“The king gives her Majesty his old and favourite war-club, the former, and, until lately the only known, law of Fiji. “In abandoning club law, and adopting the forms and principles of civilised societies, he laid by his old weapon and covered it with the emblems of peace. Many of his people, whole tribes, died and passed away under the old law; but hundreds of thousands still survive to learn and enjoy the newer and better state of things. The king adds only a few words. With this emblem of the past he sends his love to her Majesty, saying that he fully confides in her and in her children, who, succeeding her, shall become kings of Fiji, to exercise a watchful control over the welfare of his children and people; and who, having survived the barbaric law and age, are now submitting themselves, under her Majesty’s rule, to civilisation.” The king then handed the club to his Excellency, who informed Thakombau that he would not fail to transmit to the Queen the historic gift which he desired to present to her, and that he would at the same time communicate to her Majesty, _verbatim_, the trustful and gratifying message by which the gift was accompanied. This magnificent club, together with Thakombau’s huge _yangona_ bowl, is now in the safe keeping of Mr Franks (of the British Museum), and is kept with the Christie Collection in Victoria Street. Both club and bowl are at least twice the size of any others we have seen in the isles. Five days later Sir Hercules held a farewell meeting with the chiefs, many of whom had hitherto met only as open foes. In closing his farewell speech, he said— “I hope that all differences and animosities will now be forgotten and subdued. The Vuni Valu’s (Root of War) war-club has been sent with a dutiful and loving message to our Queen. I hope all other weapons of strife have in like manner been buried at the foot of the staff upon which we have raised the Union Jack.” To this the two chiefs, hitherto rivals for the supreme power, thus replied. First spoke Thakombau. “I hope that all present will now understand that they are her Majesty’s subjects and servants, and that, as the Governor has said, their future is in their own hands. They will be judged according to their behaviour and their deserts, and according to such judgment they will stand or fall. “We know that we are not here now simply as an independent body of Fijian chiefs, but as subordinate agents of the British Crown; and being bound together by strength and power, that strength and power will be able to overcome anything which tends to interfere with or interrupt the present unity. “Any chief attempting to pursue a course of disloyalty must expect to be dealt with on his own merits, and not to escape by any subterfuge, or by relying upon any Fijian customs, or upon his high family connections.” Maafu then said—