144 FEJEE ISLANDS. 



them to his side. This was the signal for a general assault. 

 Some of the savages beat out the brains of the mate with 

 clubs while he was held by Vendovi, and a large number 

 attacked the house in which the other men were, and killed 

 two of them. The interpreter and a Tahitian escaped with 

 great difficulty by swimming off to a boat. The next day the 

 bodies of the murdered men were obtained by paying a musket 

 for them, and were buried along-side the vessel. 



Rewa is situated on the eastern side of the Island of Viti- 

 levu, and contains between two and three hundred houses. 

 Its chief is styled a king, and, like Tanoa, exercises absolute 

 authority over his people. 



May 17th. To-day, David Bateman (marine) departed this 

 life. He had been sick some time with an affection of the 

 lungs. He was removed to this ship about ten days ago, from 

 the " Porpoise," and was then very ill. Since our arrival 

 here he was sent on shore, where a suitable place was provided 

 for him, and every attention shown him by the surgeon of the 

 vessel. He was buried in a small garden belonging to one of 

 the white residents. 



May 19th. We should judge from the great quantities of 

 fish which have been brought along-side for sale for the past 

 two or three days, that they are very abundant in these waters. 

 They were taken mostly by the women, on the reefs, at low 

 water, by means of hand-nets. It is a very common thing for 

 the natives of the other islands to land on these reefs, and 

 carry off the women for cannibal purposes. I was an eye- 

 witness of an attempt of the kind made yesterday after- 

 noon. About 4 o'clock, a canoe, manned by three men, 

 rounded the southern point off the island, and stood in for the 

 reef. The women immediately threw down their nets and 

 plunged into the water ; clubs and pieces of coral were then 



