206 A MISSION TO VITI. 
The next morning we left Vuniwaivutuka; and after 
a smart walk of about an hour and a half, we came toa 
branch of the Navua river, where Batinisavu had a raft 
of bamboos prepared. It seemed a very rickety contri- 
vance ; nevertheless it was strong, and there was no 
chance of capsizing in passing over rapids. But I found 
it impossible to keep my collections dry, so four of the 
boys took them on their backs to Navua. We then 
passed down the river rapidly, and about noon reached 
the town of Nagadi, where we had stopped a night on a 
previous occasion. There we intended to exchange our 
raft for a large canoe, but this intention was frustrated. 
On that very day the “ Vasu” to Nagadi had taken 
away all the canoes, and other articles of the town that 
took his fancy. A “Vasu” is a mighty personage in 
Fiji. He is simply a nephew, but, according to the 
usage of the country, he holds all the movable property 
of his uncle at his absolute disposal, and can at any 
moment take whatever he chooses. There are vasus 
not only to families, but to towns and states, and it is 
considered shabby to resist their exactions. Some vasus 
have even sold the land belonging to their uncles, but 
Fijians say that is going a little too far, and exceeds the 
proper limits of the system. If therefore the uncles 
wish to keep anything to themselves, they must not let 
their nephews see it. I remember Batinisavu, having a 
grasping nephew, and several American hatchets given 
him, begged Danford to keep them at his house, so that 
the vasu might not get wind of their existence. Of course 
the Vasus are expected to make some return, and the 
Vasu to the town of Nagadi, living on the sea-coast, 
