MBUA BAY AND MUTHUATA. 223 
are all built after the plan of those at Mbua Bay; the rafters being 
planted in the ground, and curved towards the ridge-pole, which is 
supported from within. The rafters are about one foot apart, and are 
covered with reeds, upon which the thatching is laid. 
The chief’s house was situated on a small square, on the opposite 
side of which were two temples, and between them was a kind of war- 
trophy, consisting of five of the large earthen jars used for cooking 
human flesh, placed in a row. Beside each of these, some spears 
and clubs were firmly planted in the ground, crossing each other at 
the top, about three feet from the ground ; on these a basket was 
‘suspended, and long strips of masi or tapa were wreathed about and 
hung upon them. ‘These five jars proved to be the vessels in which 
five of their enemies, whom they had killed in battle about two 
months before, had been cooked; the baskets were those which haa 
been used at the feast to convey the food about to the cannibal eaters; 
the masi, spears, and war-clubs were those belonging to the slain. 
At a little distance there was another pot, in which a chief had been 
boiled, and behind these again was a basalt column,* serving as a 
sepulchral monument’ to one of their own chiefs. The top of the 
latter was tied around with rolls of masi, and was surrounded by his 
spears, clubs, &c. There were a number of other columns lying 
about, all of which were taken from the same basaltic quarry between 
the landing and the village. These columns are very distinct and 
perfect. 
The river that runs up near the village may be entered by boats, 
ascending through the mangroves some three or four miles, and has 
very much the character of those emptying into Mbua Bay. The 
river above the town is about seventy yards wide, and there has been 
a bridge over it, of which there are, even now, remains. The bridge 
appears to have been built on piles made of cocoa-nut trees, of which 
there is still a single row left, supported by stakes on each side. 
Some of our gentlemen, in their wanderings under the guidance of 
the natives, were desired to come close to them, as a party was 
approaching ; and shortly afterwards, a troop of native women and 
children were seen moving along in single file, some of them labour- 
ing under excessive loads. 'The women, in fact, are their beasts of 
burden, and are every where considered as an article of trade. Many 
of the natives were seen with gunshot wounds, received in the late 
war. Word was brought in that a native of another village had been 
killed, which created but little excitement. 
* These stones they call sava. 
