284 The Trimnphs of the Gospel tn Fiji. 
4. Rewa. ^ 
In the short notice of the introduction of Christianity 
into Rewa, given in the preceding chapter, mention was 
made of Mr. Crosses efforts for the people, and his sufferings 
among them. This pioneer labourer broke up the ground 
and prepared the way for his successors, the Messrs. Cargill 
and Jaggar, who settled at Rewa, in July, 1839, and estab- 
lished a printing-press there. Mr. Hunt for a short time 
also laboured there, but was removed at this date to Somo 
Somo, in order to labour in the new mission there. 
Although some scores of the natives professed Christianity, 
their daily life presented some trying lapses, and almost the 
first experience which the new missionaries gained of them 
was afforded by the disappearance of several cases of goods 
as they were being landed. Some were broken open, and 
their contents abstracted. One case full of printing appa- 
ratus was carried off into the bush by two chiefs, who 
supposed it to contain hatchets. The king of Rewa, who 
was kind to the missionaries, and eager for their teaching, 
hearing of this robbery, sent word to the chief that the 
missing property was to be returned immediately. Upon 
this it was sent back, minus the reams of printing paper ; 
and this loss, though heavy, the missionaries endured 
quietly. No place of worship had yet been provided, 
although the mission-house was a large, comfortable one, 
provided by the king. He also gave a piece of ground 
near the sea for the purpose of building a chapel, but the 
opposition shown by the king's brother, who headed a large 
party of heathen malcontents, was so great, that the mission- 
aries decided to wait for a time before erecting a building. 
Open-air services were held amid much persecution ; stones 
were thrown of large size, and many of the worshippers were 
