Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/353

LAKEMBA. 323 On this occasion he and I were in our chapel alone, with the exception of two or three hoys belonging to our Mission school. He had pushed by me at the door where I was standing, and, with his club in his hand, in an insolent manner walked into the chapel. On this part of his conduct I made no remark ; only, as my custom is when meeting with those who are deluded by the Priests, I spoke a few words to him about his religion, to which he made no reply. He went up with his club into the pulpit in a spirit of bravado. I requested him to come out ; and, on his refusing, put him out in a quiet way. He became very angry with me for talking to him about Popery, and for putting him out of the pulpit ; and said he would kill me. Eaising his club, he struck the pulpit, and then aimed at me, brandishing his club violently over my head, until he so worked himself into a passion, that the next must have been a blow on my head, for which he was preparing to take a deliberate aim ; but, on raising my hand to defend my head, he altered his intended aim and struck my hand with great force, so as to turn it instantly black. This done, he was alarmed, and took off. I am quite satisfied that a kind Providence alone prevented me from being either killed or seriously injured on the spot. Before he became a Papist, he would not have dared to think of such a thing ; but his association with a foreigner who lives with the French Priests had made him capable of doing that which might have (and nearly did) cost him his life immediately after. There was great general indignation excited against him, which we endeavoured to repress ; and at the same time strong expressions of kindness were shown to me by the Chiefs and people, both Tongan and Fijian. The King made a propitiatory offering for him to me, in connexion with begging pardon for the injury ; and so the affair ended. The French Priests the while sheltered the youth, and forbid him coming in person to beg pardon, — it not becoming Frenchmen to beg pardon of Englishmen ! I have only to add, that the blow aimed at me has greatly wounded their cause." In a letter dated September 15th, 1851, Mr. Lyth gives much encouraging news about his large Circuit, but also tells of a circum- stance of grave importance, which had given the Missionaries trouble. A vessel was wrecked on the island of Vatoa, and the Christians there, instead of killing the crew, as they had done formerly on similar occasions, treated them with great kindness, as far as housing and feeding them went ; yet were unable to resist the temptation of appropriating some of their clothes and property. On being written to, the Vatoans expressed great shame at their dishonesty, but did not give up the stolen articles. Such a state of things could not be allowed