180 FEJEE GROUP. 



generally companions of the chiefs, and are present at all the 

 feasts and ava-drinking. One of the principal duties of a 

 priest is to perform the marriage ceremony. 



Their account of the origin of the races is this : — All man- 

 kind, say they, sprung from one father and mother. The 

 Fejee was first born, but acted wickedly, and was black ; the 

 Tonga was next born — he acted better than the Fejee — was 

 whiter, and had some clothes given him ; white man came 

 last — he behaved well — was liked by the Great Spirit, who 

 made him white like himself, and gave him clothes and every- 

 thing he could desire. 



During our stay at Ovalaou, T witnessed the performance of 

 two dances. On both occasions the men and women danced 

 together. They kept time to a monotonous chant, in which 

 they all occasionally joined ; their motions were stiff and in- 

 elegant. Both boys and girls are instructed in the dance by 

 masters and mistresses. 



Their knowledge of medicine is limited to a few plants and 

 the bark of two or three kinds of trees. In surgery they are 

 more skillful. The most common surgical operation among 

 them is that of blood-letting, and is performed by making a 

 small incision with a shell or a knife in various parts of the 

 body for the relief of pain, inflamed tumors, &c, &c. By 

 the same means they open abscesses and ulcers. They also 

 cut off their toes to cure sores in the legs, elephantiasis, and 

 leprosy. In cases of hard tumors, they apply hot bread-fruit, 

 so as to produce a blister, and ultimately a purelent surface. 

 In cases of sprains they rub the part afflicted with the dry 

 hand, or with a mixture of oil and water. Of gun-shot wounds 

 they lay the wound open that they may be able to extract the 

 ball, should it still remain. Midwifery is a distinct profession, 

 exercised by females only, and they are said to be very skillful. 



