REW A. 129 
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. j 
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 preparations 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 
performers arranged themselves in two ranks, and went through 
VOL, IIL. 17 
