Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/390

360 FIJI AXD THE njIAXS. of the white colonists, resolved that, should King George send one or two of his canoes to Ovalau, they should be received with all respect and hospitality, as it would be evident that no hostility was meant When the canoe of Tongans neared the town of Totongo, where the priests resided, they took in sail and sculled to the shore, where a great num- ber of natives with some whites and half-castes, were collected. As they were about to anchor, and before they attempted to land, a Levuka man, by order of the Qiief of the Mountaineers, fired on the Tongans. Two half-castes, and a Ngau man, who lived with the King, also fired. Just then came Tui Levuka in great haste, having heard of the approach of the canoe, and, calling, on his way, on Mr. Burner and the Tongan Teacher, Paula Vea, urged them to pull off to the canoe and prevent its cominof nearer. The Kino; rushed into the water and drove the natives away, or more mischief would have been done. As it was, the o^vner of the canoe, Tawaki, a Chief of high rank, and owner of another large canoe in the fleet, was mortally wounded. Another man had his hand injured. Mr. Binner and Paula reached the Tongans as they were sculling from the shore. They took Paula on board, and gave the Priests' letters into the care of Mr. Binner, and then made sail for the open sea, to avoid Mara's canoe, which was near an opening of the reef. On' arriving at Moturiki, poor Tawaki died of his wounds, and King George set oflT at once with his fleet to Mbau, that he might bury the Chief there. The Tongan King came to Fiji with the intention of actmg as medi- ator between the contending parties. But this attack on his people at Ovalau, while on a friendly mission, was likely to involve him in war. Three towns near ]Mbau were in revolt, and their inhabitants were con- stantly making oflensive and threatening demonstrations. "Withiji six miles was the large town of Kamba, the rendezvous of the renegade Mbauans, with Mara at their head, who was known to be the cause of the outrage at Ovalau. He had also presented oflferings to the Chiefs in the Windward Islands, urging them to take up arms against the Ton- gan residents among them. Seeing that the only way of averting the calamity of the Tongans engaging in the war, was to get Mara to sue for peace, Mr. Calvert begged King George to send a messenger to him. Mara replied that, on account of Tawaki's death, he was ashamed to meet the King, at the same time desiring him not to meddle in the aflJair. xgain Mr. Calvert begged George to -send a Tongan messenger ; but he refused, referring to the affliir at Ovalau, which he justly attributed to Mara. !Mr. Calvert knew that the custom of the Tonojans was to fight for the