2o8 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 
the Chinese. This little creature is of much importance 
to the Fijians, as is also the Balolo^ or sea-worm. This 
Balolo is a long thin worm, with a jointed body and many 
legs, and lives in the sea. On two particular days in the 
year, and on them only, it rises to the surface of the sand 
around the coasts, and then commences the Festival of 
Worms. On the first day, which is in October, very few 
come to the surface, as a rule ; but, assisted by the positions 
of the stars, the natives calculate most accurately the time 
of these appearances. From the 20th to the 24th of 
November, they look out for the Great Balolo," when the 
real sea-worm harvest takes place. On this day, about two 
or three hours before sunrise, the natives repair to the shore, 
and there find countless myriads of these worms, the whole 
sea being alive with them. Multitudes of fish come in to 
share the feast, and the canoes of the natives are packed 
with loads of these strange creatures, which they capture in 
wicker-baskets exactly at dawn of day. These Balolos sink 
to the bottom exactly at dawn of day ; not one remains to 
reward the tardy search of a late comer, and not another 
will appear till the succeeding October and November. 
This strange phenomenon has never been known to fail in 
the memory of the oldest Fijian. 
Materials for making dyes and sandalwood are exported 
in large quantities from Fiji. From a recent Government 
return, we find that cocoa-nuts, and cocoa-nut oil, cotton, 
sugar, maize, cofiee, and green fruit are exported to the 
colonies, and England, in annually increasing quantities. 
The epidemic of measles unfortunately marked the com- 
mencement of English rule, in 1875, and led many of the 
ignorant and fearful islanders to conclude that the gods 
were angry with them for forsaking their ancient super- 
stitions, and submitting to the English. The story of that 
