44 ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTH SEAS 
cution elsewhere. The chiefs of Somo Somo were powerful 
and of widespread influence, and Christianity had already 
reached several distant parts of their territories; but the fact 
that they had a mission station under the royal sanction at 
home, kept them back from persecuting in other parts. Be- 
sides this, had the mission not been established there, the 
Somo Somoans would undoubtedly have joined with Mbau 
and other places, stirring them up to resist the new religion. 
“During this year the young king became very ill, and all 
the Fijian remedies failed to do him good. Mr. Lyth had 
studied medicine before becoming a missionary, and now 
offered to attend the king, who received his kindness with 
evident gratitude. Mr. Waterhouse thus describes this chief : 
“Such a Goliath I had not seen before. We measured 
together, and I found him to be the head and neck taller 
than myself, and nearly three times the bulk, every part in- 
dicating the strength of a giant. This is the king whose 
mandate is life or death. He called at the mission house. 
Such a human form (all but uncovered) was enough to 
frighten Mrs. Brooks,’ who called there on her way to Syd- 
ney, and ‘who had seen nothing of the kind in the Friendly 
Islands; and more especially so, when he took her child 
(about seven weeks old) into his arms, and put his great 
tongue in its mouth!’ 
“This monster was greatly reduced by his long sickness, 
and his doctor made diligent use of the opportunity thus af- 
forded of preaching Christ to him. He got well again, but 
did not abandon heathenism. Yet he was evidently altered, 
and showed a milder spirit ever after, always treating Mr. 
Lyth with great kindness. The old king, too, took a great 
fancy to him, and would often send food to the mission 
house, expecting, however, occasional gifts of knives, iron 
pots,” ete. 
“Once, when the old man was ill, Mr. Lyth, in anxious 
concern about his salvation, spoke more pointedly than be- 
fore, declaring that the gods of Somo Somo were no gods, 
