226 A MISSION TO VITI. 
—not Mocuata or Mudwater, as sometimes written,—a 
small, stony isle, densely covered with ironwood, and at 
present uninhabited. This isle has conferred its name 
on the whole northern coast of Vanua Levu, and was 
the head-quarters of three branches of the ruling Macu- 
ata family, until about twenty-five years ago dissensions 
amongst its members broke out, which led to the total 
extinction of one of the branches, and proved to the 
others that a house divided against itself cannot stand. 
The whole coast had been subjugated by Tongamen ; 
Ritova, the head of the most powerful branch, and the 
legitimate king of the district, was in exile; whilst Bete, 
who represented the weaker and subordinate portion of 
the family, resided at Naduri, and was a mere puppet in 
the hands of the artful Tongamen. 
When making Nukubati we met a canoe going to 
Naduri, and sent a message by it to Bete, said to be 
attending some festival inland, that we were going to 
call at his town on the following day in order to make 
a communication to him. We had scarcely dropped 
anchor off Naduri when Bete’s spokesman arrived in a 
large canoe. The first thing he delivered was a whale’s 
tooth, dark as mahogany from age and repeated greas- 
ing, such as Fijians hold to be of the highest value. 
It was offered to the consul as a soro, or acknowledg- 
ment of submission and atonement from the chief. Mr. 
Pritchard hesitated about accepting it; but as its re- 
jection would have been a direct insult, he thought it 
better to take the tooth, and thus prevent any misun- 
derstanding and long explanations, both parties being 
fully aware of the real meaning of the token. 
