THE FIJI ISLANDS 481 



much facilitated their task, and Christianity followed in 

 the wake of the spear and club. But so treacherous 

 were the natives, and so addicted to cannibalism from 

 mere appetite, that the struggle was a severe one, and 

 numbers of the missionaries laid down their lives for the 

 cause. King Thakombau, himself a confirmed cannibal, 

 was at length converted, and human sacrifices abolished, 

 and at the present time there is a church and school in 

 nearly every village. It is not to be supposed that this 

 Christianity is of a very high standard ; in a vast number 

 of cases it is no doubt little more than a name, but 

 taking the previous state of things into consideration, the 

 progress made is wonderful, and it is probable that in no 

 place has missionary effort been more successful, and its 

 fruits more apparent, than in Fiji. The Wesleyan mis- 

 sionaries work largely by means of native teachers and 

 ministers, the time of the European staff being chiefly 

 occupied in training and instructing these. All the 

 children go to school, and almost all can read and write. 

 The native clergy are fluent, and often really eloquent, 

 speakers, and make good schoolmasters. In 1891 there 

 were 914 chapels, and 3600 native teachers and ministers, 

 under the management of 11 European missionaries, and 

 the sect claimed over 100,000 adherents. The Eoman 

 Catholics have also a numerous following under an 

 Apostolic Prefect and 19 French missionaries, the 

 ndssion having been established in 1844. There are 

 178 native teachers, and the education of both native 

 and European girls is attended to by 20 European 

 Sisters. The total number of Eoman Catholics in 1891 

 was returned as 10,500. The Church of England has 

 two churches, one in Suva and one in Levuka. There 

 are three primary schools for the education of European 

 children, with a united average attendance of 250, and 



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