Wanderings among South sea savages and in Borneo and the Philippines

Front matter

tin'

PRINCETON, N. J.

Division

Preface

Iisr a book of this kind it is often the custom to begin by making apologies. In my case I feel it to be a sheer necessity. In the first place what is here printed is for the greater part copied word for word from private letters that I wrote in very simple language in Dayak or Negrito huts, or in the lonely depths of tropical forests, in the far-off islands of the Southern Seas. I purposely made my letters home as concise as possible, so that they could be easily read, and in consequence have left out much that might have been interesting. It is almost unnecessary to mention that when I wrote these letters I had no thought whatever of writing a book. If I had thought of doing so, I might have mentioned more about the customs, ornaments and weapons of the natives and have written about several other subjects in greater detail. As it is, a cursory glance will show that this book has not the slightest pretence of being “scientific.” Far from its being so, I have simply related a few of the more interesting incidents, such as would give a general impression of life among savages, during my wanderings in many parts of the world, extending over nearly a score of years. I should

VI PREFACE

like to have written more about my wanderings in North Borneo, as well as in Samoa and Celebes and various other countries, but the size of the book precludes this. My excuse for publishing this book is that certain of my relatives have begged me to do so. Though I was for the greater part of the time adding to my own collections of birds and butterflies, I have refrained as much as possible from writing on these subjects for fear that they might prove tedious to the general reader. I have also touched but lightly on the general customs of the people, as this book is not for the naturalist or ethnologist, nor have I made any special study of the languages concerned, but have simply jotted down the native words here used exactly as I heard them. As regards the photographs, some of them were taken by myself while others were given me by friends whom I cannot now trace. In a few cases I have no note from whom they were got, though I feel sure they were not from anyone who would object to their publication. In particular, I may mention Messrs. G. R. Lambert, Singapore ; John Waters, Suva, Fiji ; Kerry & Co., Sydney; and G. O. Manning, New Guinea. To these and all others who have helped me I now tender my heartiest thanks. I have met with so much help and kindness during my wanderings from Government officials and others that if I were here to mention all, the list would be a large one. I shall therefore have to be content with only mentioning

PREFACE

VII the principal names of those in the countries I have here written about.

In Fiji: — Messrs. Sutherland, John Waters, and McOwan.

In New Guinea : — Sir Francis Winter, Mr. C. A. W. Monckton, R.M., The Hon. A. Musgrave, Capt. Barton, Mr. Guy O. Manning, and Dr. Vaughan.

In the Philippines : — Governor Taft now President of the United States, and Mr. G. d’E. Browne.

In British North Borneo : — Messrs. H. Walker, Richardson, Paul Brietag, F. Durege, J. H. Molyneux, and Dr. Davies.

In Sarawak : — H.H. The Rajah, Sir Charles Brooke, Sir Percy Cunninghame, Dr. Hose, Archdeacon Sharpe, Mr. R. Shelford, and the officials of The Borneo Company, Ltd.

To all of these and many others in other countries I take this opportunity of publicly tendering my cordial thanks for their unfailing kindness and hospitality to a wanderer in strange lands.

H. Wilfrid Walker.

Chapter I. Life In The Home Of A Fuian Prince

Journey to Taviuni — Samoan Songs — Whistling for the Wind — Landing on Koro — Nabuna — Samoans and Fijians Compared — Fijian Dances and Angona Drinking — A Hurricane in the Southern Seas — Arrival at Taviuni — First Impressions of Ratu Lala’s Establishment— Character of Ratu Lala — Prohibition of Cricket — Ratu Lala Offended — The Prince’s Musical Box --------- - 3

Chapter II. My Further Adventures With Ratu Lala

Fijian Huts — Abundance of Game and Fish — Methods of Capture —

A Fijian Practical Joke — Fijian Feasts — Fun after Dinner — A Court Jester in Fiji — Drinking, Dress, and Methods of Mourning — A Bride’s Ringlets — Expedition to Vuna—1 Tersi and Moe Journey to School —

Their Love of Sweets — Rough Reception of Visitors to Vuna — Wonderful Fish Caught — Exhibition of Surf -board Swimming by Women — Impressive Midnight Row back to Taviuni — A Fijian Farewell - ----------17

CHAPTER IH.

AMONG EX-CANNIBALS IN FIJI.

Journey into the Interior of Great Fiji — A Guide Secured — The Start — Arrival at Navua — Extraction of Sago — Grandeur of Scenery — A Man covered with Monkey-like Hair — A Strangely Coloured Parrot — Wild Lemon and Shaddock Trees — A Tropical “ Yosemite Valley ” — Hand-clapping as a Native Form of Salute — Beauty of Namosi — The Visitor inspected by ex-Cannibals — Reversion to Cannibalism only prevented by fear of the Government — A Man who would like to Eat the Parrot “ and the White Man too ” — The Scene of former Cannibal Feasts — Revolting Accounts of Cannibalism as formerly Practised — Sporadic Cases in Recent Years — An instance of Unconscious Cannibalism by a White — Reception at Villages en route— Masirewa Upset — Descent of Rapids — Dramatic Arrival at Natondre (“ Fallen from the Skies ”) - 37

X

Chapter IV. “mock War-scene” At The Chief’s House

War Ceremonies and Dances at Natondre Described — The Great Chief of Nambukaluku — The Dances continued — A Fijian Feast — A Native Orator — The Ceremonies concluded — The Journey continued — A Wonderful Fungus — The bark of the rare Golden Dove leads to its Capture- Return to more Civilised Parts — The Author as Guest of a high Fijian Prince and Princess — A souvenir of Seddon — Arrival at Suva - - 51

Chapter V. At Home Among Filipinos And Negritos

Arrival at Florida Blanca — The Schoolmaster’s House kept by Pupils in their Master’s Absence — Everyday Scenes at Florida Blanca— A Filipino Sunday — A Visit to the Cock-fighting Ring — A Strange Church Clock and Chimes — Pugnacious Scene at a Funeral — Strained Relations between Filipinos and Americans — My new Servant— Victoriano, an Ex-Officer of Aguinaldo’s Army, and his Six Wives — I start for the Mountains — “ Free and easy ” Progress of my Buffalo-cart— Ascent into the Mountains — Arrival at my future Abode — Description of my Hut and Food — Our Botanical Surroundings — Meetings with the Negritos — Friendliness and Mirth of the Little People — Negritos may properly be called Pigmies— Their Appearance, Dress, Ornaments and Weapons — An Ingenious Pig-arrow — Extraordinary Fish-traps— Their rude Barbaric Chanting — Their Chief and His House— Cure of a Malarial Fever and its embarrassing Results— “ Agriculture in the Tropics” — A Hairbreath Escape— Filipino Blowpipes — A Pigmy Hawk in Pigmyland — The Elusive Pitta — Names of the Birds — A Moth as Scent Producer— Flying Lizards and other kinds — A “ Tigre ” Scare by night —Enforced Seclusion of Female Hornbill ..... 65

Chapter VI. A Chapter Of Accidents

A Severe Bout of Malaria in the Wilds — The “ Seamy Side ” of Exploration— Unfortunate Shooting of the Chief’s Dog — Filipino Credulity —

Stories of the Buquils and their Bearded Women — Expedition Planned — Succession of contretemps — Start for the Buquil Country— Scenes on the Way — A Negrito Mother’s Method of Giving Drink to Her Baby- Exhausting Marches Amid Striking Scenery — The Worst Over — A Bolt from the Blue — Negritos in a Fury —Violent Scenes at a Negrito Council of War— They Decide on Reprisals— Further Progress Barred in Consequence-Return to Florida Blanca ------- 87

CONTENTS.

xi

Chapter VII. On The War Trail In Cannibal Papua

Expedition against the Doboduras - We hear reports about a Web-footed Tribe — Landing at the Mouth of the Musa River — A Good Bag —

Barigi River Reached — A Flight of Torres Straits Pigeons —A Tropical Night Scene — Brilliant Hues of Tropical Fish — Arrival of Supplies — Prospects of a Stiff Fight — Landing of the Force — Pigs Shot to Prevent them from being Cooked Alive— Novelty of Firearms— A Red Sunrise- Beauty of the Forest — Enemies’ War Cry First Heard —Rushing a Village —Revolting Relics of Cannibal Feast— Doboduras eat their Enemies Alive Method of Extracting the Brains— Extensive Looting —

Firing at the Enemies’ Scouts— An Exciting Chase— When in Doubt Turn to the Right — Another Village Rushed — Skirmishes with the Enemy — Relics of Cannibalism general in the Villages — Camp Formed at the Largest Village — Capture of Prisoners— An “ Object Lesson ” — Carriers ask leave to Eat one of the Slain — Arigita’s Opinion — Cannibal Surroundings at our Supper — Expectation of a Night Attack 107

Chapter VIII. We Are Attacked By Night

A Night Attack — A Little Mistake — Horrible Barbarities of the Doboduras — Eating a Man Alive -A Sinister Warning — Saved by Rain — Daylight at Last — “Prudence the Better Part” — The Return — Welcome by the Notus — “ Orakaiba ” ------ 127

Chapter IX. On The War-trail Once More

Further Expedition Planned — Thank-offerings of Notu Chiefs — The Voyage — A Gigantic Flatfish— Negotiating a Difficult Bar — Most Unhealthy Spot in New Guinea — Hostility of Natives — Precautions at Night — Catching Ground Sharks and a “Groper” — Shark-flesh a Delicacy to the Natives — Wakened by a War Cry — A False Alarm — A Hairbreath Escape — Between “Devil and Deep Sea” — Dangers of the Goldfield — Two Miners Eaten Alive -Unexpected Visit from a White Man — “Where’s that Razor ”?— Crime of Cutting Down a Coconut Tree —Walsh’s Camp — Torres Straits Pigeons— My Boy an ex-Cannibal — A Probable Trap— Relapse into Cannibalism of our Own Allies— Narrow Escape from a New Guinea Mantrap — Attack on a Village— Second Visit to Dobodura — Toku’s Exploit — Interview with our Prisoners — Reasons for Cannibalism— The Night Attack on our Camp and Enemies’ Fear of our Rifles described by our Prisoners — Bravery of one of our Carriers — Treatment of a Prisoner -

CONTENTS.

xii

Chapter X. The Ret Dun From Dobodura

Horrible Fate of one of our Enemies — Collecting in Cannibal-haunted Forest — I Shoot a new Kingfisher, and a Bird of Paradise — Natives’ Interest in Bird-Stuffing — Return Journey begun — Tree-house in a Notu Village — Peacemaking Ceremonies — Notu Village described — Our Allies Sentenced for Cannibalism — Parting with Walsh and Clark - 153

Chapter XI. Ottr Discovery Of Flat-footed Lake Dwellers

Rumours at Cape Nelson of a “ Duck-footed ” People in the Interior — Conflicting Opinions — Views of a Confirmed Sceptic — Start of the Expedition — Magnificence of the Vegetation — Friendliness of the Barugas — -The “ Orakaibas ” (Cryers of “Peace”) — Tree-huts eighty feet from the ground — Loveliness of this part of the Jungle — Description of its Plants — A Dry Season — First Glimpse of Agai Ambu Huts — Remarkable Scene on the Lake — Flight of the Agai Ambu in Canoes — Success at Last — A Voluntary Surrender — The Agai Ambu Flat-footed, not Web-footed — Sir Francis Winter’s subsequent Visit and fuller Description of these People — Their Physical Appearance, Houses, Canoes, Food, Speech and Customs — My Account Resumed — Making Friends with the Agai Ambu — A Country of Swamps — Second Agai Ambu Village — Extraordinary Abundance and Variety of Water-fowl — Strange Behaviour of an Agai Ambu Woman — Disposal of the Dead in Mid-lake — Food of the Agai Ambu — Their Method of Catching Ducks by Diving for them — An Odd Experience — Mosquitos and Fever — Last View of Agai Ambu — An Amusing Finale - - - 163

Chapter XII. On The War-path In Borneo

The “ Orang-utan ” and the “ Man of the Jungle ” — Voyage to Sarawak — The Borneo Company, Limited — Kuching : a Picturesque Capital — Independence of Sarawak — I meet the Rajah and the Chief Officials — Etiquette of the Sarawak Court — The “ Club ” — The “ Rangers ” of Sarawak and their Trophies — Execution by means of the Long Kris — Degeneracy of the Land Dayaks — Ascent of the Rejang River — Mud Banks and Crocodiles — Dr. Hose at his Sarawak Home — The Fort at Sibu — Enormous length of Dayak Canoes — A Brush with Head-Hunters —

Dayak Vengeance on Chinamen — First Impressions of the Sea Dayak,

“ picturesque and interesting ” — A Head-hunting Raid, Dayaks attack the Punans — I accompany the Punitive Expedition — Voyage up stream — A Clever “ Bird-scare ” — Houses on the top of Tree-stumps — The Kelamantans — Kanawit Village — The Fort at Kapit — Capture of a notorious Head-hunting Chief — I inspect the “ Heads ” of the Victims — Cause of Head-hunting — Savage Revenge of a Dayak Lover and its Sequel — Hose’s stern Ultimatum — Accepted by the Head-hunters — I return to Sibu — A Fatal Misconception ... -

CONTENTS.

xiii

Chapter XIII. Home-life Among Head-hunting D Ayahs

I leave the Main Stream and Journey up the Sarekei — A Stream overarched by Vegetation — House 200 feet long— I make friends with the Chief— My new Quarters— Rarity of White Men -Friendliness of my New Hosts — Embarrassing Request from a Lady, “ like see your skin” — Similar Experience of Wallace— Crowds to see me Undress — Dayak’s Interest in Illustrated Papers — Waist-rings of Dayak Women — Teeth filled with brass — Noisiness of a Dayak House— Dayak Dogs —

A well-meant Blow and its Sequel— Uproarious Amusement of the Dayaks — Dayak Fruit-Trees — The Durian as King of all Fruits —

Dayak “Bridges” across the Swamp — Dances of the Head-hunters —

A secret “ Fishing” Expedition — A Spear sent by way of defiance to the Government — I “score” off the Pig-hunters — Dayak Diseases —

Dayak Women and Girls — Two “ Broken Hearts ” — I Raffle my Tins — “Cookie” and the Head-hunters, their Jokes and Quarrels — My Adventure with a Crocodile - 205

Chapter XIV. Visit To The Bihds’-nest Caves Of Gomanton

My stay in British North Borneo — Visit to a Tobacco Estate (Batu Puteh) — Start for the Birds’-nest Caves — News of the Local Chief’s Death — Applicants for the Panglima-ship — We Visit the late Chief’s House — Widows in White — The Hadji “ who longed to be King ” — Extraordinary Grove of Banyan-trees — Pigs, Crocodiles and Monkeys — Astonishing Swimming Performance of a Monkey — Water Birds Feeding on the Carcass of a Stag — The Hadji and his Men pray at a Native Grave-shrine — An Elephant charges past us — Arrival at the Caves — The Entrance — A Cave of Enormous Height, description of the Interior — Return to the Village —Visit to the Upper Caves — Beautiful Climbing Plants — We reach the Largest Cave of all: its Extreme Grandeur — “ White ” Nests and “ Black ” Nests secured —Distinctions between the two kinds of Swallows by whom the Nests are made — Millions of Small Bats : an Astonishing Sight — Methods of Securing the Nests described — Perilous Climbing Feats — Report of numerous Large Snakes — Cave-coffins, and their (traditional) rich contents — Dangers of the Descent — All’s well that ends well - -- -- -- --

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

FACING

PAGE

Frontispiece — Belles of Papua.

A Chief’s Daughter and a Daughter of the People - 6

A “ Meke-Meke,” or Fijian Girls’ Dance - - - 11

Interior of a large Fijian Hut - - - - - 17

A Fijian Mountaineer’s House 19

At the Door of a Fijian House ----- 23

A Fijian Girl - -- -- -- - 26

Spearing Fish in Fiji 30

A Fijian Fisher Girl 32

A Posed Picture of an old-time Cannibal Feast in Fiji 37

Making Fire by Wood Friction 44

An Old ex- Cannibal 46

A Fijian War-Dance ------ - 50

Adi Cakobau (pronounced “ Andi Thakombau”), the

highest Princess in Fiji, at her house at Navuso 61

A Filipino Dwelling ------ - 67

A Village Street in the Philippines - 69

A River Scene in the Philippines - - - - 71

A Negrito Family - -- -- -- 74

Negrito Girls (showing Shaved Head at back) - - 76

A Negrito Shooting ------ - 78

Tree Climbing by Negritos ----- 99

A Negrito Dance ------- 101

Arigita and his Wife ------- 108

Three Cape Nelson Kaili-Kailis in War Attire - - 110

Kaili-Kaili House on the edge of a Precipice - - 113

A Ghastly Relic - - - - - - - 118

XVI

ILLUSTRATIONS

FACING

PAGE

Cannibal Trophies 120

A Woman and her Baby 123

A Papuan Girl - - - 124

The Author with Kaili-Kaili Followers - - - 131

Wives of Native Armed Police - - - - - 133

A Papuan Damsel 140

Busimaiwa, the great Mambare Chief, with his Wife

and Son ( in the Police ) - - - - 142

A Haunt of the Bird of Paradise - - - - 151

The Author starting on an Expedition - - - 154

A New Guinea River Scene ----- 165

Papuan Tree-Houses ------ 167

A Village of the Agai Ambu 170

H. W. Walker, L. Dyke-Acland, and C. A. W.

Monckton 172

View of Kuching from the Rajah’s Garden - - 190

Dayaks and Canoes - - - - - - - 193

Dayak in War-Coat ----- - 194

Dayak Women and Children on the Platform outside

a long House - 208-

Day aks Catching Fish - - - - - - 213

A Dayak Woman with Mourning Ornaments round

On a Tobacco Estate - - - - - - 225

On a Bornean River ------- 228

LIFE IN THE HOME OF A FIJIAN PRINCE.

Chapter I. Life In The Home Of A Fijian Prince

Journey to Taviuni — Samoan Songs — Whistling for the Wind — Landing on Koro — Nabuna — Samoans and Fijians Compared — Fijian Dances and Angona Drinking — A Hurricane in the Southern Seas — Arrival at Taviuni — First Impressions of Ratu Lala’s Establishment— Character of Ratu Lala — Prohibition of Cricket — Ratu Lala Offended — The Prince’s Musical Box.

Among all my wanderings in Fiji I think I may safely say that my two months’ stay with Ratu (Prince) Lala, on the island of Taviuni, ranks highest both for interest and enjoyment. As I look back on my life with this great Fijian prince and his people, it all somehow seems unreal and an existence far apart from the commonplace life of civilization. When I was in Suva (the capital) the colonial secretary gave me a letter of introduction to Ratu Lala, and so one morning I sailed from Suva on an Australian steamer, taking with me my jungle outfit and a case of whisky, the latter a present for the Prince, — and a more acceptable present one could not have given him.

After a smooth passage we arrived the same evening at Levuka, on the island of Ovalau. After a stay of a day here, I sailed in a small schooner which carried copra from several of the outlying islands to Levuka. Her name was the Lurline , and her captain was a Samoan, whilst his crew was made up of two Samoans and four Fijians. The captain seemed to enjoy yelling at his men in the Fijian language, with a strong flavouring of English “ swear words,” and spoke about the Fijians in terms of utter contempt,

calling them “ d d cannibals.” The cabin was

a small one with only two bunks, and swarmed with green beetles and cockroaches. Our meals were all taken together on deck, and consisted of yams, ship’s biscuit and salt junk.

We had a grand breeze to start with, but toward evening it died down and we lay becalmed. All hands being idle, the Samoans spent the time in singing the catchy songs of Samoa, most of which I was familiar with from my long stay in those islands, and their delight was great when I joined in. About midnight a large whale floated calmly alongside, not forty yards from our little schooner, and we trembled to think what would happen if it was at all inclined to be playful. We whistled all the next day for a breeze, but our efforts were not a success until toward evening, when we were rewarded in a very liberal manner, and arrived after dark at the village of Cawa Lailai,* on the island of Koro. On our landing quite a crowd of wild-looking men and women, all clad only in sulus, met us on the beach. Although it is a large island, there is only one white man on it, and he far away from here, so no doubt I was an interesting

* C is pronounced as Th. : e.g., “ Cawa ” = “ Thawa.”

JOURNEY TO TAVIUNI object. I put up at the hut of the “ Buli ” or village chief, and after eating a dish of smoking yams, I was soon asleep, in spite of the mosquitoes. It dawned a lovely morning and I was soon afoot to view my surroundings. It was a beautiful village, surrounded by pretty woods on all sides, and I saw and heard plenty of noisy crimson and green parrots everywhere. I also learnt that a few days previously there had been a wholesale marriage ceremony, when nearly all the young men and women had been joined in matrimony.

Taking a guide with me, I walked across the island till I came to the village of Nabuna,* on the other coast, the Lurline meanwhile sailing around the island. It was a hard walk, up steep hills and down narrow gorges, and then latterly along the coast beneath the shade of the coconuts. Fijian bridges are bad things to cross, being long trunks of trees smoothed off on the surface and sometimes very narrow, and I generally had to negotiate them by sitting astride and working myself along with my hands. In the village of Nabuna lived the wife and four daughters of the Samoan captain. He told me he had had five wives before, and when I asked if they were all dead, he replied that they were still alive, but he had got rid of them as they were no good.

The daughters were all very pretty girls, especially the youngest, a little girl of nine years

* Nabuna, pron. Nambuna.

old. I always think that the little Samoan girls, with their long wavy black hair, are among the prettiest children in the world.

We had an excellent supper of native oysters, freshwater prawns and eels, fish, chicken, and many other native dishes. That evening a big Fijian dance (“ meke-meke ”), was given in my honour. Two of the captain’s daughters took part in it. The girls sit down all the time in a row, and wave their hands and arms about and sing in a low key and in frightful discord. It does not in any way come up to the very pretty “ siva-siva ” dancing of the Samoans, and the Fiji dance lacks variety. There is a continual accompaniment of beating with sticks on a piece of wood. All the girls decorate themselves with coloured leaves, and their bodies, arms and legs glisten as in Samoa with coconut-oil, really a very clean custom in these hot countries, though it does not look prepossessing. Our two Samoans in the crew were most amusing; they came in dressed up only in leaves, and took off the Fijians to perfection with the addition of numerous extravagant gestures. I laughed till my sides ached, but the Fijians never even smiled. However, our Samoans gave them a bit of Samoan “ siva-siva ” and plenty of Samoan songs, and it was amusing to see the interest the Fijians took in them. It was, of course, all new to them. I drank plenty of “ angona ” that evening. It is a chief’s daughter. a daughter of the people.

The Fiji chiefs often intermarry with Tongans, hence their difference of type from that of the common people.

A SOUTH SEA HURRICANE offered you in a different way in Samoa. In Fiji, the man or girl, who hands you the coconutshell cup on bended knee, crouches at your feet till you have finished. In Fijian villages a sort of crier or herald goes round the houses every night crying the orders for the next day in a loud resonant voice, and at once all talking ceases in the hut outside which he happens to be.

The next two days it blew a regular hurricane, and the captain dared not venture out to sea, our schooner lying safely at anchor inside the coral reef. I have not space to describe my stay here, but it proved most enjoyable, and the captain’s pretty Samoan daughters gave several “ meke-mekes ” (Fijian dances) in my honour, and plenty of “ angona ” was indulged in, and what with feasts, native games and first-class fishing inside the coral reef, the time passed all too quickly. I called on the “ Buli ” or village chief, with the captain. He was a boy of fifteen, and seemed a very bashful youth.

We sailed again about five a.m. on the third morning, as the storm seemed to be dying down and the captain was anxious to get on. We had not gone far, however, before the gale increased in fury until it turned into a regular hurricane. First our foresheet was carried away ; this was followed by our staysail, and things began to look serious, in fact, most unpleasantly so. The captain almost seemed to lose his head, and cursed loud and long. He declared that he had been a fool to put out to sea before the storm had gone down, and the Lurline, being an old boat, could not possibly last in such a storm, and added that we should all be drowned. This was not pleasant news, and as the cabin was already half-full of water, and we expected each moment to be our last, I remained on deck for ten weary hours, clinging like grim death to the ropes, while heavy seas dashed over me, raking the little schooner fore and aft.

Toward evening, however, the wind subsided considerably, which enabled us to get into the calm waters of the Somo-somo Channel between the islands of Vanua Levu and Taviuni.

The wreckage was put to rights temporarily, the Samoans, who had previously made up their minds that they were going to be drowned, burst forth into their native Samoan songs, and we broke our long fast of twenty-four hours, as we had eaten nothing since the previous evening. It was an experience I am not likely to forget, as it was the worst storm I have ever been in, if I except the terrible typhoon of October, 1903, off Japan, when I was wrecked and treated as a Russian spy. On this occasion a large Japanese fishing fleet was entirely destroyed. I was, of course, soaked to the skin and got badly bruised, and was once all but washed overboard, one of the Fijians catching hold of me in the nick of time.

LANDING AT SOMO-SOMO 9

We cast anchor for the night, though we had only a few miles yet to go, but this short distance took us eight or nine hours next day, as this channel is nearly always calm. We had light variable breezes, and tacked repeatedly, but gained ground slowly. These waters seemed full of large turtles, and we passed them in great numbers. We overhauled a large schooner, and on hailing them, the captain, a white man, came on deck. He would hardly believe that we had been all through the storm. He said that he had escaped most of it by getting inside the coral reef round Vanua Levu, but even during the short time he had been out in the storm, he had had to throw the greater part of his cargo overboard. From the way he spoke, he had evidently been drinking, possibly trying to forget his lost cargo.

Before I left Fiji I heard that the Lurline had gone to her last berth. She was driven on to a coral reef in a bad storm off the coast of Taviuni. The captain seemed to stand in much fear of Ratu Lala. He told me many thrilling yarns about him ; said he robbed his people badly, and added that he did not think that I would get on well with him, and would soon be anxious to leave.

I landed at the large village of Somo-somo, glad to be safely on terra flrma once more. It was a pretty village, with a large mountain torrent dashing over the rocks in the middle of it. The

10 WANDERINGS AMONG SAVAGES huts were dotted about irregularly on a natural grass lawn, and large trees, clumps of bamboo, coconuts, bread-fruit trees, and bright-coloured “ crotons ” added a great deal to the picturesqueness of the village. At the back the wooded hills towered up to a height of nearly 4,000 feet, and white streaks amid the mountain woods showed where many a fine waterfall tumbled over rocky precipices.

Ratu Lala lived in a wooden house, built for him (as “ Roko ” for Taviuni), by the government, on the top of a hill overlooking the village, and thither on landing I at once made my way. I found the Prince slowly recovering from an attack of fever, and lying on a heap of mats (which formed his bed) on the floor of his own private room, which, however, greatly resembled an old curiosity shop. Everything was in great disorder, and piles of London Graphics and other papers littered the ground, and on the tables were piled indiscriminately clocks, flasks, silver cups, fishing rods, guns, musical boxes, and numerous other articles which I discovered later on were presents from high officials and other Europeans, and which he did not know what to do with. Nearly every window in the house had a pane of glass* broken, the floors were devoid of mats or carpets, and in