MUA I UDU. 229 



Eesuming our voyage, we found ourselves, October 

 15th, off Namuka, where we sent on shore for water. 

 The crew, on returning, brought an armful of gardenias, 

 a species quite new to science (Gardenia Vitiensis, Seem.), 

 with beautiful white flowers, emitting a delicious scent ; 

 and the young leaves of the shrub being enveloped in a 

 thick coating of greenish gum, which, as they expand, 

 gradually dissolves. There is a strange connection be- 

 tween Namuka and Bau : both having, or rather having 

 had, the same local gods, the people possess mutual rights 

 similar to those of the Vasus, visitors being allowed to 

 take whatever articles they choose. The advocates of 

 the rights of women will also be glad to learn that the 

 softer sex of Namuka can take their seats among the 

 men ! 



On the 16th we rounded Mua i Udu, as the eastern 

 extremity of Vanua Levu is termed, where, until lately, 

 an old screw-pine stood, to which a strange supersti- 

 tion attached: a man who could hit any part of this 

 tree between the root and the crown with a whale's 

 tooth, made sure that at his death all his wives would 

 be strangled. On their way to Naicobocobo the spirits 

 of the dead are supposed to do the same thing for the 

 same purpose, there being a screw-pine at Takiveleyava. 

 Eatu Mara, a chief well known in the annals of Fiji as 

 a frequent disturber of the public peace, vainly tried to 

 hit the tree at Udu ; enraged at his continued failures, 

 he cut it down. But what use is it to wrangle at fate ] 

 Eatu Mara ended his restless career at Bau. where, for 

 repeated treacheries, the king thought fit to hang him, 

 and all his wives escaped the fearful doom of strangu- 

 lation. 



