The late Sau Tui Vuna, Ratu Ilaitia Makaba Waqanivalu [OBE] image [Carasala i Bau]
From The Journals of Rev Thomas Williams.
(refer end of page)
January 4th Set sail for.Vuna a town situated at the S.S.W. extremity of this island and about 12 miles from the Mission station.
We had an unpleasant voyage especi- ally toward the latter part of it when the rain and violent gusts of wind made sailing rather difficult. We had no regular breeze, but were hurried on by occa- sional and violent puffs of wind from the mountains at one time, and then left motionless until another gUst drove us through the waves with astonishing rapidity.
Consequently great watchfulness and care were necessary to prevent the canoe from being overset. Arrived at our destination, we received a sort of semi- welcome from Ko raai oso, alias Tui Vuna.
Finding the public house or buri (a house for the reception of voyagers and strangers) occupied, I inquired of him where I was to take up my abode. He directed me to the house of a man who combined the characters of the English quack doctor and wizard. It is astonishing how great an influence he exerts over the minds of the mass of the people. I suppose they would not refuse him anything reasonable that he might ask of them. Vuna is just recovering the effects of the war in 184 1, 1 1
The date given here is inaccurate, the war was waged from August to November 1840. John H/unt who was with Lyth in Somosomo at the time gives an account of it which will serve to illustrate the character and methods of Fijian warfare, in which the main objective was the capture of a fenced town.
The following is a summary of the contents of three letters which he wrote to London including extracts from his Journal; the first dated 9 August 1840, the second 3 January 1841, the third 6 January 1841.
The cause of the war is uncertain; but perhaps this A Vuna canoe was in distress, and Seru (Thakombau) rendered assistance. By way of ac- knowledgment the people of Vuna decided to give a feast in honour of Seru. Tuilaila, to whom Vuna was subject, considered this an act of disloyalty, and decided to make war upon them. Hunt says that the underlying cause may really have been to prevent an alliance between Vuna and Mbau which Tuikilakila dreaded. Because of a misadventure experienced by one of the gods of Somosomo on his way to Mbau the people of Vuna had for long been treated with much more dignity and hospitality in Mbau than were visitors from Somosomo.
The first step taken by Tuikilakila was to find out the mind of the gods respecting the proposed war with Vuna. A day was fixed, and, early in the morning, warriors might be seen dancing in the market-place with coconuts on their backs some a number; others a single large nut. The temples were prepared by having all the grass and rubbish removed.
Then the high priest, inferior priests, king and several nggasl (old men) of Somosomo entered the temple. Hunt and Lyth asked permission tci be present, and it was granted. They took their seats near the high priest and the king.
Some of the old men looked serious ; but most of them showed no sign of devotion. After they had sat for some time, the warriors left the market-place, came and danced in front of the temple, then entered it and laid the nuts before the king. After a short period of silence the king rose, and, taking a bunch of coconuts in one hand and a whale's tooth in the other, "began to soro or petition the god through the priest, or the priest as god, I do not know which, and I scarcely think they did.
Hie politely apologised for offering so little; begged the gods to be of good mind that Vuna might be destroyed, and they live.
He addressed 224 THE JOtTRNAL OF THOMAS WILLIAMS 1844 the gods in the same language as a common man or inferior chief might address the King with great respect, but little devotion. He called the god turaga (chief), and urged his petition by promises of food, etc. The old King was certainly importunate in his request, and had confidence in his god, whatever the idea of the nature of his god might be."
The King stood up to pray and the priest sat down, listening with the most profound attention till the prayer was ended. He then rose; received the whale's tooth and bunch of nuts, and promised that what had been asked should be granted. "I believe the act of receiving the offering is a vital promise that the prayer offered shall be granted ... It was ex- pected, I believe, that the god would have entered the priest while he was listening to the prayer of the king, and, if he had, the priest would have shaken and trembled as if he had had a Lincolnshire ague, and then a revelation from the gods would have been made through the priest. He, however, did not enter into him, so that we had not a .shaking meeting."
The manner in which the priest gave the answer was as follows : He held the bunch of nuts given him by the king in one hand, and then, very ceremoniously, took hold of the small stems with the other hand, and put them into the hand with which he held the bunch. Every time he took hold of the small stem, he made promises of which the stem was the sign and seal. Then swinging the whole bunch backward and forward he counted one, two, three, four, and at four shook the bunch with all his might making the nuts fly in all directions.
Those who sat near a place where a nut happened to drop, took it up and kissed it; by which means it became, in their opinion, a kind of charm which would protect them from the spears, arrows and musket-balls of the Vuna people by making them cala; that is, to be missed when they were shot at. The remaining nuts were divided among the chiefs of the towns, and the assembly broke up. A reason was given explaining why the god did not enter the priest; he had gone to . Vuna to persuade the people there to come outside their fence that they might be killed. "However," says Hunt, "he did not succeed in this, for the warriors went two or three days man-hunting at Vuna ; but returned without any prey."
The next business was to appoint a commander-in-chief to take the lead in the war, "and here at least," says Hunt, "the principal chiefs seem to take the work and honour by turns." To this commander-in-chief the war- riors came from various places, and offered their services. On this day (20 or 26 August : the figure is obscure) about 250 came from Bouma and Wai ni ili "in full pomp of Fijian pride," making the most horrible yells, and giving every evidence of the high esteem in which they hold them- selves as warriors. They performed military exercises for a short time outside the town, and when they were about to enter several men ran to and fro whirling a large native fan (emblem of dispatch in war they say). "It appeared to me like a salute: the warriors came in perfect order past the King's house into the market place which is on the south side of our house, so that we had a full view of the whole proceeding from our window.
Many of them had their clubs and themselves dressed in full style. Some were armed with muskets, and others had clubs with a hatchet-head at the end making a most fearful weapon." After they had arranged themselves in an irregular line in front of the King's house the old chief who was fantastically dressed made a speech, after which he withdrew from them a considerable distance, and placed himself in front of the rank to receive the offer of their services.
Several of the warriors rushed out of the ranks brandishing their clubs and muskets, promising allegiance to their king and country, and declaring that they would use the weapon in their hand to destroy the enemy. "They displayed more of the savage on this occasion than I ever saw before. There was none of the dignity of a true patriot offering his services for his country's welfare. All seemed wild and full of foolish frenzy which is the principal feeling that actuates them in their wars. Many of them acted like maniacs."
The king then presented some whales' teeth to them, and, afterwards some food for which thanks were returned in the usual ceremonious way. "It was quite affecting to see the old king, just dropping into the grave, taking a leading part in these preliminaries to the war. The warriors showed him the greatest respect. When he approached them, they stooped down, and simultaneously expressed their reverence for the old man, and with apparent sincerity." Thus ended the bolebole or challenge. "
There are several particulars in the ceremony I have not mentioned, but I have described the most im- portant." For several weeks the war was more like kidnapping than fighting. Small parties were sent as privately as possible to steal and kill all they could find, and the slain were brought home, cooked and eaten. Some- times they brought food out of the gardens instead of men; but before the actual fighting began not less than ten men were thus butchered and eaten.
They sometimes continue this for a long time, and while it is going on it is dangerous even to attempt to make peace. One chief and three others were, indeed, sent to Bouma to try to bring about peace ; but Lewenilovo who ultimately decided to join Somosomo ordered them to be killed. They were, and brought to Somosomo to be eaten. Sometimes they fight on the sea in their canoes when their principal objective is to ram one canoe into another so as to sink it. But what they consider their great war is the taking of a fenced town as in this war. Having arrived at the scene of action they make a path from their camp to the place where a wall is to be raised for the protection of the besiegers, and from the camp to the sea-coast where the canoes lie. For this the army is divided into two parts ; but there is also a path for rapid communication between the two divisions of the army. They are very particular in making the connecting path, and the path from the camp to the sea.
Then an earth wall was thrown up near Vuna in a single night to protect them against musket firing from the town. Behind this a wooden fence was erected to protect the chiefs and warriors at a distance. Then the army is divided into several sections, sent to several places to make an attack from various quarters at the same moment.
The object of this first attack is to place the banners of the besiegers under the walls of Vuna. The banner consists of a piece of native cloth, usually worn as a kind of head-dress, fastened to the end of a spear in such a way that it will wave in the air.
The planting of these banners is dangerous work; but executed at Vuna without loss of life. Then the warriors wished to show their valour by taking the town at once with a rush. The chief would not allow it. One Somosomo youth tried to set the town on fire ; but the fence of green wood would not burn. Hunt thinks that the king and the town is rising again from its ashes.
The stone walls are now as the Somosomo warriors left them when they razed the defences, gave the place to the flames and took its inhabitants captive to Somosomo. There appears to be no -doubt that their lives were spared through the intercession of Messrs Lyth and Hunt; 2 yet showed courage in resisting the desire of 1000 to noo men to rush the town at once.
He gave the Vuna people three days to make up their minds to beg pardon ; and the second chief of Somosomo, a relative of the Vuna chief, went with the party of warriors to the fence to offer pardon if they zuoii-ld ask for it. He called till he was tired ; but got no answer.
Then the king was angry, and commanded his men to fire on the town to terrify the besieged. They did ; but without result. Then the second plan was adopted. A war cry or groan which sounded, like distant thunder, and was really very terrifying, was raised all round the town to suggest that the enemy was everywhere.
Next morning when all were ready to storm the koro the messenger of the King of Vuna was seen coming towards them. Some wished to kill him; but dared not fire without the king's command. The messenger pre- sented a whale's tooth, and a small basket of earth (Lyth says with a reed stuck in it), the sign of absolute surrender, and begged the life of himself and his master. Tuikilakila received and treated him with kindness. The chief who had previously gone to exhort the besieged returned with him.
On the day following, the King of Vuna came to Tuikilakila bringing his daughter as a present to him. Tuikilakila was standing with a large club in his hand, and the chief of Vuna obviously feared him. "Don't be afraid," said Tuikilakila, "come near." He came, kissed Tuikilakila's hand, and begged his life and that of his people on any conditions. "I do not want to kill old men," replied the king, "my father is old, and I want peace. You are the root of this war. You have prepared your town to receive the chief of Mbau so that he may come and destroy me and my people. Your town shall be destroyed, and you and your people shall come to Somosomo. You shall not be forced to do menial work; but when the chief of Mbau comes he will find an empty town.
In two or three years you shall return again to your own land." Then the town was burnt down, and all returned to Somosomo. "Our own chiefs," says Hunt, "declare that the people were saved at our re- quest for which they desired a present which we made them."
It may be so, but I think there is doubt. John Hunt obviously thought so, and so did Dr Lyth. But Dr Lyth says also that Tuithakau had once been rescued from assassination by Tui Vuna, and that Tuikilakila had that in mind at the time of Tui Vuna's soro. Remembering how sincerely Tui- kilakila loved his father; that, as Williams tells us, he did not like wasting lives foolishly ; that the chiefs who told Hunt that the people were saved at the request of the missionaries desired a present in recognition of it ; and, finally, that these were the days before his illness when Tuikilakila showed 1'ttle respect for the missionaries, I am disposed to think that the reason the people evidently consider themselves under no obliga- tion to Missionaries.
The evening was too wet to allow of my conducting ser- vice out of doors j so that I endeavoured to improve the time by instructing the people in the King's house and, after- wards, a considerable number of adults, some grey-headed,, whom I found in the principal temple. I concluded the evening with service in the house in which I expected to sleep. The night was a very long one to me. There was not room for me to lie at full length, and the roof did not defend me from all the rain which continued to fall during the night.
January 5th
The old chief visited me early in the morn- ing and partook of my morning's repast. About seven o'clock I conducted service in an open space situated near the centre of the koro. I took my stand be- neath the shade of a large tree, and called upon the people to turn from their evil ways and live. Malachi Pootooke seconded my invitation. About three scores of people of various ages, residents and strangers assembled to listen to us. Some of the people slid their doors a little to one side, and peeped at us in a somewhat similar manner to what I suppose they would look upon a lion or bear of the forest.
From this place I removed, attended by some of the male part of my auditory, to the temple where I passed a portion of last evening. (For the most part the temples are sacred 3 to females throughout Feejee.) Here I again endeavoured to persuade the adults assembled that, in serving the devil, they did injury to their bodies and souls; to their families for Tuikilakila's clemency was gratitude to Tui Vuna, and his own conviction that in the circumstances the kindlier way was also the more politic.
He made any future expedition on the part of Thakombau to Vuna quite futile for the next three years, and at the same time preserved the lives of his tributaries.
3 That is, tambu, prohibited. and to the land in which they lived ; but, oh, how lamentable the influence which Feejeean chiefs exert over their subjects: "Let our chiefs embrace religion first" 4 was the general cry. I noticed that during the whole of the time that Tui Vuna was drinking his yagona and the water after it his people continued clapping their hands in a very musical manner.
After having given Tui Vuna to understand that his con- duct towards me was not at all such as it should be 1 pre- pared to re-embark. The old gentleman accompanied me to the beach assuring me that he had great love to me; that if I would stay the day over he would have food made for me, and, in short, that the land was mine, and I was at liberty to do as I pleased in it, and a deal more such vakaviti talk.
5 The wind being against us, we reached Waica chiefly with 4 A mere evasion. There is abundant evidence, to show that the people of Taviuni had no desire to embrace the Christian religion. Williams like all the other missionaries blamed the opposition of the chiefs for their failure or at least their disappointing progress in the various centres.
What the chiefs were opposed to was not the Christian religion, but the inter- ference by the missionaries in matters of government, and their scathing denunciations of the old heathen gods. On 6 December 1843 Dr Lyth, after the recovery of Tuikilakila, asked the king to give his consent, in explicit language, that the people might embrace Christianity if they de- sired to do so. "His reply was that they might embrace religion, and that he would not be angry with them if they did. He repeated this, saying that he was willing that I should make it known."
Lyth took care that the king's will should be known among the people ; but it did not make the slightest difference. It was at this time, too, that the missionaries believed Thakombau was making efforts to prevent the people from embracing Christianity. But after John Hunt had been at Vewa some time, he wrote to say that he had never heard Thakombau speak ill of Christianity, or knew him to prevent a single subject from lotuing. What Thakombau did object to was the undermining of the loyalty of his people, especially in regard to their duty to serve him in time of war.
The missionaries greatly exaggerated the influence of the chiefs over the minds of the people in matters of religion. See H.F.F., pp. 265-8. B Fijian talk. But, in my opinion, the talk of a man who did not want the religion advocated by Williams, but wished to be courteous in all things. Williams is obviously disappointed, and indulges in a cheap sneer.
Under the circumstances Tui Vuna had behaved like a kindly host who has a mind of his own on religious matters. the assistance of our sculling oars. We found only a few women in the place, the men being out in the gardens. In the evening they returned home and found us making ourselves as comfortable as we could in their bure. They behaved very courteously, and throughout manifested a great willingness to accommodate us as far as they had the means.
6 At the public service which we held as the sun was set- ting, most, if not all the village, were present, and sat very quietly. When we returned to the bure we had a long discussion on the utility or futility of offerings presented to Feejeean gods. The people of this village are the king's turtle fishers, and declared it to be their opinion that it would be alto- gether useless to set their nets without having previously presented their god with a quantity of prepared food.
They mentioned instances in which they had gone out to fish under the displeasure of their godj but could take nothing after several nights' efforts. They returned to prepare an offering and inquire of the god concerning the cause of his displeasure.
7 These points settled, they returned to the fishing, set their nets and the turtles readily came to them. I lay me down amidst an abundance of company. In a space of about eight superficial yards we crowded ten men, four sitting ducks and a friendly pig.
January 6th
After a short service this morning we again went on board, and the people returned to their gardens. January 13th Employed during several portions of the week on the Lakemba Hymns. Finding my medicines out of order I set myself to making They would, notwithstanding the manner in which he invariably abused their gods.
7 How many Christians are there in the most enlightened countries of the world who are altogether above the idea of making a bargain with their God; or of doing right simply for right's sake? a chest in which to dispose of them to advantage. Laid down a plan and superintended the making of one for Bro. L. Great talk of Ratu Moa's intending to attack Netewa , that he may have a dead body to present at the approaching festival. Tui vei Kau disposed to meet in class. Mosesi came from Bauma. Again reported ill of Lewe ni lovo.
January 26th
For some days past Bro. Lyth has been considerably exercised respecting the case of a young chief from Koro .who is staying at this place with his brother Ra Belo, chief of the Koro warriors. The young chief was attacked by violent fever. Bro. L. was applied to (I think the patient had first taken Feejeean medicines) and undertook his case with pleasing prospects of success. But after the chief had taken medicines a few times, those about him said it was no use as he got no better, it was not a common illness, or one that Englishman knew. He was suffering, they said, from the evil workings of one of the Koro gods who was enraged at their having given away some yangona that was sacred to the said god. The only remedy they said would be to take him to Koro and there make an offering to appease the angered God. They got permission to go; but a bad wind prevented them.
At another time they declared that he was dying in consequence of the man at whose house I slept at Vuna having bewitched him, and that it was he only who could procure his recovery.
8 Bro. L. was applied to a second time, and again visited him but having sent him medicine twice or thrice had again the pain of mind to see his medicine returned with a message that the man did not want it; it was not useful to him &c. Today we were going to Dreketi to conduct our usual out- 8 Good instances of the manner in which Fijians diagnosed diseases of the body.
door service, and passed Ra Belo and several of his people amusing themselves with a game very similar to the English game of "duck stone." He inquired where we were going, and when Bro. L. answered him, and had turned a little from him, Ra Belo put out his tongue and grinned most con- temptuously at Bro. L. We pursued our course ; but finding the stream so swollen as to be impassable we returned when Ra Belo again accosted us, and, as he was some distance from his companions, Bro. L. told him gently of what he had done, and requested him not to do so in future. He took the reproof kindly and the affair seemed likely to end peaceably j but suddenly he remarked: "Ah I just see your move: you came back to pick a quarrel with me because my younger brother would not have your medicine }" and then proceeded in a strain of hectoring and abuse such as I have never heard from a Feejeean before. He even went so far as to threaten to burn down our houses.
At that point we thought fit to stop him and inform him that he had better riot indulge in such remarks too freely. He settled down a little, and took up the subject of his Feejeean gods, assuring us that they only were true, referring to what he had lately experienced in proof of what he said; declaring the lotuto be new, false and what else I know not. It is not unusual for us to receive such pay as this for our attention to the poor Feejeeans. On reaching home Mr L. got a small article as a present, took it to the angry chief and so made friends with him. Mr L. said "So far as I am concerned."
He took care not to intimate his intention to me until his return. Rather kind thus to push his squabble wholly on my back! 9 9 It may be confidently asserted that Dr Lyth had not the remotest in- tention of doing so. There is another very obvious reason for Lyth's use of the words : "So far as I am concerned."
This is not the only occasion on which Williams has a fling at Dr Lyth in his correspondence.
See the footnote, p. 285. 232 THE JOURNAL OF THOMAS WILLIAMS 1844
Finished looking over Bro Lyth's share of the Lakemba hymns.
Whilst I was at Vuna a man brought a large toad (a rare creature in these parts of Feejee) to sell to us that we might take or send it to England as a curiosity, and that the people in England might have a stock of toads from it !
Sun. January 28th
Today the carcase of a poor Netewa man killed on the island of Rabi was taken for Tuilaila to eat at Loucala. January 29th My 29th birthday. 10 Oh, to have lived so long to so little purpose. I stand astonished at the rapid flight of time. Oh, for grace to improve the future. Towards evening a Feejeean doctor called at my house, the man who was called in to administer medicine to the brother of Ra Beloj but finding Mr Lyth in the house he refused to enter. Mr L. made a few pleasant remarks to the man and I added a word or two, all of which he appeared to take in good part, and we passed on to the house of Mr L. to make our correction of the Lakemba hymns. Soon after our departure the man left our premises.
About an hour after Bro. 11 L. and I again returned to my house when the gallant son of Esculapeus 12 followed us, and charged us with having accused him of dealing in false medicines &c. &c, in return for which he gave us an abund- ance of abusive language, and must needs threaten to burn down our houses. Being quite a common man we thought it advisable to inquire of the king whether or not we were to be so treated by any and every one j but to give the man a chance we agreed to accept an apology, and, with this in view, sent a messenger to the man's abode to inquire if he *See footnote, p. 57. 11 "Bro."Lyth again.
The last two references have been to "Mr" Lyth. Personal discords between the missionaries quickly gave place to harmony. In general they were all members of a united family. u The god of healing. really meant what he had said when under the influence of excitement. We informed him at the same time of what we intended to do. After an absence of about half an hour our messenger returned with something like the following message: That he had very great love to us, and to the lotu, and always spoke well of us. He had saved us from great evils! Be- cause of that he felt his mind pained to think that any reflec- tions should be cast upon the virtue of his medicines, and in the heat of his wrath said things which he did not really mean.
He had no ill feelings against us; but if we pursued our intended course of bringing him to account, he would proceed at once to Rabi (an island distant about 12 miles) and see what he could accomplish upon us.
13 If we thought our God was stronger than his god we had better try. He also said that it was the intention of the Somosomo gods to burn up our premises because we blasphemed their names in our public services. 14 His god had been to him to tell him to set us on fire; but that our God went to him and told him not to do it, but to put the fire out, and for so doing he should receive very great riches. "I did put your fire out," he said, "but I got no riches for my trouble." At the next breath he remarked: "The gods being determined to burn you up, I received orders to set fire to your premises, which I did, and received a hatchet as pay."
The people amongst whom he lives did render us some help for which I paid them well. January 30th Moses returned from Bouma, and reports 13 Probably by burying the nut, or secreting folded leaves.
11 An indication here of what the people were really thinking about the abusive attacks so frequently made by the missionaries on their gods. It was only when a Fijian was in a rage that the missionaries were likely to hear of this. Ordinarily the chiefs and priests were capable of great self- restraint in such matters. Few things a Fijian chief guarded himself against more carefully than an unmannerly exhibition of temper. Such explosions were nearly always followed by contrite apologies, even, as we shall see later, by a man so highly placed as the old King Tuithakau. that in reply to his inquiry of Ratu Lewe ni Love as to whether he purposed to serve God sincerely or not he received the following answer: "When I get an English missionary then I will lotu truly ; but I shall only deride the lotut of you Tonguese."
15 Poor Ratu!
January 31st
Set out for Bouma taking my dear little John with me for the benefit of his health. We made a tack or two j but finding we gained little thereby, lowered our sail, and pulled along the coast. There being a heavy surf on several parts of the shore, most of the crews of our two canoes we had two canoes because Mosisi's goods and family had to be removed at this time lost their foothold and were precipitated into the water, some of them more than once.
About two hours after sunset we reached Wai ni kili, and spent the night in a wretched shed erected at as little outlay of labour and material as possible for the accommo- dation of strangers who may call there. The town 16 is about a mile from the beach j but, as we had to leave at daybreak in the morning on account of the tide, I had no opportunity of visiting it, notwithstanding a visit to this place formed part of my original plan.
We have here one member, a young man named Ratu Ubu. 17 During the latter part of /42 and the former part 15 Not to be wondered at if all that the missionaries have to say about the roving Tonguese and their Christianity is even approximately correct. 10 Wai ni keli had been a powerful place until Tuikilakila made war upon its chief. There was a sea-fight in which Tuikilakila rammed their canoes, and 100 of their men were drowned. From that shock Wai ni keli had not recovered.
1T Dr Lyth comments on this case in his Journal under date 23 April 1843 : "A young man named Ratu Ubu came to us on Tuesday from Wainieli and desired to lotu. The reason for his becoming a Christian is in the hope of receiving benefit to his body. He has had a bad foot for nearly 12 months which originated in a stumble against a stone. He said he had soro'd twice to his god presenting him with an offering of vaalolo (native pudding) ; but he took no notice of him ; so, partly through anger towards his god, and partly from a desire to try the effects of /43 he suffered considerably from a diseased foot.
For several months he made offerings to the gods of Feejee; but did not recover. The means used by the Feejeean doctors succeeded no better j so that, as a last resource, he put him- self under the care of Mr Lyth, and, although at times diffi- cult to manage, he persisted in the use of Bro L's remedies until the disease was checked, and eventually recovered. Considering that the lotu God had saved him, he took upon him the profession of a lotu man, and thus far has main- tained it through evil (plenty of this) and good report.
FEBRUARY February 1st
Pursued our course for Bouma early this morning although the wind was not at all so favourable as we could have wished. After considerable toil we reached our destination at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I took up my abode in Mosisi's new house, to settle about which was the main object of my present visit j as the chief Ratu Lewe ni Lovo, after having engaged to build the house gratuitously, had in a very angry manner demanded pay- ment for the house.
Perhaps I had been seated about 20 minutes or so when R.L.L. was seen approaching in the road which leads from the village, distant from the site of Mosisi's house about a five minutes' walk. He was followed by his wife who bore in her hands a native dish charged with a rich native pud- ding, and three or more heads of dalo^
He, Rj.L.L., accosted me by name and appeared glad to see me. His appearance is very different from that of his of lotuing, which he appears quite determined to do, he has come to me and placed himself under my care and instruction."
This explains the usual procedure on the part of the natives on Taviuni who manifested a desire to lotu. 18 "Dalo (Arum esculentum) is the taro of sea-faring men, and the Fijian 'staff of life,' surpassing all his other esculents in nutritious value."
Brother Tuilaila. He is tall, thin and rather gentlemanly in his appearance. His countenance is not pleasing, even when he has done his best to make it so. His face is rather long; forehead low rather than otherwise; his eyes are prom- inent and have a peculiar (I had almost said unnatural) appearance, capable of expressing the utmost malignity and ferocity; they appear to want protection from the brows, and the lids are thin. His nose is aquiline, and slightly curved inwards at the lip a rare deflection in a Feejeean nose. His mouth is tolerably well formed y his chin hidden in a moderately large beard. We had exchanged only a few common-place remarks when some of his people brought in a baked pig and taro.
After the lapse of a few minutes another pig, &c., was brought, and these were followed by two good-sized pots of hot fish and soup with dishes of boiled yam. After our repast I introduced the business about which I had come, and, instead of attempting to deny the truth of the arrangement made between him and Mr Lyth, and maintaining his claim to remuneration for the teacher's house, he no sooner heard me repeat the terms specified by Mr Lyth when here last than he remarked: "Yes those were Mr L ? s words, and it is right. I meant nothing by what I said to Mosisi. He is your love to me; the house is built, and I give it as my thing of love to you." As I felt satisfied that his covetousness was at the root of his desiring a teacher I did my best to let him know that we were fully awake to what he was about, and exhorted him to consider his ways; because, whether he believed it or not, God observed them, and would bring him to account respecting them.
He again repeated his oft asserted deter- mination to lotu truly; but I could not for one moment think him sincere. R.L.L. passed the evening with me, and conversed at length respecting their first intercourse with European ves- sels. From his account I should judge it to be about 30 years since Feejeeans became acquainted with the use of tobacco.
19 The first iron instruments of which the Somosomo were possessed were brought to them by Tonguese, and passed as articles manufactured by them in their own land. Amongst the first which they received was the half of a carpenter's drawing knife sharpened at the end where it had been broken. This they valued much. It was hafted like an adze, and named Valvuuli after the chief who brought it to Feejee.
One of the first hatchets they got from the above mentioned source was named Sitia y another Tajold y a third Tuifoa after the respective chiefs who brought them. February 2nd Passed the greater part of the morning in very serious conversation with R.L.L. I think I fully cleared myself of this man's blood. I found that he was so deceitful, so intent upon dissembling, that I used the greatest plainness of speech, and, although he intimated that my words were very heavy, he admitted the truth of them, and exercised astonishing patience toward me, 20 for which I bless the Lord. 10 Ships sailing to Mibua Bay from Sydney via Tonga for sandalwood, would, in the first decade of the nineteenth century, pass between Koro and Taviuni.
The El Plumper was the first of these ships. She called at Koro and reached Mbua Bay toward the close of 1801. 20 This "astonishing patience" might have been suppressed malignity. Before Williams left Fiji he was well aware that, beneath the outward show of patience, a Fijian chief could harbour thoughts of murderous revenge. (See Williams's description of Tui Wainunu in F.F., vol. I.) Lewenilovo was a dangerous man. In John Hunt's report dated 31 March 1842 he is described as "a man of the most violent passions, and yet of a cold, calculating and cruel disposition."
He was strongly suspected of having murdered a Scotchman named John Cameron before any white missionaries went to Somosomo, and of having tried to murder an Englishman named Joseph Rees later on. His mother was a Bouma woman, and being vasu to Bouma he could take just what he liked there with impunity. He was so powerful that, though he had run off with one of Tuikilakila's wives and kept her at Bouma, the king was unable either to get her back, or punish
The rest of the day I passed amongst the people chiefly. They are such people as I like plain, open and pleasant. In order to get to the settlement a considerable stream of water had to be crossed. A young priest at once offered me the loan of his back, quickly placed me safely on the oppo- site bank, and seemed glad of the job. Bouma is divided into three parts by two mountain streams. The houses of which the town is composed are neat, and, for the most part, very clean in the interior.
Many of those with whom I conversed heard me with seriousness and attention. In one house I was happy enough to meet an aged priest and two of manly aspect, and evid- ently about 30 years of age. I suppose we conversed to- gether for nearly two hours. They asked me many ques- tions and appeared more than half convinced that their progenitors at one period served only one God, and that one the true God.
During our discourse I remarked to the oldest priest that the time was not far distant when his children would blush when they had to acknowledge that their father was one of the devil's priests. He instantly hung down his head, 21 and remained silent for a length of time. A sick man with whom I spent some time promised to pay attention to the instructions of the native helper Mosisi. As a messenger from Tui Bouma was going from Mosisi's house to Lewena a village about 4 miles distant I thought it advisable to send Malachi with him that he might deliver our blessed Lord and Master's message of mercy to the him in any other way than to exile him, for a time, from Somosomo.
Lewenilovo was a law unto himself, and what Williams calls "astonishing pat'ence" here may have been masked hatred. See what Williams himself has to say about the self-control of a Fijian harbouring thoughts of deadly revenge in the instance already referred to in F.F., vol. i, pp. 108-9. 21 Williams would have us believe that this old priest hung down his head for shame of his religion. To my mind there is hardly any doubt that he did so from shame at what he would consider the blatant discourtesy and blasphemy of the missionary. inhabitants of that place.
The people were rather talkative during the service, and occasionally presented pieces ( of sugar-cane to him, as though they desired him to desist speaking and join them in eating it. During our evening's conversation R.L.L. mentioned a son of his, and in answer to my inquiry: "How old is he?" he replied: "He is a manj he has committed murder al- ready!" Once during the evening he stopped me rather abruptly, and said: "I have an inquiry to make of you Mr W. He then proceeded: "How do you account for it that our fathers and grandfathers spoke of the lotu before they knew of such a thing?" I asked him to explain himself, and he said: "When they saw anyone sitting in a pensive position or apparently lost in thought they would exclaim: "Oh! what is this? why that child (man) is preparing to lotu"
A Tonguese woman, who was sitting by, said she had heard the aged people in her own land express their sur- prise respecting the same subject. February 3rd Passed a portion of the morning in in- structing R.L.L. and his son, a youth of about six years of age, in the alphabet. During the day I visited two villages, the first, Nasea, was distant about 2^ miles j the second Navatu about 3 miles. Nasea is a place rather famous for the supply of red or scarlet feathers (kula) obtained here from a species of par- roquet.
The Tonguese used to visit it in former days to procure these feathers which they conveyed to Samoa and exchanged for the fine mat dresses of that people.
22 The articles of trade which the Tonguese repaid the Nasea people comprised small articles of European iron ware, 22 In the account of their voyage to Samoa in 1830 Williams and Barff state that they (the Samoans) make good mats, and the Tongans come their 600 or 700 miles to buy them for their chiefs. Seven canoes had lately come from Tonga on this trade. yagona bowls, cut at Lou (Lakemba and its dependencies), and the use of their wives, sisters and daughters for a night or two.
The birds are captured by means of nets. The people said they had no priest, the person who had lately filled that office being dead} but that they dared not lotUy their chiefs not having led the way. From hence we proceeded to the village of Navatu, and during a heavy shower of rain I continued in the chief's house conversing with several persons who from motives of curiosity had come in to see me. When it was fair I pro- ceeded to an open' space near the centre of the village where most of the people assembled to hear my message. A more attentive heathen congregation I never saw.
After service I conversed with some adults and asked what they thought about the things of which I had spoken, and they answered: "We believe you have told us the truth. We wish our chiefs would lotu? During the day news of an attack of the Netewa people on the koro of Nanuthu reached us. The Netewa people were defeated. Three of their people killed and sent to Somosomo where they were cooked. Two were shared out amongst the Somosomo people, and the third was taken to Tuilaila who, at the time, was turtle fishing off Loucala.
News also reached us today of a rupture between the prin- cipal families at Yaro. Koroi Jijji is said to have been insrtumental in bringing it about (see p. 204 24 ). It is said Somosomo will have to interfere. R.L.L. opened out this evening respecting the conduct of the first European captains with whom he was acquainted, and also respecting the (in) famous Charley 25 and his com- ^ Another courteous evasion. Where he has already been scathingly condemned. 25 Charles Pickering, a thorn in Thakombau's flesh, who had the reputation of fearing neither God nor man.
In May 1844 he was wrecked in the RICHARD KTRDSALL, LYTH, M.D. 1844 SOMOSOMO CIRCUIT 241 panions. Some of his narrations were fearfully bloody. Whilst delivering them his eye lighted up, and his whole countenance assumed at times an all but fiend-like aspect. His very costume at the time served to make him look frightful: his head was tightly bound by the black Norwich crepe handkerchief so arranged as to form small lapels near his temples ; from the shoulders to the loins he was covered by a loose native woman's upper dress with short sleeves and drawn tight at the waist. The dress was new and made of white calico (of course his black beard shewed itself in full relief on such a ground) and his head and carcase seemed strangely at variance.
Sun. February 4th
Knowing that if I had not early services I should have bad congregations I rose at dawn, and, accompanied by the resident Teacher and the crew of my canoe, I proceeded at once to the central division of Bouma named Wai ni niu. R.L.L. had left his own house j but I found him near the principal Bouma chief's dwelling, and invited him to unite with us in worshipping the only true God. I was neither surprised nor discouraged at his excusing himself from publicly joining us on account of his having to take yagona with the chiefs of the place.. I told him he had no 1 schooner Jane at Thithia Island.
Two white men and all his trade were lost; but he escaped, and made his way, with the help of some white men at Levuka, to Rewa, where he took part in the war against Mbau. Thakom- bau was so annoyed that he drove the white people out of Levuka to find a home in some other more distant island where they would have . less chance of embarrassing him. According to John Hunt there were at this time 30 whites, English and American, at Levuka who with their wives and children made up a community of 200. They were obliged to leave behind them nearly all their property including a 7o-ton vessel on the stocks. They settled down at Solevu and Na Waido on the south-west of Vanua Levu not far from Nandy Bay. After four or five years' exile they were glad to get back to Levuka, and Thakombau was equally glad to per- mit them. The loss of trade had hit the king harder than he had antici- pated. But the exiled whites never forgave Thakombau, and in the con- fusion of 1855 tne y sought his life. cause to fear, as the service would be over in all probability before the drink would be ready. But in admirable keeping with all his previous conduct he slipped into Tui Bouma's house, and left us to go on with our service. I took my stand so near the chief house that those within could hear all the service.
As we numbered eight individuals, our singing was heard at a distance, and a con- siderable number of persons got together, the major part women and children. They did not venture to draw near to the spot which we occupied on account of our proximity to the great man of the place. In order to remedy this evil I spoke in a louder tone than usual, and I think all heard me. My circumstances forced upon my recollection the words of our blessed Lord: "Ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves 5 neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."
At the close of the service I entered the house in which R.L.L. had seated himself, and found him in company with two chiefs of the place, a priest and some attendants. I spoke to them on the folly of serving Feejeean gods, and R.L.L. seconded some of my remarks. When the yagona was ready I observed that the man who sat at the bowl brought his hands to the edge of the bowl nearest the centre of his body, and then moved them gently along the circumference of the bowl until they met on the opposite side, when he flattened his hands, elevated, and clapped them together. His conduct was followed by all present excepting R.L.L. and Tui Bouma.
The first cup was presented to Tui Bouma who drinks be- fore R.L.L. by right of office. Before he drank he turned towards an old dirty bowl, and poured about two tablespoon- fuls of the contents of his cup into the bowl observing: "This is the drink of the gods.," 26 and then drank the remainder. 28 Additional evidence that the yangona ceremony was sacramental as well as convivial.
When his water was served, a man -(the priest) brought the god's share of water in a leaf, and proceeded to pour it in with the yangona and then rub the leaf with some ceremony; but whilst going through his part he caught my countenance, and, seeing that I smiled at his proceedings, he laughed aloud and said: "See that priest of religion derides us only." I said to Tui Bouma: "Do you think your gods can be pleased with what you have done? The bowl devoted to them is very filthy, and their portion scarce sufficient to slake the thirst of a fly." He answered only: "It is our way." 27 From this place I proceeded to a large house occupied by the young single men of the place the Lovilovi. Here I found a good congregation, and, taking my stand at one end of the building, I preached Jesus to those within, and was pleased to observe that the young men heard me with much greater attention than I had anticipated.
After I had been seated in Mosi's house about half an hour R.L.L. came to me and informed me. that he had said a great deal in favour of Christianity to the Bouma chiefs after my departure. I said: "I am sorry, Sir, that you did not say it when I was there} or that I was not there when you did say it, as you said only a little in my presence. He appeared to feel my incredulity a little, and assured 27 The situation here cries out loudly for comment. Williams has entered this meeting uninvited, and this is how he behaves to the chiefs and the king while they are engaged in a ceremony partly sacramental ; and this is the language in which he addresses the king immediately after he has performed the most solemn act of the ceremony.
The king's modest reply to his mocking taunts is : "It is our way." What admirable forbearance ! How would Thomas Williams have felt, and what would he have said if any one of these chiefs had entered his chapel at Somosomo when he was administering sacrament, and made such offensive remarks? It was well for the Methodist missionaries in Fiji that the dread of a British man-of-war was never absent from the minds of the Fijian chiefs in those days ; and, also, that courtesy and self-command were essential, in the opinion of a Fijian chief, to the maintenance of his self-respect. Before very long we shall find that even kind old Tuithakau can bear these insults to his gods no longer, and then Dr Lyth will run for his life, leaving his coat-tails behind him in the grip of the enraged king! me that what he said was true, and that he had said so much as led Tui Bouma to suppose he was angry with them, and, in real Feejeean style, to propose that one man out of each village under his rule should be selected and ordered to lotu\
Again R.L.L's real disposition shewed itself. Finding his remarks were producing a greater effect than he desired, he quickly informed them that there was no need for anything of the kind at present. But R.L.L. was nearly caught. In the after part of the afternoon I visited that part of Bouma named Gota inhabited by strangers, chiefly fugitives from Vuna.
I took my stand upon what I suppose to be the mound of some former temple. Our singing drew a great number of people about us who listened attentively to me whilst I endeavoured to shew them that there is only one God, and that He is. a God of love. 28 I think this was the largest congregation I have yet ad- dressed on this island.
The congregation on the remaining division of the town, Vunipipi, was of another description: indifferent as to num- ber, and worse than indifferent as respects behaviour. Yet, after a time, these outcasts became more orderly, and listened whilst I called upon them to turn from their evil ways and live. O, that some of the many words which I have this day spoken may fall upon good and honest ground and bring forth fruit into perfection. Even so, Amen.
Conversed for several minutes with a group of men, who sat at my back during the last service, on the evil of their 38 On both these doctrines I find an extraordinary inconsistency in the teaching of all these early Methodist missionaries,
(i) They sometimes declared that there were three Gods the Father, Son and Holy Ghost ; and (2) they declared that God had prepared a place of unending torture for people who were not "saved;" i.e., all those who had not heard of the Gospel of Christ, or having heard had not received it ! For some observa- tions on these extraordinary inconsistencies, see H.F.F., pp. 280-3. 1844 SOMOSOMO CIRCUIT 245 wars. A fine young man appeared interested in my remarks, and, when I had said: "Your race is almost extinct," 29 he subjoined: "We the inhabitants of Feejee are finished by war." He sighed, sprang upright, and ran to get quit of his serious feelings 30 amidst the noise of a dance.
As I returned to my abode I had to pass the young men's house, Lovilovi. In front of it the young men were dancing. One or two of them stepped out of rank, and, with great good nature, accosted me in some such way as this: "Priest you preached to us in the morning, now, if you will stay a while, we will dance to you tonight." The teachers visited three villages in the cool of the day. At Nasau an old man sent some boys to request the people to come out of their houses and assemble to hear the lotu.. The people did as requested and behaved well.
As our people returned the old man said: "Beg of our chiefs at Bouma to lotu that we may follow." During the evening R.L.L. explained the import of his name, or rather why it was given to him because of his continual murders he filled their ovens with human flesh. February 5th Prepared for returning home, and by about 7 o'clock we were ready for getting under sail. During my stay at Bouma R.L.L. did his best to make me. comfortable and supplied me with an abundance of food- Yet from what I have seen I do not think that he is at all desirous of serving the true God. He will conform a little to religious customs in the teach- er's house, or when out of sight of his own people. What he does is not so much the result of his love to God or ta his servants as a desire for European property.
He regu- larly attended our evening and morning family worship j a Williams himself estimated the population of Fiji at 150,000 in the year 1856. Perhaps, being a young man, he had quite different reasons for running; off to the dance. not that he loved prayer j but because he liked to regale himself on a cup of sweet coffee, which, to the exhausting of my little stock of sugar, he did regularly about prayer time. He took me to see the waterfall at a little distance behind the town. It is a beautiful fall of about 100 ft, varying in width according to the rains from one to several yards. He put off his masi and swam round the basin passing under the fall, or rather diving under it. R.L.L. is Tuicakau's son, brother to Tuilaila, and only a little older. He fled to Bouma to escape the anger of Tui- laila one of whose wives he had pursuaded to elope with him. I think she is the best-looking Feejeean female I have seen. Ri.L.L. was the cause of much of our Missionaries' suf- ferings during the second year of their stay in Somosomo.
Having again conversed with him respecting what we expected from him; viz., respectful conduct towards the teacher and full permission for him to preach in Bouma and its dependencies ; so that, if he will not benefit by the Zo/% the people will have the opportunity at least of hearing the truth j and, having exhorted him neither to be deceived, nor deceive himself, nor think he deceived us, I went on board my canoe, and hastened homeward, the wind being fresh and fair. It was my intention to have crossed the Straits of Somosomo, and passed a night at Rabi ; but as foul weather appeared to be setting in I was easily dissuaded from my purpose. . At about noon I reached home, and had the happiness to find my dear wife, children, colleague and family well. A little after dinner Bro. L. was called upon to visit the old King Tuicakau, as his mouth was bad, and he required Mr L's advice. Finding the old gentleman alone Bro. L. thought it a good opportunity to converse with him respecting his soul, and the necessity of preparing for death by seeking the favour of Jehovah.
After conversing a short time the old man said: "Ours is a land of chiefs, and our gods rule in Bulu. We do not know Jehovah j we do not want him. Is he the god of bakoln? If I was to kill you could Je- hovah prevent me?" Here Bro. L. said: "Yes!" Whereupon the old king got up in a rage, seized Bro. L. by the arms and said: "I will kill you." He called out to his wife to club Bro. L., and, when she refused to do it, and expostulated with him on what he was doing he loosed his hold of one hand to feel for his club. Not finding it, he struck at Mr L. j but his wife interposed and prevented the blow. Bro. L. now endeavoured to get at liberty j but the old king held the skirt of his frock so fast that it was only by leaving a part of it in the old man's hand that he got at liberty. This effected he ran away, as for life, and reached my house pale and trembling, without either hat or stick.
The account of this adventure, given by Dr Lyth, is as might be ex- pected more vivid. In his Journal under date 5 February 1844 he says : "A somewhat new and unexpected trial occurred to me this afternoon. The old King Tuithakau sent for some medicine for his mouth. I thought it best to go and see him that I might diagnose his complaint. I found him lying on his mat,, and, having inquired about his mouth, thought it was a favourable opportunity to speak to him about his soul, and particularly as none were present but myself and his principal wife (Moalevu). So I spoke to him as faithfully and affectionately as I could indeed my heart yearned over him. But he could not bear it, and, interrupting me, he said: 'Is Jehovah the god of baolasl As for you Englishmen you are liars.'
Did I think the Thakaundrovi people would lotu? 'No, they are a land of chiefs, and their gods have to do with earth as well as Bulu (the place of departed spirits). I hate you for what you have now said.' I told him not to be angry, and that what I said was true. He replied that I should be killed, and that he would kill me just now. Would Jehovah save me? I said, I thought he would; on which he rose up, seized both my wrists, and ordered his wife to club me. She prayed him to forbear. But he ordered her to bring him his club. Seeing that she would not do as he bid her, he let go with his left hand, and was about to strike me when she sprang in between us ! He then felt on the ground for his club. His wife now besought me to pull myself away from him, and to flee the house ; so I tore my hands away.
He then held me by the coat which, with a little force, gave way, and I hastened home leaving my hat, stick and part of my coat behind me .... After recovering from my first excitement my mind was calm and free, trusting the Lord. I had a pleas- ing consciousness that I had been in the path of duty, and that the Lord who had been with me hitherto would still protect me, and that, come what might, all would be well. During the time of the King's anger all the women in the other part of the King's house took off. The old man's sister was the first to come and comfort me in my trouble ; another soon followed with my hat and stick, and, at last Moalevu came with the King's message to his child as he called me, begging that I would be of a good mind, and that he would send his women to catch fish for me. "What I spoke to the King before he attacked me was as follows.
I began by saying : Ratu (the word of respect for chiefs) you are getting old ; you will soon have to die ; for chiefs you know have to die as well as common people. I love your soul, and I am afraid lest, should you die without seeking the favour of the true God, you will go to a bad place.
What the priests of Fiji teach concerning the place where Fijians go after death is not true. We must therefore seek to be reconciled to God, or, when we die Hte will punish all our sins. And many have been your sins ; and God declares He will punish them unless you repent. He will punish murder, adultery, lying, worshipping false gods, the breaking of the Sabbath, etc. Be of good mind Ratu, and believe what I say ; for I speak only out of my love. It was this that led me to leave my own land, my father and mother, to come and teach you the truth ; for what your an- cestors have believed and taught is not true! This is, as near as I can recollect, what I said to the old man when he could bear it no longer and became angry.
"All my experience of this chief confirms me in the opinion that he is a confirmed Heathen and exceedingly haughty, and full of enmity to God and religion (Lyth means Christianity. Tuithakau was very sincerely religious). When religion is out of the question he is very complaisant towards us, and has always been our friend. Perhaps he was more irritable on this occasion in consequence of having eaten human flesh two or three days before. This I have observed to be the effect of cannibalism on FeejeeanS' their minds are more excitable and irasible at such times.
In one of our former trials which occurred about this date four years ago, when the chiefs were very ill-disposed toward us, they had just had a cannibal feast." On the following Sunday, the nth, Tuikilakila returned from his turtle fishing, and shortly afterwards old Tuithakau sent Oroirupe, one of the priests, to Lyth with this message : "I was foolish and angry ; but it was soon over. Be of good mind that we may continue to have intercourse and meet together, and be not angry."
Having delivered the message Oroirupe presented Dr Lyth with a reed, saying "and this is his soro." This form of soro was called matanigasau, and it imported that the king was willing to humble himself before Dr Lyth. Having lost his self- control, he now felt that his self-respect was compromised, and desired forgiveness in deep sincerity. The incident is very instructive, revealing as it does the devotion of each man to his own religion; the forbearance of the old king till the strain reached the breaking point; his determination to kill the man he He requested me to go with him out of doors and whilst I was getting my shoes Mrs W. observed his excited appear- ance and exclaimed: "O, Mr L. what is the matter?" When the awful sentence: "Tuicakau is in a rage and threatens to kill me" dropped from his lips. We were astounded and thought for a moment our end was at hand. Bro. L. then sat down and related the fore-mentioned particulars.
After a pause we all proceeded to the house of Mrs Lyth communicated to her our situation, and then sat down in a state of painful suspense and silent prayer from which we were partly relieved by the appearance of the old King's sister, an excellent old creature who, upon seeing Mr L. run away from Nasima went there to inquire the cause, and seeing Mr L's hat and stick picked them up, and, plac- ing the hat on the top of the stick, seized the stick about midway, a leaf being between her hand and the stick (a mark of respect), and ran as well as her aged limbs would allow her to our premises j and when she got in begged us to be of a good mind, assuring us that the King would soon relent.
This good old woman, having done her best to comfort us, returned to the settlement} but was met on the way by, and returned with the old queen who was sent by Tuicakau loved because of his abuse of the gods he honoured; the workings of his sensitive aristocratic mind afterwards. There were evidently some workings in Lyth's mind too. He decided that in future it would be enough if he prayed for the king instead of talking to him about his soul and his false gods. It is quite possible that on his return from turtle fishing Tui- kilakila reminded his father of the words of Captain Wilkes in 1840. Lyth, of course, meant well, and like all his colleagues, thought he was only doing his duty in denouncing the religion of the Heathen ; but the plain fact is that the missionaries had far too little respect for the religious susceptibilities of the natives, or indeed any people who professed a re- ligion different from their own. It was a lesson to Lyth for the time ; but as time passed the impression wore off.
In 1850 he brought himself into the same predicament again at Lakemba, and narrowly escaped being clubbed to death by Puamau, King Tuinayau's son, because of his attack on the Roman Catholic religion to which Puamau was a convert. "To pray or entreat his child (Mr L) to be of a good mind and forgive him." This painful event as well as others which we have had to endure of late is principally attributable to the unsettled state of the people, and the bad effects produced upon their minds and tempers by eating human flesh.
32 This the anniversary of the hurricane of /39. 33 During my stay at Bouma Bro. L. had got the Lakemba hymns completed so that we commenced our final revision of them tonight. February 6th Anniversary of the day on which Tuilaila threatened to murder Messrs Hunt and Lyth in the year 1840. 34 February 7th Visited Dredre, found him much reduced, but encouraging the hope of living. All his friends have 33 Not so. It was "principally attributable" to Lyth's attack on the religion of Tuithakau as the doctor's account of the adventure plainly reveals. 33 Williams, of course, was not in the archipelago then; but Dr Lyth was in the neighbouring group at Haabai, Friendly Islands ; and, in his journal under date 8 February 1839 he gives a vivid description of a devastating hurricane that had just swept over them. This would, no doubt, be the one referred to here by Williams.
34 The cause of this was the incessant begging by the chiefs and the reluctance of the missionaries to give them everything they asked for. Dr Lyth in referring to the critical occasion tells how Tuikilakila and Leweni- lovo came to him and Bunt complaining that they had to beg for what they wanted instead of receiving gifts, and when a small present was given them they went away with a sullen expression on their faces. At a yan- gona meeting shortly afterwards Tuikilakila declared that John Hunt s* should be roasted. This was followed by long discussions among the assembled chiefs. The missionaries had no sleep that night, fearing a murderous attack. On Friday there was some improvement in the social atmosphere, and on Saturday Hunt and Lyth visited Tuikilakila to make him an additional present.
The king was pleased and soon recovered his good humour. But those were anxious days for the missionaries at Somo- somo the days before the visit of Captain Wilkes and his threat to blow up both kings and their town if the hair of a missionary's head should be touched. In Rewa in 1839-40 the missionaries were having similar experi- ences with the chiefs, because they would not give "without a lot of talk." John Hunt predicted that if ever a missionary were injured in Fiji, it would be because the chiefs coveted his property.
The prediction was not verified; but it was dangerous to refuse a chief what he asked. forsaken him. I found the house in which he lies dirty, especially that part near to him, and cleaned it a little. Bro. L. and I talked to and prayed with him. He has got a little light. '(Seep. 217.) February 8th Prepared an Index to the Lakemba Hymns and wrote out two fair copies of it. February 9th The Hymns being done out of the Somo- somo into the Lakemba 1 dialect, I commenced today (accord- ing to agreement) a translation of Bro. Hunt's Lectures on Theology into the Lakemba from the Bou dialect. The Lord help me and favour me with his Spirit whilst thus employed.
Sun. February llth
Whilst engaged in service, the dis- tant blowing of conch shells and the shout of war broke upon our ears. A little later we found it was Tuilaila returning from turtle fishing. He returned with four canoes bringing turtle. A messenger from Tui Mathewata came this even- ing to ask assistance, it is supposed, in the war against a chief who has usurped dominion over his territories. February 14th Read the account of the centurion to Dredre hoping it would assist him in coming to a right con- clusion respecting the nature of saving faith. The sound of my voice attracted the attention of some women who were passing the poor man's solitary abode, and they drew near to us to display in its fullest foulness the awfully degraded state in which Feejeean females are sunk. They broke our comparatively deathlike stillness, and in- terrupted our devotions by repeated and loud bursts of laughter. As I passed out of the house I expostulated with them on their ill-timed mirth, and observed that they must be very destitute of feeling to see one of their countrymen thus situated and yet refuse to supply him with a little water (this was the case) 5 but the only answer to my remarks was another loud laugh succeeded, when my back was turned, with foul and contemptuous remarks made to the poor dying man. A slight specimen: "You are dung. Who would be troubled in fetching water for such dung as you." Though he is despised of men and forsaken by all earthly friends, we are not without hopes that Dredre is nearing the kingdom of heaven. He seems desirous of our prayers and instructions, nay, even anxious for them. Tuica- kau soro'd to Bro. Lyth.
35 February 15t-h
Assisted Bro. L. to prepare a fresh bed for Dredre and to lift him into it. He often, as today, expresses his thorough conviction of the truth of religion. Today we received a letter from Bro. Calvert. February 16th Assisted by Bro. L. I washed the skin- covered bones of Dredre this morning, 36 so that with this and the new coverlid and pillow he expressed himself as comfortable. Many people gathered around us; but none helped. Having made him comfortable, we baptized him giving him the name of Lazarus. O that he may reach Abraham's bosom. February 17th O! heathenism. Poor Lazarus was full of trouble today. Early this morning a little chief attended by a second person entered the house (in which, from choice, he continues to lie) with intent to kill him by clubbing him j but he, overhearing them, kept his eye on them, and after abusing him for lying on a mat which he had previously given Lazarus Dredre the valiant man took his departure without accomplishing his design, not however without in- timating that during the night he might be strangled. Al- though he is entirely dependent upon us for food, clothing, &c., his countrymen are impatient at his lingering so long.
I 35 See the concluding portion of the footnote on p. 248. 38 Thomas Williams detested shams, and despised weak sentimentality ; but in the presence of genuine suffering he could be tender as a woman and quite as serviceable. never before saw a Feejeean heathen man weep} 37 but on this occasion, as the poor creature told us his tale of woe, his feelings overpowered him and tears stood in his eyes. Finding that it was most likely that if we left him at night we should look in vain for him in the morning, we removed him into our own premises where he said he was pleased to be. Sim.
February 18th
Preached in English at 11 o'clock from "Godliness is profitable etc." It was my design on entering the chapel to have spoken from: "I was sick and ye visited me," our native teachers not having displayed a dis- position to help in the case of Lasaruse Dredre.
38 February 21st
During the afternoon of today several canoes arrived from the N.N.Easterly portions of this island, and from islands in the above and a northerly direc- tion. Those from Raby brought melancholy intelligence. It appears that two canoes were sent by Tuilaila a few days ago to assist the Rabi people in bringing their portion of the food which is being collected for the coming feast. The canoes sent belonged to the Butoni people who are considered subject to Bou. The food consisting of uncooked yams, taro, land crabs &c, with the new masi dresses and ornaments for the dance were received on the canoes on the 20th, and the crews passed on towards a lone and uninhabited part of the land to pass the night and gather an additional quantity of land crabs. Towards day-break the Butoni people were surprised by a number of canoes, probably 20, making towards them.
A fight commenced ; the Butoni canoes endeavoured to clear 37 An interesting statement. Williams had been in Fiji 3i years, in close contact with the natives nearly all the time. 38 Before he left Fiji Dr Lyth organized a number of people associated with the church in Lakemba whose duty it was to visit the sick regularly. . One succeeded} the second, after a slight effort, re- turned towards land} and, after some slaughter, the canoe was captured by the Mathewata people, as the strangers turned out to be. Toa levu was chief of the expedition. He lost one canoe, four men from his own crews, and one from the Koro people. A Rabi man was also killed in opposing the Mathe- wata people. It appears the Raby man had speared a Ma- thewata chief, and had lifted up his club to complete the business by beating him on the head, when the club of a Mathewata man laid him dead by the side of his victim chief. It is supposed that at least four of the Macewata party were killed, though they only secured one to bring with them, but the Butoni people could not speak accurately as they fled in haste to get clear of what they represent as a shower of lead. In addition to muskets the Macewata people had small cannon. 39 Some think they were in search of Tuimacewata, who is at Raby. No sooner was the news spread than the air was filled with sounds of weeping and woe. We visited several of the principals concerned, as well as the king, to beg that the wives and mothers of the slain might be saved.
One old woman was anxious to testify her love for her slain son by being strangled} but was prevented. All the men concerned assured us that they would save the woman. R.L.L. arrived from Bauma. February 22nd Went round to several of the houses which we visited last night to see how far the promises had been attended to and had the happiness to find all alive even to the old woman. In one house was a new male's dress very much torn. 39 These may be seen lying about in different parts of Fiji. They were used for barter by trading ships. Asking what it meant I was informed that it had belonged to one of the Mathawata men, and was brought to this people that they might have the poor gratification of revenging themselves upon it. The poor dress was torn into shreds. Whilst I was in yesterday a little child, related to a Butoni man who was slain, was cutting the dress with a knife for revenge. 40 Poor L. Dredre appeared very weak in the morning. As this weakness increased Bro. L. and I passed more time with him until he closed his eyes in death at about 3 o'clock in 40 A passion for revenge was one of the most formidable characteristics of the Fijian. He was encouraged in boyhood and youth to cherish it, and in mature years he would nurse it for years till the hour for satisfaction arrived. In N.O.F., vol. iii, p. 96, Williams says : "Many are the ways in which the Feejeeans nurse their wrath to keep it warm. One places a stick where he must often see it, or hangs over his bed the dress of his murdered friend. Another deprives himself entirely of food that he much likes or daily needs, or foregoes the pleasures of the dance. From the ridge pole of his house another will hang a roll of tobacco, until he can take it down to be smoke-dried on the dead body of some one belonging to a hated tribe.
A man may be seen with the exact half of his hair cut from one side of his head, because his wife was one of a party slain while fishing on the reef, and he will wear his hair thus till he has revenged her death. Sometimes a powerful savage of sober aspect is seen in the village Council, sitting there in silence, replying to inquiries only by whistling. His son who was the hero of the village has fallen by a treacherous hand, and he has vowed to abstain from the pleasures of conversation until he can unseal his lips to report the corpse of his son's murderer, or bless the man who has deprived it of life. Songs are sung to keep the flame of slumbering wrath burning." Entered in Note-book, February 1852. The length to which Fijians could go in their gratification of revengeful passion will be apparent from an instance recorded by Dr Lyth in the fifth volume of his Journal on the authority of one of Thakombau's at- tendants. A Dreketi man, the murderer of two Soso women, had been captured, and "all the people of Soso were assembled to see him flayed alive in the rara or public area of their town (on Mbau Island). The criminal was bound and then mutilated in the following manner : one eye was hooked out with a fish bone, and his nose was cut off ; the hair of his head was burnt off, and a burning fire-brand applied to the tips of his fingers. Then the fingers of both hands were cut off, grilled, portioned out and eaten before his eyes. His arms were then hacked off near the shoul- ders ; then the legs, the toes having first been disposed of as were the fingers.
Up to this time Lolohea asserts that there were signs of life. His insides were then opened ; his head taken off and the whole body laid on the J fire, grilled and eaten without further ceremony. the afternoon. In the evening we committed him to mother earth, not without some hope of his experiencing a resur- rection unto life. Bro. L. delivered a suitable address to a number of people near us who manifested a serious and attentive disposition. In my morning's walk I saw the various parts of the poor Macawata man lying by the side of an oven; one foot had been partly roasted, and the head 1 at that time was resting on the hot stones and blazing fire. Thinking all would be clear after we had put L.D. into his grave we took a turn amongst the people 5 but happened to be just in time to see about 60 young, middle-aged and grey-headed men feasting upon their horrid fare. A man who walked before us part of the way had a thigh in his hand which he was taking as R.L.L's share j but I was glad to observe, before we had reached the house in which he is staying, that he sent the limb away just as it was taken. I have been exceedingly squeamish all day. When the people have such feasts, we have to fast. The effect of one and the other depresses me much. In the same house in which I saw the rent dress I also noticed the hand of a little child about four years of age almost swimming in blood. Its finger had just been cut off 41 as an indication of its love for its slain father. February 24th Today the great offering was made to the gods of Somosomo to secure their assistance in the pre- meditated attack upon Netewa.
The offering comprised approximately the following: 40 whales' teeth j 10 mounds of yams (average of each mound of yams 1000); turtles roasted and alive about 30 j large roots of yagona 40 (some of these required two men to 41 This was a common practice in Fij i to show respect for the dead. On the death of a great chief 50 to 100 little fingers would be cut off, each one placed in the slit end of a reed. Hazlewood says it was rare to see a man with all his fingers. carry one); of native puddings many hundreds, weighing perhaps tons; vasuas -an immense kind of oyster 150; a considerable quantity of land crabs, taro, and ripe bananas; about 1 5 water melons and a few drinking nuts. Tuilaila supplied the place of his aged father, presented the above property and requested the favour of the gods of Somosomo in the coming expedition. After the priests had given him an answer the purport of which I did not hear, he began to unfold his huge masi dress, new and made for the occasion.
This he threw off entirely, and for some minutes stood exposed before his people. Several other dresses were then thrown off and added to the amount of property.
February 27th
Some canoes returned from Koroi Vono stating that the people there expected an attack from Ne- tewa very shortly. They sent word to the king that, if their enemies should come by land only, they would do their best with them; but in case of their coming both by sea and by land they would stand in need of prompt assistance; and of this they would apprize the King by discharging their largest piece of ordnance. A few hours after this report, at about 8 o'clock in the evening, a loud boom fell on the ears of many, and was considered the specified signal for help at Koroi Vono. February 28th Today nine canoes from Somosomo and three from Wei lagi set sail at an early hour for the other side.
February 29th
The whole of the fleet returned today, the gun heard was not fired by the Koro Vonu people. Veratta who has been out of health some time left Mr Lyth a few days ago purposing to take up his abode in the Tonguese settlement. Mistrustful of Bro. L. he wished to put himself under the care of some Feejeean doctors, the more so as Bro. L. had opposed his being cut in the privates some time back believing that he was not in a state to bear it.
His illness was not serious j but he appeared low in his mind. At times he seemed to act as though he wished to pain our minds. All our measures were suspected 'by him, and he appeared unwilling to receive any help from us. At one time he would converse on religious subjects; at another he would not. His disease lay in the lower region of the stomach. With intent to ascertain more correctly the nature of his disease, whether spasm or inflammation, Bro. L. grasped the part affected, and to this Veratta attributed the pain which he suffered! Bro. L. visited him yesterday evening, and reported an improved state of health, but was surprised to find that he was much worse this morning so much so that he was at a loss how to account for it. Bro. L. came to inform me of this, and I returned in com- pany with him and was truly astonished to observe the change in Veratta's appearance. Bro. L. and a Tonguese returned for a little chloride of lime; the place in which he (Veratta) lay, smelling very bad. Whilst they were absent the sick man conversed freely with me; declared his adherence to the religion of Jesus; united with me in prayer, and, amongst other things, let me into the secret of the change which had not only surprised but alarmed us.
During the night he perspired. This did not accord with his views of the fitness of things, so he crept out of his resting-place and lay himself down on the earth, saturated as it was with heavy rains, and remained in this position for some time. 42 I believe it was raining during a part of, if not all the time he was out. I told him that he had done enough to kill himself, and 43 This is the sort of thing that happened when epidemics of influenza and measles were raging in Fiji. The patients would plunge into water as the easiest and most speedy way of getting cool. Of course they did not understand the probable effects any more than Veratta.
But this practice, combined with that of going to sleep in their damp clothes, carried off large numbers of natives in the South Seas, urged him to put himself under Mr L.'s care. He consented to this in the hope that it would relieve his pain. Under Dr L.'s direction we proceeded to foment the part affected with flannels dipped in warm water j but we were too latej the vital spark was going fast. In answer to my inquiries as to whether he was relieved by the application of warmth, he answered: "Yesj" but shortly after: "No." Bro. L. asked him if he continued to believe in Jesus Kraisiti, to which he replied by indistinctly repeating: "Jesu. : " He could scarcely articulate the blessed name, and it was his last effort at speaking. He lingered about a quarter of an hour after, and then died. We buried him on a spot of ground which he himself had selected. He seemed to have no friend save us. A distant waterfall moaned his funeral knell, and the clouds wept abundantly as we committed his poor remains to the dust. Veratta was not the evenest of characters j but I trust he found mercy for his Redeemer's sake. Other references to this man may be found in p. 142 and p. 186 of this Journal.
MARCH March 1st
Revised twelve of the Lectures translated into the Lakemba dialect. A Lou native assisted me, 43 and I was gratified on finding he had only a few corrections to make. Sun. March 3rd Tui Masi eloped with Randi Lua, a daughter of Tuilaila betrothed to Ratu Moa, vasu to this place, and just on the eve of being taken to him. Ratu Moa is greatly exasperated, and determines to return at once to Bou, and seek assistance to fight this people. * a It was the regular practice of the translators to make use of the ser- vices of intelligent natives. John Hunt in his translation of the New Testament was assisted by one of his teachers who had been with him for years, and he treated his opinions with great respect.
This step places the King in a very unenviable situation with Bou 44 from which place they have so long looked for help against Netewa. It is said that the old King Tuicakau intends proceeding directly to Bou to present the two large soro canoes, and endeavour to adjust matters at headquarters. March 6th Tuicakau left today for Bou with a fleet of nineteen canoes, including Ratu Moa's and those of the Butoni people who are returning to Bou. I accompanied Bro. L. to wish the old gentleman good- bye. He was sitting on the M.arama> one of the large canoes which he is to present to Tanoa. He appeared to be in excellent spirits. As we stood on shore I noticed a man sitting on the water's edge occasionally stroking the end of the canoe and weeping bitterly. Upon inquiry I found that he was a King's carpenter, and was thus manifesting his love and affectionate remembrance of the chief of the King's car- penters, under whose superintendence a great part of the canoe was built. That chief perished at Moarly, either in the water or on land in company with Ra Bithe in the year 1839. At a short distance from him I observed another of the same class watering the ground with his tears. Tuilaila seemed to feel keenly the separation from his father. As he stood on the beach, and watched the canoe, on which his aged sire sat, receding from him, his huge body heaved, and he wiped away many a falling tear. 45 **It will be noted that Williams has used this spelling for the capital city throughout.
There was a specific reason for it. On the old maps of Fiji the island, Viti Levu, was called Ambow after Mbau, notwithstanding that the usual spelling in the missionary correspondence is Bau. Generally speaking there is little or no uniformity in the spelling of names and places, as this Journal will indicate. That is not surprising. There was no written language in Fiji till after the arrival of Cross and Cargill in 1835- 46 The entries for this day should be noted by those who incline to the belief that the Fijians of this era were "without natural affection."
Dr March 13th
The wind has been blowing hard for some days past. Today it increased so much that I thought it advisable to pack up my books and prepare for rough weather 5 and well I did, for it soon blew a gale. Slight .buildings and trees began to find their way to the ground, and, judging from the heaving and pitching of my house, I expected it would quickly go likewise. But after consider- able suspense and effort to prevent the dreaded evil, I was relieved from my fears for the safety of the body of the house.
The violence of the wind chiefly affected the roof which was eventually riven open from one gable end to the other. The W.N.W. side fell in towards the house j the E.S.E. flattened in the breeze like a banner. Whilst the work of destruction was going on I had time to provide for the safety of my wife, children and household Lyth commenting on the same subject in his Journal, vol. ii, p. 175, says : "Brother Williams accompanied me to bid the old King farewell. Tuilaila was seated with him on the canoe. After having parted with his father, and returned on shore, he stood on the beach wiping his eyes with his masi, and his manly bosom heaved again and again with emotion as the Marcma moved off.
We saw Tuilaila in the evening, and found him in a sorrowful frame of mind lest his father should die during the voyage when no remedy would be available ; for he was an old man. Tuilaila's affection for his father is a pleasing trait in his character, and, indeed, after many oppor- tunities of observing Tuilaila's social conduct, I can but admire it as being characterized by an unusual share of kindly feeling." A little later Dr Lyth says : '"It is a sentiment of the mind to which the heathens show themselves no strangers that there is no place like home." Yet notwith- standing this, and all the evidences of sincere affection we have had in the Journal up to date Williams in a letter to London as late as 27 September 1845 says : "The portraiture of these people is correctly and ably drawn by St Paul in Romans i, 31," in which the words "without natural affection" occur; and all the Methodist missionaries up to that time would have agreed. On this subject Williams altered his opinion very radically before he left Fiji; but it was many years before he could shake off the impres- sion of earlier years.
The explanation is that he and his colleagues were so appalled at first by cannibalism, widow-strangling, burying old people alive, and the treatment of the sick as well as some of the more fiendish cruelties practised by the Fijians, that they could not understand how people with natural affections could commit such atrocities, much less believe that they did commit some of them because of their affection for the victims. For a discussion of this very interesing and important subject see H.F.F., pp. 62-8. 262
The furniture was secured by being snugly piled together in the most sheltered part of the house, and Mrs W J s safety and that of my children by being placed under the comparatively sheltered and compact roof of Bro. Lyth. For some time we feared that the evils of our situation would be multiplied by the waves of the ocean breaking in upon us; and, but for the circumstance of the wind blowing directly against the tide, I believe this would have happened. As it was it washed up to the foot of our fence. Thanks to that gracious Providence who made our destroyer subservient to our preservation in this respect.
The appearance of the sea for many hours was really terrific, especially at a short distance from us where its on- ward course was contested by the furious rush of a moun- tain torrent. We passed the time, a night and day, in watch- ing and prayer, and the Lord remembered mercy: a change of wind brought us a favourable change of weather. next morning. Two of our places were overturned j the roofs of all more or less injured, and 900 yards of fencing blown down. Our banana beds are quite destroyed, and such is the effect pro- duced upon the vegetable garden that everything there looks as though it had been exposed to the action of flame. The bread-fruit and shaddocks are sadly spoiled. 46 40 Dr Lyth in his account of the hurricane makes this additional note : "We afterwards learnt that an offering had been presented by Vaalolo and some of the people to their god, Nusimanu, to put an end to the gale. The reply which the priest is reported to have made was that, had they been much longer in coming to soro, the whole land would have been destroyed. Tuilaila attempted, in vain, to cross the mountain stream in order to present the offering in person, so his son Vaalolo acted as his substitute. Tuilaila, because he had failed to make the offering, had his head shaved in token of humiliation." Then Lyth makes a characteristic reflection: "Vain humiliation. I referred to the subject when visiting him some days after, and told him that in order to pray to the true God there was no need to cross the stream. He smiled. He trusts his own lying vanities."
Thus the good doctor under the influence of theological bias! But he must not be permitted to get away with such unfair and illogical abuse.
March 14th
Bro. Lyth has kindly received us into his house, and handed over his study to our service as a sleeping- room. For the present we shall abide here. May peace be in our dwelling- and light in our Goshen. Employed in removing our goods to a safe place. March 18th Did a little at my house: sank the ridge two ft, and recovered the spars to their right place. March 20th Fine weather allowed us again to proceed with our house. Assisted Bro. L. to pack his liome box.
March 22nd
Report reached us of 80 Rewa people being cut ofF by the Bou people ; one son of an European was killed. March 23rd Arrived the Black Hawk 3 an Ovalau cutter. We hear that Bro. Jaggar has been obliged to remove into the Rewa settlement by the order of Tuidreketi. 47 Lord save him from the horrors of war. March 25th Had some conversation with Henry Gravit 48 respecting his escape from Thekombea about eight months ago, when an Englishman and two natives, his com- panions, were murdered, and their boat; ten muskets j six casks of powder j several axes and many Ib. of shell were taken from them. He tells a sad tale. On board the little cutter was a respectable looking young the case in slightly different wording: The missionaries pray to their God to stop the gale, and "in His mercy" He remembers them; the wind veers round, and there is a favourable change of weather next day.
Tuilaila and Vaalolo petition their god in their own way a way that involves risks of life and actual deprivation to put an end to the gale, and their god re- members them, though he chides them for their delay. The gale ends, and fine weather follows. The missionaries would have us believe that their petition was an act of requited piety, while that of the Heathen was nothing better than lying vanity ! We cannot accept that. Rather we believe that the attitude of mind in both parties was the same, and the result identical for both ! As to the further question whether the God of the one or the god of the other interposed directly on behalf of either, we refrain from discussing that here. In H.F.F., last chapter, there are some observations made that may interest the reader.
47 King of Rewa, friend to the missionaries. 48 One of the white men on board the Black Hawk. man, an American adventurer said to be the son of a Minister (perhaps Presbyterian) in New York. He commenced his career by uniting with another young man in freighting a vessel which was cast away and, with it, many of their brightest hopes. A few weeks since he transported himself to Rakiraki a town on the land named Great Feejee 49 with the intention of building a drying house and fishing for beche-de-merj but the natives, taking advantage of his un- protected state, appropriated his property to themselves, and were on the point of taking his life also (it appears he made too free with the ladies) when, to his joy, a chief with whom he had some little acquaintance came to his relief, killed a Feejeean or two and took Mr Hives 50 to a place of security. Mr H. does not know Feejeean.
March 29th
Returned to the shelter of our own roof after having been most kindly entertained by Bro. Lyth during the past 16 days. About four hours after midnight in answer to the call of Mesake I accompanied Bro. Lyth to see poor Abel Vaka- theri who desired to see and speak with us. We found him exceedingly weak but composed. He seemed desirous to speak j but was hindered, in part, by weakness. I prepared, and Bro. L. administered, two or three dessertspoonfuls of weak sweetened wine and water and he was much refreshed. He proceeded to mention two or three things which lay heavy on his mind, and then appeared increasingly comfort- able. ' ^ His closing scene was a great advance upon anything of *Viti Levu.
50 There is a good deal of information about this man in Dr Lyth's Journal, where his name is spelt Ives. He was generally on friendly terms with the missionaries at Lakemba, and contributed an article in praise of the Methodist mission to an American journal. His relations with native women were, however, very unsatisfactory, and Dr Lyth who had worked himself into a strong position in Lakemba spoke his mind very freely to him on the subject, and little more was heard of Mr Ives afterwards. the kind which I have yet seen in these islands. His afflic- tion was a sanctified one. As he felt his end approaching he requested his mother to embrace him, and then called upon his sister and brother and kissed them. He took a similar farewell of us and those around him, observing: "You will stay; but I shall go; I am going." When very near his end Bro. L. asked him whether he still maintained his hope of heaven, when he emphatically replied "Yes." I then prayed in Feejeean and a few minutes afterwards his eyes were sealed in death. He left this world to enter upon another and a better state of, being. APRIL Sim.
A-pril 7th
At 2 o'clock I catechised the people under our care, and afterwards heard Moses conduct a somewhat singular service. I had seen him an hour before the service, and thought there seemed something peculiar in his coun- tenance j but as he approached the rostrum, I could not resist the conviction that he was revolving some great achievement in his mind. He got on indifferently with the first hymn; in prayer he made sad confusion amongst a cluster of plural pronouns that he happened to stumble upon ; but the Lesson was to be the part in which he meant to shine. He pro- duced a MS. copy of the 20th Ch. of John's Gospel, and, having informed us that he was about to read it to us, rose to his full height, turned himself towards the window, and commenced; read a word or two, and then looked towards the window, as much as to say: "Who is that blocking out the light?"; then stammered on again until he had, with great difficulty, got to the end of the 1st verse, when he truly made a full stop, shut to the book, and began to descant upon the "strength of the Lord" which he said was so plainly displayed in what he had read to us. Finding things did not "go well" in Feejeean, he gave out his text in Tonguese. Having talked awhile in Ton- guese, he again tried Feejeean, and succeeded better. I firmly believe that this poor fellow, in many respects a worthy man, had incapacitated himself for his work on the present occasion by allowing his mind to be puffed up with the idea of. reading his lesson from his own copy. He had the same subject in print, in both languages, and one, if not both, in the pulpit with him at the same time.
April 8th
Tuilaila has been out two or three weeks at the S.S.E. end of the island seeking turtle. His priestess encouraged him to go, promising him ten turtles. A day or two back she heard that no turtles were secured j so, fearing the anger of the king, she ran away. 51 ApiL Wth Commenced the First of a series of chapters on the customs &c of Feejee. 52 I labour in concert with Bro. L. Our design is to detail some of their customs, and so introduce native phraseology therewith as to serve the pur- pose of an English, Feejeean and Tonguese dictionary. We 81 Clearly these priests and priestesses were not without responsibility for their oracular promises to the kings who were not disposed to accept trifling excuses.
In N.O.F. over date June 1849 Williams has the following under the heading: "Not quite certain"; "This was the state of mind in which a priest of Viti Levu found himself a month or two back. After having invoked the god on the subject of war, he promised the warriors success and pledged them seven bodies. The war party was much de- lighted; but the priest was not quite as certain as they of the result.
On their going to fight he told his wife to go away to a distance from the town in which they lived, taking with her their property and his child; so that, if they should not conquer, she might be ready to run away and take shelter in a place he appointed. However the result was favourable. The party won, and got the number of bodies promised. So the wife returned to share the congratulations of her husband, the certainty of whose predic- tion and its fulfilment was talked of by all. " And so begins definitely the work which ended 14 years later in the publication of the first volume of Fiji and the Fijians. It will be noticed that Dr Lyth was collaborating with Williams. Besides that, Williams made use of the journals of other missionaries, and reports by them in the Quar- terlies. For information about the customs and history of Mbau in the early days he made free use of articles written by William Cross.
But after the departure of Dr Lyth from Somosomo, and while he was at Mbua from 1847 to 1853 he relied almost entirely on his own observation and hope with this net to catch a number of straggling words, and so improve our knowledge of the language.
April 17th
Ratu Vovo, a young chief of this place, mur- dered a Lou man, declared by some to be a kai Lakemba?* It was said that the Lakemba man had been too intimate with the wife of a brother of Ra vovo. The murder was a very deliberate one. Ra vovo and his companion followed their victim several miles before they overtook him. When they did, he was near Navutu a small village near to and dependant upon Bauma, and here they clubbed him and left his body in or near the road. The King appeared angry and the young chief has to keep out of the way. This Ra vovo is the heroic youth who wanted to show his valour upon the emaciated body of Dredre (see p. 252, Feb. 17th).
April 22nd
The Bauma people appear to have been quite indignant when they learned of the murder, and today the chiefs of that place sent a messenger to the king to ask why it was done, and if at his command.
April 24th
Vakalolo, the king's son, was dispatched with whales' teeth and an apology which he was to present in his father's name. It is stated that the individual murdered was entirely clear of the crime laid to his charge further than that he was a relative of the guilty party who remains un- punished. Sun.
Apil 28th
A continuance of rather unsettled weather. Several individuals are suffering from dysentery j but more particularly such as are very young. Some two or three children have died of it near to us. We have two judgment, and what he has to say henceforth in the Journal applies mainly, but not exclusively, to Somosomo and the Mbua circuits. To Williams the work was most welcome and congenial. He soon dis- covered that he had an aptitude for it, and in the failure of his religious work at Somosomo he needed some other definite task to occupy his mind and keep him from brooding over wasted time. 53 Lakemba man. rather obstinate cases on our premises.
One is a youth of about 1 2 years, and the other a child of one of the Tonguese Teachers. Lord use what means thou seest best,, only awaken this people to a sense of their lost condition. Surely no people were ever more heedless 54 or more wrapped up in themselves. MAY May. 4th Occupied in preparing books for native teachers &c. Sim.
May 5th During the past week we have been visited, and rather troubled by the King.
May 6th to llth Kept close to correcting and recopying Lectures.
May llth An exceedingly stormy day, a good part of which was occupied in strengthening and bracing my house, a repetition of the events of the 13th of March being very probable. Towards midnight the roaring of the wind and the ocean was so loud as to prevent, in a great measure, our taking rest in sleep. Sim.
May 12th Bro. L. sat up in his sleeping room dur- ing the English service. During most of the past two days he has been confined to his bed with slight fever and dis- ordered throat.
May 17th or 18th A fleet of five or six canoes left this land to make an attack upon some part of the Netewa dis- trict. Perhaps they are a little emboldened by a tolerably well-grounded report that one of the chief warriors among their adversaries was attacked, killed, cooked and eaten by the chief of another party with whom he had a quarrel. Ratu Vaalolo (native pudding) is at the head of the party. His is certainly a poor. name for either an admiral or general. Kept close at lectures.
54 About Christianity. They were very much alive to the need of de- fending themselves against surrounding enemies.
Sun. May 19 th English service prevented by the atten- tion Kalo required while she was in labour pains. At 3 took Bro. L.'s appointment in native, he being occupied in attending to the child which had just then entered this world of sorrow with so much mucus in her mouth as to prevent respiration. My congregation was a small one comprising four adults (two of whom were Local Preachers), three young men and about half a dozen children.
55 May 20th Mosisi returned to Bouma. His reports are anything but encouraging as respects R.L.L., and are, there- fore, confirmatory of the opinions which I formed of that man.
May 22nd Some four canoes left this place today to reconnoitre in the neighbourhood of Korivono and Ngele hoping some opportunity would present itself of knocking out the brains of some straggler, and thus making of him a bakola for Somosomo ovens.
May 25th The party returned today amidst torrents of rain which so cooled their courage that, had they not shouted the usual who oa, or word of respect, we should scarce have known of their return. However it appears they have learnt something if they have done nothing. It seems that, when the war between Somosomo and Netewa began to be prosecuted with vigour, the people of a koro named Tuniloa, finding they should be exposed to the attacks of both parties, determined to give up their settlement. Such as were favourable to the interests of Somosomo settled in Koroi Vono, whilst those who were of another mind settled in Ngele a town subject to Netewa. Thus they have remained until the present time. However whilst Vaalolo and his people were at Koroi 55 This will give the reader some idea of the failure of Christianity in Somosomo.
The mission began in July 1839. The congregations were never much larger except on occasions when visitors arrived from other parts 270. Vono on their return, if I mistake not, to this place (having ascertained that Ngele people were on the look out), a Tuni- loa man came to the Tuniloa people at Koroi Vono to say that he and his friends at Ngele wished to desert the services of Natewa, and hoped that Somosomo would enable theni to come over to its interests by attacking and destroying the people of Ngele, in which work the Tuniloa people (who had thus far been sheltered by Ngele) would, of course, assist.
The message was delivered to Vaalolo and Co. who, rejoiced at such a prospect, hastened back to inform his father of it. Tuilaila received it joyfully and entered into the project at once. During the night a messenger was sent to Bauma to order a party from that place to proceed at once for Ngele. Tuilaila with about seven canoes set off next morning (Sun- day 26th), although at the time it was blowing so fresh as to make them afraid to put up their sails. His name or rather one of his names is Vumvalu^ the foundation of war. He certainly delights in it. On the present occasion he was well dressed (in native cloth of course), seemed in high spirits and looked better, to my thinking, than I had ever seen him.
It is to be hoped he will proceed cautiously, as the affair thus far wears a very similar aspect to that of Butha which took place in November 1842, by which this king lost 15 men; and, had the Netewa people made most of their oppor- tunity, he would have lost many more. If Ngele is situated, as we are told it is, beyond Netewa this should be sufficient to excite suspicion. Sun.
May 26th Mrs. W. lying on the sofa suffering con- siderably from ophthalmia, and, as her sufferings increased, I devoted the rest of the day to her. At times her pain is almost more than she can bear.
May 31st Tuilaila and his fighting men returned as the sun was setting. Considerable noise was made by the men in the canoes and by the women on shore; but it was pretty evident that, in spite of their desire to keep up appearances, they felt that "It was (not) a glorious victory." It appears that the people in Ngele came to an agreement to evacuate quietly, with permission for those who favoured the interests of Netewa to proceed thitherwards, and for those who wished to side with Somosomo to fall back into Tuniloa. Thus the favourers of Netewa escaped the plot laid for them. Perhaps the step they took was attributable to some hint given them respecting their situation. Be that as it may an empty village was all that was left for the Somosomo chief to exercise upon.
The first thought was to return home; but Tuilaila ob- served: "If we do not shew ourselves the Netewa people will say we have no canoes with which to assist our friends, let us go on." When they arrived on the beach near Ngele they perceived the recent foot-marks of a small party, and following these marks, came to a spot where were assembled a party of young men who had come to see the deserted vil- lage. They no sooner perceived their unexpected, as well as unwelcome, visitors than they took to their heels and made for the bush. All escaped save one who, after some resist- ance, was dispatched by the club of a Somosomo man. Taking with them the dead body they returned to Tuniloa where it was cooked and eaten. After this they returned home. James Clarke returned from Bauma on the 30th, his general health improved; but his leg as bad if not worse. His reports respecting Lewe ni lovo are very discouraging. He does not pay a shadow of respect to the Sabbath, and even sends people to work near the house of the Teacher on that day. He expects the teacher to do anything to which he sets him. He is foremost in all the public offerings to the gods of Feejee. Has made an offering to one god that his chief wife might conceive, and promised to build a temple for another if he will restore his son to health. JUNE Sun.
June 2nd Tuilaila attended service and sang as usual. The moment it was concluded he said: "I am come to you about my pigeon cote."
June 3rd Accompanied Bro. L. to the king where we eat fishj advised with him about his pigeon cote; had to turn drummers and then get away. We visited and conversed with some heathen whom we perceived in a temple a short distance from us. The god to whom the temple is dedi- cated is named Daucina, and is reported to be the destroyer of all the chief and handsome women that they may become his wives. We told them of a god who can create and can destroy. O that they would serve Him. Considerable portion of the week occupied in attention to matters preparatory to the approaching D.M., such as pre- paring reports, personal accounts &c. Prepared three Lec- tures for copying.
June 8th Morning occupied in making a folio book in which to enter the furniture and other Mission property on this station, so that in future an account thereof may, with very little trouble, be presented every succeeding District Meeting. Sun.
June 9th Before the sermon I had the gratification to hear one of the members of my little establishment pub- licly renounce the worship of the gods of Feejee, and declare her intention to love and serve Jehovah. This was Kalo ? the wife of a German, 56 who from choice became a member CO James Clarke. of my household about three years ago, and has continued with me thus long. In days past his wife, a native woman, caused me considerable trouble, and since we have been on this island she was only prevented from effecting her own destruction by the use of force. However bless the Lord for the change effected in her, which though far from amounting to conversion, is a great one. She was thoughtful and evidently under considerable emotion during Bro. L's address to her, tending to shew her the nature of the step she was about to take. At the con- clusion of the address she was baptized, and then presented (i.e. she and her husband) her infant daughter for baptism. My mind was considerably exercised during the day in consequence of our dear little babe W.W.W. suffering from dysentery. The attack was sudden, and continues with suf- ficient severity to excite serious apprehension. Lord in the midst of judgment remember mercy. June Wth Our dear child was very restless on the night of the 7th ; but, knowing that he was cutting two if not three teeth we were not surprised, but attributed his restlessness to teething. On the 8th we perceived a speck of blood in one of his motions. Bro. L. was in at the time and prescribed and prepared medicine for him without delay.
During the night the disorder grew upon him. But on the afternoon of the 10th symptoms of inflam- mation of the brain were evident, and cold lotion was applied without loss of time; but, notwithstanding our unwearied efforts, its progress was so rapid and alarming that at about 8 o'clock p.m. Bro. L. exhorted us to prepare our minds for losing him. O what were my feelings at that time! My strong, healthy, active, sprightly little William of whose life I felt almost certain was pronounced near death.
From his birth until now he had had uninterrupted health. Deter-mined to use all means we examined his mouth and lanced such of his gums as needed it (two or three). A Tonguese woman then shaved his head, and Bro. L. administered a powder. Cold lotion applied without intermission. And to all we added our earnest prayers for the blessing of God upon our efforts, and for resignation to His will. Next day the inflammation had considerably subsided, and we had great hopes of his restoration. The young king called in to see himj appeared to feel for the dear little sufferer, and, perceiving it was affrighted at him (his face was painted vermilion and sky blue) he retired to another part of the room. He made many inquiries re- specting the child: how we were treating the disease &c, and observed: "If it was an adult it would be well enough ; but to see such a child suffering from such a disease makes us love (pity) him."
57 A canoe from Tonga (Hiki mai faliki) arrived, bringing news of the Triton's arrival at Tonga, and of two Mission- aries 58 and their wives being on board for Feejee. Should this good news be true there will not be wanting hearts in Feejee to praise God and thank the Committee for such a timely supply.
June 18th -Today the sufferings and mortal career of my beloved William terminated at about 3 o'clock in the after- noon. He lay, as he had done for the greater part of the past six or seven days, in a state of drowsiness or stupor, with occasional intervals of consciousness, until a few mo- ments before he expired, when he uttered a faint murmur, opened and fixed his eyes upwards, shut his little hand, and, 67 Another of Tuikilakila's characteristics was his love of children. From the description of him given by Williams it is clear that in his more leisurely moments he acted just like an overgrown boy, except when a sense of his royal responsibilities was upon him. 68 John Watsford and David Hazlewood. after breathing a few times with but little difficulty, died without a struggle or a convulsive effort. 59 Before it knew them, his happy spirit escaped the troubles and vexations and sins of this life; gained the port without encountering the dangers of a long voyage.
Bless God for the provision made for the salvation of infants for the sake of the Lord Jesus. Bless God that a consideration of the benevolence, justice and mercy of God, produce in my mind the strongest assurance that my child no longer suf- fers pain. Bless God for the evidence on record that Christ was himself a lover of children j and for those gracious words which proceeded from his own lips: "Suffer the little child- ren to come to me, and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God." He cannot come back to mej but I will strive to go to him. It did not tend to sooth my mind to turn from the dear remains of my child to become the maker of his coffin! But there was a needs-be for it. I could not bring my mind to the idea of putting him into a common box, and there was no one on the station who had any idea how the bends at the elbows were accomplished. So I came to the con- clusion that, painful as it was, I would bring myself to the task for the benefit of the living as well as the dead. I did not want for help. My German, lame as he was, assisted by two natives, did the roughest part of the work. Bro. Lyth assisted me with the sides, and in covering the coffin with calico. Although every stroke of the hammer vibrated upon my bleeding heart, 60 yet I felt a small degree of melancholy satisfaction in thus far securing the decent and Christian-like interment of my child.
89 Dr Lyth says that he died "of a severe attack of dysentery, complicated with water on the brain that terminated fatally in a few days." The child was three days less than one year old. 00 The language used by Williams here, and also in his letter to his brother-in-law William Watson reveal the quality and intensity of his family affections.
June 19th
We followed the remains of our dear child to his long home this morning. Bro. Lyth read the former part of the burial service in the house, and then a hymn was sung in native. After this we proceeded towards the grave. First: The Coffin: (carried by) two Tonguese Teachers dressed in black. Thos. and M. Williams, John Waterhouse and Thomas Whitton Williams. Rev, R. B. and Mrs Lyth. Mast. R. B. Lyth. James Clarke. Fourteen Natives} Two and Two, dressed in Native cloth, stained black. Great decorum was observed by the natives in passing to the grave, and during the remainder of the service. My dear little John W. W. did not appear conscious that he had lost his little brother until the coffin was lowered into the grave, and then, as though just aware of the awful truth, he wailed j gave a shriek j burst into tears and continued weep- ing bitterly some time after we had left the grave} and all our attempts to console him were useless. He complained that "they had put dear little Willy in the ground," and, when told that it was only his body that was put into the earth and that his soul had gone to heaven, he replied: "I want to go to heaven," and some hour or more after he addressed his mother in a mournful tone: "Mother let us go to heaven also." For two events connected with this day I felt thankful. Early in the morning the chief of a settlement next to us paid us a visit accompanied by another old man. The pur- pose of his visit was to assure us that he sympathized with us in our loss and (after the manner of his country) to pre- sent us with a root of yangona as a proof thereof. The old man kissed the hand of my William and said: "It is a heavy thing that has befallen you, Sir. It is bad that such a child should die. It would be good for us old men to diej but let the children live." When we had been only a few minutes seated, after our return from the grave, Adi Viou an older daughter of the young king came with her attendants. She sat on the ground near to Bro. Lyth's chair, and mingled her tears with ours. The sadness of our domestics, and the many tears shed by some of them, showed that they, too, felt a loss.
61 Edwin and an American youth arrived in a small boat from Ovalau. Edwin purposes to take up his abode with Mr Lyth. He has a wife and child. June 24th Brother Lyth left for Vuna in Edwin's boat. On the 20th Ratu Kili, the old man mentioned on the other "Experiences of native sympathy such as this gradually force Williams to revise and alter his early impression that the Fijians are "without natural affection" and to recognize a combination of contrary qualities in their nature : courtesy and affection at the one extreme, diabolical treachery and murderous ambition at the other.
In my footnote to p. 146 I have given an extract from N.O.F. in which Williams draws attention to the way in which Fijians of that time had been misjudged by their visitors. He was thinking also of his own early impressions. It is very important that students of old Fiji should note carefully what Williams has to say about the characteristics of the old Fijians after he had lived among them for 10 years. The assumption that they were "without natural affection" will only lead to bewilderment and confusion. There is abundant evidence to the contrary.
Tuikilakila of Somosomo was a typical Fijian, and both Lyth and Williams tell us that, though he buried his father alive, had women strangled and ate his fellow men, he loved his father, was fond of children, and, speaking generally had a kindly nature. It is quite obvious that old Tuithakau who insisted on having 17 women strangled on the death of his son Rambithi was essentially kind and courteous. 278 THE JOURNAL OF THOMAS WILLIAMS 1844 page, showed his respect for us by bringing cooked food to us, a Fijian custom of showing respect to those who have recently lost any member of their family, and also showing love to the individual deceased. June 30th Since the 26th I have had to lie up in conse- quence of an abscess forming on my left knee. Halstead Printing Company Ltd., Arnold Place, Sydney BV3680 .F6W7AS Henderson Journal of Th. Williams
L. L. UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
Henderson
Journal of -Williams .
Halstead Printing Company Ltd., Arnold Place, Sydney
http://www.archive.org/stream/MN41974ucmf_1/MN41974ucmf_1_djvu.txt
ot a cult, but simply a celebrated event that the much loved 'balolo' has come.
