Viti: an account of a government mission to the Vitian or Fijian Islands in the years 1860-61. With illustrations and a map

Front matter

A MISSION TO VITI VITI: AN ACCOUNT OF A GOVERNMENT MISSION TO THE VITIAN OR FIJIAN ISLANDS IN THE YEARS 1860-61. BY BERTHOLD SEEMANN, Ph.D., F.L.S., F.R.G.S., AUTHOR OP THE NARRATIVE AND THE BOTANY OF H.M.S. HERALD, ' POPULAB HISTORY OF PALM.-*/ ETC. tTC, WLiti) Illustrations anto a |Wap. Camtrn&jge : MACMILLAN & CO., AND 23, HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON. 1862. The right of tramlutwn w reserved by the Author. JOnN EDWARO TAYLOR, PRINTER, LITTLE QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS. TO SIR RODERICK IMPEY MURCHISON, D.C.L., LL.D., F.E.S., dibectoe of the geological suevet, etc., etc., etc., WHOSE PBE-EMINENCE IN SCIENCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN COUPLED WITH A GENEEOUS ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE LABOURS OF OTHEBS, Fiji's TOorft is IBrtiuateo WITH FEELINGS OF HIGH BEGABD AND ESTEEM BY THE AUTHOR. PREFACE, In 1859 Mr. W. T. Pritchard, H.B.M. Consul in Fiji, son of the Rev. George Pritchard, formerly of Tahiti, arrived in England with a document purporting to be the cession of Fiji — or rather Viti — to the Queen of Great Britain.

The cession had been made by Cakobau (= Thakombau), the principal chief of Ban and king of the whole group, and with the consent of the leading chiefs. The importance of accepting the proffered sovereignty was insisted upon by parties capable of taking a comprehensive view of the question. The Le gislative Assembly of New South Wales, on the motion of Mr. M'Arthur, voted an address to the Queen in sup port of this proposal. Captain Towns, a patriotic citizen of Sydney, fully impressed, like many of his country men, Avith the importance of acquiring the islands, ge nerously offered a cheque for the whole Fijian debt, in order to remove at least one of the possible obstacles in the way of the cession. Nor is it any secret that the occupation of the islands has been recommended by Captains Fremantle, Denham, Erskine, and Loring, and Admirals Washington* and Sir Edward Belcher; in * See Appendix.

Preface

. VIII fact, by all naval men who knew anything about the subject. Men high in office were equally favourably in clined towards the cession. However, before coming to any definite decision, the Government determined to obtain more ample information than was at hand, and early in 1860 I was asked to join a " Mission to Viti " dispatched for that purpose. Whilst in Fiji, I was induced to write a series of letters on the country, its people, and productions, to the 'Athenæum,' which that journal did me the honour to publish, and which, whole or in part, found their way into several other home and colonial papers, were translated into German and French, and altogether obtained a circulation for which their original place of publication alone can account. On my return to Lon don I was urged to make additions to this series, and I acceded to this wish by bringing the subject before the Royal Geographical Society, and writing papers for the ' Gardeners' Chronicle ' and Galton's well-known ' Va cation Tourists and Notes of Travel.' But a good deal of matter remained still unpublished, which, together with the pith of all I have previously made known, will be found in the following pages.

In order that the public may have the means of form ing a correct judgment on the Fijian question, I have reprinted in the Appendix Colonel Smythe's Official Report, at variance as it is with all that has been written on the islands. My impression of Fiji and its inhabitants was most favourable, and I am convinced that, under judicious management, the country would

PREFACE.

. IX become a flourishing colony, — an opinion shared by almost all who have visited the group, as was again proved at a crowded meeting at the Geographical So ciety when the subject was discussed. Desirous of collecting as many productions of the country as possible, I neglected to investigate several subjects which fell not within my assigned province. It was only after the publication of Colonel Smythe's ' Re port,' that I became aware of the full importance of my neglect. For instance, it would have been very important to know how many thousand acres of land had passed out of the hands of the natives. As a great many islands and vast tracts of country have already been purchased by British subjects, statistics on these points would pro bably have materially influenced the decision of Her Majesty's Government with respect to the acceptance of the cession.

Amongst other things I brought home a comprehensive collection of plants, which, together with those already in this country, chiefly accumulated by Govern ment expeditions, furnish ample materials for a Flora of Fiji, a Flora Vitiensis. I expended a good deal of my own money in order to make these collections as complete as possible, and was in hopes that the Govern ment would see fit to assist me in publishing such a work, especially as my report on the resources and vegetable productions of the islands had been presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty, and the nature and possible value of the pro jected publication must have become evident. His

PREFACE.

. X Grace the Duke of Newcastle, ever ready to advance science, fully sharing these hopes, made an application to the Treasury to that effect, but was "very sorry to inform me that his application had been unsuccessful." Thinking what had been collected with so much ex pense, under great difficulties, and in a country only partially reclaimed from cannibalism, was also worth making known, I resolved to incur the risk of publish ing the work at my own cost. It will consist of 400 pages of letter-press (quarto), and 100 coloured plates, all representing objects hitherto unknown to science, and drawn by the skilful pencil of Mr. Fitch. The work will take about three years to bring out, and its publication will commence immediately. All the native names are spelt according to the system of orthography laid down in Hazelwood's ' Fijian Dictionary ' (London : Triibner and Co.), and wherever any deviation should be discovered, it may be regarded as a mistake of mine, unless particularly noticed.

No thing but endless confusion will be the result if every nation is allowed to write Fijian names according to its own orthography. For the illustrations of my present work I am indebted to Mrs. Smythe, Dr. Macdonald, and Captain Denham, to whom I beg to tender my best thanks, as well as to those friends who, since my de parture from Fiji, have kept me supplied with the latest intelligence from that group. Berthold Seemann. LondoD, September 30, 1862. Page CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Departure from England. — Arrival at Sydney. — Voyage to Fiji. — The 'John Wesley.' — The Pitcairners at Norfolk Island. — First Glimpse of Fiji. — Lakeba. — The Tonguese. — Visit to a Mission Station. — First Botanical Excursion. — Hints to Collectors. — Native Church. — Bark-cloth Manufacture. — Tomb of a Chief. — Missionary Life. — Departure from Lakeba ....... 1

Chapter II

Island of Taviuni. — The King of Cakaudrove. — Elephantiasis. — Kind Offer of Mr. Waterhouse and Captain Wilson. — Somosomo, its Advantages and Disadvantages. — Queen Eleanor. — Ascent of Summit of Taviuni. — A Royal Escort. — Sylvan Scene. — Arrival at the Top.— Singular Swamp of Vegetable Turtle Fat. — Dinner. — Timidity of the Natives. — Chief Golea's Return from a Military Expedition. — Polygamy. — The Kotuma-Men. — Wairiki. — Arrival of the ' Paul Jones ' 19

Chapter III

Fiji as a Cotton-growing Country. — Cotton not Indigenous but Naturalized. — Native Names. — Number of Species. — Average Produce of the Wild Cotton.- — Excellence of Fijian Cotton acknowledged at Manchester. — Efforts of British Consul and Missionaries to extend its Cultivation. — The First Thousand Pounds of Cotton sent Home. — Establishment of a Plantation at Somosomo, Wakaya, and Nukuiuoto. — Prospects of Cotton-growing in Fiji . . .48 CONTENTS. Page or

Chapter IV

Departure from Somosomo.— Island of Wakaya. — The Balolo. — Arrival at Levuka.— H.B:M. Consul.— The Late Mr. Williams.— Lado and its Origin. — Site for the New Capital. — The King of Fiji. — Bau. — Causes of its Supremacy. — Viwa . . . .58

Chapter V

The Wai Levu or Great River. — Canal Dug by Natives. — Mataisuva. — Institution for Training Native Teachers. — Sacred Groves, Trees, and Stones. — Mosquitoes. — Island of Naigani. — Mr. Eggerstrom's Kindness. — Feuds at Nadroga. — Nukubalawu. — Taguru. — Navua River 82

Chapter VI

Stay at Navua. — Chief Kuruduadua's Household. — " Harry the Jew." — A Prince as he was Born. — Massacre Prevented. — Kuruduadua's Character. — Statement of Mr. Heekes Respecting the Namuka Outrage. — Town and Bures of Navua. — Tatooing. — Return to Lado.

Chapter VII

Arrival of Colonel Smythe from New Zealand. — The ' Pegasus ' and ' Paul Jones.' — Visit to Bau. — Quarrelsome Disposition of the Chief of the Fishermen. — Cession of Fiji to England. — First Official Interview with the King ......... 120

Chapter VIII

Excursions to Koroivau and Namara. — Departure from Bau. Passage through the Great River of Viti Levu.— Buretu.— Apostate Christians. — Rewa. — Arrival at Tavuki, Kadavu. — Whale Ships. Attempt to ascend Buke Levu. — The Isthmus of Kadavu. — Ga Loa or Black Duck Bay. — Departure for N avua ..... CONTENTS. XIII Page 173

Chapter IX

Departure from Kadavu. — Arrival at Navua. — A Court of Justice. — Starting for the Interior. — The Navua River. — Its Fine Scenery. — Rapids. — A Canoe upset. — Town of Nagadi. — Hospitable Reception. — Soromato. — Kidnapping. — Family Prayers. — Heathen Temple. — A Large Snake to be Cooked. — March across the Country. — Vuniwaivutuku. — A Difficult Road. — A Purse Lost. — No Thieves. — Arrival at Namosi. — Danford's Establishment. — His Usefulness as a Pioneer 140

Chapter X

Popular Ideas Respecting the Interior of Viti Levu. — Malachite and Antimony. — Ascent of Voma Peak. — Visit to a Heathen Temple. — " Spirit Fowls." — Official Meeting with Kuruduadua and his Subjects. — A Rebellion to be Suppressed. — Presentation of Food. —"The Oldest Inhabitants."— A Court-Fool and his Tricks.— Mr. Waterhouse Preaching. — Departure of Colonel Smythe and Messrs. Pritchard and Waterhouse, for Nadroga 160

Chapter XI

Fijian Cannibalism. — The Great Cauldron.— Naulumatua and his Appetite for Human Flesh. — Bokola. — Vegetables Eaten with Cannibal Food. — The Ominous Taro. — Approximate Number of Bodies eaten at Namosi. — Ovens for Baking Dead Men. — Suspension of the Bones. — Not all Fijians Cannibals. — Efforts of the Liberal Party to Suppress Anthropophagism. — Aided by Europeans. — Real Significance of Eating Man only Partly Understood. — Concessions to Humanity. — Abolition of Cannibalism throughout Kuruduadua's Dominions ... .........

Chapter XII

Stay at Namosi Prolonged.— The Governor's Attention.— " Crown jewels."_The Clerk of the Weather.— Sorcerers.— Fijian Family Life.— Story-Tellers Popular— A Fijian Tale CONTENTS.

Chapter XIII

Page Departure from Namosi. — Vuniwaivutuku. — The " Veli." — Mode of Tatooing the Mouth. — Passing down the Navua River. — Nagadi cleared out by its Vasu. — Our Canoe Capsized. — Return to the ' Paul Jones.' — Kuruduadua's Character. — Leaving Navua. — Bega. — Mr. Storck's Illness. — Return to Kadavu. — Ascent of Buke Levu. — Reava. — Immigrants from New Zealand. — Mr. Moore's Powerful Sermon. — Arrival at Lado. — Office Drudgery . . . 202

Chapter XIV

Voyage around Vanua Levu. — Departure from Lado. — East Coast of- Viti Levu. — Nananu Island. — The Fijian Mount Olympus. — Bua. — Naicobocobo. — Nukubati. — Naduri. — Interview with the Chief. — Discontent of his Subjects. — Beche-de-mer Trade. — Mua i Udu and its Superstitions. — Na Ceva Bay. — Arrival at Waikava. — Visit to my Cotton Plantation. — Meeting at Waikava. — Departure . . 222

Chapter XV

History of the Tongamen in Fiji. — Their Physical Superiority over the Fijians. — Their Arrogance. — Captain Croker's Defeat. — Early Intercourse between Tonga and Fiji. — Increase of Tonguese Immigration. — Chief Maafu. — King George of Tonga visits Fiji. — Conquest of Kaba and Rabe. — Arrival of British Consul. — Cession of Fiji. — Maafu's Attempted Conquest. — Ritova and Bete. — Maafu's Ambition Curbed. — Peace Restored. — Ritova Installed inhisEstates. — Tonguese Intrigues Renewed. — Bete's Death. — Commodore Seymour's Visit. — Termination of the Wars between Fijians and Tongans 236

Remarks on the Fauna of Fiji. — Mammals. — Birds. — Fishes. — Reptiles. — Mollusks. — Crustacea.— Insects. — Lower Animals

Chapter XIX

Fijian Religion. — Degei, the Supreme God. — Inferior Deities. — Worship of Ancestors. — Idolized Objects. — Temples. — Creation and Ultimate Destruction of the World. — A Great Flood. — Immortality of the Soul. — Conception of Future Abode. — Props of Superstition ........... 389

Chapter XX

Historical Remarks on Fiji. — Discovery of the Islands. — Sandalwood Traders. — Early White Settlers. — Missionaries. — Foreigners at present Residing in the Group. — Departure from Fiji in the ' Staghound.' — Terrific Storm off Lord Howe's Island. — Arrival in Sydney. — Return to England. — Conclusion 404

Appendix

. I.— Report of Admiral Washington, R.N 419 II.— Report of Colonel Smythe, R.A., to Colonial Office . . .421 III.— Systematic List of all the Fijian Plants at present kDown . MttcmiUan I / ' CmnbricLg* A Lcnd/m. VITI AN ACCOUNT OF A GOVERNMENT MISSION TO THE VITIAN OR FIJIAN ISLANDS.

Chapter I. Depaetuee Feom England

AEBIVAL AT SYDNEY. — VOYAGE TO FIJI. THE ' JOHN WESLEY.' — THE PITCAIENEES AT NOEFOLK ISLAND. FIEST GLIMPSE OF FIJI. — LAKEBA. THE TONGUESE. — VISIT TO A MISSION STATION. FIEST BOTANICAL EXCUESION. — HINTS TO COLLECTORS. NA- TIVE CHUECH. — BAEK-CLOTH MANUFACTURE. — TOMB OF A CHIEF. — MIS- SIONAEY LIFE. — DEPAETUEE FEOM LAKEBA. Having left Southampton on the 12th of February, 1860, by the overland mail, and having touched at Mauritius, King George's Sound, and Melbourne, I arrived at Syd ney on the 16th of April, where I was to join Colonel Smythe, P. A., — who had gone out by the previous mail, — and proceed with him in her Majesty's ship ' Cordelia,' it was supposed, to Fiji. The first news heard was, that a war had broken out in New Zealand, in consequence of which all available naval force had been dispatched to the scene of action.

This altered our plans consider ably. Colonel Smythe, thinking that the outbreak of native discontent would be only of short duration, and R A MISSION TO VITI. that after its termination he should still be able to obtain a Government vessel for Fiji, resolved to proceed by the mail steamer to New Zealand. He came on board the ' Benares ' to communicate this resolution to me, but I, having made an attempt to find him on shore, was absent, and as his steamer left soon after the English mail had been transferred, I did not meet with him until three months afterwards. Sir William Denison, to whom I had letters from the home Government, advised me either to go to New Zealand and wait there for an opportunity, or else di rect to Fiji, in the missionary vessel ' John Wesley,' about to sail that day.

Wishing to economize my time as much as possible, I preferred the latter. In com municating with the Rev. John Eggleston, General Se cretary of the Wesleyan Mission, that gentleman kindly postponed the departure of their vessel a few days, in order to afford me time for making the necessary preparations for future explorations. He supplied me be sides with letters of introduction to residents in the Fijian islands, books, and a list of articles used as barter, all of which proved highly acceptable. In reply to Sir William Denison's asking for a passage for me and my assistant, Mr. Jacob Storck, Mr. Eggleston cheerfully granted a free passage to both of us, at the same time reminding the Governor-General that the Wesleyans as a body felt under obligations to the Government for so frequently allowing their vessels to assist their mis sionaries in the Pacific Ocean, rendering them timely aid, and supplying them with medicines, and bringing them home when ill.

With the assistance of Mr. Charles Tlrawn by D Macdonald . Vincent Brook s.lith RATU VAKARURU.A CHIEF OF V I T I LEVU. FELLOW-VOYAGERS. Moore, Director of the Botanic Gardens at Sydney, I was enabled to complete all my arrangements without loss of time. When embarking, I had accumulated a whole cart-load of luggage, containing none save the most necessary things, and surveyed by me with a heavy heart when thinking of the difficulty of transporting them from island to island. None save those who have experienced it, can have any conception of travelling in countries where no money is current, and all is paid for in kind. How easy is moving about when one can carry a whole year's travelling expenses in the waistcoat pocket ! But think of people never doing a thing for you unless you have counted out, or measured off, the requisite number or amount of your stock in trade.

All being ready and the wind fair, I left Sydney Har bour on Friday, April 20, 1860, on board the ' John Wesley,' Captain Birkenshaw. There were, in all, six passengers, — Captain Wilson, from Sydney, about to look after his cocoa-nut oil establishment at Somosomo ; Mr. and Mrs. Harrison, a missionary and his wife, for Fiji ; Mr. Storck and myself, and a Fijian native teacher, who had come to Sydney with the view of proceeding to England, but who, after reaching New South Wales, had become so home-sick, that he was obliged to return to his native country. Though having been only a few thousand miles, he would be regarded as a mighty tra veller on his return, and doubtless looked upon himself as such. For, as the Italian would wish " to see Naples, and die," or the Spaniard declares that — " El que no ha vista Sevilla No ha vista maravilla " — B so the South-Sea Islanders would say, " Let me behold Sydney, and go home again."

No one should speak ill of the bridge that carries him over, or look a gift-horse in the mouth ; but I have been so frequently asked about the ' John Wesley,' that I may be exculpated Avhen saying a few words about the vessel as she appeared to me. The ' John Wesley' was launched in 1846, having been built by Messrs. White and Sons, of Cowes, and being paid for by charitable contributions. I have read high eulogiums on her, but anybody who has sailed in her will not be inclined to endorse them. It has never been my misfortune to be on board a vessel behaving worse than she did. She is about thirty feet too short, and never easy, let the wind be ever so favourable and the sea as smooth as a pond. In a slight gale the pitching is awful, and the rolling terrific. We were often watching and won dering what would be her next move after all these had been going on for awhile, when perhaps she would shake her rudder so violently that one almost feared it must come out.

In consequence of her constant un easiness, the wear and tear in ropes and spars is con siderable, and the annual expenditure must be much greater than might be expected from a vessel of her size. Nearly every morning there was something gone, and we used to chaff the captain about the superior be haviour of his craft ; but he, like a true sailor, would defend her through thick and thin. In rough weather she had, besides, the bad quality of leaking ; and, as some of the cocoa-nut oil carried in her on a former occasion had oozed out of the tanks and casks and THE 'JOHN WESLEY.' 5 become rancid, the stench was quite overpowering. It requires a peculiar constitution not to become sea sick on board, and this is perhaps the most serious in convenience that the missionaries and thenfamilies suffer when going backwards and forwards in her to the Colonies, or from island to island.

When we left Syd ney Harbour, I observed several of our men in unfurl ing sails, sea-sick, a sight I never before beheld ; and Mr. and Mrs. Harrison were ill during nearly the whole passage. Nor is she, with all these drawbacks, a fast or a good sailer. We were twenty-three days from Sydney to Fiji, a distance of 1,735 miles, and I believe that may be considered a fair average passage. The crew was an extremely mongrel set. There were men of all colours, countries, and religions : black Africans, copper-coloured Chilians, and white Englishmen ; Heathens, Mahome tans, Roman Catholics, and Protestants. I expressed my surprise that in a vessel belonging to a religious society there should be so mixed a ship's company ; but the Captain thought it rather an advantage than other wise, offering, as it did, a field for missionary labours during the voyage.

Indeed, when not suffering from sea-sickness, Mr. Harrison made some attempts in that direction. We endeavoured to make Norfolk Island, but could not fetch it within about one hundred miles. I should have liked to look at that charming spot, which, no longer a convict station, as in days of yore, has lately been given by the Government to the Pitcairners, — those much-petted descendants of 'Bounty' mutineers and Ta hitian women, — because their own little island began to be too small for the growing community. The Pit cairners landed on the 8th of June, 1856, from the ' Morayshire,' a vessel belonging to Mr. Dunbar, of Lon don, commanded by Mr. Joseph Mathers, and under the agency of Acting-Lieutenant G. W. Gregorie, of her Majesty's ship 'Juno.' They numbered in all 194 souls, one of whom died soon after landing ; the rest comprising 40 men, 47 women, 54 boys, and 52 girls.

Almost an entire week was employed in disembarking all the seventy years' gathering of chattels, including almost every moveable article, even to the " gun " and " anvil " of the ' Bounty.' On landing they were greeted individually by the commissariat officer and Captain Denham, of her Majesty's ship ' Herald,' who hapj)ened to be there, and then conducted to thencom fortably-prepared quarters, until they should be able to make their own selection from the commodious dwell ings erected for them. Dr. Macdonald instructed the islanders essentially in the resources of the ample dis pensary at their use, whilst the artificers of the ' Herald ' imparted to them the uses of a variety of tools and implements, comprising the Mind and water mills ; in deed, everything was done to make them comfortable.

The first provident step for future provision was taken by planting their favourite sweet-potato, and, pending harvest time, which they gave six months to come about, the ' Herald ' left the newly-transferred community pro vided with 45,000 lbs. of biscuit, flour, maize, and rice, with groceries in proportion, and abundance of milk at their hands; whilst their live stock consisted of 1300 sheep, 430 cattle, 22 horses, 10 swine in sties, 16 do- THE PITCA1RN ISLANDERS. 7 mestic fowls, and a quantity of wild pigs and fowls. Even 16,000 lbs. of hay and 5000 of straw were left them ; and, lest thenfirst crop should be late or fall short, a list of additional supplies was sent to the Go vernor-General.* According to all accounts the Pit cairners do not display themselves to advantage in their new home, and most visitors are anything but pleased with them.

As might have been expected, the nume rous presents given and sent to them have had a bad effect, making them accomplished beggars, who state their case in such a way as will most readily induce the hearer to give them some present or influence others to do so. They are besides said to be an indolent set, who, rather than fetch fuel from the woods, will burn the floors, doors, and window-frames of the fine buildings erected by the convicts, and generously placed by Go vernment at their disposal. If report be true, Sir Wil liam DenisOn, on his visit to the island, gave them a severe and well-deserved lecture on this head. Several of them are said to have already returned to Pitcairn Island, where they seem to have felt more comfortable, though cramped for space, and a few are said to have embarked in whaling operations.

Let us hope that the whole community, about which so much truth and fic tion has been written, may gradually be led to habits of industry, and learn to rely more uponits own resources than the charitable contributions of others. On the 10th of May we got the trade wind, and on Saturday the 12th, about eight o'clock in the morning, caught the first glimpse of Fiji. We had left Sydney * See Captain Denham in ' Hydrographic Notice,' n. 5. on the 20th of April, and had thus been twenty-three days on the passage, four of which we had strong gales and were compelled to heave to. We bantered the Captain a good deal about the long passage, and as cribed it all to his having left on a Friday, at the same time accumulating instances where departures on that unlucky day had been followed by as disastrous consequences as when thirteen sit down to table.

But he thought it high time that such vestiges of superstition should be rooted up, and said there was no more in them than in the Flying Dutchman. On the following day we were off Lakeba (Lakemba). It being Sunday, Captain Birkenshaw would not give offence by sending a boat on shore on the Sabbath. I suggested that we might all go to church as soon as landed, but he maintained that it was as much as his place was worth to entertain such an idea ; so we had the mortification of stopping another day on board, and sail backwards and forwards between the islands of Lakeba and Olorua. I enjoyed much the fine sight that thus was offered. The sky was clear and bright, and a number of little islands and islets were rising from the blue sea, the waves breaking on their rocky shores, or forming curly crests on the long reefs that encircle many of them.

They were all more or less elevated, and covered with vegetation, here with patches of grass or brake and other hard-leaved ferns, there with brushwood or larger trees; the presence of countless screw-pines and iron wood (Casuarina) trees imparting to them their peculiar Polynesian character. Well may it be said, that the graceful waving iron-wood bears on its very face the LANDING AT LAKEBA. 9 proof of its being at home in a country and in situations continually agitated by the trade winds. Any other tree would become stunted and unsightly under such circumstances, whilst the iron-wood is rendered only more graceful by them. The next morning we endeavoured to effect a landing, no easy task, as the sea was running rather high, and we had to search amidst a heavy surf for a channel through the reef encircling Lakeba, and on which Colonel Smythe's vessel, the ' Pegasus,' struck, when paying a visit a few months afterwards.

I have often admired the grandeur of the South Sea reef, when the water breaks with all its force on that mighty fabric of coral and volcanic rock ; and wondered why such a grand sight has not as yet been immortalized by some great painter in search of a fitting subject for his brush. It is cer tainly overpowering to sit down before Niagara, and watch the mighty masses of water steadily pouring into a gigantic basin. Impossible, one thinks, that such tuns and tuns can be discharged without the supply becom ing exhausted. Nevertheless there is no abatement. As the sun rises it shines upon the foaming mass, and its last rays kiss the same spectacle. Like eternity, it is endless ; and our thoughts, taken captive as we gaze and gaze on the massive volumes, are wandering towards those realms whence no traveller has returned.

The sight of a great South Sea reef is something equally grand, but produces a rather different effect. Besides being influenced by wind and tides, the surf assumes almost every moment a different aspect. Now it is little more than a long line of silent ripples, now it is lashed into wild spray to great height, speaking in hollow roars, and showing a variety of tints which the pen must ever de spair of depicting. So far from becoming absorbed in thought at such a sight, as at the monotonous grandeur of Niagara, one longs to stir, to push on, to become active like the never-resting element. Though we got a good wetting, and might have been swamped had it not been for the skilful steering of our mate, we landed in safety. As soon as the boat was near shore fifty or sixty natives plunged into the water to carry us on thenbacks to the beach, when we shook hands with Mr. Fletcher, one of the Wesleyan missionaries stationed here.

The natives were nearly all fine strapping fellows, some of them quite six feet high, and all Fijian, with the exception of a couple of Tonguese or Tonga men, inhabitants of a neighbouring group of islands. One of the latter was Charles, the son of the Tonguese chief, Maafu, a mighty man in Polynesian annals, and the source of much trouble, both in Tonga and Fiji. When most people read of " natives " they imagine them to be types of unsightliness, if not down right ugliness ; of many races, not Caucasian, that may in some measure be true, but whoever goes to the South Seas will have reason to change his opinion en tirely. Some of these islanders are really very hand some, both in figure and face ; and all entitled to pro nounce an opinion on the subject have agreed that there are few spots in the world where one sees so many hand some people together as in Tonga.