Night after night the
tunes followed each other in regular routine till I thought I should
get them on the brain. How he could stand it was a puzzle to me,
especially as he had possessed it for many years. I often blessed
the European who gave it him, and wished he could take my place.
Whenever a man wished to speak to Ratu Lala he would crouch at his
feet and softly clap his hands, and sometimes Ratu Lala would wait
several minutes before he deigned to notice him.
CHAPTER 2
My Further Adventures with Ratu Lala.
Fijian Huts - Abundance of Game and Fish - Methods of Capture -
A Fijian Practical Joke - Fijian Feasts - Fun after Dinner - A
Court Jester in Fiji - Drinking, Dress, and Methods of Mourning -
A Bride's Ringlets - Expedition to Vuna - Tersi and Moe Journey
to School - Their Love of Sweets - Rough Reception of Visitors to
Vuna - Wonderful Fish Caught - Exhibition of Surf-board Swimming by
Women - Impressive Midnight Row back to Taviuni - A Fijian Farewell.
In comparison with Samoan huts, the Fijian huts were very comfortable,
though they are not half as airy, Samoan huts being very open; but in
most of the Fijian huts I visited the only openings were the doors,
and, as can be imagined, the interior was rather dark and gloomy.
