ing part of the cruise, not only on account of the work done, but for the events that occurred there. Captain Wilkes has well improved the means afforded by his long stay at these islands, for becoming acquainted with the character, habits, and social condition of the people. Our hasty and brief notice cannot do justice to his full and very entertaining narrative; but we will endeavour to present a slight sketch of this group, and of the most prominent events that occurred during the stay of the squadron.

The

The Viti, or Feejee, group, situated between the latitudes of 15° and 191° South, and the longitudes of 177° East and 178° West, comprises, besides numerous reefs and shoals, one hundred and fifty islands, sixty-five of which are inhabited. The inhabitants number about one hundred and thirty thousand. They are distinguished above all the Polynesian tribes, excepting, perhaps, the inhabitants of Byron's and Drummond's islands, for treachery and cruelty. They are described as generally above the middle height, the chiefs being tall and well made, but the lower classes exhibiting the meagreness of frame and meanness of appearance belonging to a state of slavish vassalage among a rude people. The common complexion is a shade between the black and the copper-colored; but both extremes are to be seen. hair and beard of a Feejee chief are carefully preserved, and when dressed constitute his greatest pride. The office of barber is one of dignity; his hands are tabooed from all other employments, and he is not even allowed to feed himself. The household of a great chief comprises several of these important personages. The hair is frizzled and made to stand erect, extending several inches from the head; a piece of tapa, as fine as tissue-paper, is then wound round it, as a protection from dust. When to this is added the tapa round the loins, the ordinary dress of the men is complete. Instead of the tapa, the women wear round the waist a band made from the bark of a tree, the fibres of the lower part being separated. Contrary to the customs of the other islands, tattooing is confined to the females, who regard it as a passport to the other world. They also adorn their persons with flowers. Both sexes disfigure their bodies with black and red pigments, anoint themselves with the offensive cocoa-nut oil, and bore the lobes of the ears, distending the loose flesh by inserting rolls of tapa, pieces of wood, or

shells, into the holes. The chiefs wear around the neck a shell, or a necklace made of beads, whale's teeth, or the human teeth taken from the victims of their cannibal feasts. They spend much time in ornamenting their persons, and "will sit for hours with a small sixpenny looking-glass, admiring themselves with great delight."

The Feejeans are divided into a number of tribes; and in each tribe there are five distinct orders of society, - kings, chiefs, warriors, landholders, and slaves, the last being in a most abject condition. War is the most honorable occupation, and is declared in a formal manner by a herald whose office is held sacred. He is received with great ceremony by the adverse party, to whom he says, on taking leave, "Good bye, it is war"; the usual reply is, "It is well, return home." Then the hostilities commence, and are conducted with all the treachery and cruelty of savage warfare. The successful party brings home the victims who are to supply the sacrifices to the gods, and furnish the cannibal feasts.

Captain Wilkes insists, that "the eating of human flesh is not confined to the cases of sacrifice, but is practised from habit and taste "" ; and he supports this opinion by some disgusting details, which we will spare the reader. We have no intention of calling in question his statements concerning all that passed under his own observation; but we do not perceive that he cites any authentic case, where the subjects might not be regarded as enemies captured or slain in battle, or as religious sacrifices. To dwell upon the religious opinions of these people would be merely to repeat what is well known. There is a belief, common to all savages, in good and evil spirits; the power of each, and the manner and extent to which the latter are propitiated, depend upon the native character. As the Feejeans are remarkably fierce and cruel, their religious ceremonies are attended with practices even exceeding in horror those of which we have such a thrilling picture in the history of the native Mexicans.

The idea, that, after death, they will retain the condition of body and health enjoyed at the time of their decease, leads to the customs of killing aged people, and of self-immolation to escape from decrepitude and disease. Parents, when they are advanced in years, notify their children that the period has arrived when they ought to die. A feast is prepar

ed, the friends bringing presents, and the ceremonies of mourning customary at a funeral are performed. The victim selects the spot for the grave, and the mode of his death, which is generally strangling or burying alive. A parting kiss from all the friends is the signal for placing him in the grave, which, after being covered with sticks and earth, is trodden down. The son visits the spot at night, and lays upon it a piece of ava-root, called the "vei-tala," or farewell. Notwithstanding all this, Mr. Hunt, the missionary, assured Captain Wilkes, that the Feejeans were dutiful and kind to their parents, and that this custom was regarded as so great a proof of affection, that the children alone were permitted to perform it. A voluntary death is preferred to the prospect of a life afflicted with disease. Persons accidentally maimed, and deformed children, are generally destroyed. Messrs. Hunt and Lythe, missionaries, said they had known only one instance of a natural death during their residence on the island. The death of a chief is celebrated by the sacrifice of his wives, his slaves, and even his children. "At the funeral of the late king, Ulivou, which was witnessed by Mr. Cargill, his five wives and a daughter were strangled." The rites attending the death and burial of a great chief are related by Captain Wilkes in minute detail. Here, as at most of the islands, the infliction of some lasting injury upon the person, the loss of a joint for example, records the permanent grief

of the individual.

The traits and customs to which we have hastily alluded are illustrated in the "Narrative" by anecdotes and circumstantial relations of the deepest interest. Our principal purpose is to excite the curiosity of the reader, by giving an outline of this novel form of savage life, and to direct his attention to the book itself, where it is portrayed in full proportions and striking colors. Without stopping, then, to dwell upon the domestic life of the Feejeans, and even passing without notice the redoubted Paddy Connel, an Irish resident of Ovolau, with whose vagabond history and prolific ambition Captain Wilkes regales the reader, though of the former he tells us, that " he did not believe a word of it "himself, we will pass to the two most important events that transpired during the stay of the squadron in this savage region.

The Peacock had been engaged in the surveys at the southeast point of the island of Vitilevu, near the town of

Rewa, a place of some importance, and the residence of a king, who had extended to Captain Hudson especial kindness, and with whom he had passed a night.* After remaining there a few days, Captain Hudson received an order to capture the chief Vendovi, who, six years before, had been concerned in the murder of the crew of the American brig Charles Doggett. The mate, Mr. Chitman, and eight or nine of the crew, were treacherously enticed on shore and massacred. The bodies were recovered, and committed to the deep, but rising to the surface, they were seized again and devoured by the savages, who complained, says Captain Wilkes, on the authority of Paddy Connel, that they were not very good, especially the negro, "whose flesh tasted strong of to

bacco."

When the king, who was Vendovi's brother, accompanied by the queen, the chiefs, and their attendants, came on board to receive the presents intended as a return for their kindness to our officers, they were made prisoners, to the number of seventy or eighty persons, including the king's little daughter, about five or six years of age. Overcome by apprehension, and seeing, after a vain remonstrance, that there was no other chance of release, they selected Ngaraningiou (who, it was afterwards ascertained, had instigated the massacre) and another chief to effect the capture of Vendovi.

Vendovi seems not to have been deficient in the haughty courage which we admire in the savage. Ngaraningiou, on his arrival at Rewa, went to his house, and taking a seat by his side, laid his hand upon the chief's arm, and informed him of the object of his visit. Vendovi immediately consented to accompany him; but his brother said, "not till tomorrow." They passed the evening and night together, and in the morning embarked for the ship. Vendovi was examined before the king, the chiefs, and the officers of the ship; by the latter he was recognized as one of the guides

* A Spartan hospitality appears to prevail at Rewa, and the king with his very obedient wives seemed desirous of practising it to the utmost extent. But it is due to the gallant commander to say, that he encountered this trial with his usual fortitude, - not, however, without being assailed by the most urgent importunities.

"Sed nullis ille movetur Fletibus, aut voces ullas tractabilis audit."

who had recently received a reward for his faithful services. He confessed his guilt in causing the murder of a part of the crew of the Charles Doggett, and admitted that he had held the mate by the arms while the natives killed him with their clubs. He was put in irons, the presents were distributed, and the leave-taking came, which we give in the words of the "Narrative."

"All the party were now much affected. Kania, the king, seated himself on the right side of Vendovi, taking hold of his arm, while Navumialu placed himself on the left. Phillips walked up and down in front. All shed tears, and sobbed aloud, while conversing in broken sentences with their brother. The natives shed tears also, and none but Ngaraningiou remained unmoved. The king kissed the prisoner's forehead, touched noses, and turned away. The inferior chiefs approached and kissed his hands, whilst the common people crawled up to him and kissed his feet. One young man, who belonged to the household of Vendovi, was the last to quit him; he wished to remain with his master, but was not permitted. In bidding farewell to the chief, he embraced his knees, kissed his hands and feet, and received a parting blessing from Vendovi, who placed both his manacled hands on his head. The young man then retreated backwards towards the ladder, sighing and sobbing as though his heart would break."— Vol. 111., p. 136.

Omitting all comment upon the manner of Vendovi's capture, not, however, without some violation of our sense of duty, we will conclude here his brief and painful history. He was soon transferred to the Vincennes, where he remained a prisoner, under the charge of a sentinel or petty officer, until the return of the ship to New York, two years afterwards. When the squadron left the Feejee islands, Vendovi "manifested his feeling by shedding tears at the last view of his native land." It need scarcely be said, that his health pined under his confinement. Born to the distinctions of a chief, and accustomed to receive the services of his inferiors, his spirits sunk under the indignity of his situation. During the remainder of the cruise, a long period of two years, Captain Wilkes speaks of him but twice, once to remark the lofty contempt with which he looked upon the filthy and half-starved Indians of Port Discovery, and again when he lost his only friend, Mr. Vanderford, a master's mate, who had resided a long time at the Feejee islands, and