Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/40

20 FIJI A^D THE FIJIANS. ments of Fijian royalty. Instances of stoutness of person in these dig nitaries are very rare. The use of a throne is unknown : the King and his humblest subjects sit on the same level — on the ground. There was one exception in the case of Tuithakau, who used a chair. The Chiefs profess to derive their arbitrary power from the gods ; especially at Verata, Eewa, and Somosomo. Their influence is also greatly increased by that peculiar institution found so generally among the Polynesian tribes, — the tahu, which will be further noticed here- after. The following examples, to which many more might be added, will serve to show how really despotic is Fijian government. A Rewa Chief desired and asked for a hoe belonging to a man, and, on being refused, took the man's wife. The King of Somosomo wished to collect the people belonging to the town in which he lived, that they might be directly under his eye. The officer to whom the order to that effect was intrusted, was commis- sioned to hake any who refused compliance. Towards the close of 1849, 1 called on the young Chief of ^fbau, and found him evidently out of temper. Some villagers had cut him fewer reeds than he expected, whereupon he dispatched a party to burn their village ; which was accordingly done, a child perishing in the fire. Those who surround the person of the King are generally of various grades, some of whom, however, are merely privileged idlers, the flatter- ers of their Chief, and makers of mischief and cigarettes. The Mata-ni-vanuas are exceedingly useful men, whose office is de- scribed by their title, which signifies either " the eyes," or " the face, of the land," and may intimate the supervision which these men maintain ; or that, through them, the chiefs see the state of affairs — the face of the land. They are the legitimate medium of communication between the chiefs and their dependencies, and form a complete and effi^ctive agenc}^. Taking the kingdom of Lakemba as an instance, the system is worked thus. In each island and to^vn utider the rule of Lakemba there is an authorized Mata ki Lakemba^ " Ambassador to Lakemba," through whom all the business between that place and the seat of government is transacted. Then again at Lakemba there is a diplomatic corps, the official title of each individual of Avhich contains the name of the place to which he is messenger and to which all the King's commands are by him communicated. When on duty, these officials represent their Chief, after the manner of more civilized courts, and are treated with great respect. When they have to take several messages, or when one communication consists of several important parts, they help memory by mnemonic sticks or reeds, which are of various lengths. The Mata, having reached his