Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/257

 BEGINNINGS — LAKEMBA AND EEWA. 227 other wrecks among the difficult navigation of Fiji made owners of ves sels backward to charter for those islands, while Captains could rarely be found willing to undertake the perils of the voyage. In former times all shipwrecked seamen had been killed and eaten at Fiji, but now, so far had Christianity done its work, that the crew of the " Active " were unmolested, and, in a few days, returned to Lakemba. Tlie Captain, mate, and supercargo became guests at the Mission- houses, while the King promised to support the men. In this way the domestic supplies were more rapidly exhausted. But the sailors repaid their entertainers by working to improve the houses and premises. Stools, bedsteads, and other useful pieces of furniture were made from wreckage picked up by the natives ; and Mr. Cargill at last reached such a high degree of luxury as to have part of the floor of his bedroom boarded, whereby much more comfort was secured than by mats. Four of the wrecked men soon became very impatient to get to some of the leeward islands, where they would be more likely to meet ^vith a vessel. In less than a month, in spite of many warnings, they left Lakemba in a small boat. The next day some fierce natives, who happened to be on an uninhabited island, spied the boat, and gave chase in their canoe. All four men were miserably butchered, and eaten. In general, however, the Fijians object to the flesh of whites, saying that it tastes salt. The Captain, having an unexpected opportunity, pro- ceeded to Sydney, where he reported the loss of his vessel, and the fate of the murdered men. Captain Crozier, of H.M.S. " Victor," was sent to make inquiry into the case, and reached Lakemba on December 1st, 1836. Having called at Vavau, he kindly took on letters, books, and a most seasonable supply of articles of trade for the Missionaries in Fiji. Inquiry was made into the late outrage, and, through the inter- cession of the Missionaries, the affair was quietly settled. The little stock of flour at the Mission Station became exhausted, and the two families were left without bread, having to subsist as well as they could on " yams and salt, with cakes made of arrow-root and yam." In March of the following year, the colonial brig " Minerva " had been chartered to take the Mission supplies to the Friendly Islands District, of which Fiji then formed a part. The Captain, however, fearing the navigation and the people of Fiji, refused to go further than the Friendly Islands ; and presently a Tongan canoe reached Lakem- ba, bearing letters and the provoking information that the stores were lying to spoil within four hundred miles. The whole of the members of the Mission suffered great injury by this long privation ; while the refusal of the Captain to visit Fiji had a most evil effect upon the minds