countrywomen. Before they set out on their embassy they proceeded to practise magical arts, and by means of charms and spells they contrived that the shadow or likeness of their brother Malu should enter and be confined within a vessel made of bamboo. This likeness appears to have been liquid, so that they could pour it into the vessel and then imprison it therein. Bearing the vessel carefully, they went on board the canoe which had been prepared for the ocean voyage. The great sails of matting were hoisted, and they sailed away to Fiji.
When the sisters arrived they put on their most handsome mats, brilliantly fringed, garlands of pieces of nautilus shells crowned their heads, and their necks were engirded with circlets of bright beads. Full of pride and pleasure in themselves and in their absent brother, they waited on the Lady Sina and laid before her the history of their coming; but they omitted to mention their brother’s name, which, although they were unaware of the fact, was already well known to Sina from the accounts of friends who had been in Samoa and had excited her curiosity by telling her about the paragon of his sex. Thinking that they were the sisters of some undistinguished chieftain,
