Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/395

 jp EE^A. 365 gratifying, — the change is immenselr great. TVe were in the vicinity of the oven used for cooking the Mbauans. Instead of hating, fighting, and devouring each other, as they have been for the last ten years, they are now worshipping the true and living and life- giving God together. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. I and Mr. Moore called at the large house occupied by King George, to see the Queen, but could not see either of them. Class-meetings were being held in various parts of the house ; and one company I observed outside, assembled on a small hill for the same purpose. " On the Monday very large quantities of cooked food were brought from the towns subject to Rewa. From one district the row of cooked taro was thirty-three yards long, and two feet square. It was held in by a lining of sail-mats, which were supported by posts, entirely covered with small sinnet. King George gave to Mr. Moore and me, as our portion, a live turtle, the best cooked pig, a large basket of taro, and one of yams. At King George's request. Chiefs who had been connected with the war now ended, were assembled from every part ; both those who had joined with Rewa, and those who had supported Mbau : to whom the decree of peace was delivered for them sacredly to keep. The punishment of any transgression was thus announced : ' Any town offending by taking any steps towards war will be considered the enemy of all, and will be liable to chastisement by the combined powers of Mbau and Rewa.' " King George had stated to me at Mbau his intention of making inquiry about the destruction of the Mission premises at Rewa. In the evening, he met the Rewa Chiefs on the subject. They wished to ward off" inquiry, but proinised to collect what they could of property which had been taken away on the night of the fire, and retained. The case is to be inquired into on the return of the fleet from Kandavu, when it is also ar- ranged that persons from all the towns round about are to assemble on the Sabbath, and some from each place are publicly to renounce Heathenism. But it appears the people are not disposed to wait ; for two hundred and fifty have already followed their Chiefs and become Christian in the Nakelo district, and Chiefs of other towns have already begun to worship God. The fact is, the people generally are tired of war, and of pre- senting offerings to that which has obviously been of no manner of use, but a burden and cause of evil to them ; and they are desirous of adopting the religion of which they have long heard, talked, and thought, and which they believe to be true and useful. " On the 15th the fleet sailed early for Kandavu, and I returned home, regretting that I could not accompany them without neglecting the printing, and risking being absent on the arrival of the ' Wesley.' In my way, I called again at Mburetu, and there saw_ the most splendid temple that I have met with. It was finished three days before Kamba was taken. The gods of Mburetu are much trusted in : credence is generally given to the oracle there. They are reputed as having always screened Mburetu from every attack. A Chief of the place said to me, ' The lotu is true ; or Kamba would not have been taken.' At Xakelo, also, I found a new temple. There, too, I met with a Chief from another town who said that all their gods and priests were liars ; for they had all promised that Kamba should be secure, and the Tongans killed. The people say, ' We thought and felt that Kamba would be destroyed, and that we should be killed ; but the gods and priests pledged our safety and victory.' Having heard all that the Heathen priests had promised, Mara went to our Teacher at Kamba, and asked him what party would prevail. The Teacher shrewdly replied, * The party that is right with God.' whereas, the Tongans are wrong by fighting in Fiji ; ' and he went and encouraged the people, by stating that the Teacher had said they would be successful. It is evident that the most important results depended upon the success or failure of the Tongans at Kamba " The great diflSculty now is want of native help. The demand is so great and sud- den, that we are completely in a fix. When Mbau became Christian, we wrote to the
 * Ay,' said Mara, * that is our party, for we have not done anything against Christianity ;