Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/574

 536 FIJI Aim THE FIJIANS. body of their little girl for burial, and the father read the service ovei her grave. The eldest daughter was very ill and weak, and seemed unlikely to live. Then Mrs. Hazlewood had a violent attack of dysen- tery, from which she had not recovered when, on the 21st, her fourth child was born. Poor Mr. Hazlewood had to be doctor and nurse, and was nearly worn out with watching, and anxiety, and sorrow, in addi- tion to the continual claims of the Mission. Then did he feel, in all its bitterness, what no Missionary to such a people ought to be called upon to suffer, — the dreadful loneliness of a solitary Station. Mr. Williams came over from Mbua, to render all the help he could. He came in time to save his smitten brother from committing his wife's body to the grave ; for in three days after the child was born, the mother passed away, to be with Jesus. Tlie three motherless little ones were, for the present, taken care of by the different Missionaries, and afterwards sent to New Zealand. But Mr. Hazlewood would not leave his post. With rare devotedness, he remained where he had suffered so much, and gave himself up with greater energy than ever to the work of translation, and to the prepa- ration of his Grammar and Dictionary. This good and faithful man was much comforted by the companionship of Mr. Martin, who had gone over to reside with him for a time. In March, 1850, Mr. Moore joined ^Ir. Hazlewood at Nandi. Soon after this, the Missionaries were left without vegetables, where- upon the Christian women came, each bringing a yam ; and the men speedily followed their example. The young Chief, Ea Benjamin, who was of high rank, exerted all his influence on behalf of the truth, zeal- ously helping forward every good work. A large and strong chapel was built in a central position. Great numbers congregated at its open- ing. Some came with presents from distant parts, among whom was the zealous Hezekiah of Mbua, who addressed, with great power, the people who assembled. In the following September, Mr. Hazlewood, who had toiled with great success, and devoted himself to his work with such singular zeal and self-sacrifice, went on a visit to the Colonies ; and thus were Mr. and Mrs. Moore, with about eight months' acquaintance with Fiji, left alone at Nandi. As may be readily believed, they suffered much. The Missionary, with but an imperfect knowledge of the language, went cheerfully about his work, meeting everywhere with proofs of the abiding hatred of the Heathen for the new religion which was taking such firm root among them. They threatened to destroy the Christians, and strangling and cannibalism were fearfully common.