SOMU-SOMU. 167 



people of the koro, until it reaches its farthest limits, and, when it 

 ceases, the king drinks his ava. All the chiefs clap their hands, with 

 great regularity, while he is drinking, and, after he has finished his 

 ava, the chiefs drink theirs, without any more ceremony. The busi- 

 ness of the day is then begun. The people never do any thing in the 

 morning before the kins' has drunk his ava. Even a foreigner will 

 not venture to work or make a noise before that ceremony is over, or 

 during the preparation of it, if he wishes to be on good terms with 

 the king and people. 



It is almost impossible to conceive the horrible particulars relative 

 to these natives, that have come under the personal observation of the 

 missionaries, and are not for a moment to be doubted, from such 

 respectable authority. They told me, that during their residence 

 they had known of only one instance of a natural death, all having 

 been strangled or buried alive ! Children usually strangle their 

 feeble and aged parents, and the sick that have been long ill are 

 always killed. 



Dr. Lythe pointed out to me a chief of high rank, who had strangled 

 his own mother, as he himself saw. They went in procession to the 

 grave, the mother being dressed in her best attire, and painted in the 

 Feejee fashion. On arriving at the grave, a rope of twisted tapa was 

 passed around her neck, when a number of natives, besides the son, 

 taking hold of each end, soon strangled and buried her. 



Dr. Lythe had a patient, a young girl, in a most critical state. She 

 was scarce fourteen, when she was brutally violated by the same high 

 chief who had strangled his mother ; and much injury had resulted, 

 in large swellings, which they attempted to cure, according to the 

 Feejee custom, by large gashes with sharp bamboos, but without 

 success. The seducer had determined to destroy her, when Dr. 

 Lythe heard of it, and, by interceding, after much difficulty and 

 ridicule, was allowed to take her away, and put her under treat- 

 ment. 



Some time previous to our arrival, Katu Mbithi, the youngest son 

 of Tui Thakau, was lost at sea, on the knowledge of which event the 

 whole population went into mourning. He was much beloved by the 

 king. All his wives were strangled, with much form and ceremony. 

 Some accounts make their number as high as seventy or eighty ; the 

 missionaries stated it below thirty. 



There were various other ceremonies, not less extraordinary. To 

 supply the places of the men who were lost with Katu Mbithi, the 

 same number of boys, from the ages of nine to sixteen, were taken 



