Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/522

 4:86 FIJI AND THE FIJIAKS. his work when the late troubles were at the worst ; and in the midst ol danger and treachery and bloodshed, such as even Fiji had never wit- nessed before, he had become schooled and disciplined for its efficient discharge. Towards the close of 1856, Mr. Wilson removed to Mbau, exchanging with Mr. Malvern, whose failing health made it desirable that he should be near to some other Missionary. During this year the old chief priest of Mbau died, after having done all in his power to hinder the progress of that religion which had de- prived him of his ill-gotten gains. The surrounding tribes continued unsettled, and actual war was threatened, but averted by the prompt interference of the Missionary. This year was also remarkable as the date of the first assertion in Fiji of God's original, retributive law, " Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed." The following account is from the pen of Mr. Waterhuose : — " There had been two cases of murder. A woman had quarrelled with her husband, and consequently had run away to a certain town. The friends of the husband took a whale's tooth to those who gave shel- ter to the woman, and requested them to send her home. The towns- people then assembled and deliberated on the case, and decided that they would not send her home, but kill her for their Sifnday^s meat! Whereon they put her to death, cooked her body, and ate it the follow- ing day, which was the Sabbath. " The other murderer was a Chief of Mbatiki. He loaded his gun, and took a walk with several attendants, all armed. He then placed an ambuscade, and as the other Chief, his rival, was returning to the town, he shot him, and the man died on the spot. He then went home, apparently unconscious that he had done wrong. A canoe was sent to the islands, and the murderers were placed in custody. They were tried at ^fbau, found guilty, and sentenced to death. Still it was evidently premature to punish them for a crime not yet rendered illegal by the law of the land. They were reprieved, and a heavy fine inflicted. It was then announced that murder was henceforth tabic, and that its agents would be punished with death. " A few weeks afterwards a most horrible murder was perpetrated by a Mbau Chief, who was lidng at a town about eight miles distant. He sharpened a large butcher's knife, and went into the bush in quest of his wife, who was collecting the leaves generally used for culinary purposes. He found her in company with another woman, and told her he had come to kill her. The two women ran away ; but the wife unfortunately stumbled, and her pursuer secured her person. Without detailing the disgusting acts of his savage cruelty, it is sufficiently ex