30 A MISSION TO VITI. 
yielded a rich harvest. I should have liked to tarry 
much longer than I did, but the natives became de- 
sirous of returning, and as the sun was gradually de- 
clining, there was no retaining them. Our company 
dwindled down to a few faithful attendants, and even 
these were speedily reduced to one, Ambrose, a native 
teacher, and a man deservedly valued by the mission- 
aries. Having to be in the forest late in the evening 
is to the Fijians something terrible. They see ghosts 
and evil-intentioned spirits start up in every direction, 
and to escape falling victims to their anger, they yell 
and shout at the top of their voice, like children when 
left in the dark at night. We regained Somosomo, 
dreadfully tired.and covered all over with mud, but well 
satisfied with our day’s excursion, and it was not long 
before we were in bed, under two blankets, which in 
June and July are never found too warm in Fiji. 
On the 31st of May, Golea, the chief of Somosomo, 
returned from his fighting expedition. It was a fine 
scene; six war-canoes with their large triangular sails 
skimming before the wind, the warriors on board, dan- 
cing, shouting, singing, and sounding the conch-shell. 
Eleanor, accompanied by the whole seraglio of the chief, 
hastened to the beach, in order to welcome their lord 
and master by clapping of hands, dancing, and sing- 
ing. There being no men at home, the little hunchback 
of Golea’s establishment came breathless to our place, 
begging Mr. Coxon to pull the trigger of a pop-gun 
which was to be fired the moment his highness stepped 
on shore, but which no one had the courage to touch. 
Golea, soon after landing, paid us a visit. He was a 
