RITOVA'S PLACE OF EXILE. 259 



mised to do in his own peaceable way what would have 

 cost numbers of lives if done in Fijian usage. When the 

 natives found they need no longer fear being called 

 to account by Maafu's bullies, they openly rallied round 

 Bitova. Tui Cakau, the ruling chief of Cakaudrove, 

 offered his largest canoe, a recent present from Ban, 

 for Ritova's use ; and his brother Ratu Golea, chief of 

 Somosomo, insisted upon seeing the exile safe home. 



Knowing the effect produced on the native mind by 

 acting with promptitude, the next morning was fixed 

 for starting. At sunrise, the schooner ' Paul Jones ' 

 fired a gun by way of signal, and steered for Matei, fol- 

 lowed by the native canoes, and having on board, besides 

 Mr. Pritchard and myself, Ritova and three of his adhe- 

 rents. One of the latter was a young man, whose father 

 was a strong supporter of Bete, Ritova's rival ; and it 

 was probably with the approbation of his parent that 

 he joined Ritova the Fijian knowing, as well as people 

 nearer home did in the time of the rebellion, that it 

 it is rather politic if, in a doubtful quarrel between two 

 pretenders, the father fight on one side, the son on the 

 other, when, come what may, the family property is safe, 

 and there is alwajs one to intercede for the captive. 



Owing to the calms nearly always prevailing in the 

 Straits of Somosomo, Matei was not reached until the 

 second day after our departure, when Ritova went on 

 shore to inform his people of what had passed, and 

 order them to get ready for starting without d,elay for 

 Nukubati. Great was the joy caused by this announce- 

 ment, and everything was at once bustle and activity. 

 The women were packing up the household goods ; the 



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