226 



Return of Ngaraningiou with Vendovi. 

 Vendovi put in irons. 



FEEJEE GROUP. 



Leave-taking between Vendovi and his 

 brothers. Visit from Mr. Cargill. 



speculations were thrown out as to whether he 

 would succeed in his errand, or connive at the 

 escape of Vendovi. The hatred he was known to 

 bear Vendovi, was in favour of his return with 

 him, either dead or alive. These surmises were 

 shortly put to rest, by the appearance of the large 

 canoe emerging from the mouth of the river, which 

 drew all to watch its approach. It soon came 

 alongside, and Vendovi was recognised as a pri- 

 soner on board. The mode of his capture was 

 singular, and shows the force of the customs to 

 which all ranks of this people give implicit obe- 

 dience. Ngaraningiou, on arriving at Rewa, went 

 at once to Vendovi's house, and took him by sur- 

 prise. Going in, he took his seat by him, laid his 

 hand on his arm, and told him that he was wanted, 

 and that the king had sent for him to go on board 

 the man-of-war. He immediately assented, and 

 was preparing to come at once, but Ngaraningiou 

 said, " Not till to-morrow." They passed the 

 evening and night together, and in the morning 

 embarked to come on board. 



Vendovi was at once brought on board and 

 delivered to Captain Hudson, who forthwith exa- 

 mined him before the king and chiefs, and in the 

 presence of the officers of the ship, assembled in 

 the cabin. Vendovi acknowledged his guilt in 

 causing the murder of part of the crew of the 

 Charles Doggett, and admitted that he had held 

 the mate by the arms while the natives killed him 

 with clubs. Captain Hudson now explained why 

 he had thought proper to retain the king and the 

 others as prisoners, saying that the course the 

 affair had taken had saved them much trouble, and 

 probably fighting, for he would have thought it 

 incumbent upon him to bum Rewa, if Vendovi had 

 not been taken. The king replied, that Captain 

 Hudson had done right; that he would like to go 

 to America himself, they had all been treated so 

 well; that we were now all good friends, and that 

 he should ever continue to be a good friend to all 

 white men. Vendovi was now put in irons, and 

 the others were told that the ship would go to 

 Kantevu, to punish any other chiefs that had par- 

 ticipated in the act, and burn their towns. They 

 were assured of our amicable disposition towards 

 them so long as they conducted themselves well; 

 and in order to impress this fully upon them, after 

 their own fashion, presents were made them, which 

 were received gratefully. 



When the leave-talcing came, Phillips appeared 

 the most dejected of all. This seemed strange 

 after the part Vendovi had taken in the murder of 

 his brother, of one whom he represented as having 

 been very kind to him as a protector, and with 

 whom he lived when the fatal shot was fired by 

 Vendovi. Phillips expressed himself in this way, 

 " That as long as Seru lived he could be saucy, but 

 after his death he was all alone, just like a stick." 

 This kind of opposite conduct is conformable to the 

 usual policy of this people, and is characteristic. 

 Vendovi, at this time, was the only one of his 

 brothers who favoured the party of Phillips, and 

 was among his strongest adherents. I could men- 

 tion many other instances of the same inconsis- 

 tency of conduct on the part of chiefs. 



All the party were now much affected. Kama, 

 the king, seated himself on the right side of Ven- 

 dovi, taking hold of his arm, while Navumialu 

 placed himself on the left. Phillips walked up and 



down in front. All shed tears, and sobbed aloud 

 while conversing in broken sentences with their 

 brother. The natives shed tears also, and none_ 

 but Ngaraniugiou remained unmoved. The king 

 kissed the prisoner's forehead, touched noses, and 

 turned away. The inferior chiefs approached and 

 kissed his hands, whilst the common people crawled 

 up to him and kissed his feet. One young man 

 who belonged to the household of Vendovi was the 

 last to quit him; he wished to remain with his 

 master, but was not permitted. In bidding fare- 

 well to the chief, he embraced his knees, kissed his 

 hands and feet, and received a parting blessing 

 from Vendovi, who placed both his manacled 

 hands on his head. The young man then retreated 

 backwards towards the ladder, sighing and sob- 

 bing as though his heart would break. The last 

 request the king made to Captain Hudson was, 

 that his own barber, Oahu Sam (a Sandwich 

 islander), might accompany Vendovi. This was 

 readily assented to, as he would be a useful man 

 on board ship, having sailed in a whaler, and 

 having some knowledge of the English language. 



Mr. Cargill, the missionary, came on board the 

 Peacock shortly after the royal party had left her, 

 and informed Captain Hudson, that the night 

 before, the chief who had been sent for his pro- 

 tection had visited him, and said that he should 

 keep guard over him and his house, and not suffer 

 any one to cross the river from Rewa. Mr. Car- 

 gill said there had been no kind of disturbance, the 

 chief having remained at his house until the king 

 returned, and he felt much indebted to Captiiin 

 Hudson for the lively interest he had taken in his 

 affairs. He did not feel at all apprehensive of 

 danger to themselves, and there was no kind of 

 necessity for the detention of the ship on that 

 account. At noon Mr. Cargill took his leave. 

 When I saw him, a few weeks afterwards, he 

 spoke in very high terms of the conduct of Captain 

 Hudson, and the manner in which he had con- 

 ducted the whole business at Rewa. He also told 

 me that the chiefs often spoke of it, and were fully 

 sensible that it was just that Vendovi should be 

 punished. Mr. Cargill spoke much of the vast 

 benefit that would result from our visit, not only to 

 the trading vessels and whites generally, but also 

 to the natives, as well as the advantage it would be 

 to the missionary cause. 



The surveys of the harbour having been all 

 completed and joined with the survey of the river, 

 made by Lieutenant Budd and Passed- Midshipman 

 Davis, both of whom deserve much credit for the 

 manner in which their operations were conducted, 

 not only as regards the duties performed, but the 

 care and attention they paid to the party entrusted 

 to their charge, preparations were now made for 

 sailing; but, owing to the wind being ahead, they 

 were not able to pass the reefs until the morning of 

 the 23rd; in the mean time, Oahu Sam was received 

 on board as Vendovi's barber. When they got to 

 sea, Captain Hudson again examined Vendovi, be- 

 fore several of the officers, respecting the Kantavu 

 murder, and the part he had himself taken in it. 

 He stated, that he was sent by Ngaraningiou to 

 pilot the brig to Kantavu; and that a chief of that 

 place, called Thebau, who is now dead, was to take 

 the vessel for Ngaraningiou. Thebau was to make 

 what he could for himself, and was the leader of 

 the conspiracy to murder the crew. Ten of the 



