The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-07-22

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Ngaraningiou was sent for, but did not come; he
sent his second chief Lingileva, With every assur-
ance that the usual custom would be departed from
in this instance, and the wife and children of the
prisoner would not be strangled as usual.
Lingileyu was accompanied by one of the prison
er's sons, naked lad, about seven or eight years
OF age, and the meeting between him and his con-
demnsd father very affecting. The little fellow
showed sensibility beyond his years, even in
civilized boy. He cried Increasingly; and the stern,
savage warrior, who seemed to despise life, and
chad 20 wish TO live longer" was melted, at once.
upon his neck. Clasping the child with his ma,
nsced hands in the silent stiffness of "grief that
surpasseth show" the unbidden tears flowed in
abundance, giving proof of the strength of natural
affection even in the breasts of the greatest sa-
wages AT IL o'clock, on the l4th of March, the
sergeant ofmarines, who acted as provost marshal,
conducted the prisoner into the boat, accompanied
by the master at arms executiOner. The Rev.
MIR. Calvert, as chaplain, and the marine guard,
under command Of Lieut.. Devlin, also passed into
the boat with the prisoner. Another boat from the
ships with some of the officers, followed; the cap
of procession. few inmates brought them to the
island, and three canoes with the prisoners wife
and sister, and large number of native acquant-
ances, arrived after The wife and sister were
entirely naked, except the hku, or girdie, and a
piece Of fine striped tapa Called ''masi,) around
the body of the wife. They came screaming from
the beach to where the prisoner was sitting under
literally upon him Still, thought he did not show
as great tenderness as he did on meeting his son in
the morning. Mr.. Calvert kneeled down and made
prayer in the native language, which being finish
ed, the prisoner was conducted to the allows a
few yards distant. He assembled the platform with
buoyant spring. and stood erect facing the persons
assembled, as if he were going to address them.
The guard was broken into platoons, and one drawn
up on each side of the gallows The master. at arms
tied his ANGLES together and his arms behind his
back; the rope adjusted around his neck, and
cap drawn over his face, during which he showedno
signs of fear or dismay. AT twelve minutes before
one o'clock the drop fell, and at one, his ifeless
remains were cut down and given to his friends, at
their request.
The piece of striped tapa around the body of the
wife, before mentioned, was brought by her, as Mr.
Calvert informed me- for the purpose of strangling
her. l inquired if he had given her the pleasing
information that she and her children we're to be
spared He said he had told her so, but instead Of
being pleasing to her, she seemed greatly dsap-
pointed that she could not comply with the custom,
and accompany her husband to the land of spirits
koroMoku-V alta was about thirty years of age,
five feet eleven inches high, straight, and rather
slender than otherwise; his face oval, forehead
high and retreating, high cheek bones, and a full
black eye According to all accounts, he was a
man whom his friends loved and his foes feared.
After the execution, the chief, Lingilevu, con-
Quoted to the captain, from one of the canoes,
large, square shouldered, and stout built native,
with his arms securely pinioned, who, he said was
rows, on the beach; he deserved death, and Ng ara
ningiou had sent him to him to be executed
with the other. The captain, through Mr.. Cal
vert, as interpreter, informed the chiefs and
son cap.sbe put to death until tried and found
guilty Of crime deserving such punishment;
as he hadn time otry the charge of Waitondree,
he ordered him to be taken back to the chief to be
dealt with as he might deem proper. He was ac-
cordngly taken to the canoe, in bonds, when
crew ftwenty thirty Of the naked savages pushed
it quickly, along the white sand beach until it
foated hoated and was borne away, and lost in the
distance.
The Feejeeans unlike most Of the other islanders,
are not tattooed. The dark color Of their skin, on
which such marks would not appear to advantage,
may be the cause of preventing them from this sa-
wage and painful custom Nermillion is used to or
nament, or rather disfgure, their faces They take
great pride in the good appearance Of their hair
and beard which they dress and cultivate with I'M
ceasing attention. Some of the boards are short,
thick and curly, while others are eight or ten inches
long, terminating in goatish point. Their extra
ordinary beads Of hair surpass all imagination
these are dressed in many strange groesque forms,
but the common appearance Is that OF the globular
head Of a negro swelled out to an immense size l
measured one of nineteen inches diameter, and have
no doubt some others were. larger. The natural
color Of the hair is black, but by the use OF lime,
carbon, and other pigments, they make good
greyish white, and all the various shades between
black and red many Of which colors, in numerous
instances adorn the same he ad-some are black be-
fore and grey behind, and rloe r9Sa. Of the many
singular heads saw, will endesvor to describe
one. The color Of the hair was je. black, and il
was separated into distinct, regular square pyra-
mids, of about two inches square at the base, aud
seven inches perpendicular, fastened to the head
at the yertex the bases (of course) outwards. The
sides and angles Of these hairy pyramids appeared
as regulsrly and sharply defined as If they had
been formed Of wood. Around the head they APP
peared in great regularity, like tiers OF square
black blocks the upper tier projecting horizontally
from the crown, left broad Hat space over the top
Of the head
On one occasion high wind tossed the pyramids
hnkk vat hay rata
their form unim paired, as II they had received IT
in a hydraulic press. Wigs are also made and
worn by these people, scarcely distnguishsble
from ;Ae genuine natural growth.
In cases Of extreme grief Tor the loss OF some re-
lation or the death aiction Of srea chief, the
hair or beard is cut of-seldom both at the same
times the little fingers also often cut of, close
to the hand, IS a symbol Ct mourning. From this
cause, pressme that flsh of all the Feejeans |
saw, while at the islands, wanted one or both OF
their little fingers ] also saw many without some
Of their tsee. which, understood, were cat of AZ n
native remedy FOR pains ard sores in The legs,
perhaps for leprosy, elephansiasis, or cutaneous
diseases, that are Tery common among them.
They are unacQ aainted with the use or value OF
money, in lieu Of which articles OF trade are sub
stituted in the transaction Of business.
Asfar as could Judge, muskets, gunpowder, bull
lets, lead and flint, golden currency; calico
Of red and faring colors, cottonS, whales teeth,
hstehets, knives, scissors razors, c. are as shver
and empty bottles Of all kinds white glass is pre-
ferred), FISH hooks, beads, tobacco, musketballs,
ke, answer for small ,hsnge. Among themselves
mat, form the principa currency aid personalpro-
perty.
Wbales' teeth and er,pty bottles we're decidedly
the best articles we had sOr trading With the canoes
that came alongside, but, unfortunately, We bad
but few on board. II we amusing to see an officer
buying an empty bottle from the steward TO enable
aim to purchase few shes, OF the Ike, from she
natives; Sfty cents was tie common value OF an
empty 9Jart bottle.
The regular traders base fixed a vsiue to those
articles 1T which they are generally received; but
there are fluctuations competitions, sDd different
valuations according TO he state Of he market
here, as in more civilized pisces.
A musset. a keg Of pow der, . number u fathoms
Of cotton cloth, number Of hatchet1 &c, are
equivalent 20 20 many pige turkeys, ducks, chick
ems. so many hundred yam1, cocoa nuts, sc.
This people have the REP station Of be ny the best
native mechanics in Poly nesia; their houses ana
canoes constructed with much judgment and I'M
genuityy come Of their canoes are from seventy TO
hundred and ten feet long, capable of carrying i've