mkm Ambau.—Townt of Verata and T i i i' i' riJAru TltokanniUo, «r Mr, f'hilllpt. 



Viwa. tFBHSfBB WlWUr. Vi«il of itie IciTiK ami UtltattCM. 



age, which in uti the island of Nnkalou, is about 

 three miles from the mouth of Wailcvu, or Peale's 

 river, and six from the town of Rewa, which is 

 situated on a low piece of land, which the river, 

 passing on each aide of it, has formed into an 

 island. The east point of Vitilcvu is tow, and is 

 divided by auroral small and unimportant streams, 

 which we had not time to examine ; there is, also, 

 it high water, a passage for canoes through one 

 of thera to Amhau, which lies ten mileB to the 

 northward. 



The launch and firtit cutter of the Peacock, 

 under Lieutenant F.mmous and Passod-Midshipman 

 Itlimt, were found here, having advanced thus for 

 in their surveying operations. They had passed 

 uround the hay of Ambau, stopped at the town, 

 and met with rather an unfriendly reception there; 

 the chiefs refused to give them any water unless 

 paid for, on account, as they said, of our trade- 

 master not paying a higher price for the yams 

 they carried him. For this reason the chiefs were 

 in a had humour, and had refused a supply of 

 water to the hoats. 



Ambau is a singular-looking place. It occupies 

 a small island, which is entirely covered with 

 houses, among which the mbure stands conspicuous. 

 The approach to the town is much obstructed by 

 Kiefs of curat ; and the water being shallow, is im- 

 passable for an armed vessel. The island is con- 

 nected with the main land or large island, by a 

 long Hal of coral, which is fordable, even at high 

 water, and is in places <piite bare at low water. 

 One IB at a loss to conceive how this place could 

 have, acquired its strength and importance. 1 am 

 rather inclined to impute it to the enterprise of Us 

 first settler?*, and the ascendancy given it by the 

 accidental aid Unit has been afforded its chiefs by 

 the whiles, who came among them and joined their 

 side. It was, probably, at hint, thu retreat of the 

 fishermen; and from their enterprise, the difficul- 

 ties they had to encounter, and the powerful 

 connexions they have formed with the other towns 

 and districts, it is likely that their rule will 

 continue until the people shall have become civi- 

 lized, when, from the want of internal resources, 

 the terror of its name will pass away, and it 

 must fall to the rank of a place of secondary im- 

 portance. 



At present it is in the ascendancy, ami its chiefs 

 have a high estimate of thoir own importance. 

 Thus, while 1 was at Levnka, I was much amused 

 by a question put me by Sem, " Why I had not 

 gone with my ship to Ambau t why come to Le- 

 vuka, where there were no gentlemen, none but 

 common people (ka»-si) ! all the gentlemen lived 

 at Ambau." 



The towns of Vorntn and V'iwa are within a 

 short distance of Ambau, and have buth been its 

 rivals. At each of these some fearful outrage ban 

 been perpetrated upon trailing vessels, for which 

 the guilty have been but partially punished. The 

 chief of Viwa, I understood, had made it his 

 boast that the French had only burned a few of 

 his mud huts, which he could shortly huild again; 

 that it would give a very few days of labour to his 

 slaves ; and that he would cut off the next vessel 

 that came, if ho had an opportunity. He thinks 

 that it was a very cheap purchase to get so much 

 property for so little damage. The Ambau peo- 

 ple also spoke vauntingly of having gn.n the 



French permission to destroy Viwa, as it was 

 nothing, and satisfied the Papaktngitj ; but they 

 did nut intend that any property or lives should 

 be lost, for they had sent to inform the Viwa 

 people that the attack was to be made, and even 

 helped them to remove all their valuables. Viwa 

 is not bo large a town as Aroban, hut is built on 

 a larger island, aud affords more conveniences for 

 a port. 



The wlude hay of Ambau is well shielded 

 by extensive coral sea-reefs. Here the launch 

 aud first cutter again left the Peacock, on their 

 way to the island ef Mbenga, to the westward. 



Captain Hudson, after anchoring, sent Lien- 

 tenant IJudd to the town of Rewa for the purpose of 

 communicating with the kin},' and chiefs, nnd of 

 obtaining the services of Thukanauto (Mr. Phillips) 

 as interpreter and pilot Lieutenant Budd observed 

 much apparent fear uniuiig the chiefs and people. 

 The king, Kan is, on the approach of the boots, had 

 gum- to lii.lt> himself in the outskirts of the town, 

 but Mr. Phillips was met on the way coming towards 

 them, and after much hesitation determined to ac- 

 company Mr. Budd on board the ship. The natives 

 appeared to entertain the same fears as their 

 chief. 



Phillips is about thirty years of nge, of middle 

 size, active, and well-made ; he is more intelligent 

 than the natives generally, and his appearance less 

 savage ; he speaks English tolerably well, though 

 it is not difficult to perceive whence he has obtained 

 Ins knowledge of it, by the phrases he makes use 

 ot It was not a Jitlle comical to hear a Fecjce 

 man talk of u New York highbinders,' 1 " Boston 

 dandies,*' '* Baltimore mohtowiis." On assurances 

 being given to the natives that we were their 

 friends, tliev became more reconciled, and after* 

 time the king, Kama, or Tui Ndraketi, was found, 

 and invitations delivered to him to pay a visit to 

 the ship. Lieutenant Budd then crossed the river 

 to the missionaries' houses, where he saw their 

 wives, and found Mr. Jagger, who is one of the 

 mission. The lie v. Mr. Cargill had visited the 

 ship shortly after the Peacock anchored; his canoe 

 w;us manned by Tonga men. He was on his way 

 to a town fifteen miles distant, where the chic! 

 and a few of the people had just embraced Chris- 

 tianity, lie was invited to preach on board tin- 

 next day ; he complied, and delivered an excellent 

 discourse. 



On the morning of the Iflth, Monday, the king 

 and his brother, Ngaran'mgiou, visited the ship. 

 The king came in a canoe of beautiful construe 

 tion, about forty feet iu length, propelled by 

 paddles, w hich the king alone is allowed to use. 

 Ngnraningiou was in a much larger canoe, hav- 

 ing a largo must and sail, and the chiefs pennant 

 flying from the yard, but sculls were used. 



Captain Hudson now despatched Lieutenant 

 Budjj and Passed -Midshipman Davis, with two 

 boats, op the river. Mr, Peale, one of the 

 naturalists, went with this expedition, and Mr. 

 Phillips's services were engaged to accompany 

 and protect the boats in the exploration of the 

 river. 



The ship had been prepared for the king's 

 visit ; be was received wild due ceremony, ami 

 was led aft, aud stated on the quarter-deck. 

 I Tni Ndrakoti is about forty years of age, and ia I 

 a tall, tine-looking man, with a manly expression 



