inland, that we were going to 

 call at his town on the following day in order to make 

 a communication to him. We had scarcely dropped 

 anchor off Naduri when Bete's spokesman arrived in a 

 large canoe. The first thing he delivered was a whale's 

 tooth, dark as mahogany from age and repeated greas- 

 ing, such as Fijians hold to be of the highest value. 

 It was offered to the consul as a sow, or acknowledg- 

 ment of submission and atonement from the chief. Mr. 

 Pritchard hesitated about accepting it; but as its re- 

 jection would have been a direct insult, he thought it 

 better to take the tooth, and thus prevent any misun- 

 derstanding and long explanations, both parties being 

 fully aware of the real meaning of the token. 



