How the Gospel was First Carried, 251 
her up to be a heathen king's thirteenth wife. So matters 
went on, until Mr. Calvert's return to Lakemba, when he 
learnt that the king had fitted out a fleet of eleven canoes, 
manned with warriors, and was intending to sail at the head 
of this force to claim and bring home his bride. Mr. Calvert 
immediately remonstrated with the king, taking, according 
to custom, a whale's tooth for an offering, pleading thus : 
" You are preparing to go to Ono. I understand that you 
intend to compel Jemima (Tovo's christian name) to come 
back with you. I beg that you will not do so, but will 
allow her to remain at her own island, a Christian." The 
king tried to make Mr. Calvert believe that he intended to 
do this, his only ostensible object in going to Ono being to 
collect tribute. But the missionary knew better, and before 
he left the royal presence, uttered the following warning : . 
Tui Nayau, before I leave you, I warn you faithfully. I 
love you, and therefore warn you. God's people are as the 
apple of His eye. In thus fetching the girl, you are fighting 
against God. You will imperil your own safety if you go 
on such an errand. Remember that on the sea, and at 
all the islands between Lakemba, and Ono, Jehovah rules 
supreme, and can easily punish you if you are found fighting 
against Him. Take care what you are about.*' 
The king set sail, and reaching Vatoa, cruelly and wantonly 
injured the lower people there, by destroying their crops. 
He would also have killed some of the people, but that 
a Christian chief resolutely stood up in defence of them. 
After sailing from Vatoa, four of his canoes were never 
heard of again. It was supposed that they drifted away 
and were lost at sea ; or that they were wrecked on some 
other island, in which the occupants would be killed and 
eaten according to custom. The remainder of the fleet 
never reached Ono, for a strong wind blew them back, and 
