136 R E W A. 



The selection of Ngaraningiou as the emissary to capture the mur- 

 derer was well-timed, as Vendovi had always been his rival, and the 

 temptation to get rid of so powerful an adversary was an opportunity 

 not to be lost by a Feejee man, although that adversary was a brother. 

 He was soon under way in his double canoe, which, with its enormous 

 sail spread to a strong breeze, was speedily out of sight. 



The king, at Captain Hudson's request, informed his people that 

 none must attempt to leave the ship, or they would be fired at; that 

 they must remain on board until further orders ; and that, in the 

 mean time, they would be supplied with food. One attempt was 

 made by a small canoe to leave the ship, but, on seeing the prepara- 

 tions for firing at it, the persons in it quickly returned. 



After the departure of Ngaraningiou the king, queen, and chiefs, 

 became more reconciled to their position. They talked much about 

 Vendovi and the murder he had committed on the crew of the Charles 

 Doggett, and said that he had also killed his eldest brother. 



The king, during the evening, spoke much of his being a friend to 

 the white men, asserted that he had always been so, and adduced, as 

 an instance of it, his conduct in the case of the Currency Lass, an 

 English trading schooner, of Sydney, New South Wales. He said 

 that this vessel, in going out of the harbour, had got on shore near the 

 anchorage; that his people had assembled round about her for plunder, 

 but that he went on board himself, and kept all his subjects off that 

 were not required to assist. He told Captain Wilson and the owner, 

 Mr. Houghton, who was on board, that if she got off he should expect 

 a present, which they readily consented to give ; but if she broke, and 

 got water in her hold, the vessel and property must be his. This, he 

 said, they also agreed to. His people, wishing her to go to pieces, 

 made several attempts to remove the anchors, but he stopped them, 

 and drove them away ; and the only thing he did, with the hope of 

 getting the vessel himself, while he was assisting the captain to get 

 her off, was to send up some of his chiefs to Rewa, to give a present 

 to the ambati, at the mbure, to offer up prayers to the Great Spirit, 

 that he would cause her to get water in. Something went wrong 

 with the spirit, and the vessel got clear. The only thing the owner 

 gave him was a whale's tooth and a small looking-glass ! 



When the evening set in, the natives (kai-sis) were all brought on 

 board for the night, and placed forward on the gun-deck. Here they 

 were supplied with plenty of hard bread and molasses, which they 

 enjoyed exceedingly, and afterwards performed several dances. The 



