Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-11-16


lands. Tradition says that on one
occasion when the king OF Eau returned
from a victorious warfare against the
tribes In the mountain regions Of Vii
Lew, the dead bodies Of their enemies
we're ri ed up in a long row about six
feet high, anl the whole nation who
obcyed the Ki1g Of Bsu were invited
60 q Grand canuibsl feast on the island.
We spent about three hours on the
island Of Bau during which we visited
all the points OF interest, among which
the old heather Temple site was one OF
the most important The pedestal on
which the temple once stood Is well
pres, rived and stands about ten feet
above the level Of the ground surround.
ing II The historic stone on which so
many heads were crushed in lines past
is still there, aud Mr. John Acraman, a
native OF England anu the only mer
chant Of Bau, who was with Us. related
some cxtravagant stories about old
tIian csnnibal times, associated with
Bau and the heather Temple. These,
however, | do not feel disposed to give
to the readers Of the News at present;
bu, will merely say that the las, csmni.
bal tragedy enacted ON Eau according to
the best memory, was associated with a
visit Of some very high native dignitaries
to the court Of Bau. The king who de.
sired TO show extra honors to his dis.
tinguished guests sent his men out to
secure "long pig" for the occasion; and
these men seeing a number OF women
fishing on the island a short distance
went aud captured eight Of them, forced
them up TO the Temple front, killed
them on the rock above mentioned and
then deliycrei their bodies to the cooks
who prepared them Tor the great can.
nibal feast which follows.
We also called on the old chief Ratu
Epeli Nailatikau. who is the eldest living
son OF King Cakobau. He Is VERY
stout aud muscular built man, UNI
usually dark.skinned for Fijian, wears
a heavy mustache and side whiskers and
looked at first cross enough to eat a
man, even az this late day. induced
HIM to give me his autograph. but he
seemed too tired 10 get the ink. so he
wrote II with lead pencil on one OF my
business cards. lie became quite in.
tcrested when | showed INN my Salt
Lake views and wanted TO know II the
navigation was very extensive ON that
great American inland sea. BY way OF
~
picture OF q cannibal feast, which took
place at Bau in Is49. IL was painted
from nature by some English sailors who
were visiting the island at the time.
We also visited King Cakohau's
daughler-nlaw, "A Tonsan woman OF rank
and the relict Of the late Ratu Timoci
(Timoihy) and mother Of the so-ealled
prneesses to whom / was introduced In
Nhfs sHtl n.
quest she gave me her autograph as
Ane Tubou, and said she was thirty.
eight years old, though she might pass
Tor twenty-five. She ielt highly pleased
when we referred TO her youthful APP
pearance, and that she was as good
looking as her daughter, the Princess
l.itia Cakobau who was about 10 get
married. The old king had three sons
and three daughters, OF whom only this
one daughter and one son OF the old
chief whom we visited are now alive.
Having now become thoroughly In
ifodueed to the royal family oil FIJI, II
was but natural that | should desire
TO see the grave OF the old king himself.
Consequently We assembled the hill and
soon found ourselves within the royal
cemetery which incloses a space about
mental wall. Within the Enclosure grows
Two young sandal wood trees and a
number Of bushes pecu lar to the
tropics, while beautiful carpet OF grass
covers the remainder OF the ground.
In the centre OF the Enclosure stands a
massive pedestal of rock work, I2xq
ieet, on which the monument proper is
raised. IL consists OF square cement
al =.
laid with marble on one side OF which
! read the following; "Ai vakananumi
kei Ratu Sefu Cakobau, sa bale c mai
ka dua nj siga nj vulu ko FeperneIi
ma yabaki nj noda tufaga 1884," This
is in memory OF Chief Seru Cakobau who
passed away ON the list day OF February
IN the year OF our Lord 1881 Cako-
bau's original name was Ratu SeTu; but
when he returned from one OF his event,
iul war trips. the women cried out
"Hakobau," Tree Translation Evil has
oveftaken Bau. "rhe appellations
suits ne," said the chief. "irom hence.
forth my name shall be Cakobau;" aud
with that suggestive name he was sub
sequently ciowned king OF FIJI
Catobau was made king Of Fiji In
1874. Before that he had only been a
three years when his offer OF tue Fljlan
kingdom 10 the British was accepted by
Queen Victoria and her cabinet. Tue
KING with his Chief stood by the flag
staff at Nasova, a native village, on the
10th Of October, 1874, and saw his ma.
tional flag hauled down aud the royal
standard oi England ascend majeslica..
ly In It's place. amid the sllyos OF art.l.
lery and ringing British cheers. Though
he was recognized Uy the Euglish AZ
king oil the entire Fjian groups, he had
never subdugd the other chiefs Of the
Islands TO the same extent as the great
Kamehamvi a had TIE Hawaiian IS.
lands Catobau was Continually troubled
with revolts annd upIislngs on the part
OF the mountain chiefs. his together
with certain claims OF tue part Of the
United States, 80 annoyed him that he
decided 10 lay down MS Scepier and let
the ship OF state be manned by a natiou
who had power and means 10 do SO.
Alter his abdlcation, the eN.king lived a
somewhat private lie at his homestead
at Bau; but his advice and counsel was
often sought by the 80 onial govern,
ment. Finally, a caTbuncie formed In
his back, aud this became tie direct
cause VI his death which occurred at
Bau, February Ist. 1888. Though al
first bitterly opposed to tie missionar.
les, King CaJobau finally became
warm supporter OF Christianity and
died as a member ol the Wesleyan per.
suatiOn,
From the top OF the hill where the re.
mains nj King Callahan rpsts , 70.