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CHAPTER VIII. 



ilBAU AND YITI-LEVU. 



(July 29 to August 2.) 



Mbau Roadstead — Boat Expedition in Viti-Levii to Rewa up Wai-Levu 

 River — Interview with Tui-Drakiti, King of Rewa — Courteous Reception — ■ 

 Hospitality of Rev. Mr. Carey, Wesley an. Missionary — The Natives and 

 their Huts — Return from Rewa to Mbau — King Thakumbau — Exchange 

 of Civilities and Arms — The great Kava Bowl — Stranger's House — Canni- 

 balism — Intellectual and Moral Characteristics of the Fijians — Singular 

 Treatment of Somo-Somo Chiefs at Mbau — Interesting Picnic with the 

 Queen of Somo-Somo. 



The ' Curacoa ' left the excellent port of Levitka for the 

 island of Mbau on July 29 at half-past eleven a.m., leaving 

 behind a planter to whom the Commodore had promised a 

 passage, and who was now seen coming in hot haste in a 

 canoe, having exceeded by two hours the time appointed for 

 him to be on board. We took with us as pilot, giving him 

 two dollars a day, a half-white named Charley Wise, the 

 son of a Fijian woman and an American who, deserting his 

 wife and child, had returned to the United States, and had 

 never since been heard of. When we had got out to sea 

 some distance the breakers bursting over the reefs had a 

 very fine effect, and we could at the same time see the 

 picturesque outlines of Ovalau. Moturiki and other islands, 

 surrounded by reefs and rocks, were in sight. A light 



