They Were Dressed In Most Fantastic Style, Some Only
With Fibrous Strings Round Their Loins, And Others With Yards Of
"Tapa" Cloth Wound Around Them.
Several women were jumping about with
fibre aprons on, and all had their hair done up in many curious ways
and sprinkled with red and yellow powders.
Huge piles of mats were
heaped in the open square, speeches were made, and the people all
responded with a deep "Ah-h" which sounded most effective from the
huge multitude. I came up in the growing dusk and stood behind a lot
of people squatting down. Suddenly some one looked round and saw me
- sensation - whispers of "papalangai" were heard on all sides,
and looks of astonishment were cast in my direction. Certainly my
entrance to Natondre could not have been more dramatic, and I believe
that they almost thought that I had FALLEN FROM THE SKIES, which is
the literal meaning of the word "papalangai."
CHAPTER 4
Mock War-Scene at the Chief's House.
War Ceremonies and Dances at Natondre Described - The Great Chief of
Nambukaluku - The Dances continued - A Fijian Feast - A Native
Orator - The Ceremonies concluded - The Journey continued -
A Wonderful Fungus - The bark of the rare Golden Dove leads to its
CaptureReturn to more Civilised Parts - The Author as Guest of a high
Fijian Prince and Princess - A SOUVENIR of Seddon - Arrival at Suva.
Masirewa soon arrived and I learned that there were some very important
ceremonies in which one tribe was giving presents to another tribe,
in settlement of some disputes that had been carried on since
the old cannibal fighting days, and as I passed into the "Buli's"
hut I noticed that the dancers were unwinding all the "tapa" cloth
from around their bodies and throwing it on the piles of mats.
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