"In 1885 the Wesleyans reported that they had 906 churches and 347 other preaching-places in the islands, 25,932 church-members, and 104,806 attendants upon public worship. They had 1749 day schools, and 40,313 scholars in these schools, and they had nearly 42,000 children attending Sabbath-school. The Roman Catholics have about 8000 church-members, and the Church of England has a much smaller number, its adherents being principally Englishmen and other foreigners.
"So much for what the missionaries have accomplished in this group of Pacific islands, in the short space of fifty years. At present the Wesleyans say the expenses of maintaining their missions in Feejee is about $25,000 a year; and of this amount $15,000 is contributed here, the balance coming from abroad. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are taught in the common schools; there are higher schools in each missionary circuit, where persons are trained for the ministry, and others can be educated. There is a central college at Navuloa, where a superior education, both native and English, is given to those who are preparing for ordination, and also to others who may desire it. The Government has established industrial schools, where the sons of chiefs are taught reading and writing as in the common schools, and also instructed in house-carpentering, boat-building, and other trades.
VIEW IN A VALLEY OF THE INTERIOR OF THE ISLAND.
"I think I hear you asking how the English manage to govern the islands when they are so few and the natives so numerous. Well, Feejee is a crown colony, and its affairs are administered by a governor and executive council; the laws are prepared by a legislative council of thirteen members, seven of whom are official and six are nominated by the Governor. In legal matters the imperial laws are followed, except where there has been local legislation. All jury cases are decided by the judge, with two assessors; the system of trial by jury was abolished by the first governor, Sir Arthur Gordon, at the suggestion of Sir John Gorrie, who was then chief-justice. The natives have a system of local self-government which is recognized by the colonial authorities; there are twelve salaried superior native chiefs exercising executive functions under the Government, and also twenty-six native magistrates."
Our friends found enough in and around Suva to interest them for several days. They visited some of the cotton, sugar, and coffee plantations in the vicinity, examined some of the sites of the ancient temples of the Feejeeans which were the scenes of horrible slaughters in the days of cannibalism and idolatry, went through some of the native villages, where they were kindly received by the chiefs, and did other things which were very natural for visitors to do. There was nothing especially new about the plantations, with the possible exception of the groups of laborers from the islands of Polynesia and Melanesia, some of whom were of races strange to the eyes of our friends. There were men from Tanna, from the Solomon Islands, from New Guinea, and also representatives of other groups of islands, until the whole made quite a formidable list.
The owner of the largest plantation that they visited told Frank and Fred that the men from the different islands would not fraternize with one another any more than will Germans, Irish, and negroes in America or England. They do not trust one another, and their huts are in different groups, in widely separated parts of the plantation. Many of them are cannibals, particularly the men from the Solomon and New Hebrides islands, and occasionally get into open warfare for the purpose of capturing somebody whom they can eat. This very distrust of one another is to the advantage of the planter, who could not easily manage them if they were united and harmonious.
Fred thought the Solomon Islanders were the most repulsive looking of the lot, and their employer said they were treacherous and revengeful in addition to being murderous. In times past, before the establishment of the Colonial Government, they used to make raids on the villages and kill any unfortunate Feejeean they met, whom they carried away and devoured. Of late years they have been restrained from this practice, but not without some severe lessons.
"The Tanna men are not much unlike them," their informant continued, "but they are less treacherous and sullen, and are better workers. They eat the flesh of men when they can get it, but they are also fond of dogs, cats, lizards, rats, and flies."