Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/536

 498 FIJI Am) THE FIJIAl^S. my mind fixed on God. If I conversed on the aflfairs of the village, I might hear what would pain my mind, and divert my thoughts from God,' A few days before he died, he expressed himself to the following effect : — * I am weak, and I am old ; my time is come, but I am not afraid to die : through Jesus I feel courageous for death. Jesus is my Chief, and I wish to obey Him : if he says I am yet to lie here, I will praise Him ; and if he says I am to go above to Him, I will praise Him. I do not wish to eat ; His word is my food ; I think on it, and lean entirely on Jesus.' " Continued residence at Tiliva proved to Mr. "Williams that he was living among a people more depraved and more reckless of human life even than the Somosomans. Infanticide was dreadfully common, inso- much that it was difficult to persuade the people that it was, in any respect, wrong. The dangers which surrounded the Christians on ac- count of their religion, came near the Missionary, so that his position was one of constant anxiety and peril. Mbati Namu, the Chief, declared his purpose to kill Mr. Williams, and take Mrs. Williams as his own property, and, having destroyed the Mission premises, to distribute the spoils among his people. On November 30th, 1848, Mr. Williams writes : — " It is with great pleasure, and great gratitude, that I report the existence and well-being of myself and family, at the close of two months of unusual anxiety. ' I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and lo ! he was not : yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.' Mbati Namu, the Chief of this district, whose preparations for an attack on ]Iathuata had long kept this part in an excited state, is no more. Last month he assembled his fighting men ; and, after detaining several hundreds of them for four days in the vicinity of the towns of the Christians, with orders to eat and destroy the fruit of their gardens, and, if they chose, to eat some of the Christians, he led them forth to the scene of action. He set out in high spirits, and with great expectations. He assured himself of success, which was to be followed by deeds which were designed to make his name a terror. In imagination, he saw the Mission Station in flames ; his allies paid with the spoils of its store ; and its causeless hatred to the Christian religion luxuriating in the blood of its professors. But, in his heathenish rage, he imagined vain things : the Lord had him in derision. " On the third day from leaving this place, he fell into the snare of a professed friend, a Chief whom he had insulted ; and, in a village en- gaged in his service, met with unexpected death. He was first wounded by a musket-ball ; and then, whilst praying for life, was dispatched by the battle-axe of the insulted Chief. The bodies of Mbati Namu, and others who fell with him, were taken to Mathuata, and eaten. His large