210 A MISSION TO VITI. 



tember, and stood over to Bega ( = Mbenga), an oval- 

 shaped island, about five miles long by three wide, sub- 

 ject to Rewa, and in some measure to Kuruduadua. No 

 sooner had we cast anchor than Mr. Don, an English- 

 man, came to the Consul, complaining that the natives, 

 under pressure from the Tonguese, wished to compel 

 him to let them have back again the land which he 

 had bought, as they had given the island of Bega to the 

 Tonguese. Mr. Pritchard went to the man who repre- 

 sented himself as the principal chief, and told him that 

 Mr. Don totally rejected the offer of ten fat pigs, or any 

 other equivalent for the land he had acquired, and if 

 they had given their island to the Tonguese, it was by 

 no means binding, Maafu, the Tonguese chief, having 

 publicly renounced all claims on and in Fiji ; and, until 

 her Britannic Majesty's pleasure was known, the cession 

 of Fiji to England was valid, and could not be ignored. 

 Two Tonguese present tried to argue the point, but were 

 signally defeated by one no novice in native tactics. 



One of our reasons for making Bega was to obtain 

 some oil of the Dilo (Calophyllum inophyllum. Linn.), an 

 excellent liniment for rheumatism, pains in the joints, 

 bruises, etc., and enjoying a high reputation throughout 

 the South Sea. Mr. Storck, my able assistant, had 

 after quite recovering from his fall in Somosomo com- 

 mitted the imprudence, whilst paying a visit to his friend 

 Peter, the King's councillor, at Bau, to sleep a night 

 between two open doors on a matted floor of a new 

 house, in consequence of which he had gradually be- 

 come so stiff as ultimately to be unable to move even 

 his hands. We had to dress him, put him to bed, and 



