132 REWA. 
was, in consequence, a vasu of the most important possessions of 
Rewa, and had many connexions and friends throughout the country ; 
he had so ingratiated himself with the chiefs and people, that he could 
have made himself king on the death of his father. Ramdini-Ndraketi, 
the queen, who is represented as a most artful as well as unscrupulous 
woman, was fearful that his popularity might become disadvantageous 
to her children, and she determined to have him removed. She ma- 
naged to instil into the king’s mind suspicions that Koraitamano in- 
tended to seize upon the succession, which determined him to put this 
son to death. Koraitamano received a hint of his intentions, and was 
able to evade every attempt. On some occasions he was obliged to ‘ 
flee to distant places, once to Ra, the western end of Vitilevu, and 
another time to Mbenga, where he remained until a kind of reconcilia- 
tion took place, when he was induced to return. He had not been - 
long in Rewa, before the queen recommenced her machinations for his 
destruction, and his father also resumed his designs against him. 
Koraitamano was doubtful whether again to resort to flight or 
remain, when some chiefs who were hostile to the king, represented 
to the young chief that the only method to secure his own safety 
effectually was to put his father to death, assuring him they would 
stand by him in the struggle. By their persuasions he was induced 
to accede to their designs. At night he set fire to a canoe-house, and 
coming into his father’s dwelling, he approached the place where he 
was sleeping, and cried out, “ Do you lie here asleep when your city a 
is burning!” Tambiavalu immediately started up and ran ont. Ko- | 
raitamano following closely after him, watched an occasion, struck 
him with his club on the back of his head, and killed him on the spot ; 
after which he retired to his own house, trusting to the promises of his 
friends and adherents, that they would protect and defend him. But the 
queen was more than an equal for his cunning, and her hatred caused 
her to go to the greatest lengths in wreaking her vengeance upon 
him. She had the body brought to the house, where, observing that 
the external injury to the head was slight, she conceived the singular 
plan of making the deed of the assassin and his friends recoil upon 
their own heads. She, therefore, at once raised a cry that the body 
showed signs of life, and that her husband was not dead. She then 
had the body conveyed to the farther end of his house, under the plea 
that he required to be removed from the noise; and no one was suf- 
fered to approach the body but herself and a Tonga woman, who was 
her confidant. She soon spread the report that the king had recovered 
his senses, but was very weak, and called upon several chiefs in the 
king’s name, saying that he required the instant death of Koraitamano. j 
