Chapter 22 Chapter 8 Fiji and Fijians
"How many did you say?..." Pansina asked.
"255, my friends," replied Frascolan, "yes...the Fiji archipelago consists of 255 islands, large and small."
"Since 'Pearl of the Pacific' can't berth 255 times," Pancina interjected, "why should we care about that?"
"You have never understood geography all your life!" said Frascorin precipitously.
"And you...know too much!" "Your Highness" returned the scorn.
This is what the second fiddler always gets in return when he tries to teach his stubborn companion a lesson.
Sebastian Zorno was willing to listen to him, and followed him to the map of the entertainment city.Every day is marked on the map.The model island starts from the Bay of Madeleine, and it is not difficult to find its location along its route.This route forms a big S.The arc below the course leads directly to the island of Fiji.
Frascolin then pointed out to the cellist the location of the archipelago; the archipelago, discovered by Tasman in 1643, lies between latitude 16 and 20 degrees south and longitude 174 and 179 degrees east.
"Can our cumbersome machine travel among the hundreds of small islands?" Sebastian Zorno suggested.
"Yes, my fiddler," replied Frascolin, "if you look more carefully..."
"Shut your mouth..." Pancina interjected.
"why?……"
"Because there is such an idiom,!"
"What kind of fly are you talking about? . . . "
"The kind of fly that stings you when you slander the model island!"
Sebastian Zorno shrugged contemptuously, and turned to Frascolan: "What do you think..."
"I said, to go to the two big islands of Viti-Levu and Vanua-Levu, there are three waterways passing through the eastern archipelago; namely, the Nanuku Channel, the La Kemba Channel, and the Oneata Channel."
"Not counting the waterway where we can smash our bones!" Sebastian Zorno said loudly, "We will not escape this disaster sooner or later! ... Carrying the entire city and its residents in such waters Is it permissible to sail in the middle of the sea? ... No! This is against the laws of nature."
"Fly!" interrupted Pancina, "there's a fly over there, it's after Zorno . . . over there!"
In fact, the stubborn cellist is always reluctant to let go of his ominous predictions.
Indeed, in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, the front row islands of Fiji Island are like a barrier, blocking ships from the east.It may be assured, however, that the channels were wide enough for Captain Simcoyer to venture there by sailing the floating giant, and Frascolan pointed out several.Among these islands, apart from the two Levu Islands located in the west, Ono Ngalo, Kandab and other islands are the most important.
The mountains protruding from the bottom of the sea enclose a sea area, the Koro Sea.Cook had seen the sea before.Between 1789 and 1792, Bligh and Wilson visited separately.The reason why everyone knows it very well is that it is inseparable from the outstanding navigation industry; Timon Thirlwell visited in 1828 and 1833, Wilkes of the United States visited in 1839, and the British Erskine visited in 1853. Years later, Captain Durham came on a long voyage with the British ship Herald.Nautical charts were thus drawn, and these charts were accurate enough to make the cartographers proud.
With this guarantee, Captain Sim Coyer did not hesitate.From the southeast, enter the Buranga Channel and follow the left side of Buranga Island.The island is shaped like a pie on a coral tray with a scratched surface.The next day, Model Island sailed into the inland sea.Because of the protection of the strong seamounts, it also avoids the impact of the huge waves in the ocean.
Clearly, people's fears haven't quite gone away.Under the cover of the British, the beasts made everyone panic.People in Hundred Million City have not yet dared to relax their vigilance.They still organized hunting groups to search in the woods, fields, and rivers.No trace of any beast was found.Whether it is day or night, the roar of the beast will never be heard again.Not long ago, some timid souls refused to leave the city and venture into the parks and fields.Will the animal ship be loaded with snakes, as in Martinique?Will they sneak into the Yulin?So, a bounty rewards those who turn in their stuffed reptiles!The snake is awarded as much gold as it weighs, or it is paid according to its length.If you catch a boa constrictor, that's a lot of money!However, since the search and hunting work was fruitless, everyone was relieved.Model Island has returned to its former safety.The mastermind of this conspiracy, whoever he may be, has lost a number of animals for nothing.
The results are positive.The two port districts of the city were completely reconciled.Ever since Coverly rescued Walter and Tankden rescued Coverly, the two families in the port and starboard districts kept visiting, inviting and receiving each other.Reception after reception, feast after feast.Every night there was either a ball or a concert in the homes of the most prestigious dignitaries, especially in the mansions on Nineteenth and Fifteenth Avenues. "Quartet" is almost overwhelming.Moreover, their fanatical support, far from waning, has intensified.
Finally, an important piece of news broke one morning.At that time, Model Island was running its powerful machinery, sailing in the calm waters of the Koro Sea.Mr. James Tanken officially went to the mansion of Mr. Nate Coverley to propose to the Ty Coverley team for his son Walter Tanken.Mr. Knight Coverley agrees to betroth his daughter, Ty Coverley, to James Tanken's son, Walter Tanken.As for the dowry, there is no problem.The couple will get 200 million assets.
"They don't have to worry about their livelihood...even if they live in Europe!" Pancina made an accurate judgment.
All walks of life came to the two to congratulate.Cyrus Picktaff, consul of the island, could not conceal his ecstasy.The open and secret struggle between the two sides has endangered the future of Model Island.With this marriage, this potential danger disappeared.King and Queen Marekari came first to congratulate and bless the couple.The expensive business cards—gold-leaf congratulations on aluminum plates—fell into the letterboxes of the two mansions.Newspapers were full of stories about the lavish wedding that was in the works.The degree of extravagance not only created a precedent in the billion city, but also surpassed any place in the world.Seal the submarine telegram and send it to France, and order a large number of wedding supplies.Newcomer specialty stores, cosmetics stores, famous fashion factories, and jewelry processing factories all received an astonishing number of orders.A special ship will sail from the port of Marseilles, pass through the Suez Canal, and pass through the Indian Ocean, bringing exquisite products of French industry.The wedding was scheduled for five weeks later, on January 27.In addition, it is worth mentioning that the merchants in Billion City also benefited from it.Some wedding supplies are purchased from their store.Since the wealthy people on the model island planned to spend a large sum of money on weddings, it was natural for the merchants to make a fortune from it.
The organization of this series of grand events, of course, is none other than the Chief Callistus Monbal.It was indescribable his delight when he heard the announcement of Walter Tanken's marriage to Miss Ty Coverley.No one knew how much he wanted and worked hard to bring about this marriage!His dream came true.He has carte blanche authorization from the municipality.You can be sure that he will do his best to organize this superb event.
Captain Sim Coyer had published an advertisement in the newspaper; on the day of the wedding, Machine Island was sailing in the waters between the Fiji Islands and the New Hebrides.Before that, it will pass by Viti-Levu Island and stay there for about ten days.This is the only anchorage in this vast archipelago.
The sailing was beautiful!Countless whales play and play on the sea.Thousands of water jets sprayed from their nostrils, like a large pool of water.Even the pool in the Palace of Versailles can only be regarded as a child's play compared with it.That's how Yvernay sees it.And there are hundreds of giant sharks cruising around the model island, as if chasing a big ship.This area of the Pacific is bordered by Polynesia and bordered by Melanesia.The New Hebrides are located there. The 180-degree meridian cuts this sea from it, and the meridian is.Ships coming from the east will tear off an extra calendar here.On the contrary, if it is a ship from the west, one day should be added.If you are not careful, the date may be wrong.Last year, Model Island did not experience this change because it was westbound and did not cross the above-mentioned meridian.But this time, things should be done according to the regulations; since the meridian is crossed from the east, January 22 should be changed to January 23.
Of the 255 islands in the Fiji Islands, only a hundred or so are inhabited.The total population is less than 20,000. Compared with its 10,000 square kilometers of land, the population density is naturally very small.
These small islands are all scattered around the island, together with the hidden reefs on the seabed and the surrounding corals, so the largest island is less than 150 square kilometers.to be honest,.It has belonged to the British dynasty since 1874.This means that the British put it into the territory of the colonial empire.If the Fijians finally decided to accept the protection of Great Britain, it was because they were threatened by a Tongan invasion in 1859.In this regard, the United Kingdom let the very famous Pritchard get in the way to defuse the threat.This powerful figure, of course, refers to Pritchard on the island of Tahiti.At present, the archipelago is divided into 17 districts, and the administrators of each district are indigenous people, who are more or less related to King Tucumbo's relatives.
"Is this a result of British colonial rule?" asked Captain Sim Coyer, who was discussing the issue with Frascoran. "Whether the Fiji Islands will be like Tasmania, I don't know! But one thing is certain, the aborigines here are tending to be extinct. There is no prosperity in this colony, and the population is not increasing. There are not as many women here as there are men, that’s proof.”
"In fact, it is a symptom of an imminent genocide," replied Frascolan. "In Europe, several countries are already facing the threat of this male overnumber."
"Besides, the aborigines here are nothing but veritable slaves," continued Captain Simcoyer, "as they are on the neighboring islands, hired by planters to clear the wasteland. Besides, disease also causes their A large number of deaths, in 1875, only one smallpox caused more than 30,000 people to die. However, you may also see that the Fiji Islands are indeed a beautiful place! If the temperature in the island is relatively high, at least the coastal areas have been regulated. Fruits, vegetables, trees, coconut trees, banana trees, etc. abound there. There are also yams, and soft food from palm trees, the kind that can be made into sago..."
"Sago!" exclaimed Frascorin, "doesn't that remind us of Robinson Crusoe of Switzerland!"
"As for pigs and chickens," continued Captain Simcoyer, "they have multiplied very rapidly since they were introduced here. From this point of view, the favorable conditions here meet all the needs of life. Unfortunately, the natives Although he is quite clever and intelligent, he is lazy by nature and loves to relax and work hard..."
"They're smart..." Frascoran said.
"Smart kids are hard!" replied Sim Coyer.
So all the natives, Polynesians, Melanesians, and elsewhere, are they different from these bright kids?
The model island kept sailing towards Viti-Lewu Island, passing through many islands; such as Vanua-Vatu, Moala, Ngan.But it didn't stop anywhere.
Many narrow and long canoes are driving around the model island.The cross-tied bamboo poles on the canoe play the role of balancing the hull and stacking cargo.They came and went, changing formation gracefully, but they made no attempt to enter port or starboard ports.Due to the notoriety of the Fijians, even if they wanted to dock, they were not allowed to go ashore.True, these natives were Christians.Since the European missionaries laid down roots in Lucenbazar in 1835, they have become almost all Methodist Protestants, with several thousand Catholics.However, they used to have a penchant for cannibalism, and even now, they have not lost their taste for human flesh.Besides, it's a matter of religion, the god they worship loves blood.In the minds of the locals, kindness is seen as weakness, even sin.To eat the enemy is to respect the opponent.The people they despise can only be cooked, but not eaten.The staple food at the feast is baby meat.I remembered that not so long ago, King Tucumbo liked to sit under a tree and enjoy the pieces of human flesh hanging from the branches.Previously, one tribe had even been eaten up, leaving only a few women, one of whom survived until 1880.This happened to the Nuroka tribe on the island of Viti-Levu, near Namosi.
To be sure, if Pansina hadn't met the descendants of these cannibal tribes who still maintained the habit of cannibalism in these small islands, he would never want to look for any local color in the Pacific Islands!Fiji's western archipelago includes two large islands - Viti-Levu and Vanua-Levu, and two medium-sized islands: Kadavu and Taveyuni.Far to the northwest lies the Vasawa Islands, where the Rondo Channel enters.Captain Sim Coyer may pass through this passage to the New Hebrides.
On the afternoon of January 25, the silhouette of the island of Viti Levu appeared on the horizon.This mountainous island is the largest of the archipelago, less than a third of Corsica, with an area of 10,645 square kilometres.
The peaks on the island are as high as 1,200 to 1,500 meters above sea level.They are all extinct volcanoes, or at least dormant volcanoes.When they erupt, they are generally extremely terrifying.
There is a ridge belt underwater in the northern part of Viti Levu Island, which connects the neighboring island Vanua Levu Island.This Vanua-Levu Island was apparently out of the water during the formation period.On this ridge belt, Model Island can be driven from above without risk.On the other hand, north of Viti-Levou Island, the sea is 400 to 500 meters deep.In the south, it is as deep as 500 to 2000 meters.
In the past, the capital of the archipelago was the island of Levuka, which is located on the island of Ovalau, east of Viti-Levu.As for the business houses invested by the British here, their status is even more important than those on Suva Island.Suva is the current capital of Viti Levu.The port there can provide quite superior sailing conditions.The port is located at the southeastern tip, between two deltas where the coast is also rich in irrigation water.As for the anchorage port for cruise ships traveling to and from the Fiji Islands, it is deeply embedded in the hinterland of Ngalao Bay.It is located in the south of Candava Island, the closest to New Zealand, Australia, French New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands.
The model island moored at the port of Suva Island, and all procedures were completed on the same day, and the permission to go ashore freely was obtained.To the colonists as to the natives a visit from such a person could only be seen as a chance of making a fortune.Based on this situation, the City of Hundreds of Millions received the best welcome.Of course, this welcome is not so much out of enthusiasm as it is for money.Also, let's not forget that the Fiji Islands are a British sphere of influence; relations between the British Foreign Office and the Model Island Corporation (whose independence is always envied) have always been tense.
On the second day, January 26, businessmen on Model Island went ashore early in the morning.Tourists, including us Parisians, are not far behind.Pancina and Yvernay liked to joke about Frascoran, saying that he was Simkoyer's excellent second son, and "His Royal Highness" even mocked his "ethnic geography" research.Having said that, they had to rely on his knowledge.These companions asked him questions about the inhabitants of Viti Levu, and their customs.And the second fiddler is always able to answer every question, and the answer is reasonable.Even Sebastian Zorno is not ashamed to ask sometimes.First, when Pancina learned that this area had not long ago been a major place for cannibalism, he could not help sighing:
"Alas... it's just that we're too late, you'll understand; these Fijians have embraced modern civilization, and are fond of chicken nuggets and pork knuckles!"
"The guy who likes to eat human flesh!" Frascolan yelled at him, "You should be placed on King Tucumbo's table..."
"Uh! Uh! A plate of Bordeaux-style pancina ribs..."
"Look," continued Sebastian Zorno, "if we spend our time on mouth exercises..."
"We can't go any further!" cried Pancina. "That's what you want to hear, isn't it, my cello brother! Well, let's go!"
Suva City is built on the right bank of the small bay, and urban residents are scattered on the green hillside.There are several docks for mooring boats, and the sidewalks on the avenue are paved with wooden boards, somewhat similar to our bathing beaches.Wooden houses are usually one-story houses, sometimes with one floor and one roof, but there are very few of them.The atmosphere in the room is harmonious and the air is fresh.On the outskirts of the city, you can see the huts of the indigenous people.The eaves of the hut are upturned and decorated with shells.The roof is so strong that it can withstand even the torrential rains of the winter months from May to October.Frascolan has always been precise with numbers.According to him: In March 1871, Mbia in the east of the island received 38 centimeters of rainfall in one day.
Viti-Levou is no worse than the other archipelagos and also has a variable climate.There is a difference between the plants on one side of the island and the plants on the other side of the island.In the direction where the southeast trade wind blows, the climate is humid, and dense forests grow on the land.On the other hand, the vast and endless plains are suitable for farming.Sometimes, some trees can also be seen drying up, and some other species, such as sandalwood, are almost extinct, and the rare Daka pine on the island of Fiji has also suffered the same fate.
However, when the "quartet" took a walk, they saw that the plants on the island were as lush as tropical crops.Coconut groves and palm groves abound.These trunks are also attached to parasitic orchids, a large number of tamarix, ronglan, pea cone and spinosa.There is also a large number of tropical trees, whose roots meander and twist on the bare ground.Although the climate here is promising, cotton and tea trees cannot be grown.In fact, the land of Viti-Levou Island (in fact, the soil quality of the entire archipelago is the same), belongs to yellow clay, which may be the formation of volcanic ash.Tests have shown that this soil is extremely suitable for planting.
As for the animals, they are not more diverse than in other parts of the Pacific Ocean.There are more than 40 species of birds; such as parrots, titmouses, bats, and a large number of non-poisonous mice.Because it can be eaten, indigenous people like to eat this kind of mouse.Plus, there are geckos, nasty bedbugs that love to bite human flesh and don't know what to do with them.But there are no beasts here, and Pancina wonders:
"Mr. Cyrus Picktaff, the island's consul, should have left couples of lions, tigers, leopards, and crocodiles and released these animals to Fiji Island... This is called restitution, because the Fiji Islands belong to the U.K."
Among the natives here are Polynesians, Melanesians.They were handsome, but not compared with the people of Samoa and the Marquesas.Men, bronze skinned, darkly dark complexion, and thick hair.Among them, there are quite a few mixed-race children, all of them are tall and handsome.Their clothing is quite simple, the most common being a loincloth, or a piece of cloth woven by the Aboriginal people themselves.The apron is called "masi" and is made from a mulberry tree fiber that can be made into paper.When made, this homespun cloth is very white.But Fijians know how to dye cloth and dye it in variegated colors.Among the archipelagoes of the Eastern Pacific, this cloth is in great demand.It must be added that men have no aversion to old European clothes, even though they are not worn by the United Kingdom or Germany.For Parisians, seeing Fijians in out-of-shape trousers, outdated jackets, or even a black dress is a good source of jokes.Take that black dress as an example. It took several decades before it was finally worn by the natives of Viti Levu Island.
"The experience of any one of those costumes could be written as a novel! ..." pointed out Yvernay.
“The novel ends up being a t-shirt, it’s impossible!” Pancina replied.As for the women, they wore "masi" skirts and blouses with decency, in spite of Methodist preaching.They are in good shape and quite youthful.Some of them can be called beautiful.But their customs are disgusting!They smear a layer of lime on their black hair to form a lime hat, the purpose of which is to protect them from the sun.Of course men are no exception.Besides, they also smoke local tobacco, whose level is comparable to that of their husbands and brothers.The earthy smell was like burning straw.When they don't have a cigarette in their mouths, they hold it between their ears.There, it is usually the place where European women wear diamond and pearl jewelry.
Generally speaking, the living conditions of women were no different from those of slaves.They do the heaviest housework, and not long ago there were women strangled to death by their lazy husbands after working so hard to serve them.
They spent three consecutive days playing in the suburbs of Suva City.During this period, our tourists tried several times to visit the Aboriginal houses, but were unsuccessful.This is not because the owner is not welcoming, but because of the disgusting smell in the room.Locals smear coconut oil on their bodies.In that disgusting little house, they lived together with pigs, chickens, dogs, and cats.For the light, they order the balsamic gum of a foul-smelling Damana tree... No!Really can't stay indoors.Besides, when you sit down in a Fijian home, don't you even sip your bowl of kava out of politeness?This is the best drink for Fijians.Extracted from the trunk of the pepper tree, this "kava" drink has a pungent taste that is hard for Europeans to accept.And the way it's made, it's just disgusting, isn't it?The pepper tree is not ground, but placed in the mouth, chewed with the teeth, and then spit into a bottle of water.They brought it to you and insisted on letting you drink it without refusing.And thanks, the popular saying in the archipelago, "emana ntina", or saying "amen".
We also need to talk about: cockroaches running around in the house, termites eating the house, especially the thousands of mosquitoes, everywhere on the walls, on the ground, on the clothes of the aborigines, and countless clusters Countless groups are flying in the air.
"His Royal Highness," imitating the English clown's comical voice, cried out when he saw a particularly frightening insect:
"Mosquito!... Mosquito!..."
In the end, neither he nor his gang had the courage to go into a Fijian hut.In this regard, the scholar Frascolan also had no choice but to hold back, so his anthropological research left a gap in this aspect, which also became a blank in his future travel notes.
Notes:
Notes: