Page:The Melanesians Studies in their Anthropology and Folklore.djvu/70

48 exist. It is true that in Motlav, part of Saddle Island in the Banks' group, the people who now live in the islet of Ra and the coast opposite know where their families came from, from neighbouring islands, Mota, Vanua Lava, or from other parts of Saddle Island; but it was only lately they say that they came to live where they are. In Araga, Pentecost Island of the New Hebrides, they shew their original seat at Atabulu, a village still remaining and held in high respect. But the little history that remains, and is vouched for by a multitude of sepulchral stones, is lost in the legend attaching to a sacred stone, of winged shape, tying in the village place. It is called Vingaga, Flyer with webbed wings, and represents one Vingaga, who came floating in a canoe to shore and founded that town. People, ata, collected and abode with him, bulu; after a time he flew back to heaven. Ancient house sites, raised perhaps a yard above the ground, are to be seen at Atabulu, and at Anwalu near by, with stones over the graves of forgotten chiefs. In Maewo great heaps of stones mark the graves of great men of old times, such as none have been of late. In Motlav, near a famous and enormous natu tree, is a house-mound five feet high, where no habitations are now, and men say that it came down from his ancestors to the last man whose house stood on it; and this is but a single known representative of the yavu of a Fiji family of rank. The remarkable exception to this absence of history or tradition is found at Saa in Malanta, and is so remarkable and characteristic of native life that the story must be told at length. The larger and principal part of the present inhabitants of Saa ani menu came from Saa haalu, inland not very far off, eleven generations ago. The migration took place under the following circumstances. There were four brothers at the ancient Saa, of whom the eldest was the chief; two were named Pau-ulo, the eldest Pauulo paina, the great, the second Pauulo oou, the champion;