H. Wilfrid Walker

by H. Wilfrid Walker

In a book of this kind it is often the custom to begin by making apologies. In my case I feel it to be a sheer necessity. In the first place what is here printed is for the greater part copied word for word from private letters that I wrote in very simple language in Dayak or Negrito huts, or in the lonely depths of tropical forests, in the far-off islands of the Southern Seas. I purposely made my letters home as concise as possible, so that they could be easily read, and in consequence have left out much that might have been interesting.

Journey to Taviuni - Samoan Songs - Whistling for the Wind - Landing on Koro - Nabuna - Samoans and Fijians Compared - Fijian Dances and Angona Drinking - A Hurricane in the Southern Seas - Arrival at Taviuni - First Impressions of Ratu Lala's Establishment - Character of Ratu Lala - Prohibition of Cricket - Ratu Lala Offended - The Prince's Musical Box.

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.

Journey into the Interior of Great Fiji - A Guide Secured - The Start - Arrival at Navua - Extraction of Sago - Grandeur of Scenery - A Man covered with Monkey-like Hair - A Strangely Coloured Parrot - Wild Lemon and Shaddock Trees - A Tropical "Yosemite Valley" - Handclapping as a Native Form of Salute - Beauty of Namosi - The Visitor inspected by ex-Cannibals - Reversion to Cannibalism only prevented by fear of the Government - A Man who would like to Eat my Parrot "and the White Man too" - The Scene of Former Cannibal Feasts - Revolting Accounts of Cannibalism as Formerly Practised - Spo

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.