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H. Wilfrid Walker - Wanderings Among South Sea Savages
thin clothes ready for the fray. However, upon landing, very much on the alert, I was agreeably surprised
to find that the women left me alone. Yet in part Ratu Lala's story was true, as he assured me that quite
recently he had been forced to put a stop to the custom, as one of his last visitors was a European of
much importance who was greatly incensed at such treatment, and complained to the government, who
told Ratu Lala that the custom must end.
We came to fish, and fish we did, just off the coral reef, but it would take space to describe even one-half
of the curious and beautiful fish we caught. When I took the lead in the number of fish caught, Ratu Lala
seemed greatly annoyed, and I was not sorry to let him get ahead, when he was soon in a good temper
again. The Fijians generally fished with nets and a many-pronged fish-spear, with which they are very
expert, and I saw them do wonderful work with them. They also used long wicker-work traps. Ratu Lala,
on the contrary, being half-civilized, used an English rod and reel or line like a white man. Ratu Lala told
the women here to give an exhibition of surf-board swimming for my benefit. As they rode into shore on
the crest of a wave I many times expected to see them dashed against the rocks which fringed the coast. I
had seen the natives in Hawaii perform seventeen years before, but it was tame in comparison to the
wonderful performances of these Fijian women on this dangerous rock-girt coast.
A great many "meke-mekes" or dances were got up in our honour, but Ratu Lala detested them, and
rarely attended, but preferred staying in the "Buli's" hut, lying on the floor smoking or sleeping. He,
however, always begged me to attend them in his place. After a time I found the performances rather
wearisome, and not nearly so varied and interesting as the "siva-sivas" in Samoa. There the girls sang in
soft, pleasing voices, the words being full of liquid vowels. Here in Fiji the singing was harsh and
discordant, as k's and r's abound in the language.
When it came to the ceremony of drinking "angona" I worthily did my part of the performance. Drinking
"angona" is a taste not easily acquired, but when one has once got used to it, there is not a more
refreshing drink, and I speak from long experience. In Fiji I was often presented with a large "angona"
root, but it would be considered exceedingly bad form did you not return it to the giver and tell him to
have it at once prepared for himself and his people, you yourself, of course, taking part in the drinking
ceremony.
After a stay of several days at Vuna we rowed back by night. It was a perfect, calm night, and with the
full moon, was almost as bright as day. We rowed all the way close to shore, passing under the gloomy
shade of dense forests or by countless coconuts, the only sound besides the plash of our oars being the
cry of water fowl or some night bird, while the light beetles[7] flashed their green lights against the dark
background of the forest, looking much like falling stars. There are certain moments in life that have
made a lasting impression on me, and that moonlight row was one of them.
We made several expeditions together that were every bit as interesting and enjoyable as the one to
Vuna. On one occasion we visited the north part of the island, as well as Ngamia and other islands. We
rowed nearly all the way close into shore and saw plenty of turtles. Ratu Lala started to troll with live
bait, as we had come across several women fishing with nets, and on our approach they chanted out a
greeting to Ratu Lala, and in return he helped himself to a lot of their fish. Ratu Lala had fully a dozen
large fish after his bait, and some he hooked for a few seconds. This only made him the keener, and after
leaving the calm Somo-somo Channel, although we encountered a very rough sea, he had the sail hoisted
and we travelled at a great rate in and out amongst a lot of rocky islets, shipping any amount of water
which soaked us and our baggage, and half-filled the boat. I expected we should be swamped every
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