Correspondence. 201
tions, and she is going back to-morrow to you. What is all this ? ' ' Ah, this is a present for you, Bullamacow, to console you for parting with my wife again.' ' Oh,' says Bullamacow, ' what a pity that you should take such trouble, and your wife going back to you to-morrow ; but you have ati empty canoe! and she can now go back with you. She is all ready.' So she gladly enough comes back to her husband, who, as he leaves Bullamacow, says, ' Where did you think of placing your new house ? ' for he is afraid that his wife will be taken again ; and sure enough his fears increase, and the whole house goes bodily to Saluafata, and is put up for Bullamacow, who has it now .... His [the Consul's] wife, a half-caste, speaks English perfectly well, making intelligent remarks about the people."
This passage, writes Mrs. Goodenough (23 May, 1902), "makes it possible that though the custom existed in Samoa, it was my husband who applied the particular name of vasu to it in that locality. At the time of my husband's visiting Samoa he had not yet been to Fiji, but as he was entrusted with an important Government inquiry with regard to those islands he had, I know, been closely studying everything in connection with the people and their customs."
We should be glad to hear further particulars of this custom from any member or other correspondent who has a first-hand acquaintance with Samoa. ^ — Ed.].
Yew. {Supra, p. 96, cf. p. 175.)
The god of the dwelling in Kula in the Punjab Himalayas is called Bastar, and a sprig of yew is oftered to him. The yew is called rakhal.
H. A. Rose.
