174 TEE OBUISU OF THE 'OURAQOA: 



This ceremomal huiuiliatioii of Somo-Somo is the more 

 curious because its chiefs were persons of importance. Thus 

 Golea, the younger brother of the King, who had retired to 

 Wariki, and left the sovereignty of Sorao-Somo to him, was 

 married to Eleanor (she had become a Christian), Thakum- 

 bau's niece, who was of superior rank to her uncle. Dr. 

 Seemann, who saw her in 1800, speaks of her as being a fine 

 woman, of dignified deportment, and manifestly intelligent 

 as well. A party of gentlemen having made arrangements 

 to ascend to the summit of Somo-Somo, the queen expressed 

 her intention of joining it, which she did with a large suite. 

 Girdled with a fold of white calico, her head wreathed with 

 fern leaves, the purple blossom of the Chinese rose pendent 

 from her ear, and a necklace made of shells, such was the 

 total of her toilette. ' No other garment,' says the fascinated 

 doctor, ' graced her stately person, and yet she looked truly 

 majestic' The ladies of lier court, unencumbered with the 

 girdle, and borrowing no superfluous covering from portion? 

 of banana and cocoa- nut leaves freshly cut, were sent forward 

 as pioneers to make a track, and shake off the moisture from 

 the over-lying brandies. Alert, as light-footed as light- 

 clothed, they soon distanced the heavy-dressed, and found 

 their way to the top, where, en attendant, they amused them- 

 selves with opening cocoa-nuts, and smoking cigarettes made 

 of dry banana leaves instead of paper. The view from the 

 summit commanding the straits of Somo-Somo was veiy 

 line, but there was close at liaiid another charming tableau 



