FEEJEE GROUP. 361 



and prolific field. The list of the plants gathered amounts to about 

 six hundred and fifty species, and they are of opinion, that many 

 more remain, which, at some future day, it may fall to the lot of other 

 botanists to collect. This, however, cannot happen until the islands 

 shall have become more civilized, and there shall be some safety in 

 wandering into the mountain regions, which is now attended with 

 much danger. 



The labours of agriculture, and the phenomena of vegetation, serve 

 as the foundation of their calendar, and furnish names to some of their 

 months, or the portions into which they divide the year. Of these 

 they reckon eleven, viz. : 



1. Vulai songa sou tombe sou, or Nuga levu Reeds blossom. 



2. Vulai songa sou seselieb . . . Build yam-houses. 



3. Vulai Matua, or Endoye doye . . Yams ripe. 



4. Vulai mbota mbota. 



5. Vulai kele kele, or Vulai mayo mayo . Digging yams. 



6. Vulai were were ..... Weeding month. 



7. Vulai lou lou ..... Digging ground and planting. 



8. Vulai Kawawaka. 



9. Bololo va va conde. 



10. Bololo lieb. 



11. Numa lieb, or Nuga lai lai. 



The first of these corresponds nearly to January. 



The month of Bololo lieb seems to be the only one that is astrono- 

 mically determined ; and that arrives when the sun is over a particular 

 part of Ambatiki, an island in sight from Ovolau. 



The month of June is known and established by the flowering of a 

 vine that is found on the shore, called tombebe. 



The months always begin with the new moon, which is called 

 Vula vou. When it is first seen, it is celebrated by shouting and 

 beating of drums. This takes place particularly on Vanua-levu, or 

 the Buia land, as it is sometimes called. 



Connected with the seasons, is a singular ceremony, called Tambo 

 Nalanga, which takes place in the month of November, and lasts four 

 days. At the commencement, the most influential matanivanua, or 

 landholder, goes, just at sunset, without the koro, or town, and in- 

 vokes, in a loud voice, the spirit of the sky for his blessing, good 

 crops, &c. ; after which a general beating of sticks and drums, and 

 blowing of conchs, takes place for half an hour. During this festival 

 every one remains shut up, without labour ; and so strictly is it kept, 

 that not even a leaf is plucked during this period, nor is any work 



VOL. III. 91 



