VERANI AS A CHRISTIAN 75 
gled, Mr. Calvert and Verani hurried across the water to 
Mbau. On reaching their destination, they discovered that 
the dark deed had already been done. The dead chief’s 
mother was already dead, and beside her body lay three 
others, already prepared for burial. 
Passing on to the king’s house, Mr. Calvert found him in 
quiet sleep, though so soon after the horrible killing of those 
innocent women. He awoke him, however, and faithfully 
told him that the just recompense of such deeds was sure to 
reach him. Thakombau replied, “It is the custom, and must 
be observed while we are heathen.” After Mr. Calvert and 
Verani had gone, the king said: “Aye! how the missionaries 
labor to save life! They take any trouble and go anywhere 
for our salvation! And we are always trying to kill one 
another! What a pity he was too late! Had he been in 
time, I would have spared Ngavindi’s mother.” 
It was on one of these peacemaking errands that Verani 
at last lost his life. The mountaineers had revolted from the 
rule of Thakombau, and Verani, fearing much bloodshed 
would result from their course, essayed to go to them and en- 
deavor to effect a reconciliation of these people with the king. 
While engaged in this work, he was attacked by a treacher- 
ous chief who sought to club him to death. Verani took 
hold of the club of his assailant, and wresting it from his 
grasp, threw it aside. Again the chief seized the club, and 
rushed upon Verani, who, at that moment, was disabled by 
a gunshot wound treacherously fired at him. Strengthless 
and wounded, he fell beneath the club of the man whose life 
he had spared but a few minutes before. 
He had been conscious of the peril of the undertaking in 
which he found death, and before leaving Viwa admonished 
his friends to give attention to religion, and to support the 
missionaries. Few lives have been more darkly stained by 
sin, and none have been more completely redeemed from its 
power. He was slow to turn away from the ways of hea- 
thenism, but having acknowledged the converting power of 
