Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/434

402 FIJI AIiT> THE njIANS. it turned out otherwise, and the Chief came back gloomy with the repulse he had suffered. The Namena people, on the other hand, elated with their success, resolved to push their advantage, and sent messengers secretly to Verani, asking his help. He received the messengers kindly and fed them, assuring them that he was the only man in Viwa who remained faithful to Mbau, and that he was now so tired of its service, that he was willing to unite with Namena and Somosomo in the war. " But he lied unto them." He saw a good chance of serving his friend Thakombau, and at once dispatched his most confidential messenger to him, informing him of the application which he had received, and sub- mitting a plan of revenge. He was to get up a sham revolt in Viwa against Mbau, and then send to the Namena people for help, and, after they were in the town, give them up to destruction. Thakombau was delighted, and sent back presents to his faithful friend, and a promise that Verani should marry his daughter, who was of high rank on her mother's side as well. " My house," said he, " and its riches are yours ; only effect the destruction of the Namena people." Verani's difficulty now was to get up an ill feeling against Mbau ; and after he had succeeded, by spreading false reports to irritate the people, Namosima- lua still remained unmoved. Cleverly availing himself of circumstances, and persuading his uncle that great indignity had been offered to him by a Mbau Chief, he at last induced him to put Viwa in a state of defence. Thakombau paid a visit, and uttered portentous threats, to help the scheme ; and a hundred and forty of the Namena people came from Mathoe, in twelve canoes, to assist in defendmg Viwa. They were now in the trap, and, when Thakombau made his sham attack, their destruction was easy. The Mbau warriors were warned, at the last moment, to kill no Viwa man, and Verani discovered the plot to his own people, so that, with a very trifling loss on either side, upwards of a hmi- dred of the poor Mathoe people were massacred, and their bodies taken to Mbau and cooked and eaten. There is no reason to suppose that Namosi had any part in this vile plot. The people -murdered were his own fishermen, and he expressed astonishment and grief at their destruction. While the work of blood was going on, Mr. Cross and his family, with the Native Teachers, were assembled in the Mission-house, where they surrounded themselves with a barriacde of chests and cases, and committed themselves into the keeping of God. They were unhurt, and not a Christian in Viwa came to any harm, while the bodies of the slain lay strewn close arouHd the Mission premises. When tidings of the massacre reached Namena, eighty women, the wives or relatives of the dead, were strangled. Such is Fijian warfare.