Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/248

 218 FIJI A2!(T> THE FIJIAXS. Deafening shouts along the shore announced the approach of the vessel, and drew together a great crowd of wild-looking Tongans and Fijians, armed and blackened according to their custom, to receive the strangers. At the very outset, the Missionaries had a great advantage in being able at once to converse with the people without an interpreter ; for many of the Fijians at Lakemba, through very long intercourse >vith the Tongans, could speak their language. The King talks it as readily as his own tongue. Thus the visitors passed through crowds of Ton- gans, hailmg Ihem with the friendly greetings of their own land ; and, leaving behind them the Tongan houses, — stretching for nearly half a mile among the cocoa-nut trees on the shore, — they came at once to the King's town, which lies about four hundred yards inland. In one of his large houses, they were introduced to the King and some of his Chiefs. Tui Nayau readily promised them land for the Mission premises, and desired that their families and goods should be landed forthwith, prom- ising that temporary houses should be erected as soon as possible. In the mean time, one of his own large houses was offered to the strangers, who, however, feared to reside within the town, considering it unhealthy from its crowded state, and the embankment and moat by which it is surrounded. The interview was very favourable ; and a suitable place having been chosen for the new dwellings, between the town and the Tongan settlement, the Missionaries returned to the schooner to give in their report to their "vvives and the Captain. The " Blackbird " then cast anchor, and the families, who had suffered very severely from sea- sickness, were only too eager to get ashore. A large canoe-house on the beach, open at the sides and end, was given them as their dwelling until proper houses could be built. Under this great shed the two families passed the night, but not in sleep. The curtains had been lefl on board with their other goods, and they speak of the mosquitoes that night as being " innumerable and unusually large." Great numbers of pigs, too, seemed greatly disquieted, and kept up a loud grunting all round until morning. Here, then, beneath a canoe-shed, the missionary band spent their first night in Fiji, the wives and children worn out with their voyage, stung by numberless mosquitoes, and the crying of the little ones answered by the grunts of pigs rumiing about in all di- rections. Glad enough were they, the next morning, to accept the Captain's invitation, and go back to the vessel until their houses were ready. House-building is sharp work in Fiji. On the 14th, a large com- pany of natives, having prepared posts, spars, reeds, etc., assembled at the chosen site, and commenced operations. On the 17th all the fur-