Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/386

 356 FIJI a:nd the fijians. home, had left an old house containing a few articles in the charge of the French Priest. This site the King gave to Mr. Moore, replying to the Priest's objections, that the place did not belong to the Consul ; and, should he ever return, another should be given him. The bound- aries of the Mission premises were marked out by the King, and stakes put do^vn. In the night the stakes were moved, which being told to the Kmg, he went and took them up, plantmg them outside the former boundary, and said : " If there be any more trouble about this, I shall burn that house " (pointing to one near, in which a friend of the French Priest resided) " down, and all the land beyond it shall belong to Mr. Moore. The Priest is unkind to me. He was ill-treated at Mbau and Viwa, and sent away, and has been kindly treated and received by me ; and now, in repayment, is turning upon me who took him in when all refused to have him." Koroi Euvulo, one of the Mbau Chiefs, and the husband of Lydia Vatea,* a man to whom Ratu Nggara owed much assistance, urged him strongly to become Christian, and then carry on the war. This the King refused, sayingj " If we all lotu, we must give up fighting ; as it will not do to pray to the same God, and fight with each other." In September a skirmish took place, in which several Rewans were killed, and their bodies taken to Mbau. Tlie Chief, Thakombau, had already become so far influenced by Christianity as to forbid the eatiug of human flesh, and therefore sent these bodies to be left opposite a town belonging to Rewa, that they might be fetched in and buried by their friends. Mr. Moore was in Mbau at the time, and, on his return to Rewa immediately after, told the circumstance to the people there. He was contradicted, especially by Ra Ngata, the Nakelo Chief, who said, " At Mbau live the eaters of human bodies ; and none were ever taken there and returned." When the INIissionary's report was found to be true, the people were bewildered with astonishment. But no change had taken place in the purpose of Ratu Nggara, who was bent on full revenge. He was very confident of success ; and sent messages to the Missionary at Mbau to remove from the island, as the time was at hand when the town would be burnt, Thakombau eaten, and many killed ; and he was not sure that he could restrain hordes of warriors, flushed with success, from ransacking the Mission Premises, and endan- gering the lives of the inmates. Tliis messenger was properly dis- regarded by the servant of the Lord, who was resolved to stay at his post, where he saw very cheering success in the midst of great danger and trial.
 * Va7i-ia-ah, the Feejeean Princess. By tlio Eev. Joseph Waterhouse. London : Mason.