Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/438

 406 FIJI AND THE FIJIAl^S. me to the principal places, and then to Mbua. This he engaged to do, and also to land me on Ovalau, if not on Viwa, on my way home. I need not say that I had to endure many things which would be called hardships at home ; but it was much more safe going in this schooner, though a miserable craft, than in a canoe. "Thursday, April 6th, 1843. — This morning we left Rewa for Nukulau, an island about six miles from Rewa, which we reached in a short time. We had intended to remain there for the night ; but as the sun was four or five hours high, we thought il would be well to go on as far as we could ; and having a fine breeze, we reached the island of Namuka before sunset. We went ashore, and found a pretty little island without an inhabitant. The natives are often afraid of residing on small islands, as they are so much exposed in time of war. I had a long conversation with some of the ship's com- pany, and I trust succeeded, by the blessing of God, in making some impression on their minds. I believe we shall not have so much swearing again on board as we have had to-day. " 7th. — We had a full view of poor Suva this morning, where we once had a few Christians. Yesterday the town was reduced to ashes, and many of its inhabitants killed and eaten by the Rewa people. We saw several canoes which had gone in search of the miserable remnant. The Christian Chief is still alive. " We reached Ndeumba, a chief town in Na Yiti Levu, about noon. We went ashore immediately, and found a small town a short space up the river ; but, finding no Chiefs there, we proceeded to the place where the Chiefs reside. This is a large well-built town, and has a fine dure. They are at war with an inland tribe, and are making the best prep- arations they can for the security of the place. The third Chief took me round the town, and we had a long conversation about the evils of war and the blessedness of religion. He said it was all good, and it was quite according to his mind to have some one to reside at Ndeumba to teach them all about the lohi. I and the owner of the schooner conversed for some time with an elder brother of this Chief in the evening, and he seemed of the same mind ; but they could say nothing decidedly, as the King was not at home. They agreed, however, to tell him all that I had said on his return ; and when they had all talked together on the subject, they would send me word, as to whether they would have a Teacher at once, or not. " We were detained at Ndeumba until the 12th, so that I had many opportunities of conversing with the Chiefs and people. The Lord gave me great liberty in speaking to them, so that this has been to them a time of visitation. I was glad also to find a young Chief from Nandronga, who seemed very willing to receive instruction. I may observe that, although the dialect of Ndeumba is very different from that of Mbau, or Rewa, yet the Chiefs both of Ndeumba and Nandronga understood the Mbau dialect, so that I was able to converse with them. " We have to use curious proofs and illustrations in talking to such natives about religion. I do not think that the Fijians are at all acute in the art of reasoning; and it is somewhat difiicult to convince them of the truth of anything by arguments. They will never use an argument to prove the truth of their own religion ; they know nothing of abstract reasoning. You cannot convince them that it is impossible there should be two Gods, from considering the Divine nature or government ; the only way in which I could succeed was, by showing them that, if we men had two makers, it would have been im- possible that we should have all been made alike. I said, ' See, that man has two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet, the same as I have ; his nose is above his chin, the same as mine ; we are exactly alike, except in the colour of our skin, and that is only the out- side skin. Now, how is it possible that Ndengei could imitate Jehovah? ' They all said, so, or we could not be so much alike. How is it that your canoes are so different from our ships ; and that you cannot make houses, or knives, or anything else like ours ? Do you not see that the works of men are different ? but all the works of God are the same
 * True, there is but one who made us, and that is Jehovah.' 'Yes,' I replied, 'it must be