Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/430

 398 FIJI AND THE FIJIANS. death-drums sounded day and night in honour of the victory. When the villages of Natavutololo, and Naivuruvuru were sacked, some of the inhabitants escaped. The former place had been tributary to the King of the Fishermen, to whom the refugees sent a messenger one night, with a peace-offering. He consented to spare them, on condition that they should burn the town of Verata, and then flee to his canoes, which should carry them safely away. This plot would have been carried out ; but Thakombau heard of it, and, not liking that the King of the Fishermen should have the credit of the exploit, sent a warning to the people of Verata, and thus averted their doom for the present. With sounds of war on every side, the Missionary worked on, and established schools. As usual, most of the converts learned to read. The Viwans are naturally clever, and the younger people made rapid progress, considering that the only printed books were in the Lakem- ba and Rewa dialects ; yet the difference between the latter and their own is not considerable. Mr. Cross soon mastered the peculiarities of the dialect spoken at Viwa and Mbau, and forwarded manuscript to the printer, using in the mean time his own written translation for the more advanced pupils, whereby an advantage was gained in many of them becoming familiar with the written character, and then learning to write themselves. Beyond the circle of the Missionary's immediate influence his work went spreading to the homes of the people who visited Viwa, and to the places where the converts called on their many voyages ; so that soon there were urgent claims sent in from many parts for the presence of Teachers. Verani gave permission to his chief wife to lotu ; but though she wished it, she refused to take the step until her husband should also have decided. A great change was thus being wrought. But there were many in Viwa who, like Verani, were as reckless and as heathen as ever, how- ever much they might have been impressed by the truth. The continued outrages perpetrated by these, as well as the remembrance of their own former misdeeds, often made the journeys of the Viwa Christians perilous among people who had been wronged. Among many remark- able instances of their preservation was one in January, 1840, when a small party of Christians, in sailing close to the reef off the shore of Viti Levu, had the outrigger of their canoe broken loose. The people on shore, seeing the wreck, hurried together to carry out the old custom of appropriating the canoe and cargo, and killing the crew for the ovens. On nearing her, their dark purpose was confirmed by find- ing that the unfortunates were from Viwa, whence their people had lately suffered great outrages, several of their friends having been