Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/582

 54A FIJI AKD THE FIJIAl^S. time, in order to watch the progress of events, he resided with Mr. Wilson at Mbua, whence he visited Nandi. In October, he took up his residence at his Station; and, finding the premises out of repair he overtaxed himself with manual labour, and was not careful to attend to the changing of linen and other precautions necessary in such a climate. He was attacked with dysentery, and removed to Ovalau with his wife on the 22nd of December. After an apparent change for the better, he became worse as the wet weather set in ; and on January the 20th, 1858, he died, triumphing in the faith and hope of the Gospel. Thus, very soon after their departure, his widow returned in lonely sorrow to Aus- tralia ; and Fiji was deprived of one from whom much valuable service was expected, before he had preached one sermon in the native language. The last news from Nandi is sad and disastrous; and, for the present, the chronicles of this Station close in gloom, though not in total darkness. During the last few years, the heathen party has gone out again and again, to destroy the Christian settlement. Once they came, daring Mr. Crawford's short stay, but without success. Several Teachers and many of the Christians had been killed by them, when they resolved to effect the utter destruction of the towns which had so long been preserved from their rage. Early in April, they were joined by Tui Levuka, and the restless Mara, who anchored off the Mission premises. Tui Levuka, on stating that he had come at the request of the other Missionaries to protect the Mission property and the lives of the people, was admitted into the town; whereupon the Heathens soon rushed in and laid the place in ashes. They asked Tui Levuka to order a general massacre, but he refused. The lives of the Christians were spared ; but they were subjected to all manner of indignity and hardship, and, being shared out among their captors, were led away in bondage to various towns on the coast. The ^fission- house was broken into, and the English flag over it was pulled down. The amount of property stolen could not be ascertained, as no ]Iis- sionary was there at the time. The hope remains that the f dthful and persecuted ones, being thus scattered abroad, will be able to kindle a spreading light of truth among the darkened savages by whom they have been carried away.