Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/328

 298 FIJI AUD THE FIJIAKS. not now sweet to us. "We do not follow our former practices much ; and we have not any confidence in what we do. What you make known is taking the place of our false system, and will soon become prevalent." Before a voyage was commenced, and during war, and in case of sickness, the help of the priest was always sought. In the latter, how- ever, the Missionary often found himself displacing the sacred function- ary, by the use of medicines which, being judiciously administered, were soon found to have more effect than any incantations or idolatrous cer- emonies. The case of the King of Lakemba's daughter has been men- tioned in the former part of this work ; * but the particulars of the whole affair are so interesting, as to warrant their being given here more fully. In 1842, Tangithi, the daughter of the King, was very ill, and seemed likely to die. She wished to be visited by the Missionary, who found her much worse, being speechless, and apparently insensible. The medicine he gave soon produced a favourable change ; but, next day, she refused to continue under Mr. Calvert's treatment, as a priest had ar- rived during the night from a distance ; and, through him, the god had declared that the illness of the Princess was in consequence of the ruin- ous state of the temples. The King, being very fond of his daughter, was anxious to appease the anger of the gods, and ordered large offer- ings of food to be prepared by all the towns on the island. Toki, and the other enemies of the lotu, tried very hard to get this order imposed on the Christians as well as the rest ; but the King refused, saying that what the Christians did in the matter would be useless, as they wor- shipped another God. On being pressed, he added, " They shall not be asked to help. And if they were, do you think they would do any- thing in this matter, seeing that such work is unlawful to them 1 " On this occasion, as on all others, care was taken by the Missionaries that, while the Christians stood firmly to their principles, it should be done with as little offence as possible ; so that they brought unbidden a sup- ply of uncooked food, as a present to the King, who seemed pleased and satisfied. All the Heathens on the island joined in preparing the offer- ing for Tangithi's recovery. Many thousands of taro-roots were baked and presented, with nineteen large puddings, made of the same material, ground on the rough bark of the pandanus, and then baked in leaves in portions about the size of a penny roll, to be afterwards all mixed to- gether with cocoa-nut and boiled sugar-cane juice ; the whole mass being
 * VoL i., p. 145.