. The cannibal islands : or, Fiji and its people . lently flinging himself downon the mat, or by suddenly striking theground with a club, when those at a dis-tance are informed by blasts on the conch,or the firing of a musket, that the deity hasreturned into the world of spirits. The Fijian gods are without island and village has its own divi-nities, and almost every individual has aprivate system of theology. The lonely dell,the gloomy cave, the desolate rock, and thedeep forest, as well as the depths of the sea,are each peopled with invisible beings, manyof them wricked and mali
. The cannibal islands : or, Fiji and its people . lently flinging himself downon the mat, or by suddenly striking theground with a club, when those at a dis-tance are informed by blasts on the conch,or the firing of a musket, that the deity hasreturned into the world of spirits. The Fijian gods are without island and village has its own divi-nities, and almost every individual has aprivate system of theology. The lonely dell,the gloomy cave, the desolate rock, and thedeep forest, as well as the depths of the sea,are each peopled with invisible beings, manyof them wricked and malicious. The trem-bling traveller is careful to cast a few leaveson the piles accumulated by the superstitionof his predecessors, in the hope of inducingthe deity to let them pass safely. The samemotive of fear and desire to propitiate thegods actuates all their worship. The Fijianis not, strictly speaking, an idolater. Thenearest approach he makes to idolatry is inreverencing certain consecrated stones andclubs, as well as some plants and animals,. RELIGION. 169 supposed to contain deities. The distinctionbetween the reverence thus paid, and wor-ship, is perhaps a subtle one. The Fijian gods are never represented by-images ; nor have they always shrines. Theprincipal god is Ndengei. His origin is un-known, although his mother is said to lie atthe bottom of a moat, in the shape of twogreat stones. The upper part of his body-is said to be that of a serpent,—betokeninghis eternity; while the lower part is of stone,—emblematic of duration. His only sensa-tion is hunger; his only movement, to turnover, which always produces an his supremacy over othergods, he exerts no influence over the affairs ofmen, and they pay him little homage. Hehas few temples on the islands, but at everyfeast his only attendant Uto is supposed tocome for his masters share, which is usuallya scanty one. The other gods are numerous, and aredescribed by Mr. Williams as demonizedhe
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