206 ?>Sr^irffiuir a,U CUSTOMS OF THE FEE.J EE GROUP- *Mr 



given to the chief of the town in council, who 

 causes it tn ho brewed, after which the ine-sage is 

 delivered. BtH When an errand is sent to Ambau, 

 or any superior chief, the messenger always 

 etVrlM with him a gift of provisions and other 

 valuables. 



If a town is compelled tn entreat to be permitted 

 to eapituhite, for the purpose of saving the lives of 

 its people* its chiefs ami pfiuelfV inhabitants 

 are required to crawl towards their conquerors 

 upon their hands and knees, suing fur pardon 

 and imploring mercy. The daughters of the 

 chiefs ure also brought, forward and offered to 

 the victors, while from the hover class victims 

 lire selected to 1h? sucrificed tn tile gods. Even 

 such hard conditions do not id ways suffice, hut 

 n whole population is sometimes butchered in cold 

 blood, or reduced to a condition of slavery. To 

 avoid such terrible couscquencea, most of the 

 weak tribes seek security hy establishing them- 

 selves on high mid almost inaccessible rocks, 

 Some of these are an Bleep that it would he hardly 

 possible for any hut one of the natives to climb 

 them; yet oven their women tuny he seen climbing 

 their rocky and almost perpendicular walls, to 

 heights of tifty or sixty feet, and carrying loads 

 of wafer, vams, \c. 



Tribes that rlo riot possess such fastn esses, are 

 compelled to take refuge under the protection of 

 some powerful chief, in consideration of which 

 they are hound to aid tln-ir protectors in case of 

 war. They are summoned to do this by a mes- 

 senger, who carries a whale's tooth, and sometimes 

 directs the umnher of men tlu-j- are to send. 

 A refusal would bring war upon themselves, 

 and is therefore seldom ventured. Then - ' is. how- 

 ever, a recent instance in which such m"d was 

 refused with impunity by Tui Levuku, who was 

 persuaded hy the white residents* tu disobey u 

 summons sent from Ambau. I laving done this, 

 the people of Lcvuku felt it necessary to prepare 

 for defence, by repairing their stone walls and 

 provisioning their stronghold in the mountains. 

 They thus stood upon their guard for a long time, 

 hut were not attacked. 



The religion of the Feojeeans, and the practices 

 which are founded upon it, differ materially from 

 those of the lighter-coloured PuUnesian people. 



The tradition given hy the uatiu-sof the origin 

 of the various races is singular, and not very flat- 

 tering to themselves. All arc said to have been 

 born of one pair of first parents. The Fcejee was 

 first horn, hut acted wickedly and was black : be 

 therefore receive. I hut little clothing. Tonga was 

 next horn ; he acted less wickedly, was whiter, 

 and had more clothes giveu hitn. White men, or 

 Papalangis, came last: they acted well, were white, 

 and hail plenty of clothes. 



They have n tradition of a great flood or deluge, 

 which they call Waluvu levn. Their account of it 

 is as follows : after the islands had been peopled by 

 the first man and woman, a great rain took place, by 

 which they were finally submerged; but, before the 



• ThU h not the only Instance in which (lie while resU 

 denti have cierciied a aaluury influence, tt it fortunate 

 tor the natives that thoee who have leltk'd among (hem 

 have becu principally ot inch a characnr as Una tended to 

 (heir Improvement. There are, however, *oine exception!, 

 by wli».e had example the native! Imvc hecu led iaUi many 

 exeeaaca. 



higheat places were covered by tbe water*, two 

 large double canoes made their appearance; in one 

 of these was Hokora, the god of earpent. in, in the 

 other Rokola, his head workman, who picked up 

 some of the people, and kept them on hoard until 

 the waters had subsided, after which they were 

 again landed on the island. It is reported that in 

 former times canoes were always kept in readiness 

 against another inundation. 



The persons thus saved, eight in number, were 

 liitided at Mbeiiga, where the highest of their grids 

 is sahl to have made his first appearance. 1U 

 virtue of this tradition, the chiefs of Mhenga take 

 rank before all others, and h;ive always acted a 

 conspicuous part among the Feejces. They style 

 themselves Nguli-duva-ki-htugi (subject to heaven 

 alone). 



The Pantheon of the Feejeo Group contains 

 many deities. The first of these in rank is 

 Ndengei. He is worshipped in the form of a large 

 serpent, alleged to dwell in a district under the 

 authority of Amhau, w hich is called Nakouvaudra, 

 and is situated m-ar the western end of VUiJevu. 

 Tn this deity, they believe that the spirit goes im- 

 mediately after death, for purification or to receive 

 sentence. From his tribunal the spirit is supposed 

 to return and remain about the mbure or temple of 

 its former abode. 



All spirits, however, are not believed to be per- 

 mitted to reach the judgment-seat of Ndengei, for 

 upon the road it is supposed that an enormous 

 giant, armed with a large axe, stands constantly on 

 the watch. With this weapon be endeavours to 

 wound all who attempt to pass him. These who 

 are wounded dare not present themselves to 

 Ndengei, and are obliged to wander about in the 

 mountains. Whether the spirit be wounded or not, 

 d. peiiils not upon the conduct in life, bin th-y 

 ascribe an escape from the blow wholly to good tuck. 



Stories are prevalent of persons who have suc- 

 ceeded in passing the monster without injury. One 

 Of these, which was told mo by a white pilot, will 

 suffice to show the character of this superstition. 



A powerful chief, who had died and been interred 

 with all due ceremony, finding that he bad to pass 

 this giant, who. in the legend, is stationed in the 

 Moturiki Channel, loaded bis gnu, which had been 

 buried with him, and prepared for the encounter, 

 The giant seeing tie- danger that threatened him, 

 was on the look-out to dodge the ball, which he did 

 when the piece was discharged. <>[ this the chief 

 took advantage to rush by him before be could re- 

 cover himself, reached the judgment-seat of .Nden- 

 gei, and now enjoys celestial happiness I 



He* ides the entire form of a serpent. Ndengei is 

 sometimes represented as having only the head and 

 half the body of the figure uf that reptile, w hile the 

 remaining portion of his form is a stone, significant 

 of eternal duration. 



No one pretends to know the origin of Ndengei, 

 but many assert that he has been seen by mortals. 

 Thus, he is reported to have appeared under the 

 form of a man, dressed in tnusi (white tapa), after 

 the fashion of the natives, on the beach, near Ragi- 

 r.egi. Thence h>< proceed, d to Mbc.nga, where, 

 although it did not please him, on account of its 

 rocky shores, he made himself manifest, and thence 

 went to knutavu. Not liking the latter place, be 

 went to Jb-wa, where he took up his abode. Hen? 

 he was joined by another powerful god, called 



