224 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 
dainty. As far as the missionaries could discover, they were 
never eaten ra^n)^ although often presented to chiefs and 
visitors, for the purpose of being cooked and eaten when in 
perfect health and life. On some occasions, along with a 
present of fruit, or fish, or vegetables to a visiting chief, 
would be given a plump young girl, fit for roasting," and 
she would be made to sit down beside the other offer- 
ings and gifts, being closely watched and guarded as the 
most important item. Bodies were never boiled unless in 
an advanced state of decomposition ; in which case they 
would be stewed and eaten as a kind of broth. It is terrible 
to think of, or write of, such revolting horrors ; but it would 
not be just to missionaries and their work in Fiji, to hide the 
dreadful state of matters which existed in the islands when 
mission-labourers first went among the people. The pots, 
ovens, dishes, and forks used in cooking and eating human 
flesh, were strictly tabu, — that is, kept sacred for that pur- 
pose, — not being allowed to be used for other purposes. 
The " cannibal forks " were long four-pronged wooden forks, 
with, in most cases, richly carved handles. They were con- 
spicuous articles of furniture in a native kitchen, and were 
used mostly for taking up morsels of human flesh when 
cooked as hash — a meal of which the older people were fond. 
When all the flesh of enemies was thus consumed, it was 
customary to grind up the bones into fine powder, and, . 
mixing up this powder with some kind of pudding, to 
devour this bone-dust of the cooked foes. At other times, 
when peace was made between the parties who had been 
contending, such a pudding was prepared, presented to the 
warriors of the opposite side, and eaten unsuspectingly by 
them. But frequently on the breaking out of war subse- 
quently, between the two tribes, the cruel taunt was flung at 
those who had eaten the pudding, that " they had eaten the 
