COMMODORE SEYMOUR'S VISIT. 271 



for which this district was formerly famous, and almost daily 

 put one or more persons to death, whose only crime was being 

 related to the vanquished party. In these outrages the Ton- 

 gans were the most prominent actors ; and I may here state my 

 opinion, that in the event of her Majesty 's Government accept- 

 ing the Fijis, it will be necessary, from the very first, to put a 

 stop to the raids which the Tongans have for the last five years 

 been in the habit of carrying into the various islands lying to 

 the west of Lakeba. 



" On the morning of the 20th I sent over to the island of Kia 

 for Ritova, the chief of the tribe which had been driven out of 

 Macuata, and in the afternoon he came on board in a cutter of 

 the ' Pelorus/ followed by fifteen canoes filled with his retainers. 

 After he had had an hour's conversation withCakobau and Maafu, 

 we made a preconcerted signal, on seeing which Wai-ni-golo, 

 Maafu' s lieutenant, and two Fijian chiefs, came on board ; and 

 after they and their opponents had discussed matters for an 

 hour, I told them, through the consular interpreter, that we 

 had no wish to injure or interfere with either the Fijians or 

 Tongans in any way ; but that, owing to the senseless quarrels 

 of the former, fomented by the latter, the interests of the white 

 traders in Fiji were compromised, and that I was determined on 

 putting a stop to a state of affairs which was equally prejudicial 

 to their own and to British interests. I should therefore leave 

 them to settle, by what means they could arrange, matters 

 amongst themselves, and any advice I could give them was at 

 their service. My observations were listened to with attention 

 by both parties of Fijians, but were evidently unsatisfactory to 

 the Tongan chief, who, throughout the entire business, was less 

 manageable than either his associates or his enemies. 



" The discussion, which terminated at sunset, was renewed 

 the next day, when the following terms were agreed to by the 

 chiefs of Fiji and Tonga present, being those which, with Mr. 

 Pritchard's concurrence, I had decided from the first on seeing 

 carried out : 



' ' Between Rifova and Bonaveidogo, chiefs of Fiji. 

 " 1st. To forget all past grievances and causes of quarrel. 



