Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/470

 438 FIJI AJsD THE FIJIAXS. ■wives, and muttered something about his friendliness to the lotu. Even in cannibal Mbau, all did not consent to the deed of darkness. Thakom- bau's chief "wife and Ngavindi's wife had already secured the life and liberty of two of the 'ictims ; and when Mrs. Calvert and Mrs. Lyth left, there were others who blessed them for their work of love. What the doing of it cost those intrepid hearts, none may know : but their deed stands in this record above all praise. " They have their reward.' In August, 1849, the Missionaries greatly enjoyed the visit of H.M.S. "Havamiah," under the command of Captain Erskine. In visit- ing the Windward Islands first, the officers had been struck by the benefi- cial results of Christianity, and the generally well-to-do appearance of the people; so that, when they reached the other side of the group, their faith was more than shaken in the horrible accounts they had heard of the customs of the natives, and a delicate hint was given to the !Mis- sionaries about exaggerated statements. Captain Erskine writes : " We had just sat down to tea at Mr. Lyth's, when Nga^indi, the Chief of the Lasakau, or Fishermen, and the one next in importance to Thakom- bau, walked in, having crossed from Mbau, to inquire if the Missionaries had received any news from Ovalau, accounts having reached the capital of the arrival of a ship at Levuka, with a crew of a thousand men. The Chief was apparently under thirty years of age, of very fine figure and proportions, and altogether of prepossessing appearance. His face was painted red ; and the Chiefs white gauze turban covered his large head of hair. He wore no covering but the ordinarv wrapper, but had a boar's tusk, nearly circular, suspended from his neck ; and he carried a large flat-headed club, well battered, as if by service, about the blade, which was daubed with red ochre. He took his place with perfect ease at the table, being kindly received by Mr. and Mrs. Lyth, who presented him to us. His manners were modest and gentle ; and he left us even more pleased with him than we had been with Tui Levuka." Here was a good opportunity of showing how the general appearance of the people belied their true character. This Chief was all that Captain Erskine described, and the Missionaries had received many valuable favours from him. But the Captain was greatly astonished when he heard of the part which this man of " modest and gentle " manners took in the horrible tragedy, a few weeks before, when the Mbutoni people were at Mbau. The next day the Missionaries took their visitors to Mbau, to the large temple, and showed them the stone, all bloody with recent use, where the heads of multitudes of victims had been dashed, when pre- sented to the god. Captain Erskine's account of the visit is interesting.