that they almost thought that I had FALLEN FROM THE SKIES, which is
the literal meaning of the word "papalangai."




CHAPTER 4

Mock War-Scene at the Chief's House.

War Ceremonies and Dances at Natondre Described -- The Great Chief of
Nambukaluku -- The Dances continued -- A Fijian Feast -- A Native
Orator -- The Ceremonies concluded -- The Journey continued --
A Wonderful Fungus -- The bark of the rare Golden Dove leads to its
CaptureReturn to more Civilised Parts -- The Author as Guest of a high
Fijian Prince and Princess -- A SOUVENIR of Seddon -- Arrival at Suva.

Masirewa soon arrived and I learned that there were some very important
ceremonies in which one tribe was giving presents to another tribe,
in settlement of some disputes that had been carried on since
the old cannibal fighting days, and as I passed into the "Buli's"
hut I noticed that the dancers were unwinding all the "tapa" cloth
from around their bodies and throwing it on the piles of mats. I
immediately went behind a "tapa" screen where the "Buli" slept, and
began to get into dry clothes. This evidently made some of the crowd
in the hut angry, as they thought I was lacking in respect to the
"Buli" by changing in his private quarters, as in Fiji the very high
chiefs. are looked upon as sacred. One fellow kept shouting at me in
a very impudent way, so when Masirewa came in, I told him about it,
and he lectured the crowd and told them that I was a very big chief;