Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 14, 1903.djvu/277

 The Natives of New Caledonia. 251

Ah, Ah, Ah, Wialatha, daughter of Chichim, the chief upon the rocks, the

darling of Wahalingen. Then it was that I was weeping on the top of the hill : "Ah, that she would hear me. Ah, I wish she would listen to me, The daughter of Chichim on the top of the rocks."

Choms : " Ah, Ah, Ah, Wialatha, Ah, Ah, Ah, Wialatha."

" This is I, Wahalingen, son of Hiniatee,

She has glanced back after me often, often, many times ;

"Ah, Ah, Ah, Wialatha, Wialatha."

" I don't want to be your wife." Ah, Ah, Ah, Wialatha ! " Booseus' (Pliniawatee) child would like to eat you. He would like to live with you on the top of the hill ; He is waiting to court you, Wialatha. Oh be my wife.

Chorus : " Ah, Ah, Ah, Wialatha, daughter of Chichim &c., tS:c.

" I don't want to live with you on the top of the hill : I don't want you, you have an ugly face."

Chorus : " Ah, Ah. Ah, Wialatha," &c., &c.

" Vou must live with me or else I will die.

I wish you would glance again now and then at Wahalingen,

You must have me Wialatha — Ah, Ah, Ah, Wialatha."

'• My mother won't let me leave her yet, I am her only child, my father is dead,

I can't leave my mother, and I don't want you, Wahalingen, Ah, Ah, Ah, Wialatha, Wialatha.

You are also too lazy — I want someone strong to make My mother plantations, because Chichim the chief is dead upon the rocks ; Ah, Ah, Ah, Wialatha, Ah, Wialatha, daughter of Chichim, Wahalingen's beloved."

This is a song of the Lifu islanders, and, when I was there, every one was chanting it, even the hard-hearfed beauty sang it — and laughed ! In New Caledonia itself, I never heard a love-song ; ^ the Lifu people are better fighters, and better lovers. I have listened with pleasure for hours to the songs and choruses of mv Lifu people."

I have mentioned the chief ; he is commonly a large landowner, and in every village his house is of unusual

' Moncelon knew of suicides from disappointed love. — A. L. - Mr. Atkinson once obliged me by singing a Lifu song. Though he was not aware of it, the general effect was very like that of a Gaelic lament. — A. L.