382 FEEJEE GROUP. 



The Ambau people, in March, sought revenge on the fishermen, 

 but their expedition proved unsuccessful. During their absence, one 

 of Tanoa's queens had burnt Ambau. They then were obliged to 

 rebuild it, but prepared for another expedition. 



In April, Paddy Connel died on Ambatiki, without having any 

 more issue. 



The chief of Viwa, Namosimalua, whose town Captain D'Ur- 

 ville, of the French Expedition, had destroyed, and who had since 

 pretended to turn Christian, and who was, with his nephew, the 

 person who instigated the taking of the French brig Josephine, 

 and the massacre of her captain and crew, affected to quarrel with 

 Ambau. The cause of the dispute was the wife of the Viwa chief. 

 He then sent to the fishermen of Verata to engage their assistance 

 against Ambau, which was most readily granted. This chief and 

 Seru kept up the semblance of great enmity, but planned the de- 

 struction of the fishermen, of whom they had both become jealous. 

 The day the two parties met, on the signal for the fight being given, 

 the Viwa and Ambau forces fell upon the unsuspecting fishermen and 

 massacred one hundred and eighty of them. They, however, made 

 a most resolute resistance, and killed about seventy of their murderers. 

 In July, Ambau was again rebuilt. 



On the 2d of August, a total eclipse of the moon occurred. It 

 began about 8 p. m., and the moon was totally obscured until two 

 o'clock in the morning. When it emerged, it was of a blood-red colour, 

 which it retained until it set. The natives were in great consterna- 

 tion, and said that it foreboded the death of some great chief, and the 

 destruction of some town. On the strength of it, Whippy says, the 

 mountain chiefs on Ovolau began to quarrel, and four of them were 

 severely wounded in a fight, but none killed. The chief of Levuka 

 sent his son to try and make peace among them, but with little 

 effect. 



The chief of Rewa's brother, Mr. Phillips, who had fled to Ambau, 

 returned to Rewa, which he was again ordered to leave ; but he 

 refused, and is determined to fight if his brother should undertake to 

 compel him. 



The islands are becoming worse every day, for the tyrant Seru is 

 depopulating them, and will do a great deal of harm if his career be 

 not stopped. He is now, in fact, king, for Tanoa does not dare to act 

 without Seru's permission. He is constantly sending to the white 

 men at Levuka for their property, and notwithstanding his demands 



