MBAU AND VITI-LEVU. 171 



the evidence of a witness on whom he can rely, who says, 

 ' That in tlie course of much experience, the Fijians were 

 the only " savage people " he had ever met with who could 

 give reasons, and with whom it was possible to hold a con- 

 nected conversation.' ^ 



It may be as well to note that in this missionary's in- 

 teresting and minute account of the Fijians, we find speci- 

 mens of the same inconsistent statements and criticisms, 

 Avhicli are so conspicuous in the writings of persons who 

 describe the manners and customs of uncivilised people. 

 Thus, at p. 132, we find him dweUing upon the cowardice 

 of the Fijians, and giving instances of it, which show that 

 it is childish and effeminate to an excess, and yet five pages 

 afterwards he says, ' Violent quarrels are not frequent ; nor 

 need they be, if those I have seen were specimens, ending, 

 as they did, with the axe and club, wounded heads or 

 broken arms,' certainly no decided proofs of poltroonery. 

 Ill the same style, the label of gross falsehood is attached 

 to them, and, immediately afterwards, he tells us that ' on 

 matters most lied about by civilised people, the native is 

 the readiest to speak the truth. Thus, when convicted of 

 some offence, he rarely attempts to deny it, but will gene- 

 rally confess all to any one he esteems.' Then he gives an 

 illustration to prove that, ' lying, per se, is condemned and 

 considered disreputable. A white man, notorious for false- 

 hood, had displeased a powerful chief, and wrote asking 



' The person alluded to is Mr. Hadley of Wenham, cited by Dr. 

 Pickering in his ' Races of Man,' p. 173. 



