reed between the Wesleyan and London Missionary
Societies that Samoa should be left entirely under the charge of the
London Missionary Society,--a wise resolve, the object of which does not
appear to have been very clearly comprehended by the Samoan Christians,
accustomed to the Wesleyan form, or by King George, who made a voyage to
Samoa to consult about the matter. The reason of the arrangement was,
that the Wesleyan Society might be able to devote all their means and
energies to the promulgation of the gospel in the Fiji Islands, a work
which they forthwith commenced and have carried on with unsurpassed
vigour and success. I will describe it to you presently.

"Josiah Tubou, the king of Tonga proper, or Tongatabu though a
consistent Christian, was a man every way inferior to King George in
energy and talent, and the heathen chiefs and other ill-disposed persons
set his power at defiance. They even went so far as to take up arms, in
the hope of deposing him. In this, however, they were disappointed; for
King George, with a large body of warriors, came to his assistance, and
they were compelled to take refuge in certain strongly-built forts in
their native districts, where they continued to hold out against his
power. The war thus commenced and carried on for some years, proved a
sad hindrance to religion and the advancement of civilisation. Two
Roman Catholic priests were also landed from a French ship of war, and
took up their residence with the heathens, whom they undoubtedly
supported against their chief.

"It was while endeavouring to negotiate with the rebels in one of these
forts that Captain Croker of HMS _Favourite_, who had with him a party
of his ship's company, was shot at and killed. Another officer and
several men fell on the occasion, while many were badly wounded.
Several forts were taken or yielded, and the defenders pardoned; but the
rebels were still holding out in the strongest, that of Bea, where the
Romish priests resided, when Sir Everard Home, in the _Calliope_,
arrived at Tonga. Several times the fort had been summoned to
surrender, and Sir Everard Home had now the satisfaction of witnessing
the way in which it was captured, and the leniency with which the rebels
were treated, while he and King George himself were instrumental in
saving the property of the Romish priests from destruction. From that
time King George has been employed in consolidating his power, and in
advancing the mat