Besides these various strange creatures, we find continual amusement in watching the various natives who are constantly about the place. A detachment of the native police live in several cottages just on the other side of the _rara_, which is a small piece of rather level grass (a most rare and valuable possession). Here they drill morning and evening in correct European style; but I hope the word police will not suggest to you visions of the British “bobby.” These are a most picturesque force, and supply the Governor’s guard, boat-crews, orderlies, &c. We are such near neighbours that we hear their yangona _mékés_, whenever they brew their beloved grog; and we also have full benefit of morning and evening church parade and _lotu_. They have their own chaplain. Some of them are exceedingly fine men, with strong muscular frame and good features, set off by a splendid head of frizzy hair, which, I am happy to say, Captain Knollys encourages them to grow long. Of course it does not approach the gigantic mop of heathen days, but still it is very large and carefully groomed. They periodically dip the whole in coral-lime, and go about for a day or two white-headed; and very becoming it is to them. I cannot speak of this as of one of the mysteries of the toilet, for the washing is done in public. The girls when undergoing this process look like court beauties got up for a fancy ball; and as for the men, we might almost think we had a staff of powdered footmen, were it not for a scarlet hybiscus or tuft of coloured grass knowingly stuck in on one side; I even sometimes see one long cock’s feather. When the lime is washed off, the hair, now beautifully clean, is combed out to its full length, and while the roots retain their rich brown, the outer locks vary from a warm russet to a tawny yellow, according to the quality of the lime. Both colours harmonise well with the rich brown madder tone of the skin. This also varies, ranging through senna to clear olive in the men of Tongan or Samoan blood. The hair and body next share a coating of cocoa-nut oil, and not till you have seen this applied can you realise the force of the expression, “Oil to make him of a cheerful countenance.” A Fijian who, from poverty or other cause, has failed to oil himself, is a most wretched-looking creature.