Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/194

 164: FIJI A^D THE FIJIAlfS. " Sa vei Ico Qaqa ? 8a yara hi rara. Sa vei Ico Dadatuvu ? Sa la'ki tulcutuTcu." * These details will answer to the most of such scenes ; except that, on the larger islands, the bodies have often to be carried to a dis- tance inland, when a strong stick is lashed down the back at the arms, knees, and sometimes the trmik, and the burden borne on the shoulders of two men. When the cooking is done on the field of battle, the dancing is dispensed with. I never saw a body baked whole, but have most satisfactory testimony that, on the island of Ngau, aiid one or two others, this is really done. The body is first placed in a sitting posture, and, when taken from the oven, is covered with black powder, surmounted with a wig, and paraded about as if possessed of life. When baholo is to be boiled, the flesh is first cut from the bones. Revenge is undoubtedly the main cause of camiibalism in Fiji, but by no means invariably so. I have known many cases in which such a motive could not have been present. Sometimes, however, this prin- ciple is horribly manifested. A woman taken from a town besieged by Ra Undreundre, and where one of his friends had been killed, was placed in a large wooden dish and cut up alive, that none of the blood might be lost. In 1850, Tuikilakila inflicted a severe blow on his old enemies the Natewans, when nearly one hundred of them were slain, among whom was found the body of Ratu Rakesa, the King's own cousin. The Chiefs of the victorious side endeavoured to obtain permission to bury him, since he held the high rank of Rakesa, and because there was such a great abundance of baholo. " Bring him here," said Tuikilakila, " that I may see him." He looked on the corpse with unfeigned delight. " This," said he, " is a most fitting offering to Na Tavasara (the war-god). Present it to him : let it then be cooked, and reserved for my own consumption. None shall share with me. Had I fallen into his hands, he would have eaten me : now that he has fallen into my hands, I will eat him." And it is said that he fulfilled his word in a few days, the body being lightly baked at first, and then preserved by repeated cooking. When I first knew Loti, he was living at Na Ruwai. A few years before, he killed his only wife and ate her. She accompanied him to Gone to be dragged (into the town to be cooked). Where is the coward Gone to report/'
 * " Where is the courageous ?