230 FIJI AOT) THE FIJIANS. The Chief of Viwa, who was a shrewd old man, and one of the leaders of the revolt, noticed that Seru was a clever youth, and advised that he should be killed, to prevent his doing any mischief to their cause. But the others could not believe there was any danger to be feared from a mere lad, and permitted him to live. With great skill Seru laid his plans, and quietly won over to his father's side several adherents of great influence, among whom was Seru's early and faithful friend Ve- rani, the nephew of the old Viwa Chief. One night the part occupied by the royalist confederates was quickly separated from the rest by a fence ; and, to their consternation, the rebels found their quarter of the town in flames. This scheme, carried out with great vigour and ad- dress, proved decisive. The rebels fled hastily on to the mainland; but were afterwards delivered up to their old master, and Tanoa's re- turn to Mbau was celebrated by the killing and eating of these prisoners, many of whom were Chiefs of rank. Two human bodies were in the ovens when Mr. Cross arrived ; and though the King's son, who was now called Thakombau,* agreed to re- ceive him, and showed him a place where he might build a house, yet the island was so crowded, and the excitement still remained so great, that he hesitated to settle there at present ; especially as the neighbour- ing King of Rewa, whose authority and possessions were next in im- portance to those of Tanoa, offered protection and land to Mr. Cross, and gave free permission to his people to become Christians as they might wish. Accordingly on the 8th of January, 1838, Mr. Cross and his family landed at the town of Rewa, which has access to Mbau by a river about twelve miles long ; but the distance by sea, round Kamba Point, is twenty miles. A small place was set apart for the present dwelling- place of the strangers ; and on the following Sabbath a service was conducted in the Lakemba dialect, and attended by about twelve per- sons. A week afterwards Mr. Cross had mastered some of the dialectic diff*erences of the language as spoken at Rewa, and was able to talk to the people in their own way. And now a time of darkness and trouble came upon the little house where the strangers lived. It altogether formed but one room, and that was small, low, and damp. And here the Missionary sickened ; and for six weeks he lay ill, first with intermittent fever, and then with
- Thakombau means literally Evil to Mbau, and refers to the destruction and terror caused
by his successful coup cf etat. At this time Seru received also the name of Thikinovu, Centipede, in allusion to tho stealthy way in which that creature approaches, giving no notice of its pres- ence until its formidable bite is felt This name, however, fell into disuse, while the other remains.
