The Hawaiian gazette., 1869-03-10
A Voyage 10 the FuIis.
NuMRR TEN.
Written fo the Gazette.

only suncientiy long 10 procure necessary
supplies of wood aud water. The former
was called Iron wtod," from its extreme
hardness, the axes being often broken in
cutting it. But itb burns quite as we'll as
the "ohia" of the Hawaiian Islands. Wa
ter was to be had in abundance, and Of the
purest quality. In couple of days we
had got on board oar necessary supplies,
and were preparing to get underweigh and
return to Lvouka. As we were heaving
short, the chief of Raberabe came on board,
with "head" of tortoise-shell to barter
for couple of whale's-teeth. Having OBJ
tanned these, he proposed to the captain
that he intended an expedition against the
bad men " who had cut off our boat and
killed our two men. This we well knew
was sublime piece of impudence, for this
very chief and his people we're themselves
the perpetrators of the outrage. He was
sent off by the captain with present of a
whale's-tooth, and some little trinkets,
such as looking-glasses, gun-fints, vermil-
lion. etc. He and his people went off to-
wards their town, singing in their wild
kind of style, the ancient chants, celebrat-
ing their warlike prowess. But with all
their boasting, the FJiimen are arrant
towards. don't believe that one Of them
was ever known to stand and face his
enemy in mortal combat. Their system of
tactics is to creep upon their prey when
he is asleep or unsuspicious, as was the
case with our boat that was cut off at Chi
kombia. | have only just now remem-
bered.the name of the place. 1t is a small
island, lying off the extreme western point
of Venua Lew, about the size of Lanai.
The everyday life of Fiji chief-the
younger ones-may be described thus !:
Two hours in the morning are devoted to
the labors of the toilet. 1t may seem odd
to talk of the toilet of savage, whose only
clothing is marc" But each of the
chiefs of high rank has an attendant
body servant-whom we might call his bar
Der, were there any shaving in the case.
The Fjiimen, differing in this respect from
almost all other islanders of the Pacific,
have very ample boards, and these they
cultivate with great care. The duty of the
chiefs body servant, every morning, is to
carefully wash, comb and anoint with
cocoanut-oil, scented with sandal-wood, the
flowing beard of his master, and then
gently, with pair OF wooden tweezers,
straighten out each separate hair. have
seen some of them with boards that were
of patriarchal length-young men too
reaching fully to their waists. They are
equally proud of large head of hair, and
the same process of amounting and twitch.
ing out straight each particular hair, until
they stand out "like quills upon the fretful
porcupine," is daily gone through with.
1t is no exaggeration to say that have
seen heads of hair among those islanders
as big as bushel basket And for fear
of disturbing the symmetry of their water
falls, they never sleep on pillow, but
place sort of stool, made Of polished
bamboo, under the back of the neck, and
so take their rest. ! tried one of these
affairs, but found it rather uncomfortable.
After the toilet is completed marc
sometimes twenty yards of snow-white
tapa, wound about the waist, gossamer-
like turban on the head, the Fiji dandy
sallies forth and strolls through the town,
his war-club or axe on his shoulder, and
followed by long string of his retainers,
the admired of all admirers. Not Beau
Brummell that ever walked Regent street
or Broadway, is half SO proud as this naked
savage.
But to return from this DEPRESSION. AZ
ter leaving Muthuata, on our way to Livou-
ka, we anchored off Savusayu-called by
the foreigners Sandal-wood Bay, from the
extensive trade in that article that had for
merly been carried on there. One of the
former wives of France, by whom he had
son, was the daughter Of the chief of Sa-
vusavu, and We stopped there in order to
give him az opportunity to visit her. He
went on shore in the morning, and return
ed towards sundown. with his whilom faith
er-in-law, and two double-canoes, loaded
with hogs, turtle and fruit, as present.
France himself, hardly recognized. BE
had got barberized, and his head looked
like an immense peony, inasmuch as it was
dyed red. Besides, he had got his face
completely blackened with SCOT, and on
each cheek daub of vermillion. He laugh
ed heartily, when his taDgane." as he call
ed me-his boy-reiused to own him, and
after the departure of the old chief, with
the aid of warm water and soap, he once
more assumed his natural appearance.
Sailing thence to Livouka, we fell in
with the brig Cypress. also Salem vessel,
commanded by Captain King. who was
once here subsequently,, in the brig Eziza-
Ii :. 1os- I'LL T,h~ o.. IL