ROKOUA’S WIVES. 197 
“ Ravovonicakaugawa was charmed with the princess, 
and ready to start with her at once. She, however, 
begged him to wait another night, to enable Naimila- 
mila, one of Rokoua’s young wives, to accompany them. 
Naimilamila was a native of Naicobocobo, and against 
her will united to Rokoua, who had no affection what- 
ever for her, and kept her exclusively to scratch his head 
or play with his locks, hence her name. Dissatisfied 
with her sad lot, she had concocted with her step-daugh- 
ter a plan for escape, and was making active prepara- 
tions to carry it into execution. On the night agreed 
upon, Naimilamila was true to her engagement. ‘Who 
are you? asked the god as she stepped on the deck. 
‘I am Rokoua’s wife,’ she rejoined, ‘get your canoe 
under weigh. My lord may follow closely on my heels, 
and Naiogabui will be with us immediately.’ Almost 
directly after a splash in the water was heard. ‘There 
she comes,’ cried Naimilamila, ‘ make sail ;’ and instantly 
the canoe, with Ravovonicakaugawa, his friend, and the 
two women, departed for Rewa. 
‘‘ Next morning, when Rokoua discovered the elope- 
ment, he determined to pursue the fugitives, and for 
that purpose embarked in the ‘ Vatutulali,’ a canoe de- 
riving its name from his large drum, the sound of which 
was so powerful that it could be heard all over Fiji. 
His club and spear were put on board, both of which 
were of such gigantic dimensions and weight, that it 
took ten men to lift either of them. Rokoua soon 
reached Nukuilailai, where he took the spear out, and 
making a kind of bridge of it, walked over it on shore. 
Taking spear and club in his hand, he musingly walked 
