Phillips relates the history of 

 Rewa. 



FEEJEE GROUP. 



History of Rewa. 



scene a very remarkable effect. The king confessed 

 that if he had been alone, he would be much 

 frightened at the curvetting and braying of the 

 beast before him. The queen, on its being ex- 

 plained to her that what she saw was only two 

 men, expressed the greatest astonishment in her 

 eager, incredulous look. The dance of " Juba" 

 came off well, through the exertions of Howard 

 and Shepherd, but the braying ass of Godwin, with 

 the Jim Crow of Oliver, will long be remembered 

 by their savage as well as civilized spectators. 

 The whole company seemed contented and happy; 

 the king had his extra bowl of ava, the queen and 

 chiefs their tea and supper ; and all enjoyed their 

 cigars, of which they smoked a great number. On 

 Captain Hudson expressing to the king his hope 

 that the queen had got over her fears, and inquiring 

 if she was tired, he replied, <( Why should she be 

 troubled ? is she not with me ? When I die, must 

 not she die also ?" Thereby intimating that were 

 he in peril, she would be equally so, whether present 

 or absent. The theatricals having been ended, 

 they all retired to rest. 



One could not but perceive the great difference 

 between the Tongese and Feejees who passed the 

 night on board. The former are generally Chris- 

 tians, or missionaries' people; they were orderly 

 and respectable, and before going to rest, quietly 

 and very devoutly met and had their evening 

 prayer; which, contrasted with the conduct of the 

 others, had a pleasing effect. 



Mr. Phillips, in recompense for his attention to 

 Lieutenant Budd and Mr. Peale, was well provided 

 for by the officers; and, at various times, imparted 

 information respecting the history of Rewa, his 

 own family, and others, that may be looked upon 

 as quite authentic; and I have little doubt that it 

 will prove interesting to the reader. 



By the aid of the whites, Tambiavalu, father of 

 Kania, was established as king, upon the dethrone- 

 ment of the reigning family, of whom Vuuivalu, the 

 governor, is a descendant. Rewa at this time was 

 of little consequence, compi-ising only the small 

 town of Ndraketi, from which the king now derives 

 his title. 



Tambiavalu governed with great firmness and 

 wisdom. During his reign, all criminals met with 

 exemplary punishment. According to the Feejee 

 custom, he had many wives, the chief among whom 

 was a descendant of the family of Mbatitombi, who 

 reigned at Ambau before Bamiva, the father of 

 Tanoa, succeeded in gaining the kingdom. Al- 

 though considered the queen, and holding the title 

 of Ramdini-Ndraketi, she was not the highest in 

 rank. There was also among the wives of Tambia- 

 valu a sister of Tanoa, named Salaiwai, who was 

 younger, and in consequence had not the station to 

 which her rank entitled her to. 



Phillips gives Tambiavalu the credit of having 

 had a hundred children by his numerous wives and 

 concubines, a statement of which those best ac- 

 quainted with Feejee history do not doubt the cor- 

 rectness. Of this large progeny, the children by 

 the two above-mentioned females are alone entitled 

 to any rank. By the queen, Ramdini-Ndraketi, he 

 had four sons, named Madonovi, Kania, Valivuaka, 

 and Ngaraningiou. By Salaiwai, he had only two, 

 Seru and Thokanauto (Mr. Phillips). Of the 

 six, Kania, Ngaraningiou, and Thokanauto are 

 still living. 



Tambiavalu had a long and prosperous reign, 

 and under him Rewa assumed a rank among the 

 chief cities of the Feejees, having acquired much 

 territory, and among the rest, the island of Kan- 

 tavu. His eldest son, Koraitamano, was the child 

 of a Kantavu woman of rank; he was, in conse- 

 quence, a vasu of the most important possessions 

 of Rewa, and had many connexions and friends 

 throughout the country; he had so ingratiated him- 

 self with the chiefs and people, that he could have 

 made himself king on the death of his father 

 Ramdini-Ndraketi, the queen, who is represented 

 as a most artful as well as unscrupulous woman, 

 was fearful that his popularity might become disad- 

 vantageous to her children, and she determined to 

 have him removed. She managed to instil into the 

 king's mind suspicions that Koraitamano intended 

 to seize upon the succession, which determined 

 him to put this son to death. Koraitamano re- 

 ceived a hint of his intentions, and was able to 

 evade every attempt. On some occasions he was 

 obliged to flee to distant places, once to Ra, the 

 western end of Vitilevu, and another time to 

 Mbenga, where he remained until a kind of recon- 

 ciliation took place, when he was induced to return. 

 He had not been long in Rewa, before the queen 

 recommenced her machinations for his destruc- 

 tion, and his father also resumed his designs 

 against him. 



Koraitamano was doubtful whether again to re- 

 sort to flight or remain, when some chiefs who were 

 hostile to the king, represented to the young chief 

 that the only method to secure his own safety 

 effectually was to put his father to death, assuring 

 him they would stand by him in the struggle. By 

 their persuasions he was induced to accede to their 

 designs. At night he set fire to a canoe-house, and 

 coming into his father's dwelling, he approached 

 the place where he was sleeping, and cried out, 

 " Do you lie here asleep when your city is burning!" 

 Tambiavalu immediately started up and ran out. 

 Koraitamano following closely after him, watched 

 an occasion, struck him with his club on the back 

 of his head, and killed him on the spot; after which 

 he retired to his own house, trusting to the pro- 

 mises of his friends and adherents, that they would 

 protect and defend him. But the queen was more 

 than an equal for his cunning, and her hatred 

 caused her to go to the greatest lengths in wreak- 

 ing her vengeance upon him. She had the body 

 brought to the house, where, observing that the ex- 

 ternal injury to the head was slight, she conceived 

 the singular plan of making the deed of the assassin 

 and his friends recoil upon their own heads. She, 

 therefore, at once raised a cry that the body showed 

 signs of life, and that her husband was not dead. 

 She then had the body conveyed to the farther end 

 of his house, under the plea that he required to be 

 removed from the noise; and no one was suffered 

 to approach the body but herself and a Tonga wo- 

 man, who was her confidant. She soon spread the 

 report that the king had recovered his senses, but 

 was very weak, and called upon several chiefs in 

 the king's name, saying that he required the instant 

 death of Koraitamano. The chiefs convened a 

 meeting to consider the course that ought to be 

 pursued, but could come to no decision, in conse- 

 quence of the general opinion that the conduct of 

 Koraitamano was justifiable; although, on the other 

 hand, they feared the wrath of the king, in case he 



