THE CESSION OF FIJI. 21 



and their subjects prepared to club each other to death. 

 Maafu was equal to the occasion, and, sending friendly mes- 

 sages to one of the chiefs named Bete and his ally Bua, a 

 triple alliance was formed, and the whole of the northern 

 district of Vanua Levu (called Macauta), as well as a small 

 province in the south, quickly succumbed to the well-led 

 legions of the all-conquering Tongan. Vanua Levu acknow- 

 ledged a sort of vassalage to King Cacobau at Bau, who began 

 to think Maafu was going a little too fast. At the division of 

 the spoil the parties did not quarrel, but any reference to the 

 claims of Cacobau was scornfully omitted. 



Cacobau's sovereignty even of Bau now trembled in the 

 balance ; for Maafu at once despatched an expedition against 

 the island of Benga, not very far from the southern coast of 

 Viti Levu, the inhabitants of which instantly surrendered. 

 The British consul, Mr. Pritchard (who was the means of 

 attracting the cotton industry to the group) had just returned 

 from England, where he had taken Cacobau's offer of cession 

 to the Queen, and, believing that the offer had been accepted, 

 brought Maafu to his senses with the aid of one of Her 

 Majesty's war-ships. Maafu endeavoured to renew his in- 

 trigues, but another of the Queen's steamers interfered, and he 

 had the common sense to perceive that fighting Fiji chiefs and 

 the British forces are two very different things. 



Maafu resided in Fiji until his death (which happened a few 

 months ago), and was chief of the Windward Group. He was not 

 only a man of great ability, but of very advanced intelligence, 

 and his advice was often sought on native matters by the 

 Fijian Government. 



In the deed of cession to Great Britain, Cacobau's name of 

 course appears first, and then follows that of Maafu. When 

 the unconditional cession was under consideration, Cacobau 



