30 A MISSION TO VITI. 



yielded a rich harvest. I should have liked to tarry 

 much longer than I did, but the natives became de- 

 sirous of returning, and as the sun was gradually de- 

 clining, there was no retaining them. Our company 

 dwindled down to a few faithful attendants, and even 

 these were speedily reduced to one, Ambrose, a native 

 teacher, and a man deservedly valued by the mission- 

 aries. Having to be in the forest late in the evening 

 is to the Fijians something terrible. They see ghosts 

 and evil-intentioned spirits start up in every direction, 

 and to escape falling victims to their anger, they yell 

 and shout at the top of their voice, like children when 

 left in the dark at night. We regained Somosomo, 

 dreadfully tired and covered all over with mud, but well 

 satisfied with our day's excursion, and it was not long 

 before we were in bed, under two blankets, which in 

 June and July are never found too warm in Fiji. 



On the 31st of May, Golea, the chief of Somosomo, 

 returned from his fighting expedition. It was a fine 

 scene ; six war-canoes with their large triangular sails 

 skimming before the wind, the warriors on board, dan- 

 cing, shouting, singing, and sounding the conch-shell. 

 Eleanor, accompanied by the whole seraglio of the chief, 

 hastened to the beach, in order to welcome their lord 

 and master by clapping of hands, dancing, and sing- 

 ing. There being no men at home, the little hunchback 

 of Golea's establishment came breathless to our place, 

 begging Mr. Coxon to pull the trigger of a pop-gun 

 which was to be fired the moment his highness stepped 

 on shore, but which no one had the courage to touch. 

 Golea, soon after landing, paid us a visit. He was a 



