A Remarkable Example of Decline. 



perhaps a large boar's tusk pendant on his chest \ 

 a cloth of native tappa round his waist ; with a 

 huge club, artistically carved, in his hand ; there 

 you have a fair representation of a Fijian native. 



Some idea of his immense strength of arm 

 may be gained by a glimpse at the Fijian clubs 

 to be seen at the British Museum. 



In character he might be termed fearless and 

 honourable (he would never attack an enemy 

 without first sending word of his intention), he was 

 truthful, honest in his transactions, chaste in his 

 living ; he was also affectionate in his domestic 

 relations, although his method of showing his 

 affection would lead a stranger to suppose that 

 he was just the opposite. 



There was another side to his character which 

 must not be overlooked. He was a cannibal, 

 and one of the fiercest ; he could also be very 

 cruel to his victims, and club-law was his only 

 method of settling disputes ; he was also super- 

 stitious ; he had a certain veneration for snakes, 

 and he believed in some sort of a future 

 existence. 



One of his worst superstitions was that when 

 a chief died it was necessary that his wives 

 should accompany him to the unknown world, 

 therefore the wives were strangled and buried 

 with him. This inhuman practice, or inhuman 

 as it must appear to us, was one of the Fijian 

 ways of showing affection ; the wives, sincerely 

 believing that they would live with their hus- 

 bands in another state if they were buried with 

 them, deemed their relatives unkind if this terrible 

 duty was neglected, and in some cases they have 

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