116 REWA. 



Ambau is a singular-looking place. It occupies a small island, 

 which is entirely covered with houses, among which the mbure 

 stands conspicuous. The approach to the town is much obstructed by 

 reefs of coral ; and the water being shallow, is impassable for an armed 

 vessel. The island is connected with the main land or large island, by 

 a long fiat of coral, which is fordable, even at high water, and is in 

 places quite bare at low water. One is at a loss to conceive how this 

 place could have acquired its strength and importance. I am rather 

 inclined to impute it to the enterprise of its first settlers, and the 

 ascendency given it by the accidental aid that has been afforded its 

 chiefs by the whites, who came among them and joined their side. 

 It was, probably, at first, the retreat of the fishermen ; and from their 

 enterprise, the difficulties they had to encounter, and the powerful 

 connexions they have formed with the other towns and districts, it is 

 likely that their rule will continue until the people shall have become 

 civilized, when, from the want of internal resources, the terror of its 

 name will pass away, and it must fall to the rank of a place of secon- 

 dary importance. 



At present it is in the ascendency, and its chiefs have a high 

 estimate of their own importance. Thus, while I was at Levuka, I 

 was much amused by a question put me by Seru, "Why I had not 

 gone with my ship to Ambau ; why come to Levuka, where there 

 were no gentlemen, none but common people (kai-si) : all the gentle- 

 men lived at Ambau." 



The towns of Verata and Viwa are within a short distance of 

 Ambau, and have both been its rivals. At each of these some 

 fearful outrage has been perpetrated upon trading vessels, for which 

 the guilty have been but partially punished. The chief of Viwa, I 

 understood, had made it his boast that the French had only burned a 

 few of his mud huts, which he could shortly build again; that it 

 would give a very few days of labour to his slaves ; and that he would 

 cut off the next vessel that came, if he had an opportunity. He thinks 

 that it was a very cheap purchase to get so much property for so little 

 damage. The Ambau people also spoke vauntingly of having given 

 the French permission to destroy Viwa, as it was nothing, and 

 satisfied the Papalangis ; but they did not intend that any property 

 or lives should be lost, for they had sent to inform the Viwa people 

 that the attack was to be made, and even helped them to remove all 

 their valuables. Viwa is not so large a town as Ambau, but is built 

 on a larger island, and affords more conveniences for a port. 



The whole Bay of Ambau is well shielded by extensive coral sea- 



