Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/218

 188 FIJI AND THE FIJIAITS. feet high, having their rocky face richly draped with creeping plants. Further in, the land is wooded with large forest trees, the shade of whose foliage, with the softened gloom cast by the neighbouring rocks, give to this scene an air of hallowed repose, well calculated to foster the native superstitions which crowd it with awful beings from the spirit- world, and to produce impressions of deep solemnity on. the most en- lightened minds. The Fijian peoples with invisible beings every remarkable spot, especially the lonely dell, the gloomy cave, the desolate rock, and the deep forest. Many of these unseen spirits, he believes, are on the alert to do him harm, and hence he is kept in fear. When passing the terri- tories of any of these, he piously casts a few leaves where many others have done so before him, and steps lightly along, hoping that he has propitiated the demon of the place. A path, part of the way to Nai Thombothombo, was one on which I had often to go. In one place it penetrated a shady defile, at the entrance of which, it is said, Lewa-levu — " the Great Woman " — watches to carry off such men as please her fancy ; and, from the heap of leaves, I judge that few men pass that way without propitiating the Great Woman, and leaving a proof that they consider themselves attractive enough to excite her affection. Among the principal objects of Fijian superstition may be enumer- ated demons, ghosts, witches, wizards, wisemen, fairies, evil eyes, god- eyes, seers, and priests, all of whom he believes to be more or less pos- sessed of supernatural power, and reverences accordingly. A very old Fijian used to talk to me of " those little gods" with as strong a faith as that of a Highlander in his fairies. And these " little gods " are the fairies of Fiji. " When living near the Kauvandra, I often used to hear them sing," said the old man ; and the recollection brightened his eye, as he went on to tell how they would assemble in troops on the top of the mountains, and sing unweariedly. " They were all little, like your sons : " (then six and five years old :) " I have often seen them, and this is the song I have heard them sing : — " * Ready for the digging are the ruhuruhu and the raurau ; And abundantly ready is my favourite toarau / And ready at the same time is the yam of Nggalau. The unwearied ones, ye ! " * Bound, at one spring, to the top of the mountain ; Bound, at two springs, to the top of the mountain ; Let us gaze on the ocean returned to its fountain. The low tides, ye ! ' " * ♦ " £ota rukuruku, boto raurau Sa hini bota qou toarau;