fR^'UlAHK-niDAWN - *^ PRINCETON, N. J. • - "^^ Purchased by the Hammill Missionary Fund., BV 3680 .F6 C3 1890 I , Vernon, R. , 1 James Calvert / JAMES CALVERT; OR, Jfrom S)arU to IDawit in Jfiji. BY R. VERNON. CAMfJ.BAL rORl', AND SPOON. : : jflcm ino IT). IRevell : : New York: 12 bible house, astor place. Chicago: 148 and 150 madison street. jpublisbcr of EvamjcUcal literature ERRATA. Page 143, line 18 from top, for 2,610 scholars read 2,610 school teachers, 42,807 scholars. once so far removed from Great Britain, not only by dis- tance, but also by the vicious character of its inhabitants, who thought it policy to kill and eat any foreigner who might land on their shores, has now become a British colony. The civilisation of the nation without Christianity could never have been attained, but when the heart was changed the life and customs of these benighted people became changed also. After Christianity had made it possible for white traders to settle upon the Fijian Islands, much trouble and bloodshed were caused by the wars they fostered. As Thakombau expressed it, " The whites who have come to Fiji are a bad lot. They are mere stalkers on the beach. The wars here have been far more the result of interference of intruders than the fault of the inhabitants. Of one thing I am assured, that if we do not cede Fiji, the white stalkers on the beach, the cormorants, will open their maws and swallow us. By annexation the two races, 6 PRE FA CE. white and black, will be bouud together, and it will be impossible to sever them. The interlacing has come. Fijians, as a nation, are of an unstable cha- racter, and a white man who wishes to get any- thing out of a Fijian, if he does not succeed in his object to-day, will try again to-morrow, until the Fijian is either wearied out or over-persuaded, and gives in. But law will bind us together, and the stronger nation will lend stability to the weaker." The old king proved to be right in his estimate of the benefits of annexation to the natives. Greater areas soon became cultivated, and the towns enlarged ; good new houses were built, while the cheerful and healthy-looking population told of the prosperous and contented state of the country. The life and work of the Rev. James Calvert in Fiji, and the spread of Christianity in those islands, should supply a powerful and convincing argument against those who maintain that Christian missions are a failure, and that the heathen are incapable of receiving the Gospel. It should also inspire hope, and afford encouragement to those who are giving, working, and praying for the extension of Christ's kingdom in foreign lands. What has been accomplished in Fiji may and will be accomplished in the dark places of the vast empires of China and India, and in other heathen lands. May God give us more of such men as James Calvert, men who shall go forth filled with the Holy Spirit, and with power to witness for Christ, until He shall have the heathen for His inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession. For many of the facts recorded in these pages PREFA CE. 7 the author is indebted to " Fiji and the Fijians," by the Revs. T. Williams and James Calvert ; to " At Home in Fiji," by Miss C. F. Gordon-Cumming; to the " Memoir of Mary Calvert," and to " A Flower of Fiji," by the Rev. G. Stringer Rowe. To the authors of these works grateful acknowledgments are tendered. The author would also like to acknowledge great obligations to the Rev. James Calvert, for the kind courtesy and generous help he has afforded during the preparation of this book. Mr. Calvert is one whom to know is to reverence and to love. His firm, resolute character is beautifully blended with a genial and affectionate disposition, and in his happy and cheerful countenance can be seen the evident satisfaction of one who has the inward consciousness that his days have been well spent. '7t'^'*^^J-£^ ^ l^^Ci^^tAt'i/tT U* /»*^ ^^ ^^ i/ /h.At^ 4i>** 4-*wir ^^iV'**-*- ^^-pxtM^C- L-ft'i.^^fii 6-1. M,.c-pi^. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE FIJI THEN AND NOW II CHAPTER II. PIONEERS IN FIJI . . . . . . -44 CHAPTER III. EARLY DAYS AND MARRIAGE 48 CHAPTER IV. AT WORK IN LAKEMliA . . . . • • -56 CHAPTER V. CHRISTIANITY AT ONO 78 lO CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. LABOURS AT VIWA AND BAU . PAGE 91 CHAPTER VII. SUJ^SEQUENT LABOURS 129 CHAPTER VIII. CONCLUSION 151 JAMES CALVERT. CHAPTER I. FIJI THEN AND NOW. " His blood can make the foulest clean/' THE history of Christian Missions to Fiji, with which the life of James Calvert is identified, is replete with thrilling stories of the wonder- ful triumphs of the Gospel. No missionary has been called to labour among a more degraded people, or under more untoward circumstances, and few, if any, have been permitted to see such a glorious reforma- tion, in so short a time, as the result of their labours. The Fijian group includes some two hundred and twenty islands, situated in the South Pacific Ocean, 1,760 miles north-east of Sydney, and 1,175 miles north of Auckland. Of these islands, eighty are inhabited ; the rest are very small, and some of them are visible only at low tide. The coral formation of these regions is a very interesting feature. Most of the islands are surrounded by a coral reef, which JAMES CALVERT. lies some distance from the mainland. This is a great advantage to the inhabitants, as it furnishes a lagoon of calm water, which is as safe for a small craft as an inland lake, shut off as it is by the reef from the tempestuous sea outside. The coral insect cannot live within the influences of fresh water, hence a break is found in the reef at the mouth of any river, which secures an entrance to the lagoon. Some of these openings are wide enough to admit large vessels, while others are very narrow, and most careful steering is necessary in order to enter safely. These islands exhibit the same wonderful beauty as is possessed by all the coral islands of the South Seas. Being of volcanic origin, the Fijian group shows the usual wild and fantastic irregu- larities : mountains rising in air, with fretted summits; deep valleys, covered thickly with tropical foli- age ; and elsewhere a broad expanse of shore, upon which the sea foam runs up to the fringe of cocoa-nut trees. It would seem that many centuries must have passed since the first convulsion of nature formed these islands ; for although occasionally shocks of earthquake are felt, and in different parts hot or boiling springs exist, yet there is no evidence that the extinct craters have been active within historic times. The aspects of the loveliness of these islands are so well described by Miss Gordon-Cumming, in her " At Home in Fiji," that we cannot refrain from a quota- tion here : " The rich blue of the harbour [Levuka] FIJI THEN AND NOW. 13 is separated from the pur- plish indigo of the <^- great ocean by a submarine rainbow of indescribable loveliness. This is caused by the coral reef, which produces a gleaming ray as if from a hidden prism. The patches of coral, seaweed, and some- times white sand, lying at irregular depths, beneath a shallow covering of the most crystalline emerald-green water, produce every shade of aqua- marine, mauve, sienna, and orange, all marvellously 14 JAMES CALVERT. blended. The shades are continually varying with the ebb and flow of the tide, which at high water covers the reef to the depth of several feet, while at low tide patches here and there stand high and dry, or are covered by a ^&\v inches of water ; treacherous ground, however, on which to land, as the sharp coral spikes break under the feet, cutting the thickest leather, and perhaps landing you in a hole several feet in depth, with still sharper coral down below. The highest edge of the reef lies towards the ocean, and a line of dazzling white surf marks where the great green breakers wage their ceaseless warfare on the barrier ; but the passage through the reef is plainly marked by a break in the white line, and a broad roadway of deep blue con- necting the inner waters with the great deep ; and this, again, passes in gradual gradations of colour, from the intense blue of the harbour to the glittering green of the shallow water on the inner side of the reef. " Altogether it is most fascinating. The scene is loveliest at noon, when the sun is right overhead, and lights up the colours beneath the water on the corai caves." These reefs, which surround many of the islands, make navigation very dangerous and difficult ; yet in some parts, as is the case with Ovalau Island, the reef forms a ready-made port, capable of providing shelter for hundreds of ships, the calm of whose waters contrasts strangely with the stormy sea outside this natural breakwater. / The principal islands of the archipelago are Vanua Levu, or Great Land — which is one hundred miles long, by twenty-five wide — and Na Viti Levu, t/ie Great Fiji, which is ninety miles from east to west, FTJT THEN AND NOW. 15 and fifty from north to south. The population of the latter is over 50,000, and of the former 31,000. Besides these, there are several noteworthy islands to/ be mentioned in the following narrative, which may now be named Taviuni (otherwise Somosomo), Kan- davu, Bau, Lakemba, Vanua Balavu, and Ovalau. The Fijian, even in his cannibal state, was superior in many respects to most of the inhabitants of Poly- nesia ; his skill in the manufacture of native cloth, pottery, wigs, etc., being quite remarkable, while his method of house-building was second to none of his neighbours. Among these useful industries, the skill shown by the natives in the manufacture of pottery, and their mode of operation, are very interesting, especially as the use of the potter's wheel was entirely unknown. Where they learned the art is a question of doubt, as it is not known in other parts of Polynesia, and only very coarse, rough specimens are made in Mela- nesia. The Fijians say that their ancestors learned from the mason bee ; and this seems very probable, as the common cooking and water vessels in use in every Fijian home greatly resemble the tiny clay ne.sts made by these clever little creatures. These nests are found built in every available corner, and are of a round or oblong shape, having an opening on one side which finishes in a narrow neck or passage, with a turned-back lip. The blue clay used by the mason bee is identical with that employed by the potter, who mixes sand with it in order to add strength to his ware. From this primitive idea the Fijian women have gone on producing other varieties, in form mostly imitating some object in nature with which they are familiar. A very favourite pattern is 1 6 JAMES CALVERT, one composed of a cluster of three or four globes, about the size of an orange, all joined together, and each having a hollow tube leading from one aperture at the top, by which the vessels are filled. The ordinary cooking and waterpots are much alike in form ; but in decorating these, as well as other more fancy articles, each potter follows her own taste ; and so great is their love of variety, that it is very seldom two pieces are produced exactly alike. In- deed, when an attempt has been made to obtain duplicates, the result has been most unsatisfactory. It is wonderful with what skill and perfect symmetry these women can model large pots, some of them many feet in diameter, the work being performed wholly by hand. The operation is a very simple yet ingenious one. After the clay has been mixed with fine sand, it is rolled out in long round pieces like sausages ; these are then arranged in circles one above another, so as to form the base of a large round pot. When this is partly moulded into shape, the potter takes a smooth stone, which she holds inside the pot with her left hand, while in the other she takes a flat piece of wood, with which she beats and moistens the clay till the surface is smooth. Other coils are now built up round the top, which get gradually smaller towards the neck of the vessel, when the rim is formed. The clay is again beaten till the surface is perfectly smooth inside and out. After this modelling process is complete, the vessels arc allowed to stand in the house for six or eight days, when they are taken to some sheltered nook to be baked. Here a pile of wood is prepared- on which the pots are placed, and dry grass and light wood FIJI THEN AND NOW. 17 is piled over them ; the pile is next set on fire, and kept burning for half an hour. While still hot, the commoner pots are well rubbed with a dark red dye made from mangrove bark, which gives a slight glaze as well as colour to the pot. Other more ornamental articles of pottery are twice baked and glazed with resin. These are also marked in elaborate patterns with a small sharp-pointed stick ; while others have raised patterns something like clusters of grapes worked upon them. When we take into account the coarseness of the clay, and the rudimentary character of the tools used, as well as the savage, uncivilized nature of the people, we cannot but be surprised at the artistic skill they exhibit, and the immense variety of forms they are able to produce. Again, in the manufacture of native cloth {masi) the Fijian shows great ingenuity and skill. The material used for this purpose is the bark of the malo tree, which is taken off in long strips, and soaked in water in order to loosen the outer skin. This skin is afterwards scraped off with a large shell, when the masi is ready for the beating process. This is done on a flattened log. Two pieces of masi are beaten together in order to add strength, the gluten contained in the fibre being sufficient to unite them securely. In this way a strip two inches wide can be beaten out to a foot and a half wide. i8 JAMES CALVERT. The strips thus beaten out are united by neat joints, which are made by means of a starch prepared from taro or arrowroot. In this manner these persevering people produce cloth many yards in length. One piece, intended for a king's dress to be worn on a special occasion, was measured by a missionary, and was found to be one hundred and eighty yards long. The " widths " are also joined to form large pieces fifteen to thirty feet square, used chiefly for mosquito curtains — a luxury enjoyed by the Fijian, but of which most of his neighbours are unpossessed. Very beautiful, artistic patterns are arranged and set into the cloth by means of red and black dyes, and in this art the Fijian lady takes great pride. Elaborate patterns are designed by the worker, and cut out in a heated banana leaf The leaf is then placed on the material which is to be dyed. Next, taking a piece of cloth dipped in the dye, the worker rubs it firmly over the stencil, and thus prints the pattern she has cut out in the leaf. The black dye used is made from vegetable charcoal mixed with water, while the red is a mixture of red earth and the sap of the silvery-leaved croton tree. The women's dress (Jihi) is made from the fibre of a wild root. It consists of a broad band of braid- work, beautifully variegated with a long grass fringe below. Mat-making is also very successfully carried on in Fiji. The Fijian mats vary in design and construc- tion in different districts, and are used for floors, for sails of canoes, for sleeping upon, and also for nursing purposes. In making sails from these mats a needle was used made from a human shin bone. These bones were much prized, and were generally FIJI THEN AND NOW. ig claimed by the chief of the tribe who had secured a victim. The mats are made from the pandanus leaf, plaited with a strong rush which abounds in swampy- districts. The borders are very ornamental, being worked in various patterns, into which parrots' feathers of brilliant colours are sometimes introduced. In basket-making, too, the Fijian is an adept. One of the missionaries speaks of these baskets as being " strong, handsome, and useful, beyond any I have seen at home or abroad." Beautiful carving is also executed by Fijians. Clubs and spears are made out of a very hard wood, and carved and inlaid with ivory or human teeth, as are also yanggona bowls and the cannibal forks. In fact, these savage Fijians showed great tact in adapting themselves to their circumstances, readily finding in nature all they needed for comfort or convenience. Nor did these ingenious people manufacture for themselves alone, for the Tongans were quite dependent on them for canoes, spars, sail-mats, pottery, and mos- quito curtains. The art of hairdressing and wig-making in Fiji excited much amazement, the hairdresser having displayed equal skill with the potter and cloth-worker in the arts they profess. The custom of dressing the hair, however, was so mixed up with war and canni- balism, that the people, as they became Christians, to a very great extent gave it up. Formerly every chief had his own hairdresser, who spent many hours each day in adorning his master's head. The great aim was to extend the hair to as large a mass as possible. Some- times these successful workmen have been known to 20 JAMES CALVERT. make the hair stand out till it reached a circum- ference of five feet, the great mass being composed of twists and curls and tufts, variously coloured, — ^jet- black, blue-black, ashy-white, and several shades of red being the favourite colours ; and two or more of these shades were often found on the same head. So per- fectly are these designs carried out, that the hair will retain its position, even when projecting six or eight inches from the head, the sides and angles being so ..f<#;ilS©S-~,. TYPES OF HEAD-DRESS. regular as to give the appearance of being carved out of a solid substance, rather than composed of single hairs. A Fijian pillow is anything but com- fortable. It is formed of a bar of wood supported on two claw feet. The neck rests on the bar, and thus the elaborately dressed hair is not disarranged. p The cannibalism of Fiji was not only the outburst 'of passion or enmity, but was an institution mixed up 1 with every-day life. The practice did not arise from scarcity of food ; for even when every other kind of FIJI THEN AND NOW. 21 diet abounded human bodies {bokola) were looked upon as a delicacy, and preferred by some before all other food. The higher the rank the more this revolting custom was indulged in ; and many of the chiefs so gloried in the number of human bodies they had eaten as to keep a register by making a line of stones, one stone being placed for each body eaten. The stones thus placed by two chiefs, Wangka Levu and Ra Undre Undre, were counted by a native teacher, and found to number nearly nine hundred. Another member of the same family registered forty- eight previous to his becoming a Christian. As many as fifty bodies have been cooked for one feast when visitors were to be entertained. Among these would be found those of men and women of all ages, and even of little children. Nor did the cruelty of these people stop here, for the victims of their revenge were sometimes frightfully tortured, and even cut up alive before being placed in the ovens. These ovens were deep holes or pits dug from four to six feet deep, and when required for a feast-day they sometimes reached fifty feet in circumference. This hole, or oven, was first filled with firewood, on which stones were placed. As soon as this wood was consumed the food to be cooked was laid on the hot stones, some of which were also placed inside the animals if they were to be cooked whole. Over this a thick layer of leaves was spread, on which a coating of earth was laid. When the steam was seen making its way through this covering the food was cooked. Green baskets were plaited, and large leaves pre- pared to receive the food when removed from the ovens, during which operation great activity and excitement prevailed. 22 JAMES CALVERT. The appetite for human food possessed by the Fijian of former times is further illustrated by the following fact : — A man named Loti, well known to Mr. Williams, had previously killed and eaten his own wife. It occurred thus : They were working together plant- ing taro, when the husband seemed suddenly to become possessed of a craving for human food. He made his wife help to dig an oven, collect wood for the fire, and grass and leaves for the covering, also bamboo to cut up what was to be cooked. When all was ready he coolly seized the woman, killed her, dismembered the body, and then cooked it, calling his friends to join him in the feast. She was of equal rank with himself, and they had lived peaceably together, which made the deed appear the more revolting. A canoe, having on board the bodies of enemies intended for the ovens, would sound the lali (death drum) before reaching the shore, to announce the event ; whereupon the shore was soon crowded with those who hoped to join in the feast, dancing and shouting lustily. On gaining the shore, the bodies were dragged to the town, the warriors going before, dancing and throwing their clubs in the air and firing muskets, at the same time boasting to the inhabitants of their ability to defend them from their enemies. When they reached the town each body was laid down before the chief, and then presented to the war-god by the priest, and the head was dashed against a stone outside the temple. The body was then taken back to the shore, and after being washed in the sea, the appointed carver commenced to dis- member it limb by limb. The limbs were wrapped FIJI THEN AND NOW. 23 in leaves and placed in the oven, which was being prepared while the ceremony was going on. The reckless disregard for human life which was one of the prevailing characteristics in Fiji was further evidenced by the sight which an English- man, named Jackson, was compelled to witness while detained on one of the islands more than thirty years ago. It was a sacrifice to earth- spirits. A new house was to be built for one of the chiefs, and a great merry-making and playing of tomtoms was going on. Deep holes were dug in the foundation to receive the main posts of the house, and into these holes wretched men were compelled to stand with their arms clasped round the post. The earth was then filled in, and thus the men were buried alive. It was supposed that if these men sacrificed their lives endeavouring to hold the posts of their superior's house in their right position, the virtue of the sacrifice would insti- gate the gods to uphold the house after they were dead, and that they were honoured in being con- sidered adequate to such a noble task. A scarcely less horrible cruelty was practised at the launching of a war-canoe, when human beings were made to act as rollers, upon which the canoe made its passage to the sea, crushing the human rollers in its pro- gress. Many were sometimes killed in this cruel manner ; while another fearful scene of bloodshed took place before the canoe was ready to spread its sails and start for some distant island, where, if suc- cessful, a whole village would be devastated, and the inhabitants taken to supply food for a single festival, y All through Fiji woman was fearfully degraded. In some of the islands she was made the beast of 24 JAMES CALVERT. burden, and every kind of heavy work was expected from her, while her only food was that left by her husband. Girls were betrothed at a very early age, and consequently the most unsuitable matches were made, girls in their teens becoming the wives of old men. Very seldom was there any affection between man and wife, and the women envied their more fortunate sisters who were allowed to marry " the man to whom their spirit flew." The duties of a wife are very numerous. Besides attending to the children, she is expected to fetch the fresh and salt water, collect fuel, and also attend to the boiled food, the ovens always being in charge of the men. It is mostly the women who do the fishing, a work in which they take great delight. At low tide they swim out to the reef, which abounds in crabs and other fish, some of which are of radiant colours, such as pale blue, dark blue, bright green, and marked with bands of black- and-white. There is also a most exquisite gold-fish with a sky-blue collar. This fishing is attended with great danger, both from the presence of sharks, and also from fish whose bite is poisonous. Not only did the Fijian women suffer from the cruelty of their husbands, but very often the women treated each other badly. A missionary's wife once asked a native woman how it was that some of the women were without noses. She replied, " It comes out of the plurality of wives ; jealousy causes hatred, and then the stronger tries to cut or bite off the nose of the one she hates." Infanticide was a very common occurrence, espe- cially among feeble children, who were never allowed to live. In other cases, where healthy babies were A FIJIAN BOY. FIJI THEN AND NOW. 27 put to death, the practice mostly arose from some whim of the mother — expediency, anger, or indo- lence — and not from fear, superstition, or reh"gious motive, as is the case with the Hindu mother. ^^ The cruelty of the Fijian race was further shown by their treatment of the sick. If the sufferers were of high rank every care was taken of them, and large offerings were made to the priests in order to pro- pitiate the gods, whose anger was supposed to be the cause of the sickness. But in cases of illness among the common people the patience of their friends was soon exhausted, and invalids were left to perish, or were more summarily put out of the way. A poor sick woman, having been neglected by her friends, was taken under the missionary's care, though still remaining in her own hut. One morning his servant was taking her breakfast as usual when he was met by the woman's friends, who were returning from her burial. On reaching home, he told his master how, on the previous day, he had found an old woman in the house, who said, " I have come to see my friend, and to inquire whether she is ready to be strangled, but as she is still strong we shall not strangle her yet." However, they altered their minds after the servant left, and took the woman's life without further ado. I Another instance, still more dreadful, is that of a young girl who was buried alive at the command of a chief's son. She had been in delicate health for some time, and the young man had made up his mind that she could not or should not recover. Accordingly a grave was dug for her just outside the house, and being decoyed to the spot, she was seized and thrown in. In horror she vainly called out, " Do 28 JAMES CALVERT. not bury me ; I am quite well now." No heed was taken, and she was held down while the soil was thrown in upon her till her cries were heard no more. The death of any great person was always fol- lowed by the strangling of his wives, chief servant, and in some cases of his mother. These were spoken of as " grass " for lining the chief's grave. They were laid on a layer of mats in the bottom of the grave, and the chief was then laid on them. The laying out of a body was generally begun before the person was actually dead, and consisted of removing all the old clothes which had been used by the sick man. He was then washed and oiled, the upper part of his body being painted black, to denote that he was a warrior. When death really took place he was armed with a newly oiled club to protect him- self on his way to the spirit world, while in his hand whales' teeth were placed as an offering to the gods, A clean head-dress was put on, a new masi and sheet were thrown over him, and in many cases head orna- ments used to adorn the arms and forehead. Then followed the lolokn, or strangling of friends, the usual number being two women, or a woman and a man ; but this number was often exceeded, in order to show greater respect and honour to the deceased. The women thus strangled were oiled, dressed in a new liku, and after their hair had been adorned, vermilion or turmeric powder was spread over their faces and breasts. They were then placed beside the dead chief, who was now considered ready to be viewed and wailed over by his friends. It is strange to find that the women thus appointed to be strangled manifested no desire to escape from their fate ; in- deed, cases have come under the missionaries' notice FIJI THEN AND NOW. 29 where the women would not accept deliverance. This is accounted for partly by the fact that life was utterly disregarded all through Fiji, and also that their lives would have been made unbearable by the subsequent treatment of their friends, A native teacher once begged the life of a woman. She wished to live, but said, "Our case is one to cause pity; but we dare not live ; our friends dare not save us." The day after the funeral feasting took place, and continued for ten or twenty days. The men showed their mourning by making themselves " bald for the dead," when the hair, in which they take such pride, was cut off, and in some cases the whiskers and beard as well. The women burned their bodies, and were ordered to have a joint cut off from the little finger. This was done with a sharp shell, and the severed joint was inserted in a slit reed, and placed on the eaves of the chief's house. On the next occasion of mourning the second joint was sacrificed. The little finger on the other hand supplied a third and fourth proof of sorrow, and after that the mutilated stump was rubbed on rough stones till it bled. About the tenth day after the funeral the women took cords, switches, and whips, and laid them about any men who came in their way, the highest chiefs alone being exempt. No violence was used towards the women in retalia- tion, it being the custom for all to submit to these strange tokens of grief on this day. The religion of Fiji consisted of a belief in an invisible superhuman Power, which ruled and con- trolled all earthly affairs. The gods representing this Power were supposed to communicate their will to the priests, who were consulted on all important occasions — as, for instance, before going to war, or in 30 JAMES CALVERT. cases of sickness in high families. The god most generally known was Ndengei. Most chiefs had a god of their own, in whom they placed special trust, and who was supposed to follow them wherever they went. In every village of any size a bure, or temple, was found. These were quite important buildings, erected on a raised foundation, and profusely deco- rated with sinnet-work and shells. The temple, however, served other than religious purposes, form- ing, as it did, a sort of village council-chamber. It was also used as a place in which to entertain strangers, as well as for a sleeping-place for the head men of the village. No regular worship was observed, and very often the temple was allowed to decay until the chief wanted to make some request to the gods, when he would restore the temple, and present large quantities of food and whales' teeth. Fear seemed to be the only motive for any religious observance, and this the priests made the most of. The only sacred spot in the temple was a small space marked off by a long piece of native cloth let down from the top of the biirc to the floor, down which the god was supposed to pass when entering the priest. On one occasion Mr. Calvert was invited by Thakombau, King of Bau, to accompany him to the temple, where he was about to make request for success in war. The priests had been informed of the king's coming, and were waiting ready to receive him. At this time the king's faith had been some- what shaken in his heathen gods ; though he had not given them up, yet he would not consent to large offerings of food being made as on previous occa- sions. The king and Mr. Calvert first visited a small temple, where the priest, who was awaiting the FIJI THEN AND NOW. 31 king, looked much surprised to see the missionary also. The king's messenger, who was seated before the priest, offered a root of yanggona, and called upon the gods for protection and success. The priest then promised protection to the king and his people, but would not vouch for the destruction of his enemies. This, however, did not satisfy the king, who said, " Yes, you have always protected us ; that we expect. But now we require the destruction of our enemies. We have renewed your fences, and made special offerings to you, and we now look to you for extra proof of your concern for us by revenging our insults." Still the old man could not be persuaded to promise anything more than protection, so they made their way to the chief temple. When Mr. Calvert reached the foot of the stairs the high-priest arose and came towards him, having a great length of inasi wrapped round him. I>ooking very dignified, he inquired, " Why have you come } Do you think I shall refrain from making promises because you are here } " The missionary spoke in a friendly tone to him, which somewhat soothed him. When the company were seated, — Mr. Calvert having an ele- vated position where all could see him, — an old cannibal chief came forward carrying a yanggona root on his shoulder. He asked the gods to destroy their enemies, describing the injuries and insults to which the king had been subjected. It was not long- before the high-priest intimated that the god had descended. The priest was seized with the usual demonstration of trembling, which increased till his whole body was convulsed, and the man shivered as if suddenly attacked with a violent fit of ague. The arrival of the god was then announced, and all head- 32 JAMES CALVERT. dresses and ornaments worn by the company were at once thrown off. The priest now discovered the absence of Thakombau, who had sHpped out into a smaller temple. This made him very angry, and the god cried out, " Where is Thakombau } I do not see him ! Why does he not make his appearance .-• And why has he brought this foreigner } His un- belief leads him to act in this way. But I have conquered many places, and I shall still be victorious, being the god of war." The prediction, however, proved utterly false, and the missionary was able to show the king and people how useless their gods were. Cannibalism formed a part of Fijian religion, though not a very important one. The priests re- presented the gods as delighting in human flesh, which was accordingly exacted from the people, and jused for their own consumption. •"rom the short account we have given of the industries, manners, and customs of the Fijians, our readers will see that these people were clever, in- genious, and industrious, while at the same time they stood unrivalled for acts of savage cruelty, and were sunk in crimes of the deepest dye by the customs and practices of their every-day life, as well as by the brutal character of many of their religious festivals. Scarcely more than half a century ago such horrors and atrocities as we have described were being perpetrated daily, when the people were literally led captive by the devil at his will. Surely the picture of these savage acts of cruelty would be too fearful to look upon, were it not that the dreadful gloom of sin which then enshrouded these lovely islands has been dispersed by the light of the Gospel, and to-day we find the Fijian clothed and in his right mind, sitting at the feet of Jesus. FIjr THEN AND NOW. I}, Miss Gordon-Cumming, already quoted, and to whom some of the awful scenes of cruelty and bloodshed to which we have referred were described JOHN HUNT. by eye-witnesses, thus speaks of the change that has taken place : — " Now you may pass from isle to isle, certain everywhere to find the same cordial reception by kindly men and women. Every village on the 3 34 JAMES CALVERT. eighty inhabited islands has built for itself a tidy- church, and a good house for its teacher or native minister, for whom the village also provides food and clothing. Can you realize that there are nine hundred Wesleyan churches in Fiji, at every one of which the frequent services are crowded by devout congregations ; that the schools are well attended, and that the first sound which greets your ear at dawn, and the last at night, is that of hymn-singing and the most fervent worship, rising from each dwelling at the hour of family prayer ? " This mighty change was not accomplished without much self-denying toil, hardship, and danger on the part of the missionaries and their wives who were engaged in the work. William Cross, who, with David Cargill, was the first herald of the Gospel in Fiji, died in the midst of the work, and was buried in the land of strangers. A few years later the saintly John Hunt, after ten years of devoted service, died praying, " Lord, for Christ's sake, bless Fiji ! save Fiji ! Save Thy servants ; save Thy people ; save the heathen in Fiji." James Calvert, a sketch of whose life we propose to present to our readers, is still spared to enjoy the rich reward of seeing the fruit of their labours in the service the Fijians are rendering as native teachers and mission- aries, not only in their own, but also in other lands, labouring to bring the heathen to a knowledge of that_truth which has made them free. Before proceeding to narrate the circumstances which led James Calvert to Fiji, we may very briefly summarize in the following chapter the pioneering work which had been undertaken before he reached these islands. CHAPTER II. • PIONEERS IN FIJI. " The good, the fruitful ground, Expect not here nor there. O'er hill and dale by plots 'tis found Go forth, then, everywhere." THE earliest intercourse with Fiji seems to have been carried on by the Tongans, who, coming from the Friendly Isles, about two hundred and fifty miles to the east of Fiji, for purposes of trade, landed at Lakemba, the chief island in the Windward Group. Here some of them settled, and soon gained property and influence by taking part in the frequent inter-tribal wars, and by sailing about to dependent islands to demand tribute for the chief whose favour they had gained. Thus, in course of time, several distinct colonies of Tongans were formed on Lakemba and the adjoining islands of that group. In 1834 the Tongan Church was blessed with a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. For many years previously devoted men had been sowing the 36 JAMES CALVERT. seed in tears, amid great hardship and discourage- ment. At length the reaping time came, when thousands not only gave up their heathen practices, but showed afterwards, by their consistent lives, that they were truly converted. Among these was King George Tubou, who, with his wife, sought and found Jesus as his Saviour, and thenceforward he became as zealous in the spread of the Gospel as he had previously been in the exertion of his power as a heathen warrior. As the result of this revival, the missionaries and converts began to think and mourn over the Fijians, news of whose horrible deeds of bloodshed and cruelty were constantly reaching them, and very earnestly did the Tongan Church pray that God would open up a way for the preaching of the Gospel in Fiji. The prayer was answered, and towards the close of the year it was decided that the Revs. W. Cross and David Cargill, M.A,, who had left England under the auspices of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, and who had laboured in Tonga for some time, should go forth and start a new mission at Lakemba. Accordingly, in the following October, these brave men embarked, with their families, for that scene of labour. King George was very much interested in the expedition, and to further its object he sent a sort of ambassador with the missionaries, who took a present to Tui Nayau, King of Lakemba. He was also to explain to this king how greatly the Tongans had been benefited by the introduction of Christianity, and to urge him to receive the missionaries well and obey their teaching. Let us pause here in our narrative, and admire the PIONEERS IN FIJI. 37 holy love and faith which inspired these courageous men, as we remember what fearful hazards they ran in thus attempting to land among such a people as the Fijians ; risking, it would seem, not only their own lives, but also those of their wives and children. All honour to the men and women who dare to face such fearful odds ! After four days' uncomfortable sailing in a small schooner, Lakemba was sighted, and shortly after- wards the missionaries made for the shore in a small boat, where they found a large company of Tongans and Fijians assembled. These were armed with clubs, and had theii- bodies blackened, altogether presenting a most formidable appearance. Passing through this crowd, the missionaries gained the king's town, situ- ated some little distance from the shore, and soon obtained an audience with him. The interview was a favourable one. Tui Nayau gave the mission families permission to land, and promised to erect houses for them forthwith. In Fiji the building of houses is much more expedi- tious than with us, some taking only a few hours to erect, while the more substantial ones occupy from a fortnight to three months in their construction. They are made, for the most part, with posts, spars, and reeds, the long sloping roof and low walls being thickly thatched. In some cases the walls are made by interlacing the reeds between the posts, perpendicularly and horizontally, the fastenings being of vines cut from the woods, or of sinnet, which is also used for ornament, patterns being worked in 38 JAMES CALVERT. different colours, which are at times both beautiful and artistic. Sinnet is a kind of native string or rope, and forms quite an important article of manufacture in these parts. It is made from the fibre of the cocoa- nut husk, which is dried by baking, then combed out and plaited or braided, the thickness of the plait being regulated to suit the purpose for which it is intended to be used. It is afterwards dyed a variety of colours, and made into balls or hanks. The Fijians use it to make fishing-nets, and for all kinds of lashing and wrapping purposes, as well as to ornament their canoes, houses, and temples. In fact, sinnet is as important to the Fijian as bamboo is to the Chinaman, and quite as useful. The thatching of the houses is composed of long grass, or leaves of the sugar-cane or stone-palm. These leaves are sewn together before being used, and bound round reeds some five or six feet in length ; and in this way they form a very durable covering. When sufficient material for the thatch has been collected, and the roof prepared with a network of reeds, men and boys, numbering at times as many as four hundred, appear on the scene, and great excitement prevails, all being ex- pected to help with the work, some in arranging and lashing the thatch, while others hand up the necessary grass and reeds. While the thatching is being done a great deal of shouting and yelling goes on, which, with the stamping down of the thatch, makes noise enough to be heard a great distance around. The interior of the house usually consists of one large room, at one end of which is a sort of PIONEERS IN FIJI 39 dais raised about a foot from the rest of the floor, and upon this the principal members of the establishment sleep. There are two small holes or windows at this end of the room, and these, as well as the door, have sliding palm-leaf shutters, which can be opened or closed at will. The floors are soft and springy, being made of layer upon layer of mats, commencing with those made of coarse palm leaves at the bottom, and having for final covering the beautifully made white mats for which the South Sea Islanders are celebrated. We left the mission families still on board the schooner, waiting until their houses were ready. This work was accomplished by the natives in about three days, in some such way as we have described. Of course the houses were but slight ones, the king having promised to have more sub- stantial dwellings erected at some future time. However, he did not see fit to fulfil his promise until the temporary houses had been destroyed by a hurricane. The two families took possession of their respective dwellings, providing them with doors, windows, and such other comforts as the time and skill of the missionaries could produce. On the following Sabbath, the first Christian service in Fiji was conducted in the Tongan lan- guage, which was understood by the king and many of the people, through their long association with Tongan immigrants. A new era had now dawned upon Fiji, and its civilization may be said to have begun. The mission houses and families became objects of great interest and curiosity to the natives. Many were the visits paid by them, not so much for the purpose of inquiring into the truths taught, as to 40 JAMES CALVERT. barter their services, or supplies of food, for tools, calico, or such other articles as had been brought for this purpose, and which they had never been fortunate enough to possess before. These frequent visits caused some inconvenience to the occupants of the mission-houses, but were not without good results, as they provided opportunities of teaching those who lived too far off to be visited in their own homes. Besides, the intercourse with a civilized home could not have other than an elevating influence on these heathen savages. God's blessing was upon the work, and after a time a chapel was built by the native Christians, in which a congregation, numbering about two hundred, assembled regularly for worship ; classes were formed for church mem- bers, and schools for pupils of all ages ; while a few months later the missionaries had the joy of baptizing thirty-one adults who, after careful instruction and examination, were found possessed of sufficient know- ledge to enable them to realize the obligations such a profession would entail. Persecution now arose, in which the king was the chief mover. He became jealous, and was annoyed at the growing power of Christianity, and thought to put an end to it by threatening a severe visitation of punishment from the gods. Finding this did not have the desired effect, his anger became greater, although somewhat checked by fear of a powerful Tongan chief, who was " Lotu," as they call the profession of the Christian religion. However, this fear did not restrain him long, for some time after a party of young men attacked the two small towns of Wathiwathi and Waitambu, pillaged the houses of the Christians, destroyed their crops, and led off PIONEERS IN FIJI. 43 their wives to the king's house. Still, no lives were sacrificed, and the interference of the Tongan chief, mentioned before, led to the wives being restored. This persecution, however, was not enough to stay the progress of the Gospel. On the contrary, in the long run, it helped rather than hindered the work. True, at first, some half-hearted ones fell back, and others were afraid to yield to their convictions ; yet the calm boldness of those who endured persecution without repining, much less retaliating or seeking revenge, which meekness was utterly opposed to all their previous teaching and practices, argued strongly for the reality and power of the Gospel they had embraced, and led others to admire it, and ultimately to accept its claims. Another source of trouble and suffering to the missionaries was the great difficulty they had in communicating with other places. These reef- bound islands made navigation very dangerous ; wrecks were so frequent from the, then, imperfect knowledge of the reefs, that captains and owners were afraid to charter vessels for Fiji. Consequently, at times, the mission families were without flour and other necessaries, having to subsist on such food as they could obtain from the natives, for which they were obliged to barter goods they needed for their own comfort. On one occasion three years elapsed before some clothing for which Mr. Cross had written arrived. This evil was removed in later years when the Wesleyan Missionary Society built and chartered a vessel to carry out supplies, and also to convey the missionaries from one island to another. Having succeeded, to some extent, in Lakemba and some of its dependencies, the two missionaries became 44 3^ AMES CALVERT. anxious to extend their efforts to the opposite group of islands, of which Bau, an island off the coast of Viti Levu, Great Fiji, was the most important. Its chief took precedence of all other chiefs in Fiji. Of him we shall have more to say in a subsequent chapter. In 1837 Mr. Cross left Lakemba, hoping to esta- blish a mission in Bau ; but on arriving he found the town in such a state of excitement, at the close of a seven years' war, that he deemed it expedient to settle at Rewa, an island accessible to Bau by a river twelve miles long. Here the king seemed favourably inclined towards the " Lotu," and a cause was established which gave promise of great success. The temporary dwelling-place provided for the mis- sionary, however, was damp and unhealthy, and through residing there Mr. Cross was brought very low by intermittent fever, cholera, and typhus fever, which followed in quick succession, and left very little hope of his recovery. But when the darkness seemed thickest a kind Providence interposed, and help arrived in the person of an American settler from Ovalau, a large island at no great distance from Rewa, who showed great kindness to the sufferer. The king, too, started the building of a better house on a raised foundation, the occupation of which greatly facilitated Mr. Cross's recovery. In 1838 a third mission-station was commenced, at Viwa, a small island which rises out of the coral reef on the eastern side of Great Fiji, and a de- pendency of Bau. Here Namosi Malua, the chief, built a chapel, and a teacher was sent to instruct the people. We shall now leave the two brave pioneers struggling on amidst great difficulties, cheered by PIONEERS IN FIJI. 47 some success, which, however, only served to reveal to them the great need of further help. Aching hearts sent up earnest prayer to the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth labourers, and it was not long before the answer came, when the lonely toilers were cheered by the arrival of John Hunt and James Calvert. PLAYING THE NOSuL FLUTE MODE OF DRINKJ CHAPTER III. EARLY DAYS AND MARRIAGE. " For they who are one in faith fight double-handed against evil." — TUPPER. THE now memorable witness for Christ, James Calvert, was born at Pickering, in the county of Yorkshire, on the 3rd of January, in the year 181 3. His name is another added to the roll of noble Yorkshiremen who have been illustrious in the annals of Methodism. He received a sound education in Malton, and subsequently was apprenticed for seven years to Mr. George Barnby, of that place, who was postmaster, and carried on the business of printer, book-binder, and stationer. At the age of eighteen a severe affliction was made the means of bringing him to reflect upon his past life, and to dread the torments of the unsaved. Truly and heartily he mourned for his sins, and abandoning every evil way, he earnestly sought God's pardoning mercy and renewing grace. When restored to health he took a firm Christian stand, came out from among the ungodly, and became a very diligent attendant at all religious services, EARLY DAYS AND MARRIAGE. 49 regularly attending the class-meeting, which he found most helpful. In the hour of his deepest distress he beheld Christ as his Saviour and Lord, and trusted in Him alone and fully. He, then and there, on the 8th April, t 831, was gladdened by the immediate and direct expression of God's favour, and was re- newed by the Divine Spirit. This event is still remembered as a memorable one in his experience. Soon afterwards James Calvert again became deeply troubled because of the remains of the carnal mind within him, and his many imperfections. With all his heart he sought and received a yet fuller baptism of saving grace, strengthening all his motives for Christian service. This thorough change in the entire man, so clear and satisfactory to himself and to all who knew him, stamped the character of all his future life and work, and he delights to testify everywhere his gratitude to God for the glorious events of these ever-to-be-remembered days. At the expiration of his apprenticeship, in May, 1833, he removed to Beverley. Another severe affliction laid him aside for some months. When restored he pursued his calling for some years at Colchester and Chelmsford, and gained proficiency in his trade, qualifying himself, as he thought, for efficient business life. He also gained knowledge and experience in many matters, which in after years became of the utmost value to him in his mission work. At Colchester the superintendent minister, the Rev. Henry Powis, discovering in the young man gifts and talents for future usefulness, recommended him as a candidate for the Christian ministry, sending his name to the London District Meeting in the May 50 'JAMES CALVERT. of I S3 7. He was accepted specially for the foreign work, and went for preparation to the Theological Institution at the old Hoxton Academy. Here he was under the care of the Rev. Joseph Entwisle, the Governor. The Rev. John Hannah was the theo- logical tutor, and the Rev. Samuel Jones had charge of the classical side. An important point in young Calvert's life while here was the friendship which sprang up between him and John Hunt, a fellow-student ; an attach- ment which was not broken even by death, which removed the latter from his post of usefulness. While these two were preparing for foreign mission service, the hearts of Methodists were thrilled by a powerful appeal on behalf of cannibal Fiji, early in 1838, and James Calvert was appointed to accompany his beloved friend to that new mission. It was a prospect of danger and suffering enough to affright minds of weaker mould ; but these two young men, being imbued with a yearning for souls and full of zeal for God, determined to sacrifice their lives, if need be, to the demands of these dark and distant islands. After James Calvert had been appointed by the Wesleyan Missionary Society to the work in Fiji, he went down to Buckinghamshire to ask Mary Fowler to become his wife, and to share with him the trials and privations incident to a residence among canni- bals. Previous to this, he had made the acquaintance of Philip Prowler, and it was while visiting at his home that he first met Mary, who was the sister of his friend. The choice was a very happy one ; for although the acquaintance had been of short duration, and consequently their knowledge of each £:a rl y days a nd ma RRIA GE. 5 1 other was limited, yet the good hand of God was over His servant in this, as we shall see it was again and again in other matters, and the " good wife " — which Solomon tells us is " from the Lord " — became his possession. She was a wife in every way adapted to the trying work to which her life was given, and much of the success of that work was due to her patient, devoted labours. Mary Fowler was born at Aston Clinton, in Buckinghamshire, in 1814. During the early years of her life she had a painful illness, which caused her much suffering. In bearing this affliction, however, she began to develop that patient and heroic endu- rance which characterized the toils and pains of her after life. It was Mary's privilege to have a godly mother, one who dared to be true to her convictions, even when they incurred the displeasure of others, as was the case when she joined the Methodist Society. Very deeply did this loving mother feel her responsi- bility in the training of her children, and many were the hours she spent in prayer to God on their behalf. One petition was remarkable ; she prayed that God would spare her life to see all her children converted and settled in life, and it is worthy of notice that she passed away only a few months after her prayer had received complete fulfilment. The year 1834 will long be remembered as one of those in which this country has been visited with the scourge of cholera. Many of the towns and villages of Buckinghamshire were smitten. Special services were held, calling the people to repentance and faith in God, before whom many of their neighbours had been summoned to appear. Buckland, a village near 52 JAMES CALVERT. Aston, was visited by the Rev. J. Killick, who gives the following account of one of these services : — "On the 8th of October, 1834, I went to tea with the kind and hospitable family at Aston — Mrs. Fowler's — as was my usual practice before preaching at Buckland. I found that the cholera had removed several in the neighbourhood, after a few hours' suffering. In consequence of this, when we reached the chapel we found it filled with people in a very excited state. I preached that night from Isaiah Iv. 7, 8, thinking it was suitable to the circumstances in which we were assembled. I went again the next night, and preached from Amos iv. 12, "Prepare to meet thy God." A prayer-meeting was held after each service, when in every part of the chapel there were strong cryings, tears, and prayers, to Him who was able to save. I distinctly remember the then Mary Fowler as one of the earnest suppliants for mercy. She particularly requested her brother to come and pray with her. I believe she found peace with God, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, on that second night." After joining the Church, Mary Fowler at once set to work for her new Master ; she was no idler in the vineyard. Sunday morning found her traversing roads which were sometimes almost impassable, to attend the early prayer-meeting, which she often conducted. This was followed by morning school, in which she took part. Then came the walk home, and back again to the afternoon and evening services, at which her place was seldom unoccupied. On other days Mary was busy among the sick and poor, for whom she would obtain relief from friends when her own means failed. Thus, in taking up the work EARLY DAYS AND MARRIAGE. 53 which came most readily to hand, and fulfilh'ng each task with Christian fidelity, she was, unconsciously, being prepared for greater deeds of doing and daring for her Master in the far-off Isles of Fiji. James Calvert and Mary Fowler were married in March, 1838 ; and about a month later they started on their long voyage to New South Wales, from which place they were to go to Fiji, in company with the Rev. John Hunt and the Rev. T. J. Jagger ; it being designed that all the party should assist in the work in Fiji. Sydney was reached in the following August, and here the mission party were detained for some time before completing their journey. During this short stay the services of the missionaries were much in demand, for preaching and attending meetings. Thus it happened that Mr. Calvert was appointed to preach on Sunday in the open air near the Hay Market, when an incident occurred that seemed to set God's seal of approval on the work of His devoted servant. It was to both Mr. and Mrs. Calvert an earnest of what was to be accomplished by them in the future. By some mistake the preacher began the service before the appointed time, and ere the congregation had assembled. Mrs. Calvert started the tune for the hymn Mr. Calvert had announced. At length the people gathered round, and the service was gone through with much earnestness. The next day a letter arrived telling the following story ; it was from a young man who had, on the previous day, landed at Sydney from Tasmania, where he had been living a godless life. Finding, on going to his lodgings, that his pockets had been picked, leaving him penniless — added to the remorse of 54 JAMES CALVERT. a guilty conscience — he made up his mind to end his days by suicide. While on his way to carry out this dreadful intention, he was attracted by the hymn Mrs. Calvert had commenced, and thought it would be well to take part in a religious service before he died. He joined himself to the listeners, and soon the preacher's words took him back in thought to the home of his childhood. Long-buried memories of godly parents, away in London, who had tried to teach him the fear of the Lord, were revived ; and after reading the tract given him by Mrs. Calvert, he was completely turned from his evil pur- pose, and decided to seek the " God of his fathers." When told afterwards that the preacher had begun the service earlier than was intended, he wept and said, " If you had not, I should have been a dead man." This circumstance served to strengthen the faith of the missionary and his wife, showing them, as it did, how God was overruling all the little events of their lives, even when they were all unconscious of the end He had in view. The stay in Sydney was made specially pleasant by the presence there of the Rev. John Williams and a large band of the London Society's missionaries. On the night before their departure all joined to- gether at a farewell meeting in the Baptist Chapel, and on the following morning were taken on board their respective vessels, anchored in the splendid Sydney waters, by the same steamer, and passed out of the Sydney Heads together, the Camden bearing off to the Navigators' Islands, where the goods and missionaries were landed, and thence she sailed to Erromanga, where the devoted Williams was murdered and eaten. EARLY DAYS AND MARRIAGE. 55 The missionaries for Fiji left S}'dney on the 25th of October, 1838, for Lakemba and Rewa. This passage, a very uncomfortable one, was made in a small schooner, the Lctitia. They reached Lakemba in December, after spending some little time in the Friendly Islands, where they made the acquaintance of King George of Tonga. The friendship of this good and powerful man afterwards proved very valuable to the interests of the mission. In Fiji, King George was known and feared, and on several occasions his interference on behalf of persecuted Christians brought them relief It was not long before Mr. and Mrs. Calvert became settled in their new sphere of Christian work — in which they continued for nearly ten years. The Rev. J. Hunt was appointed to labour at Rewa. Some of the joys and sorrows, the triumphs and disappointments, of the work in Lakemba we shall recount in our next chapter. CHAPTER IV. AT WORK IN LAKEMBA. " Let us watch avvliile the sowers ; Let us mark their tiny grain, Scattered oft in doubt and trembling, Sown in weakness or in pain ; Then let Faith, with radiant finger, Lift the veil from unseen things. Where the golden sheaves are bending, And tlie harvest anthem rings." F. R. Havergal. NO sooner were Mr. and Mrs. Calvert settled in their home at Lakemba than their work began in good earnest. At first it was decided to give the new-comers time to acquire the language before any fresh stations were com- menced, but the demand for teaching was so pressing that the missionaries felt bound to scatter themselves over as large an area as possible ; and thus it happened that, six months after their arrival in Fiji, Mr. and Mrs. Calvert found themselves left alone at Lakemba, in charge of a large and laborious circuit, which included thirteen towns on the island AT WORK IN LAKEMBA. 57 of Lakemba, besides twenty-four surrounding islands, some of them over a hundred miles distant. The means of transit were as yet most difficult, there being no roads between one town and another, scarcely a safe footpath, and no beast of burden or conveyance was at this time in use on any of the islands ; and for journeys by sea the missionary found it difficult to obtain the use of a seaworthy canoe. It is hard for us to realize what this situation meant. Here was a solitary white man, with his wife, possessing only a very imperfect knowledge of the people or their language, surrounded by a little church, among whom at present scarcely an influ- ential person was to be found. Outside this little community the most ferocious forms of cruelty existed and were in constant practice, often, indeed, within sight of the missionaries. Alone — yet not alone — stood these courageous ones in the fight against evil ; for He who walked in the fiery furnace to protect the three Hebrew children was also walking with His faithful servants, shielding them from the craft and malice of these vicipus people. It v/ould seem as though in the case of Mrs. Calvert the sights and scenes around her must only excite a feeling of repulsion and disgust ; but such was not the case with this gentle, devoted lady. As soon as she got hold of the language, she began to work in the school and to meet classes ; while her musical talent was employed in teaching the people to sing. Like her Master, in His pitying tenderness, she came down to the level of these unfortunate creatures, and tried to comfort them in their sorrows, and raise them above the sin 58 JAMES CALVERT. and degradation into which they had fallen, through the cruel customs of their religion and nation. Thus did Mrs. Calvert prove herself a helpmeet to her husband, in every sense of the word, in the great work to which he had devoted his life. Much inconvenience was occasioned at the mission- house by the pilfering habits of the people, and the clever cunning they displayed in order to escape detection. Various things were constantly disappear- ing from the barter stores, and even from the kitchen. And not content with this, a regular burglary was planned about this time, and successfully carried out. On rising one morning one of the missionaries was surprised to find that a hole had been cut in the reed wall of his house, through which a large number of articles of wearing apparel had been stolen. A quantity of large stones close by told of the murderous intention of the thieves, if they had happened to meet with any resistance. The king, however, did not countenance this conduct, and on this occasion showed his displeasure in Fijian style, by taking off a finger from several children related to the offenders. But this state of things did not last long, for Mr. Calvert soon gained the confidence of the people by visiting them in their own homes, which had the twofold advantage of dissipating his own fears, and also of helping him in gaining a correct knowledge of the language. In this way a mutual trust sprang up between missionary and people, which was of great advantage to both. Tui Nayau, the king, did not show any more favour to the " Lotu " now than in the days of Mr. Cargill. He was often a cause of grief and annoyance to Mr. Calvert, who, notwithstanding this, AT WORK IN LAKE MB A. 59 faithfully reproved his wrong-doings, and patiently tried to persuade him to accept the truth. Per- sistently, but in an underhand wa)'', he still did all in his power to oppose Christianity, while his brother, Toki, followed the policy of open resistance, and greatly influenced the king, who seems to have lacked that strength of purpose which characterized most of these Fijian potentates, and made them powerful for good or evil. On one occasion Mr. Calvert waited on Tui Nayau and Toki, and asked that the people of Nasangkalu might join the " Lotu " if they wished, assuring the king and his brother that if permission were granted all respect, labour, and tribute would be paid them as usual. Both chiefs professed to believe that Christianity was a good thing for their followers, and to be quite willing that they should please themselves in matters of religion. Forthwith Mr. Calvert started for Nasangkalu to tell its inhabitants the good news; but before he reached the town he was met by two women, who had arrived before him with a message from the king. This message was to forbid the people to become Christians, and threatening to banish all who disobeyed the command. Pursuing his journey, Mr. Calvert found that this order had had the disastrous effect of making the people afraid to follow his teaching. Still he was cheered by the conduct of one man who yielded to his convictions, at the expense of having to leave his home. He became servant to a Tongan who lived near the Mission House at Lakemba, and after proper instruction went to Vatoa as a native teacher, where he died after much faithful and successful service. The conduct of the king on this occasion 6o JAMES CALVERT. furnishes an example of the cunning duplicity in which the Fijian excels. Later on, however, Tui Nayau showed less hostility to the work, and even favoured its extension, either because he was in a better state of mind, or because he saw it would answer his purpose to do so. This was the case with the island of Oneata, which is situated forty miles south-east of Lakemba, and was subject to it. Here the work of a Fijian teacher, and the visits of the missionary, had been productive of much good. A church and school were established, in the working of which many of the natives took part. The work prospered until nearly all the inhabitants were Christians. In 1842 it was found necessary to build a larger chapel, when these industrious and enterprising people went to work with a will, and soon erected a structure large enough to hold all the inhabitants of the island. To many the building seemed unnecessarily large, but before it was opened for worship the king sent a message requesting all the people to join the " Lotu," and many who were only waiting for his sanction at once renounced their heathen worship. Among these were the head chief and priest of the island. Thus, when the chapel was opened it was found to be just the right size, and those who had expended their time and strength upon it were rewarded by seeing it well filled with earnest worship- pers. Altogether these Oneata people were a race of superior intelligence, industry, and enterprise, and were therefore a great acquisition to Christianity in Fiji. They owned many canoes, with which they traded with other islands, boldly defending them from the grasp of more powerful chiefs. After they AT WORK IN LAKEMBA. 6i became Christians, like those of the early Church, they went about preaching the Word wherever they journe}-ed, and in many places much good was done. In this Avay the Gospel was taken to Vanuam- balavu, an important island, situated half-way between Lakemba and Somosomo, to which it was subject. The inhabitants of this island were related to those of Oncata, and had the same gods, a privilege which in Fiji gives the possessors the right A NATIVE DANCE. to pilfer each other's goods, and also to swear the one at the other. After the business which occasioned these visits was over, it was usual to have dancing and singing ; but now the new converts, instead of thus spending their time, began to talk about their rehgion, and to urge these relatives of theirs to " Lotu." This confession of Christ on the part of these Oneata people met with much opposition at first ; but after a time, a chief of rank, named Mbukarau, accepted their invitation and embraced the Gospel. He was a brave, fearless man, and had 62 JAMES CALVERT. been much dreaded previous to his conversion ; afterwards, chiefs and priests began to threaten and oppose him ; but this he endured manfully, living up to all the light he had, while earnestly seeking to know the way of the Lord more perfectly. After a time, he made a voyage to Lakemba to request that a teacher might be sent to instruct his people. The teacher on arrival found that several others had joined Mbukarau in his Christian worship, and great joy was evinced at the teacher's coming. The chief's house was soon crowded with worshippers, and gradually the opposition of the heathen began to give way. Joseph Mbukarau became a teacher and preacher himself, and was the means of leading many others into the light of the Gospel. Inter-tribal wars, the cause of so much bloodshed in Fiji, now began to wage between Yaro and Lomolomo, two districts into which Vanuambalavu was divided. In these wars the Christians refused to join, and were permitted to remove to Munia, a small island about nine miles distant. Here, with Joseph Mbukarau at their head, they established in time a flourishing colony, where they remained free from the claims of war. The sturdy character of the religion of these early Christians in Fiji is worthy of note. Manfully did many of them endure perse- cution, exile, and even death, rather than com- promise their principles. On one occasion, when Tuikilakila, the ferocious King of Somosomo, came on a visit to Lomolomo, to receive tribute, arrange- ments were made for the presentation to take place on the Sabbath ; in this the Christians refused to take part, thus risking the displeasure of a king who had threatened to kill and eat any of his subjects AT WORK IN LAKEMBA. 63 who should " Lotu." Contrary, however, to their expectation, and also that of the heathen, he per- mitted them to do homage and offer tribute on the following day. In later years, when nearly all this group of islands had given up heathenism, the Sabbath was so rigidly kept that no canoe was seen putting to sea except to take some teacher or preacher to his appointment ; and no bribe was sufficient to tempt a Christian native to climb a tree or gather cocoa- nuts or other fruit. This principle was severely put to the test in 1874 and 1875, when the Balolo festival occurred on Sunday. As this festival, or Feast of Worms, is peculiar to these islands, we shall give Miss Gordon-Cumming's description of it: — " The balolo is a small sea-worm, long and thin as ordinary vermicelli. Some are fully a yard long, others about an inch. It has a pointed body and many legs, and lives in the deep sea. Only on two days in the whole year do these creatures come to the surface of the water. The first day is in October, which is hence called ' Little Balolo,' when only a few appear. The natives know exactly when they are due, and are all on the look-out for them. They make their calculations by the position of certain stars. After this no more are seen till the high tide of the full moon which occurs between the 20th and 25 th of November, which hence takes the name of ' Great Balolo,' when they rise to the surface in countless myriads, always before daybreak. In the Samoan Isles the day occurs about a fortnight earlier. At certain well-known points near the reefs, the whole sea, to the depth of several inches. 64 JAMES CALVERT. is simply alive with these red, green, and brown creatures, which form one writhing mass, and are pursued by shoals of fish of all sizes, which come to share the feast with the human beings. The latter are in a state of the wildest excitement, for it is the merriest day of the year, and is looked forward to from one November to the next by all the young folk. At midnight they go out in their canoes, and anxiously await the appearance of the first few worms, and great is the struggle to secure these, which herald the appearance of untold myriads. For several hours there is the merriest sport and laughter, every one bailing up the worms and trying who can most quickly fill his canoe, either by fair sport or by stealing from his neighbour. " All is noise, scrambling, and excitement, the lads and lasses each carrying wicker baskets, with which they capture the worms without carrying too much salt water on board. As the day dawns, these mysterious creatures with one accord sink once more to their native depth, and by the moment of sunrise not one remains on the surface ; nor will another be seen for twelve months, when, true to its festival, the balolo will certainly return. Never has it been known to fail in the memory of the oldest inhabitant, white or brown. Nor is there any record of any one having seen one rise to the surface on any save the two appointed days, which are known as the ' Little Balolo ' and ' Great Balolo.' Well do the natives know how needless it would be to look for one after sunrise, so all the canoes then return to land, wrap their balolo in bread-fruit leaves, cook them in ovens dug on the beach, and have a great feast. So great is the quantity taken that the supply generally lasts AT WORK IN LAKEMBA. 65 for several days, being warmed up when required, and basketfuls are sent to friends at a distance. " Such is our prejudice against all manner of worms, that few Europeans appreciate this dainty, which, nevertheless, is really not nasty, especially when eaten with bread and butter. It is rather like spinach with a flavour of the sea. Sad to say, both this year and last year the full-moon tide occurred PREPARATION OF FOOD. on Sunday morning ; notwithstanding, the irreligious little worms rose to the surface with their wonted punctuality. So rigid is the obedience of all the Wesleyans in the matter of Sabbatical observance, that not one of their canoes went out ; whereas their Roman Catholic brethren, to whom more laxity is allowed, went forth rejoicing. The latter, however, are a very small minority, and you can imagine what an act of self-denial it must be to give up this 5 66 JAMES CALVERT. highly valued harvest of the sea on two following years." We cannot wonder that Miss Gordon-Cumming closes her remarks on this subject by saying, " Cer- tainly they are the most devout race (for Christians) that I have ever seen." The story of the conversion of Tangithi, the daughter of Tui Nayau, is a very interesting one. When this young lady was about twenty years of age, she was taken seriously ill, and, as was cus- tomary in Fiji, the king set about trying to appease the supposed anger of the gods by having the tem- ples repaired, and ordering large offerings of food to be prepared in every town on the island. Thousands of taro-roots were baked, and presented together with nineteen large puddings. Fijian pud- ding is a very favourite article of diet, and is made with ground taro-root, which is baked in leaves in small portions, and afterwards mixed together with cocoa-nut and boiled sugar-cane juice. A case for the reception of this mixture is made with a large number of banana leaves. On this occasion the largest pudding measured twenty-one feet in circumference. But while all this preparation was going on, Tangithi was getting worse ; so Mr. Calvert was asked to pay her a second visit. He found the priest with her, going through his incantations, and rubbing her body at the same time. The king was much excited, and said, " The illness of my daughter is very great ! " " Yes," said the missionary, " I know it ; and you are to be blamed for following useless heathen worship, instead of continuing the use of medicine which proved beneficial." AT WORK IN LAKEMBA. 67 With this he refused to prescribe unless these heathen rites were abandoned. To this the king consented, and the medicine was given, which, while reviving her from her uncon- sciousness, caused her to toss about restlessly. This made the king think she was dying, and in anger he cried out, " You have killed my daughter ! " Mr. Calvert's situation now became dangerous, sur- rounded as he was by the angry king and his enraged heathen subjects, many of whom would have been well pleased to get permission from the king to kill the missionary. It was now the missionary's turn to be angry, and he vehemently expressed his indignation at being charged with taking the life of the princess, after he had been good enough to comply with their request and administer medicine sent from England for the use of his own family. With this he snatched up his bottles and hurried home, glad to escape. Once there, he secured his house and awaited anxiously for news, well knowing that his life might not be worth much if the princess died during the night. With the morning came the news that Tangithi was a little better ; and later on another message was sent from the king, asking for medicine for another of his children who was suffer- ing from dysentery. Mr. Calvert sent word, " Give my respects to the king, and tell him that I do not wish to send any more medicine for his children, having killed his daughter last night ! And it is not lawful for a missionary to kill two children of a king in so short a time ! " This reply brought an apology, and after some delay the medicine was sent, 68 JAMES CALVERT. Tangithi was now under the priests' care, who for four weeks tried all their charms and sacrifices for her recovery, but all to no purpose ; the poor girl only grew worse. At the end of this period the king gave his consent for her to renounce her heathenism, and requested that she and her attend- ants might be removed to the Mission House, so that she could have Mr. Calvert's constant oversight. Of course compliance with this request would occa- sion much inconvenience to the mission family ; but Mrs. Calvert, with characteristic unselfishness, lost sight of her own trouble in the hope of teaching and helping these heathen women. A letter, dated August iith, 1842, written by Mrs. Calvert to her brother, thus describes the visit of this princess to the Mission House : — ^' Several men brought her on some pieces of wood fastened together for the purpose, and she was put into our study. She began to recover rapidly, and in a few days was able to sit up and eat her food with her attendants, who were not a few. The young princess said, ' I only hated religion, and am now greatly ashamed of my past conduct. I was extraordinary in telling lies, and if I had died in my illness I should not have known anything about religion.' She soon learned the alphabet, and is getting on well with her book. She left us last Tuesday, strong and well. It is about six weeks since she first came. The king said afterwards, * There is a famine of whales' teeth [in consequence of the large offerings made to the gods], yanggona [of which the king is very fond], and of food. Yet, after all, Tangithi would have died if she had not served the true God.' About three weeks since AT WORK IN LAKEMBA. 69 one of the king's children was taken ill, and he wished its mother to bring it to our house, that it might have medicine and be under Mr. Calvert's care. The dear baby soon got worse, and the mother said it was to ' Lotu.' They went to ask the king if the child might embrace religion. The king said ' Yes.' We told the mother that the child did not know anything about religion, and that it would be well for her to pray to the true God, and endeavour to feel resigned to His will. However, in two or three days the baby died ; and of all the noises I ever heard, theirs was the worst. It died in the middle of the night, and they called up Mr. Calvert to inform him. He got up, and had one of our boxes prepared for burying it. I kept in bed with the children. The child's name was Mata-ika, and the mother kept crying, ' Where are you going, Mata-ika ? ' And really if shouting, screaming, pulling the poor child's eyes open, oiling its body, and tumbling it about could have fetched the babe to life again, they could not have done more for it than they did. They kept up this awful noise for about six hours in our house. I shall never forget it. We were quite afraid the mother would go and burn her body, and shave her head, or do something of this sort, as is customary with the natives. She made her hands tabu [sacred] ; so that when she ate some persons fed her, and the same when she smoked. The natives are sad smokers, and grow their own tobacco. " I fear I shall tire you with what, perhaps, will not be interesting. Please forgive me. I should have said that in a few days the mother returned to our house, said the child had died in the religion, 70 JAMES CALVERT. and she herself would follow it. She attends the chapel on the Sabbath, and comes to the female school on the week-days. What a blessing if it should be the means of her conversion ! God grant it may ! " It was now evident to all the heathen around that Tangithi owed her recovery to the missionary's God, when their own heathen priest had failed to effect a cure ; which fact lessened their faith in heathen gods, and led some to renounce them. The princess became a consistent member of the Church and a great help to the cause. But a severe trial awaited Tangithi, from which it seemed impossible that her Christian friends could deliver her. In early days she had been betrothed to Tanoa, the cannibal King of Bau, whose brutali- ties are said to have exceeded those of all the other Fijian kings in fiendish horror. And now the time had arrived for Tangithi to become one of his many wives. Resistance was in vain, and accordingly she was sent to Bau. Here she was subjected to all kinds of persecution, because she persisted in pray- ing to t^he true God, and not until her life was in danger from sickness, brought about by ill-treatment, was she allowed to return to Lakemba. Her kind friends at the Mission House received her with much joy, but she was not allowed to stay, for as soon as her health was restored she was ordered to return to Bau, where she again suffered much from her persecutors. But her release was at hand, for after the death of Tanoa she was allowed to visit her father, on condition that she returned with larfje offerings as A T WORK AT LA KEMBA . 7 1 tribute. Changes had meanwhile taken place, both at Lakemba and Bau; the former king was nominally a Christian, and did not seem disposed to comply with these terms, especially as the power of the Bau king was much weakened, and Tui Nayau had consequently less to fear from his displeasure. After a time King George of Tonga visited Bau, when the king informed him how his Lakemban vassals had served him, and promised that Tangithi should be free to return home if she brought him the promised tribute. King George, seeing the justice of the claim, undertook to have it carried out. But when on his way to Bau with Tangithi, he found that the king meant to deceive him, so he returned with her to Lakemba, where she remained an earnest worker in the Mission Church. In 1847, Mrs. Calvert, in writing home, thus refers to an interview she had with Tui Nayau : — " Many of our people are suffering with influenza, and most of our time is taken up in attending to the sick. The king is very poorly with it, and he is dreadfully alarmed lest he should die. This morn- ing, before it was light, his people called me up to go and see him. We were soon at his house, and there we found him surrounded by the chiefs and people, sitting on a mat by the side of the fire, with a piece of white native cloth tied on each arm, and two or three head-dresses round his head. He told us that this was his preparation for death ; for he knew very well that he should die. I told him that he did not look like a dying man, and that he must at once throw away his decorations. He did so, and we gave him some plain truth. He said, ' Leave 72 JAMES CALVERT. me, and I will "Lotu" as soon as I am well.' We reasoned with him a long time, and then came away. We have been three times to see him, but he still says he shall die." About two years after this visit from Mrs. Calvert, Tui Nayau, the King of Lakemba, publicly renounced heathenism, and professed Christianity. Another conversion worthy of notice here was that of a Levukan chief, who, with his tribe, had settled at Lakemba. This man, by his vigour of character and industry, as well as by his unscrupulous duplicity, had acquired wealth and power. Many were the outrages he had perpetrated when sent to collect tribute for the Lakemban king. His tribe was subject to the powerful King of Bau, and with him the chief exerted all the power he possessed to destroy Christianity in Lakemba. Shortly before Mr. and Mrs. Calvert left Lakemba, an opportunity occurred for conversing with this man of blood. Faithfully did the missionary re- prove and exhort him to consider the claims of the Gospel. The truth impressed him, and after further inquiry his conscience became troubled, and it was not long before this notorious sinner was found acknowledging his sins, and earnestly seeking the forgiveness of God. A great change now came over him. He became as earnest in doing good as previously he had been in his wickedness, and wherever he went his conduct showed how thorough was the change which had taken place in his heart and life. His energy now found vent in working for the Mission; and before long one of the most beautiful chapels in that district was erected chiefly at his expense. At the opening^ service of this A T WORK AT LA KEMBA . 75 sanctuary he put away his many wives, and was married to one by reh'gious rite. We insert here a quotation from that excellent work, " Fiji and the Fijians," by Thomas Williams and James Calvert, to which book we have already acknowledged our indebtedness for many valuable facts in the preparation of this volume : — " During the progress of the events just recorded, the Mission was slowly advancing at the chief island of Lakemba, which, beside several Tongan settlements, has ten Fijian towns and villages. It was, of course, impossible for the missionary and his assistants to visit all of the many islands included in the Lakemban circuit; but the truth reached all, for the people came to Lakemba to. procure goods, or for other purposes, and they always called at the Mission House, where care was taken to impart instruction. All, however, were afraid of the king and chief in the principal town, so that for a long time there was not much apparent success. Yet this town was regularly visited by the missionaries, who were occasionally cheered by tokens of good having been effected. " On visiting Yavutha, a heathen who was sick, Mr. Calvert heard with gratitude of the fruit of another missionary's teaching. Yavutha begged him to sit near, and said, ' I have desired a visit from you. I wished to go to your house that we might worship the true God together, but I could not ; I have therefore made an offering to the gods we have worshipped. I hate them much. They are liars. I am greatly grieved because I have long neglected to worship the true God. I am now determined to pray to God. If I die while worshipping Him it will be well. Mr. Cross is a good man. He was 76 JAMES CALVERT. of few words, but we always felt when he spoke to us.' " In the presence of the chiefs, their wives, and several of his friends, Mr. Calvert made known to him more fully the nature of sin and the atonement of the Saviour, and then at his request prayed for him. Mr. Cross had then left five years, and this long delayed result of good greatly encouraged this missionary." Such are some of the events which took place during the ten years in which Mr. and Mrs. Calvert were at work at Lakemba — years crowned with mercies, many of them full of joy, others clouded with sorrow and disappointment. This we see by Mr. Calvert's own resume of his toil, with which extract we close this chapter : — " I have lived in Lakemba in great peace, have been on friendly terms with all, and have been con- nected with a most extensive spread of Christianity in Lakemba and its dependencies. There by far the best part of my life has been spent. I feel heartily attached to the people and the place, and could gladly spend there the residue of my days, were I directed by God's all-wise providence to remain. Lakemba is to me more than all the world beside. Yet where God commands and directs I cheerfully go. I only desire to be where He approves, and to do what He requires, for the few remaining days He may employ me. For three separate years I was alone at Lakemba, and twice I was with missionaries who came direct from England. " I have sailed to many of the islands in this circuit in canoes — to Ono, Vatoa, Ongea, Vulanga, Namuka, Oneata, Mothe, Komo, Vuang-gava, AT WORK AT LAKEMBA. -jj Kambara,Vanua Vatu, Nayau, Vanuambalavu, Munea, and Tuvutha, inhabited ; to Aiwa, Olorua, and Tavunasithi, uninhabited. I have walked much on the island to the various towns. There I have had much and long-continued sickness and much health. There our Mary was given back to us when ap- parently gone. There my beloved wife — after the failure of copious bleeding for several times, the application of blisters, and cuppings with razor and tumbler, in the absence of proper apparatus — was raised again, in mercy, in answer to earnest and believing prayer. " While I have endeavoured to be faithful to God and with men, I have to mourn over much unfaith- fulness, and thankfully rejoice that the Lord has blessed me, and done all things well. Lakemba ! I love thee ! Farewell ! From thee I cannot be separated. My prayers, thoughts, efforts shall still be towards thee. I hope many thence will be the crown of my rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus. I fear I shall be witness against many who perish after frequent and faithful warning. I laboured diligently, I trust, to do the people good temporally and spiritually ; and God accompanied many of my efforts with His blessing. My five children, born there, are all alive. Praise the Lord for all His goodness ! O Lord, bless abundantly, and for ever, Lakemba and all its dependencies!" SEA CUCUMBEPJ CHAPTER V. CHRISTIANITY AT ONO. " An infant crying in the night, An infant crying for the Hght, And with no language but a cry." '• The people that sat in darkness have seen a great light." PERHAPS the most strange and touching scenes connected with the mission to Fiji were those which took place on the island of Ono. This island is the principal of an isolated group, situated about one hundred and fifty miles south of Lakemba, to which it was tributary. It forms the southernmost extremity of Fiji. Without any prompting, except that which must have come from God's good Spirit, these people began to grope from their own deep heathen darkness towards the light. The circum- stances which led to this movement we will now relate. In the year 1835, about the same time that the CHRISTIANITY AT ONO. 79 mission to Fiji was commenced, several events transpired which tended to crush the spirit of the inhabitants of these islands. Numbers of the people had been killed in the wars, in which they were nearly always engaged, while still more had been carried off by an epidemic disease that had raged among them. Thus, much fear and excite- ment prevailed. Large offerings were made to the gods, whose displeasure they thought was the cause of these disasteis. Every act of worship was most carefully carried out, but all in vain ; the gods refused to be propitiated, and the troubles of the people increased. Just about this timeWai, one of the chiefs of Ono, went to Lakemba, bearing the usual tribute to the king, and while there met with a Fijian chief called Takai, who had been to the Friendly Islands, where he had heard of, and embraced, Christianity. From this man Wai learnt that there was but one God, whom all ought to serve, and that one day in seven should be set apart for His worship. With these very elementary truths he returned to Ono, and spread them among his people. These people, feeling that their own gods could not, or would not, deliver them out of their distresses, determined to apply to this new God in the way prescribed. Accordingly, on the sixth day they prepared their food for the morrow, when they dressed as for a festival, and assembled together to worship this unknown God. But here a difficulty arose as to who should officiate for them, for they were not used to praying except through the priest. Still their project was not thus early to be abandoned ; so in their dilemma they sent for the heathen priest, 8o JAMES CALVERT. and asked him to address this new God in their behalf. Moved, either by fear, or compassion, or ^^^4Afi«^'^:i A CHIEF AND HIS ATTENDANT. honour, the priest came to the rescue, and asked the Christians' God to help and bless the people, at the CHRISTIANITY A T ONO. 8i same time acknowledging that he himself was on another tack, and worshipped a different God, and that he was only acting as spokesman for his neighbours. This kind of worship was continued for some time, while every day the longing for more knowledge became deeper. But the isolated position of this island made it very difficult for the inhabitants to communicate their wish, that a teacher who could supply their need might be sent to them. The voyage to Tonga in an open canoe was a very dangerous one, even when the wind was favourable enough to permit of its being attempted. After a while, however, a messenger was sent to Tonga on a whaling ship, which happened to touch at Ono, requesting that a teacher might be sent ; but several months had to pass before an answer could be returned. In the meantime a canoe full of Tongans had left Lakemba for their native land ; but contrary winds prevailed, and they were driven out of their course, and landed at Vatoa Island, about fifty miles from Ono. While there they heard of the interest the people at Ono had in the Christians' God, and one of their number, whose Christian name was Josiah, determined to go over and teach them what he knew. On arriving, he took the place of the heathen priest, led the daily devotions of the people, as well as taught them on Sundays, and some of these people soon learnt to pray for themselves. After a time the messenger returned from Tonga, bringing tidings that white teachers were settled at Lakemba, and that to them the people must apply for help, which would cause another long delay. 6 82 JAMES CALVERT. But all unknown to any, except God — " who moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform " — a teacher was being trained at Lakemba for this work at Ono. One of their own islanders, a wild lad of roving disposition, had managed to reach Tonga in safety. While there he found the people worshipping a new God. He attended their services, and afterwards, when living at Lakemba, became a true convert under Mr. Cargill's teaching, and was baptized, taking the name of Isaac Ravuata. He was a bright, intelligent youth, and quickly learned to read and write ; and ultimately he became a valuable local preacher. So when the request for a teacher for Ono reached Mr. Cargill, here was just the man ready to go, directly an opportunity occurred for sending him. In the interval he was gaining further instruction, tending to fit him for taking charge of the church, which, being situated at so great a distance from the principal mission- station, could be visited but seldom by the missionary himself. When Isaac arrived at Ono, he found that one hundred and twenty persons had renounced their heathen worship, and many more were thirsting for a knowledge of the Christian faith. A year later another teacher was sent, with books and small portions of Holy Scripture. By this time throe chapels had been built ; and the people were so anxious for instruction that they scarcely allowed the Christian crew, who had brought the new teacher, time to sleep or refresh themselves. The return of the canoe to Lakemba brought news that the island of Vatoa had also become " Lotu," and that the people of these islands were anxiously CHRISTIANITY AT ONO. «3 waiting a visit from the white missionary, when many hoped to be baptized and united in marriage. It was very hard for Mr. Calvert to refuse this invitation, and yet harder still for him to comply with it, for at this time he was labouring alone at Lakemba, and travelling as frequently as possible among the other twenty islands, on which mission-stations had been established. Even if his time and strength had per- mitted of his taking so long a journey, involving an absence of weeks, perhaps months, how could he have left his wife alone among ferocious people for so long a time, especially as Tui Nayau, the king, was still opposed to the truth > No wonder the missionary wavered in the face of this great difficulty. But in the crisis it was the brave-hearted Mrs. Calvert who urged him to go, saying, " It would be much better to leave me alone than to neglect so many people. If you can arrange for the work to be carried on here you ought to go." This difficulty overcome, another arose from the fact that no suitable canoe could be obtained for such a dangerous voyage, while the desire to venture had been deepened by a fur- ther very urgent request from Ono, stating that the missionary's presence was more than ever needed. It was not long, however, before Mr, Calvert was able to get a Tongan chief, who came to Lakemba with a large but not seaworthy canoe, to consent to take him to Ono. So, leaving his courageous wife 84 JAMES CALVERT. and little child to the care of their Almighty Pro- tector, he set sail, and reached Vatoa in a few days, where he found the native teacher doing well. After a short stay, he left for Ono. At Ono the people rejoiced greatly to see the missionary, and his heart was made glad when he found how genuine a work had been begun among them. Over one hundred were eligible for baptism. Among these were many interesting cases of con- version, one of which may be given here at length : — Tovo was a young lady belonging to the highest rank in the island, the daughter of a chief, and said to be beautiful. It was known to Mr. Calvert that she had been betrothed, in infancy, to Tui Nayau, King of Lakemba, so he now declined to administer the rite of baptism unless she refused to become one of the thirty wives of that monarch. Realizing well the trouble that might arise from this course of action, Tovo declared her willingness to die rather than be compelled to fulfil her betrothal ; and all the Christians expressed their determination to suffer anything rather than give her up to Tui Nayau. At her baptism she took the name of Jemima, and having already learnt to read, she became a great help in the school and in other religious work. Altogether Mr. Calvert was absent from Lakemba about three weeks. Soon after his return he waited upon the king, and told him of Tovo's baptism, explaining that she could not now become one of his wives, and trying to get him to relinquish his claim, but without success. Incited by the heathen of Ono, Tui Nayau began to prepare a fleet of canoes manned with warriors to go to that island. On hear- ing of this, Mr. Calvert went to him, with the cus- CHRISTIANITY AT ONO. 85 tomary offering of a whale's tooth, and begged him to refrain from persecuting these Christian subjects of his. An interesting conversation took place. " You are preparing to voyage to Ono," said Mr. Calvert. " I understand that you intend to compel Jemima to be brought to you. I beg you will not do so, but allow her to remain at her own island, a Christian." " Oh, no ; I am only going there for tribute, sinnet, cloth, mosquito curtains, mats, and pearl shell." " If so, why do you take your warriors with you } I should have thought that if you were merely going for tribute you would have taken sailors ; but instead of that you take a number of warriors." " Oh, they are good sailors also. I shall manage very well with them." " Tui Nayau, before you venture, I warn you faithfully. I love you, and therefore warn you. God's people are as the apple of His eye. In thus fetching this girl you are fighting against God. You will imperil your own safety if you go on such an errand. Remember that on the sea, and at all the islands between Lakemba and Ono, the Lord Jehovah rules supreme, and can easily punish you if you are found fighting against Him. Take care what you are about." " Oh, no ; I do not intend anything of the kind. I am only just going to my own island, to fetch tribute, as I have done before." Feeling sure that the king was deceiving him, Mr. Calvert departed, saying these bold prophetic words : " I hear what your mouth says, but do not know what your heart intends. I do not know what you really purpose, but forewarn you that you 86 JAMES CALVERT. are risking your own safety if you attempt to fetch Tovo from Ono," Nothing daunted, the king set sail, and the voyage went prosperously at first. When he reached Vatoa, however, he threw off the disguise he had assumed as to his intention towards the Christians, and ill-treated those who were on that island, allowing his people to destroy their food and steal their property. A contrary wind then sprang up, which detained the king, but four canoes of his, containing warriors, were sent forward to await his arrival at Ono. These had on board about one hundred men, who were never heard of afterwards. Either they were drowned at sea, or being shipwrecked, were thrown upon some heathen island, where they were killed and eaten, according to the binding custom. When the wind changed the king and his party started, but although they came within sight of Ono, the wind having shifted again, they were unable to reach the entrance and shore. As night came on affairs became serious. The wind rose, and the sea raged ; so that the king, remembering Mr. Calvert's warning, gave up all hope of rescue. He prepared himself for death, by oiling his body, putting on a royal dress and a beautiful necklace ; and he prayed to his gods, promising large thank- offerings, together with a special pig, fed by his own hand, if he got back safely to Lakemba. During the next day the king and his party came in' sight of Totoya, where they landed in safety. Here they were treated kindly, and entertained until it was safe for them to start home again. On arriving at Lakemba, Tui Nayau begged the mission- ary that his " words of warning might never follow CHRTSTTANITY AT ONO. 87 him again ; " and the pig he had vowed to sacrifice to his god was sent to Mr. Calvert, thus showing that he believed that his gods had not rendered him help in time of danger, but that it was of the Lord's mercies he was not consumed. It is very remarkable that two canoes which were manned with Christian sailors left Vatoa at the same time as the king, and yet reached Ono in safety. One of these had on board Toki, the king's brother, who was more inveterate in his hatred of Christianity than the king himself, yet his wrath was mercifully restrained. He landed first at Ndoi, whence news soon reached Ono that he was coming to demand Jemima. The Christians were determined to resist him, and prepared themselves against his attack. Strange to say, they were soon joined by the heathen, who thought it best for the^r own safety to make common cause with the Christians. Meanwhile a message was sent to inform Toki that all the people of Ono had joined together to withstand him, but that if he came peaceably they were quite willing to entertain him, and to pay the usual tribute. Answer was quickly made that he meant to come in peace, and accordingly the people dispersed to prepare food for their visitors. On landing he was well treated, but a strict watch was kept upon Toki, lest he should pounce upon them unawares. Thus three months were spent waiting for Tui Nayau and his warriors to arrive, but these failed to reach Ono; and Toki accepted tribute, and returned home in no better humour to- wards the Christians, who had resisted him so firmly. After a time Tui Nayau expressed his willingness to accept tribute in place of Tovo. This was readily supplied by the people of Ono, and supplemented 88 JAMES CALVERT. by the missionary ; but before it arrived, acting on adverse advice, he had changed his mind, and once more demanded the girl. Still, after his late narrow escape, ^= he dared not HOMAGE TO A CHIEF. dare propose to her, as the king had not relinquished his claim. After Mr. Calvert's visit to Ono, the heathen began to persecute the Christians. While engaged CHRISTIANITY AT ONO. 89 in a prayer-meeting, two of their number were surprised ; one was killed, and the other wounded. Fighting ensued for some weeks, when the Christians surprised their enemies, and completely defeated them. The heathen naturally expected to be treated as their conduct deserved, and were utterly amazed when their neighbours offered to pardon them and spare their lives. Thus did these Ono Christians prove that theirs was no mere profession of religion, but a living reality, since it taught them to love their enemies, and to do good to those who hated them. Three years later Mr. Calvert again undertook the journey from Lakemba to Ono, when he was rejoiced to find that the Church had been visited with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and that the whole population were filled with an earnest religious fervour. In a few weeks about two hundred persons gave good hope of their conversion, and whole nights and days were spent in prayer and praise. Some of the clear, earnest testimonies of these new converts, given at a meeting over which Mr. Calvert presided, showed conclusively that the people had been taught of God. One said, " I love the Lord. I know He loves me ; not for anything in me or for anything I have done ; but for Christ's sake alone. I trust in Christ, and am happy. I listen to God, that He may do with me as He pleases. I am thankful to have lived until the Lord's work began. I feel it in my heart. I hold Jesus ; I am happy ; my heart is full of love to God." A native teacher, Silas by name, was requested to pray, and the missionary, who was in a weak state of health at the time, thus refers to his prayer : 9° JAMES CALVERT. " The effect upon my poor frame was thrilling, but very enlivening. My spirit was quickened and refreshed. Bless the Lord, O my soul, for what I see, hear, and feel ! What hath God wrought ! Blessed ,and praised be His holy name, who only doeth wondrous things ! " Many of these earnest men were ready to go in peril of their lives to teach in distant parts of Fiji, Of these eight were chosen. At the closing service the sacrament was administered to about three hundred, and next morning a most affecting scene took place, when all the people assembled on the beach previous to the missionary's departure. Again all knelt in prayer for a blessing on the eight teachers who were going forth to preach Christ, as the first-fruits of labourers from Ono. That this was no mere passing excitement is proved by the fact that of all the work in Fiji, that at Ono has been most permanent and suc- cessful. More native teachers have been raised in proportion to the population than in any of the other islands ; and while many have entered into rest after faithful labour, many more are still at work for the Master in all parts of Fiji. CHAPTER VI. LABOURS AT VIWA AND T.AU. " Thou hast in triumph led Our enemies and Thine, And, more than conqueror, displayed Omnipotence Divine. " We see them all before Thy bleeding cross subdued, And prostrate at Thy feet adore The one eternal God." IN the year 1848 the scene of Mr. Calvert's labour was changed from Lakemba to the western group of islands, where the devoted John Hunt had been at work for some years. Mr. Hunt's serious illness took Mr, Calvert to Viwa, and after the death of the former, it became necessary for Mr. Calvert to remove to that island. Viwa is one of the small islets which rise from the reef on the eastern coast of Na Viti Levu — Great Fiji. At this time it was one of the most valuable 92 JAMES CALVERT. dependencies of Bau, from which it was only two miles distant. As yet the missionaries had been unable to establish a mission-station at Bau. They were very anxious to do so, because of the great influence its king exerted over all Fiji, and knowing that if heathen customs gave way there, the hold they had in other parts would be greatly weakened. Tanoa, the old King of Bau, one of the most ferocious and bloodthirsty cannibals in Fiji, still lived ; but the government was really in the hands of Thakombau, his son, who was remarkable for his intelligence and resolution in whatever line of conduct he adopted. Captain Erskine, who visited Fiji in 1849 in command of H.M.S. HavannaJi, thus describes Thakombau : — " It was impossible not to admire the appearance of the chief; of large, almost gigantic, size, his limbs were beautifully formed and proportioned ; his countenance, with far less of the negro cast than among the lower orders, agreeable and intelligent ; while his immense head of hair, covered and concealed with gauze, smoke-dried and slightly tinged with brown, gave him altogether the appear- ance of an Eastern sultan. No garments confined his magnificent chest and neck, or concealed the natural colour of his skin, a clear but decided black ; and in spite of this paucity of attire, he looked every inch a king." This chiefs conversion appears to have lain heavily on Mr. Calvert's heart ; and it was the subject of much earnest prayer and labour, although years passed before it became an accomplished fact. From the first the missionary acquired a great LABOURS AT VIIVA AND BAU. 93 influence over Thakombau by the most upright and judicious conduct on his part, and no opportunity of warning and reproving him was lost sight of. No public service was, however, allowed to be conducted at Bau ; but Mr. Calvert paid frequent visits, and always on such occasions sought an interview with the king. He tried to rouse his conscience ; but knowing that the principles of Christianity would go against his unjust measures, the king would not countenance it in any way. The old king, Tanoa, however, allowed service to be held at Sembi, a settlement near Bau, where some of his own women resided ; and soon the missionary's heart was cheered by hearing that Ko na Malo, Tanoa's chief wife, had been overheard praying earnestly to the true God. In the April of 1850 Mr. and Mrs. Calvert sustained a great loss in the death of their daughter Mary. Five months after their arrival in Fiji this little one was born, and we can well imagine the joy she brought them in their loneliness. A.nd yet how hard it must have been to see their darling deprived of so many comforts and privileges which she might have enjoyed in an English home, and doubly so must they have felt it when sickness came threatening to tear their treasure from their embrace. The slight medical knowledge, acquired by Mr. Calvert in student-days in London, was of great service ; but no skilled advice could be obtained ; there was not even another missionary with whom they could confer. But in that darksome hour their trust was in God, who in His tender compassion heard their prayer, rebuked the sickness, and the little one was restored. When scarcely five years old, Mary's life 94 JAMES CALVERT. was again in danger. While looking down the deep well on the mission premises, she lost her balance, and swung forward with her head downwards. For- tunately, her brother, two years younger than herself, was standing behind her. With presence of mind beyond his years, the little fellow caught hold of her leg, and held on bravely until their screams brought help, and Mary was rescued from her perilous position. And many heartfelt thanks went up to God from the mission family that day, as they realized His hand in this wonderful deliverance. As the years passed by, the little girl, under the careful training of her godly mother, developed an amiable and affectionate disposition. She was deeply pious, delighting in prayer and in reading the Word of God. At the age of eight she could read the Scriptures in Fijian as well as in English, and in true missionary spirit she might often be found trying to teach the natives the things of God, reading and rendering into their own language pas- sages of Scripture that had not yet been translated for them. The wild Fijians learned to love the little maiden, and were delighted to get her among them, that they might listen to her simple story of the Saviour's love. About this time Mary startled her tender-hearted mother by saying, one evening, " I quite think in my heart, mother, that I shall die soon ; that I shall not live long in this world. I think I shall go and be with Jesus in heaven." In her own mind, however, this presentiment did not awaken any fear, for when asked by her father, she said, " I am not afraid to die ; I love Jesus more than I love you, father.'' Happy child — to have learnt thus early to cling so closely to Jesus as to be LABOURS AT VIJVA AND BAU. 95 ready to follow Him through the Valley of the Shadow of Death without fear ! Happy parents — to have this blessed assurance, that if they were called to part with their beloved daughter, she would go to be with Christ, which was far better ! Mr. and Mrs. Calvert were very anxious to give their little Mary the benefit of an English home and education ; and after much thought and earnest prayer, they decided to make the costly sacrifice of parting with her as soon as a favourable opportunity presented itself. Shortly afterwards the widow of the Rev. John Hunt was about to return to England with her children, and it was arranged that little Mary Calvert should accompany them. During the voyage her parents received several letters from her, each of which showed her deep affection for them, and how resigned she was to God's will, looking above for the comfort she so much needed in times of sickness and sorrow. Writing from Auckland, she says : — •* I love you all very much. We arrived safely in Auckland, and are now very comfortable and happy. Thank the Lord for all His mercies ! We left Nandy on the Friday after we left you. We saw Viwa, and thought you would be looking at us. On Tuesday night we were close to Kandavu. A week after — early on Wednesday morning — New Zealand was in sight ; but we were another week in reaching Auckland, because we were very much be- calmed. On Sunday, the 3rd, it began to rain and blow like a Fijian cava [storm]. We got to anchor on Sunday afternoon. The Lord preserved us in great danger on Saturday night, from running on the rocks. . . . Now, my dear father and mother, 96 JAMES CALVERT. sisters and brother, I must say good-bye. The Lord bless you and me ! " A year later Mrs. Calvert wrote to her little girl the following letter, not knowing that her darling had been in heaven five months : — " My very dear Mary, — It is now more than twelve months since the JoJm Calvin was said to be in the Downs ; and this we read in a paper more than seven months ago, and waited patiently for the arrival of the Wesley, hoping to receive letters from you, Sister Hunt, and other friends. But, to our great, very great disappointment, we had not one ! We trust you all reached home safely, and are all well and happy. We shall feel very anxious to hear how you got through the first winter ; when you write tell us all you can. . . . " Oh, my dear Mary, I wonder if you have a new heart yet, or not ! I hope you have, and that you are happy in God. What a loving God is ours ! He listens to a little child, and is quite ready and willing to bless, and save, and make her happy. Jesus in- vites you to come to Him. What a mercy ! Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and the Lord will bless and save you. " In June we all went over to Bau, and I and your sisters and brother were there seven weeks. We enjoyed our visit very much ; and then your kind father came in the Wesley, and to save time and expense, took us on by Lakemba to Viwa. " We were eight days with Mrs. Lyth at our old house, and we felt as if we had got home again. The old friends were very glad to see us, and we felt as delighted to see them. We had a good mis- sionary meeting there, and the people gave willingly. LABOURS AT VI WA AND BAU. 97 This was the first meeting of the kind. . . . The old king has ' Lotued,' and they are all comfortable. . . . There has been quite a revival amongst the native children at Lakemba, and Sevoki (Wetasau's daughter), Victoria, and some others are thought to be truly converted to God. I met their class, and was very much pleased with them. There are about twenty in the class. . . . The Lord bless you, my dear Mary." Six months elapsed before the John Wesley was sighted, and then in joyous expectation Mr. Calvert put off in a canoe and boarded her before she cast anchor. Very soon, alas ! his joy was turned into sorrow, for he learned that his darling child had passed away, to be for ever with the Lord. After landing safely in England, Mary had been brought low by an attack of measles. This was followed by severe colds, and ultimately by con- gestion of the brain, which proved too much for one reared in a tropical climate. During her last illness, her uncle, the Rev. Philip Fowler, had said to her, in her latest conscious moments, " Mary, you must look to Jesus, and trust in Jesus." She answered, " I do ; " and these were her last words. Oh, how the hearts of these loving parents were bowed with sorrow ; such a sorrow too ! lightened only by the thought of reunion hereafter. It would have been sad to part with her even under ordinary circumstances, but how much more so when thou- sands of miles were between them and the object of their love, thus preventing them from ministering to her last wants ! Surely the missionary, whoever he be, demands our .sympathy and prayers, for his are no common trials and sorrows. 7 98 JAMES CALVERT. About this time a piratical tribe called Mbutoni arrived at Bau, bringing large offerings of their spoil as tribute to King Tanoa. Human flesh must, according to custom, be obtained, in order to enter- tain these warriors in proper style. Accordingly, a party under Ngavindi, the chief of the fisher- men, set out in canoes to capture enemies, or, failing these, friends, to furnish human food for the ovens. While lying in wait under some mangrove bushes, a company of women were seen fishing ; of these, fourteen were seized, and brought as captives to Bau. News of the capture soon reached the mission-house at Viwa, where Mrs. Calvert and Mrs. Lyth were alone with their children, their husbands having gone to teach on other islands. The hearts of these noble women were filled with horror at the thought of so many luckless creatures being sacrificed, and at once they determined to lose no time in going over to Bau in order to try and stay the slaughter. With all speed a canoe was launched, which, bearing the missionaries' wives, made for the scene of the feast. Before reaching their destination they heard the sound of the death-drums and the firing of muskets, informing them that the horrid butchery had begun. On arriving they were joined by a Christian chief, and made their way in haste to the king's house, where no woman was allowed to enter. But forgetting even their own safety in their earnest desire to save life, they rushed into the very presence of the king, and made their request. Tanoa seemed stunned by the audacity of the bold intruders, and ordered the murders to be stopped, Nine had LABOURS AT VIWA AND BAU. 99 already perished, but five remained, and were set at liberty through the intercession of these heroic servants of Jesus Christ. Looking at the event, we cannot but wonder at the desperate courage which took two women, un- guarded, into the midst of these excited, bloodthirsty cannibals, with the intent of frustrating their cruel purposes, and also at the success which attended CAPTURE OF WOMEN WHILST FISHING. their enterprise. Still, we remember that they were " strong in the Lord," and He who inspired their resolute courage went with them into the dangers they were venturing to confront, and influenced the hearts of these wild creatures to grant their request. Before leaving the island, Mrs. Calvert and Mrs. Lyth went to the house of Ngavindi, the chief 100 JAMES CALVERT. butcher, whom they found sitting at ease, evidently- well satisfied with his work. They tried to show him the evil he had wrought in the sight of God ; and though they did not seem to make much im- pression upon him, yet they were pleased to find that his chief wife, and the chief wife of Thakombau, who were present, agreed with what they were saying, and tried to emphasize their reproof. Shortly after this, Ngavindi was slain in battle, when trying to carry off a dead body. He was laid in state, before his burial, on a raised platform, with a dead wife at his side, the corpse of his mother at his feet, and that of a servant close by — all of whom had been strangled to do him honour, and all were laid in one grave. The visit of Captain Erskine to Viwa, before referred to, took place only a few days after Mrs. Calvert and Mrs. Lyth had visited Bau on their errand of mercy. In company with Mr. Calvert, he went to Bau to be introduced to Thakombau. This visit did much to strengthen the hands of the mis- sionaries, as the Captain showed his horror and disgust at the cannibalism there practised, and urged the king to listen to the missionaries and prohibit it. The Captain thus refers to the influence which Mr. Calvert had gained over this powerful chief: — " Without giving in for a moment to any of the chief's improper or unreasonable desires, or attempt- ing to flatter his vanity, he seemed, on the contrary, to lose no opportunity of administering a reproof or expressing disapprobation when any occasion occurred to call for it, treating the chief at the same time with the respect due to his station and affording him no pretext for an accusation of arrogance or undue LABOURS AT VIIVA AND BAU. loi interference. I remarked with great pleasure that in addressing Thakombau Mr. Calvert always made use of the term saka [' sir '] ; a piece of courtesy as creditable to him as a gentleman and minister of religion to pay as satisfactory to the chief to receive. The ultimate success of such a course of policy, if pursued by all the members of the mission towards a race attached to their chiefs and fond of cere- monious politeness, and at the same time of a strong and discriminating intellect, seems certain, and must A MIbbIONAR\ MEEIING IN FIJI effect a great improvement in the course of a {&\N years in the habits and civilization of this people." Early in the following year the mission received help from New South Wales, being reinforced by the arrival of Messrs. W. Moore and J. G. Millard. On the day they reached Vivva, Mr. Calvert had ar- ranged to try a special missionary meeting. About ;^30 was collected among the white residents and the missionaries, while the natives, offering such things as they possessed, presented seventy-six mats, I02 JAMES CALVERT. twenty-four baskets, three bows with arrows, seven pieces of sandal-wood, sixteen fans, sixty-two very superior clube, one pillow, thirty-one spears, eleven hand-clubs, four ladies' dresses, three pieces of native cloth, five water-vessels, four combs, and one pig. This unlooked-for generosity on the part of the people greatly stimulated the missionary and his assistants, who nevertheless were often sickened by the sight of cooked human bodies and mutilated limbs made ready for food, as was the case when they visited Bau a few days later. For some time past the missionaries had looked forward to the death of the old king, Tanoa, with hope and dread. As we have already seen, Fijian custom made it necessary for a number of wives to be strangled at the death of a great man. Mr. Calvert was very anxious for this custom to be broken through, and knew that much would be done in this direction if only they could persuade Thakombau to refrain from carrying it out on this important occa- sion. Hearing that the end was near, Mr. Calvert crossed to Bau, with his colleague Mr. Watsford, to see the mighty chief on the subject. Large offerings of whales' teeth were promised as redemption for the women, and Mr. Calvert even went so far as to offer to have his own finger cut off (Fijian mourning) if only the lives of the women might be spared. At the request of Mr. Calvert, the Commanders of H.M. ships of war on the station had entreated the king to avoid this abominable custom when his father should pass away. And the Commanders of ships of war from the United States and Australia had also joined heartily in this request. So that every possible precaution had been taken beforehand. LABOURS AT VIVVA AND BAU. 103 But all was to no purpose : Tanoa had given special injunction that his wives should in no case fail to accompany him to the spirit world, and his son seemed determined to see it carried out. While Mr. Calvert was away at Ovalau, the old king breathed his last. Mr. Watsford hastened to Bau, where he found that the work of death had begun within the house. The third victim had been called for, when Thakombau caught sight of the mis- sionary, and trembling with fear, looked at him in agony, and cried out, " What about it, Mr. Watsford.? " Mr. Watsford, with great difficulty, answered, " Re- frain, sir ! That is plenty ; two are dead. Refrain! I love them ! " The chief replied, " We also love them. They are not many — only five. But for you missionaries many more would have been strangled." Just then their third victim approached. She had sat impatiently, and soon responded to her name. Looking proudly round on the people seated in the apartment, she pranced up to the place of death, offering her hand to Mr. Watsford, who shrank back in disgust. When about to kneel she saw that they were going to use a shabby cord, and haughtily refused to be strangled except with a new cord. All this time the assembly gazed at her with delight, gently clapping their hands, and expressing, in sub- dued exclamations, their admiration of her beauty and pride. She then bade her relatives farewell, and knelt down with her arms round one of her friends. The cord was adjusted, and the large covering thrown over her, and while the men strained the cord this lady of rank pressed down her head, and she died without sound or struggle. Two more followed. 104 JAMES CALVERT. Throughout the terrible scene there was no noise or excitement, but a cheerful composure seemed to possess every native there except Thakombau, who was much excited, and evidently found it difficult to act his murderous part before the face of God's messen- ger. He ordered that one of the victims should live, but she refused, and her own son helped the king and the rest to strangle her. Mr. Watsford, by a painful effort, stayed to the last, protesting against the heartless butchery which he and Mr. Calvert had so long striven to prevent. Afterwards Mr. Calvert had a Bau chief, named Koroi Mbambakolo, staying at Viwa under his medical care. He died. Mr. Calvert followed his remains to Bau, and entreated Thakombau kindly to spare Bongi-thiwa, the wufe of this chief. The king said the missionary was to go to the chief's tribe, the Vusarandavis, and request her life from them. Mr. Calvert said he had been to them, and they had refused to grant his request ; but an order from him — the king — would spare a fine healthy woman, to live and do good work for years. The woman had gone to be bathed, oiled, and dressed for death. A messenger was sent off in haste, who reached the house just as the strangling cord had been prepared. " The king has sent me, at Mr. Calvert's request, to order you to spare the life of Bongi-thiwa," he said. The holder of the strangling cord was enraged, and threw it down, saying, " Then I suppose we are to die like nobody now } " " The sooner the better, if having poor women strangled be dying like somebody ! " This was the first victory and triumph Mr. Calvert had gained over this abomination in the city of Bau itself ! and that by LABOURS A2 VIWA AND BAU. 107 order of the king, too ! The success gave him heart and hope for the future. Whenever he met the woman afterwards she smiled upon him in gratitude for her rescue. And one of the many- comforts afforded to Mr. Calvert on his last visit to Fiji was to meet with this woman, still living and vigorous, more than thirty years after the imminent peril which had threatened her life. An instance of the success which blessed the labours of the missionaries on another and later occasion is seen in the peace which was effected be- tween Na Sau and Ndama. A war, bitter and cruel, broke out between these chiefs, and the missionary, the Rev. T. Williams, had at great personal peril gone to make a reconciliation between the combatants. To this end he effected a meeting of the chiefs, which he describes thus : — " I felt that the peace of the district depended on this interview, and prayed that no untoward event might occur to prevent or mar the good result I anticipated from the meeting. Knowing that if either party detected in the dark speaking eyes of the other anger or scorn, I might witness a scene of bloodshed instead of peace, I watched with deep anxiety the attitude of the Na Sau chief as he entered the flat space. He gently inclined the upper part of his body, clasped his hands, and approached Tui Bua, who was one of the party, with respect. My heart thrilled with joy as I looked on him. I felt sure he was sincere, nor was I kept long in suspense as to the reception Tui Bua would give him. The old chief fixed his piercing eye on him a moment, and he next sprung on his feet to meet him. He io8 JAMES CALVERT. appeared to endure the kissing of his hand by the chief of Na Sau, and withdrawing it from his Hps, cast his arms about the neck of his late enemy, and cordially embraced him. My own feelings at this moment were unutterable, and the loud cries of joy from several of the attendants showed that I did not feel alone. The Tiliva chief (a Christian) was so affected that he cried out, ' We thank Thee, O Lord, for thus bringing Thy creatures into the way of life,' and long and loudly did he weep for gladness." At the conclusion of this peacemaking Mr. Williams called upon one of his Christian Fijian teachers, named Ra Hezekiah, to address the assembly ; and this he did in words which will well bear repeating, coming, as they did, from the mouth of one so recently a heathen. He began by saying — " This is a good day ; we have long prayed that we might see this day ; now we see it, and are glad. To-day we see the great power of God. Man could not do what we see to-day. We Fijians are a per- verse people ; we are Fijians, and we know that, of all crooked, obstinate things, the mind of a Fijian is most crooked and most obstinate. If we have an enemy, we do not like to be one with him ; we do not wish to be reconciled to him. If some chief of great power had this day come to unite us he could not have done so ; certainly not — certainly not — certainly not. If some great chief of Britain had come amongst us to-day, to dissuade us from war and make us one, he could not have done so. The Fijian mind defies the power of man. But what do we see to-day .-• We see those who the other day were full of bad feeling towards each other, and LABOURS AT VIJVA AND BAU. 109 shooting at each other, sitting together in peace ; hatred is taken away, and we who so lately had each different views are now united, and our minds are as the mind of one man, " Ask no more, ' What can the Lotu do ? ' after what our eyes see this day. The Lotu is of God, and whatever we now see is the work of God. He alone is almighty. In this age we see also that God is love. He has showed His love to us by giving us His book, to tell us of the Saviour, and to teach us the way to serve God. And to help us to under- stand what we read, He has sent His minister to our land. Great is the love of God. We Fijians are born in darkness and error ; v/e are reared in error ; it is our nature to err ; so that it is important that we have those amongst us who can direct us. A father who loves his children tells them what they ought not to do, and he tells them what they ought to do. Mr. Williams is a father to us. If we take a step without advice, it is a wrong step ; but if it is approved by him we are no more double- minded, but go fearlessly on, and we find that we are doing what is right ; but our own plans lead us wrong, and the end of them is pain and trouble. Great is our joy at this our meeting. You, our friends of Ndama and Na Sau, have come into a good way. Never go from it. Grasp firmly what you have now taken hold of ; the end thereof is life — life now, and life for ever." Many were the subsequent journeys the mis- sionaries made to Bau to try and prevent acts of bloodshed and cruelty ; but while still prosperous, Thakombau continued to turn a deaf ear to their JAMES CALVERT. instructions, promising to consider the claims of religion when he had subdued all his enemies. Wars followed, in which the proud king was gradually- humbled ; reverse followed reverse, until his very life was in danger of being taken, plots having been formed by the resi- dent white population at Ovalau to kill Thakom- bau and invest his power in Mara, one of his rebellious chiefs, and the King of Levuka, whom they meant should rule as these white traders wished when the scheme was accomplished. At this critical state of affairs Thakombau was afflicted with a painful disease, and Mr. Calvert, faithful to the opportunity, tried to show that God was thus dealing with him in order to bring him to submission. While he still hesitated, a letter ar- rived from King George of Tonga, warning him of further danger, and urging him not to delay, but to accept Christianity at once. This advice was most opportune, and in a few days he made up his mind to renounce heathenism. It was arranged that Mr. Calvert and Mr. Water- KING GEORGE OF TONGA. LABOURS AT VITVA AND BAU. in house, the missionary then resident at Bau, should conduct a service on April 30th, 1854, in the great Strangers' House. The chief ordered that the big death-drums, which only ten days previously had been beaten to call the people to the temples for a cannibal feast, should be sounded as a signal for assembling to worship the true God. More than three hundred had responded to the call, when the Vu ni Valu (Root of War) entered, in company with his many wives, children, and relatives, and knelt in adoration of the Christians' God. We can scarcely imagine the joy of the faithful missionaries as they took part in this service. One of the most important days in the history of Fiji, the day for which they had toiled, and hoped, and prayed, had arrived at last. They had gone forth weeping, bearing the precious seed, and now they were permitted to return with joy, bringing their sheaves with them. Thakombau showed his sincerity by afterwards insisting upon the Sabbath being strictly kept, and he was also diligent in his attendance at the preaching- services and prayer-meetings. His desire to learn to read became very strong, and as his little boy of seven had already acquired that art, he at once became teacher to his parent ; who, however, taxed his powers of endurance to such an extent that he would sometimes fall asleep in the midst of the lesson, which was resumed after he had been in- vigorated by a nap. But to commence to learn to read at the age of fifty was no light task ; and although much perseverance was displayed on the part of both teachers and scholar alike, poor Thakom- bau did not accomplish much. Strange to say, the king was never heard to speak in English. When 112 JAMES CALVERT. asked on one occasion to explain this fact, he simply said, " I have heard Englishmen speak Fijian, and THAKOMBAU LEARNING TO READ. that is quite sufficient ! " The year 1857 was marked by the baptism of Thakombau. During the interval LABOURS AT VIWA AND BAU. 113 which had elapsed between his profession of Christi- anity and this date, he had been under careful training and instruction, and now he gave satisfactory evidence that he was thoroughly in earnest. This was further evidenced by the fact of his being willing to dismiss his many wives, thereby sacrificing great wealth and influence. He was publicly married to his principal wife, the mother of several children, Andi Lydia Samanunu. The baptismal scene is thus described by Mr. Waterhouse : " In the afternoon the king was publicly baptized. In the presence of God he promised to ' renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh.' He engaged to believe all the articles of the Christian faith, and solemnly vowed, in the name of the Holy Trinity, ' to keep God's holy will and commandments, and to walk in the same all the days of his life.' In accordance with my request, previously conveyed, the king then addressed the assembly. It must have cost him many a struggle to stand up before his court, his ambassadors, and the flower of his people, to confess his former sins." In the past he had considered himself a god, and had received honours almost divine from his people ; now he humbled himself, and adored his great Creator and merciful Protector. And what a con- gregation he had ! Husbands whose wives he had dishonoured ! widows whose husbands he had slain ! sisters whose relatives had been strangled by his orders ! relatives whose friends he had eaten ! and children the descendants of those he had murdered, and who had vowed to avenge the wrongs inflicted on their fathers ! 8 114 JAMES CALVERT. A thousand stony hearts heaved with fear and astonishment as Thakombau gave utterance to the following sentiments : " I have been a bad man. I disturbed the country. The missionaries came and invited mc to embrace Christianity, but I said to them, ' I will continue to fight.' God has singularly preserved my life. At one time I thought that I had myself been the instrument of my own preserva- tion ; but now I know that it was the Lord's doing. I desire to acknowledge Him as the only and the true God. I have scourged the world ! " He was deeply affected, and spoke with great diffidence. The king chose the name of Ebenezer, as an expression of acknowledgment of the help of God vouchsafed to him from the hands of his enemies. The queen was baptized in the name of Lydia. She was neatly attired in an appropriate dress and mantle furnished by the kindness of some ladies in Adelaide, South Australia. From this time the king took no retrograde step. All his energy and resolution were bent upon the good of his people ; and the Rev. J. Nettleton, who for seven years was his chaplain, says he never met with a more devoted, earnest, and consistent Christian. Thakombau's troubles did not end with his re- nunciation of heathenism. He sent messengers to the King of Rewa desiring to make peace, but received answer that he should not be at peace till he had killed and eaten the King of Bau. This insult did not move Thakombau to anger or revenge. He expressed his confidence in God's power to de- liver him, and showed his forgiving spirit by sparing the life of a spy, who was taken in the act of trying LABOURS AT VI WA AND BAU. 115 to get one of the Bauan towns to rebel against its king. Mr. Calvert's duties frequently took him to Ovalau, where Thakombau had many enemies ; and his avowed friendship to that chief made him the object of much suspicion, and sometimes endangered his life. One of these adventures he graphically describes in a letter to the General Missionary Secretaries, dated Viwa, July 26th, 1854: — " We are still surrounded by war, which approaches nearer to us. The end, I judge, draws near. It is remarkable that all parties think about religion, and desire to have missionaries or. teachers. The great enemy is manifestly much dissatisfied with the state of light and feeling, and is bent upon destroying what he cannot much longer peaceably enjoy. I have had much sailing during the year. On the 27th of May I went to Levuka (chief town on Ovalau) in my boat, to meet an American captain, who had brought us some timber and goods, and in order that I might take the services in native and English on the following day. On my arrival, the mountaineers who effected Elijah Verani's death wished to kill two of my boat's crew. "■June \st. The Levuka chief wished me not to sail till after the Moturiki fight, which took place on the 3 I St. This was an aggressive movement from Ovalau against an island belonging to Bau. One Levukan fell ; several were wounded. One Bau man was killed and brought to Levuka. In the morning Tui Levuka and a chief of Bau, who is on- his side, came for me, that we might go and bury him. I went and begged two mats, in which he was wrapped. The body had been anchored in the water ii6 JAMES CALVERT. all night. The fishes had eaten his head and neck, and all the flesh off his left leg and foot. The Levu- kan was also buried at Moturiki. In this respect a great change has come over the place. "