The unexpected response seems to have struck terror into priest and people, for during the night the town was evacuated, and the 'devil' temple, unaccustomed to be burned, was duly committed to the flames.

The chiefs invariably harangue their followers before an assault; these harangues are usually eloquent, aud delivered with great vigour. They walk along the front of the lines beseeching, taunting, breaking out into great leaps and bounds, expressive of the activity they intend to display, and inciting their followers to imitate them. This may be regarded as an appeal to the old savage elements, for when it is finished, a more dignified ceremony is observed.

The Christian teacher comes forward, and all the soldiers kneeling down with their faces to the earth, he pours forth a prayer for success in battle. The teachers are not slow to shoulder a rifle themselves, and some of them had to be reminded after the fight that it was their special duty to show care for the wounded, and prevent cruelty to the vanquished.

Mr. Gordon set them an example which at first they could scarcely comprehend. A poor baby was shot on its mother's back during the flight, the ball passing across its stomach. The mother threw it down as dead, but it was found alive, and the utmost care was taken of it; and when at length it died, it was wrapped in Mr. Gordon's mat.

They cap

The cannibals did not show similar humanity. tured a teacher belonging to the British forces. The unfor tunate man was rather shortsighted, and had walked inadvertently into the enemy's camp. He was clubbed, carried off, and eaten. His bones, with the marks of the fire on them, were found when the town was captured shortly afterwards.

It is a strange reflection that the men who captured the town were themselves cannibals only a few years before, but had

become as well disposed and obedient subjects of Her Majesty as if they had been born of Christian parents, and surrounded with all the traditions of a Christian country. Cannibalism is a thing of the past, and there is no fear of any further rising of the people. Before annexation, insular prejudices, like the clannishness of the tribes, prevented united action; but now that they are face to face with an imperial power, those few among them who still refuse to accept the Christian lotu have not only been reduced to submission, but in the vast majority of cases that submission has been cheerfully given, and they know and feel it to be a great change for the better.

CHAPTER VI.

LEVUKA.

LEVUKA presents a very pretty aspect from the anchorage inside the coral reef surrounding the island of Ovalau. There are two good entrances through this reef, called respectively the Levuka and Wakaya Channels, the latter being named after a small but most beautiful island, lately the property of my friend Dr. Brower, at one time consul for the United States in the group. A noble background of steep hills is covered with luxuriant tropical foliage, whose rocky peaks attain an altitude of something like 1500 feet; two well-defined spurs mark two distinct bays, and then whitepainted wooden houses with balconies extend for upwards of a mile. Nestled snugly on the hillsides are the houses of the principal merchants, and the piers running out from the beach tell of the pushing Anglo-Saxon and his trade.

At the south end of the beach is Nasova, the residence of

the Governor and the chief officers of state, together with their official places of business. This viceregal quarter is guarded by a few sentries of the native armed constabulary— clad in blue tunics and carrying rifle and bayonet. The Custom House, Post Office, and bureau of the Department of Law are at the northern end of the town, beyond which is the original Levuka of the natives.

Two creeks-formerly mountain torrents-run into Levuka Bay, known respectively as Totoga and Levuka, the former nearly subdividing the entire length of the capital of Polynesia. Of good stores, hotels, and boarding-houses there is no lack; notably, the hostelries called the 'Levuka,' the 'Royal,' 'Polynesian,' and 'Steam-packet,' all of which have first-class billiard-tables. The shops and stores are so numerous, that it would be difficult to mention even the leading ones by name.

There is a plentiful supply, at very moderate prices, of all articles in ordinary use. Groceries and drapery are exception

ally cheap.

Levuka boasts of one or two milliners and dressmakers, a first-class photographer (who also attends to the repairs of watches and clocks), a 'practical' tailor, and a really admirable barber's shop kept by a gentleman of African blood, whose boast it is that he was the first 'white man' that ever crossed some Fijian mountains-in what island I forget.

Saddle-horses for ladies and gentlemen can be had at the moderate charge of 10s. a day, while an omnibus runs from one end of Beach Street to the other.

There are two well-known auctioneers, while Mr. F. Spence devotes his entire attention to the collection of the splendid ferns in which the group abounds. Beach Street is, of course, the principal promenade, and gossip during and after business hours is a great source of amusement.

When I say that, in a population of some 700 souls, there is a capital club, two boat and yachting clubs, besides cricket, archery, and shooting clubs; that Levuka possesses an admirably conducted mechanics' institute, with a good readingroom and library; that concerts, professional and amateur, are neither few nor far between ; and that the valse à trois temps is thoroughly appreciated-I fancy my readers will agree with me that emigration to 'cannibal' Fiji is not altogether such a miserable prospect as they perhaps imagined.

In addition to a Town Board with a warden, Levuka rejoices in that peculiarly British luxury, a School Board. There is a well-conducted gaol and lock-up, but very few whites, I am glad to say, have patronised Seed's Hotel,' as the Fiji Argus called the institution under control of the Chief of Police.

The Good Templars have a hall, in which temperance lectures and entertainments are frequently given.

The principal wharf is at the south end of the town, and is carried out to a depth of more than six fathoms of water, so that the Sydney steamers of 1500 tons come alongside to discharge and receive cargo. Two ship-building slips have been erected in consequence of the great increase of this branch of Polynesian industry.

Levuka may be called the Babel of the Pacific. The white population is a wonderfully diversified one, for in a small township of about 700, there are representatives of nearly every civilised community: English, Scotch, Irish, Germans and French abound, while Russians, Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, Dutch, Italians, Spaniards, United States citizens, West Indians, Canadians, South Americans, Australians, Chinese, Hindoos, etc., are numerous. Among the Polynesian races, representatives may be found of nearly every group or island in the broad Pacific. Fijians, Samoans, Tongese, Tahitians, Caledonians,

Tokalaus, Marquesans, Solomon Islanders, Santos, Maralebs, Aobans, Sandwich Islanders, Savage Islanders, natives of the Carolines, the Ladrones, and other groups to the northward, Lepers Islanders, Malicolos, Tanna men, besides half-castes, quadroons and octoroons of every shade and nationality, may be seen daily in the streets. Yet this wonderfully mixed population forms a most law-abiding community, among whom crimes of any magnitude are hardly known. I question if there is any township or village in the British Empire or beyond it, that has so slight a criminal record as Levuka, in much-abused Fiji.

The sanitary arrangements of Levuka are also well cared for, as an inspector is perpetually on the war-path after 'matter in the wrong place.'

According to a recent statistical return, the total white population of the group is 2000. There are only some 850 taxable males out of the above total, and Levuka is favoured with 300 of these, nearly 100 being married. There are in Levuka about 120 ladies; but of single young ladies, the number is only 30.

The cemetery of Levuka is at Draiba, about two miles to the south of the town, beautifully situated on the side of a hill. The walks are well kept, and the place has been planted with a very light green broad-leaved grass, presenting a marked contrast to the surrounding vegetation. Levuka is a healthy place, and plots of real estate at Draiba are not much in demand.

The Levuka cricket-ground lies to the north end of the town, close to a suburb called Vagadace (pronounced Vagadally), and is a good level bit of turf. The Saturday half-holiday is an established institution, and the scene on the cricket-ground on the afternoon of that day strikingly reminds the British traveller of 'home.' Looking seaward, he will find the bay