The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-07-22
yIslT TO THE FECEE ISLANDS.
Interesting Narrative OF the Trip Of the
American sloOp of War Falmouth.
Z :. SHIP FALMOUTH, RKwA ROADS,
ERRIER ISI ANS March IL 1851

FRRJER ISLANDS, March IL, 1851.
Our anchor is weighed and the sails are spread
bidding adieu to this land Of ssvages. In accord
ance with my promise to keep you advised OF my
movements from time to time, | wrote you from
Tahiti informing you of our visit to the Marqaesas
Islands, on the subject of our stay at Tahiti and
at the Samoan group left letter at the latter
place, to be forwarded, which trust has been re-
eeived
The island of Ovoau, one of the Feejee group, is
about twenty-four miles In circumference, ana Is
much broken into peaks, valleys and raviass; but
tho deep verure with which it is clothed gives to it
pleasing and fertile appearance It's highest peak
is about two thousand two hundred feet above tns
level Of tho sea. Its population was estimated
by Capt. Wilkes in 1910, at eight thousand but
to the best information obtanable ut this
time, three thousand is high estimate. Inc
populution of these islands only be conectured
As the people continually at war precuding the
possibility af anything near to correct or reIaoIe
census being taken. The principal town, LeVuka,
il situated on the eastern side OF .ne siaIe, on
harbor of the same name and CONSISTS Oh tnrty OF
forty grass houses Feejee house Is, In form, ike
country hut in the United States, except that the
sides are very Low and the rooflong-in other words
it il almost all roof; it is about eighteen by
twenty-five feet, without partition or separate
Apartment whatever; substantial pillars Of cocoa
nut or bread fruit support the fabric, the inter-
stices closed in with latticed bamboos, the roof
made Of small poles of the by discus, crossed with
fine bamboos, thatched with leaves Of sugar cane,
cocoanut or pandanus; the ridge and corners, liz
some instances, are covered with fern leaves; the
sides are thickly thatched in the same manner, sx-
cept few openings about three or four feet high,
for doors, commonly four or five. The doors are
made low, as q protection against the entrance of
enemies, or to club hem while creeping in should
they attempt it, The foor made Of earth. saud or
fine gravel strewed with cocoanut leaves and CO.
vered with nuts end Of the floor is raised about
six inches higher than therest, whichis called the
bed place." where they sleep; IT isgeneray covered
with double layer d mats. Their pillows are
made Of round Stick or bamboo about the thick
meas of q hoe handle with pegs about four inches
long stuck in il for feet; some OF these are sum
GENTLY long to lmodate six or eight persons,
and others adapted to one or two. towards one
corner of the floor space, about SIX feet square,
is enclosed by four o re squared logs OF hard wood
this enclosure is the hearth or general cooking place
The principal cooking utensi is a large clay jar or
boiler, nearly the shape Of a common stone pitcher
without the handle, except that the bottom Is
sphe rical; it is permanently fxed on its side, near
the bottom at augie Of about thirty-hve degrees
from vertical with n space under II TO admit OF
small FIRE. This boiler, and circular hole in the
ground it, with small stones or pieces of
broken pottery, As fireplace, constitute their
whole cooking range Over the cooking place, IN
every house. there is sort of lumber loft Of sticks,
poles spears. clubs, and things of every kind found
about a Feejee house; on this they dry and smoke
much Of their provisions. and -smokestain some of
their tapa for particular purposes AS they have
no chimneys, and the doors so low, it may be readily
supposed that Feejee house is strongly tin,tured
with smoke. Tai Levuks, the principal chief of the
island, resides at t,is place His authority extends
over II
residents located he e, generally English three
or four Americans They all have native wives,
and their children are raised like the natives, in
nakedness and ignorance; indeed, they have almost
degenerated into savages themselves.
think was In every house in the village, and in
no one did see chair, stool or table saw one
bedstead, which. am certain, IL the only one IN
the town, and that is in the house of a native.
Three of the foreign white residents carpen-
ters by trade who mig ht make themselves, as tim
Der is plenty, chairs stools, and table to eat off,
and bedstead, however rough, on which to repose;
but they eat, sleep and cit on the dirty mat hoors
like the savages with whom they associate in
slovenly incidence
The Feeeeans are the most savage and unattrac-
tive looking people 10 De met with IN the Paclhc,
or perhaps anywhere else
They ars personally vel. formed, muscular, and Of
good size. In color. they nearly a. dark as
Ethiopians their hair Is cured and crisped like the
Africans, but gro Us longer; the nose is generally
broad and fat, and instances of thick lips are by
mesDs rare; their eyes are black and penetrating;
treachery, ferocity and deceit appear in every
ineamsnt; they like no other people on the
globe and it is dficult 10 give them proper place
bet ween the black and copper eOlored races-they
are 30 near the former that they would sell readily
in Aslave market
They have a custom Of backing their face, neck
and chest with a sort Of lampbask, bedau bed with
cocoa nut oil, which gives them n disgusting APP
pearance. This custom, however, is only observed
IN time Of var. The people Of Leouka have been at
war for some years past with the people Of the
u.
killing few strsgglers by tIeachery and ambus-
cedes, which Is their cOwardly N ode Of warfare
OfsD at that dead hour Of the night that precedes
the dawn, a band OF these ssyages will pounce upon
some unsuspectiDg family or hamlet, and make
indscriminate slaughter Of men, women and chill
drsn. man and bis wife gslng TO cultivate their
taro patch, may be surprised by hundred warriors,
carried of cooked and eaten, a. warlike achieve
ment. The word war, ia it, common acceptston,
seems TO convey al erroneous impression when ap-
piled 20 the dissensious in these islands which are
carried on entirely by deceit and trcachery, brutal
murders, kidnapping, assassinations, tortures and
cannibalsm. A brave, fearless meeting Of hostile
parties in the opcn field to decide their disputes by
deeds Of noble daring never takes place Hence
their cowardliness ket rs up state Of murder and
plumber, called war; for years that might be decided
10 day, II they we're not arrant towards.
Native weapons but little used; every
tribe has It's fighting men, armed with Queen Vic
tOris or Uncle sam muskets; some have double
barreled guns, and even Colts chambered rife and
SIX shooters. At timesthey turn out N bantering
mood, bat their cowardlinoss keeps them 50 faf
apart that they burn gunpowder in sain whole
rs often spent in hIirg at each other from oppo-
site hills, and no one hurt; perhaps some more
brave than the rest advances too far on his own
hook, gets captured, cooked, and presented 70 the
spirit; and is afterwards eaten IN triumph such
victory on side and defeat on the other, will
probably be sufficient 70 stop hostlties until the
bread fruit OF the next year be ripe and gathered
such is the nature Of years war IN Feeee, and
n three years war now existing in the samoan
group.
From what I have seen, think il would be a
mercy and blessing 20 those people, for some civil
ired power 70 conquer them, aud bring them into
s.bjeoton and order II would be cheap, easy
sad expeditions mode Of civflizing them, and al
once pattnga stop cannibalism, and all the other
barbarites that shock the sensibllity Of the moral
world by The bare recital
Our var steamers, with about FIVE hundred troops
ani e light field pieces, stationed at some con-
venieut depot on the -uuth Pacific visiting the Sc
versl grours Of islands at short intervals Say
IN three m onths, would be amply sufficient to put
an end 10 al the foolish dissensons and crueltes Of
fhe natives give them good chiefs, and salutary
eulations and laws. Encouragement would thus be
Afforded 70 industry Of every kind, and safety 70
person and property.
The Mountain aud Levuka parties concluded
eeace a short time since, and on the DAY after
srrivnl At Ovaau, the Mountain party. IN proof Of
their GOOD faith brought present Of provisions to
the people of Leyuka II was novel and sngn.
lar si,bt 20 witness from two 20 three hundred
= 80. =. % 90 with their faces and