Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/315

 LAKEMBA. 285 Many were also waiting for this permission, and forthwith the head Chief, the priests, and remaining Heathen of Oneata professed Chris- tianity, and helped to finish the chapel, which was now just the right size for the whole of the inhabitants to assemble in. The head Chief had several wives, one of whom was of high rank, being the daughter of a former Lakemban King, and given in acknowl- edgment of service rendered to her father by the late Chief of Oneata. The present Chief took her when his predecessor died, and now nobly gave her up, thereby losing the prestige and profit of such an alliance, while he became lawfully married to the wife of his youth, by whom he had children. The lady of rank returned to her friends. In April, 1849, the new chapel was opened and filled with earnest worshippers. These Oneata people are singularly independent in char- acter, and have thus escaped the servitude which oppresses so many of the small islands. They are very industrious and enterprising. Be- sides planting abundance of food, and manufacturing articles for tribute, they have excelled their neighbours in commerce, engaging and sup- porting canoe carpenters, and thus enlarging their means of communi- cation with other parts of the group, whence they obtained various commodities, such as crockery and mats, which were not made among themselves. Somehow they boldly kept their canoes from the grasp of superior Chiefs, and thus their intercourse with other islands has been considerable. On becoming Christians, they spread diligently the knowledge of the Gospel wherever they voyaged, so that in many places they were made useful. At Vanuambalavu especially, good was thus done. This is a large and populous island, seventy miles north by west from Lakemba, half way to Somosomo, to which it is tributary. The people of this island and the Oneatans were related, and had the same gods ; and, therefore, according to Fijian custom, enjoyed the privilege of swearing at each other and pilfering each other's goods with impunity. Their inter- course was frequent, chiefly for the purpose of trade, when the Oneata people brought canoes and mats, receiving in return cloth and sinnet. Dancing and singing always accompanied these visits ; but now the new converts were zealous in talking about religion, and urging its claims upon the people of Vanuambalavu, who were offended at this departure from their common gods. Nevertheless, good was done, and the first man who yielded to the exhortations of good Josiah and his people, was a Chief of high rank and renown belonging to the town of Lomaloma. Believing in the falsehood of Heathenism, and in the truth and value of the Christian religon, he boldly avowed his attachment to Christian