MBAU AND VITI-LEVU. 105 



part of the town, used by the fishermen tribe, something hke 

 a milestone, but too sharp at the top to be used as a seat. 

 The mode of braining was this : the victim was seized by 

 two natives, one on eacli side grasping an arm and leg with 

 the head foremost ; they tlien ran with him as hard as they 

 could across the dancing gi'ound, increasing their speed till 

 his head was split against the stone, a part of which, two 

 feet above the ground, has been worn smooth, it is said, by 

 the thousands of heads that have been knocked against it. 

 Near the stone is a double row of raised seats, or slabs of 

 stone, where sat the chiefs to direct the massacres, and enjoy 

 the spectacle. It is impossible to form an estimate of the 

 number of those who have been put to death in this manner ; 

 but it is a common saying among the Fijians, that all the 

 waters of the ocean could never wash away the blood with 

 which that soil has been saturated. 



There is unquestionable evidence that cannibahsm will 

 soon cease to disfigure any part of Fiji. Many places, it 

 would seem, have strongly protested against it ; as, for 

 instance, Nakelo, on the Eewa river ; and it is owing to the 

 aid of this opposition that the missionaries and consuls have 

 been, it is said, so successful in its general suppression.^ It 

 would appear, too, that it has always been tabu, or forbidden, 

 to the common people and women of all classes, the chiefs 

 alone having the monopoly. 



The origin of this practice is uncertain. It was, of course, 



» ' Viti,' by Dr. Seemann, p. 179. 



