taken to avoid cutting too deep, as this would cause the fish to spread open, which would diminish its value in the market.

When taken out of the bins and cut, the fish are thrown into the boilers, which are large pots, of which each establishment has five or six. These pots have the form of sugar-boilers, with broad rims, and contain from one hundred to one hundred and fifty gallons.

They are built in a row, in rude walls of stone and mud, about two feet apart, and have sufficient space beneath them for a large fire. The workmen stand on the walls to fill and empty the pots, and have within reach a platform, on which the fish is put after it has been boiled.

It requires two men to attend each pot, who relieve each other, so that the work may go on night and day. They are provided with skimmers and ladles, as well as fire-hooks, hoes, and shovels.

No water is put into the pots, for the fish yield moisture enough to prevent burning.

The boiling occupies from twenty-five to fifty minutes, and the fish remains about an hour on the platform to drain, after which it is taken to the house, and laid to a depth of four inches upon the lower batter. Thence at the end of twenty-four hours it is removed, as has been stated, to the upper batter, where it is thoroughly dried in the course of three or four days. Before it is taken on board ship, it is carefully picked, when the damp pieces are separated, to be returned to the batter. It is stowed in bulk, and when fit for that purpose should be as hard and dry as chips. Great care must be taken to preserve it from moisture.

In the process of drying, it loses two-thirds both of its weight and bulk, and when cured resembles a smoked sausage. In this state it is sold by the picul, which brings from fifteen to twenty-five dollars.

Captain Eagleston had collected, in the course of seven months, and at a trifling expense, a cargo of twelve hundred piculs, worth about $25,000.

The outfit for such a voyage is small, but the risk to be incurred is of some moment, as no insurance can be effected on vessels bound to the Feejee Group, and it requires no small activity and enterprise to conduct this trade. A thorough knowledge of the native character is essential to success, and it requires all possible vigilance on the part of the captain of the vessel to prevent surprise, and the greatest caution to avoid difficulties. Even with the exercise of these qualities, he may often find himself and his crew in perilous positions.

In order to lessen the dangers as much as possible, no large canoes are ever allowed to remain alongside the vessel, and a chief of high

rank is generally kept on board as a hostage. When these precautions have not been taken, accidents have frequently happened.

The biche de mar is sometimes carried to Canton, but more usually to Manilla, whence it is shipped to China.*

The bay of Naloa is a wide opening, protected on the north by two or three small islets, some of which are inhabited. One of them has been bought by the Lasikaus or fishermen, who gave Tui Mbua three hundred whales' teeth for it. It is not long since they settled on it, having been driven from their former location by the war-parties of the Ambau people, and taken refuge here.

Their town, Tavea, although of recent date, is already enveloped in a banana grove. The growth of these trees is well adapted for the purposes of the natives, and they seldom fail to plant them as soon as they begin to build, and by the time their houses are finished and occupied, they already yield shade for the planters to retire to in the heat of the day. The employment of fishing is considered one of the most honourable among the natives.

Veraki, the chief of Tavea, has the reputation among the whites of being "a hearty old cock and a great rascal."

On another of these islets, which is uninhabited, Captain Eagleston has his biche de mar house. The town of Votua on Vanua-levu has been the residence of Tui Mbua, since he was driven or expelled from Mbua Bay.

Captain Hudson was desirous of obtaining both wood and water, and made arrangements accordingly for their being brought off by the natives. This he succeeded in doing, because the chiefs are very willing that their subjects should work, when they have all the profit of their labour. The natives here were very friendly, and the chief desirous of serving us.

The town of Votua lies about a mile from the shore. It contains about fifty buildings, including temples, houses, and yam-houses, which

* In order to show the profits which arise from the trade in biche de mar, I give the cost and returns of five cargoes, obtained by Captain Eagleston in the Feejee Group These he obligingly favoured me with.

A further profit also arises from the investment of the proceeds in Canton. Captain Eagleston also obtained 4,488 pounds of tortoise-shell, at a cost of $5,700, which sold in the United States for $29,050 net.

are all built after the plan of those at Mbua Bay; the rafters being planted in the ground, and curved towards the ridge-pole, which is supported from within. The rafters are about one foot apart, and are covered with reeds, upon which the thatching is laid.

The chief's house was situated on a small square, on the opposite side of which were two temples, and between them was a kind of wartrophy, consisting of five of the large earthen jars used for cooking human flesh, placed in a row. Beside each of these, some spears and clubs were firmly planted in the ground, crossing each other at the top, about three feet from the ground; on these a basket was suspended, and long strips of masi or tapa were wreathed about and hung upon them. These five jars proved to be the vessels in which five of their enemies, whom they had killed in battle about two months before, had been cooked; the baskets were those which had been used at the feast to convey the food about to the cannibal eaters; the masi, spears, and war-clubs were those belonging to the slain. At a little distance there was another pot, in which a chief had been boiled, and behind these again was a basalt column, serving as a sepulchral monument to one of their own chiefs. The top of the latter was tied around with rolls of masi, and was surrounded by his spears, clubs, &c. There were a number of other columns lying about, all of which were taken from the same basaltic quarry between the landing and the village. These columns are very distinct and perfect.

The river that runs up near the village may be entered by boats, ascending through the mangroves some three or four miles, and has very much the character of those emptying into Mbua Bay. The river above the town is about seventy yards wide, and there has been a bridge over it, of which there are, even now, remains. The bridge appears to have been built on piles made of cocoa-nut trees, of which there is still a single row left, supported by stakes on each side.

Some of our gentlemen, in their wanderings under the guidance of the natives, were desired to come close to them, as a party was approaching; and shortly afterwards, a troop of native women and children were seen moving along in single file, some of them labouring under excessive loads. The women, in fact, are their beasts of burden, and are every where considered as an article of trade. Many of the natives were seen with gunshot wounds, received in the late war. Word was brought in that a native of another village had been killed, which created but little excitement.

* These stones they call sava.

The soil of the islands around Naloa Bay is gravelly and barren; it is covered with a growth of small trees and bushes, among which Casuarina was most abundant. The scenery was quite pretty: the deep green of the mangroves at the beach rising gradually into the distant peaks, with here and there some lofty blocks of basalt, joined with and toned down by a tropical sky, give an impression little in accordance with the savage habits of these horrid cannibals. Some of our gentlemen were struck with the number of the singing-birds, and the variety of their notes, some of which resembled those of the songsters of our own country.

At the village of Vatea was the largest collection of canoes they had seen in the group, and the natives being fishermen, take particular pride in them.

Here the officers saw the operation of making the pottery, which is described in another place. Several women were also seen preparing mandrai, of unripe bananas, and packing it, after stripping off the rind, in large unbaked earthen jars. These are afterwards buried, in a spot carefully marked, and secured by a large stone, to provide for an anticipated scarcity.

Having finished wooding and watering, Captain Hudson prepared for his departure for Muthuata. The evening before he sailed, the chiefs and natives gathered on board the Peacock, where, after being remunerated for their labour, they performed several dances similar to

those already described. The performers were remarkable for the regularity with which they moved and kept time to their monotonous tune, with their arms, legs, and head. They all joined in the chaunt. Paddy Connel, who was instrumental in getting the dances up, was urged very much to take part, but he felt it would be lowering himself in the eyes of the natives, if he condescended to do so. It was evident, however, that he wished to partake, and he at last allowed himself to be persuaded to join them, when, taking his club, he flourished it aloft, and danced away with all the energy he was possessed of.

Captain Eagleston, intending to sail at the same time with the Peacock, fired his biche de mar house in the evening. This is always the custom, in order to prevent its being made use of by any other and smaller traders. It made a glorious illumination.

On the 17th of June, the Peacock left the bay of Naloa, in company with the Leonidas. On the 18th they had advanced to within a few miles of Muthuata, and anchored off the village of Navendarra, where the sailor from the "Who would have thought it !" was murdered and eaten by the natives. The circumstances, as related to me by Mr. Winn, the mate of the Leonidas, who was in charge of the little sloop when the accident occurred, were as follows.*

The man, whose name was Cunningham, volunteered to go on shore for some shell, which they understood the natives had for sale, from their hailing from the shore. He was allowed by Mr. Winn to go, but with the strictest injunctions not to land. On getting to the beach and talking for some time, they told him to come again. He came back to the vessel, and afterwards went on shore again, when he was enticed up to the town, and was there murdered and eaten. Mr. Winn, alarmed at his absence, fired guns and made signals, but to no purpose. It was afterwards ascertained that Cunningham had been employed on board one of the traders, a few years ago, as a sentry over the chief Gingi, at whose town he was murdered. This circumstance claimed a good deal of our attention, as will subsequently appear.

On the afternoon of the 19th, the Peacock anchored off the town of Muthuata.

Captain Hudson immediately despatched Lieutenant Budd, with an interpreter, to visit the king, and invite him and his chiefs to come on board the next day. Lieutenant Budd found the people much alarmed: the women and children had all been sent out of the town, and every thing packed up for removing. The king, how