Out of darkness cometh light, and a future, irradiated by the light of Christianity,
succeeds to the ghastly past of Fiji, with all its cruel and odious superstitions.
NOTE ON THE POLYNESIAN ISLANDS.Exorcism.When Captain Moresby, of H.M.S. Basilisk, visited Shepherd Isle, near the
Torres group, he found himself compelled to submit to a curious process of
exorcism before he was permitted to land.
A “devil-man,” fantastically painted, and adorned with leaves and flowers,
waded out to meet his boat, waving a bunch of palm leaves round his head, and
as the captain jumped on shore, the devil-man rushed at him, and grasping his
right hand, waved the palms round his head in the same manner. It was evident
that he meant no harm, and the captain therefore offered no resistance. He placed
the leaves in the captain’s right hand and a small twig in his own mouth, and
then, as if with a great effort, drew out the twig,—which was supposed to extract
the evil spirit,—and blew violently, as if to hurry it away. Afterwards the captain
held a twig between his teeth, and the devil-man repeated the process, all the
while showing signs of strong excitement.
“He led me then,” says Captain Moresby, “to the edge of the bush, and I began
to feel rather reluctant, and doubtful as to how all was going to end, but thought I
had better see it out. Here two sticks, ornamented with leaves, were fixed in the
ground, and bent to an angle at the top, with leaves tied to the point, and round
these sticks the devil-man and I raced in breathless circles till I was perfectly
dizzy. He, however, did not seem to mind it at all, and presently flew off with
me up a steep path into the bush, where at a short distance we came to two
smaller sticks crossed; here he dropped my hand, and taking the bunch of palm
leaves from me, waved them, and sprang over the sticks and back again. Then
placing both his hands on my shoulders, he leaped with extraordinary agility,
bringing his knees to the level of my face at each bound, as if to show that he
had conquered the devil, and was now trampling him into the earth. When he
had leaped for awhile, he made signs that all was over, and we walked back
together to the officers, who had been rather anxiously watching these singular
proceedings. The natives, who had kept quietly aloof, now came freely about us,
and showed by their manner that they considered us free of the island.”