iety of means. A chief named Wai, of
the far-off island of Ono, tributary to Lakemba, came to that island to
pay his dues. He there met with Takai, another Fijian chief, who had
visited Sydney and Tahiti, and had become a Christian. With such
knowledge as he could thus pick up he returned home. He there taught
his people; and so great a thirst for further instruction sprang up
among them, that a whaler calling at Ono for provisions, they engaged a
passage in her for two messengers who were to beg the missionaries at
Tonga to send them a teacher. A long time must have elapsed before one
could have reached them; but the Lord knew the desire of their hearts,
and took His own means for giving them the spiritual food after which
they hungered.

"Early in 1836 a canoe, on board which was Josiah, a converted Tongan,
with other Christians, sailed from Lakemba for Tonga, but was driven out
of her course to Turtle Island, about fifty miles from Ono. Hearing
when there that the people of Ono were seeking after religious
instruction, Josiah hastened there to tell them all he could of the
gospel. In a short time forty persons became worshippers of God, and a
chapel was built to hold a hundred. In the meantime their two
messengers reached Tonga, where they were told that as missionaries were
now stationed at Lakemba they must apply there for the help they sought.
A teacher was found, once a wild youth, who had been converted at
Lakemba. Here he remained two years preparing for his work, till he had
an opportunity of going to Ono. On his arrival he found that one
hundred and twenty adults had become Christians. A strong heathen party
was, however, formed against them, and they had more than once to fight
for their lives. Even the king of Lakemba threatened to destroy them
because they would not give up a young Christian girl who had in her
infancy been betrothed to him. A gale drove back the king's canoe, and
some of those of his followers were lost; so that he was persuaded that
the God of the Christians frowned on his design. The island was visited
several times by English missionaries, and at last one was appointed to
reside there.

"All the people have now become Christians, and probably fifty agents
have been raised up there to carry the gospel to other parts of Fiji.
Christianity spread among the islands in the neighbourhood of Lakemba
subject to Somosomo. This was in spite of the belief in a threat of the
king,