FEEJEE GROUP. 379 



They require much nerve and temper to withstand the trials they are 

 often subjected to. The chiefs and others consider that they have 

 a perfect right to enter the missionaries' houses at all times, and not 

 unfrequently their behaviour is rude and indecent. There is no 

 situation in life that requires more moral and physical courage, than 

 that into which they are repeatedly thrown, often for the diabolical 

 purpose of trying to excite and induce them to commit some act 

 which might be taken advantage of to extort presents, or as a pre- 

 text to plunder them. The natives are extremely clever in devising 

 schemes of annoyance, and will frequently take a vast deal of trouble 

 and time to accomplish them. When detected, they have little idea 

 of further concealment, and generally join in a laugh at being 

 exposed. 



Although they seldom fail in outward respect to the missionaries, 

 they interdict their making any converts, or interfering with their 

 priests or gods. 



The chiefs will not allow them to construct any dwellings for 

 themselves, but apply the law of the land most rigorously, in not 

 permitting any building to be constructed, without their own order 

 and consent. 



On Captain Hudson's reaching Rewa, he found Mr. Cargill, with 

 his wife and five children, living in a small house, with only one 

 apartment, having had his house blown down in a hurricane some 

 two months before. The king paid no attention whatever to the 

 request to build him a new house, until spoken to by Captain 

 Hudson, when he promised to set about it forthwith. I cannot 

 speak too highly of the cheerfulness and resignation with which 

 the members of the mission and their families meet the trials they 

 have to go through ; nor can I withhold my surprise how any ladies 

 or their husbands can endure a residence attended with s\ich dangers 

 and discomfort, cut off as they are from all communication with their 

 friends and kindred. Truly, there is no poetry in such a life, and 

 it requires all the enthusiasm that fervent religion calls forth, to 

 endure the pains and perils to which they are subject. 



We regretted to learn the death of Mrs. Cargill during our stay 

 among the group, leaving a family of five young children. I can 

 scarcely conceive a situation more pitiable than Mr. Cargill's is ren- 

 dered by this bereavement. In consequence of the destitute state in 

 which his children were left, he was obliged to return to England 

 without delay. 



It will be seen that the missionaries here have had but little encou- 



