Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 47.djvu/688

672  Ko Degei sa tagi lagalaga, Bogi Dua, bog'i rua ka'u yadra, Bogi tolu, bogi va ka'u yadra, Sa tubu dugn diria ko Turukawa."

In a distant land to the far westward were three chiefs, Lutunasobasoba, Degei, and Waicalanavanua. For some cause, long since forgotten, they resolved to leave this land with their wives and children, and they sent a messenger to the head craftsman Rokola, bidding him build them a great canoe, which they called the kaunitoni. In her they set sail, and with them went a number of other canoes, all seeking a new land. They found many lands, and at each some of the people stayed to make it their adopted home; but none of them pleased Lutunasobasoba. At last the kaunitoni was left alone, and for many days she sailed and found no land. And then a great storm came up from the westward and struck her, and the waves swept her deck, carrying overboard all their goods, and among them a basket of inscriptions. So for many days she drove before the western gale, and all hope of gaining land left them. But at last they saw high land, and knew that they were saved; and they beached their canoe on a sandy shore, and built themselves huts and called the place Vuda (Our Origin). This is the Vuda on the northwest corner of Viti-Levu. The saga goes on to relate the distress of Lutunasobasoba at losing his basket of inscribed stones. I have not succeeded in finding any contemporary tradition that throws light on this very important passage. The Fijians, when we Europeans first came into contact with them, had no knowledge of any kind of writing, nor even of making rude representations of natural objects in their carving. But the poem says:

 Lutunasobasoba wept bitterly: 'My descendants will be in pitiable plight. My basket of stones is overset, My writings (vola) have fallen out.'"

It goes on to relate how he sent out the canoe to look for the lost inscriptions (which, if they really were of stone, was a somewhat futile proceeding), and how the crew of the canoe discovered the Yasawa Islands, but came back without the lost records.

They stayed at Vuda until Lutunasobasoba became very old and infirm, and then they decided to move him to higher ground. Degei, who had now taken the lead of the party, ordered Rokola to build some new canoes to carry them to the eastward. The tribe had become too large for the kaunitoni. When these were ready the fleet crept along the coast to the eastward, and landed in what is now the bay of Rakiraki. Thence the dying Lutunasobasoba was carried up the mountain, and a hut was built of which the posts and walls and thatch were all made of the vadra