LIFE OF JAMES DWIGHT DANA 



tion unless Vindovie (the murderer) was brought. The 

 large canoe belonging to the king went after him under 

 the direction of one of the chiefs and brought Vindovie 

 the next morning. He was put in irons before the 

 natives, but promised that he should not be punished 

 with death. One of his slaves, a Sandwich Islander, was 

 shipped with him as his barber he has an enormous head 

 of hair, dressed with all the care of a Broadway dandy, 

 though a la Feejee. Most of the natives showed little or 

 no feeling at parting with him. Two of his slaves were 

 very desirous of sharing his fate. When the natives were 

 ordered out of the ship they still remained sitting at 

 Vindovie's feet, where they had placed themselves, and 

 did not move till an officer started them up ; they then 

 kissed his feet and went reluctantly on deck. We have 

 just come to anchor at Mathata, where we shall use strata- 

 gem or force, as the case requires, to secure a second 

 chief, who but a few months since murdered and ate a 

 sailor belonging to the Leonidas, a Salem vessel now 

 among these islands. He was alone in the boat, and had 

 been trading with them ; by their offers of articles for 

 trade he was enticed ashore and knocked on the head. 

 We can scarcely calculate upon the issue of this affair. 

 The natives have got wind of our intentions, having 

 some time since learnt what had been done at Rewa. 

 Burning villages is of no avail as punishment. They 

 only laugh at it. A few weeks will repair all the dam- 

 age. They have heretofore sneered at men-of-war, as 

 they had done nothing here excepting burning a town, 

 and it is very important that some more effective mode 

 of exciting their fears should be adopted. 



' We have established a set of regulations among them 

 by obtaining the signatures of the chiefs, and we believe 

 that in future intercourse with the Feejees will be com- 

 paratively safe. There are a few Wesleyan missionaries 

 here, and I understand that they are daily expecting 

 large additions to their numbers. Much has been done 

 towards obtaining a foothold among them. At Rewa 

 they have been living in the most wretched condition, 

 occupying one of the native huts, which is old and very 

 leaky, and placing no confidence in the kindness of the 

 natives. Their lives have been threatened several times. 

 A young boy, son of a chief, once asked Mr. Cargill if he 



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