THE town of Levuka, Fiji’s first capital, had its share of characters that landed on its shores back in the 1800s.
One of whom was a Captain Morgan who carried out the town’s first duel which unfortunately fell on the wayside.
A duel is an arranged form of combat between two persons using weapons and is carried out in the presence of witnesses.
The Fiji Times on October 2, 1869 reported the town was “thrown into a great state of excitement” when Captain Morgan challenged a Mr Minton to the duel.
But while preparation for the duel was taking place, a most unfortunate incident occurred.
One of the town’s respectable settlers by the name of F.W. Hoyle, a civil engineer, got shot through the leg.
“Anxious to prevent the duel, he ran from the billiard room of the Criterion to the room where Mr Minton was examining a pistol, the mechanism of which he did not understand, neither was he sure of it being loaded,” reported The Fiji Times.
“He fired it towards the open door just as Mr Hoyle entered, and the ball went right through the leg, between the tibia and the fibula, grazing one of the bones but fortunately did not break it. Steps were immediately taken by the local authorities to put a stop to the intended duel.”
Captain Morgan, who sent the challenge to Mr Minton, was severely reprimanded for the careless use of firearms and for having accepted the challenge with the intention of fighting a duel.
The Fiji Times reported that he had to be kept in irons and strictly guarded until he was placed on board the Young Australia.
The news article added Captain Morgan came to Fiji on board the Springbok, with the intention of joining the Volunteers — a group that was bent on conquering the mountaineer tribes of Viti Levu.
The Volunteer movement, however, fell through.
Bitterly disappointed, Captain Morgan took to fights and caused a bit of raucous wherever he went including breaking furniture and glass and would challenge anyone who stood in his way to a duel.
He was sent in irons to Sydney, and a copy of the depositions forwarded to the chief of police.
