Slack 
 
 Annex 
 
 PR 
 
 9619.3 
 
 D349s 
 
 5TRANG 
 
 By Rev, WALLACE DEANE, M.A,, B.0.
 
 
 d 
 
 ^
 
 The Great Whale's Tooth.
 
 THE STRANGE 
 
 ADVENTURES 
 
 OF A WHALE'S 
 
 TOOTH 
 
 Missionary Story of Fiji for 
 young people and 
 others 
 
 By 
 Rev. W DEANE, M.A., B.D. 
 
 Obtainable at 
 
 THE METHODIST BOOK DEPOT, 
 381 GEORGE ST., SYDNEY.
 
 KI'WORTH PRINTING AND PUBLISHING HODSE 
 218 CA8TLEREAGH STREET. 
 
 1919.
 
 PR 
 
 tmj 
 
 2215569
 
 FOREWORD. 
 
 Whales and elephants have a way of their own. 
 And they are like St. Paul's Cathedral too big to 
 be ignored. What stories of brave deeds, of the 
 prowess of the explorer, and alas! what horrible tales 
 of the white man's hideous cruelties to his black 
 brother, we have woven about the Elephant's Tusk! 
 But here is the Whale's Tooth, and hereby hangs a 
 tale ! And he, who tells the tale, warms to his work, 
 for he knows all the beauty of those Sunny Isles 
 where his Whale's Tooth saw and slept and travelled 
 so much. Around this Whale's Tooth he has entwined 
 the beautiful story of the white man's love for his 
 brown brother. He has told of some of the most 
 daring of Christ's soldiers, and of how, in a land 
 where chiefs chopped off, and hung up, little child- 
 ren's hands and all to show how brave they were 
 these same soldiers won their peaceful victories. The 
 Whale 's Tooth saw .and heard some wonderful things, 
 I can tell you, and our boys and girls all over the 
 world should read this story. The Young People's 
 Department of the Church that made Mr. Deane what 
 he is, and then sent him out to her Mission Fields, will 
 rejoice to know that this book is in every Sunday 
 School library, that it is being discussed in Young 
 People's Societies, and that it is being made a gift 
 to youths and maidens everywhere. 
 HAROLD WHEEN, 
 
 General Secretary, 
 Methodist Young People's Department of N.S.W.
 
 AUTHOR'S NOTE. 
 
 The events related in the following pages are 
 chiefly based on facts, and especially so in that 
 chapter describing occurrences which arose out of 
 Mr. Langham's journey into the interior of Fiji. 
 The details were given to me verbatim by a par- 
 ticipant in those thrilling episodes. The customs 
 referred to in the course of the story are well known 
 to most of us who are acquainted with the native 
 character. Even the tests of the future world, 
 which are collected in the chapter entitled "A 
 Dream," have their counterparts in the beliefs of 
 several tribes in Lomaiviti and Kadavu. As the 
 story proceeds, the whale's tooth which relates it 
 grows in knowledge, and finally comes to rest on a 
 nail in a missionary's home. 
 
 NOTE OX PKONUNCIATION. 
 
 By way of explanation, the Tabua or Whale's 
 Tooth is the chiefly symbol of the Fijians. The 
 following hints will be useful in the pronunciation 
 of native names : b=mb, d=nd, g=ng, q=ng (hard), 
 c=th.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 
 Chapter 1. THE MIGHTY OCEAN 9 
 
 Chapter 2. CAPTURED 16 
 
 Chapter 3. BARTERED 27 
 
 Chapter 4. NEW POWERS 42 
 
 Chapter 5. THE ATONEMENT 56 
 
 Chapter 6. THE RED FLAME OF WAR ... 67 
 
 Chapter 7. BURIED 80 
 
 Chapter 8. A DREAM 89 
 
 Chapter 9. THE NEW RELIGION 101 
 
 Chapter 10. A CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE ... 112 
 
 Chapter 11. EARLY CHRISTIAN BRAVERY... 124 
 
 Chapter 12. " THE FORMER THINGS HAVE 
 
 PASSED AWAY" 139 
 
 Chapter 13. A NATIVE MINISTER 149 
 
 Chapter 14. A MISSIONARY'S WELCOME ... 16O
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Opp. page 
 
 THE GREAT WHALE'S TOOTH 1 
 
 CROSSING A MOUNTAIN TORRENT 9 
 
 A CHARMING SCENE-FUh Fence in the Distance 1 6 
 
 POLING AN OUTRIGGER CANOE 32 
 
 A TYPICAL FIJIAN PATH 48 
 
 THE VILLAGE SQUARE 56 
 
 A PEACEFUL RETREAT 72 
 
 COCOANUTS 80 
 
 A GROUP OF FIJIAN CHRISTIANS 89 
 
 A WEDDING PAIR. Which it the Bride ? ... 104 
 
 HOW THE MISSIONARY TRAVELLED ... 112 
 
 A CUTTER AT ANCHOR 128 
 
 AN HONOURED NATIVE MINISTER- INOKE 
 
 BUADROMO 144 
 
 THE MEANDERING STREAM 149 
 
 FIJIAN SCHOOL CHILDREN 164

 
 CHAPTER I. 
 THE MIGHTY OCEAN. 
 
 AM solid ivory, and I grew after the 
 manner of my kind. I did not, however, 
 grow on a tree like the ivory nuts of the 
 "Solomon Islands; nor yet again did I make 
 my first appearance in the mouth of an un- 
 gainly elephant. Indeed, I have never even seen 
 my relations, the elephant tusks, for it has not been 
 my lot to visit their country. Rumour has it that 
 they are of the giant species, while I, forsooth, am 
 termed a dwarf. 
 
 But big as my cousins, the elephant tusks, may 
 be, I doubt very much if they have a higher opinion 
 of their virtues than I of mine. This self-conceit 
 may be called my one failing. Those who read my 
 history, as told in these pages, will pardon me for 
 my solitary sin, especially as it is partly due to the 
 high place I have always held in the estimation of 
 a certain race of men. Moreover, no elephant tusk 
 lias ever passed through such experiences as I have 
 -survived. Since I first saw the light, innumerable 
 adventures which would have thrilled and astonished 
 my ivory friends, the elephant tusks, have fallen 
 to my lot. I speak truly when I say that through- 
 out my long career, I have loved adventure as my 
 life. Now that I have come to the evening of
 
 10 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 existence, and am resting on my hard-earned laurels, 
 I look back with a certain wonderment, not to say 
 yearning, upon the path I have travelled during 
 more than a century. It is no small wonder that I 
 am yellow and shining, and give the impression of 
 great age. It piques me somewhat to be hung up 
 as a mere ornament on an iron nail after having 
 been an active sharer in the affairs of men for so. 
 many years. Therefore, when strangers come and 
 gaze on me, asking pointless questions the while, I 
 am dumb to them. Indeed, it is only after a 
 struggle that I bring myself to break the long 
 silence, or to tell of the things of yore. I feel bound 
 to do so now by the knowledge that I alone can 
 speak from actual experience of the events which 
 I here narrate. 
 
 My earliest recollections are brine good, whole- 
 some brine. With regard to my own feelings about 
 it, I may say that there is nothing so sweet to me 
 as brine. It is sweeter than honey or the honey- 
 comb. What makes it sweet to me and salt to you 
 I cannot say. The Great Being who created us all 
 has His own explanation of that. But as the 
 stream loves and laves its mossy course, and as the 
 cooing doves fly back with joy to their windows, so. 
 do my thoughts hark back to the days of brine. 
 
 Now, some reader will immediately think that 
 I am referring to a butcher's keg, where beef lies 
 soaking for weeks until it becomes indigestible. Let
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 me be quick to the point lest you misunderstand me 
 to my disadvantage. It is the brine of the "Mighty 
 Ocean" to which I refer and which I love. Can 
 one forget his first home? May I forget my 
 cunning (and I have some in my ivory heart) if I 
 forget Thee, Mighty Ocean, Eternal Reservoir of my 
 beloved brine. 
 
 I said I grew how I grew I know not. That 
 mystery has puzzled wiser heads than mine. I first 
 saw the light in a school. Some lad will quickly 
 say, "What a queer place to be born in!" But, 
 dear boy, you did not wait until I had finished. 
 I was about to add, "in a school of whales." I 
 remember that it was very cold at the time, but I 
 had a nice, warm couch to lie on, and the room 
 where I was born was usually cosy. What matter 
 if at times the cold water of the south did swish in 
 and round about. That only helped to strengthen 
 me. In this world I have met so many who are 
 afraid of a little hardship. It is either too cold, or 
 too hot, or too wet, or too windy, and upon these 
 pretexts some turn away from" their rightful duty. 
 Surely they miss the great truth that hardship 
 hardens in short, makes one able to withstand the 
 ravages of time, and so to achieve much before the 
 days of the sere and yellow leaf. Personally, I am 
 thankful for the hardship of my early existence. To 
 my experiences, then, I attribute my present 
 durability and solidity. Consequently I have lived
 
 12 The Strange Adventures 
 
 long, and seen and heard many strange things 
 which I shall relate in subsequent pages. 
 
 I am a "Whale's Tooth," as the title of this 
 book has it, which means that I belong to a whale. 
 But if you will allow me to be a little more precise, 
 I will change the wording a little. I am "My 
 Whale's Tooth." There are two possessives in that 
 phrase, and they tell you that I belong to my whale, 
 as my whale belongs to me. 
 
 My whale was born at the same time and in the 
 same school as myself if you ask me where, I would 
 boldly say: near the Bay of Whales, far down in 
 Antarctica. We were both very little for a time, 
 but we grew apace. In the same school there were 
 many fat whales who did nothing but play with 
 the waves. It was an eternal play-ground. I can 
 fancy some of my little readers will say, "How 
 very pleasant!" And so it was pleasant, and right 
 for the whales. I am not quite so sure that it 
 would be right for boys and girls to be always 
 playing, or even to covet an eternal play-ground. 
 Whales are just big, lovable whales, and were 
 intended to do nothing else but frolic. They were 
 never troubled with business cares, or that strange 
 thing you call politics, and so all they had to do 
 was to sport, amongst the waves the livelong day. 
 
 Now. my whale was not at all behind the others 
 in play. Often I think he made quite a serious 
 matter of his gambols and tried to do everything in
 
 of a Whale's Tooth ]3 
 
 the most accomplished manner. When the whales 
 were splashing, he would splash the farthest; when 
 they were spouting, he would spout the highest. In 
 the races he would invariably be first, and when he 
 dived, he outdistanced all the rest; for he was a 
 right sperm whale, much larger than the kind which 
 usually lived in the Bay of Whales. Indeed, I am 
 told that it is quite extraordinary for a sperm whale 
 to be found so far south. 
 
 As my whale played, I played. When he dived, 
 I perforce must dive also. When he rested, I rested. 
 There was therefore a sort of sympathetic relation- 
 ship between us, the memory of which has never 
 wholly passed away. 
 
 I remember I took a pride in my whale. At first 
 he was such a soft, round, wallowy fellow that you 
 wanted to put your arms around his neck and 
 caress him. But as time passed he grew too large 
 for that. He became as big as a little island; and 
 although he looked soft and flabby, his muscles 
 were stronger than the waves that rose and fell on 
 the great salt sea. I have remarked them as he 
 romped across the sea, leaving a foamy wake behind 
 him. and I protest that the sinews of your brawny 
 blacksmith were but threads compared with my 
 whale's muscles. He was so strong, that tne Mighty 
 Ocean was his natural home. 
 
 There was a race one day in the bay, and the 
 school dived and plunged in the very joy of free-
 
 14 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 dom. I could tell by the salt foam which rushed 
 in at my whale's mouth how fast he was cleaving 
 his way through the sea. He excelled them all, and 
 then, in joyous revel, lashed the water with his 
 broad flukes and spouted it in a foamy fountain 
 over his sleek back. Ah! I was proud of my 
 whale. 
 
 One day he went out to meet the storm, such a 
 one as can blow only in Antarctica. The icy tempest 
 screamed like a fiend on the face of the waters. The 
 ocean arose in tremendous fury. It was sheer 
 bravado to go out against it. But the spirit of the 
 sea-wave was in him, and on we went. Those wonder- 
 ful waves! Shall I ever forget them? The world 
 of peace seemed to have departed for ever. Then 
 I learned a lesson from my whale. Lifting his 
 mighty flukes, he plunged. A second more it was 
 quiet, for are not storms but on the surface of the 
 sea, and is not the everlasting rest of the ocean just 
 below? Where the waves are rolling, the angel of 
 peace appears to have taken flight; yet he is not so 
 far away that we cannot find him if we will to do so. 
 
 The lesson, therefore, that my whale taught me 
 was clearly this: tumult and calm lie close together; 
 into that great truth he took me so swiftly that my 
 respect for him became firmer than ever. It was 
 hard to realise rest on the ocean surface, but it was 
 actually experienced when we dived down into its 
 quiet gloom.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 My whale was certainly a very especial kind of 
 eetacea, and we were both very proud of the fact. 
 But neither he nor I realised in those happy days 
 how much his importance would be due to me. Very 
 few of those who have a destiny are able to see it 
 clearly at first. The revelation comes slowly, like 
 the shining of the light at daybreak. 
 
 And now I am to tell how my destiny began to 
 work. The first move took place when my whale 
 bade farewell to the scene of his birth. Whatever 
 prompted him to do so I know not. It was scarcely 
 on account of his being tired of play, for he never 
 ceased his frolics. Neither was it because the cold 
 was too great for him in Antarctica, since he had 
 a. soft thick blanket of blubber fat all about him. 
 Evidently it was a freak on his part, but it had a 
 great influence on his life and mine. So Destiny 
 works in all our lives, taking up what we deem the 
 waste moments and careless acts, and turning them 
 to dread account in the final settlement of things.
 
 16 The Strange Adventures 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 CAPTURED. 
 
 HE freak led my whale northwards, away 
 from the icebergs and the land of the 
 penguin, to the warmer climes, where 
 snow and ice are never seen; away from the flashing 
 aurora to a land where the light of the sun shines 
 strongly on all things. 
 
 In that long journey I learned something of 
 Geography. "We most certainly passed New Zealand 
 on the right and Australia on the left. I might 
 have used the terms starboard and port, but they 
 are scarcely applicable to that early stage of my 
 experience. 
 
 Of land we saw little, but many strange sights 
 in the sea itself greeted our wondering vision. Fish 
 of various kinds which we had never seen before 
 came to gaze on us, and then darted away to turn 
 again, rounding their glassy eyes with curiosity. 
 Some were in shoals and some travelled alone. As 
 we drew farther north, the bodies of many became 
 tinted with exquisite hues, with which we were quite 
 unfamiliar. .My whale affected to despise the finny 
 tribes, for he does not consider himself a common 
 fish. He says he belongs to the order Cetacea, of 
 the high-class Mammalia, of the animal sub-king-
 
 of -a Whale's Tooth 17 
 
 dom Vertebrata. Where he got the names is a 
 mystery. One fearful day when we were far north 
 we fell in with a curious thing, which I afterwards 
 learned was a ship. With his usual high spirit, my 
 whale affected to despise it by blowing two or 
 three jets of water in defiance. Nevertheless, I felt 
 him tremble somewhat when he saw that the huge 
 creature, with the broad white fins, crept slowly 
 towards him. It had the appearance of a giant 
 Nautilus as it turned with the wind. "Pshaw!" 
 said he scornfully, "it is only an iceberg." Suiting 
 the action to the word, he spouted water like a 
 silver fountain. Nearer and nearer came the 
 strange monster. An uneasy feeling crept into my 
 ivory heart as I watched, which gradually became 
 a presentiment of coming evil. By sympathy I 
 knew that my whale also was much disturbed. If 
 I could have warned him to flee I should have done 
 so, but Fate had it otherwise. A great pity arose 
 in me for my whale. Years have passed since then, 
 and time is kind to ease the pain of things, yet I 
 have not wholly lost the pathos that filled me on 
 that fateful morning. 
 
 But to my story. Somewhat alarmed, my whale 
 dived and came up far from the ship. When he 
 rose he spouted water riotously. "That," said he, 
 in his language, "is the way to treat the discourteous 
 stranger." All the flying fish around wondered 
 what was the cause of the commotion, so they spread
 
 18 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 their blue, red. and silver wings and flew in shoals 
 to a safe distance. With a persistence worthy of a 
 better cause, the ship of the sea drew on. The sun- 
 light fell on its masts and sails, making it a thing of 
 rare beauty. "Nonsense," thought I, jealously; 
 "icebergs are far prettier." Still the impression 
 was such that even my jealous soul could not dis- 
 regard it. My whale and I were engrossed in watch- 
 ing the ship, and we did not notice what events were 
 happening, fraught with danger to ourselves. 
 Strangers that we were, we could not understand 
 that the crew, with fell purpose, were putting off a 
 boat full of daring men. Consequently, we saw not 
 its stealthy approach, and were not aware of it until 
 it climbed the crest of the next wave. Then so 
 astonished were we at its sudden appearance that 
 we could not move for a few moments. It looked like 
 some denizen of the deep, with long sweeping fins, 
 and appeared to have no connection at all with the 
 ship. What the man in the bow was bent on doing 
 we could not possibly conceive. On it came, with a 
 soft dip and swish dip and swish. If I could have 
 shouted, I should have cried out: "Come ye as 
 friend or foe?" But no sound broke the silence save 
 the swish of the oars, and a low murmur: 
 
 "Steady men, steady." 
 
 "Gently there. So ho!" 
 
 "Ease her off a bit. Bight there." 
 
 "Be ready, men."
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 "Watch the rope that it does not fire the boat." 
 
 "Stop." 
 
 The sun glinted on the tall figure of the man in 
 the bow of the craft as he poised his harpoon. A 
 sudden stroke. What tragedy ! Ah ! A sharp thrill 
 of pain shot through my whale. He rose with a vio- 
 lent convulsion and slid down from the sunlit sur- 
 face of the sea into the depths of ocean blue. Never 
 before had he failed to find peace there, but now 
 his trouble was within, and not of the things with- 
 out. Back again, poor whale, and taste what Destiny 
 hath in store. 
 
 He appeared lashing the waves in fury, and spurt- 
 ing water high in the air. "Water, did I say?" 
 "Water and blood" were nearer the truth, for when 
 the foam cleared the light shone red through the 
 waves. 
 
 So for a time he lay. 
 
 Silence again, and then the soft dip and swish as 
 before. How persistent these men are! Once more: 
 
 "Gently there." 
 
 "Steady, men, steady." 
 
 "Be ready." 
 
 The same poise and lightning stroke. 
 
 What terrible agony is this? My whale raises 
 aloft his majestic flukes, and with a swift mighty 
 movement, plunges for the last time straight down 
 like a plummet. It was a dive worthy of him. Need- 
 ing air, he sought the surface with terrible shud-
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 ders passing through his body. Those muscles, 
 stronger than the wild sea waves, were strained to 
 their utmost in the agony of the death flurry. The 
 men in the boat" respectfully kept their distance, for 
 one stroke of that tail would send them swiftly to 
 their account. All my whale's titanic strength was 
 put forth in his last effort to keep the free, joyous 
 life he prized. If a lover of words had been there 
 he would have said that it was "an imposing spec- 
 tacle," while it lasted. So men are prone to des- 
 cribe with fine words the moment of death. 
 
 My whale soon lay still, no more to slide in gloomy 
 depths, nor to play with the waves above. 
 
 Faintly on the breeze was heard the cry of 
 triumph: "Pull away, my lads." 
 
 Once again the dip and swish of the oars, and 
 the sound of men laughing now. 
 
 "By merry St. George what a beauty!" 
 
 "There'll be double rations to-day, men. So ho! 
 my lads. Fasten him securely." 
 
 Soon we were moving slowly forward to the ac- 
 companiment of the dip and swish. 
 
 The golden sun was setting as w r e drew near to 
 the ship. It was a vessel of three hundred tons 
 burden, after the size of whalers in those days. Built 
 of oak. it had braved the stress of all weathers for 
 many years, and would still do so for years to come.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 Hoarse voices were calling, and feet were scurry- 
 ing as the boat came alongside. A man looked over 
 at the boat and then departed to report something 
 to the captain. In the galley a man was singing as 
 if his very life depended on it. An order rang out, and 
 some ropes were flung to the crew of the boat. In 
 a very short time my whale was trussed securely to 
 the vessel to await the morrow. 
 
 A whaler is a very strong ship, so I am told, built 
 especially for its work, with great tanks fitted in its 
 hold to contain the blubber. As a rule, when most 
 kinds of whales are captured, the blubber is taken 
 off the body in large strips a ton in weight. Those 
 sailors who work on deck are engaged in cutting 
 these larger pieces into smaller portions, which are 
 then stowed conveniently away in the hold. The 
 odour arising from the tanks when this plan is 
 adopted is most disagreeable, and the oil extracted 
 from the decaying blubber is not of the best quality. 
 
 When fish ing, for sperm whales a different course 
 is pursued. The blubber is boiled at sea by the 
 sailors, and this is why sperm oil is most highly 
 valued. 
 
 Early next morning, therefore, the crew were 
 astir preparing the cauldrons for the purpose of ren- 
 dering down the whale-fat. Slings were hoisted 
 over the side as safe foot-holds for the men. The
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 body of the whale was raised just above the water, 
 and tackle affixed to allow the body to be turned 
 slightly as occasion required. Knowing by experi- 
 ence what to expect, the workers donned their oldest 
 clothes for the oily task. 
 
 When every preparation was made, the work be- 
 gan of cutting up my whale. The first act w r as to 
 draw me out of my cosy bed. It did not cause me 
 pain, of course, as my poor whale was dead ; and 
 death is the most effective soother of pain. 
 
 One of the sailors named Dan Sawyer flung me 
 upon deck with a shout: "There's a tooth worthy 
 the name," said he, at which I was pleased; you 
 already know I have always thought well of my 
 native powers. 
 
 "Bill," cried Dan to a man of the deck, "take 
 care of him; he will be handy in Fiji." Whatever 
 could he mean? I queried within myself. Where 
 and what was Fiji? But more anon. 
 
 The work of cutting proceeded rapidly. Dan 
 was one of the hardest workers, and it was his habit 
 to accompany his efforts with a running conversa- 
 tion. He made a queer picture, adorned as he was 
 with a blue apron and a large butcher's knife stuck 
 in his belt. Dan seemed to be a favourite with the 
 thirty sailors who composed the crew. His popu- 
 larity was largely due to the cheery talk with which 
 he pleased the men.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 At the first cut he shouted in surprise: "Why," 
 said he, "the blubber is two feet deep in places. 
 There will be over fifteen tons of oil on this fellow," 
 Another slash, and then : " It 's a fine prize, by merry 
 St. George." 
 
 By the latter phrase I recognised him as the har- 
 poonist of the day before. It was quite evident from 
 his words .that he thought no wrong could be at- 
 tached to the killing of a whale. 
 
 "What a time we'll have when we return to old 
 Plymouth!" he added. 
 
 "I suppose you'll get spliced then," called Bill 
 from the deck where he was engaged in boiling 
 blubber. 
 
 "That will I," quoth Dan. as he laboured in the 
 blubber heap below. "My Jane has been waiting this 
 many a year, and if our voyage is as successful in 
 the future as it has been so far, she shall have her 
 reward. A good wench she is, and she deserves it." 
 
 Apparently, then, the killing of whales does good 
 for others; at which thought I became a little more 
 reconciled to the course things had taken. 
 
 The work of stripping the whale proceeded 
 rapidly, for the men were in excellent temper, partly 
 because the captain had promised double rations, 
 and partly because their ship was nearly full. Tn 
 their bunks that night some of them perhaps dreamt 
 of "Merrie England," and the dear ones they might
 
 24 The Strange Adventures 
 
 soon meet again. It is certain that some such 
 thought was in their minds even during the day- 
 time, for it appeared in their words as they gave 
 themselves with a right good will to the task be- 
 fore them. So the men talked and worked while the 
 blubber was being conveyed to the cauldrons, whence 
 the separated oil was taken to the tanks below. 
 
 Some few of the men were told off by the Captain 
 to obtain the spermaceti oil, which is found in a 
 cavity within the head of the Cachalot or Sperm 
 Whale. So much I heard from Dan, who was chat- 
 ting to a boy. He said further, that much care was 
 taken lest this valuable substance should be lost. A 
 wax called spermaceti is separated from the oil, thus 
 procured by first boiling it, after which it is allowed 
 to cool. The spermaceti then crystallises, and is 
 easily collected. 
 
 During a temporary lull in the operations, the 
 following conversation took place between Dan and 
 the cook. The latter remarked: 
 
 "D'ye know. Dan, the captain says he makes for 
 Fiji to-night, as the larder is low. Bob Torrens 
 is down with scurvy for want of fresh vegetables, 
 and there is a likelihood of it spreading amongst the 
 men. The fire-wood for the cauldrons is also run- 
 ning short.'' 
 
 "80 ho!" said Dan. "We sball buy some Island 
 taters from the niggers in Fiji, with some beads and
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 axes the skipper has below. The teeth also will be 
 valuable. Isn't he a beauty, anyway?" said he, look- 
 ing at me admiringly as I lay on the deck. I con- 
 fess the prospect puzzled me a good deal. There was 
 nothing for it, however, but to wait patiently. Dan 
 went off to measure the whale, which was voted a 
 large one. Ten minutes afterwards he reported to 
 the Captain that the total length over all wa.s seventy 
 feet. The length of the head was twenty-one feet. 
 
 ''Is the blubber all on board?" asked the Captain. 
 
 "Almost, sir," said Dan, touching his cap. 
 
 "Hurry matters up, Dan; I am anxious to set 
 sail for Fiji to-night." 
 
 "Aye, aye, sir," was the ready response. 
 
 Dan then took his place aft, while Bill went for- 
 ward to the bow to direct operations. 
 
 "Stand by, you land-lubbers." cried Dan. "Let 
 go the ropes; heave up the tackle. Hurry aboard 
 there." Each man clambered on deck by the rope 
 that hung nearest to him. 
 
 "'All ready recalled the Captain. 
 
 "Aye, aye, sir." 
 
 "Let go." The sharp order was obeyed instantly, 
 and silently, slowly, my whale slipped away, the 
 ocean kindly hiding the mangled mass from view. 
 
 It was just nightfall, and by the faint light of 
 the moon, we could see the albatrosses soaring over 
 the spot where my former companion had gone down.
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 Quick commands from the Captain were followed 
 by the trimming of the sails to the steady trade wind. 
 All that night we sailed, and for three other nights 
 we went gliding over the waves, bound, as Dan had 
 heard from the Captain, for Fiji, the land of savages, 
 fire-wood and "island taters. "
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 BARTERED. 
 
 (URINGr the three days' sail to Fiji the crew 
 were not idle by any means. The re- 
 mainder of the blubber had to be boiled 
 and placed in the tanks. When that was finally ac- 
 complished, it was no easy matter to "swab down 
 decks," as everything was covered with grease. 
 
 In their moments of leisure the men amused them- 
 selves by collecting all their old pipes, knives, and 
 any stray tobacco tins they might possess. These 
 articles were to be exchanged in Fiji for food and 
 curios, according to the custom of seamen in those 
 days. Dan had obtained me from the Captain, with 
 strict injunctions to barter me away for not less 
 than two hundred yams. "Anything over and be- 
 yond," said the Skipper, "you may have for your- 
 self to take home to Jane." Everybody had their 
 joke with l>an about Jane, but he took their fun 
 good-humou redly ; indeed, he seemed to enjoy it. 
 
 "Aye, aye, sir," was his response. At the same 
 time he determined to keep the Captain to his word. 
 
 Now, Dan had never been to Fiji before, though 
 he had read and heard of the voyages made to the 
 Group by Captain Cook and others. He was non-
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 plussed. therefore, as to how he should succeed as a 
 trader when he did not know the language. For- 
 tunately, a few of the older men had made several 
 voyages to the Pacific, and had picked up a little 
 pidgin-Fijian. To these Dan had recourse for help. 
 It was a case of the "blind leading the blind." 
 Still. Dan's vocabulary was enriched by two useful 
 words, which are understood in many places of the 
 Pacific. One of these was "kaikai,"' meaning food, 
 and the other was "vinaka" good. A third word, 
 "saka," which expresses the English word "sir." 
 Dan would not learn, because he was determined not 
 to humble himself "too much before these savage 
 islanders." Dan used to lie awake in his hammock 
 repeating the words "kaikai" and "vinaka." As 
 often as not, he had the former meaning good and 
 the latter representing food, but that mattered little 
 to him. The thought of Jane stimulated him to face 
 all difficulties with a brave heart. "Moreover." 
 said he, "I depend on the insperashun of the moment 
 in matters of this sort. I never yet saw 7 the nigger 
 that could outwit me in a bargain." 
 
 On the fourth night the look-out man was told 
 to keep a sharp watch ahead for reefs. In those times 
 the Pacific was practically an unknown ocean, and 
 the charts were very untrustworthy. Coral reefs 
 are exceedingly dangerous to vessels, even in -these 
 more enlightened days, and especially so at high tide, 
 when the reef is almost completely hidden from view.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 The Captain, therefore, took every precaution to 
 ensure the safety of his vessel. 
 
 All were very much excited, stern old sea-salts 
 though they were, at the prospect of seeing land 
 again, and also because they hoped to feast them- 
 selves on fresh vegetables; "island taters, " as Dan 
 called them. Some of the men were most anxious 
 to procure bread-fruit, of which they had heard from 
 the old sailors or read in books of travel. Others 
 extolled the cool drink of the young coca-nut, so 
 pleasing to the palate on a hot, tropical day. "Wait," 
 said they, to those who had come to the Pacific for 
 the first time, "and we shall show you how to live 
 like lords and such-like." 
 
 At six o'clock in the morning the look-out man 
 cried, "Land oh!" 
 
 ' ' Whereaway ? ' ' This question came from the 
 deck where the Captain stood. 
 
 "On the starboard bow," answered the look-out 
 man. Accustomed eyes could just make out a thin 
 blue line along the horizon; at first, indeed, it was 
 a query whether the land were not cloud. A quarter 
 of an hour, however, made a great difference, and 
 the look-out man was proved to be right. The 
 sailors called out to one another excitedly, as point 
 after point and range after range appeared through 
 the mist. 
 
 "A bigger country than I thought," said one.
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 "Yes," replied another, who hied from Wales; 
 "and I see mountains there which are almost as high 
 as Snowden, near my native town." 
 
 "By merry St. George," quoth Dan Sawyer, 
 ' ' there must be a fine sight of people on those islands. 
 The hills stretch away as far as these peepers of 
 mine can see." 
 
 ' ' No one can rightly say, ' ' the cook ventured ; 
 and then he proceeded guardedly, "some say 150,000 
 and som say 200,000." 
 
 "Aye. Those savage rapscallions are not so easy 
 to count," said Dan. "They are alike as so many 
 peas." 
 
 "Are they savage?" asked a timid youngster. 
 At which there was a loud roar of laughter from 
 the whole crew. 
 
 "They just are," answered one of the men who 
 had an innate love of giving a scare. "The most 
 bloodthirsty, heathenish crowd that the sun ever 
 shone on." 
 
 Young Sammie 's face grew pale. 
 
 "Couldn't a white man live there?" said he again. 
 
 "Impossible," his tormenter replied. "They 
 would surely eat him." Young Sammie collapsed. 
 I could not help feeling a little sympathetic for 
 young Sammie. He is not an ivory tooth, and might 
 well be excused for being afraid. 
 
 By this time the land was well in sight, and as 
 we drew closer the bright colours of the tropical
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 forests began to appear. The mountains on the 
 island which we were approaching were greater in 
 height than any icebergs I had ever seen. A dis- 
 tinct sense of newness came upon me. The pano- 
 rama spread out before us was so different from the 
 icefloes and the bergs to which I had been used that 
 I could be forgiven, ivory tooth though I am, for 
 feeling strange. 
 
 A cry from the look-out startled everybody on 
 board: "Breakers ahead!" 
 
 "About ship," commanded the Captain. "Too 
 near the coral reef," he muttered under his breath. 
 "Give me plenty of sea-room in this locality." Then 
 he shouted to a sailor standing near by: "Go aloft, 
 Smythe, and keep your weather eye open for the 
 passage in the reef." The man was one whom he 
 could trust, or you may be sure he would not have 
 chosen him for the task. Smythe clambered up the 
 rigging until he looked very small against the sky. 
 From that height he quickly descried an opening into 
 the calm lagoon beyond. Once more the Captain 
 steered for shore, allowing a point or two to wind- 
 ward, in case the ship made a little leeway. So skil- 
 fully did he manage his ship that within thirty 
 minutes he passed through the opening, the white 
 breakers on either side showing clearly whether he 
 steered too much the one way or the other. Swiftly 
 the whaler glided in, and finally came to anchor about
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 two hundred yards from shore, in twenty fathoms of 
 water. 
 
 "Well, where are we?" asked Bill of Dan. 
 
 "Wait till I see the rapscallions that live in those 
 queer huts," was the gruff reply; for Dan's quick 
 eye had discerned Fijian dwellings along the low- 
 lying portions of the coast. A little closer observa- 
 tion showed others on the sides and the tops of the 
 smaller hills. Not a soul appeared in sight, and the 
 whole island, apart from the houses and a few 
 beached canoes, looked as if it were deserted. 
 
 "What shall we do. sir?" said the mate. "Go 
 ashore ? ' ' 
 
 "No," answered the Captain, "We can wait. 
 These people are very treacherous, and I don't like 
 the look of the place. There is not a native to be 
 seen. If I were to send a boat ashore the crew might 
 be set on. No. no; I can't afford to lose a single 
 man at the hands of a hidden crowd of niggers. Wait, 
 I say, until someone appears on shore, and then we 
 can act as we think best. 
 
 All gave way to the Captain, as a matter of 
 course; on this occasion, however, the men were, one 
 and all, seized wij:h the wisdom of his advice. The 
 sequel showed that he was right. 
 
 In about an hour figures emerged from the grass, 
 houses and began to launch the canoes with a good 
 deal of speed. A dozen or more of these shot out

 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 from under the shadow of the hills. The noise of 
 excited jabbering could be heard clearly across the 
 water. The whole picture was bewitching in its 
 strangeness. Here was the touch of romance, mingled 
 with the idea of adventure. Here were the stirring 
 events which could only be supplied by the pre- 
 sence of a savage people and a cunning enemy. Here, 
 too, was a scene which would charm anyone with an 
 eye for beauty. The rich emerald green of the clear 
 shallows contrasted well with the purple-blue of the 
 deep water, and the dozen canoes skimming on the 
 calm lagoon added the necessary touch of life. Be- 
 yond rose the many-peaked mountains covered with 
 vivid green. 
 
 When the canoes were about half-way, they 
 stopped, as if the occupants wished to confer with 
 one another as to the best course to follow. The 
 arrival of a ship was such an unusual occurrence that 
 it was looked upon as something from another world. 
 But when they saw no sign of warlike preparation 
 on the vessel, they came on more boldly. Wilder- 
 looking fellows it would be difficult to imagine. They 
 were tall and well-made, though not roundly-moulded. 
 Their muscles stood out in bunches, giving the im- 
 pression of great strength. Their dress was scanty, 
 and chiefly mad from dried grass. A girdle of this 
 material hung from the waist to the knees, lending 
 to the wearer a most barbarous appearance. All of 
 the savages had their hair brushed or combed into
 
 34 The Strange Adventures 
 
 high tufts of weird shapes. Some of them wore arm- 
 lets and anklets made from sea-shell, to indicate, as 
 I afterwards discovered, that they had slain ten or 
 fifteen men in battle. A few feathers and head orna- 
 ments completed a costume that was fantastic in 
 the extreme. As for weapons, every man had a spear 
 and a club. Some of the latter were curiously 
 wrought and inlaid with mother-of-pearl. There could 
 be distinguished amongst the clubs, imitations of the 
 pineapple, and of the old-fashioned blunderbuss, 
 which the natives had probably seen on former visits 
 of European ships to the Group. This piece of infor- 
 mation fell from the lips of the cook as he and Dan 
 leaned over the rail. 
 
 It was clear, from the way in which the warriors 
 were armed, that they expected treachery. Their 
 numbers, also, were increasing every moment. Other 
 full canoes were seen gliding around the headlands 
 until Dan counted thirty. The crazy craft were each 
 built with an outrigger, which must needs be kept to 
 windward, lest the canoes should overturn. 
 
 The crew of the whaler were deeply interested in 
 what was happening, and especially were they full 
 of admiration as they noted the skill with which the 
 savages handled their canoes in the gusts of wind 
 that frequently swept down upon the lagoon. 
 
 Some of the remarks made by the men were not 
 so complimentary as their enforced admiration
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 35 
 
 might have prompted. "A heathenish crowd, 
 indade!" said Mike Hooley. "Moind ye now, I'd 
 as soon mate the evil wan himself as wan o' thim 
 varrmints in the darrk. Ochone! Oi'll ate me ould 
 beaver hat that Oi left at home, in the ould counthree, 
 if they don't look savage enough for any thin' this 
 soide o' the grave." 
 
 Then up spake Jack the Cornishman, who was 
 inclined to religion: "Ah! If the Methodies 'd coom 
 t'm they'd be better, sure 'nough. I'd b'lieve that 
 if John Wesley, 'im that held forth in Gwennap Pit, 
 could preach to 'm, they'd be mooch different." 
 
 Jack had much to bear from his mates as a 
 penalty for being religious. Still, he had won the 
 respect of the crew by his fearless advocacy of Chris- 
 tianity, which was the name of his religion. On 
 this occasion, however, the ideas expressed by Jack 
 seemed so much out of place that a great laugh burst 
 from the crew. 
 
 ''My merry St. George," shouted Dan, "they 
 would be better stokers of the other pit." 
 
 From behind the nearest point a canoe appeared, 
 the occupants of which were intoning a weird, wild 
 chant. The refrain sounded like "Ulei! Ulei!" and 
 ended with a bloodcurdling yell. 
 
 "Hark at that," said Bill. "It is worse than 
 anything I ever heard, I'll warrant ye."
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 "What is it that they are saying?" asked Dan. 
 "I have it." And he broke into another shout of 
 laughter. "It's Hooley they are wanting. Hark 
 ye!" 
 
 Again came the chant across the water : ' ' Ulei ! 
 Ulei!" concluding as before with the fiendish yell. 
 
 "Howld yer wisht," said Hooley, trembling with 
 the superstition of his race. "I'd as soon go wid ye 
 as wid a crowd o' Kilkenny cats." 
 
 "Ulei! Ulei!" the natives replied. 
 
 This was too much for Mike Hooley, for he made 
 a bolt to the fo 'castle, whence he peeped warily at 
 the oncoming canoes. 
 
 Some few of the sailors wished to fire the brass 
 cannon, but the Captain would not hear of it. "We 
 must not frighten them, as it is food we want. If 
 that cannon were to be fired they would be off in a 
 trice, and we should perhaps die of scurvy. Send 
 aloft the white flag." 
 
 The little sign went up, causing a stir amongst 
 the natives. But they were evidently reasurred, for 
 they began now to circle around the ship as if they 
 were on parade. The Fijian people are very quick 
 to read the intentions and dispositions of other people, 
 so that it was not very long before they made advances 
 in the direction of the rope-ladders hanging over the 
 side of the vessel. At last one, in answer to the 
 friendly greetings of some of the men, and seeing no
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 trace of weapons (though each sailor had, by order, 
 placed a pistol in his jacket), leaped daringly on 
 board. When no harm attended him, the rest 
 speedily clambered up, leaving but one in each canoe. 
 As nothing could be made out of the excited ejacula- 
 tions of the savages, a conversation by signs then 
 began. The sailors showed their knives and trinkets, 
 and endeavoured to make known by gestures that 
 they were in need of food and wood. While the pan- 
 tomime proceeded, Mike found courage to sidle up 
 to the little Welshman. 
 
 ' ' And phwat wud they be after feeding themselves 
 on at all, at all? They are moighty strong men, so 
 they are." 
 
 "They are vegetarians usually," said the Welsh- 
 man, giving Mike the benefit of his reading. "On 
 occasion they make a feast, at which they cook fish, 
 pigs, and human beings." Mike made a wry face 
 at the latter suggestion, and his hand stole, to his 
 pistol." 
 
 "Tunder an' taties, " cried he, "they are foine 
 specimens of vegetarians, so they are." 
 
 Mike's remark was true, for every man was a 
 model, with huge muscles on leg and arm that would 
 make a hand-to-hand tussle with him dangerous, to 
 say the least. One tall savage, with armlets and ank- 
 lets on his limbs, and covered with cocoa-nut oil from 
 head to foot, approached Dan, who had been hold-
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 ing me in his hands, ready to barter me in the best 
 interests of his dear Jane. The barbarian's eyes 
 glinted as they rested on me, and he made a move 
 forward as he asked: "Acava?" (What is it?) The 
 question caused Dan to flounder, so he fell back on 
 his limited vocabulary. 
 
 "Kaikai" (food), answered he." 
 
 The islander looked incredulous, and put out his 
 hand to feel me. Dan, perhaps thinking it the best 
 way to arouse the greed of the barbarian, trusted me 
 to him. The latter was bent on finding out what 
 sort of kaikai I might be. Heart of ivory that I 
 was, I feared no man's teeth. Accordingly, when he 
 took me up, tapped me with his fingers, opened his 
 mouth widely, displaying two handsome rows of 
 teeth. I knew that he would be the sorrier of the two 
 in a duel between ivories. Strong as his teeth were, 
 they could make no dents or scratches on me. Evi- 
 dently the test was sufficient for him, and he laid me 
 down with covetousness peeping out of his dark 
 brown eyes. He strolled to the other side of the 
 ship, but very soon his curiosity overcame him, and 
 he returned to where Dan was sitting. In rather a 
 bold manner he took me for the second time from 
 Dan's hand. The latter said "Viiiaka" (good), and 
 the savage answered "Vinaka. " They apparently 
 understood one another on that point. But when the 
 Fijian said "Sa noqu" (It is mine), and made as
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 if to take me away, Dan jumped up, saying: "Drop 
 that, you black rapscallion. By merry St. George, I 
 want kaikai for it. Plank down your yams like a 
 gentleman and you may have it. Hark ye!" 
 
 One word of this harangue attracted the savage's 
 attention. On hearing the word "kaikai," he turned 
 laughingly to Dan, and pointing to him, said "kai- 
 kai." This was too much for those of the crew who 
 were standing by. Dan was all muscle and bone, and 
 did not promise to make a dainty morsel. 
 
 "Get out, you lubber, I am too hard in the head 
 for that." The joke was lost on the heathen, who 
 looked a little bewildered at the effect of his action. 
 Dan was equal to the occasion, however, and rattled 
 off the two words "Vinaka, Kaikai," pointing alter- 
 nately to me and to his waist-coat button. At last 
 it dawned upon the native what was required. Re- 
 linquishing me, he made for his canoe as fast as his 
 copper-coloured legs could carry him. That savage 
 paddling to shore was a sight worth seeing. So said 
 Dan's little company. His paddle he used now on 
 the right and now on the left of his outrigger canoe 
 to such good effect that he was quickly hidden from 
 view behind a small headland. Evidently he was set 
 on being my possessor. Some such thoughts as the 
 following were apparently passing through his brain : 
 "If I become the owner of that tooth I shall possess 
 a charm which shall give me power in the eyes of
 
 40 The Strange Adventures 
 
 my people. Such a tooth we have never seen before. 
 With it I could do anything, for it would be more 
 valuable than a club or a spear, or any of the symbols 
 that my people use." 
 
 As a matter of fact, I afterwards learned that 
 the Fijians never did any work of importance with- 
 out ceremony, and especially, no great compact was 
 ever made without the aid of a recognised sign, such 
 as a shell, a club, or a cocoa-nut branch with the 
 fruit hanging to it. This particular savage was 
 shrewd enough to see that he might turn me into a 
 symbol, to be used to good purpose on special occa- 
 sions. Moreover, I was easily carried, durable, 
 attractive in appearance, and by far the best whale's 
 tooth on the ship. 
 
 My would-be owner had been away for some 
 time, and Dan had begun to doubt whether he would 
 return. At length, two canoes were noticed com- 
 ing out laden with yams, which looked like huge 
 potatoes; in addition, the warrior had brought young 
 cocoa-nuts, a few woven mats, and some ornaments 
 made from sea-shell. 
 
 Dan's face shone with delight as he thought of 
 Jane and the pleasant surprise he would be able 
 to give her. It was clear that my fate was sealed, 
 and that from henceforth my home was to be 
 amongst these wild people of the South Seas. The 
 bargain being concluded, I was handed over to my
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 new owner, who at once carefully wrapped me up 
 and hid me in his canoe. 
 
 Other canoes had been conveying supplies of 
 food and native manufactures, and soon, the crew 
 had provisions sufficient for months to come. As the 
 savages seemed peaceful, two boats had also been 
 sent to shore for fire-wood, and they had returned 
 several times laden to the gunwale. The Captain, 
 having no further cause to stay, heaved anchor the 
 next day, set sail, and departed to seek for more 
 whales. Of Dan, I heard no more; but there can 
 be no doubt that he made good his claim to the 
 curios which he got in exchange for me, thereby 
 keeping the Captain to his word.
 
 42 The Strange Adventures 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 NEW POWERS. 
 
 S I have already told ray readers, I have 
 been in the habit of thinking exceedingly 
 well of myself. But shortly I was to re- 
 ceive new powers hitherto not dreamt of in my wildest 
 imaginings. Instead of being a mere whale's tooth, 
 I was to become a mystic sign, with virtues des- 
 tined to shape the lives and institutions of a strange 
 people. So real did these powers prove to be, that 
 by-and-bye I came to trust in them as if they were 
 an actual possession born in ine. I am given to 
 understand, however, that even in societies of men 
 this identical self-deception is quite customary, so 
 that I am not alone in my fault. 
 
 It soon become apparent that my new owner re- 
 garded me with a certain amount of superstitious 
 awe, and even with fear. He bored holes in me, by 
 which he might attach native-made cord, and every 
 day he would hold me up by it, the better to admire 
 my shape and colour. Then he would turn me over 
 in his hands, clicking his tongue the while, thus giv- 
 ing expression to his pride and pleasure. 
 
 One day a sudden thought came to birth in his 
 savage mind. Acting immediately upon it, .he went
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 iiito the woods. It was not till evening that he re- 
 turned, carrying a plant, which is called in Eng- 
 lish, Turmeric. From it he made a yellowish dye. 
 Judge my scorn and shame when I found that my 
 ivory whiteness was now to be made yellow to suit 
 the caprice of my barbarous possessor. We are ever 
 at the mercy of the opinions of others, and I have 
 found it is one of the hardest things to please every- 
 body, even barbarians like this Fijian. I must pass 
 through the unpleasant treatment, therefore, and 
 lose for ever the gleaming whiteness of which I had 
 been so proud. 
 
 The daily visit was paid as before, but now I 
 was forced to undergo a massage with oil and 
 turmeric. Thereupon I turned as yellow as a golden 
 guinea. If I became more and more disgusted with 
 myself on that account, I rose daily in the estima- 
 tion of my owner. 
 
 The savage into whose hands I had fallen was 
 named Dakuloa. He was a high chief in the town 
 of Kulatu, and was related to a still higher chief 
 in the town of Ula. To this latter personage, who 
 was named Ratokaitua, there came one day a 
 rumour of the good fortune which had befallen his 
 younger relative in the possession of myself. Wish- 
 ing to hear more of it, he sent a special message to 
 Dakuloa to attend on him at once. Fijians are 
 entirely respectful to their leaders, and are in the
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 habit of obeying, without question, any command that 
 is given to them. Dakuloa forthwith embarked in 
 his canoe, not however before coining to take a part- 
 ing glimpse at his treasure. 
 
 As he turned- to go, his face showed that he 
 was inwardly displeased with the intentions of Rato- 
 kaitua. 
 
 Dakuloa was away several days. When he re- 
 turned (it was night) he came at once to see if I 
 were still in my hiding-place. By the light of a 
 reed torch, which he carried, I noted that his face 
 was sullen and lowering. His mission evidently had 
 not met with great success. He muttered a few 
 words in Fijian as he entered: "Isa! sa dua na ka 
 ca." (Alas! it is an evil matter.) 
 
 Next morning I was taken up carefully and car- 
 ried to Dakuloa 's canoe. A curious three-cornered 
 sail made out of dried grass, finely woven, was 
 hoisted on two poles, placed anglewise, and we shot 
 across a strait fifteen miles wide in an incredibly 
 short time. Dakuloa was taking me to the town 
 where Ratokaitua, his dreaded uncle, lived. 
 
 The approaches to the village were rough bush 
 tracks, over which the tropical green hung densely. 
 Underfoot the soil was of a sandy nature, and had 
 doubtless been formed by the constant washing of 
 the sea, for it was full of broken coral, pumice, and 
 shells. A dampness constantly arose from the path,
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 owing probably to the fact that the sun scarcely 
 ever shone through the thick foliage overhead. 
 Several birds of bright plumage flitted through the 
 half-gloom of the track. Passing a stockade, we 
 came upon a few uncouth pigs, which I afterwards 
 learned were brought to the Islands by Captain Cook. 
 There were also some fowls, which had long since 
 lost all semblance of breed. As we drew near to 
 the town, several naked children ran and hid be- 
 hind the tall cocoa-nut trunks. One boy sat upon a 
 huge drum, nine feet long and nearly four feet high. 
 It had been an immense tree, and had been hollowed 
 out by means of stone axes. Of this drum and its 
 uses I was to learn much. Suffice it now to say that 
 it was never beaten except for signalling purposes. 
 We entered the village, and Dakuloa immediately 
 took me to a large Fijian house at the end of the 
 square space, which occupied the middle of the town. 
 
 Before entering, Dakuloa gave a curious cry, 
 which was intended evidently as a mark of respect 
 to the dignitary within. "We then entered the build- 
 ing, and Dakuloa sat down in silence. After some 
 moments had elapsed, the voice of the high chief, 
 Ratokaitua, was heard, as he gave the customary 
 Fijian greeting: 
 
 "Life is good." 
 
 "Life is good, sir." 
 
 "Have you brought the tooth?"
 
 46 The Strange Adventures 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Good!" 
 
 A few moments of silence. Then : 
 
 "Let me see it." 
 
 I was slowly produced, and brought to the front, 
 where I got a good view of the face of the man who 
 was coveting me as his possession. It was the very 
 embodiment of cruelty. Vile living was written 011 
 every feature. Evil purposes were patent to the 
 most casual observer. His eyes were red from his. 
 drinking heavily of native grog. 
 
 "Good!" said lie again, in an abrupt way. It 
 was plain that he was endeavouring to appear indif- 
 ferent, but I noticed there was a glint in his blood- 
 shot eyes which signified more than did the stolidity 
 of his face. 
 
 "Give it to me." 
 
 I was handed over. Ratokaitua then turned to 
 his nephew and said: 
 
 "Go and get something to eat. There is food in 
 the next house." 
 
 Dakuloa went out as he was bidden. As soon as 
 he did so, the cruel savage who now possessed me, 
 began to exult with devilish joy. He took me up, 
 and muttered as he looked upon me: "I will have 
 them now, my enemies. Last moon they mocked me, 
 but soon they will be mocked. Three more nights
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 47 
 
 and then they will be in the oven, and a great feast 
 will I make.''' 
 
 The villain mumbled on in this fashion until a 
 footstep outside the house warned him that someone 
 was approaching. Hastily placing me beneath a 
 mat, he resumed his former passive demeanour. 
 
 Not many days afterwards I was carefully 
 brought to light, but this time in the presence of a 
 second person. 
 
 "See," said Ratokaitua to his companion, "I 
 have now the means by which I shall carry out my 
 desire upon my enemies. This tooth shall bring me 
 the joy of vengeance. Take it by night, as far as 
 possible, to the town of Naiqoro, where Matavou is 
 chief, and inquire if he will deliver to me the two 
 youths who took refuge with him last moon. Should 
 he still refuse, then show this tooth, and inform him 
 that I send it with these chiefly words: 'You are a 
 great chief, and here is a small tooth, which I bring 
 from my master. Many times he has asked a favour, 
 but now he sends his respects, and asks for the two 
 young men who fled to you last moon, and he wishes 
 you to accept this tooth as a token of his good-will. 
 It is a ka-mana (a thing with magic power).' ' 
 
 The messenger was a descendant of a family which 
 had followed the calling of courier for many genera- 
 tions. It was therefore no difficulty for him to re- 
 member the words as dictated by his superior. He
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 received me with well-defined awe. and, placing me 
 in a plaited grass basket for the journey, set forth 
 without further preparation. It was a wild, rugged 
 pathway which we followed. Gradually we mounted, 
 upwards until the morning light broke from the; 
 east. The valleys were then seen to be choked with 
 thick cloud, which gradually lifted, revealing the 
 wondrous beauties of tropical scenery. Various^ 
 promontories jutted out boldly to the sea in the direc- 
 tion whence we had come, while nearer there were 
 circular beaches of glistening sand. As a contrast 
 to the latter stood heavy fringes of cocoa-nut trees. 
 A mile out to sea stretched the foaming coral reef, 
 as white as the snows of Antarctica. Between the 
 reef and the beach lay the lagoon, set like a piece 
 of many-tinted opal in a rim of ivory. 
 
 But all this beauty threw into dark relief the low 
 state of the people living in it. Already I was be- 
 ing initiated into the treachery, tyranny, cruelty and 
 crime of these curious tribes. And. unfortunately, 
 I was to be made an active co-worker in their plot- 
 tings. Like true-born ivory, I shrank from anything 
 which was not all of a piece. But Fate had ruled 
 that I must follow her commands to the full, and 
 perforce, I obeyed. 
 
 Our destination was reached shortly after sun- 
 rise. It was a mountain village, prettily situated 
 amongst the hills and valleys of the interior. The
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 49 
 
 ocean could no longer be seen, as the mountains hid 
 it from view. There was the usual flutter of fowls 
 and rush of pigs, as the messenger climbed the stile 
 which formed the entrance into the town. Two or 
 three ill-favoured curs snapped at him viciously. 
 "Without looking to the right or the left, the mes- 
 senger made straight for the house of the chief, 
 Matavou. This man had a darker face than many 
 of the Fijian people, probably because he was des- 
 cended more directly from the original inhabitants 
 of the Group. According to the custom or etiquette 
 of the people, the messenger sat down in silence until 
 he should be saluted by Matavou. 
 
 "Where have you come from?" is almost an 
 inquisitive question with Europeans, but in the mouth 
 of Matavou it was a sign of his gracious attitude to- 
 wards his visitor. 
 
 "Ratokaitua has sent me," was the answer. This 
 with great deliberation, for unseemly haste is thought 
 bad diplomacy by Fijians, as well as bad manners. 
 
 "Is he well?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 Silence again; then: 
 
 "What have you come for?" 
 
 "My master has sent me, sir, to pay his respects 
 to you, and he hopes you are well." 
 
 "Good."
 
 50 
 
 "And he also wished me to ask for the granting 
 of his former request." 
 
 The change in Matavou's aspect was remarkable. 
 If possible, his face grew still darker, while his eyes 
 flashed in anger. But restraining himself, he 
 answered in a hard voice: 
 
 "Go back to your master, and tell him that it 
 is impossible. The word of a chief has been given, 
 and I am ashamed that he who has sent you asks so 
 often that I should break it." 
 
 The messenger shrewdly waited until the storm 
 of anger had passed, and replied softly: 
 
 "He bade me press his request, sir." 
 
 "Foolish and impudent man! Go, lest evil hap- 
 pen to you. Tell your master that once for all, it 
 is impossible." 
 
 Very cool and deliberate was the messenger's 
 next action; for, disregarding the angry chief's com- 
 mand to be gone, he drew me from the basket in 
 which I had hitherto been concealed, and holding me 
 by the plaited fibre cord, said: "Look, sir, you are 
 a very great chief, and this is a small tooth which 
 I bring from Ratokaitua. Many times he has asked 
 a favour. But now he sends his respects, and begs 
 for the two young men who fled to you for refuge 
 last moon, and he also requests that you will accept, 
 as a token of his good-will, this tooth. It is a ka-
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 mana." The well-planned ruse was so unexpected 
 that it swept the old man from his self-possession. 
 One would have thought that there were actually 
 some magic power coming from me, for as soon as 
 his eyes rested upon me his countenance changed, as 
 does the face of a child when a new toy is placed 
 within its reach. There was more than mere curi- 
 osity in his attitude, however, for he realised in a 
 moment that the possession of me meant power to 
 him. 
 
 Eagerly his bony hand clutched at me, and quite 
 as eagerly he raised me to his wide nostril, at the 
 same time drawing in his breath sharply (the 
 Fijian kiss), which action became from that time the 
 right way for all others when receiving the whale's 
 tooth. 
 
 "It is well," said he; "for your master's chiefly^ 
 character has overcome me. He is a true chief, and 
 the sign thereof I hold in my hands. Leave me 
 for a time." 
 
 The messenger retired with the air of a man who 
 had done his part successfully. Matavou continued 
 to inspect me as if I were a spirit from the world 
 of the dead. Gradually a dark look of an evil pur- 
 pose crept over his face, boding ill for the two young 
 men. A message was sent to the leading chiefs of 
 the clan to meet him in council. Obediently they 
 crept in, one 'by one, and took their places, accord-
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 ing to their rank and influence, in a half-circle. So 
 they sat, a council of death, and as they listened 
 silently, the old chief proposed that the two young 
 men should be given up. It was no hard matter for 
 them to agree to their chief's decision. Two men 
 more or less in the world, seemed a mere trifle to 
 these wild men of the Islands. Of more importance 
 was the manner of their capture. To this fell task 
 they bent all their savage inventive power. After 
 long deliberation, it was decided that sports should 
 be held in honour of their two guests, and that all 
 the residents in the town should vie with one an- 
 other in the game of throwing the spear. It was 
 further arranged in their dark counselling, that 
 when the two young men were watching the per- 
 formance, certain braves should be told off to throw 
 them suddenly on their backs and bind them. Mata- 
 vou informed his Privy Council, in a hoarse whisper, 
 that he had decided to send the refugees to Ruto- 
 kaitua, that that chief might vent his hatred upon 
 them. Not one of those present were ignorant of 
 the possible fate of the victims, but the knowledge 
 of it did not deter them from their project. 
 
 The whole affair was carried out as arranged. 
 The game of "Veitiqa," or throwing the mock spear, 
 is one which has engaged the idle moments of 
 Fijians for generations past, and is as much a de- 
 light to the onlookers as to those competing. By long 
 practice the warriors have acquired singular skill
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 53 
 
 in the amusement. The mock spear is a reed about 
 four feet long, with a heavy knob of wood attached 
 to one end. It seemed the easiest matter in the 
 world to make this improvised spear travel like a 
 flash a hundred yards, but it is actually one of the 
 hardest things to do. Let the doubter try for him- 
 self. 
 
 A long space had 'been cleared between the cocoa- 
 nuts from older times; even the grey-beards did 
 not remember when it was prepared. Many happy 
 gatherings had made the locality ring with loud 
 laugh and crude joke, and the crowd of savages who 
 meandered to the spot on this particular occasion 
 were happy enough; for even cannibals can, for a 
 moment, lay aside the cares of life in order to make 
 merry with their friends. 
 
 No suspicion of foul play lurked in the minds 
 of the fine young athletic victims. The day was 
 charming. The spear-throwers gave themselves 
 heartily to the sport, while their admirers shouted 
 their approbation of any especial feat upon the part 
 of their favourites. 
 
 The two young men were sitting with their faces 
 towards the game, nor did they notice the stealthy 
 movements of half a dozen warriors who were ap- 
 pointed to the traitorous act. When the excitement 
 was at its height, there was a sudden leap, a cry, 
 and the two were struggling on the ground with
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 their would-be captors. As they attempted to rise 
 the others leaped upon them heavily, making it im- 
 possible for them to defend themselves. Temporarily 
 disabled, they were easily secured, and were soon 
 lashed securely to stout pieces of bamboo, and so, 
 with terror in their eyes, they were carried face 
 downwards through the forest to the town of their 
 fierce enemy. When the full meaning of what had 
 happened dawned upon the merry crowd, their 
 laughing was effectually stopped; the people made 
 no noise, excepting for a fierce yell that occasion- 
 ally broke upon the stillness from some over- 
 wrought warrior. Night fell, but no sleep came to 
 the villagers, their excitement completely banishing 
 repose. 
 
 They conversed in whispers; until early moi-uing, 
 when a faint boom and thud, heard alternately, 
 floated upwards from the coast. It was fully ten 
 miles as the crow flies, but the huge drum in Rato- 
 kaitua's village was distinctly heard in the still 
 morning air. Men spoke with fear in their voices, 
 and women trembled, as they listened to the omin- 
 ous beat the awful meaning of which they had 
 learned by bitter experience. 
 
 Again the eventide, with its soft colours and cool 
 breezes. The long shadows of the cocoa-nuts gradu- 
 ally disappeared in the gloom of night. A solitary 
 traveller, carrying two small baskets upon a pole.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 made his way from the rugged path to the chief's 
 house. His burden he deposited in the midst of the 
 company assembled for the evening meal. After a 
 few moments' rest he displayed his gift to full view. 
 Horror of horrors! Could it be a cannibal peace- 
 offering ? 
 
 My readers will not be sorry to pass from this 
 scene. The new powers vested in me were grievous 
 indeed to be borne. Had I consulted my own wishes, 
 it is certain that I should not have chosen my pre- 
 sent existence. Jack the Cornishman would surely 
 have been less hopeful with regard to the savage in- 
 habitants of the Islands if he had witnessed the 
 deeds which came directly under my notice. Acts 
 such as the one I have described were common in 
 those dark days, but I spare me the gruesome details. 
 
 My next adventure was more to my liking, which 
 I shall relate, however, in a new chapter.
 
 56 The Strange Adventures 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 THE ATONEMENT. 
 
 |Y readers will pardon me if I indulge in a 
 little dry talk. I must confess to a weak- 
 ness in that direction, though a whale's 
 tooth is not supposed to know anything of hard think- 
 ing. A little explanation is, however, necessary just 
 at this point in order to make my story clear. 
 
 It is a mistake to think that savage peoples are 
 always bent on wrongdoing. If they had without 
 ceasing sought to commit deeds such as that des- 
 cribed in the last chapter, they would be fiends of 
 hell. Cruel though the Fijians were, they had their 
 times when they tired of doing frightful things. It 
 may be said that the Islanders are much like child- 
 ren, in this respect, that the bad deed of to-day 
 they want to forget, if possible, to-morrow. 
 
 It seems also to be a necessary part of their exis- 
 tence that they shall relieve their minds by certain 
 simple games. 
 
 If it were not so they would have destroyed them- 
 selves by constant warfare. 
 
 These pastimes and amusements release the pent- 
 up animal spirits in their breasts, just as in the
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 ease of schoolboys amongst my readers, and the 
 natives throw themselves into their games with great 
 zest, every person taking part, as far as possible, in 
 the fun. No native game caused so much genuine 
 enthusiasm in Fiji as the sport called "Veitiqa" 
 (throwing the spear). For the time being, at least, 
 the people forgot their enemies and their enmities, 
 and they lost the vague fear of the ever-possible 
 attack which haunted them in their hours of 
 indolence. 
 
 Their amusements also were, in the main, a dis- 
 play of pure fun. Even their dances, in which they 
 decorated themselves to some effect, were not sug- 
 gestive of evil as in other islands of the Pacific; 
 on the contrary, they were a simple, healthy plea- 
 sure. The crowds of onlookers are on such occa- 
 sions carried completely away by the happiness of 
 the moment not by any direct hint of evil, but by 
 a fresh movement or manner of dress set off on the 
 village green. The dances of the present day were 
 handed down, as far as their form goes, from the 
 forgotten past, and to outsiders who see them for 
 the first time the picture of the regular movement, 
 flashing with colour, is very pleasing, especially 
 when the surrounding foliage is rich in shades of 
 green. 
 
 There were times, then, when the people turned 
 for a moment from the more terrible aspects of
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 their savage life to pursuits and occupations of peace. 
 It happens often, therefore, that a savage leader, 
 grossly cruel on some occasions, will tire of his 
 cruel acts and seek change in his planting, his amuse- 
 ments, or some other method of lessening the weari- 
 ness of his mind. 
 
 Thus it was with Matavou. After the revolting 
 episode related in the last chapter, he looked for a 
 salve to his disturbed spirit, and therefore his 
 thoughts turned in the direction of peace. Might it 
 not also have been the sign of a better thought that 
 man's life is not altogether at its highest when spent 
 in slaying and plotting? 
 
 On account of this passing change in the man, it 
 was my lot to be lead gradually into another phase 
 of Fijian life and character. 
 
 Matavou had had a long history of bickering 
 and quarrelling with a neighbouring chief, whose 
 name was Sikalutu. It had come to such a pass 
 that the affair might, like a festering sore, break out 
 at any moment into violence. When a man was 
 injured in Fiji by another he pledged himself never 
 to forget the insult until it had been avenged. If 
 the injured one were to die, it was the custom to 
 pass on the evil burden to his son, and to his son's 
 son. Many sad stories may be told how anger, like 
 a stream, has begun in but a little thing, and has 
 grown by mutual wrong into something out of all 
 proportion to its cause.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 59 
 
 Matavou 's trouble was a true instance of the 
 foregoing native practice, and was on this wise. 
 When he was a young man (which was about thirty 
 years before) he had been an energetic native 
 planter. It was his custom to go into the mountains 
 before sunrise, and work in his garden. He was an 
 adept in the art of growing yams; also taro, with 
 leaves like a lily, and sweet potatoes. 
 
 The yams he grew by first digging up little 
 hillocks about a yard apart and about a foot high. 
 In these he planted slices^ of old yams after the man- 
 ner of potato-planting in European countries, with 
 this difference, that he did not need to look for the 
 eyes. After planting he watched the hillocks until 
 the long, running vine of the plant began to make 
 its appearance. Matavou then went into the woods 
 to get reeds, which he placed in the ground beside 
 the runner, so that the latter could climb according 
 to its nature. If an old dead tree stood near, so 
 much the better, for the vine could then wind itself 
 around the trunk and branches until they were 
 covered. Should there be too many stones in the 
 plot, he piled them up into a strong hedge, over 
 which the plants might freely clamber. Carefully 
 did Matavou tend his yams until they were mature, 
 which was about six or eight months after plant- 
 ing. Matavou also built in the centre of his garden 
 a neat little reed house, in which he might keep his 
 spare produce until required.
 
 60 The Strange Adventures 
 
 When the yams were dug, sweet potato twigs 
 could be placed in the empty hillocks, and a second 
 crop raised in the same ground. It took but three 
 months for sweet potatoes to come to perfection, and 
 the vegetables thus procured became indispensable 
 during a season of the year when yams were scarce. 
 
 But Matavou had also neat irrigation plots made 
 by damming up a small stream with earth, so as to 
 cause the depth of water over the flat surface to be 
 about two or three inches. Merely using a pointed 
 stick, he made holes about a yard apart, where the 
 water thus flowed, and then planted deeply the young 
 shoots of the taro. These again were exceedingly use- 
 ful in the season when other foods had been ex- 
 hausted. Matavou was very proud of his terraced 
 taro beds, and indeed, he had good reason for so 
 feeling, as his taro was admittedly the best in the 
 district. 
 
 The chief was following his usual pursuit with 
 great ardour when he was about the marriageable 
 age, as Fijians say, and determined to make a yam- 
 garden high up in the ridges some distance from his 
 town. He chose a fine piece of land above a rock 
 cliff where the earth was rich and loamy, fitted for 
 the production of yams. His judgment, as usual, 
 was not at fault, and in the month of March the 
 vegetables were ready to dig. Matavou paid an 
 early morning visit, therefore, in order to get the 
 very finest, as a present of first-fruits to his chief.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 While engaged in his task he heard a step, and im- 
 mediately seized his clu'b and spear, which he always 
 kept beside him. The tall reeds parted, and a young 
 chief of a neighbouring tribe stood before him with 
 anger depicted on his face. 
 
 "What are you doing here?" asked he. 
 
 "Digging the first fruits," answered Matavou. 
 
 "You shall have none to-day," was the fierce 
 response. 
 
 "Why not?" said the other, grasping tightly his 
 spear and club. 
 
 "Because you have been planting on my land." 
 
 "It is a lie," retorted Matavou. 
 
 "It is you that lie, you base-born serf," returned 
 the savage stranger, at the same time spitting on 
 the ground* between them. 
 
 Quick as a flash Matavou threw his spear, but 
 his antagonist as quickly evaded it, and the shaft 
 buried itself with a hiss amongst the reeds. 
 
 They two then challenged each other to mortal 
 combat. Placing their clubs handle downwards upon 
 the ground, they encircled each other, watching their 
 opportunity to make the first blow. While they 
 executed this movement their muscles stood out in 
 coils. Their eyes flashed mutual defiance. There 
 was a panther-like leap and the two struck 
 mightily. It seemed as if they had but parried. A 
 rain of heavy blows followed, so that they were 
 almost exhausted, and their breath came in short,
 
 62 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 quick gasps. Suddenly Matavou dropped his club, 
 every wild instinct now awakened within him. He 
 seized his adversary around the waist, and putting 
 forth all his powers, flung him over the cliff. There 
 he lay, a helpless, huddled mass. A cry rang out 
 from above. It was clear to Matavou that the con- 
 flict had been seen. He therefore sped away as 
 swiftly as possible to a safe refuge. 
 
 His enemy did not die. The cry that was heard 
 by Matavou came from one of Sikalutu's own 
 people, who had by chance come upon the combatants 
 at the crucial moment. His warriors were speedily 
 called, who bore him away, and tended him until he 
 recovered strength. 
 
 But Sikalutu had sworn a solemn vow of ven- 
 geance. From that time, these two were unrelent- 
 ing foes, and through the years that had elapsed, 
 many insults and injuries had been heaped by each 
 upon the other. 
 
 Matavou was appreciably different, however, as 
 an old man, from what he was in the wild days of 
 his youth. The day after he had received me from 
 Ratokaitua he sat in his house pondering long over 
 this long-continued feud. For some time he had 
 wished in his heart that he could bring it to an end. 
 It had come to him suddenly, in the midst of his 
 reflections, that now he had the means by which the 
 whole bitter quarrel might be amicably settled. He
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 would take me, the whale's tooth, which he had had 
 the good fortune to secure, and he would present me 
 to Sikalutu, with a large gift of food, and so make 
 a lasting peace. Long did he brood upon the possi- 
 bilities of the case, until the determination to make 
 amends found permanent lodgment in his mind. 
 
 So soon, then, as the month of the maturing yams 
 (March) came round, he gave orders to his people 
 to bring in the first-fruits. "For," said he, "I wish 
 to make a present to Sikalutu." All wondered at 
 the humility of their savage chief, and at another 
 time they would have despised him. On this oc- 
 casion, however, the people were as tired of the con- 
 tinual fighting as their leader was, and with some 
 alacrity they set themselves to obey the command. 
 In addition to the yams, ten pigs were to be pro- 
 vided, together with twenty fowls. Each woman 
 was to supply at mat, woven with the best dried grass 
 they could procure. 
 
 When all the preparations were made, a mes- 
 senger was sent to his old-time enemy to say that 
 he was bringing a gift. Such a thing was unheard 
 of in the personal relationships of these two. Nor 
 could Sikalutu suspect anything other than treachery. 
 It was, therefore, with a forced appearance of good- 
 will, that he appeared in the village green to receive 
 Matavou. The meaning of his large escort was un- 
 mistakable. According to the custom, he and his
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 retinue occupied one side of the clear space, while 
 Matavou and his followers sat opposite. They were 
 all armed as if for war, and looked like opposing 
 armies. 
 
 At a command from Matavou, his men suddenly 
 laid down their spears and clubs, taking up instead 
 their gifts. With great self-possession Matavou then 
 led them forth into the centre space, intoning a 
 native chant composed for the event. "When the 
 food had been deposited carefully, they returned to 
 their places. An ominous silence ensued. It was 
 evident that Sikalutu still thought it a plot. At a 
 given sign, Matavou 's messenger advanced, as spokes- 
 man, to a point midway between the principal parties. 
 He stood there silently for a half-minute, holding me 
 out at arm's-length. Slowly turning from side to 
 side, he displayed me to Sikalutu and his warriors. 
 The sun shone upon me. making me to gleam like 
 burnished gold. What magic spell was moving out- 
 wards from me I know not. 
 
 The speaker began ! ' ' Sir. we are here to-day 
 to make amends. My master has called me to speak to 
 you on thiswise. He is tired of the war that has 
 been going on between our clans. He has considered 
 long and earnestly the whole matter, and now feels 
 he desires peace. But how to secure all that he 
 wished for he knew not. 
 
 At last there came into his keeping this small 
 tooth, which he knows is a ka-mana: and now he
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 brings it to you with the chiefly request that we 
 cease from our quarrel. We ask, sir, that the past 
 may be buried, of which let this tooth be the sign. 
 So may you and we live, and let the country 
 prosper." 
 
 A long cry. beginning high in the scale and 
 descending to a deep guttural, a cry not unmusical, 
 yet fearfully thrilling and penetrating, arose from 
 Matavou's men, sealing what had been uttered. 
 
 He who held me in his hands stood awaiting in 
 a dramatic manner the issue. 
 
 The change in the countenances of the others was 
 instantaneous, as when a thunderstorm empties itself 
 of rain and passes away. 
 
 Then Sikalutu did in the sight of all a thing un- 
 precedented. Forgetting, in his change of feeling, 
 the usual dignity of a chief at such a time, he rose 
 and received the present himself, kissing me as did 
 Matavou on a previous occasion in his private house- 
 Returning, he whispered a few words. His men 
 thereupon laid down their arms, and the town-crier 
 arose, holding me in his hands before him as Mata- 
 vou's messenger had done, and after a short pause, 
 said: "Chiefs from Naiqoro, I am directed by my 
 master to say that th.e whole affair astonishes him 
 beyond measure. He is of one heart and one mind 
 with you, as he too is tired of the feud. He would 
 have given it up long ago but for the evil spirit
 
 66 The Strange Adventures 
 
 that was in him. Now he has learned a lesson from 
 Matavou, and says that as for him, the past is buried 
 for ever. I have finished." 
 
 A long-drawn cry followed, in confirmation of this 
 speech, ending in a loud chorus from the assembled 
 onlookers as they repeated again and again their 
 word for "good": "Vinaka! Vinaka!" 
 
 Sikalutu gave orders that food should be brought 
 and placed before his visitors. "Which being done, 
 they all joined in the repast with much heartiness, 
 entirely free from treachery. 
 
 My achievement on this occasion was more to my 
 ivory heart. In the light of later history, the happy 
 ending of this quarrel was a sign and prophecy of 
 a .still greater reconciliation, having respect to the 
 whole Fijian people, and brought about by an Atone- 
 ment availing for ever and ever.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 67 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 THE RED FLAME OF WAR. 
 
 I ARK races are said to be vainer than their 
 white brethren. Whether the statement 
 be true or false, it is certain that the 
 former are bolder and more unblushing in their 
 vanity than the latter. Sikalutu, now in possession 
 of the mysterious power vested in me, was wont to 
 plume himself upon his good fortune. Moreover, he 
 could not resist the temptation to self-conceit when- 
 ever he thought of the humbling of Matavou. He 
 gradually began to consider himself as the higher 
 and better of the two, and to flatter himself that the 
 honours of the long quarrel rested with him. The 
 sweet taste of superiority proved too potent, and 
 ambition rose in his heart. Why should he not 
 increase his influence amongst the surrounding tribes 
 to such an extent as to make himself supreme? Such 
 was his thought. Only one serious rival could be 
 seen on the political horizon, viz., Uluimoala. a 
 powerful chief, whose town was situated about twenty 
 miles to the north-west. If he were vanquished, then 
 Sikalutu would be the dominating ruler throughout 
 the district.
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 With me, the celebrated whale's tooth, ray owner 
 hoped to win trusty allies for his cause. Relieved of 
 the strain which had resulted from the feud between 
 himself and Matavou, he felt now that he would be 
 strong enough to essay the difficult task of conquer- 
 ing Uluimoala. But first he must test his own people, 
 his savage warriors, and his priests, as to what they 
 thought of the chance or likelihood of success. He 
 therefore called a secret meeting of his priests and 
 raost influential followers. These numbered, when 
 gathered in their council meetings, about thirty men. 
 Before the main discussion began, the members of 
 the council performed a ceremony, which, unfor- 
 tunately, is still the custom, viz., of plying their 
 leader with native grog. Long did he drink, until the 
 red flame of war leaped out from his wild eyes. Then 
 said he: "You have seen the trend of events of late, 
 how that Matavou has been humbled before me, mak- 
 ing a peace of his own choice. The position of our 
 people is now firmer than before. Why not make 
 ourselves yet stronger?" 
 
 "It is true, sir," they answered in unison. 
 
 "Now," said he, "our gods are the spirits of our 
 fathers, and they have hinted in a dream to me that 
 we shall be as the lords of the land." 
 
 "True, sir," was the obedient echo, accompanied 
 by the sound of clicking tongues. 
 
 Encouraged by the temper of the meeting. Sika- 
 lutu continued: "There is but one who threatens us
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 in these times, and he prevents us *at every turn. 
 His name is Uluimoala. It was only last moon that 
 he stopped our men from using the pathway to the 
 fishing-grounds in the bay, where we and our fore- 
 fathers before us have fished during many genera- 
 tions. It is he who must be conquered. I have 
 decided, therefore, that there shall be war, for which 
 reason I have called you together this day." 
 
 Such was the tenor of his speech, and perforce his 
 followers agreed. The two priests, on the other 
 hand, moved probably by their covetousness of the 
 chief's powers, spoke on a rather different line. It 
 was their mind that the war should begin, but first 
 they thought it wise to ask, in the ancient way, the 
 spirits of the departed chiefs (who were the gods 
 of the clan), whether they approved of the venture 
 or not. True, their leader had given them his inten- 
 tion to wage war, but now let them first of all inquire 
 of the gods, lest evil follow. Then they would advise 
 the council, and not till then. 
 
 "Good," said they, all. The two priests were 
 freely offered native grog, which was looked upon as 
 a necessary aid in all such matters. One of the two 
 was selected to place himself in touch with the spirits. 
 
 The priests thereupon departed to the spirit- 
 house, where they imbibed more grog. It was not 
 long before the chosen one was thrown into con- 
 vulsions by the excited state of his mind, and he
 
 70 The Strange Adventures 
 
 rolled upon the ground as if in mortal agony. Then 
 his eyes became fixed, as when a man falls into a 
 trance; thus he lay quite still for about fifteen 
 minutes. At the close of that period he arose, as 
 though nothing had happened, and communicated 
 what he had seen to his companion. The verdict of 
 the gods was favourable. 
 
 "Two things are necessary," said he, "and must 
 be done to insure success in. battle. First, the war- 
 riors should be tested by the priests; secondly, the 
 great tabua (whale's tooth) should be sent to Rai- 
 votu, who was a neighbouring chief, asking for aid 
 in the war." 
 
 The council of chiefs was delighted with the re- 
 sult of the enquiry, and drank more grog than ever, 
 so that their evil passions and vindictive feelings 
 were now aroused to the highest pitch. 
 
 On the next day the warriors were tested accord- 
 ing to the direction of their spiritual advisers. Very 
 early in the morning the former blackened their 
 faces in anticipation of the forthcoming martial dis- 
 play. For further decoration they used cocoa-nut 
 oil. poured freely upon their shoulders, until it ran 
 down in streams. A vegetable black, together with 
 a red earth, they sprinkled thickly on their chests 
 and arms. For a girdle, they wore grass of varied 
 colours, which was securely fastened to the waist, 
 giving the wearer an ostrich-like appearance.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 71 
 
 The sun was high when all their arrangements 
 were completed. A feast, specially ordered, was 
 almost ready for those who should pass the trial or 
 test of a brave warrior. Intense excitement prevailed. 
 It was toward midday when Sikalutu took his place 
 upon a mat spread under a large bread-fruit tree, 
 which threw a dark shadow upon the green grass. 
 He himself was adorned with native cloth of a 
 curious pattern; also with armlets and feathers. In 
 his hand he held a mosquito swisher. No sooner was, 
 he seated than a messenger was directed to inform 
 the braves that they might advance. Immediately 
 they ranged themselves into an irregular body. Each 
 man had all the available weapons he could carry. 
 A spear, bow and arrows, a large and a small club, 
 comprised the list. 
 
 When the warriors, who numbered one hundred 
 strong, had entered the square, one of them advanced 
 toward Sikalutu, at the same time uttering a curious 
 cry in honour of him. Forthwith he assumed a fight- 
 ing attitude before his general, as if the battle had 
 begun. His long spear he poised in his right hand, 
 making it to vibrate so rapidly that the tips were as 
 indiscernible as the wings of an insect hovering in 
 the air. Taking a step forward, he laid his spear at 
 his feet, and then placed himself in the act of chal- 
 lenging an imaginary foe. This he did by resting 
 his large club upon the ground with the handle 
 downwards, grasping with both hands the heavier
 
 The Strange Adventure? 
 
 end. So he stood for a moment, his body swaying 
 to and fro, as if he waited for the onslaught of the 
 enemy. His eyes made savage contrast with the black 
 paint with which the sockets were surrounded, and 
 now began to gleam with frenzy, demon-like. Then 
 swiftly he snatched the spear from the ground and 
 leaped high in the air, challenged, crouched, sprang 
 forwards, vibrated his spear, lunged with it, whirled 
 his club; and so for the space of a couple of minutes 
 he exercised his muscles to the savage delight of the 
 chief and the watching crowd. By the time he had 
 concluded his gymnastic display he had come directly 
 in front of Sikalutu. Quickly stooping low. he 
 uttered his curious cry once more, and stood still. 
 Between his quick breaths, he made a short speech, 
 promising that thus and thus would he do in battle, 
 nor would he return until he had slain his opponent. 
 
 Through more than a couple of hours the war- 
 riors boasted themselves in the eyes of all, each man 
 varying his actions according to his own caprice. 
 
 Meanwhile the priests had been arranging the 
 test as they had proposed. Mere boasting, empty 
 promises, and vain words could be uttered by any 
 man. Now should the gods prove which was the 
 brave warrior, and who would die for his chief. They 
 had therefore planted reeds in the ground a few yards 
 away from where the exhibition above-described had 
 taken place. These reeds were but four feet high, 
 and were about three feet apart, like the posts of a
 
 A Peaceful Retreat. 
 
 Stinson Photo.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 doorway. Across the top several reeds were fastened 
 in the form of aii arch. Two such arches were made 
 at a little distance from each other. 
 
 Now the cunning test was that each warrior must 
 pass, fully armed and in a stooping posture, under 
 the archways. He who gave signs of fear to the 
 spirits would be indicated at the door of judgment 
 by the trembling of his body. The sign to the on- 
 lookers, and especially to the priests, would be that 
 the weapons carried by the fearful would rattle. 
 There was a method in this madness, for any hero 
 who could silently pass through the low aperture 
 without even rattling his weapons, would he not be 
 a trustworthy man to approach a beleagured town, 
 or to wait in ambush, or stalk a foe? 
 
 Great was the shame of some half a dozen who 
 failed to pass the test, and greatest was their 
 ignominy before the assembled women, whose power 
 of ridicule at such times was much feared. 
 
 Sikalutu himself was pleased with the result of 
 the trial, and plied the priests with native grog and 
 roasted pig, which the two agents of the spirits were, 
 of course, pleased to accept. 
 
 The chief then arranged for a swift messenger to 
 carry the great whale's tooth, as they styled me, to 
 E-aivotu, in the town of Rarama. This chief was 
 exceedingly influential and a very serviceable ally. 
 I was now to ignite the flame of war by securing his 
 aid for Sikalutu.
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 Raivotu was about to go down to the coast to fish 
 when the message arrived. He turned back, there- 
 fore, with some show of reluctance to his house. 
 When he and his councillors were seated at one end 
 of the long building, the messenger came, as soon 
 as possible, to the venture in hand, by holding me 
 out in full view of all. He then began deliberately 
 to utter the following words: "Chiefs and warriors,. 
 I have brought you this small tooth, that it might 
 be the means of death to Uluimoala and his people ;, 
 that they may be killed, every one of them. Foster 
 kindly feelings, I pray you, towards my master, and 
 may the outcome be the burning of our enemy's, 
 village, for Uluimoala and his men are our mutual 
 foes. We are trusting and hoping much in you, that 
 you will do as we have requested." 
 
 The other members of the deputation (there were 
 three who supported the messenger) cried together, 
 "Mana," referring to the efficacy of the powers- 
 vested in myself. 
 
 Raivotu, when he saw me, lost a little of his. 
 vexation, and was the more willing to hear the re- 
 quest because of my attractive and uncommon ap- 
 pearance. He had also an old score to wipe off with 
 Uluimoala. I could see, however, that the very 
 thought of owning the celebrated whale's tooth, of 
 which so much had been heard, was quite sufficient 
 to influence him in the direction of war. It was as 
 if I were a fetish, potent, devilish.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 Forthwith preparations began to be made. The 
 fishing expedition was postponed, and the time of 
 the assault was chosen instead. Two nights must 
 elapse, and on the third night they would, in con- 
 junction with Sikalutu, invest the ill-fated town. Be- 
 fore the third night Raivotu took the precaution to 
 convey food to his hill-fort, where the women and 
 children, the old men and the sick, might find refuge 
 during the fight. The fort was a steep ridge, about 
 three hundred feet high, surmounted by a few houses, 
 amongst which grew cocoa-nuts and other fruit trees. 
 
 Despite the secrecy which attended all Sika- 
 lutu 's movements, an inkling of what was brewing 
 came to Uluimoala's ears, nor did his small army 
 leave any stone unturned in their endeavour to repel 
 their enemies. Their chief fortifications were the 
 stockades, a series of reed fences mounted upon clay 
 or earth ridges. Behind these the defenders might 
 resist the besiegers for a considerable time, for the 
 stockades were placed along the approaches in such 
 a way that the warriors could flee from the first to 
 the second, and then to the third, and so to the 
 village itself. 
 
 On the third night the allies invested the town 
 where Uluimoala lived. The besieged were in no 
 way surprised when, in the early morning, a taunt- 
 ing challenge was heard from beyond the first 
 stockade. They ran to their posts and flung back 
 as bitter insults as they had received. Yet they did
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 not accept the challenge to go out and fight in the 
 open. 
 
 Shortly after daybreak the first attack was made. 
 A flight of arrows heralded the approach of the be- 
 siegers as they leaped from cover to cover. Nothing 
 could withstand the onrush of those men who had 
 passed through the priests' test. A certain frenzy 
 seized upon them, and it seemed as if they were im- 
 mune. The superstitious belief which they had in 
 their religious leaders filled them with a reckless 
 daring. 
 
 The first stockade was taken, and the second also, 
 before night. There remained but the third, which 
 was exceptionally strong. The leaders there/fore 
 ordered the warriors to cease fighting, while they 
 held a council of war. Weary with the long day's 
 work in the hot sun, it was with relief the savages 
 flung themselves upon their mats. Several were set 
 apart to cook food in the ground ovens. I will spare 
 the reader the details of the viands. 
 
 Fijian tactics in war time were full of cunning. 
 To outwit the opponent was the joy of battle with 
 these wild children of nature. Less pleasure was 
 attached to the act of crushing the enemy by sheer 
 force of numbers. To keep under cover as much as 
 possible, and to leave it only when danger seemed 
 least imminent, was also characteristic of the Fijian 
 warrior.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 77 
 
 The task that now lay before the allies was a 
 more risky one than they had hitherto faced, and 
 could be successfully accomplished by strategy only. 
 Any other course would mean the sacrifice of many 
 lives. One grey-beard suggested, therefore, that an 
 attack should be made on one side of the town, so 
 as to draw off the garrison in that direction. A 
 second force could be held ready to make a breach 
 -in the defences on the other side. After some 
 deliberation, this proposition was deemed unlikely to 
 succeed. 
 
 Then the chief of the priests outlined a plan 
 which was finally accepted. 
 
 "Let the archers," said he. "tie frayed masi 
 (native cloth), about a finger thickness, around the 
 heads of their arrows. The masi shall then be 
 ignited and allowed to smoulder a little. When it 
 has properly caught, the archers shall shoot the darts 
 at night upon the houses within the town. As they 
 speed through the air they will burst into flame and 
 will then bury themselves in the thatched roofs. The 
 men who are defending the stockade will, in their 
 fear, rush to put them out. Then will be our chance." 
 The assembled chiefs praised the sagacity of the 
 priest, and immediately decided to follow his scheme. 
 
 That night was one of unequalled beauty. Every 
 leaf on tree or shrub glimmered in the moonlight. 
 There was no sound, though every ear was alert on 
 either side to catch the crackling of a twig or the
 
 78 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 rustle of a leaf. Even the breeze, blowing off the 
 land, scarcely stirred the lightest branch as it hung 
 daintily from the parent stem. 
 
 At midnight this glorious scene was changed sud- 
 denly into an inferno. The twang of thirty bow- 
 strings awoke the echoes of the woods. Thirty 
 meteors sped like rockets for swiftness. A house 
 immediately burst into flame near its ridge, for the 
 hot summer sun had made the thatch as dry as 
 tinder. A startled cry from witliin the town drew 
 the attention of the defenders to a cruel fact. ""A 
 gasau vakabuka ! A gasau vakabuka ! Fiery arrows ! 
 Fiery arrows!" To save their houses by pulling 
 out the flaming darts was the thought that leaped 
 into action. But what of the stockade? Half a 
 dozen braves vainly endeavoured to resist a force of 
 fifty men tested by the priests, and they paid the 
 penalt}*- with their lives. The cries of the dying 
 savages mingled with the demonaiacal yells of the 
 invaders as the latter slew without mercy. 
 
 A dozen huge bonfires lit up the surrounding 
 forest with a weird light, that added to the awful- 
 ness of the moment. Gradually the inferno grew 
 quiet again, save for the shout of some warrior mad- 
 dened by the lust for blood. 
 
 The victors, wildly exultant, drew around their 
 camp fires at the close of the fight, and told of their 
 prowess in battle. In the flush of their triumph they
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 7!) 
 
 did not discover that they themselves had not come 
 off scathless. The red flame of war had indeed left 
 a black scar where Uluimoala's village had stood, but 
 It had also swept away one of the chiefest of their 
 number, Kaivotu himself.
 
 80 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 BURIED. 
 
 PON the large wooden drum in the town of 
 Kara ma men played a funeral beat which 
 filled every valley with its mournful 
 sound. A panic seized the women and children, the 
 old men and the sick, who had been taken to the 
 hill-fort for safety, because they knew what the dread 
 signal indicated. A chief, mighty in battle, had 
 fallen. Very spitefully was the message taken up 
 by a small drum, which in its turn was accompanied 
 by three large drums booming ominously like the 
 thunder of the Pacific rollers on the coral reefs. 
 Moreover, the beat came from the direction of their 
 own town. Who has been slain? So they queried 
 as they watched anxiously down the woodland path. 
 
 A messenger came running up the hill. In his 
 haste he stumbled the last few yards. "The battle 
 is over, and we are the victors," he gasped; "but 
 our chief is fallen. Raivotu is no more. Bravely 
 did he fight, like a champion always. It was at the 
 very last that he fell, pierced by a spear thrown at 
 random in the final skirmish. 
 
 "He lay there mortally wounded, but was able to 
 speak. These are his words: 'I am about to die.
 
 Cocoanuts. 
 
 Stinson Photo.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 The enemy flee. Now bury me in the depths of the 
 great cave at Soqeda. I know this is not the custom 
 of my people, but let the battle be remembered in 
 this way. Another request and my spirit goes. The 
 tooth, the great whale's tooth from the south, let it 
 go with me to secure my entrance into the happy 
 resting-place of my race. They, the enemies whom 
 we have slain, shall live with the spirits of hogs in 
 yonder bare hill, but I shall triumphantly go to the 
 land where only the brave can enter.' These were 
 his last words, my friends, and we promised him 
 that we should carry out all his desire. While he 
 drew his last breath we waved a cloth about his 
 chiefly body, so fast growing cold, to catch his chiefly 
 essence, and the crier has it this instant wrapped on 
 a piece of hardwood in his house." 
 
 The story was cut short by the sad wailing of the 
 women, as is the custom with these strange people. 
 
 "Ule! Ule! Isa! Isa! Sa bale na turaga." 
 
 "Woe! Woe! Alas! Alas! The chief has 
 fallen." 
 
 Thus their cry continued to the setting of the 
 sun. 
 
 Meanwhile the dead warrior had been brought 
 slowly and sadly into the village where the people 
 all repaired to carry out the last rites. Only the 
 bravest might carry him. To these simple folk ha 
 was half-god, of the divine race of chiefs. True it
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 was that he had been terribly cruel at times. By his 
 oppression and tyranny he had inspired them all 
 with abject fear. In his paroxysms of anger he had 
 been like a devil incarnate. All this, however, had 
 the more deeply imbued their minds with the idea 
 of his power as a member of the divine order. Now 
 that he was dead they were ready to elect him to a 
 position among their already numerous gods. Never 
 would they forget him while life should last. As 
 often as they spoke of him, so often would they omit 
 his name by substituting the title "the chief who 
 has fallen" or at the most, whisper the name itself 
 with bated breath. 
 
 And what of the two requests which he had made 
 before he died? The last words of the lowest com- 
 moner were always sacred; much more, then, the 
 dying .commands of this most powerful chief. 
 
 The council of minor dignitaries sat long while 
 they debated the course to be adopted, and the out- 
 come was that they should first install his successor 
 according to the time-honoured way. His brother, 
 being the next-of-kin, was the heir. Orders were 
 given to the town crier to call out aloud in the vil- 
 lage that the arrangements for the installation would 
 be effected on the morrow, after which the burial 
 would take place. The town crier went into the vil- 
 lage green, where he stood and cried : 
 
 "Men and women of Rarama, you know that our 
 chief is fallen, and there is one who lives to take his
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 place. He will be made chief to-morrow before the 
 sun mounts high in the heavens. Prepare ! Prepare ! 
 When that is done, let everybody make his way to the 
 place of burial. It is finished.'* 
 
 The morrow broke fine, and the ceremonies began. 
 Mats were spread under a large nutmeg tree in the 
 village. Here the new chief took his seat, accom- 
 panied by those nearest of kin. Bowing low, the 
 crier advanced towards him, holding in his hand the 
 piece of wood around which was twisted the native 
 cloth that had in it the essence of the dead warrior. 
 Then in full view of all the people, the chief crier 
 begirdled it, sash-like, about the waist of the new 
 hero. Again bowing low, he crept away in a stoop- 
 ing attitude until he had reached a respectful dis- 
 tance. His next act was simply to take his seat, and 
 then gently clap his leg in token that his duty was 
 over. 
 
 Immediately all the people gave the same blood- 
 curdling cry that I had heard on so many former 
 occasions, and which seems typical of the Fijian 
 people. By this means the clans accepted their 
 leader, and recognised that the essence of Raivotu 
 had passed into his successor. 
 
 The installed chief now took control of the pro- 
 ceedings and ordered the feast tolae presented, which 
 ceremony occupied the attention of almost everybody 
 in the town until the afternoon, when the burial 
 was to take place.
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 My readers will perhaps think it strange that 
 these curious folk should feast in the hour of sorrow. 
 But the Fijians are not alone in this custom, for 
 many other peoples do the same thing. The reason 
 of it is possibly that the simple minds of inferior 
 nations cannot bear the strain of grief too long, and 
 therefore have recourse to this method of diverting 
 their attention from the object of their sorrow. Some 
 have said that the funeral feast arose first of all from 
 the desire of the survivors to provide sustenance for 
 the departed on his journey. It is much more, how- 
 ever, than the thought of helping the dead which 
 prompts the "Fijian to make feasts on such occasions. 
 They live in clans, and they feel as clans; as clans 
 therefore they attempt to relieve the oppression of 
 present sorrow. Doubtless only inferior minds could; 
 be comforted in this coarse way, yet the value and 
 meaning of funeral feasts must not on that account 
 be underrated. 
 
 The body of the dead chief was wrapped in fine 
 mats for interment. His wives presented a sad 
 spectacle as they sat fanning the face of the de- 
 parted. The house was also full of relatives and sym- 
 pathisers, who sat mourning. At last orders were 
 given for the burial. The body in its mats was 
 then lifted by chosen young men. and was slowly 
 carried away. 
 
 The pathway had been previously cleared of the 
 jungle, so that the funeral cortege had no difficulty
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 85 
 
 in its progress. The town crier was appointed to 
 carry the "great whale's tooth," for I was to be 
 buried with the dead, according to his last wish. 
 
 With regard to his desire to be interred in the 
 cave, the peoples were all of one mind. Under ordin- 
 ary circumstances a, grave deep and wide would have 
 been excavated by a picked band of men. In that case 
 the followers would have each been provided with 
 mats, which would have been laid one upon another,, 
 in order to make a clean resting-place for the dead. 
 But no grave was needed for Raivotu, for had not 
 he asked to be laid far away in an unfrequented por- 
 tion of the cave? Still, one or two mats were taken 
 by the party, to be spread on the ground. 
 
 The procession wound irregularly beside a shallow 
 stream, from which it headed after a while to the 
 right, in the direction of a moderately high range of 
 mountains. Naked boys sped on in advance as fast 
 as their sleek brown legs could carry them. 
 
 Arriving at last at the mouth of the cave, which 
 was situated in the aforesaid range of mountains, the 
 band of warriors halted a moment while the young 
 men prepared torches. These were simply long pieces 
 of dry bamboo, about three inches thick, cracked or 
 crushed by means of a heavy stone. The bamboo 
 thus treated mak'es a very acceptable and dependable 
 torch, howbeit a flaring one. By rubbing a pointed 
 piece of hard stick upon a length of soft timber a 
 fire was quickly made, at which a few of the torches
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 were lighted. The rest of the b'amboo was carried 
 by boys, to be used as required. Then the party be- 
 gan the toil of carrying their heavy burden along 
 the difficult underground passage. With commend- 
 able patience and perseverance they pushed forward, 
 aided by the bamboo lights. The cave was exceed- 
 ingly low for a long distance, and slender stalactites; 
 hanging from the roof interfered with the bearers. 
 Likewise the floor was singularly rough, and huge 
 boulders lay in the midst of the gloomy corridor. At 
 the side, and sometimes across the track, bottomless 
 fissures yawned. Meanwhile the air became damp 
 and heavily laden with the curious odour of bats, 
 and other evil creatures that live in the dark. Des- 
 pite the obstacles in the way, we advanced slowly and 
 surely into the depths of the cavern. Torchbearers 
 proceeded in front of Raivotu. I myself, the great 
 whale's tooth, was carried next, in the hands of the 
 crier, to be buried with the dead hero. The retinue 
 followed as well as they could in the midst of flicker- 
 ing shadows. 
 
 As we advanced a dull roar could be heard from 
 the midst of the cave directly on in front. I was at 
 a loss to know what it was until at last the passage 
 opened into a majestic, dome-like cavern, so high 
 that the roof could scarcely be discerned by the light 
 of the flaring bamboos. In this mammoth under- 
 ground chamber a broken foaming torrent rushed pell- 
 mell downwards on one side, being finally lost in the
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 bowels of the earth. A curious whirring noise, like 
 the sound of a thousand looms, persisted upon the 
 ear, caused by the presence of myriads of bats. Upon 
 the ground lay thick animal mould, which had been 
 deposited probably through ages. 
 
 A halt was made here in the dense darkness that 
 the warriors might hold a consultation. Weird indeed 
 was the spectacle as they came to a standstill. In 
 the gloom, which was almost to be felt, the torches 
 threw an uncertain glimmer upon savage men with 
 savage faces and dress, standing around an uncouth 
 burden. With an active fanciful mind, the whole 
 scene could easily be converted into the entrance hall 
 of a vast Fijian inferno. 
 
 On one side of this cavern there opened another 
 passage into a less spacious portion of the cave, where 
 the shadows seemed like a solid wall. That smaller 
 cavity was to be the resting-place of the chief for 
 ever. His body would there become one with the 
 mould of the floor, though his name might be re- 
 membered for a century by his descendants. There, 
 too, was to be my abode for more than fifty years. 
 
 One of the warriors boldly plunged a torch into 
 the thickest part of the gloom. So dark was it that 
 it was a matter for surprise when the light was not 
 immediately extinguished. Following closely upon 
 him, the party, brave in numbers, penetrated into the 
 furthermost recesses of the cave. There they spread
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 the mats upon the floor, and, not irreverently, laid 
 their burden down. 
 
 The only ceremony observed when this had been 
 done was that of placing me upon the dead man's 
 breast. Then, taking the loose ends of the mats, the 
 barbarous sextons folded them one after another over 
 the chief. More torches were lit, and the company 
 departed, their broad feet splashing noisily in the 
 water lying here and there on the floor of the cave. 
 A few moments elapsed, and the warriors had dis- 
 appeared in the gloom, their voices echoing more and 
 more faintly as they receded in the distance. The 
 long dark night had set in, and I was alone with the 
 dead.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 89 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 A DREAM. 
 
 [OW long I lay there I cannot tell, for all 
 account of time was lost. Even the faint 
 muffled dripping of water from the roof, 
 which might have served to mark the seconds, only 
 helped to deaden thought, and the consciousness of 
 earthly things. It must have been that not only 
 minutes and hours and days, but months and years, 
 passed away. It seemed, as I lay there, that a change 
 was gradually taking place, and the very recollec- 
 tion of former things had faded. A strange new 
 light began to shine into the cave, a soft harmonious 
 light, which lit up everything around, and shone from 
 neither candle nor torch. ' The very rocks grew 
 luminous. Raivotu stood beside me, divested of his 
 burial raiment, a Fijian still, but with the appearance 
 of one without the gross characteristics of the flesh. 
 He was trying evidently to recall the past, for 
 from time to time he pressed his hand upon his head. 
 Then he began to search for something, but without 
 avail, if one might judge from the disturbed expres- 
 sion 011 his face. At last he chanced to come upon 
 me as I lay in the mould of the floor. His perplexity 
 cleared, and, stooping with eagerness, he seized the 
 cord by which I was carried, and held it tightly.
 
 90 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 As he lifted me, I, too, appeared to myself to be 
 different from what I had been. The solidity on 
 which I had prided myself had departed, and I was 
 but the semblance of "the great whale's tooth." 
 
 This fact did not, however, impress Baivotu with 
 any sense of unreality. He seemed content, and 
 clung to me as if all his hope depended upon me. 
 Then, without any difficulty (for the whole cave was 
 light from the soft shining), he proceeded towards 
 the entrance. 
 
 On arrival there we made no delay; but immedi- 
 ately ascended the mountain spur to the right. The 
 incline was steep, and though he did not breathe 
 heavily, Raivotu began to weary rapidly as one out of 
 his element. Before he sought rest, however, he per- 
 severed until he reached the summit. 
 
 Immediately on the top of the spur, a wide path 
 led through the forest. It was quite evident that no 
 woodman's axe had cut this open way. nor was there 
 any other sign of human being. Yet the track was very 
 clearly marked. Raivotu breathed a sigh of relief, 
 and sat down. Near by were some cocoa-nuts, half- 
 formed, plucked just when they were sweetest to 
 drink. A stone knife lay beside these, and both knife 
 and fruit had for me that curious unreality which 
 distinguished everything I had yet witnessed. 
 
 Taking the little set-out feast as a matter of course, 
 the chief essayed to break open the tops of the cocoa-
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 nuts just as when he was in the land of the living- 
 To judge by the look of pleasure which came into 
 his countenance, the cool juice suited and satisfied 
 some inward spiritual need. We then proceeded along 
 the way stretching out before us. This path was. 
 exceedingly pleasant and cool, for it was heavily 
 wooded on either side, but not so densely that the 
 breezes could not blow freely. At certain fixed dis- 
 tances cocoa-nuts were found as before, and Raivotu, 
 missed no opportunity of refreshing his strength and 
 courage. 
 
 The way seemed to be perfectly familiar to him,, 
 though he could never have travelled there previously. 
 For was it not the path of the spirits! But without 
 hesitation, as though by a sure instinct, he pursued 
 his journey, clasping me tightly as before. 
 
 Our route now led down a pretty glade, over- 
 hung by spirituelle trees, amongst which were en- 
 twined charming creepers, with dark green leaves, 
 stippled with crimson. Here and there graceful tree- 
 ferns showed their perfect forms. Through this glade 
 we made our way, until we had almost reached the 
 further side. Here we were suddenly met by a mes- 
 senger, who asked Raivotu if he were bound for the 
 land of spirits. The latter answered in the affirma- 
 tive. He was then informed by the man that the first 
 test was awaiting him at the top of the next slope. 
 
 Raivotu inquired excitedly of this strange per- 
 sonage what the test might be, and received the reply
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 that directly in the pathway two heavy stones were 
 set horizontally and face to face; and all who went 
 that way must pass between the stones. The chief 
 next inquired the reason of the test, and was told 
 that it was instituted to determine whether the pil- 
 grim spirits were mean or generous on earth. To 
 which Raivotu nodded his head several times, for he 
 remembered the belief of his tribe that a mean man 
 cannot possibly pass between the stone grinders. All 
 beliefs come home in the long run, and so in the 
 case of Raivotu. It would be proven clearly now 
 whether he were sordid or not. He ventured another 
 question: "Do many mean people come this way?'' 
 The caretaker smiled and said: "Not many Fijians. 
 Despite their numerous faults, they are usually gener- 
 ous and hospitable to their guests; but sometimes a 
 miserly soul is found out by the ordeal, and then it 
 is grimly amusing to see him endeavouring to clamber 
 between the spiritual crushers." 
 
 Desirous of advancing on his journey. Raivotu 
 said: "Let us go." And the guide led the way up 
 the slope. "There," said he. 'they are before you," 
 showing them with a wave of the hand. It was even 
 as he had described, except that in addition, the stones 
 were slowly and heavily moving the one asrainst the 
 other. No likelihood appeared of any man entering 
 there. At first Raivotu hesitated, but at a sharp 
 word of command, he made as if to go on his way. 
 The spiritual mortar caught up the chief as if to
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 crush all life out of him. albeit with no untoward re- 
 sult, for nothing of meanness was found in the bold 
 warrior. With an open heart he had vouchsafed his 
 gifts, for which virtue his people had forgiven him 
 many wrongs. 
 
 It was good to see the Fijian leader as he stepped 
 forward with renewed hope and vigour. The path- 
 way was as before, neither was there any need of 
 guide. Raivotu's spiritual instinct led him aright on 
 every occasion. Our journey now took us up to the 
 heights, where a wonderful view of a new country was 
 obtained. The finest panorama was certainly that 
 directly in front, but still far off. Through a fruit- 
 ful plain ran a broad silvery river, of which more 
 anon. 
 
 Continuing in our course, we were forced to climb 
 a very rocky ridge. The courage almost died away 
 from the traveller's heart. But fortunately, some 
 more cocoa-nuts were found near the top, on a ledge 
 of rock. I say fortunately, because awaiting him 
 above was a woman with a very sharp gaze, to meet 
 which calmly Raivotu needed all his self-possession. 
 
 "Whence comest thou?" said she. 
 
 "From the great cave at Soqeda," answered 
 Raivotu. 
 
 "Where goest thou?" 
 
 "To the land of spirits." 
 
 "Art thou brave?" the woman asked.
 
 94 The Strange Adventures. 
 
 "Men said I was." This with becoming humility. 
 "Still thou must be tested," was the woman's 
 rejoinder. 
 
 "The second test Raivotu," she added, "is near 
 by.!' 
 
 "Will you be kind enough to enlighten me with 
 regard to this test?" Raivotu requested. 
 
 "Yes," said the woman, "it is the proof of the 
 brave. Come." The pilgrim mounted the last steep 
 rock. Upon the flat shelf four women stood holding' 
 A cloth by the four corners. "Thou art required to 
 place thyself within this cloth, and thou wilt then be 
 tossed high in the air. If the winds above blow thee 
 far from here, thou wilt have been declared thereby 
 a base coward. Of a surety thou wilt not be allowed 
 to pass to the land of spirits." 
 
 The prospect was one to try the stoutest in heart. 
 Driven as it were by some irresistible power, the chief 
 sat within the cloth. Moving together, the women 
 skilfully tossed us until we felt a strong wind bloxv 
 upon us from the right side. The strength of it was suffi- 
 cient to bear a craven to the land of nothingness. 
 But Raivotu descended as directly as he had arisen, 
 l)eing caught easily again in the cloth held by the 
 four spiritual inquisitors. 
 
 The chief stepped out on the further side with 
 the air of a man who had been attested a brave man, 
 as well as a generous one. Confidently now we moved
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 rapidly forward. According to the beliefs of his 
 tribe, there awaited him but a single ordeal. Past 
 waterfalls shot with changing hues, and overhung with 
 dewy grass, across mountain torrents that leaped high 
 in wildest glee, beside gloomy clumps of quaint ban- 
 yan, and through reedy flats, lay our path. A hill 
 arose in front, and we had but gone down the slope 
 of it, when at a point the river appeared. At this 
 very look-out a man stood waiting. 
 
 "The third test is at hand," said he. 
 
 My possessor said : ' ( Speak quickly, for is not that 
 the river, beyond which lies the land of spirits? What 
 more remains for me?" 
 
 "Thou hast spoken truly, Raivotu. That is the 
 wide river that waits to bear thee to the spirit-land 
 of thy fathers. My ordeal for thee is soon over, for 
 it is but a question. Art thou married or single?" 
 
 As I look back to that time the question as a 
 test of a man's good virtues appeared to miss the 
 mark. Indeed, all the trials through which the Fijians 
 had to pass had no trace of the best ideas. Their 
 "beliefs were nothing but the image of their way of 
 thinking and acting while in the land of the living. 
 Animal courage, generosity, marriage these were the 
 chief things which won their praise. Many Fijians 
 added cruelty to the list, and few of them failed to 
 live cruel lives. 
 
 To return to my story, the solitary one, as I have 
 shown, had asked Raivotu if he were married or
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 single. Unhesitatingly the chief answered: "Mar- 
 ried. Plad I been chief of Ban, my three wives would 
 now be with me as witnesses to the truth of what I 
 say; for the women of Bau prefer to follow their 
 departed husbands rather than to live." 
 
 The man standing before us immediately vanished, 
 as if into thin air. As there was now no obstacle 
 in our way to the ford, we descended speedily. 
 
 Our path became smoother and the country more 
 level. Eaivotu's excitement grew with every step. 
 For this was the hope of all his efforts, that, having 
 passed the ordeals, he should be allowed to make a 
 friend of the deity of the ford and of the tree that 
 stood by. and so pass to the land of spirits. Having 
 been reared in an atmosphere of cruelty, no thought 
 of the wickedness of his many evil acts entered his 
 mind. He was a brave man, a generous man, and a 
 married man. More could not be demanded of him. 
 Again, he had great faith in the magical virtue of 
 myself, as I was in his eyes a charm of the first order. 
 He reasoned thus with respect to my value: If ank- 
 lets and clubs might be acceptable gifts to the god 
 of the ford, how much more the priceless ivory which 
 he held in his hand! 
 
 At last our journey came to an end. The scenery 
 was indescribably beautiful as we approached the 
 crossing. Many-tinted greens rested the eye of the 
 traveller, and a rich medley of dense forests, velvety 
 grasses, distant hills, and adjacent rivers, satisfied
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 the most refined desires. Beside the ford stood a tree 
 of mammoth proportions. Its top at times appeared 
 to reach to the very clouds. Hanging in its branches 
 were countless gifts that had been flung by former 
 pilgrims : clubs, valuable bracelets, and shells, such as 
 a Fijian himself would prize in life. Not a single 
 whale's tooth was to be seen. Baivotu was the first 
 to bring one to please the deity. It was therefore an 
 hour of triumph to him, and his breath came thickly 
 on account of his joyous feeling of hope. He was 
 just about to cast me on to the tree, and was already 
 muttering the words of dedication, when a man ap- 
 peared near by, saying: 
 
 "Hold! What wouldst thou do here?" 
 
 'I have come a long journey to cross the ford," 
 replied the chief. "I am weary of my pilgrimage, 
 and now I wish to appease the god, so that I may 
 pass over and rest." 
 
 The other was visibly disturbed, as he said : 
 
 "Hast thou not heard?" 
 
 "What do you mean?" asked Raivotu, appre- 
 hensively. 
 
 "I mean," said the man, "that these old beliefs 
 are to pass away and give place to those that are true 
 and which remain for ever." 
 
 "What matters that to me?" queried the warrior. 
 "My fathers rested in these old teachings, and I 
 throw in my lot with them. I know no better way."
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 Then said the man: "I am afraid they will help 
 thee no more. Even now I feel the approach of the 
 Mighty One. I must needs go. But remember, what 
 comes is best for thee. Accept it, and shou shalt live. 
 I represented the days of darkness, but He that is 
 the Light draws near. See!" he cried, and pointed 
 to the tree. It was gradually fading, with its gifts, 
 into a vaporous exhalation. And so standing, and 
 pointing, the man himself disappeared. 
 
 A groan broke from the chief, as he cried: 
 
 "Why should I die twice?" 
 
 "Nor shalt thou die again if thou wilt listen to 
 me," said a voice of wondrous power. 
 
 Raivotu looked up and said: "Who, sir, are 
 you?" He who had never said "sir" to mortal man 
 had it wrested from him by the majesty of Him who 
 stood near. 
 
 "I am the Truth," was the dignified answer. 
 
 Slowly the proud head of Eaivotu sank upon his 
 breast ; his knees trembled, and he fell a broken mortal 
 upon the ground. The scenes of his life swept before 
 him, with its falsity, its ignorance, its superstition. 
 Misery and wretchedness so seized upon him as he 
 lay, that he cried out: 
 
 "I am dying. It is the second death." 
 
 The Vision spoke again: 
 
 "I am the Life.'" 
 
 The despair of the warrior was at once arrested,
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 and its terrible ravages ceased. But still Raivotu 
 bore the look of one who had gone for ever astray. 
 
 "What shall I do? Where shall I go? Alas! 
 Alas!" Agonised cries broke from him again. 
 
 "I am the Way," said the Vision. 
 
 Strong emotion shook the chief as he said: 
 
 "I have not heard of you at any time." 
 
 "I know it," said the Master. 
 
 "Why then, Sir, have you been so long time com- 
 ing, for I feel in my soul that I am in the presence 
 of the Truth?" 
 
 "The work began many years ago," replied the 
 Master, "and it has been delayed by the hardness of 
 man. My will was that the islands of the sea should 
 know me according to the prophecies. And even now 
 the message is coming to thy native land." 
 
 "I would I were alive again, having seen the 
 Truth. For then would I fight for it." Raivotu 
 uttered these words with great earnestness. 
 
 "That may not be," answered the Christ. "But 
 fear not; thou shalt not suffer more, if thou canst 
 pass the fourth test. But first let me ask of thee. 
 Whither goest thou now?" Raivotu pondered the 
 question, and said: "Where the Truth goes, I will 
 go." 
 
 "Then thou must first pass the test." 
 
 "What test? What ordeal shall I pass? I am 
 ready," cried the chieftain. "I have been through 
 three already, and surely may succeed again."
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 Very quietly, yet incisively, the Master said r 
 ' ' Lovest thou Me ? " The. man shook like an aspen. A 
 long silence ensued, until finally Raivotu, whose 
 name means vision, slowly lifted his eyes to that benign 
 face, and said: "Thou knowest the love of my spirit 
 is Thine." 
 
 The Vision stretched out His hand, and taking 
 Raivotu 's in his, they two vanished out of my sight. 
 I was left in total darkness the darkness of the cave.
 
 101 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 THE NEW RELIGION. 
 
 ROM my earliest days, I have had a rule of 
 living to suit my peculiar temperament. 
 Some may count me very strange when I 
 express the opinion that our rule of life should cor- 
 respond to the kind and quality of our nature. Yet 
 surely is my judgment right in this matter, not only 
 with regard to myself, but also to the heathen. It 
 is worse than useless to impose a very high kind of 
 goodness upon an inferior nature. The Master, 
 whom the Fijians came to worship, was most wise 
 when He said to His followers: "I have many things 
 to tell you, but ye cannot bear them now." For 
 myself, I am not vain enough to think that my list 
 of virtues will be accepted by your philosophical pro- 
 fessors, or by your purist pharisees. There are but 
 three main principles which seem to fit my constitu- 
 tion: First, Solidity, by which I mean, every part 
 of me is permanently filled with atoms; my nature 
 abhors an empty space. Second, there comes Dura- 
 bility, which arises out of my Solidity; it is no idle 
 boast that I could live a century and not feel it; I 
 might indeed become a little yellow, but many other 
 marks of old age I escape altogether. Durability
 
 102 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 makes it easy for me to bear buffets and changes with 
 a certain quiet, calm demeanour which a philosopher 
 might envy. As a consequence, it amuses me to see 
 how men are the most excitable of all creation. 
 Thirdly, there is Genuineness, which finds its source 
 in the fact that every atom in me is ivory. If there 
 had been any other thing mixed in with the ivory I 
 should have had less faith in myself. 
 
 As I think carefully of my own code, I am vain 
 enough to believe that it is not a bad one after all, 
 even for boys and girls. The teaching I offer you for 
 everyday life is: Be solid, be enduring, be genuine. 
 Many a wise man has fared worse in practice. 
 
 But the teaching which I so boldly offer you is 
 the limit of my efforts in that direction. Of religion 
 I know nothing. My first introduction to it was in 
 the dream which 1 had just experienced. It was, 
 therefore, with a strange glow, as when something 
 altogether new enters one's life, that I recollected 
 my weird vision. 
 
 But if I know nothing of religion, I am as little 
 acquainted with theology. It would therefore be im- 
 possible for me to say. with any certainty, whether 
 such an experience as befell Raivotu could be the lot 
 of any man after death. Despite my ignorance of 
 these things, however, my interest was greatly aroused 
 by my dream. Nor was it unnatural that I should 
 wish to discover how much of truth was in it, and
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 whether the amount of truth would affect my future 
 experiences. 
 
 Proceeding with my story, the vision left me in 
 the darkness of the cave. But vast changes had come 
 in the years that had passed by. Instead of being 
 wrapped in mats, I rested on a heap of mould. The 
 dripping of the water, the roaring of the underground 
 torrent, and the whirring of the bats' wings seemed 
 strangely familiar. To my confused senses it ap- 
 peared but a few moments since the savages had left 
 me with Raivotu. Yet the evidences of the lapse of 
 time were so plain that they were not to be gain- 
 said. Those who had possessed me before the time 
 of my burial must now be long dead. Mike Hooley, 
 Dan Sawyer, Jane, Jack the Cornishman, must now 
 have passed to their account. The good ship in which 
 I travelled would perhaps be a hulk or a wreck on 
 some coral atoll. Other whales played in Antarctica. 
 So ran my legitimate musings; for over half a cen- 
 tury had elapsed since I was buried in the cave with 
 Raivotu. 
 
 In the midst of my meditation the murmur of 
 men's voices suddenly broke in upon the everlasting 
 rush of the torrent and the whirring of the bats' 
 wings. It might have been that Raivotu 's party had 
 returned to see that they had done their work well 
 But fifty years had elapsed, and the majority of 
 those would now be in the spirit-land. Yet the 
 speakers were evidently Fijians, and they stood in
 
 104 The Strange Adventures 
 
 the large cave at the entrance of the smaller one 
 where I lay. 
 
 The words uttered by them I heard distinctly 
 through the passage. 
 
 "This is the place, so the old men tell us. Ever 
 since our childhood we have heard the story, and 
 no one has ever had the courage to enter the dense 
 darkness beyond." 
 
 "Well, let us break the custom." answered the 
 other, "let us go into the cave and see what i? 
 there." 
 
 "Never," said the first; "we should die within 
 three months if we did so that is. if we did not 
 fall dead in the cave itself. It is taboo." 
 
 "Are you afraid, Daurere?" queried^ his com- 
 panion. 
 
 "Yes, Joni, my hand even now trembles, and the 
 perspiration pours from me, while my skin creeps." 
 
 "But why fear the ancient spirits, Daurere? 
 They can do no harm." 
 
 "Joni," said Daurere, "I know what is in your 
 mind. You have been baptised into the new reli- 
 gion, and the first thing you do is to belittle the 
 ancient beliefs." 
 
 "You have spoken truly, Daurere, and that is 
 what makes me brave to enter into the darkness of 
 the cavern. Come with me." 
 
 "No, Joni." This most emphatically. "I dare 
 not. You have a new magic in you, of which I am
 
 Wedding Pair. }Yliich w /fee
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 ignorant. If I enter I shall surely die. If you go, 
 you go alone." 
 
 "Then will I go alone, for I have an object in 
 view. I shall not die, but live. Give me the lan- 
 tern, and I will also take my torch. If the torch 
 gives out, I can depend on the lantern. You keep 
 your own torch burning brightly, so that it will 
 guide me on my return." 
 
 The voices ceased, and footsteps sounded splash- 
 ing in the water, as Joni advanced towards me. The 
 gloom of the innermost cave was lit up by the flare 
 of the torch and the steady gleam of the lantern. 
 Joni is seeking everywhere for something which 
 must be the cause of his visit. He overturns stones, 
 kicks aside the mould, and scours the place 
 thoroughly for the object of his search. As he 
 swung the lantern around the light fell upon his 
 figure in such a way that I could see him clearly. 
 He was dressed in a white piece of English cloth, 
 instead of the barbarous grass girdle of the early 
 Fijians. His countenance had in it a quiet, steady 
 purpose, utterly different from the ferocious expres- 
 sion of such a man as Ratokaitua. His glance fell 
 upon me at that moment, as he kicked away the 
 earth. The cord which had been tied through the 
 eyelets made in me by Dakuloa had long since de- 
 cayed, but Joni very quickly grasped me. and turned, 
 to go with a look of triumph in his eye. I will not say 
 that he was not frightened at his daring act. As he
 
 106 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 stood in the very sanctum of the dead it was not 
 wonderful that the old stories became very vivid. 
 His new faith felt the strain, but stood it well; he 
 stiffened himself to the task, and deliberately car- 
 ried me along the passage to where his companion 
 stood trembling with fear. 
 
 "I have been to the end of the passage," he 
 informed Daurere, "and I have found what I de- 
 sired. "See," said he, as he held me up to the 
 light. The mould had fallen away from me, and 
 when the other saw the treasure that had been re- 
 covered, he clicked his tongue in admiration for 
 several moments. 
 
 "Where did you find it?" asked he. 
 
 "On the floor in the earth," said Joni. "The 
 old stories are true to that extent. Someone was 
 buried there, and this was buried with him, as the 
 legend says." 
 
 They two then slowly departed in silence, think- 
 ing over the things that had happened. 
 
 Once more I was in the daylight, but what 
 changes had taken place! Where plantations had 
 thickly grown together, the forest stood. The very 
 path we had used before had been long forgotten. 
 Raivotu's own village site was lost in the impene- 
 trable scrub. The names of the new villages which 
 had sprung up were not those of the old. Though 
 still plentiful, the people were less numerous than
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 107 
 
 formerly. The facts of those days had become the 
 legends of these. 
 
 For. some time the two men talked of the trans- 
 formation that had taken place in many phases of 
 their village life, and then passed on to discuss the 
 new religion which they had mentioned in the cave. 
 
 I could see that Joni was trying to persuade his 
 companion to accept it, and be baptised with a 
 new name^ Evidently Joni's previous bravery and 
 present arguments affected Daurere considerably,, 
 and his soul burned within him, as he said: "It is 
 my desire, Joni, to follow your religion. I have 
 seen to-day what it can do, and how it can triumph 1 
 over the ancient fear of our dead chiefs. Yes, I 
 have it," he said with enthusiasm; "I shall be bap- 
 tised, and with a new name. My old one means 
 'Always fearing.' My new name shall be Daunui- 
 nui 'Always hoping.' ' 
 
 At that moment Joni and Daurere crossed a 
 stream, and on the farther side they rested in the 
 shade of a large ivi tree. Daurere broke the silence 
 between them by saying: "I have a question to 
 ask you. Do not be angry with me." 
 
 "Say on," replied his companion. 
 
 "Well, then, why did you want the whale's tooth 
 so earnestly?" 
 
 After a short pause Joni said to Daurere : 
 
 "Since you are decided to become a Christian, I 
 will tell you, for you will thereby partly understand
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 me. If you were still a heathen, you would laugh 
 at my desires, and what I am now decided to do, 
 because it is against the custom of our people." 
 
 Joni paused to gather his thoughts together, and 
 then began: "You have heard of Mie manner in 
 which the new religion came from Lau to Viwa, 
 and then spread to Ban and other parts. I was 
 one of the first to accept the new teaching, and 
 from that moment I believed in Christ the Saviour. 
 I had two ambitions. One was to be a teacher of 
 the Lotu (religion), and the other was to be mar- 
 ried to a Christian woman, after the /Christian 
 ordinance. 
 
 "My first desire was easy to realise, as it hap- 
 pened, for the missionary wanted me to go to him 
 at Viwa. and prepare myself for the work. I have 
 been there now two years, so that I shall soon be 
 equipped sufficiently to be sent out in charge of a 
 town. But how to get a Christian girl as my wife 
 was my difficulty. God guided me in this also. It 
 happened in this way : There had ; been very heavy 
 rains in Colo, and the upper reaches of the Rewa 
 River were quickly flooded. No thought of a fresh 
 in the river entered the minds of those who lived 
 lower down. The waters came suddenly, sweeping 
 along near my native town, while the men were all 
 away at their gardens. 
 
 "There were two fine canoes but lately cut out. 
 and they were tied to stakes beside the landing-
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 place. One of these was caught by the flood and 
 was in danger of being lost. A young woman named 
 Vula was preparing yams for the morning meal by 
 the river-bank. It was she who first saw the canoe 
 disappearing swiftly around the bend of the stream. 
 She threw down the shell with which she was peel- 
 ing the yams, and ran as fast as she could to where 
 the other canoe anchored. Leaping in, she pulled 
 up the stake which constituted the anchor, and 
 using it as a driving-pole, went after the drifting 
 craft. 
 
 "Very skilfully she managed to overtake it, and 
 with a piece of cocoa-nut cord tied it to the canoe 
 in which she herself sat. Having accomplished this 
 with .some risk, she then set herself courageously to 
 pole the two vessels against the flood. 
 
 "The waters were flowing so swiftly that Vula 
 could make no headway against them, and gradu- 
 ally her strength began to fail owing to her great 
 exertions. At last she found that she was being. 
 carried with increasing swiftness to the rapids, just 
 below the further outskirts of the town. Making a 
 final effort, she thought she might save the canoes 
 by guiding them into the swirling eddy on the other 
 side. But her decision came too late; and the tor- 
 rent, becoming faster and more disturbed on ac- 
 count of the nearness of the rapids, caught the two 
 canoes and capsized them.
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 "Vula, seeing she could do nothing, plunged into 
 the stream to save herself. She was a good swimmer, 
 but was partially stunned by a collision with a piece 
 of drifting timber. The most she could do after 
 the accident was to keep herself afloat, and scream 
 for help. 
 
 "Now comes my part in the story. I was work- 
 ing in my garden when I heard the scream. I ran 
 at once to the river-bank, where I saw the woman 
 struggling in the flood. Without hesitation I leaped 
 in, and being a strong swimmer was able to bring 
 the woman to land. 
 
 "Quite fatigued, she lay there; but she was not 
 so exhausted that she could not speak. She said 
 as she rested upon the grass: 'I give my thanks to 
 you. Your religion has not made you less brave 
 than you used to be.' 
 
 "After a time she was able to walk to the vil- 
 lage, which she did alone. It is bad manners for a 
 man to walk with a woman in the woods, and is. 
 against the custom of our people, as you are aware. 
 
 "That night I knew whom I should marry, and 
 I asked my mother, who is a Christian like myself, 
 td speak to Vula about the religion of Jesus Christ. 
 It was not very long before she quietly turned from 
 the old superstitions of witchcraft and witch-doctor- 
 ing to the pure beliefs of Christianity. 
 
 "And now I am come to the question which you 
 have asked. I made a request to her father, a
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 very savage heathen chief, that he should give me 
 his daughter in marriage. He refused angrily. I 
 did not press my case then, but afterwards, when 
 he was more kindly disposed towards me for saving 
 some of his pigs from drowning, I again asked him 
 for her. He gave his consent, on condition that I 
 should find for him the celebrated tooth which was 
 said to have been buried with the chief called Raivotu, 
 in the cave at Soqeda. The cunning old man thought 
 that I should never dare to do it. If I had not been 
 a Christian, I should certainly not have dared to 
 enter the place made sacred by the strange stories 
 we have known from childhood. 
 
 "And now, my friend, let us go. I have the 
 tooth, and I shall soon have Vula as my wife. You 
 will stand by me while I offer the charm in return 
 for the old chief's daughter."
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 A CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE. 
 
 |0 time was lost by Joni in the furthering- 
 of his plans. With his new-found ally, 
 he went to see the missionary at Viwa, 
 
 who baptised Daurere with the name of Daunuinui. 
 
 Subsequently the two friends made a journey to the 
 
 town where Vula lived, thus bringing the marriage 
 
 negotiations to a head. 
 
 A shade of annoyance passed over the face of 
 Vula's father when the two young men requested 
 to speak to him. He granted the privilege, how- 
 ever, and they entered the house for the purpose. 
 
 Daunuinui explained the object of their visit in 
 a formal manner, for the older man was, of course, 
 aware of their intentions. But when Joni followed 
 up his friend's words with a few earnest pleadings 
 that the marriage be brought to pass at once. Vula'* 
 father, whose name was Waidrodro, answered: 
 
 "Did I not tell you, Joni, that only on one 
 condition could I give my daughter to you, to wit. 
 that you should bring me the great whale's tooth 
 from the cave at Soqeda? Until that is forthcom- 
 ing, it is vain for you to press this matter."
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 "Sir," said Joni. "I have the tooth for which 
 you asked recently," and he brought me to view. 
 
 The expression on Waidrodro's face was a curi- 
 ous one. He first showed the greatest vexation that 
 Joni had been successful, and for an instant it 
 appeared that his anger would blaze out. At that 
 moment I exerted all the powers vested in me, for I 
 was conscious of being an agent for good. Slowly 
 but surely his anger gave way to my charms, and 
 delight filled his breast instead. 
 
 "It is well," he ejaculated, "you are a brave 
 man. Give me the tooth." A cunning look had 
 crept into his eye. But as he stretched forth his 
 hand to take me, Joni resolutely covered me up 
 again, while he said to the perfidious old man : 
 
 "No, sir. On the day of the wedding it shall 
 be presented by me in the usual manner. Then 
 when the gifts are divided, you will receive it for 
 your share." 
 
 Chagrin now showed itself in the countenance of 
 Waidrodro, which clearly proved that he had in- 
 tended to outwit Joni, and acquire the tooth by 
 fraud. Being defeated in his attempt, he was forced 
 to grant Joni's request. 
 
 Having gone so far, the anticipation of possess- 
 ing the charm completely filled his mind, expelling 
 his former evil passions. He even unbent so far 
 as to speak highly of Joni, of his bravery in sav-
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 ing his pigs and daughter, the pigs apparently being 
 more important than the latter. Nor did he stint 
 his admiration when he heard how daringly Joni 
 had entered the haunted cave in search of the tooth. 
 
 What was of more importance to Joni, the chief 
 made arrangements for an interview between the 
 former and Vula, to the end that a proposal might 
 be made formally to her. 
 
 A house was placed at their disposal. Vula 
 and a few of her female friends proceeded to it 
 and waited for the deputation. Proposals of mar- 
 riage are not usually made in Fiji, except in the 
 presence of others. Joni was accompanied to the 
 house, therefore, by his friend. The women sat in 
 silence. Then Daunuinui, Joni's faithful ally, broke 
 the awkward pause, and said: 
 
 "We are in your presence, and there is s&ine- 
 thing in our minds which we want to make clear. 
 My friend here has made known his desire to the 
 great chief that he might have his daughter as his 
 wife, and the great chief has approved. Now we 
 come to you to know if it is your mind that it 
 should be so. Joni is a Christian, and desires that 
 he may have a wife who wishes to marry him, and 
 not one who is unwilling." 
 
 Joni supplemented the words of his friend, and 
 told how that from the day he saw her on the river- 
 bank he thought of her as his wife, and he was ready 
 now to take her, if Vula would consent.
 
 115 
 
 When Joni ceased, there were a buzz of excite- 
 ment from all the women present. One or two of 
 them said to Vula: 
 
 "Speak! Speak! Tell him what is in your 
 mind." 
 
 It is the mark of the female sex, even in savage 
 lands, not to be won too easily. Vula made a show 
 of reluctance, and hung her head. At that, the 
 others began to persuade her with much noisy 
 appeal. 
 
 "Speak! Speak! Vula. Tell him what is in 
 your mind. Speak quickly." 
 
 But it was only when modesty's claim had been 
 satisfied that she raised her head a little and 
 whispered shamefacedly : 
 
 "I want him." 
 
 "Vinaka! Vinaka!" Everyone seemed heartily 
 glad that the affair was settled so easily. 
 
 There was nothing more now to be done or said. 
 It would have been bad form if Joni had shown 
 undue delight in words. A close observer, however, 
 might have noticed the flush of victory in the whites 
 of his honest brown eyes. 
 
 The two men retired in a dignified way, to make 
 arrangements for the wedding. A message was sent 
 to the missionary, requesting that he should be pre- 
 sent at the function, and conduct a Christian service: 
 He, of course, was exceedingly glad to do so, since 
 a Christian marriage was an excellent example for
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 the heathen around; moreover, this particular event, 
 being the first in that town and district, marked 
 an epoch in the history of the people. 
 
 Without waste of time on unnecessary prelimin- 
 aries, the day was finally fixed. Intense interest 
 prevailed, and as the country was then at peace, 
 visitors flocked from the adjacent villages to wit- 
 ness the sacred ceremony. The pioneer missionary 
 himself was a centre of attraction, and many won- 
 dered at the chiefly air of him who had dared to 
 risk his life again and again for the sake of the 
 people amongst whom he worked. This chiefly 
 dignity they attributed to spirit-power or to a kind 
 of magic ; they did not understand that it arose from 
 the consecrated soul of the man. 
 
 The marriage arrangements proceeded apace. A 
 house was set apart for Joni and his young men. 
 while another was allotted to the bride and her 
 parly. A third house was specially built, in which 
 the ceremony might take place. 
 
 Although the marriage was to be Christian, other 
 customs handed down from olden times were also 
 to be observed, for the missionaries did not believe 
 in changing the ancient instituFions so long as their 
 observance did not interfere with the chief tenets 
 of Christianity. 
 
 The scene of the marriage festivities was the 
 village green, and was therefore cleared of the rank
 
 of a Whale's Tooth u7 
 
 grass which so quickly grew upon it, and the large 
 house belonging to the chief at the end of the open 
 area was given to the visitors. 
 
 This building was soon filled with interested 
 spectators, dressed in holiday attire, and oiled until 
 they shone with the extract of the cocoa-nut. 
 
 In the house of the bridegroom great doings were 
 going forward, especial attention being given by the 
 occupants to the combing of their long hair with 
 combs, the teeth of which were six inches in length. 
 Their muscular bodies were anointed until they ap- 
 peared like polished bronze. The final touch was 
 given to the bridegroom himself, when a long piece* 
 of native cloth, printed with curious patterns, was 
 wrapped around his waist many times, until he be- 
 came so large that he could scarcely pass through 
 the door. 
 
 A merry scene presented itself likewise in the 
 bride's house, for the young women were decorat- 
 ing their hair with flowers and feathers. They, 
 ton, appeared like shining bronze statues, but of a 
 less savage type than the men. The bride gradually 
 evolved until she might well be mistaken for a gay 
 butterfly ; a finely-woven mat reached almost to her 
 ankles, and above that, a huge bulk of painted native 
 cloth was twisted around her waist in the same 
 manner as the waist-cloth of the groom. Every- 
 body had their best armlets, and red coral orna-
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 ments, and as much other gaudy finery as they 
 could put on without eclipsing the bride. 
 
 When the final arrangements were completed the 
 interested parties made their way, laughing and 
 chattering, to the wedding-house. The young women 
 of high rank were distinguished by the feathers in 
 their hair, whilst the young chiefs carried, as a mark 
 of dignity, their mosquito swishers. In such array 
 did they appear before the missionary. It is true 
 that there was some shuffling and mistakes, and much 
 excited speech, before the bride and bridegroom took 
 their proper stations, for everybody claimed the per- 
 sonal right to correct somebody else, until peace 
 was finally restored by the command of the chief. 
 
 The solemn and musical words of the Fijian 
 marriage ceremony were then read by the missionary, 
 every neck being craned, meanwhile, to the utmost 
 extent, and every eye being fastened on the speaker. 
 
 "Wilt thou have this woman to be thy lawful 
 wedded wife?" said the servant of God. 
 
 Joni answered readily, for he had duly prepared 
 beforehand : 
 
 "That is my mind." 
 
 Turning to the woman, the missionary asked: 
 
 Wilt thou have this man to be thy lawful 
 wedded husband?" 
 
 Vula answered: 
 
 "That is my mind."
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 The two then clasped hands, no ring being used, 
 and were pronounced man and wife in the name of 
 the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. 
 The sacred words fell on wondering ears, and several 
 in that throng felt drawn by the very dignity of 
 the ceremony, and the solemnity of the occasion, to 
 think a little more favourably of the new religion. 
 
 The Benediction was pronounced while all stood, 
 although it was so strange to the majority that 
 only a few closed their eyes. The audience main- 
 tained a grave silence until they got outside, then 
 their pent-up feelings found vent in a great chat- 
 tering and merriment. It was a red-letter day for 
 them, and some of them would probably count their 
 time from it, so that other events would be remem- 
 bered by their proximity to the marriage of Joni. 
 
 Next began the first great ceremony according to 
 native fashion. The bride and her people sat on 
 one side of the village green, while the bridegroom 
 and his escort sat on the other side. Mutual gifts 
 of food were made; but the most important feature 
 was the presentation of a long piece of painted native 
 cloth, which was done in the following manner: 
 
 When all had been seated, Joni arose, holding 
 myself in his hands, and advanced towards the bride. 
 There followed him a retinue of young men, who 
 carried a long piece of painted native cloth a hun- 
 dred fathoms long, and more than a fathom broad.
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 The time it took in the making would be about six 
 months, with all the women in a large village em- 
 ployed upon it during their leisure hours. This 
 huge piece of tapa, as it is called, was piled up loosely 
 before the bride, and upon the top of it I was duly 
 laid. Whereupon the young women arose and 
 folded the native cloth neatly, and laid it by for dis- 
 tribution. The division was made by cutting it into 
 equal shares for equals, and into slightly bigger por- 
 tions for chiefly members . of the clan. 
 
 A similar gift was offered by Joni's newly-made 
 wife, together with her young companions, in ex- 
 actly the same manner. For myself, it presented a 
 pleasing spectacle to see Vula gracefully leading 
 her maidens forward to the place where her hus- 
 band sat, in great satisfaction and pride. The 
 colours of their various adornments contrasted well 
 with the rich green of the grass, and made a novel 
 picture. 
 
 The interesting ceremon} r being now at an end, 
 the presents were allotted according to the time- 
 honoured method mentioned before. I was appor- 
 tioned to Waidrodro as his share, together with a 
 piece of the tapa. As he fingered me I was con- 
 scious that he was full of awe concerning me, and 
 it was not long before I fathomed the reason. I 
 was laid aside that day, however, in Waidrodro 's 
 large house, where feasting was the chief occupa- 
 tion, and talking the principal accompaniment. The
 
 121 
 
 guests sat in a semi-circle, with Waidrodro at the 
 head of it, in that part of the house which was 
 farthest from the entrance. Food, smoking hot, was 
 placed in the centre on stiffly-woven mats, which 
 were shifted to whatever place was most convenient 
 for the guests. Fijiaus are only of late beginning to 
 use spoons or forks while at their meals, the sub- 
 stitute for these utensils, except in one dread 
 instance, being their fingers. Cups were always a 
 necessary adjunct, and these were found ready to 
 hand in the halved cocoa-nut. Needless to say. this 
 drinking vessel was unbreakable. 
 
 From the conversation. I could gather what 
 further felicities were going forward. Vula and her 
 company were even then busy preparing" food for 
 another feast, which might be called the wedding 
 breakfast. Yams and taro. fish and pork, stewed 
 dishes of varied cuisine, and several kinds of native 
 pudding, made from the breadfruit and taro, con- 
 stituted the fare. 
 
 This feast was to be held in a new house built 
 specially for the bridal pair, and could not be par- 
 taken of, if either had been married before. When 
 everything was ready, a message was to be sent to 
 Joni and his party to come as guests. On their 
 arrival the bride, with her friends, were to serve the 
 young men, who doubtless would do full justice to 
 the repast. To be waited on by such fair attendants 
 would be sufficient piquant sauce to the food for less
 
 122 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 ardent natures. At the conclusion of the meal, pre- 
 sents were to be offered by the young women, of 
 mats, fans, and other articles of manufacture, to the 
 young men, who then would depart, well pleased 
 with their gifts. 
 
 "Yes," said one, "after that is done, Joni's com- 
 pany intend to give a return bridal feast in another 
 house, whither the new wife is to go accompanied by 
 her girls to receive gifts in like manner. The men 
 will act as hosts to the bride's party, and many gifts 
 will be presented by them in return for those they 
 had accepted at the hands of the young women."' 
 Much more to the same effect did I hear from the 
 merry gossipers in the chief's house. 
 
 The missionary also came in for his share of 
 discussion ; his happy face, full of a power unearthly, 
 2s befitting a man who carried his life in his hands, 
 was remarked by all. Fiji owes much to the brave 
 men who, standing alone in those fierce days, im- 
 pressed the savages with the sense of higher things. 
 
 Little more remains to be told with regard to 
 Joni and his wife. Two weeks after they departed 
 for their future home in canoes, their friends run- 
 ning along the pathway to bid them farewell. As 
 the canoes out-distanced the villagers, these latter 
 stood and waved pieces of native cloth until the 
 wedding party could be seen no more. The friends 
 of Joni and Vula were being left swiftly behind, but
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 these two did not waver for that. Through many 
 years 'they lived and laboured faithfully, and gave 
 their utmost energy to a task that was often dan- 
 gerous in the extreme. They grew old in the work, 
 were true to one another, and died blameless in 
 character and of a good report, Joni himself having 
 risen to be a native minister.
 
 124 The Strange Adventures 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 EARLY CHRISTIAN BRAVERY. 
 
 I N this chapter some of the names are hard, 
 but I cannot make them easier, because 
 they are the names of real men. Xow 
 let me tell a story which has never yet been 
 recorded. 
 
 "When the reaction from the marriage festivities 
 had come, it was clear that Waidrodro began to view 
 me, his new possession, in a different light. At first 
 he was full of pleasure, but gradually he began to 
 think of the dead chief with whom I had been buried. 
 Waidrodro was a man, fierce in his treatment of 
 inferiors, but cringing and fearful in the face of 
 beings whose power he had no means of measuring. 
 The dead Baivotu, for instance, was in no way 
 superior to himself when living, but death had en- 
 tered in as a new factor not to be despised. Rai- 
 votu had travelled away to the region of spirits, and 
 might even now be wielding evil powers against, 
 him. The superstition, once admitted to his mind, 
 loomed darker and darker, until it became a posi- 
 tive apprehension, or warning of approaching harm. 
 Daily he would come and handle me, turning me 
 over and over, with a growing dread in his eye. It
 
 125 
 
 was a matter of fact now, that I had for him a 
 potency of evil that must not be trifled with. 
 
 He did not choose, however, to give me up at 
 once, because, partly, he had a strong admiration 
 for me, and partly, he did not care to confess to 
 having made a bad bargain. 
 
 At last his fears overcame him, and he resolved 
 that he would no longer retain me. But how to 
 dispose of me was the difficulty. For no small chief 
 would receive me for the same reason which caused 
 my owner to reject me. They, too, dreaded the 
 spirit of the departed. Numerous stories arose in 
 Waidrodro's memory of those who had fallen seri- 
 ously ill because they had done some wrong or insult 
 to the ghosts of the dead. 
 
 At last he thought of Cakobau, the great chief 
 at Bau, who was so high in rank and authority that 
 he need fear no departed spirit. Moreover, he was 
 a Christian, and was therefore safe from evil powers 
 that have their home in the land unseen. He would 
 send me to Cakobau as a present, and as a token 
 of respect. He would thus gain Cakobau 's help, 
 and the treaty might prove of value at some future 
 time. 
 
 The solution of the problem seemed so easy that 
 he immediately acted upon it. I was sent by a 
 special messenger to the Great Chief, whose name 
 had been reported throughout the world.
 
 126 The Strange Adventures 
 
 The virtue of Cakobau's new religion had made 
 him a changed man. From being one of the most 
 ferocious and bloodthirsty of men, he had become calm 
 and kindly, without losing one whit of his natural 
 strength of will. 
 
 I was not presented immediately on the arrival 
 of the messenger. He must eat first, and then he 
 might enter the presence of the Great Chief. When 
 he was thoroughly refreshed he was admitted into 
 the long and lofty house in which the Chief of 
 Bau usually resided, and was allowed to explain 
 the object of his visit. Cakobau smilingly received 
 me, saying, as he saw for the first time the "great 
 whale's tooth": 
 
 "Good! Good!" 
 
 That night he sent a return present to "Waidro- 
 dro, wijh this accompanying message: 
 
 "I thank you for your gift, and I will be your 
 ally in any time of difficulty. I put my trust in 
 you also if at any appearance of trouble I want you 
 to help me." 
 
 So spoke the old diplomat, and I became the pro- 
 perty of the Great Chief. 
 
 Up to this time the interior of Fiji (Colo, as it 
 was called) had not been Christianised, and it was 
 Cakobau's great ambition that the Gospel should be 
 carried there as well. He was earnestly supported 
 in his desires by the Rev. Mr. Langham, who was
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 127 
 
 at that moment living on Bau, as the representative 
 of the Methodist Missionary Society. Nor was there 
 any other venture dearer to his heart than that of 
 penetrating to those tribes who still lived in cruelty 
 and vice. Arrangements were then being made for 
 an expedition which afterwards became famous for 
 many reasons, the story of which it is my privilege 
 to tell. 
 
 It was not long before the cession of Fiji to 
 England, when a brave little party sailed from Bau 
 down the coast in a Fijian canoe. Mr. Langham, at 
 that time a slight young man, Samuela Seru, who 
 was employed in Mr. Langham 's house, and Ratu 
 Aisea Volavola, a baptised Christian, who was cap- 
 tain of Cakobau's large double canoe Kinikinilau, 
 were the chief members of the party. These, with 
 a crew, coasted down to the district of Ra until they 
 arrived at the small section of Nalawa, where they 
 made known to the people the reason and aim of 
 their journey. They also informed the villagers that 
 they had brought from Cakobau a large whale 's tooth 
 (myself) for the purpose of enlisting the favour of 
 the tribes inland, or at least of adding some force 
 and prestige to the message of the Gospel. 
 
 After much earnest debate upon the part of the 
 inhabitants of Nalawa, two of their chiefs, Soqo- 
 naivi and Naqari, inspired by the bravery of the 
 little band, offered to accompany them and show 
 them the pathway.
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 Following the route through Nalawa, it is not 
 very far to the district where lived the wild moun- 
 taineers. One long day's journey would suffice to 
 bring the missionaries into touch with the bar- 
 barians at, the head of the Wainmiala River. The 
 way led upwards for a long distance until it. 
 reached the watershed of the Rewa. The mission 
 party had at this point a glorious prospect of the 
 interior of Fiji. Far below them stretched a wide 
 river basin, in which the main stream could be 
 traced as it wound itself amongst the mountain spurs. 
 Clouds covered the surrounding high points, throw- 
 ing long shadows across the landscape, and thus 
 adding new beauties to the panorama. Here and 
 there appeared bluffs of rock, which gave character 
 to the confusion of tropical vegetation. 
 
 At the head of this valley lay Nakorosule. on the 
 Wainimala River. 
 
 Not without trepidation did the little forlorn 
 hope enter the village, but to their joy, they were 
 received hospitably by the chief. 
 
 Accommodation was found, and a house given, in 
 which they might pass the night. The foundation 
 of the house is still preserved, and is pointed out 
 as the spot where the Rev. Mr. Langham slept wnen 
 he brought religion to the inland peoples. Despite 
 the stimulus of adventure, and possible danger, the 
 men slept well, being wearied out by their long 
 tramp.
 
 A Cutter at Anchor. 
 
 Stinson Photo.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 In the morning, audience was granted by the 
 war chief (Vunivalu) of Nakorosule, and Mr. 
 Langham appealed to him to put aside his old evil 
 practices and to accept the religion of Jesus Christ. 
 "Moreover," said Mr. Langham, "I have a whale's 
 tooth from Cakobau the King, which he presents to 
 you, with the request that you will listen favour- 
 ably to the story of the Gospel." 
 
 Without a doubt the message was a powerful one, 
 and especially as it was coupled with the support 
 and the approval of Cakobau, not to mention the 
 effect which my own appearance had upon the Vuni- 
 valu of Nakorosule. But on this occasion my magic 
 powers and the influence of the Great Chief's name 
 could avail nothing with the head man of this moun- 
 tain town. 
 
 After hearing what Mr. Langham had to say, 
 the war chief sat still for a long space, Mr. Lang- 
 ham also keeping silence in obedience to Fijian 
 etiquette. Finally he answered on this wise: 
 
 "If I embrace the religion which you bring, my 
 relatives will be angry with me. My advice is: Go 
 to the Taukei ni Waluvu at Navaulele. He is my 
 chiefly uncle. If he desires the Lotu (religion), I 
 will accept it also." 
 
 There was nothing more to be done save to do 
 as the heathen chief had said. Mr. Langham there- 
 upon set forth on his journey to interview the Tau-
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 kei ni Waluvu, which in Fijian is the picturesque 
 phrase for the "Native of the Flood." He lived 
 a few miles down the river at Navaulele, opposite to 
 the town now called Xairukuruku. 
 
 When they arrived there they found the chiefs 
 and people engaged in a curious custom. It had 
 been an ancient practice amongst these tribes to 
 build a "Bure Kalou, " or spirit house (which was 
 usually a very high-thatched hut), before going to 
 battle. It was to be dedicated by the chiefs and 
 priests, the dedicatory offerings being gifts of 
 native grog and food, which were supposed to insure 
 success in battle. 
 
 At the moment of Mr. Langham's entrance to 
 the town one of these spirit-houses was almost com- 
 pleted, and the people were thatching it. Their war- 
 like intentions were clear, and a more unsuitable time 
 could scarcely have been chosen. The missionary 
 party, however, were compelled to make the best of 
 any chance that came, and approached the people, 
 offering presents, according to native manners, to 
 one of the oldest of the chiefs. 
 
 Then said Soqonaivi, one of Mr. Langham's 
 party : 
 
 "What are you doing? We have brought the 
 missionary. Put this work on one side and let us 
 go into the spirit-house. We at Nalawa have ac- 
 cepted the Lotu. You do likewise. You are the
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 chiefs of the land. If you do not 'lotu' the land will 
 be in trouble." 
 
 The speech, uttered in quick, sharp sentences, 
 sounded well in the ears of the "Native of the Flood." 
 Approving of the proposal, he led the way into the 
 house. 
 
 When everybody was seated the ceremony was 
 performed of presenting me. in a similar speech to 
 that made in the house of the war chief at Nako- 
 rosule. The "Native of the Flood" was not proof 
 against the high honours placed upon him by Cako- 
 bau, and after a long talk with his councillors, 
 agreed to receive the Gospel in a nominal way an 
 act that was fraught with gravest calamity and 
 greatest blessing for his people. 
 
 It was strange, indeed, that such a momentous 
 discussion should have been made in a new "spirit- 
 house." When the savages began to build it, their 
 thought was only of the war, to which they had set 
 their hands. While they worked, their spears and 
 clubs lay beside them. Yet before the building was 
 properly finished the Evangel entered, and made it 
 the temple of the Most High. 
 
 The "Native of the Flood," acting at once, 
 gathered the people of his own together, and told 
 them of his decision. His word was, of course, prac- 
 tically supreme, and after hearing what he had to 
 say, they shouted their approval with loud voices 
 and allowed the Gospel into their midst.
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 From Mr. Langham 's standpoint he had won a 
 great victory. For now that they had accepted the 
 Gospel, it was possible to preach to the mountaineers 
 and teach them. He was well aware that their be- 
 lief in the new religion would, for a time, be only 
 on the surface, until, in fact, the doctrines and truths 
 of Christianity had had good opportunity of affect- 
 ing the minds and characters of the barbarians. To 
 expect ripe and perfect fruit on these wild trees 
 immediately after their undergoing a new treatment, 
 would be foolish. The finest product could be hoped 
 for only after careful and tender nurturing. A. 
 century would be all too short. 
 
 At this juncture a party of prominent chiefs 
 from Viria arrived, bringing a gift of food, with the 
 object, of bringing the warfare to an end. A long 
 discussion ensued, in which Mr. Langham took part, 
 for the coming of these ambassadors seemed to aid 
 the work that was dearest to his heart. He then 
 returned to Ban with the Virian chiefs, sleeping at 
 their town, which was some distance down the river. 
 AVith him went as escort Drekenivere, who was a 
 son of the ''Native of the Flood." 
 
 Mr. Langham left behind him a savage people 
 who had nominally accepted Christianity, and who 
 were in the midst of old and savage foes. The time 
 was coming when they would be called upon to 
 suffer for their faith. They must be tried, and tried 
 bv fire and club.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 Trouble soon arose. A native of Gau. with the 
 curious name of Yamenatavi, was sent as a teacher 
 to Xakorosule, the town which Mr. Langham first 
 entered. One day when he was preaching he saw 
 the warriors heaping up tire-wood, and, taking it as 
 a grim hint, fled to Navaulele, on the opposite side 
 of the river. This was one only of many signs that the 
 anger of the heathen was about to blaze forth.. 
 Everybody was full 'of fear of what was surely ap- 
 proaching. All the Christians could do was to wait. 
 
 Several villages belonging to the district of 
 Matailobau (the district that recognised the influence 
 of the "Native of the Flood") had not yet become 
 Christian, and the inhabitants of them had gone to 
 Vugalei to help the natives there against Cakobau, 
 who was besieging the place. The invincible 
 Bauans chased them, with others, right up the river 
 Wainimala to Navaulele, where the new Christians 
 lived. There they captured one of the refugees, viz., 
 Muakalou, of Soloira, who was not a Matailobau chief. 
 Him they took to Viria, where he was released, with 
 a lecture and a caution to keep the peace. It was, 
 a. mistake to have given him liberty, for it was the 
 beginning of evil. 
 
 The chief Muakalou was a pastmaster in the art 
 of deception, and completely hoodwinked the 
 Bauans. On his return, he immediately caused mis- 
 <?hief, and was the chief one to bring about the mur- 
 der of two young men of Navaulele, thus retaliat-
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 ing against Cakobau by striking at the town which 
 had received Cakobau 's "whale's tooth." But the 
 result was other than he expected. Blood flows 
 thicker than water, and Muakalou's action only 
 served to draw away from himself the clan sym- 
 pathy of the Matailobau villages. They now joined 
 in with their nominal superior, the "Native of tho 
 Flood," and became Lotu people. The position then 
 was. that a small district now professed Christianity 
 in the midst of many enemies. 
 
 At this particular time a council of surround- 
 ing chiefs was held at Xakorosule, and they were 
 angered at the turn of events to such an extent that 
 they actually suggested that the chiefs of the Matailo- 
 bauans should be slain, to supply flesh food for their 
 council meeting. The only difficulty in the way of 
 the attempt was that the war chief of Nakorosule 
 (to whom Mr. Langham had gone at first), was not 
 only their strong ally, but was likewise the nephew 
 of the "Native of the Flood." Nevertheless, these 
 savage councillors, by dint of persuasion, flattery, and 
 presents, gained his consent to their diabolical pro- 
 ject. Forthwith they set themselves to carry it 
 through. 
 
 The town of Nacau was appointed to open hos- 
 tilities, and the plot was carried into effect by the 
 Nacau braves in the following manner: 
 
 A chief of Navaulele named Cabecabenivalu, had 
 married a woman at Nacau. The latter had been o
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 185 
 
 / 
 
 a visit to her native place, albeit her husband be- 
 longed to the faction which opposed her own rela- 
 tives. Cabecabenivalu, probably because he expected 
 that soon there would be trouble between the tribes, 
 went to bring her home. At that time he did not 
 know that Nacau was the town chosen to bring war 
 upon them. 
 
 The man and his wife were returning on Monday 
 when they came up with two chiefs of Nacau. These 
 latter were apparently dawdling in the pathway. 
 Pretending to be friends, they began to chat with the 
 couple. One of them suggested a smoke. They 
 then invited Cabecabenivalu to "nita" (produce fire 
 by friction). Without a thought of treachery, the 
 latter began to rub two sticks together in the native 
 manner. As he stooped they struck him down. 
 
 Two boys fishing heard the sound of strife, and 
 came, running into NavauTele, and crying out that 
 Cabecabenivalu had been slain. The Matailobau 
 chiefs were infuriated, and war broke out, as~ when 
 a smouldering fire is fanned by a strong breeze. 
 Nacau, which had been the cat's-paw of the enemy, 
 was attacked, and some of the inhabitants slain. The 
 enemy answered this by an assault on Ulira, a 
 Matailobau town. They appeared before it in full 
 war-dress, whilst the teacher was giving out Metho- 
 dist membership tickets. From a distance they 
 shouted their challenge to the people to come out 
 for a fight.
 
 136 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 The teacher said: "Don't go. Let the women 
 remain still." 
 
 The enemy fired a musket, and all the district of 
 Matailobau heard the report. The inhabitants, fully 
 armed, came running down from their villages, but 
 were attacked in the pathways, and lost heavily. 
 Fifty of them were killed; four of them were eaten. 
 The opposing forces were too strong, and besieged 
 Ulira in complete war fashion. They took and slew 
 one hundred people of both sexes. Another town 
 called Taulevu shared the same fate. These two 
 villages were totally destroyed. 
 
 Flushed with success, the enemy sent an ulti- 
 matum to the "Native of the Flood," couched in the 
 following terms: 
 
 "Give up the new religion and you shall live." 
 His noble answer was: 
 
 "If I die, and all belonging to me, I will not give 
 up the new religion." 
 
 On the arrival of the fierce demand of the heathen, 
 some of the Christian teachers, who belonged to dis- 
 tricts far away, resolved to stay in the beleagured 
 towns, and die with the people. Their brave self- 
 denial is remembered to-day by the villagers of those 
 parts. Some of their names are Taitusi, from Nairai ; 
 Pita, from Rewa; Rupeni, from Dravo; Nafitalai, 
 from Xamuka; Solomoni, from Nakoroivau; Nemani, 
 from Waikete; and Xasoni, from Buretu. They
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 should be written on the missionary "Scroll of 
 Fame." In the crisis, an urgent plea for help was 
 sent to Ban. 
 
 Ratu Wiliame, son of the "Native of the Flood," 
 was selected for the risky journey. He and a youth 
 named Ratu Samu came away in the night, and ar- 
 rived at Bau on the second day. Ratu Wiliame said 
 to Cakobau: 
 
 "We are nearly tinished. Two villages are empty. 
 But we have not given up the Lotu yet. Come and 
 help us." 
 
 Cakobau made answer : 
 
 "Take a tabua (whale's tooth) to the enemy and 
 ask for a parley. You will thus gain time." 
 
 On the return of the messengers, once more I was 
 brought, into use, but the minds of the savages were 
 so inflamed that not even my wonderful powers 
 could influence them. Chief after chief refused to 
 touch me. To them I was polluted by the Lotu. 
 At last I was accepted in Nacau, the very town from 
 which the war began. To be the messenger of peace 
 was more tcrmy liking than to be the signal of 
 blood-red war. 
 
 Soon the allied enemies were divided amongst 
 themselves. One section therefore carried the tide 
 of war down the river, where they annoyed Cako- 
 bau by destroying a herd of pigs belonging to his 
 daughter. He immediately came with an army, and
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 utterly dispersed them, taking a large number of 
 prisoners. 
 
 The religion of Christ began from that time to 
 change the peoples inland, as well as on the coastal 
 districts of Fiji. The lives of the inhabitants grew 
 better, and these cruel tribes of the thick inland 
 forests became peace-loving people, freely and fear- 
 lessly intermingling with each other and those far 
 away. The missionaries were enabled to raise up 
 from amongst those who flocked to them, a faithful 
 band of native ministers, who were ever anxious that 
 their island home might be crowned with goodness 
 and God's blessing.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 "THE FORMER THINGS HAVE PASSED 
 AWAY." 
 
 XE effect of the Religion of Peace amongst 
 YV the Fijian people was that it became safer 
 
 sL&^=Ji for them to travel farther afield. In the 
 early days it was fraught with danger for a native 
 to go very far from his home. Persons who before 
 never dreamed of going to Lau or Kadavu, now did 
 so without fear. 
 
 I was destined, therefore, to see more of the 
 Fijian Group, being taken to the island of Kabara, in 
 Lau, by a mission teacher, whose name was Apakuki. 
 
 Life on a small and lonely island of the ocean is 
 very dull. During my stay in Kabara, however. I 
 was to witness one of those swift changes in the 
 routine of island life that serve as a topic of con- 
 versation for months after the actual event occurred. 
 
 It was after the summer time, when men began 
 to think that the days of the hurricane season were 
 over for the nonce. The fresh sea breezes blew 
 softly from the south-east, and the climate of the 
 island was almost at its best. In the middle of the 
 month of April, contrary to expectation, there fell a 
 dead calm. Shortly afterwards the wind sprang up
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 from the west in fitful gusts. A curious haze covered 
 the sun's disc, giving it a steely look. Little bits 
 of cloud scudded across the sky. and the sea waves 
 became tipped with white. Riding at anchor in the 
 lagoon was a cutter, which rolled and plunged at its 
 moorings, making the boom creak loudly enough to 
 be heard 011 shore. 
 
 Old men gravely shook their heads and muttered 
 that "something was coming." Even the fowls felt 
 the general depression, and the little chicks crept 
 under their mother's wings. For the people of the 
 island there was nothing to do but sit and wait, ex- 
 cept that a second anchor was thrown out from the 
 cutter, and the boom was lashed more securely. As 
 nightfall approached, the wind blew more meaningly, 
 and each gust had an angry snap that boded ill. 
 The sun, with scarce a touch of gold, set behind 
 thick flying scud; the sea waves rose in fury, only 
 to have their curling crests smitten by the blast 
 into flying spray ; proud cocoa-nuts bowed themselves 
 to the ground, and showers of leaves swirled around 
 the closed huts of the villagers. 
 
 It was now night, and what a night! The events 
 between sunset and sunrise, who shall describe? It 
 was as if all the forces of the world came to work 
 damage. Through the long hours of darkness the 
 villagers fearfully watched their houses swaying in 
 the grip of the hurricane. In some cases the strong 
 huts fell; in others, without a moment's warning.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 the roof crashed in under the weight ol a falling 
 cocoa-nut tree, torn up by its roots, or of a flying 
 branch from a* wrecked ivi tree. Rain poured in, 
 the thatch being lifted up wildly, by the storm ; and 
 the natives sat, wet and shivering, amid the ruin 
 of their homes. The cutter drove from its anchorage 
 to the beach, and was driven some distance inland 
 A dreadful feeling that anything might happen 
 seized the population, which brought its own relief 
 in a madly, careless spirit. Men even laughed and 
 joked at intervals, though their voices were drowned 
 by the roaring of the waves and wind without. 
 
 Towards midnight the wind died away, only to 
 blow again with renewed violence from the opposite 
 quarter. 
 
 Two men, with a number of women and children, 
 were sitting in the teacher's house. One of them, 
 Jeruesa, was lying upon the damp mats, while his 
 companion, Apakuki, the teacher, sat with his 
 shoulder against one of the rocking posts. 
 
 ''This is a fearful wind," shouted the former. "I 
 am thinking of any vessel that might be out in it. 
 The mail cutter will be caught, I am afraid." 
 
 "True! True!" answered the teacher. "I also 
 have been remembering the sailors at sea. Shall we 
 pray for them?" 
 
 "Good," replied the other; "let us pray, if you 
 please, for our friends on the big waters."
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 The women were invited to join in their devo- 
 tions, and a prayer, earnest in its utter dependance 
 upon God, was offered by Apakuki. Jamesa followed 
 with a second petition. They then arose from their 
 knees comforted. Meanwhile the storm raged on. 
 
 Broad daylight showed a spectacle of havoc on 
 shore which could not be imagined by those who have 
 not seen the track of a hurricane. The villagers would 
 scarcely recover from their losses in the course of 
 years. 
 
 At sea the sight was one never to be forgotten. 
 Mighty Pacific rollers, towering high, swept in on 
 the devoted coral reef, to be crumpled and shattered 
 'into a hundred clouds of white foam, which were cast 
 up sixty feet high. Not a sail could be seen on the 
 horizon; nothing but the tossing, tumbling sea. 
 
 As the days passed by the natives plucked up 
 courage to repair their houses as best they could, and 
 things settled into somewhat of their usual monotony. 
 
 A fortnight after the hurricane, however, there 
 was a shout from the hills: 
 
 "A waqa ciri! A waqa ciri!" "A drifting ship! 
 A drifting ship !" 
 
 There was a rush to the heights, from which the 
 hull of the vessel could be seen rising heavily upon 
 the swell. It was drawing towards the island, for 
 the wind was from the sea. 
 
 Many were the exclamations of the simple folk. 
 Some conjectured as to the likelihood of men being
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 on board, and others hoped that this was not so, for 
 then they themselves might be enriched by the wreck. 
 Jemesa and Apakuki remembered their prayer and 
 kept their counsel. 
 
 On the following morning the whole population 
 were up early to watch the progress of the vessel. 
 And to the disappointment of some, it seemed to 
 be drifting away. A sharp-eyed youngster startled 
 everybody at that moment by yelling at the top of 
 his high-pitched voice : 
 
 "A velovelo! E rua!" "A boat. Two of 
 them." 
 
 Two boats could certainly be descried like black 
 dots on the water, and they appeared to be coming 
 from the direction of the derelict. They were still 
 many miles away, and the chief of the village said 
 that they could not possibly be in before dark. One 
 of them, however, made a swifter passage, owing to 
 a piece of sail which the crew hoisted, and arrived at 
 four in the afternoon. As the boat touched shore 
 the villagers rushed down pell-mell, to find half a 
 dozen men standing in the little craft, scarcely know- 
 ing what to do next. 
 
 "It's alright, Tom," said a grey-bearded old man, 
 who seemed to be the captain. "They don't appear 
 to carry arms." 
 
 "Right you are, Captain," Tom replied. "Any- 
 way, they are too many for us, and this is our last 
 chance."
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 "Come, men," cried their leader, "we shall go 
 ashore arid show them that we trust them. It may 
 be that they will pity us." 
 
 Taking their lives in their hands as they thought, 
 the six men walked ashore, when, to their great re- 
 lief and delight, the chief stepped forward and shook 
 hands with them. A short word from him sent half 
 a dozen brawny fellows to carry the sailors' belong- 
 ings out of the boat to the village. 
 
 With a beckoning motion, the native chief then 
 led the wondering party by the inland path to the 
 village. 
 
 "Captain," said a tall sailor named Smithson. 
 "this beats all. What will be the next? They are 
 the tamest savages ever I did see." 
 
 "I have a thought," replied the Captain, "that 
 these peoples are Christians. If so, we are safe. But 
 we shall know soon." 
 
 The party emerged from the undergrowth into 
 the little space occupied by the houses. Three of 
 them, the Captain, Tom and Smithson, were located 
 in the teacher's house, where I was ensconced. 
 
 Thoroughly wearied out with their toils, the three 
 men threw themselves upon the mats, and regardless 
 of any thoughts of danger, fell into a deep sleep, 
 from which they did not awake until sundown, when 
 the sound of singing from the adjacent house fell 
 upon their ears.
 
 An Honoured Natire Minister, Inokr Bnadromo.
 
 145 
 
 "In the name of all that's curious. Captain." 
 queried Smithson, <r what's that?" 
 
 The Captain turned over on his side and said: 
 
 "It is true, Smithson, what I told you. They 
 are Christians, and that hymn is nothing more nor 
 less than "Precious Name," that I learned when I 
 was a youngster. We have much to thank the Great 
 God for. But now let us look for the other boat." 
 
 They all jumped to their feet, feeling ashamed 
 that they had forgotten their companions in distress. 
 The Captain suited the action to the word, and led 
 the way through the village and up the hill-path 
 which he had noticed when first they entered the 
 town. After a stiff climb they could faintly see, in 
 the growing dusk, that the other boat was still about 
 a mile outside the reef, and far From the passage. 
 
 "It will be dark by the time they arrive, so let 
 us go and have something to renew the inner man, 
 and then come and meet them. It will be full tide 
 about ten o'clock, and they might get safely across 
 the reef itself without going to the passage. Let us 
 put up lights to guide them." This being done, the 
 men followed the advice of the skipper and returned 
 to the house for something to eat. What was their 
 astonishment and pleasure to find a little feast of 
 steaming taro and yam, together with boiled fish as 
 an appetiser. The fresh food, with canned goods 
 and some bread they had brought from the ship, pro-
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 vided an excellent meal for hungry men, and they 
 set to with a will. Nor were the villagers less 
 pleased when they received some tinned meats for 
 their share. 
 
 The meal was scarcely finished when a faint 
 halloo was heard on the still evening air. 
 
 "It is from the mate's boat," said Tom. "He 
 must have come to th<; reef and is afraid to tackle 
 it in the dark." 
 
 Making signs to the Fijians to follow, and call- 
 ing their fellow-sailors from the house where they 
 were lodged, with flaring reed torches the little band 
 followed the curving beach to a place nearest the 
 point whence the halloos proceeded. 
 
 Some of the natives, amongst whom were Apa- 
 kuki and Jemesa, brought the boat round, and row- 
 ing in fine style, made signs that they were going 
 out to meet the ship-wrecked sailors. Gladly the 
 Captain consented, and aWay they went. 
 
 It was late when they returned with the two 
 boats. The belated sailors were thoroughly worn out 
 after their long row in the tropical heat, and were 
 glad indeed to hear their names called out by their 
 companions on shore. Nor were they less astonished 
 than the Captain and his crew had been when strong- 
 limbed natives, with much chattering and laughter, 
 shouldered all their good's and carried them a mile 
 and a half along the beach to the town.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 ""What have we struck here?" asked the mate, 
 as he wearily plodded beside the skipper. 
 
 "Christians," answered he. 
 
 "Humph, " grunted the mate, who was known to 
 have a strong dislike to anything of that sort. He 
 was still more silent after he found a meal ready 
 for him at the house. Truly he had much to think 
 about. 
 
 Sleep was almost as necessary to the sailors as 
 food, so stretching their limbs out upon the reed 
 mats, and using pieces of carved wood for pillows, 
 they. were soon unconscious of their surroundings. 
 
 At five o'clock in the morning a gun-shot broke 
 the stillness of the village. The Captain, not yet 
 quite awake, and feeling for his pistol, hastily step- 
 ped to the door. There he found Apakuki, the 
 teacher, smiling, and holding in his hand a smoking 
 gun and a dead fowl. 
 
 Reassured, the skipper returned to his companions, 
 saying : 
 
 "We're in luck's way, chaps. Chicken for break- 
 fast, smoking hot." 
 
 Nor was he mistaken, for the chicken was duly 
 placed^ together with yam, on the improvised table 
 made of boxes; and the little shipwrecked party were 
 invited to partake, while Jemesa and Apakuki sat 
 down before them, ready to rise at once if anything 
 were needed by their guests.
 
 148 The Strange Adventures 
 
 "Captain," said Tom. "this has got me beaten. 
 Two weeks ago we were driven at the mercy of the 
 hurricane. Our masts snapped like carrots. We 
 had lost our rudder, and had given ourselves up for 
 lost until we saw this island. Then we came off in 
 the boats, not knowing whether we were rowing to 
 our death or not. When we beached, we met Chris- 
 tians instead of cannibals, and the last is, that they 
 shoot their fowls for us. I vote we say grace." 
 
 The events of the past had so affected the men 
 that they agreed, and to the delight of Apakuki. Tom 
 said grace. Nor did the grace affect their appetites 
 adversely, as some might think. 
 
 The conversation that ensued had reference to 
 the past of the Fijian people, and the evident change 
 made in them by Christianity. Each had his little 
 quota of knowledge to give, and at last the Captain 
 said: 
 
 "It is a fact, men, that we have much to be 
 thankful for. If we had come to a cannibal shore 
 we should have had to say good-bye to this life. 
 And all I can do is to describe the change in these 
 people by the words my old mother often used to 
 quote, 'The former things have passed away.' '
 
 The Meandering Stream,. 
 
 Stinson Photo.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 A NATIVE MINISTER. 
 
 UK changes in the manners and customs of 
 the Fijians from this time on was rapid 
 and marked. The dark clouds of 
 heathenism were shot through with light. Undoubt- 
 edly the body of native ministers which I mentioned 
 in a previous chapter was one of the main levers by 
 which the missionaries endeavoured to raise the habits 
 and practices of life then in vogue amongst the 
 Islanders. Again and again their noble deeds were re- 
 ported. Men like Joeli Bulu, and Samuela Seru, 
 when contrasted with their own relatives, were as 
 jewels set in a dark garment. Their light appeared 
 as a wonderful thing beside 'the gloom of surrounding 
 superstitution. The glow of their spiritual fervour 
 seemed to illumine their minds as well, so that often 
 the missionary himself owed his life to their sagacity 
 and timely advice. 
 
 I have for these men, as a class, nothing but the 
 sincerest admiration. Having passed through the 
 fiery ordeal of their Fijian youth, they have become 
 settled in their faith and mode of living. There- 
 fore, if any inquirer wishes to see more definitely the 
 best result of the Methodist mission in Fiji, let him
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 first go to the old men. In them there is to be found 
 a steadiness of purpose and fire of enthusiasm that 
 marks their witness as unique. If occasionally one 
 has fallen, it is precisely what we should expect from 
 these weak souls, who were but yesterday sick of a 
 wasting fever. The marvel is. that so many are 
 strong and vigorous. Gradually, and as a result of 
 the self-sacrificing and unceasing efforts of the early 
 missionaries and their dark-skinned helpers, the im- 
 mense heap of evil showed signs of moving. One 
 effect this transformation had upon myself, viz., to 
 lessen my importance in the eyes of the natives. The 
 extraordinary qualities which I had before possessed 
 began to fade. In these days, though I am not with- 
 out honour amongst the people, the Fijian could well 
 do without me. Instead, therefore, of being kept 
 for special occasions and purposes, I found myself 
 often used for minor objects, such as acquiring a 
 pig, or gaining permission to cut trees or reeds on 
 another's land. My new and manifold duties in- 
 creased so much that I was never long in one place. 
 
 It came to pass, in the lapse of years, that I 
 was sent to Kadavu upon the death of an old chief 
 called Naba, and became the property of his young 
 kinsman named Kelepi Naba, in the town of Naka- 
 saleka. It so happened that he determined to keep 
 me as an heirloom, as was the custom with some 
 Fijians when they acquired any article which they
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 prized very highly. The story of Kelepi I shall now 
 relate. 
 
 He was a short sturdy j r outh, of rather a sober 
 disposition. His face betokened repose and per- 
 severance. Unlike most of the Fijians, his hair had 
 a tendency to straightness, which pointed to Poly- 
 nesian blood. As a young man, he came under the 
 preaching of the Gospel. The first sermon he heard 
 was from a Tqngan, and from that moment his heart 
 was warmed by the good tidings. Being slow to 
 decide upon important things, in this matter he made 
 no haste. But, considering the whole question in his 
 heart, he gradually came to the conclusion that he 
 would accept the Gospel and give himself to the work 
 of preaching. As the conviction grew upon him he 
 became more and more earnest in his daily deport- 
 ment. His companions noted the change in him, and 
 some mocked, while others approved. The adverse 
 opinions of men, however, did not appear to affect 
 Ketepi, for he kept on steadily pursuing his course. 
 
 "While still a young man he formed a habit which 
 greatly assisted to shape his sturdy character. It 
 came to pass thus: In the addresses and exhortations 
 he had heard, there were many appeals to the con- 
 gregation that they should give up their vain call- 
 ing upon the spirits of the dead, and pray, especi- 
 ally in secret, to the living God. Consequently 
 desire arose in his heart to make known his requests 
 to God in prayer. But how to do so in secret was the
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 difficulty. Fijian life was so free that one could be 
 said to have no privacy. The houses of each and all 
 might be entered at any hour, as in the case of the 
 ancient Jews, by those who wished to do so. In 
 addition, the houses were but single rooms, and used 
 indiscriminately as eating place, sleeping chamber, 
 and reception room. Kelepi therefore had recourse to 
 the quiet woods. Searching around, he happened on 
 a large tree some distance from the regular path, and 
 in its deep shade he found the solitude he needed. 
 Every morning, before sunrise, Kelepi sought out 
 his trysting-place and prayed that God might save 
 him from the evil that was in the world, in words 
 like these: 
 
 "Oh, God, I am but a poor Fijian, but Thou 
 hast the light. Thy Son has died for me, and He 
 has power from Thee to save. Show me the way 
 through Him, and lead me in the right path. Keep 
 me until Thou shalt call me to Thyself, for the sake 
 of Christ, the Righteous Sacrifice. Amen." 
 
 So he pleaded for years. The missionary noticed 
 his growing zeal, and placed him on the plan as a 
 local preacher. Praying and preaching, he grew in 
 favour and usefulness. It appeared to all that he 
 was marked out by his intelligence to become a native 
 minister. Step by step he advanced, till he attained 
 .to that rank in 1887. 
 
 In this honourable capacity he served God faith- 
 fully, and was true to the teaching of the Methodist
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 Church. He was as a rock in the midst of the rush- 
 ing stream, and no one could say that he lapsed at 
 any time from his high resolve. 
 
 The following story is told of him: In Tavuki 
 the natives had nominally accepted Christianity ; the 
 result was that they had given up many of their 
 superstitious practices, particularly that of spirit- 
 worship. It was not to be supposed that there would 
 be no recurrence of their old customs, for the 
 majority had but the name without the power of the 
 Gospel. Suddenly, by one of those strange unac- 
 countable movements of the native mind, the villagers 
 fell back into a deliberate act of heathenism. The 
 old habit, like an avalanche, swept the new teachings 
 aside like frail brushwood. For a moment the people 
 were as barbarous as ever. It seemed as if the 
 Gospel had utterly failed. News travels rapidly in 
 Fiji. From mouth to mouth the tidings flew, until 
 all Kadavu knew that the people of Tavuki were 
 heathen once more. Kelepi arose in his righteous 
 enthusiasm for the Lord, and without delay, went 
 straight down to those people. Apparently they had 
 already become a little ashamed of their act. When 
 he called them together they obeyed, but with the 
 air of guilty school-boys. 
 
 A white man tells the story of the doughty cham- 
 pion of the Cross, and his vehement denunciation of 
 their foolishness and weakness. No chiefly influence 
 nor other earthly power did he fear; but he spoke as
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 one inspired, as he stood in that congregation and 
 exhorted them all to repent of their action, and re- 
 ceive again the Lord Jesus Christ as their only 
 Master. To his burning words they gave good heed, 
 for they turned from their dark ways the second 
 time, and began once more to walk in the better path. 
 
 Kelepi's reputation grew amongst his brethren. 
 In debate he was cautious and shrewd, and if the 
 need of the work demanded it, he could be liberal 
 in his views. It was his custom to sit amongst his 
 brethren till he had heard all that was to be said, 
 and then to quickly sum up their views before giv- 
 ing his own views. After he spoke, the listeners 
 usually came round to his way of thinking. 
 
 That Kelepi's heart was in the right place is con- 
 clusively proved by the following incident: 
 
 On a certain occasion he paid a visit to the 
 mission station. A new school had been recently 
 established, and there were upwards of forty-five 
 boys in residence. Kelepi was at the time over sixty 
 years of age. His hair was grey and his face fur- 
 rowed by the plough of time. His appearance, there- 
 fore, was that of a patriarch, as he sat in a meeting 
 of the school-boys. 
 
 The missionary seized the opportunity of asking 
 Kelepi to speak a few well-chosen words to the lads, 
 words that they might remember throughout their 
 lives.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 Very real dignity clothed the old man as he rose 
 and made this speech : 
 
 "Young men, the missionary has asked me to 
 speak some words to you which you will remember 
 all your days. It is with gladness that I do so. You 
 see that I am old in the service of God, and, indeed, 
 I am, for it is over forty years since I became a 
 preacher of the Gospel. The last twenty-six years I 
 have had the honour of being a native minister. It 
 has been a long service, but I am glad that I have 
 persevered in it. I feel that the end cannot be far 
 away now. It is therefore my desire to tell you the 
 reason that I have stood so long in the work. When 
 I was a young man I was converted, and the Spirit 
 led me to think very seriously of the things of eternity . 
 .One thing above all others was dear to me, and that 
 was to pray to God in secret. But as you know, our 
 houses are not suitable for such a custom as they are 
 usually but a single room. Therefore I sought me 
 out a large tree in the woods, some distance from 
 the pathway. There, every morning, very early, I 
 asked God to help me and preserve me from evil. 
 To that prayer often repeated I attribute my forty 
 years of preaching and my preservation to the pre- 
 sent time. God cared for me day by day, and now 
 I thank God from my heart for His goodness. Young 
 men, I ask you to remember these words in the days 
 that are coming. Pray to God in secret, in some
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 secluded spot where your soul can commune with 
 His Holy Spirit. I have finished." 
 
 Kelepi sat down with his eye kindling. There 
 was silence, and the boys gazed on him as if they 
 had got a new glimpse of his character. A short 
 prayer closed the little gathering, and the youths 
 dispersed. Surely some of them, at least, will keep 
 in mind till their dying day the excellent advice that 
 Kelepi gave them on that memorable occasion. 
 
 The Synod of 1909 approached, and, as usual, 
 Kelepi was elected as representative. But the hand 
 of sickness struck him down. The old man had 
 exerted himself too much by climbing over the hills 
 at Daviqele, where he was stationed at the time. It 
 was a great sadness to him that he could not go 
 to Synod, for it had always been a joy to him to 
 take a share in the discussions on the work of God. 
 and to participate in the ordination of his yountrcr 
 brethren, as was his wont. But God willed it other- 
 wise, and the faithful servant murmured not. 
 
 Gradually his strong body grew weaker, until it 
 was clear that his days were numbered. And now 
 let those who sneer at the simple religious life of 
 the natives draw reverently near while the majesty 
 of death ennobles Kelepi with a new dignity. The 
 place where we stand is holy. Never is man so sin- 
 cere as when dying. All hypocrisy falls to the ground 
 as cast-off clothes when the angel of God pays his
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 dread visit. A man's past life rises up so vividly 
 that the soul has no courage to deceive any longer. 
 
 The august angel of death entered at last the 
 humble dwelling where Kelepi lay. His presence 
 Kelepi knew by that mysterious insight that dying 
 Fijians have when they are crossing the border- 
 land. Then, while all listened in solemn awe^ he 
 commended each of his dear ones to God, praying 
 for his wife and children by name, that they might 
 be kept, when he was gone, from the evil that is 
 in the world. 
 
 His breath grew laboured, and he could but utter 
 one more sentence. Turning his dying eyes to the 
 people who had gathered around his bed, he made 
 his last request: "Give my love to my brethren in 
 the ministry." "With these words on his lips, he 
 passed to the higher service, where love onjy is the 
 moving passion, and the law of love shall govern the 
 happy relations between the redeemed. 
 
 Outside the house a curious thing was happen- 
 ing. A Chinaman fled for his life jn terror, 
 because a ball of fire shot from the sea to land. A 
 Fijian also took refuge from what appeared like a 
 fiery chair that floated out to sea. It was probably 
 a meteoric display, but the simple folk thought it 
 had come as a sign to them that a good man had 
 fallen in death.
 
 158 
 
 The village was full of the praises of the de- 
 parted, and the leaders discussed how they might 
 best honour him. They finally decided that they 
 would bury him amongst the chiefs, which was an 
 unusual honour paid to one who himself was of 
 humble rank. On the morrow they carried the re- 
 mains to the little plot sacred to the memory of 
 chiefs. Slowly the procession wound its way under 
 the shade of the ivi and dawa trees, each man and 
 each woman carrying, according to their custom, a 
 plaited mat. Folded in these mats, the dead was 
 laid to rest, while another native minister read the 
 words: "Na soso ki na soso, na qele ki ne qele, na 
 nuku ki na nuku ni da sa nuitaka na nodra tu cake 
 tale ki na bula tawa mudu." 
 
 "Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in 
 sure and certain hope of the resurrection to the life 
 everlasting." Then the company, led by Kelepi's 
 son, sang: 
 
 "Ulu Vatu dua ban, 
 
 Mo ni yaga tu vei au." 
 "Rock of ages, cleft for me, 
 
 Let me hide myself in thee. " 
 
 Few of the singers could control their voices suffi- 
 ciently to finish the hymn. The evening shadows fell 
 over the land as the sun sank beyond the Pacific 
 rollers. Above the grave towered an extinct vol- 
 cano, crowned with clouds fired by the "gorgeous light 
 of departing day. Near the crest soared an eagle-
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 hawk. From the woods came the trumpeting of wild 
 pigeons, and from the ocean-reef the thunder of 
 broken waves. How long shall these things continue 
 to be? Be it ever so long, the soul of Kelepi Naba 
 rests in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection 
 of the Just, when the heavens shall be folded up as 
 a vesture, and the elements melt with fervent heat. 
 
 A few months later the grave of Kelepi was sur- 
 rounded by a neat white picket fence, erected by 
 his comrades as a mark of respect for their former 
 leader.
 
 160 The Strange Adventures 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 A MISSIONARY'S WELCOME. 
 
 k N the death of Kelepi, I fell to the lot of 
 one of his relatives in Nakasaleka. This 
 town, which was Kelepi 's birthplace, is 
 situated between heavily- wooded ranges, which rear 
 their dark terraces against the blue sky at the back. 
 The frequent rains cause them to be verdant in the 
 extreme, the surplus waters being carried to the sea 
 by a turbulent mountain torrent. In one place 
 there is a waterfall, where the stream dashes down- 
 ward into a deep pool in such a manner as to raise 
 the drooping spirits of the sight-seer to a state of 
 exhilaration. The pool is famous as a swimming re- 
 sort for strangers, and can scarcely be bottomed by 
 good divers. Leaving the pool, the stream meanders 
 more leisurely down through the town, where women 
 make use of it for washing dishes and clothing. On 
 every hand grows luxurious vegetation, affording 
 secure retreat for thousands of wild pigeon, parrots, 
 and wood-doves. Such is Nakasaleka. 
 
 On a certain warm evening there was a stir in 
 the village, for a teacher came from Yale, to report 
 that a letter had been received containing good news. 
 The missionary was to begin his annual tour of
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 inspection within a fortnight. It was not long be- 
 fore everybody in the neighbourhood was acquainted 
 with the fact. The missionary would first visit the 
 adjacent town of Rakiraki. and then row round the 
 point into Nakasaleka. Being the centre of a dis- 
 trict, it was the custom of several smaller towns to- 
 send their strong quota of people to join in the ser- 
 vices at Xakasaleka. Chiefs and people helped will- 
 ingly in the arrangements, and vied with one an- 
 other in their generosity. On this occasion the schools; 
 were to be examined in reading, 'writing, arithmetic,, 
 and geography. The children went almost frantic, 
 therefore, with delight and excitement. They prac- 
 ticed dances till late in the night to celebrate the 
 event, and longed for the day when they might dis- 
 play their skill. 
 
 It was arranged also that just as the missionary 
 turned the point in his new boat, the young people 
 of the district should suddenly appear from behind 
 the cocoa-nut trees, and that they should carry long- 
 poles, to which would be tied streamers of native 
 cloth. With the native cloth were to be fastened also 
 articles of local manufacture, as gifts for the crew. 
 It is a pretty little custom, handed down from former 
 times, and was intended as a salute to any new boat 
 coming for the first time to the town. The proce- 
 dure was that as soon as the missionary's boat should 
 touch the sands of the beach, the boys were to leap 
 out and chase the children for the prizes. The chiefs
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 decided that they would buy a bullock and kill it 
 in honour of the visitor, and that every man should 
 bring a present to him of a yam or root of taro. It 
 was very simple and very sincere. Since then I have 
 heard some people scoff at the preparations made by 
 Fijians in honour of their visitors, but it is quite 
 clear therefrom that they do not understand the 
 minds of the people. Such a reception is almost- a 
 sure sign that the inhabitants of a town or district 
 are glad to receive their guests. If 'the feast and 
 other little festivities were omitted, it would indi- 
 cate that the natives were not pleased with the visitor. 
 Let us pass the simple indulgence then, and allow 
 the native hearts to rejoice as their spirits suggest. 
 
 Another matter I must not omit, which was impor- 
 tant to me as well as to others. One of the leading 
 men called on my owner to ask if he would relin- 
 quish me. since they wished to present the best 
 whale's tooth procurable to the missionary as a chiefly 
 sign of their pleasure and respect. The finest tabua 
 in the town was the one which had been the property 
 of Kelepi, viz., myself. Now my owner was in no 
 way desirous of losing me. but for the sake of the 
 missionary he willingly gave me to the chiefs, who 
 kept me safely until the day of presentation. 
 
 At last the time appointed arrived. The school 
 children stood waiting behind the cocoa-nuts, everyone 
 arrayed more or less tidily in holiday clothes, albeit
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 there was a slightly barbarous smack in their adorn-, 
 ments. They wore garlands of green, intermingled with 
 flowers. In their hands they held the poles with the 
 long streamers and the gifts. Their faces betrayed 
 glad anticipation as they awaited the appearance 
 of the boat. A watchman came running hastily 
 along a rough path, shouting that the vessel was just 
 near the headland. In a second or two it shot round 
 the promontory. The native crew, who were the 
 mission boys, rowed perfectly, feathered beautifully, 
 and moved with an easy rhythm. It was an ideal 
 scene. As the boat drew rapidly nearer, one of the 
 elder boys approached the landing place, and blew 
 a long blast on a conch shell, as a challenge to the 
 rowers. The latter became visibly excited as they 
 cried: "A cere! A cere!" With redoubled effort 
 they 'bent to the oars. At the same moment the 
 crowd of small boys and girls appeared at the other 
 end of the beach, looking very picturesque as they 
 held aloft their white streamers against a dark back- 
 ground of cocoa-nuts. The boat shortly after 
 grounded, and immediately the boy with the conch 
 shell ran towards his comrades, while the boat's 
 crew leaped out on the- shingle, and ran helter-skelter 
 in pursuit of the school children. The scrimmage 
 was soon over, and the mission boys returned to the 
 boat laden with spoil. 
 
 The missionary was then assisted to shore, where 
 he was met by the native minister and teachers, who
 
 164 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 were quite superior-looking in their clean white 
 clothes, especially ironed for the occasion. Farther 
 on stood the congregated chiefs, and these also showed 
 their gratification in warm hand-shakes and words of 
 welcome. They led him, by arrangement previously 
 made, to a house set apart, in which he took his 
 seat at a table covered with a white cloth. Several 
 of the men entered with the chiefs and sat down in 
 an irregular semi-circle. 
 
 To those who have seen the little ceremony, this 
 description might be dull, and indeed almost needless. 
 But there was one intensely interested participant in 
 the proceedings. For I, the great whale's tooth, was 
 to be presented for the last time. My career was 
 drawing to a close, and henceforth I was to be hung 
 in the missionary's house like a trophy of the chase. 
 
 The function began with a strange cry from 
 without, which was answered by another from within 
 the house. A man whose duty it was approached in 
 a stooping posture, holding me in his two hands. In 
 this manner he delivered his message. The mis-, 
 sionary meanwhile sat listening carefully. As re- 
 gards the words, the speech was couched in some- 
 thing of the following style : 
 
 "Sir, We bring you this small tooth, and present 
 it to you. Some time ago we heard you were com- 
 ing, and our hearts rejoiced greatly. Our town is 
 a small one, and our district is poor. But we give 
 thanks that you thought it worth your while to come.
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 
 
 We rejoice for yourself that you are with us, but we 
 are gladder because of the work of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, which you lead and guide in this island. We 
 ask you to pray for us. But I have spoken too long 
 in your presence. We offer this tooth in thanks, and 
 ask you to remember us in the presence of God, that 
 the land may prosper, and that the religion of Christ 
 may spread in our midst." With these words, the 
 old man sat down. As he retired, his long grey 
 beard swept his breast. That very man had been 
 with Cakobau in the wildest days of Fiji. His 
 name is Josefa, and while I write he still lives, 
 honoured of all, a patriarch of the past. Backed by 
 the experience of a lifetime, his action was a grace- 
 ful one, despite the fact that it was of a barbarous 
 sort. For myself, I took it as a hopeful augury of 
 a calm and peaceful eventide. Swiftly my thoughts 
 flew backwards to the past. Like ghosts, Dan Sawyer, 
 Dakuloa, Raivotu, Matavou, and the others passed be- 
 fore me. Surely the "Methodies," as Jack the Cor-, 
 nishman had called them, have been the instrument 
 of G-od for good, and that warm-hearted sailor, if he 
 could have seen the fruit of fifty years' toil, would 
 have shouted for joy. 
 
 The same night a most orderly meeting was 
 held, the church being crowded with earnest 
 listeners. Impressed with the spectacle of so many 
 upturned faces, the missionary spoke with power 
 upon the great subject of sin, life and death, judg-
 
 166 The Strange Adventures 
 
 ment, and our duty to our fellows. It could not be 
 expected that these native Christians would see every 
 side of the truths set before them, yet, 'according to 
 their nature, they gladly accepted that which was 
 beneficial to themselves. He who expects more is 
 unwise and unreasonable. The brand of a thousand 
 years is not rubbed out in half a century. 
 
 After the hearty singing of "Work, for the Night 
 is Coming," many stayed to talk with the missionary. 
 Some desired to become prayer-leaders, others wished 
 to confess their sins, others, again, signed the pledge 
 
 Wise man that he was, the missionary would not 
 "quench the smoking flax" nor "break the bruised 
 reed." On the contrary, he uttered words of cheer 
 or direction, according to the needs of each. Tiny 
 pebbles they were, thrown into the vasty deep; but 
 the ripples therefrom will doubtless break large on 
 the shores of eternity. 
 
 The morning shone clear, for the heavy clouds of 
 the night had left but fleecy remnants in the gullies 
 and around the mountain peaks. Cool, dewy breezes 
 fanned the warm coast. Merrily the stream leaped 
 amongst its rocks; and it was a joyful company of 
 simple-hearted natives who conducted the missionary 
 beside the stream to his boat that morning. The pic- 
 ture is with me still, for I. too, made one of the 
 mission party. The fringe of cocoa-nuts, the charac- 
 teristic white beach beneath, the people in their many-
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 16T 
 
 hued garments, contrasting sharply with the deep 
 blue-green mountains beyond, made a study as the 
 missionary said, for an academy painting. Add to 
 this the mother-of-pearl bay, with the boat skim- 
 ming on its surface, and you have a vivid memory 
 that lives in the heart till memory dies. 
 
 As the boat pushed off the villagers sang: "To 
 the work, to the work." Never, probably, shall I see 
 them again; but are not many of them in thy Book, 
 God? 
 
 Bending lightly to the oars, the happy crew 
 plunged the blades into the yielding water. So, with 
 the strain of the hymn ringing in our ears, we 
 swiftly glided over the sea till the wooded point hid 
 us from view. The sail was- set and trimmed, and 
 the oars were laid in the boat beneath the thwarts. 
 Then, with a favourable breeze, we steered for the 
 mission station far down the coast. 
 
 One incident on that memorable journey I am 
 bound to relate. We were passing a wooded slope. 
 High up on the mountain side stood a solitary Fijian 
 house. Just beyond this were several small yam 
 patches and taro plots. When almost opposite, the 
 missionary asked his boys what perchance the house 
 might be. "A leper's dwelling," said they. "He 
 is separated from his village, and now he makes his 
 own gardens, and lives by himself in this place." Even 
 as they were talking of him the sounds of singing
 
 168 
 
 The Strange Adventures 
 
 came floating from the mountain side. The men 
 raised their heads to listen. It was the voice of a 
 man, and he appeared to be singing from his garden. 
 
 "What is he singing?" asked the missionary. 
 "Let us all listen carefully." As the words came 
 clearly upon the land-breeze, the crew could dis- 
 tinguish the hymn, "To the Work, to the Work." 
 The man had recognised the missionary's boat, and 
 was singing this hymn as his contribution to the 
 general welcome. He might not mingle with the 
 rest of the people, though it would have been a great 
 joy for him to do so; but there still remained this 
 means by which he might show his deep interest in 
 the work of the Lord. Thus also might he indicate 
 how he, too, believed that Jesus Christ had come to 
 save the world from sin. In that little hut. doubtless 
 he had his Bible and his hymn-book, which would 
 comfort him in his hours of loneliness. Needless to 
 say, the missionary and his party were very much 
 touched by the pathetic incident. Instead of the 
 dread cry, "Unclean! Unclean!" comes a song. In- 
 stead of harsh cynicism comes sympathy with the 
 work. 
 
 "What shall we sing in return?" said the mis- 
 sionary. After some little discussion, the following 
 hymn was chosen as the most suitable: "Lead. Kindly 
 Light." So they sang it with much feeling, and the 
 sound of it arose from the sea to the mountain, the 
 echo returning with sweet effect:
 
 of a Whale's Tooth 169 
 
 "Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, 
 
 Lead Thou me on; 
 The night is dark, and I am far from home; 
 
 Lead Thou me on. 
 
 Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see 
 The distant scene one step enough for me. 
 
 So long Thy power hath blessed me, sure it still 
 
 Will lead me on 
 O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till 
 
 The night is gone, 
 
 And with the morn those angel faces smile 
 Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile." 
 
 Much more need not be said. Driven by a splendid 
 breeze, we crossed bay after bay, and sailed past 
 point after point, until we came to the mission house, 
 which was set, like Sion, upon a hill. 
 
 The missionary and crew were received by young 
 students, who composed the major portion of the 
 population in the mission village. A warmer welcome 
 still awaited him in his own home, and there I was 
 hung in a conspicuous place as an ornament to the 
 walls of the mission house.
 
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 A CENTURY IN 
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 INTRODUCTION BY 
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