MEASURES FOR REPRESSING A REBELLION. 167 
business. During the whole time the people behaved 
with great dignity; none spoke except those who car- 
ried on the discussion. When their foreign affairs were 
satisfactorily concluded, the chief, quitting his seat, 
begged us to remain, in order to see how they managed 
their internal politics. This invitation we gladly ac- 
cepted by taking up our position near the entrance of 
the Bure, where we had a better view of the whole 
assembly. 
It appears that one of the numerous tribes subject to 
Kuruduadua had rebelled against his authority, and it 
had been determined by the councillors that stringent 
measures should be put in force against it. The princi- 
pal and most renowned speaker of the Government, a 
man about fifty, now came, staff in hand, cut of the great 
Bure into which Kuruduadua had retired, and explained 
to the people at large the policy about to be pursued. 
He moved freely about the circle formed by his audience, 
and his speech was listened to with profound attention, 
eliciting now and then exclamations equivalent to “hear, 
hear!” The drift of his argument was that the rebels 
must be put down and peace restored, in order that 
they might have plenty when the white men came to their 
country, from whom Fiji already derived such benefits. 
When he had finished, other speakers got up, all in 
favour of the government measure, and much applauded 
by the multitude. One old chief was much cheered on 
saying, “I am no speaker, but know how to fight; and 
there (pointing with his hand) is the road to the enemy’s 
stronghold.” 
All business matters having been disposed of, it only 
