Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/428

6)b FIJI AUB THE FIJIAiq^S. Such, then, was the man who, now professing Christianity, wel- comed Mr. Cross to his island, where he arrived with his family at midnight, near the end of August, 1839. The passage in the canoe, which the King of Rewa after much delay had furnished, was unfavourable, and Mrs. Cross suffered much on the journey. On reaching Viwa, the crew said that they must return at once, and, not- withstanding the request of the Chief that they should remain for the rest of the night, resolved to start at once. Mr. Cross, on overhauling his goods, discovered the cause of their hurry in the disappearance of one of the packages. Further search was at once made, and it was found that several other parcels had been robbed, and upwards of a hundred articles secreted, in the night, while Mr. Cross was attending to his sick wife. The canoe was at once detained, and everything recovered. Namosimalua took great pains to insure the comfort of his guests, who found a dwelling-house, servants' house, and kitchen ready for them on their landing. Both the Chief and some of his people were firm in their stand against many of the old heathen practices ; and, as Viwa was so important a place, and its men such good sailors, the report of the new state of things spread far and wide. All this was closely watched by the jealous Thakombau, who felt annoyed that the Sabbath should be observed and Christian worship held on an island so near him, and mider the patronage of so powerful and clever a Chief. When, about a fortnight after Mr. Cross's arrival, Viwa and several other islands were visited by an epidemic, Thakombau sent a messen- ger to Namosimalua, assuring him that this sickness was a judgment on him and his people from the gods they had abandoned, and urging him to relinquish Christianity, while he promised to aid him in rebuilding the old temple of the god of Viwa. Tlie Chief sent answer : " Tell Thakombau that Jehovah alone is God ; and him I shall continue to worship." Verani, the nephew of Namosimalua, has already been mentioned. He was the most intimate fi-iend of Thakombau, and rendered him good service in bringing back his father from exile. His name, Verani, was the Fijian reading of France, and was given him during the revolt in acknowledgment of his capturing a French trading vessel, which was visiting at Viwa, and, in reluctant compliance with the wishes of the Mbau Chiefs, murdering the Captain and crew. He was in all respects the perfect type of a Fijian warrior, excelling most others in heroic courage, brutal ferocity, and diabolic cruelty. In all his exploits, his powerful friend at Mbau gave him help, till his name became a word