Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/48

28 FIJI AUB THE FIJIANS. from the King, a second Mata followed in the same style, and so on until there were six of them in a line, at equal distances from each other. They now faced to the S. W., but, turning as they sat, simultaneously swung themselves half round, thus facing the N. E., having managed at the same time, by help of their hands, to advance a yard ; repeating the painful evolution, until the front man was within six feet of the Vasu Whereupon the sitting Matas bowed themselves sideways, so as to make their beards touch the earth : again they rose, and gently inclined their heads from the Vasu, clasping their beards with both hands, and crying out several times, " Furled are your sails ! [Sa uru.) Furled are your sails ! " (" A ! ivoi ! woi ! woi ! ") This done, they returned to their places. The Vasu then walked up to the King, having two whales' teeth in his hand, which — after a short speech, referring to his coming and its object — he presented, receiving in return an expression of the King's wishes for prosperity and peace. All the people then clapped their hands several times, and the ceremony was concluded. Such then is the Vasu levu; such is the power he exercises, and such the honours paid him. Where else shall we find his parallel ? Descending in the social scale, the Vasu is a hindrance to industry, few being willing to labour unrewarded for another's benefit. One illustration will suffice. An industrious uncle builds a canoe, in which he has not made half-a-dozen trips, when an idle nephew mounts the deck, sounds his trumpet-shell, and the blast announces to all within hearing that, the canoe has, that mstant, changed masters. There are Vasus to the gods ; or rather to the basket in which the god's share of food is kept. But these have no power. Persons of rank generally manifest a strong feeling of jealousy to- wards each other, and studiously avoid meeting umiecessarily. On more than one occasion I have had a Chief of rank in my house, when another has been seen approaching the door ; whereupon the first would at once retire into a private room. After the last arrival had sat a few minutes, I intimated to him the position of afiairs, at which he smiled and made his visit very short. Their conduct is often a strange mixture of vanity, cupidity, and liberality. When, however, they do meet, and are not too reserved, they display a courteous demeanour, which betokens a rec- ognition of rank in others, as well as a consciousness of it in them- selves. The Chiefs demand a large amount of homage from the people, ex- pressed both by language and action. As in the Malayan, so in the Fijian, there exists an aristocratic dialect, which is particularly observable in the windward districts, where not a member of a Chiefs body, or the