bited cannibalism; murder was now
declared to be against the law. The first two murderers guilty of the
crime before the law was promulgated were pardoned, but the next, though
a chief, was tried, and being found guilty of the murder of his wife,
was publicly executed by his countrymen at Mbau, the missionary wisely
absenting himself at the time. In the same year three chiefs of rank
were publicly married, each to one wife, a step afterwards taken by the
king himself. Churches were now built in every direction, and thousands
of the people of Fiji abandoned their horrible customs, put away their
idols, and turned to the true God."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

THE COURAGE OF KAPIOLANI.

"Although the change in Fiji is very great, much remains to be done. It
is not more than we may justly say, that cannibalism and the more
abominable crimes once common have ceased to exist wherever English
missionaries reside, and in most places where native teachers have
gained a footing. The kingdom of peace is making daily progress. The
gospel has firmly established itself in the heart of Fiji. Thakombau
remains firm and consistent in his profession of Christianity, and
though certain chiefs rebelled against him, he has dealt as leniently
with them as the maintenance of authority and order will allow, and has
striven as far as possible to avoid bloodshed.

"It is satisfactory to see the way Captain Erskine, of HMS _Havannah_,
speaks of those who have contributed to bring about this state of
things. I cannot refrain from touching on a circumstance which he
mentions, redounding as it does so greatly to the honour of the wives of
two of the missionaries, Mrs Lyth and Mrs Calvert. It occurred while
old Tanoa was still alive, and of course long before Thakombau became a
Christian.

"A powerful tribe had sent a deputation to Mbau with tribute, and it was
necessary to provide them with a banquet, a portion of which must,
according to custom, be human flesh. The chief whose business it was to
provide for the occasion, not having any enemies, set forth by night and
captured a number of women belonging to a village along the coast, who
had come down to pick shell-fish for food. Immediately Namosimalua, the
Christian chief, heard of it, he hastened to the missionary station; but
the missionaries' wives alone were at home. These heroic women,
however, resolved to go themselves, and to endeavour at all risks to
save the lives of the ca