Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/63

 WAu. 43 of turmeric mixed with oil, which they placed before the youth, and retired with a song. The masi was now removed by the Chief himself, an attendant substituting one much larger in its stead. The King's Mata next selected several dishes of the coloured oil, and anointed the warrior from the roots of the hair to his heels. At this stage of the proceedings one of the spectators stepped forward and exchanged clubs with the anointed, and soon another did the same ; then one left him a gun in place of the club ; and many 'similar changes were effected, under a belief that the weapons thus passing through his hands derived some virtue. The mats were now removed, and a portion of them sent to the temple, some of the turmeric being sent after them. The King and old men, followed by the young men, and two men sounding conchs, now proceeded to ^he sea-side, where the anointed one passed through the ancients to the water's edge, and, having wet the soles of his feet, re- turned, while the King and those with him counted one, two, three, four, five, and then each threw a stone into the" sea. The whole company now went back to the town with blasts of the trumpet-shells, and a peculiar hooting of the men. Custom requires that a hut should be built, in which the anointed man and his companions may pass the next three nights, during which time the new-named hero must not lie down, but sleep as he sits : he must not change his masi^ or remove the turmeric, or enter a house in which there is a woman, until that period has elapsed. In the case now described, the hut had not been built, and the young Chief was permitted to use the temple of the god of war in- stead. During the three days, he was on an incessant march, followed by half a score lads reddened like himself. After three weeks he paid me a visit, on the first day of his being permitted to enter a house in which there was a female. He informed me that his new name was Kuila, " Flag." In some parts of Fiji, after each conflict, the parties tell each other of their losses ; but more generally they conceal them. If a valiant man has fallen, his friends place his masi on a pole in sight of the enemy, thereby declaring their intention to be revenged. If an enemy come by sea, he is defied by men running into the water and striking it with their clubs. The arms chiefly used by the Fijians are the club, the spear, the battle-axe, the bow, the sling, and the musket. The club is the favourite weapon, and has many varieties, some of which, however, answer more to the mace, and others, of very hard, heavy wood, wrought with a broad blade-like end and sharp edge, are more fitly classed with the battle-axe. A variety of the dromo resembles the spiked mace of the