258 A MISSION TO VITI. 
place, Mr. Pritchard arranged an interview. Neither of 
them had received the slightest intimation of this ar- 
rangement, and when Ritova was conducted to a part 
of the house screened off by large curtains of native 
cloth, and suddenly found himself in the presence of a 
former ally and a present enemy, he was quite startled ; 
whilst Bonaveidogo, sitting on the matted floor, evidently 
thought his last moment come, and involuntarily grasped 
his club. When the object of the interview had been 
explained to be a mutual adjustment of old grievances, 
both chiefs remained mute for some minutes. “ Why 
did you club Bete’s father?” asked Bonaveidogo, in the 
course of the altercations that now ensued. ‘‘ Because,” 
replied Ritova, tartly, “he had previously clubbed my 
father, and as a Fijian chief I was bound to resent; if 
I had known,” he added emphatically, “that you were 
going to betray me, I should not have hesitated to take 
your life also.” Words ran occasionally very high, but 
gradually the two disputants grew cool; they promised 
mutually to forget and forgive, and finally concluded a 
peace over a bowl of kava. 
After the meeting about the cession was terminated, 
Mr. Pritchard declared that, having carefully gone into 
Ritova’s case, he had made up his mind to restore him 
to his home on Nukubati. There should be no fighting, 
and every act that could give rise to provocation must 
be carefully avoided. This announcement caused a great 
sensation amongst the chiefs and landholders assembled. 
No Fijian chief, driven from his land, had ever been 
known to return without hard fighting; and here was a 
white man, with no armed force to back him, who pro- 
