124 A MISSION TO VITI. 



its habits, you are aware that at certain periods this king 

 goes on shore to lay its eggs, and you, knowing its way, 

 look for its footprints on the white coral sand of the 

 beaches, and suddenly light upon what is hatching.'' No 

 further amplification was required to make the chief 

 comprehend the drift of the story. The bystanders saw 

 at a glance that the chief had put his foot in it the 

 moment he identified himself with the king of the 

 fishes, and that his plots were so clumsily constructed 

 that anybody who knew him could easily trace them out. 

 The public interview with King Cakobau, or Tha- 

 kornbau, was to take place on the 27th of July, when 

 he would once more confirm the cession of his country 

 made to Great Britain in 1858, through Mr. W. Prit- 

 chard. In order to place the whole subject fairly before 

 the reader, it will be necessary to insert here the ori- 

 ginal deed of cession: 



" Cession of Fiji to England, and Ratification of it l>ij the Chief*. 



" EBENEZEE THAKOMBAU, by the grace of God, sovereign 

 chief of Ban and its dependencies, Vunivalu of the armies of 

 Fiji, and Tui Viti, etc., to all and singular to whom these pre- 

 sents shall come, greeting. 



" Whereas we, being duly, fully, and formally recognized in 

 our aforesaid state, rank, and sovereignty, by Great Britain, 

 France, and the United States of America, respectively ; 



" And having full and exclusive sovereignty and domain in 

 and over the islands and territories constituting, forming, and 

 being included in the group known as Fiji, or Viti ; 



" And being desirous to procure for our people and subjects 

 a good and permanent form of government, whereby our afore- 

 said people and subjects shall enjoy and partake of the benefits, 

 the prosperity, and the happiness, which it is the duty and thu 



