Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/285

 ONO. 255 times during the week, in translating a portion of the Scriptures, and in other missionary engagements ; yet he felt great pleasure in spending a portion of his time in writing elementary books, to supply, in some measure, the great demand, and instruct the natives in the doctrines of the Bible. He wrote many copies of the First Part of the Conference Catechism, and forwarded them to Ono by a native canoe." Mrs. Car- gill helped her husband in this labour of love. " Some of the converts at Ono were so desirous of receiving in- struction from the lips of a Missionary, that they undertook a voyage to Lakemba for that purpose. The canoe in which they sailed was manned principally by Heathens from Lakemba ; and whilst they were performing the voyage, a bird called lawedua, (" one feather," which is in its tail ; the common tropic bird,) and considered sacred by the Fijians, in consequence of its being supposed to be the vehicle by which a cer- tain Fijian deity is conveyed from one place to another, lighted upon a part of the canoe, and was caught by a heathen native. All the Hea- thens in the canoe sat down, in order to salute and reverence the sacred personage, whom they believed to be represented by their visitor. One of the Ono Christians, named Ndrala, a young man of genuine simplic- ity and much fervour, affected by the humiliating superstition of his countrymen, and influenced by a desire to enlighten their minds, assured them that the bird was neither divine itself, nor the representative of a divinity ; and requested them to let him make an experiment with the imaginary god. They refused to allow him to handle the bird. Ndrala, however, was intent on his purpose, and, watching a favourable opportu- nity, seized the object of the adoration and homage of his fellow voy- agers. He then told them that it was his intention to kill and eat the bird ; at the same time assuring them that if it really were a deity, it would save itself by flight ; but that if it were merely a bird, he should be able to execute his intention. The Heathens beheld him in silence, and in considerable apprehension respecting their safety for allowing such sacrilegious language and conduct. The young man killed the ob- ject of their worship, and, having made a repast upon it, appealed to the spectators respecting the divinity of the bird. He then assured them that it was merely a creature, and not a god ; and that its death was a sufiicient proof of the accuracy of his statement." This same man turned out well. He was baptized on his arrival, taking the name of Lazarus. While at Lakemba, he was a great com- fort to the Mission families, giving them every possible help, and even washing clothes for them. A man of such influence and good will was of great value at the beginning of the Mission. His religion was