CUSTOMS OF THE FEEJEE GROUP. 79 
mises, now we will see how you will keep them. To me you look 
more like slaves than fighting men.” 
Or thus: “ Here are these strangers come to fight with us. Let us 
see who are the best men.” 
To another tribe he will say: “ Where do you come from?” Some 
one of the tribe starts up, and striking the ground with his club, replies 
by naming its place of residence. The vunivalu then continues, 
«Ah! I have heard of you; you boast yourselves to be brave men; 
we shall see what you are; I doubt whether you will do much. You 
seem to be more like men fit to plant and dig yams than to fight.” 
After he has thus gone through his forces, he cries out: “ Attend!” 
On this the whole clap their hands. He then tells them to prepare for 
battle, to which they answer, “ Mana ndina,” (it is true.) 
In some parts of the group the forces are marshalled in bands, each 
of which has a banner or flag, under which it fights. The staff of 
these flags (druatina) is about twenty feet in length, and the flags them- 
selves, which are of corresponding dimensions are made of tapa. As 
an instance, the forces of Rewa are arranged in four bands, viz. : 
1. The Valevelu, or king’s own people, who are highest in rank, 
and held in the greatest estimation. 
2. The Niaku ne tumbua, the people of the vunivalu or fighting 
shief. 5 
3. The Kai Rewa, or landholders of Rewa. 
4. The Kai Ratu, which is composed of the offspring of chiefs by 
common women. 
The flags are distinguished from each other by markings: that of 
the Valevelu has four or five vertical black stripes, about a foot wide, 
with equal spaces of white left between them; the rest of the flag is 
white. 
In the flag of the vunivalu the black and white stripes are horizontal. 
The flag of the Kai Rewa is all white. 
The Kai Ratu use, as flags, merely strips of tapa, or array them- 
selves under the flag of a chief. Each of the first three bands is kept 
distinct, and fights under its own flag, in the place which the com- 
mander appoints. The flag of the latter is always longest, and is 
raised highest, whether he be king or only vunivalu. To carry a flag 
is considered as a post of the greatest distinction, and is confined to 
the bravest and most active of the tribe. 
A town, when besieged, has also its signal of pride. This consists 
of a sort of kite, of a circular shape, made of palm-leaves, and deco- 
rated with ribands of white and coloured tapa. When an enemy 
approaches the town, if the wind be favourable, the kite is raised by 
