Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/210

 180 FIJI AKD THE FIJIAKS. drops of water on the front of the right arm, near the shoulder, and. the arm being gently inclined, the course of the water is watched ; and if it find its way down to the wrist, the answer is favourable; but otherwise, if it run off, and fall on the floor. Some begin at the wrist, and let the water run towards the shoulder. Others decide by simply biting a leaf in two. The leaf is placed between the front teeth, and if cut clean through at once, all is well ; but the reverse, if it still hang together. Some take an omen from the fact of a man's sneezing out of the right or left nostril while he holds a certain stick in his hand. The seer also is known in Fiji. He sits listening to the applicant's wishes, and then, closing his eyes on earthly things, describes to the inquirer the scenes of the future which pass before his vision. These generally consist of burning houses, fleeing warriors, bloody plains, or death-stricken sick ones, as the case may require. A similar person- age is the taro^ " ask," who sits with his knee up and his foot resting on the heel, with a stick placed in a line with the middle of it. Without being told the object of the visit, he states whether his presentiment is good or evil, and then is informed of the matter inquired after, and proceeds to apply his impressions about it in detail. There is also the dautadra^ or professional dreamer, who receives a present on commu- nicating his revelations to the parties concerned, whether they tell of good or evil, and who seldom happens to dream about any one who cannot pay well. Some believe that a good present often averts the evil of a bad dream. Besides these I have seen a man much prized by the Chief whom he attended, and whose valuable service consisted in placing a certain leaf of wondrous efficacy on either side of his master. If the leaf on the right side should sting the skin, the omen indicates the greatest safety and success to his friends ; and no plot is so deep or scheme so suddenly planned as to escape the knowledge of the leaf on the left, which instantly communicates the lurking danger to its fortunate wearer by a sting on that side. There used to be more mummery in invoking Ndengei than any other god. A credulous people "willingly paid a high price to be deceived, to the extent — if report be true — of one or two hundred hogs and a hundred turtles at one time. On the day of offering a priest entered the sacred cave where Ndengei dwelt, taking with him what the occasion required. The offering being placed in order, several priests approached on their knees and elbows, and one, leaving the others behind, entered the cave's mouth and presented their request, perhaps for good yam crops. After a pause, he turned to the multi-