SOROMATO. 153 



that he could swim, and that his clothes would not 

 spoil, as he wore none. It not being prudent to give 

 in to the natives, I had no option but to carry out my 

 threat, choosing the very moment our flotilla was under 

 weigh. He thought it a good piece of fun, and declared 

 he would be with me nevertheless. He was as good as 

 his word. When we landed at Nagadi he was there al- 

 ready, having come by the mountain road. I had now no 

 alternative. He proved to me most useful and attentive, 

 and never left me until I finally embarked, when he 

 cried bitterly on being told that it was quite out of the 

 question he could go to Europe with me, where he would 

 probably have to exchange a life of ease and plenty for 

 one of toil and poverty, and not be treated as a chief 

 but as a common man. 



The tribes of which Kuruduadua was the head, had 

 for some time been molested by their neighbours, and w r e 

 found at Nagadi a party of soldiers just returned from 

 an unsuccessful ambush. They had endeavoured to kid- 

 nap some of their enemies, and w r ere rather disappointed 

 at having to report ill success. I recognized several of 

 them as having been at Navua during our first visit to 

 that place, and they gave us some account of Kurudua- 

 dua's son, whom Mr. Pritchard and I invested with his 

 toga virilis. He was in the depths of the mountains, and 

 a message had been sent to him that he might come to 

 pay his respects to us. 



Before retiring to rest we had family prayers in En- 

 glish, Mr. Waterhouse officiating. Kuruduadua com- 

 manded silence, and it was very impressive, amongst a 

 profound stillness, to hear a Christian minister offering 



