Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/222

 192 FIJI A^D THE FIJIAKS. friends love me no better than this, after so many years of toil 1 Will no one, in love to me, strangle my wife 1 If the ghost be that of a bachelor, he has to avoid the grasp of the Great Woman, who lurks near, and pass on to meet a more dreaded foe. Of all Fijian spirits, that of a bachelor is most hardly used. Nangga- nangga — the bitter hater of bachelors — undertakes to see after their souls ; and so untiring is his watch that, it is said, no unwedded spirit has ever yet reached the Elysium of Fiji. These hapless ones know that it would be in vain to try to escape the avenging god at high tide, and therefore avail themselves of low water, to steal round to the edge of the reef opposite Nai Thombothombo, trusting to the Charon of that district to see, pity, and ferry them over. Nangganangga sits by the fatal stone, and, as he laughs at their vain efforts to escape, tauntingly asks them whether they suppose that the tide will never flow again, and how they will elude him if it does. And with these gloomy monitions in its ears, the poor ghost wanders, until the returning tide lessens his range, and at last drives him shivering to the beach, where he is pur- sued and seized by Nangganangga, and, for the unpardonable oifence of bachelorhood, is dashed in pieces on the large black stone, just as one shatters rotten fire-wood. We now return to the soliloquizing husband, who, blessed at last with the company of his wife or wives, who bear his train, or sad be- cause of their absence, advances towards Nai Thombothombo, and, club in hand, boards the canoe which carries spirits to meet their examiner. Notice of his approach is given by a paroquet, which cries once, twice, and so on, according to the number of spirits, in the canoe, aimouncing a great number by chattering. The highway to Mbulu lies through Nambanggatai, which, it seems, is at once a real and unreal to^vn, the visible part being occupied by ordinary mortals, while in the unseen portion dwells the family who hold inquest on departed spirits. Thus the cry of the bird answers a two-fold purpose, warning the people to set open their doors that the spirit may have a free course, and pre- venting the ghostly inquisitors from being taken by surprise. The houses in this tOAvn are built with reference to a peculiarity in the loco- motion of spirits, who are supposed at this stage to pass straight for- ward ; hence all the doorways are opposite to each other, so that the shade may pass through without interruption. The inhabitants speak in low tones, and, if separated by a little distance, communicate their thoughts by signs. Bygone generations had to meet Samu or Eavuyalo ; but as he died in 1847 by a curious misfortune, his duties now devolve on his sons,