Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/487

VIWA AND MBATJ. 453 government. This additional encouragement to Mission labourers on this large and fine island, with two Missionaries at Viwa, led the Mis- sionaries to pay more frequent visits, going even to the people of Lavoni, the wild mountaineers of a large inland district, who once had burnt the town of Levuka, and were feared by the whites, as well as by all the natives on the coast. A mountaineer Chief of high rank became nominally Christian, and desired Paul Vea, the Tongan Teacher, — who was residing in a village on the coast, subject to Lavoni, — to become his teacher. In urging Paul to go, he promised to feed him well ; and? as an inducement, waving his hand round towards the towns belonging to Lavoni, promised him plenty of snakes, saying, " All those parts are subject to us ; and will bring you and me abundance of snakes to eat with our vegetables." Paul intimated that the oifer was not likely to entice him from the coast, as he did not desire such diet. " Ah ! " said the Chief, " they are excellent food ; superior to pork, or fish, or fowls." Living so far from the sea, the mountaineers seldom obtain fish to eat ; but they enjoy snakes as a substitute. While the prospect at Ovalau was thus brightening, a great darkness fell on another part of the Circuit. On Vanua Levu war was fiercely wa- ged round about Nandi and Mbua, and Messrs. Williams and Moore were exposed to great danger, as the war was avowedly against the lotu, and, there was too much reason to fear, was known and allowed at Mbau. If it succeeded, it would be but a signal to call into furious action the suppressed passions of those, throughout Fiji, who were opposed to Christianity, and only awaited a favourable opportunity to attempt its destruction. Feeling the importance of the crisis, Mr. Calvert, accom- panied again by the good Elijah Verani, went to Thakombau, and asked him to save the Missionaries, and stop the war. The Chief seemed in a capital humour, but said very decisively that he would have nothing to do with it. He was reminded of his promise to Captain Erskine, to protect the Missionaries ; but still he refused, saying, " I shall not protect them ; and I rejoice that you have now a fight of your o^vn. When I ask you lotu people to help me in war, you say, ' No ; it is not lawful for Christians to fight ! ' and here are we breaking our backs by steering our canoes, catching dysentery by sleeping abroad in the dews and rains, and being shot in great numbers, whilst the Christians sit quietly at home all the time. Now, you have a fight of your own ; and I am glad of it ! Besides, / hate your Christianity^ " I know," replied the Missionary, " that you hate religion. I knew it before leaving England ; and have long known that, everywhere, ' the carnal mmd is enmity