ship Duff was caught among the maze of reefs in the Lau Group and barely escaped disaster.
Like Tasman's ship she stuck on a reef but escaped and sped away from the islands. As a result of the voyage there were a few more reefs superimposed on Bligh's charts to warn others. Several trading vessels stopped off and even anchored, but such islanders as were seen gave the voyagers such a warlike reception that none lingered. But at last, and inevitably, one of these ships came to stay. It was the brig Argo, and she was to remain forever as her timbers bleached on the reef that had claimed her. She ran ashore on the huge Bukatatanoa Reef in Lau that today is named Argo Reef.
From the Argo came the first men of vavalagi to set foot in the islands. They were destined to leave in their wake misery and a lingering death. The crew and some missionary passengers escaped from the wreck by boat and landed at Oneata Island. Some lived for a while in peace with the owners of the land, but they had brought with them the germ of Asiatic cholera. The seamen themselves may have become immune to this disease, but it struck down the islanders more quickly than the clubs of their enemies. Finally the newcomers were killed off, but the disease spread to other islands where many died. Ghastly as it was, its power dissipated gradually, but for many years it was remembered, as was the coming of the white man, by the name lila balavu—the long wasting sickness.
One or two men survived both the shipwreck and the subsequent massacre. Of these, one was to have an impact on the life of the Fijians that extended beyond the introduction of a disease. He was Oliver Slater, who was able to leave Fiji by a ship that called two years later. It was the El Plumier, which helped to spread the Asiatic cholera germ from Lau to Koro and Vanua Levu. Slater was picked up at the last island, where he had made his way by canoe. As he sailed away, he carried with him the knowledge that these islands possessed a fortune ready for the taking.
While living with the Fijians he had seen them grating a fragrant wood on brain coral. The fragments of the wood yasi dina so obtained were then used to scent the coconut oil which they kept for toilet purposes. The wood was, in fact, sandalwood, which at that time was so highly prized and priced in China. Slater also discovered that the Fijians placed little value on the wood compared to the valuable things that could be obtained from ships, such as iron, glass and red paint. They had known of these items for many years, not from the ships which had just begun to call, but from their Tongan neighbours who had been dealing with ships for years.
It was from the Tongans that the Fijians had first obtained iron tools, with which they replaced the stone adzes they had used for so long. At the same time, the Tongans introduced to the Fijians the whale's tooth which was later to become an integral part of Fijian ceremonials.
After many vicissitudes Slater finally reached Port Jackson in New South Wales. Once ashore he quickly confided the secret of the sandalwood to John Aikin, the owner of a small schooner. Joining forces, the two fitted out an expedition to the islands. Ostensibly they were to leave for New Caledonia to seek bêche de mer, a sea cucumber, but in reality the schooner was sailed to Fiji. Within a few months the two men were back in Port Jackson with a cargo of the wood procured by exchange of a few old, broken cutlasses. A fortune was now theirs for the asking, provided they could keep the secret. A larger ship would be required so that the cargo could be taken directly to Canton, where a much better price could be obtained than in Port Jackson. But while preparing for a second voyage it became evident to Slater that his secret was out. Several ships started preparations for a sandalwood voyage to the islands before he had cleared New South Wales a second time.
Thus began, in this history of Fiji, a period that for violence, adventure and colourful characters was only equaled many years later by the American Wild West. The seamen of the early 19th century needed to be rugged individuals merely to survive the incredible hardships of seagoing. The life had a brutalizing effect on many men and officers, but in the sandalwood ships they were to meet men more violent than any they had previously met at sea.
These were the ex-convicts who were shipped at New South Wales to assist with the work of the boats sent ashore to gather sandalwood. At first that was all that was required of them. But eventually their cruel excesses caused the Fijians to turn against them, and it then became the duty of these ex-convicts to fight for the sandalwood before loading it in the ships. These were the men that many Fijians were to meet as their first introduction to the men from vavalagi.
Slater had introduced the sandalwood trade but did not influence it further, although he remained in the trade until his death at the hands of Fijians in 1814. Another man was to introduce new ways to the islands which were forever to change their history. His name was William Lockerby, Scottish-born mate of the American vessel Jenny which arrived in Sandalwood Bay in 1807. The bay had been given this name in New South Wales and was always known by that name and never by its own name of Bua Bay.
MAP 3: Sandalwood Bay and Coast on Vanua Levu
The twenty-seven-year-old Lockerby had joined his. ship in Boston for what was to be a voyage to New South Wales and Canton. When the Jenny arrived in Port Jackson the port was seething with the news of the enormous amounts 9f money to be made in the new sandalwood trade. Governor Bligh had ordered an investigation into the traffic which, when the results were known, left no doubt as to why ships were rushing to Sandalwood Bay. The investigators' report showed how a profit of £4,000 could be made on an original investment of £3,000 over a period of a few months. The captain of the Jenny, William Dorr, attempted to see Bligh, but that worthy had signified his intention of keeping the lucrative trade for British ships. No foreign ships were allowed to clear New South Wales for Fiji. But the resourceful Yankee skippers could not be kept from the new wealth. On clearing from Port Jackson they would give any port as their destination, then head straight for Tongatabu from where they intended to follow Bligh's track to Fiji.
Altogether, Bligh was not popular aboard the ship Jenny. Before the ship left New South Wales news came from ashore of the arrest of the governor by officers of the New South Wales Corps. Lockerby used up a whole box of ship's candles in celebration of the event. Another American ship, the Fair American, arrived in port soon after with the latest news of Sandalwood Bay and some advice for Captain Dorr of the Jenny. He was advised to take extra guns and men, as the people of the islands were no longer as willing to trade as they had been. The guns and men would ensure that if trade were refused, they could take a cargo by force from the reluctant owners.
The route to Fiji was now well known among the seamen who visited Port Jackson, but weather knowledge lagged far behind sailing directions. The Jenny, sailing as soon as she was readied for sea, moved straight into the tropical hurricane season. With a little knowledge, Dorr would have probably delayed her sailing. But he was in a hurry and as a result met a fierce blow south of Tonga which took both the main and foremast out of his vessel. A jury rig was fitted, and a few days after the blow the Jenny was once more under way for Sandalwood Bay. This time, however, she was delayed by lack of wind.
It was not long after the drifting ship came in sight of one of the Tongan islands that she was surrounded by a fleet of canoes. The men in the canoes showed yams and pigs as evidence of their intention to trade. Captain Dorr allowed about forty of the Tongans on board for the purpose of barter while Lockerby kept a sharp eye on the canoes that stayed close by. Moving around the stern, the mate found several lines hanging over it. He was about to investigate further when the Tongans, finding their attempt to bring weapons on board had been discovered, leaped overboard. A breeze fortuitously sprang up and the Jenny sailed away, Lockerby spraying the canoes with grapeshot as a parting gesture. Such was a voyage from Port Jackson to Fiji.
The Jenny entered the Fiji group on Cook's old track and stopped off at Vatoa, his Turtle Island. Friendly contact was made with the natives there and then the ship pushed on. Cruising through the remainder of the group without incident, the Jenny brought up at the island of Koro. After
