DANFOKD. 159 



caenas and croton shrubs gave quite a finish to the 

 place. Danford evidently enjoyed our surprise at find- 

 ing everything so clean and comfortable, and new mats 

 and even calico curtains. It was the best kept native- 

 built house I had visited in Fiji. Afterwards, when 

 having seen more of us, he told us how much annoyed 

 he had been by certain remarks the whites on the coast 

 had made to his disadvantage. Those people, who 

 should be nameless, had insulted him by asking him 

 point-blank how cannibal food tasted, and how he could 

 think of forsaking the Christian religion and assisting 

 in heathen rites. He had nothing to oppose of these 

 accusations but silent contempt, and his well-fingered 

 Bible was a good proof of his real disposition. In his 

 own way he had evidently done a great deal of good ; 

 was the direct means of abolishing many abominable 

 practices; and without this pioneer we should never 

 have been able to reach this little-known region of the 

 world. He was very fond of reading, and had accumu- 

 lated a good many books, mostly presents from consuls, 

 missionaries, or captains and officers of ships. I in- 

 creased it by a copy of Shakspeare, after which he had 

 a hankering. The natives often came to look at his 

 picture books, and the ' Illustrated London News ' was a 

 source of endless delight to them. 



