The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1898-07-08

produced BY camera lheIe was ~
posing or anything Of that Kind. the
natives simply going about their curl
Gus bualness In their own way. quite
unconscious Of the fact that thoy we're
being photographed. Tho island OF
BenFa. where these photographs we're
taken. IA not far from Suva, the capital
Of Fill. This mysterious hre-Walking
ceremony has puzzled experienced
scientists who have witnessed H. and
no satisfactory solution OF the feat has
yct been discovered AZ one time the
ceremony was only performed At long
Intervals. and then In the greatest so-
erecy; but on one occasion the natives
were offcialiy approached on the sub
Iect Of allowing white men 20 wltnesa
the spectacle. and after much parnua-
tlon they reluctantly consented When
the time drew near the Union steam
ahip company'a steamer Maori made n
special trip from the Fiiian capital 10
the island Of ncnga. to allow a party
OF tourists and others TO witnena the
ceremony. Tho Island Of Iionga whore
tho fiery ordeal occurs. was the sup
posed residence OF the old gods OF FILL
and was therefore considered sacred
land Naturally. also. H. chiefs took
high rank First OF ALL II Ia necessary
TO explain the native iovo or oven, In
which the mauawo root IL baked. This
oven IL merely more or less circular
hole. or hollow dug and prepared In
the ground. with a diameter OF from
~ feot 10 "a feet The oven Ia next
fillod with rough loss OF lrowood. piled
up nine or ten feet on the logs are
placed a great number OF water worn
stones. varying In weight from oirht
10 ten pounds 10 one hundred weight
Il may here be explained that the ma
towo has hbroua roots aa large ~ n
yam. and full OF sugar. These roots
are baked IN the lovo for four days.
Tho nro for the ordeal ~ lighted In
the maaawo oven before daybroak. and
burns for several hours-that IL to say.
until the stones on the top. big and
little. have fallen through into the holo
and become almost white with heat
Then, Of course nothing remains but
quantity OF charrcd omhera and q few
saif-hurnt logs. The heat given on by
lie red hot. stone lined pit was 70
great on the occasion We arc deacrib-
Ing that an oiiicor who witnessed II
declares II 20 have been intolerahle
svcn when he waa standing ten feet
hon the odge OF the oven. In due
time the ombera are dragged or hahed
out by means Of vines attached 10 long
Iticka. the ends OF the vine having a
running loop, which Is placed over the
oE The partially burnt logs and
1mberu having been removed. long
Ereen sticks, rs or 20 feet In length.
are then inserted into the oven among
the heaps Of hot stones, and using
these as levers. tho stones are dis
tributcd evenly over the surface OF tho
whole door Of the earth oven. When
the big embera have heon removed. tho
wood ashes are swept away by means
OF whiaks fastened 10 the ends OF long
sticks. then nothing remains In tho
oven save the clean layer OF glowing
stones. These prollminarios. after the
nro has burned itself out. occupy about
half an hour. and then all Is ready
Tor the ceremony itself. At a given sig-
nAl the performers. bare-leggod and
bare-footed. excepting for the anklot OF
dried torn leaves. crowd into tho pit
and commence walking lelaurcly about
a. II on fashionable promenade. Here
n the narrative OF person who wit