Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/280

 250 FIJI AND THE FIJIANS. acknowledged, and for which the native Churches everywhere had cause for gratitude to God, was the discipline of suffering and patience which their residence at this place of horror brought upon them. Men and women who had so triumphed in the strength of grace as to keep up a good courage, and endure untold hardships and miserable disappoint- ment, " as seeing Him who is invisible," were found nerved with a wonderful power when they came to carry on the same work under other circumstances. Of those who yet survive, more personal mention may scarcely be made ; but the reflection can hardly be omitted here, that the exalted piety and unconquerable zeal of John Hunt were greatly matured and refined in that Somosomo furnace ; and here, too, David Hazlewood became baptized with a large measure of the same spirit which also enabled him to persevere even to the death, while he gathered those stores of philological information which enabled him afterwards to bless the Mission with his excellent Fijian Grammar and Dictionary. After the giving up of this Mission, two French priests made an attempt to establish Popery on the island, and settled on the spot where the Mission premises had formerly been. The natives soon found that these new teachers were very different from those who had just left them. They were irritable and easily annoyed, and most indefatigably, therefore, the people teased them in every possible way, despising them and their instructions. This was also caused largely by the bad policy of the priests in beginning at once to abuse the late Missionaries. Now the natives of Somosomo, though they were sadly regardless of the good things which these Missionaries told them, yet admired them very much, and had many opportunities of enjoying their kindness ; and now, ever since they left, had felt very sore that they had lost such valuable friends. So when the " padre " began to abuse the former teachers, and exhort these Heathens to become KatoliJca, they were greatly put out, and deemed the request a preposterous and inexcusable piece of impertinence. Hence it was, that after enduring for a while, the " fathers " were glad to get away. The subsequent history of Tuikilakila may here be recorded. In 1853, after he had succeeded his father in the government, and therefore assumed the royal name of Tuithakau, he planned a visit to the superior King of Mbau, who w^as then in some difficulties. For this purpose the " Packet," belonging to William Owen, Esq., of Adelaide, was engaged, and loaded with a vast amount of Fijian property for tribute. About a hundred of his people formed the retinue of the Chief. In considera- tion of property received, and in payment of passage and freight, the small island of Kioa, in the straits of Somosomo, was ceded to Mr.