CUSTOMS OF THE FEEJEE GROUP. 107 



of affection, but the dismembered joints are frequently sent to fami- 

 lies which are considered wealthy, and who are able to reward this 

 token of sympathy in their loss, which they never fail to do. 



Women in mourning burn their skin into blisters, as is the practice 

 also in other groups visited by us. The instrument used for the 

 purpose is a piece of tapa twisted into a small roll and ignited. 

 Marks thus produced may be seen on their arms, shoulders, neck, 

 and breast. This custom is called loloe mate. 



The eating of human flesh is not confined to cases of sacrifice for 

 religious purposes, but is practised from habit and taste. The 

 existence of cannibalism, independent of superstitious notions, has 

 been doubted by many. There can be no question that, although it 

 may have originated as a sacred rite, it is continued in the Feejee 

 Group for the mere pleasure of eating human flesh as a food. Their 

 fondness for it will be understood from the custom they have of send- 

 ing portions of it to their friends at a distance, as an acceptable 

 present, and the gift is eaten, even if decomposition have begun before 

 it is received. So highly do they esteem this food, that the greatest 

 praise they can bestow on a delicacy is to say that it is as tender as a 

 dead man. 



Even their sacrifices are made more frequent, not merely to gratify 

 feelings of revenue, but to indulge their taste for this horrid food. In 

 respect to this propensity, they affect no disguise ; I have myself fre- 

 quently spoken with them concerning it, and received but one answer, 

 both from chiefs and common people, that it was vinaka (good). 



The bodies of enemies slain in battle are always eaten. Whippy 

 told me that he saw, on one occasion, upwards of twenty men cooked ; 

 and several of the white residents stated that they have seen bodies 

 brought from such a distance as to be green from putrescence, and to 

 have the flesh dropping from the bones, which were, notwithstanding, 

 eaten with greediness and apparent pleasure. 



War, however, does not furnish enough of this food to satisfy their 

 appetite for it. Stratagem and violence are resorted to for obtaining 

 it. While we were at Levuka, as a number of women belonging to 

 the village were engaged in picking up shells and fishing, a canoe 

 belonging to the Lasikaus, or fishermen, in passing by the reef, seized 

 and carried off two of them, as it was believed, for cannibal purposes. 

 When I heard the story I could not at first believe it; but it was con- 

 firmed by Tui Levuka, who said that the Lasikaus frequently stole 

 women from the reefs for the purpose of eating them. 



All doubt, however, was removed, when Mr. Eld, while stationed 



