22G 



Return of Ntfitriiiiinirlou with Vc&dorl. 

 Vendovi put in lrop«. 



FEEJBE GROUP. 



Leave -taking between Vcndovi and hut 

 brothirs.— Vliit from \U. Cargill. 



speculations were thrown out ns to whether lie 

 would succeed in his erraud, or connive at the 

 escape of Vendovi. The hatred he was known to 

 bear Vendovi, was in favour of his return with 

 him, either dead or alive. These surmises were 

 shortly put to rest, by the appearance of the large 

 canoe emerging from the mouth of the river, which 

 drew all to watch its npproaeh. It soon came 

 alongside, nnd Vendovi wn.s recognised as a pri- 

 soner on heard. The mode of his capture was 

 singular, and shown the force of the customs, to 

 which all ranks of this people give implicit, obe- 

 dience. Nganmingion, on arriving at Rewa, went 

 at once to Vendovi'a house, and took him by sur- 

 prise. Going in, be took bis Heat by him, laid his 

 hand on bis arm, nnd told him that he was wanted, 

 and that the king had sent for him to go on hoard 

 the mun-of-uar. lie immediately assented, ami 

 was preparing to come at once, hut Ngn ran trig hoi 

 said, " Not till to-morrow." They passed the 

 evening and night together, and in the morning 

 em harked to come on board. 



Vendovi was at once hrought on board and 

 delivered to Captain Hudson, who forthwith exa- 

 mined him before the king and chiefs, and in the 

 presence of the officers of the ship, assembled in 

 the cabin. Vendovi acknowledged his guilt in 

 causing the murder of part of the crew of the 

 Charles Uoggett, and admitted that he had held 

 the male by the arms while the natives killed him 

 with dubs. Captain Hudson now explained why 

 he had thought proper to retain the king and the 

 others || prisoners, saying that tho course the 

 affair bad taken had saved them much trouble, and 

 probably fighting, for he would have thought it 

 incumbent upon him to burn Rewa, if Vendovi had 

 not been taken. The king replied, that Captain 

 Hudson had done right; that he would like to go 

 to America himself, they had all been treated so 

 well; that we were now all good friends, and that 

 lie should ever continue to be a good friend to all 

 white men. Vcndovi was now put in irons, and 

 the others were told that the ship would go to 

 Kantavu, to punish any other chiefs that had par- 

 ticipated tu the act, and bum their towns. They 

 were assured of our Amicable disposition towards 

 them so long as they conducted themselves well; 

 mill in order to uupress this fully upon them, after 

 their own fashion, presents were made them, which 

 were received gratefully. 



When the leave-taking canie, Phillips appeared 

 the most dejected of all. This seemed strange 

 after the part Vendovi had taken in the murder of 

 bis brother, of one whom be represented a» hav ing 

 been very kind to him as a protector, and with 

 whom he lived when the fatal shot was fired by 

 Vendovi. Phillips expressed himself in this way, 

 " That as long as Sent lived he could he saucy, but 

 after his death he was all alone, just like a stick,'' 

 This kind of opposite conduct is conformable to the 

 usual policy of this people, and is cbaracterisiie. 

 Vendovi, at this time, was the only one of his 

 brothers who favoured the party of Pliillipa, and 

 was among his strongest adherents. I could men- 

 tion many other instances of tho same inconsis- 

 tency of conduct on the port of chiefs. 



All the party were now much affected. Kania, 

 the king, leafed himself on the right side of Ven- 

 dovi, taking hold of his arm, while Nnvumialu 

 placed himself on the left. Phillips walked up and 



down in front. All shed tears, and sobbed aloud 

 while conversing in broken sentences with their 

 brother. The natives shed tears also, and none 

 but Ngaraningiou remained unmoved. The knig 

 kissed the prisoner's forehead, touched nosiw, and 

 turned away. The inferior chiefs approached and 

 kissed his hand*, whilst the common people crawled 

 up to bira and kissed his feet. One young man 

 who belonged to the household of Vendovi was the 

 last to quit him; he wished to remain with his 

 master, but was not permitted. In bidding fare- 

 well to the chief, be embraced bis knees, kissed bis 

 hands and feet, and received a parting blessing 

 from Vendovi, who placed both bis manacled 

 hands on his head. The young man tin n ivtreate 1 

 backwards towards the ladder, sighing and sob- 

 bing as though his heart would break. The last 

 request the king made to Captain Hudson was, 

 that his? own barber, Oabu Sam (a Sandwich 

 islander), might accompany Vendovi. This was 

 readily assented to, as he would be a useful man 

 on board ship, having sailed in a whaler, and 

 having some knowledge of the English language. 



Mr. Cargill, the missionary, came on board the 

 Peacock shortly after the royal party had left her, 

 and informed Captain Hudson, that the night 

 before, the chief who had been sent for his pro- 

 tection bad visited him, and said that he should 

 keep guard over him and his bouse, and not sutler 

 any one to cross the river from Rewa. Mr. Car- 

 gill said there had been no kind of disturbance, the 

 chief having remained at his house until the king 

 returned, and he felt much indebted to Captain 

 Hudson for the lively interest he had taken in his 

 affairs. He did not feel at all apprehensive of 

 danger to themselves, and there was no kind of 

 necessity for the detention of the ship on that 

 account. At noon Mr. Cargill took his leave. 

 Winn 1 saw him, a few weeks afterwards, he 

 spoke in very high terms of the conduct of Captain 

 Hudson, nnd tho manner ui which he had con- 

 ducted the whole business at Rewa. lie also told 

 un- that the chiefs often spoke of it, and were fully 

 sensible that it was just that Vendovi should be 

 punished. Mr. Cargill spoke much of the vast 

 benefit that would result from our visit, not only to 

 (he trading vessels and whites generally, but also 

 to the natives, as well as the advautage it would be 

 to the missionary cause. 



The surveys of the harbour having been all 

 compteted and joined wilh the survey of the river, 

 made by Lieutenant Budd and Passed-Midshipman 

 Oavis, — l*ith of whom deserve much credit for the 

 manner in which their operations were conducted, 

 not only ns regards the duties performed, but the 

 core ami attention they paid to the party entrusted 

 to their charge, — preparations were now made for 

 sailing; but, owing to the wind being ahead, they 

 were not able to pass the reefe until the morning of 

 the 23rd; in the mean time, Oabu Sam was received 

 on board as Vendovi s barber. When they got to 

 sea. Captain Hudson agaiu examined Vendovi, be- 

 fore several of tho officers, respecting the Kantnvu 

 murder, and the part he had himself taken in it. 

 He stated, that he was sent by Ngaraningiou to 

 pilot the brig to Kantavu; and that a chief of that 

 place, called Thcbau, who is now dead, was to take 

 the vessel for Ngnranitigiou. Thebau was (o make 

 w hat he could for himself, and was the leader of 

 tho conspiracy to murder the crew. Ten of the 



