Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/330

 300 FIJI AlO) THE FIJIAlfS. apology soon came, and an entreaty for forgiveness for words hastily spoken ; but the medicine was not sent until another urgent request was brought. For four weeks the priests tried all the effects of their incantations and sacrifices, but the sick girl got no better ; so that, at last, the fa- ther's heart relented, and he gave his consent that she should renounce Heathenism, and be removed, with her attendants, to the Mission-house. This was accordingly done, and the Missionary's wife will not soon for- get the toil and inconvenience and annoyance of having so many Fijian women in her house. The care, however, was cheerfully borne, and in a short time the patient improved. Now that she had lost all trust in the heathen remedies, she was perfectly submissive to the directions of the Missionary, and soon recovered. And God gi'eatly blessed her soul as well as her body ; so that she became an enlightened and earnest worshipper of Him, much to the dismay of the priests, and the rousing of the whole island. On the day of her removal to the Mission-house, the rebuilding of a temple was to have been commenced, and an im- mense ball of sinnet was to be unwound for the lashings ; but the unexpected turn of events prevented the work. Several became Christians in the King's town, and all the people, from the King down- wards, knew that Tangithi's recovery was of God, after their own priests had failed. Tangithi soon became a consistent and valuable member of the Church ; but one very awkward fact sadly perplexed both her father and the Christians. She had long been betrothed to Tanoa, the old King of Mbau. Her father still remained heathen, and could have no excuse for treating Tanoa as the Ono people had served himself, by refusing to send the girl ; so that, much against her own wish, she was sent to Mbau, where, without any to foster her piety, it declined, although she never abandoned her profession of Christianity. Under the stress of persecution and mockery, she continued to pray, until she was sub- jected to such infamous treatment that her life was endangered, and she once more returned to her father's island, where her old friends warmly welcomed her. Under their care, after much anxious watching and prayer, she slowly recovered, and once more her heart was fully conse- crated to God, and her whole conduct was marked by a peculiarly devout and earnest piety. Immediately on her perfect recovery, she was peremptorily ordered back to Mbau, where she had once more to endure shameful outrage ; so that when Tanoa died, she would gladly have been one of the victims strangled at his obsequies, rather than continue subject to the abominable usage she had to suffer. But she