DIFFICULTIES OF ASCERTAINING THE TRUTH. 41 



tains for our protection, sleep would have been out 

 of the question. A council of war being held, it was 

 thought preferable, notwithstanding the wind being 

 dead against us, to beat out of the bay and pull the 

 rest of the way. Leaving without further delay, we 

 passed, about midnight, Kioa, or Owen Island, as it is 

 sometimes called, from having become the property of 

 Mr. Owen, an enterprising Australian gentleman, who 

 endeavoured to form a settlement on it. Mr. Owen 

 was for some time a member of the Victorian Legisla- 

 ture, at Melbourne, where he was often alluded to as 

 " Member for Fiji." Though taking advantage of every 

 slight breeze, we had to be at sea all night and did not 

 reach Somosomo until six o'clock the next morning, 

 and were heartily glad when Koytoo, the Rotuma cook, 

 brought the breakfast, as usual consisting of yams, pork, 

 and coffee. 



On the 5th of June, a small island schooner came in 

 belonging to a half-caste, and manned by a crew of the 

 same mixed origin. They brought all the news of the 

 group, and complained bitterly of the missionaries in- 

 juring their trade by inducing the natives to contribute 

 cocoa-nut oil towards the support of the Wesleyan So- 

 ciety, an article which formerly passed direct into the 

 hands of the small traders. When a native became 

 Christian, he was made to give every three months eight 

 gallons of oil, or thirty-two a year, equal to 4 sterling. 

 Notice was given a few days before the oil was due ; 

 and when a trader visited a place he found none but 

 empty casks, the church had swallowed it all up. 

 This statement, like many others heard in the islands, 



