ways capable, no matter how well they under water is amazing, and armed with have been treated. Most of them are a knife, they will absolutely go out, as very near akin to the full-blooded negro, the Maories are said to have gone, and black, thick-lipped, and with curly hair. fight a shark in the open sea, rarely failTheir native climate being nearly the same ing to kill him. This singular race has as that of the Fijis, the transfer to the apparently no hereditary chiefs. There islands does them no harm and the food is a certain respect and deference paid to suits them well. It may be said in pass- the elders, but equality reigns in the ing that in this matter of food strict regu- main, and each island forms a sort of lation is needed. Although it is to the petty republic. A more revengeful peoplanter's interest to feed his men well, ple never lived. Vendettas equalling or and therefore, apart from any motives of surpassing those of Corsica in ferocity humanity, he generally does so, yet in- and persistence go on for years. The stances have occurred in which, a planta- principal weapon which they use to carry tion being somewhat over-manned and out their vengeance is that horrible impleyams dear, the men have been neglected. ment a shark's-tooth knife. This conEvery planter should be able to show be- sists of a flat blade of wood, to which fore taking labourers that he has suffi- shark's teeth as sharp and cutting as racient food at command to support them zors are affixed with sinnet on either side. for at least six months. The men from This knife, or rather saw, inflicts the the Solomon Group have, as a whole, most frightful gashes, and it is rare inbeen rather inferior; they are deficient deed to see a Tokalau man or woman both in stamina and in intelligence. Ere unmarked with some hideous scar. long, if the traffic continues, the labour vessels from Fiji, Queensland, and New Caledonia will have to go farther afield in search of adequate supplies. Papua alone would probably repay the visit of an adventurous captain, and if he escaped with his life, he might reckon upon procuring enough natives. It is this extension of commerce, and perhaps colonization towards the west into the great Indian Archipelago, which may constitute hereafter a serious responsíbility should we annex Fiji.

Their

delight with European knives is such that they at once wish to make trial of them upon one another. In their native condition they frequently get drunk on cocoanut toddy, and then run amuck, killing whomsoever they may encounter. So much is this the case that any white man who proposes to take up his abode on their islands for a time is at once taught to climb a cocoa-nut tree. Even a Tokalau man, when drunk, cannot climb. They are particularly skilful in making mats, hats, &c., and soon become expert A very interesting body of people are carpenters. European tools of all kinds the Line Islanders, who are brought they specially admire, and rarely return from the small coral groups on the to their islands without taking several Equator. Numbers of them have lately with them. Though even more difficult been taken back by the Alacrity. Their to deal with on first landing than the islands are so low and flat that were it Tanna men, they are far more faithful. not for the cocoa-nut trees they could not When once subdued, their fidelity and be seen from a ship till it came closej attachment to their masters are remarkupon them. These Line men more re-able. Hot as the climate of the Fijis is, semble the New Zealanders than any it is too cold for them, and they suffer a other race in the South Seas, not except- good deal from the change in temperaing even the Kanakas. Men and women ture and in food, for cocoa-nuts can alike go entirely naked on their own islands, though they soon adopt clothing after landing in Fiji. For the most part they are of an olive complexion, and have long straight black hair, which falls in shaggy masses over their shoulders. Both sexes are tall and shapely, and many of the men are elaborately tattooed from head to foot. Their food on their own islands consists chiefly of cocoanuts, fish, and dry taro. They swim and dive better than any race in Polynesia: the time during which they will remain

rarely be provided for them in sufficient quantities. Not even the superiority of the Fijian houses to their leaf-built huts on the Equator and the use of clothing seem to save them from consumption. Unfortunately, too, they have suffered more than any others from kidnapping. Some islands have been completely depopulated, and one at least was deprived of all its women in order that “wives” might be provided for the Chinamen at work on Taheiti. Very soon, therefore, unless the little colonies which have been

---

planted at Mokengai and elsewhere in
Fiji take root and flourish, nothing more
will be seen of the Line Islanders.
The Rotumans a far superior race
to either of those mentioned can
scarcely be considered as imported
labourers at all. They can only be ob-
tained by the promise of very fair wages.
In appearance they strongly resemble the
Japanese, and, although uncivilized, they
show like them a marvellous aptitude for
adapting themselves to new conditions of
life. As seamen, labourers, servants
and, indeed, for almost any purpose
they are not very far inferior to an ordi-
nary white man. One white sailor and
four Rotuma boys would be a sufficient
crew for a good-sized craft. Like all such
people, however, they ought never to be
relied upon in a climate many degrees
colder than their own. Rotuma is so
small an island that anything like a regu-
lar supply of labour thence must not be
expected.

66

FIFTY years ago, "Here they spike the English!" was an announcement to be seen in many a Parisian shop-window. How they did "spike " it may be guessed from the manner in which they wrote it, sundry specimens of the Gallic-English current in Paris in 1822 being preserved in the pages of the Mirror of that year. M. Oliver, the Houdin of the day, promised, in his bills, to perform "an infinity of Legerdemains worthy to excite the curiosity of spectators; " such as, the cut and burnt handkerchieves who shall take up their primitive forms, the watch thrown up et nailed against the wall by a pistol-shot, the enchanted glass wine, the handsome Elisina in her trunck;" and some "low automatons who will dance up on a rope and sall do the most difficul tricks; concluding with a Pantasmagory disposed in a manner as not to frighten the ladies. At a restaurant in Looking over the whole circumstances the Palais-Royal, "Macaroni not baked of the labour traffic, it seems unlikely sooner ready was to be obtained; and that, if Fiji is developed to anything near a hairdresser in the Rue St. Honoré the extent which its fertility promises, sought to attract the wandering Briton by the other islands of Polynesia will con- proclaiming: "Hear to cut off hare in tinue to supply sufficient labour. Indeed English fashion." The proprietor of the they do not do so now; and already white Montesquieu Baths issued a card notifymen have settled at Port Resolution in ing all it might concern: "As for the the New Hebrides and elsewhere, thus, brothes, liquid or any breakfast, and, in by making use of the natives on the spot, one word, all other things relative to the still further restricting the area which service of the bathes, the Persons will be could be drawn upon. Whether Papua, so good as to direct themselves to the as we have suggested, might afford a new servant bathers, who will satisfy them field, it is difficult with our present scanty with the greatest attention. The public knowledge of that great island to decide. is invited not to search to displace the That the man-eating savages there and in suckets and the swan necks, in order to the Prince of Wales's Island would be forbear the accidents which may result of benefited by transplantation for a few is, in not calling the servant bathers years to a more civilized region there is to his aid. The servant bathers, in conlittle doubt; but the difficulties attend- sequence of having no wages, desire ing any such deportation on a large scale the bathers do not forget them." The are manifestly great. The inevitable last clause is plain English enough. Chinaman, therefore, once more makes Those who desired clean linen his appearance upon the scene, and in well as clean skins might command the view of what has been accomplished by services of Madame Canraiz-"washereven a small number of this clever, indus- woman and washes embroideries, lace, trious, and persevering people in Taheiti gazes, silk-stockings, also household's and the Sandwich Islands, it is more than furniture's in linen table cloths, napkins, probable that other portions of Polynesia, and calenders all at one's desire; she Fiji included, will benefit by their immi- will also charge herself of the entertaingration so soon as a responsible Govern- ing the works that is to be done to all ment is firmly established. sorts of linen for the body, and will be exactly delivered at one's desire."

as

It may be doubted whether the Frenchmen of to-day are capable of expressing their ideas in much better English than were their fathers and grandfathers; indeed they seem to have still odder no

tions as to what is good English. No facturers of boot-polish: "The First of example given above is worse than Andalucia.- Grand Manufactory of "sworkshops are moved by steam," or Blacking, oely and resinous, titled the "hot, cold, and shewer bats on the Emperor of the Blackings. Black Ink, premmioses; not one is so bad as and all colours to write with of D. Joseph "Thases prices its not ervaluable wen Grau, Member of the National Academy they vegetable erres news," intended for, of Great Britain, revoarded in the Sevil"These prices do not hold good when lan Exhibition of 1858, and that of the vegetables are out of season; " and London in 1862. Spain: Andalucia: Senot one is so unintelligible as "Dela-ville O'donnell Street N. 34. This blackponte, proprietor of the Scie a Rubans, ings is knoconed to be the most useful said the endless saw, fit to the sawing of for the conservation of the shes, for its the madriers, planks thin, boards, augar, brilliancy, solidity, permanency, flexibili&c;" or "articulation without swipe ty, and complete discomposition of the mysterious words of praise applied to a black animal. Mr. Grau dus a present weighing-machine. A certain new-fash- of L.20 sterling to the person that will ioned inkstand may possibly be an arti- present hum a blacking in paste that will cle no gentleman's library should be with- reunite the same conditions as the Empeout, but we learn little of its merits by ror of the Blackings." We should like being told, "People wishes to sell out at to know the whereabouts of the blackingvery good condition this patent right, maker's National Academy, and a little which would offer much profit to those information as to the nature of the black who would try to value it;" nor should animal he manages to decompose, would we be inclined to speculate in a patent be acceptable; and we should like to bathing-girdle so artfully combined that taste Herr Holzer's "wine and tea "the person, the bathing-tub, and the ma- stake," distinguished by its aroma, swift chine are forming one inseparable piece!" dissolubility, and his property to advance The purchaser of a "Proliferous Top" the digestion, and which doubtless "is would hardly know what to do with it, extra, ordinary fitted for being taken lacking more lucid instructions than with wine, tea, and punch," particularly these: Roll the string in the pulley and if accompanied with Simon's "finest draw; put the mother top, which is then children biscuits," unless the tea-stake in motion, on the little ones which are is itself a tea-cake. scattered about purposely one after the It is nothing unusual for a man to other; it is sufficient for putting them in criticise what he does not understand, movement; count numbers brought. but only a Frenchman could have the The top goes in every manner that is presumption to pass judgment upon a wished according to the chances of po- poet like Pope, while he could not quote sitions or the skill of persons. It is a a line of his correctly, turning, for inpity one should not understand all about stance, "Be pleased with nothing, if not this wonderful invention; for another blessed with all," into, "Be pleased with tradesman assures us, "the proliferous a nothing, is no blessed with all; and, top is not only an attractive toy, an agree-"'Tis nowhere to be found, or everyable pass time, it is also a healthy and where," into ""Tis ne where to be instructive exercise, for the reason that it provokes in a certain measure a material and intellectual worck, the importance of which may not be perceived at first sight by shallow minds; but which, nevertheless, will have its influence on the physical and moral development of the child. Moreover, this toy is the ingenious worck of a learned physician, who has travelled in various countries, Chateaubriand's blunder was absurd and has for a long time meditated on the enough, but excusable in comparison causes and effects which have the most with the mistakes perpetrated by the influence on human organization with re-editor of the Nouvelle Biographie Gégards both to health and intelligence." nérale, who tells his readers Charles George Robins himself could not have Dickens wrote "The posthumous padone better. pers of the Picks wicks-club," "Olivier A Spanish blacking-maker, an exhib- Twist," "Chuzzlevil," "Christmas Caritor at the French Exhibition of 1867, rol," "Cricket on the Earth," and "Domissued the following challenge to manu-bey and his Son."

found ot everivohere." Even Chateau-
briand must make nonsense of sense
when quoting a verse from a well-known
song, and write-

If the wind tempestuous blowing,
Still no danger they descry,
The guiltless heart its boon bestowing
Soothes them with its lolly boy.

A French count, writing to a friend of spring, than at last rest there. The Charles Young the actor said: "Be not stone as roll, not heap up foam. When surpriz'd i write so perfectly well in Eng-foreigners display such ingenuity in inlish, but since i am here, i speak and hear venting new readings, it is time our own speaking all the day English, and during Shakespearean commentators should look the nights, if some rats or mouses trou- to their laurels. ble me, I tell them Go lon, and they obey, The natives of India appear to be understanding perfectly my English." adepts in saying exactly what they do Possibly that sentence was a surprise, not mean. A Madrassee clerk besought coming after "almost every day the tun- a day's holiday, because he was unfortuder is rolling upon our head with noise nately ill, by a singular dispensation, his that should faint you, being as coward as ailment being "fever and grapes." A a turkey." The count, we may be sure, petitioner for a place promised, if his penever intended to call his correspondent tition were granted, that he and his would a coward. Further on he blunders into ever cease to pray to the humble Alinsulting a lady-"i have receive at this mighty to shower his blessings upon moment a letter from Lady S-i put their benefactor's head; and a Punjab my thanks at her feet as the post go at schoolmaster proved how admirably he two o'clock. I have not time to write to was qualified for teaching the rising genher ladyship, but i will comply soon with eration the language of their rulers, by the liberty she gave me. Be sure that i inditing the following letter to an English have not forgot Lady S- in my prayers, gentleman: "HON. SIR-I am most though not so good as i could wish indeed. anxious to hear you are sick. I pray to Believe the faithful friendship that i feel God to gee you soon at R—in a state for you, my dear sister-in-law, since that of triumph. The climate is very good you were so much high than my finger." and proves unhealthy. No deputy comThe count must surely have been be- missioner complains ever for want of cliguiled by one of those funny books is- mate. If you also come here, I think it sued abroad for the benefit of students will agree with your state. An informadesirous of becoming acquainted with the tion expectant or reversionary respecting mysteries of the English language your recovery state is expected, and I blind leaders of the blind indeed. Here shall be thankful to you." Not much is a little anecdote from one of them. "A more lucid was the notice posted in a Lalady, which was to dine, chid to her ser- hore hotel, a couple of years ago: "Genvant that she had not used butter enough. tlemen who come in hotel, not say any This girl, for the excuse him selves, was thing about their meals they will be bring a little cat on her hand, and told charged for, and if they should say bethat she came to take him in the crime, forehand that they are going out to finishing to eat the two pounds from breakfast or dinner, are if they say that butter who remain. The lady took im- they not have anything to eat, they will mediately the cat, was put into the bal- be charged, and if not so, they will ances, it had not weighed theat one an be charged, or, unless they bring it to the half pound." Still better is this: "The notice of the manager, and should they Scarron poet, being almost to die, told want to say anything, they must order their servants which were weeping a bout the manager for, and not any one else, a from her bed: 'My children, you have and unless they not bring it to the notice sheded too many tears; you shall not of the manager, they will be charged for weep as much as I had done to laugh.'" Under the very appropriate heading of "Idiotisms," we find some old friends disguised almost beyond recognition, among them: Every one for him, and God for all. It wants to speak of the rope a in the house of the hanged.—He is beggar as a church rat.-A thing is tell, and another thing is make. To good appetite is not want any sauce.- to deduct anything out of it, because I Keep the chestnut of the fire with the cat foot. Times is money. Which looks for, find. To dig of fire and to fall on small coals.- Take the occasion for the hairs. Which not risk nothing has anything. So many go the jar to

the least things according to hotel rate, and no fuss will be allowed afterward about it. Should any gentleman take wall-lamp or candle-light from the public rooms, they must pay for it without any dispute its charges. Monthly gentlemens will have to pay my fixed rate made with them at the time, and should they absent day in the month, they will not be allowed

take from them less rate than my usual rate of monthly charges." However shaky our Lahore host's English may be, it is clear that he conducted his business upon precisely the same principle as his British brethren in the main.

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• 704

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