There was a man named Robert Coffin who spent three and half months in Fiji in the 1800s. He had been a castaway from the New Bedford whaler ‘Logan’ which was wrecked on Conway Reef in January 1855.
In his book, ‘The Last of the Logan’, edited by Harold Thompson, Coffin wrote that the wreck had been inhabitable and unsafe, and after finding a passage through the reef, the 29 survivors held a meeting to decide on their voyage.
A chart was consulted, and they found that New Caledonia was about 120 miles southeast and 400 miles to the northeast sat the Fiji Islands. Coffin said while both islands had cannibals, Fiji seemed to be a safer choice because white men dwelled there and ships were available.
“Several of us made trips to the wreck, I went and peered down in the forecastle to see if I could get any of my things, but the bottom was out of it and a big shark had possession,” Coffin stated in the book.
“So, I took a pig from under the tryworks, got him by the tail and swam him ashore, we had six of them. It fell to my lot to butcher them.”
He said it was on the fifth day of their sailing in the waters that they made it to the island of Kadavu but when they saw the natives of around 20 men build a great fire and make their way towards them in a big canoe, that they decided to sail away.
“We ran on all night and next morning another island (Ngau) was before us.
“We lay there broiling in the hot sun all day about 12 miles from that beautiful green island without an effort to get nearer.”
When they got a sea-breeze, they began to sail and when they neared the beach the captain stated that he would jump ashore while they backed off and saw how he got along with the natives.
“But when the boats nose reached the sand, the captain forgot to get out, the only time I saw him show the white feather, but half a dozen natives jumped in.
“Before we could make any move, a canoe with three natives on it, one paddling, another holding a big umbrella over a third one who provide to be the King.
“He made the natives all jump out of our boat except a man on the thwart with me, got in himself, sent his canoe off to the other boats and put natives aboard with his orders.”
On the king’s orders, they went to pick up tons of coconuts while the others went to pick bananas and breadfruit then all met at the head of the bay.
The boats were unloaded, and they were taken inland to a town walled in by a high reed fence and into the king’s large house.
“It was carpeted with beautiful mats. The king’s part was a platform raised about three feet and covered with the finest mats.
“The king was seated up there and captain and mate on either side of him. The rest of us squatted or sat on the main floor.”
It wasn’t long before the women brought in fresh pork, yams, and bananas for them to feast.
“After the feast I went out and ate ‘endawas’ (dawa), a delicious fruit the size of an ordinary peach, round, with a thin shell-like rind you cut with your thumbnail and pop pulp into your mouth.”
Coffin later followed his fellow men to a freshwater creek to take a bath. The natives were greatly amused to witness this.
“It was getting late. Sun was set. The boys were looking for a place to sleep in the king’s house. I sat just inside the doorway.
“A tall native (a canoe chief) thrust his head in at the door and scanned our crowd. He finally beckoned to me to come out and follow him.”
Coffin followed him to this house where his wife, daughter and son sat waiting. After a few minutes of conversation and watching Coffin, the girl began chewing a root that look something like calamus (sweet flag). He said the root was called angona (yaqona) or kava.
“She chewed until she had a ball as large as a peach, when her mother brought out a wooden bowl that would hold three or four quarts.
“Into it she poured some clean spring water. The girl took the ward of roots from her mouth and put it in the water and then with a mass of finely shredded roots or grass strained every particle of chips and fibre out of it.”
When it was finally prepared, Coffin was handed a “well-polished” coconut cup to drink and was inclined to refuse but feared to do so.
“After the ceremony was over, they had prayers after the manner of Christians which was a great surprise to me and did not a little to reassure me.”
When it was time to sleep, he lay in the middle for a long time reflecting on whether they would kill him and decided it didn’t matter if he slept or was awake.
In the morning he returned to the king’s house where white men and natives were gathered for a meeting.
Not understanding a word because it was done in Fijian vernacular, Coffin went out and wandered around the town.
It was explained to him afterwards that the natives were preparing double canoes to carry them over to Mbau (Bau).
The natives argued all day during the meeting to keep their boats and furnishings but in the end settled for one boat.
“In the meantime, I met my host of last night and he led me sight-seeing way to the far end of the town and ushered me into a house with an old couple and evidently gave them instructions to keep me amused as long as possible.
“I was so interested I forgot my dinner and took no note of time until the waning of the afternoon sun warned me.”
Coffin went out and reached the king’s house only to notice that the town was deserted and rushed for the beach.
“Soon I saw women and children along the path. They stepped hastily aside crying out ‘bala,bala! (O dear, O dear).
“As I neared the beach, our men were just launching the last boat and I rushed into the water up to my waist to help.”
Coffin’s friend, the canoe chief, hurried to him and while patting his chest called out, ‘mai, mai’ pleading for him to stay.
“I shook my head and climbed into the boat. Many times, I have been kind of half sorry I didn’t stay for I really believe he had taken a fancy to me and wanted me as a friend and not for gastronomic purposes. When they reached the schooner’s deck, the men were filled joy. The schooner belonged to the king of the whole group and was named Thakombau (Cakobau).
They sailed on till they landed at the town of Levuka, Ovalau where around 20-30 white men including some missionaries lived.
“When we landed, the crew was parcelled out among the white men living there. I fell to David Whippy.”
PART 2 NEXT WEEK History being the subject it is, a group’s version of events may not be the same as that held by another group. When publishing one account, it is not our intention to cause division or to disrespect other oral traditions. Those with a different version can contact us so we can publish your account of history too — Editor.