OVOLAU. 61 
under Tui Levuka; they have but few inhabitants. Tui Levuka’s 
eldest son is the chief of Wakaia. 
The town of Levuka is much larger than one would imagine on 
seeing it from the water. Many of the houses are situated on the side 
of the hill. Its natural position is pretty: it has a fine brook running 
through it, coming from the gorge in the mountain, the water of which 
is made great use of for irrigating the taro-patches, which, with their 
yam-grounds, claim the principal attention of the inhabitants: the 
natives constantly bathe in it, and are remarkably cleanly in their 
persons; the evident pleasure they take in the bath is even shared by 
those who see them sporting in the water. 
The Feejee Group is composed of seven districts, and is under as 
many principal chiefs, viz. : 
1st. Ambau. 5th. Somu-somu. 
2d. Rewa. 6th. Naitasiri. 
3d. Verata. 7th. Mbua. 
Ath. Muthuata. 
All the minor chiefs on the different islands are more or less con- 
nected or subject to one of these, and as the one party or the other 
prevails in their wars, they change masters. War is the constant 
occupation of the natives, and engrosses all their time and thoughts. 
Ambau is now the most powerful of these districts, although it is in 
itself but a small island on the coast, and connected with Vitilevu; but 
it is the residence of most of the great chiefs, and, as I have before 
observed, 'Tanoa, the most powerful chief of all the islands, lives there. 
The original inhabitants of Ambau were called Kai Levuka, and are 
of Tonga descent. During the absence of most of the natives on a 
trading voyage to Lakemba, the natives of Moturiki, a neighbouring 
island, made a descent upon Ambau, and took possession of it, ever 
since which the Kai Levuka have remained a broken people: they still 
retain their original name, but are now only wandering traders; they 
have no fixed place of residence, and are somewhat of the character 
of the Jews. They reside principally at Lakemba, Somu-somu, Vuna, 
and occasionally at other islands. Most of the exchange trade is in 
their hands; their hereditary chief resides at Lakemba; they are much 
respected, and when they visit Ambau, they are treated with the best 
of every thing, in acknowledgment of their original right to the soil. 
At Ambau there are now two classes, one known by the name of Kai 
Ambau, or original people of Ambau, and the other as Kai Lasikau, 
who were introduced from a small island near Kantavu, some sixty 
years since, to fish for the chiefs; these are considered as inferior to 
F 
