THERE are many strange sights in Fiji, but perhaps the most wonderful is walking over rocks heated to a white heat. This power is by no means universal among the Fijians, being confined to a tribe on the island of Beqa (Benga). For this fire ceremony a native oven, or pit, twenty or twenty-five feet in diameter and four or five feet deep, is dug out of the earth. This pit is paved with hard, smooth stones of various sizes. Over these logs are placed, and a fire is kindled which burns till the stones are intensely hot.
Some idea of the heat will be gained from these facts: Visitors are compelled to stand at a distance from the bank of the pit, because of the great heat; handkerchiefs thrown on the rocks, which are naturally black, but now white with heat, almost immediately blaze; just before the performance takes place, green poles are cut with which to level the rocks in the bottom of the pit, and soon after coming in contact with the rocks, these sappy sticks blaze. A thermometer suspended over the pit registered 280° F., when it had to be removed, as the solder of the tin covering began to melt.
HEATING THE STONES.
Says Mr. F. C. Eddy, who witnessed the ceremony a few months ago:—
The heat of the stones at this time would probably be 400° F., when the embers were dragged away, and the stones were leveled in native fashion, and at a given signal ten men, almost nude and with bare feet, first two deep, with their arms clasped round one another's shoulders, stepped across the white-hot stones, walked round the pit, and advanced again in single file without being harmed. As soon as the last man had passed over, armfuls of branches and freshly-plucked leaves of the hibiscus were thrown on the oven, and the performers either stood or squatted amongst them. A dense cloud of steam and smoke and a curious smell of burning at once arose.
Amongst the party of spectators were four medical men, three clergymen, and several missionaries. The doctors examined the feet of some of the fire-walkers both before and after the performance. There did not appear to have been any special preparation for the ceremony. The heat had not affected their feet, nor did the men show any signs of distress after the fiery ordeal to which they had subjected themselves.
WALKING THROUGH THE FIRE ON THE HOT STONES.
In discussing the matter afterwards, none of the visitors could furnish any scientific explanation as to how the people accomplish the feat without injury, nor have I since been able to obtain any practical solution of the seeming miracle. No one ventured to suggest at the time that there was any deception on the part of the performance.
This feat has been attempted by other tribes of the Fijian race, but with disastrous results. It is said, however, that in the Society Islands and in Central Africa there are tribes who possess this power.
One of the Fijian legends with reference to this ceremony is to the effect that a supernatural being gave one of the chiefs this power, which has descended to posterity.
