122 A MISSION TO VITI. 



There was a serious quarrel between the Chief of the 

 Fishermen and Ratu Abel, the King's eldest son, the 

 former having insulted the Queen, and the latter sent 

 him a challenge in consequence. A duel was impend- 

 ing when we arrived, and the British Consul's persuasive 

 powers were appealed to by various parties. Mr. Prit- 

 chard publicly asked the Chief of the Fishermen why 

 he had offered the insult to his sovereign, but he re- 

 fused to answer ; Mr. Frit chard then told him he would 

 wait for an answer, even if he had to sit up all night. 

 The Chief, seeing that the Consul was as good as his 

 word, and that there was no escape possible, after a si- 

 lence of two hours gave the desired answer, begged the 

 King's pardon, and all was arranged amicably. Ratu 

 Abel was present during the whole interview, and be- 

 haved extremely well in the affair. He is a fine specimen 

 of a Fijian prince, and will doubtless succeed his father 

 to the throne, though some of the missionaries have 

 been trying to persuade the King to change the law, by 

 settling the succession upon his younger son, born after 

 he had become converted to Christianity, and married 

 according to our rites. But such a change would doubt- 

 less lead to endless complications and confusion, and 

 be unjust towards a child perfectly legitimate accord- 

 ing to the custom prevailing at the time of his birth. 

 It is in petty interferences like these that, doubtless 

 much to the regret of the enlightened minds composing 

 the Board directing the truly grand machinery of the 

 Wesleyan Society, the missionaries draw upon themselves 

 the censure of people who fully sympathize with the 

 noble work they have in hand, and who would do any- 



