MBAU AND VITI-LEVU. 169 



where he says, it is to be inferred that there must be much 

 that is attractive in their character, ' not only for the esteem 

 and respect they are held in by their Tongan neighbours, 

 but from the voluntary choice, by many respectable English 

 and Americans, of these islands as a permanent abode.' 

 He deposes to one fact, which it were much to be wished 

 were common among us, viz. ' that they are good-tempered 

 in their cups, from which we may give them credit for 

 naturally kind dispositions. When Thakumbau and Na- 

 vinde departed from the " Havannah " in a half-drunken 

 state, no one seemed to apprehend any cruel or outrageous 

 act in consequence.' 



They are accused of cowardice, though Jackson is evidently 

 not of that opinion ; and there is a Fijian saying, which cer- 

 tainly implies the sense of the dignity of courage. To tlie 

 enquiries, ' Wliere is the brave man ? ' the answer is, ' Being 

 dragged (i.e. to the oven) ; ' and to ' Where is the coward,' 

 the reply is, ' Talking of his deeds in the town.' They 

 are a people of considerable intelligence and acuteness ; 

 but what we should hardly expect to find in them is a 

 certain amount of literary capacity. Yet the missionary, 

 Mr. Williams,^ has given us some specimens of their metrical 

 productions, whicli he says ' take the shape of dirges, sere- 

 nades, wake songs, war songs, and hymns for the dance ; 

 the last class being the most numerous, and including much 

 that might be termed heroic' Of course, the merit of these 

 productions is not very striking. Their proverbs are more 

 ' 'Fiji and Fijians,' vol. i. p 110. 



