608 
PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION E. 
shrines. A temple with a covering was known as a “ Fale-Atua,” a 
shrine was an 44 Afu,” and the priest, as in the Tokelaus and in 
Samoa, was a 44 Vakatua.” Long after the significance of the temple 
was forgotten the stone shrine or memorial was w T orshipped. 
The names of many of the islets in this group were given me. 
Not only here but all through the Ellice Group I found that not merely 
did every little atoll bear a name, but that the names of atolls and of 
known spots on these atolls were significant of some fact in its 
history, either original ownership or some physical feature of the islet, 
or some historical fact connected with the place. 
The following names of islets in the Funafuti Group are inter- 
esting : — Te Pava (the name of a Samoan, TJpolu, war god) ; Te fua te 
fe’e, the offspring of the Fee (either the ancestor or the god incarnate 
in the cuttlefish), Auraatupu ; Te muri te fala, the end of the pan- 
danus; Te afu alii, the sweat of the chief; Te puka, the name 
of a tree; Te puka savilivili; Te fua lopa; Te fua fatu ; Fuage’a ; 
Te fala, the pandanus; Te falao Ingo ; Tutanga ; Te ngasu; Te afua 
fou, the new beginning;* Avalau (this islet is said to possess a 
spring of fresh water); Motu ninie. ironwood islands ; Nuku savalivali, 
the place where people can walk about ; Motu loa, long island; Motu 
saNafa, the island of the Nafa clan ; Te rere ; Te fata, the platform ; 
Funafala, the pandanus of Funa, the name of a chief, after whom 
also the group has been named Funafuti. 
Nukiifetau is the name of a very beautiful group of thirty-seven 
islets almost surrounding a lagoon. The name signifies the land of 
t \\efetau ( Galophyllum inophjjllitm ), the only indigenous tree of large 
size found there. 
The settlement is located on the island of Te anamu, and there 
are houses also on Sakuru. Fairly good water can he obtained on 
Te anamu. Other islets in this group are Te afuavea, Te afuana, 
Te afatule, Paifa, Funata, Mata Nukulaelae (like Nukulaelae), 
Teafualoi, Nuaiei, Niuatangi, Teafuanono, Motu tu lua, Teafuniua, 
jS t iuatui, Niuatibu (a Gilbert Island language name), Oua, Lafaga, 
(where there is said to be fresh water), Niuaruko, Faiava, Potild, 
Motu-raro (here also water is to be found), Motu-fetau, Motuloa, 
Te afua, Te motumua (here also thero is water), Te afualoto, Motu- 
loto, Te afua fale niu, Te afuatakaiau, Te fale (here also there is said 
to be water). 
The names here given will, to those acquainted with Gibert Island, 
Tongan, Samoan, and Liarotongan dialects, furnish instances of the 
influence of all these dialects in the nomenclature of the group. 
These names, the appearance of the people, and their traditions point 
to Samoa as the principal source of their origin. 
A full and explicit account is given here of a Tongan invasion. 
Unfortunately I could get no clue as to the probable date of that 
invasion and the war which ensued. Two large war canoes were 
sighted, and with one of them, the warrior of Nukufetau, named 
* The name refers to an unfortunate incident in connection with their first contact 
with the white man and their first knowledge of the deadly firearms of the foreigner. 
A vessel called at the mouth of the lagoon, and the natives were allowed on board. On 
leaving one of them stole a bucket. The canoe containing the thief was pursued, and, 
to the astonishment and dismay of the company, the man in pursuit was able to 
produce lightning and thunder and to inflict death. 
