18 A MISSION TO VITI. 
part with any article of barter we happened to have 
about us, in order to obtain fresh provisions. 
It was a fortunate forethought on the part of our 
Lakeban friends to provide us in this way, for our 
voyage to the next station, Wairiki, situated on the 
north-western shores of Taviuni, was to be rather a long 
-one, a misfortune which we did not fail to attribute to 
our starting on a Friday, though the captain again pro- 
tested. We soon made Vuna Point, the southern ex- 
tremity of Taviuni, but there were so baffled by variable 
winds and dead calms, that it was deemed prudent to 
stand off and on, to keep clear of the reefs, which ren- 
der the navigation of this, as well as most parts of the 
Fijian group a matter of some caution. It was not until 
Tuesday, the 22nd of May, more than a week after our 
departure from Lakeba, that we entered the Strait of 
Somosomo, and cast anchor off Wairiki, native town 
and mission-station. In a general map of the world 
the Viti group looks an insignificant speck, and one 
might fancy that a boat would quickly pass from is- 
land to island. But how one is deceived! The narrow 
channels widen into broad seas, in which the largest 
vessels, under proper guidance, have ample sea-room; 
the little islands expand into small continents, inha- 
bited by untold thousands of human beings, covered 
with mountains often four thousand feet high, and 
traversed by rivers that may be followed for days with- 
out reaching their source. 
