Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/361

EEWA. 331 US as men ; as Missionaries, we thought nothing of the privations or trials we might have to endure. We expect to sow in tears, as con- fidently as we hope to reap in joy ; and, therefore, trials and privations are words seldom used by us, and things that are thought much more of by our dear friends at home than by ourselves. The King of Rewa was very kind to us to the last. He went with us to the ship, and was evidently affected at parting ; and, to show his desire for our happiness, he sent a messenger with a present to the King of Somosomo, request- ing him to receive us and treat us with kindness. He was anxious to keep Mr. Lyth for a time to attend to his brother, who is very ill. We were afraid that we should have some trouble with him on this subject ; but when we told him that our reason for not complying with his re- quest was our fear of offending God, he submitted, seeing the danger of our acting contrary to what we believed to be the will of God." The number of members belonging to this Circuit when Mr. Cargill arrived was twenty-four, and nine on trial, besides a hundred and twelve nominal Christians, about half of whom belonged to Viwa, a small island to the north. When the violent opposition of the Heathen was remembered, this hold of Christianity, even upon so few, was consid- ered to be no small success. While cheered with this, the newly ar- rived Missionaries soon had to endure hardship and trouble from the natives. Several cases were opened, and some of the contents stolen, in the passage of the goods on board canoes from the vessel to the shore. Other cases were injured in the attempt to open them. On one of these trips, when a Missionary was present, two Chiefs went ashore from the canoe before reaching the proper landing-place, and proceeded into the bush, ordering that a case on which the Missionary stood should be brought to them. The case was very heavy, and they supposed it to contain hatchets ; but, not being able to move it easily, it was broken open, and, to the disappointment of the thieves, it was found to contain portions of the printing apparatus. Another case, larger and lighter, was then removed and taken to the two Chiefs, after which the canoe proceeded. On being told of this bold robbery, the King was very angry, and caused the case to be returned the same evening, with its contents, minus three reams of printing paper. The King, though thus well disposed to the lotu, was still a Hea- then, and his Chiefs and priests were bitter in their hatred of Christian- ity ; Ratu Nggara-ni-nggio, (" cave of a shark,") the King's brother, heading the opposition with resolute determination No place of wor- ship had, as yet, been built, and at the open air services the preacher and congregation were sometimes pelted with stones ; and a man who 22