378 A MISSION TO V1T1. 



are occasionally seen in the hands of native children, and 

 they have rather a pretty effect. The bamboo, vernacu- 

 larly termed " Bitu," is represented by two species, a 

 large and a small one, both of which are rather local in 

 their geographical range. The trunk of the larger is in 

 general use for vessels to contain water, some of which 

 are six feet long. It requires a certain knack, with some 

 difficulty acquired by foreigners, to pour the water out 

 of the small hole on one side of the upper end without 

 spilling some of the contents. The natives drink out of 

 these vessels by pouring the water in their mouth with- 

 out allowing their lips to touch them : sipping the fluid 

 as we do would be considered an act of impropriety. 

 Bamboo split up in narrow strips makes capital torches, 

 which do not require, as has been stated, to be dipped 

 in cocoa-nut oil in order to make them give a clear and 

 bright light. Fishing rafts, pillows for sleeping, instru- 

 ments for beating time to national songs, pan-flutes, 

 fences for gardens and courtyards, all are constructed 

 of these giant grasses. At Nagadi, in Viti Levu, I visited 

 a heathen temple surrounded by a bamboo fence, some 

 of the sticks used being the young shoots entire, with 

 unexpanded leaves, and looking like so many fishing 

 rods. The priest in charge of this building exhibited a 

 bundle of bamboos, which on being struck on the ground 

 with the opening downwards produced a peculiarly loud 

 and hollow sound. Two single bamboos of different 

 lengths are beaten contemporaneously with this large 

 bundle in religious ceremonies. An amusing sight is 

 presented by a grove of bamboos on fire. When re- 

 turning from Namosi, I passed several places where, to 



