The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-29
fiji ISLANDS WONDERS
'.o,rE NOBLE SPECIMENS OF THE
ANIMAL MAN.


HANGING One Sees-Reminders Of the
GOOD Old Cam bal Days.
S,,,.4. FIJI, Letter IN Neto York Times.
rIsn not many years ago that any one who
odveuturous enough to visit the Fill
,I.,ds stood a good chance Of being ten
- nv the enthusiastic inhabitants a
ID bauouet at which he should figure as
e. niece de resistance. At present there
:. fraoueut communication by several lines
:. Learners between the erstwhile isles Of
..ba arthropophagi and the island CONT
N, of Australia; but the ancient bill of
60 has been entirely remodeled, and the
.orrist wanders up and down in reclaimed
C.rnibal Land without the necessity Of
t,rtiiying himself by the hope which sgd
rsv smith urged upon his departing mission
~ friend, that "he would disagree with
.bs man who ate him"
Almost within sight Of the steamers which
NOW ely regularly between Melbourne or
crdnev and SuVai lie islands within the
limits Of the New Hebrides group where
nan eating is still common. Indeed, it Is
,ot much more than a year ago that one of
tbase vessels went ashore on one Of them,
srd the shipwrecked passengers were saved
from a practical illustration of canuibal
table customs only by the opportune arrival
Of some missionaries who had news of the
wrsrk. and set out in boats to the rescue
from a distant station.
The Fiiians, once the most desperate and
boodthlrsty Of barbarians, have now very
nssrly attained to the condition of Area
dams To the traveller they appear as the
ynildest-Inannered of folk. open-handed and
bosDitable They have sold to curiosity
bunters most of their terrible spears, set
with poisoned barbs, and their hideous
knobbed clubs of iron-like wood, and manu-
fscture no new ones.
The roar of THAR drums. made of hol-
lowed logs, still strikes upon the ear in the
lonely and beautiful valleys which debouch
mon the sea, but it no longer summons the
clans to human feasts. And the barbaric
songs and war dances which once made the
fairest country upon earth a pandemonium
sre seldom heard or seen, except as strang-
srs, may request glimpse of Uld-time GUS
toms.
The FIJI islands are, as far as my exper-
ience goes, one Of the most romantic and
picturesque localities upon the face of the
globe. Their masses and outlines are rug
eed and stern; they are volcanic in origin,
and show everywhere abrupt precipices and
EQdID anu PO0ho AhAhhSA, OAA DOt0
promonotories where the land touches the
sea. The piles of upheaved earth and rocks
which form the main part of the islands are
fripged with broad and level beach of
coral and sand, outside of which lie the
shallow and placid waters of the lagoon in
closed by the bristling reef against which
the heavy swell of the Pacific beats unceas-
ingy with steady and mnffied roar.
The edge of the shore is thickly set with
cOcoanut groves, which form natural ave-
nues and arcades of surprising beauty
scarlet and green parrots scream and chatter
and iris-hued wild doves coo in the feathery
tops Of the palms: cranes and egrets, varl-
OuslY CARRIED in blue. black and ivory-col-
Ored plumes, EXPLORE the shadows, and
graceful tropic birds wheel in the sunlight,
while the frlgate birds float on motionless
wings at enormous heights in the melting
SLY. Looking inland the prospect extends
along a series of natural terraces set with an
almost impenetrable jungle Of Towering
trees, creepers, and vines set with blooms of
every variety Of brilliant hue.
Peeping out from the cocoanut groves
are numerous villages, whose houses, made
of plated reeds and matched with grass,
are set in picturesque irregularity along the
banks Of the streams that flow from hidden
fountains in the hills and surrounding these
are plantations Of yams, bananas, taro,
bread fruit and pineapples, which respond
profusely to the scanty cultivation which is
bestowed upon them in the rich, red, vol
canic aoiL The constant sea breeze uempers
the heat, and by its soft breath gives the
finishing touch to the charm which existence
affords in this luxurious country.
The people who inha bit the villages above
described are a splendid race-less athletic
aud finely moulded. perhaps, than the
SamOans, but next to them undoubtedly
the most interesting inhabitants Of the
South sea. They are generally tall, of 1.-THE
yet muscular forms, amlabie in courte-
nance, and as honestly emotional as chill
dren. In their homes they are neat, and
show much artistic taste in the manu-.
facture Of various utensils Of wood and
clay.
The houses are carpeted with beautifully
woven rugs of grass. and their walls hung
with mats and with taspa cloth stamped III
fanciful patterns. Their beds consist of
piles OF these mats, which are cool and as
pleasant to lie upon as hair mattress. For
pillows they use small logs, or supports
made Of cocoanut wood, which are often
elaborately carved, or set with beads and
small shells in fanciful patterns.
This peculiar and seemingly uncomfort-
able species of headgess is made necessary
Dy the elaborate manner in which the male
tl1lans arrange their hair. Doing very
little In the matter of clothing, and not
pracaclng tattooing, as do the Samoans and
many other Of the island tribes, they ex-
pend upon their headdresses all the love for
display which seems inherent in the barbar.
GUS breast
As haIrdressers the Fijians are the most
expert people in the world, and show al
most as many styles as there are individuals
70 display them. The practice of bleaching
tne nalr by coating it with paste Of pow
uered coral and water is universal, and by
changing the naturally black polls to every
snaae OF brown, red and yellow produces
NEST singular effects.
ms paste is applied thickly to the head
az regular intervals, and is allowed to re-
mann Tor several days. 1t Is then washed
ouI, and leaves the hair stiff and wiry and
Standing straight out from the head in
every direction.
Dy manipulation and dressing with cocoa
uuI oil 1t is arranged in various fantastic
saeyles. In one case it may be seen twisted
~; hundreds of little wisps, which look like
ene strands of a mop when that utensil i:
tsIoent!y whirled; in another it is arranged
~ sUanc up from the forehead a la pompa
uoIF, and to spread abroad like the top of al
umbrella; in third it is crimped to form G
aYy covering which projects boldly il
.n.Sry direction: in a fourth il is combed
iviHiy out on the sides and top Of or the
neao, while behind it is arranged in series
neck.
Inc color of hair in certain instances
Ewes us wearers the appearance of havin G
enormous sponges on their heads, which are
oa.eh nearly three feet IN diameter. The