214 



Cannibalism. 



CUSTOMS OF THE FEEJEE GROUP. 



Price of a human life. 

 Attacks on foreign vessels. 



it to their friends at a distance, as an acceptable 

 present, and the gift is eaten, even if decomposi- 

 tion have begun before it is received. So highly 

 do they esteem this food, that the greatest praise 

 they can bestow on a delicacy is to say that it is as 

 tender as a dead man. 



Even their sacrifices are made more frequent, 

 not merely to gratify feelings of revenge, but to 

 indulge their taste for this horrid food. In re- 

 spect to this propensity, they affect no disguise; 

 I have myself frequently spoken with them con- 

 cerning it, and received but one answer, both from 

 chiefs and common people, that it was viuaka 

 (good). 



The bodies of enemies slain in battle are always 

 eaten. Whippy told me that he saw, on one occa- 

 sion, upwards of twenty men cooked ; and several 

 of the white residents stated that they have seen 

 bodies brought from such a distance as to be green 

 from putrescence, and to have the flesh dropping 

 from the bones, which were, notwithstanding, eaten 

 with greediness and apparent pleasure. 



War, however, does not furnish enough of this 

 food to satisfy their appetite for it. Stratagem 

 and violence are resorted to for obtaining it. 

 While we were at Levuka, as a number of women 

 belonging to the village were engaged in picking 

 up shells and fishing, a canoe belonging to the 

 Lasikaus, or fishermen, in passing by the reef, 

 seized and carried off two of them, as it was be- 

 lieved, for cannibal purposes. When I heard the 

 story I could not at first believe it; but it was 

 confirmed by Tui Levuka, who said that the Lasi- 

 kaus frequently stole women from the reefs for the 

 purpose of eating them. 



All doubt, however, was removed, when Mr. 

 Eld, while stationed at the observator/y, became an 

 eye-witness of an attempt of the kind. The daugh- 

 ter of the Vi Tonga* chief, with some of her com- 

 panions, was engaged in fishing on the reef in a 

 small canoe. By some accident the canoe was 

 swamped, which rendered them a prize to whoever 

 should capture them. A canoe from Ambau had 

 watched the poor creatures like a hawk, and, as 

 soon as the accident happened, pounced upon them. 

 The men in the canoe succeeded in capturing the 

 chief's daughter, and forced her into the vessel. 

 When near the shore, however, she contrived to 

 make her escape by jumping overboard, and 

 reached the shore before they could overtake her. 

 Clubs and spears were thrown at her, with no 

 other effect than a slight scratch under the arm, 

 and a bruise on her shoulder. On the beach she 

 was received by her friends, who stood ready to 

 protect her, upon which the Ambau people gave up 

 the pursuit. 



The cannibal propensity is not limited to ene- 

 mies or persons of a different tribe, but they will 

 banquet on the flesh of their dearest friends; and 

 it is even related, that in times of scarcity, families 

 will make an exchange of children for this horrid 

 purpose. 



The flesh of women is preferred to that of men, 

 and they consider the flesh of the arm above the 

 elbow, and of the thigh, as the choicest parts. 

 The women are not allowed to eat it openly, but it 

 is said that the wives of chiefs do partake of it in 



Vi Tonga is a town immediately below the point on 

 which the observatory was placed. 



private. It is also forbidden to the kai-si, or 

 common people, unless there be a great quan- 

 tity, but they have an opportunity of picking the 

 bones. 



As a further instance of these cannibal propensi- 

 ties, and to show that the sacrifice of human life 

 to gratify their passions and appetites is of almost 

 daily occurrence, a feast frequently takes place 

 among the chiefs, to which each is required to 

 bring a pig. On these occasions Tanoa, from pride 

 and ostentation, always furnishes a human body. 



A whale's tooth is about the price of a human 

 life, even when the party slain is of rank, as will 

 be shown by the following anecdotes. Rivaletta, 

 the youngest son of Tanoa, while passing along the 

 north end of Ovolau in his canoe, descried a fishing 

 party. He at once determined to possess himself 

 of what they had taken, and for this purpose dashed 

 in among them, and fired his musket. The shot 

 killed a young man, who proved to be a nephew of 

 Tui Levuka, the chief of Ovolau, and was recog- 

 nised by some of Rivaletta's followers. This dis- 

 covery did not prevent their carrying the body to 

 Ambau to be feasted upon ; but in order to pre- 

 vent it from being known there, the face was dis- 

 figured by broiling it in the fire in the canoe. Tanoa, 

 however, soon became aware of the fact, and forth- 

 with sent a whale's tooth to Tui Levuka, as the 

 value of his loss, together with a number of little 

 fingers, cut from the people of Ambau, as a propi- 

 tiatory offering. The remuneration was received 

 by Tui Levuka as sufficient, and no more notice was 

 taken of the matter. 



Before we left the group, an inferior chief ran 

 away with one of the wives of Tui Levuka. The 

 latter immediately despatched his son to the town 

 where the chief resided, for the purpose of killing 

 the offender, which was effected, and the woman 

 brought back. Tui Levuka thereupon sent a 

 whale's tooth and some tapa to the principal chief 

 of the town, and the affair was ended. 



When they set so little value on the lives of their 

 own countrymen, it is not to be expected that they 

 should much regard those of foreigners. It is 

 necessary, therefore, while holding intercourse 

 with them, to be continually guarded against their 

 murderous designs, which they are always medi- 

 tating for the sake of the property about the per- 

 son, or to obtain the body for food. Several recent 

 instances are related, where crews of vessels visit- 

 ing these islands have been put to death. One of 

 these, in particular, became known to me, and led 

 to certain proceedings on my part, which will form 

 an important part of the following chapter. 



The vessel in question was the American brig, 

 Charles Doggett, Captain Bachelor. I had heard 

 of the attack upon her, and after Paddy Connel paid 

 me his first visit, of which I have before spoken, I 

 learned that he had been on board the brig at the 

 time, and had a full knowledge of all who were 

 concerned in the transaction. I therefore, on his 

 next visit, questioned him in relation to the affair, 

 and obtained the following particulars. 



In the month of August, 1834, Paddy, with some 

 other men, was engaged by Captain Bachelor to 

 assist in getting a cargo of biche de mar. The brig 

 then went to Rewa, where the captain made a con- 

 tract with Vendovi, a chief of that island, and Vasu 

 of Kautavu, for further assistance in attaining his 

 object. Here the conduct of Vendovi, Thokanauto 



