Page 46 - Melanesia
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Key Facts and Dates of Fiji
1643 - Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman discov- Nairai and Gau, noting that there were big- under its master Peter Dillon, arrived in Bua
ered the islands but did not attempt to land ger islands appearing in the SW and NNW. to get more sandalwood.
because of reports of cannibalism that was Bligh was chased by two canoes in the Yasa-
rampant in the islands. was but they managed to stay out of reach. 1817 - Seru, later Cakobau is born
1774 - English navigator, Captain James 1792 - Bligh revisits Fiji in HMS Providence 1820 - The village of Suva relocates from
Cook, sails close to the group but, again, did Nauluvatu to its new location in what is now
not attempt any landing. By 1777 Captain 1800 - Bukatatanoa Reef, near Lakeba, is Thurston Gardens. They moved because the
Cook had been able to talk to Fijians living where the American schooner Argo ran Tui Suva Tabakaucoro had married a Bauan
in Tonga and had written the following to aground. One crew member died, but the lady who did not want to climb hills.
the master of Resolution (William Bligh), ship carried a deadlier cargo which was to
which was under his command during that infest the Fiji group under the name “Lila 1835 - David Cargill and William Cross
expedition. “Feejee and Tongataboo engage Balavu” a strain of Asian cholera. The Argo spotted Lakeba and landed there on their
in war against each other; and the inhabit- was closely followed by the La Plumier way from Vavau. They were later joined
ants of the latter are often so much afraid of which had picked up Oliver Slater, who had by Hunt, Jaggar and Calvert, in 1839 and
his enemy that they bend the body forward discovered and was the first man to market started the move to Rewa then into Bau. In
and cover the face with the hands, to express sandalwood from Bua. 1840 Viwa was a Christian settlement with
the sense of their own inferiority to the its own chapel
Feejee men...” 1808 - It was a June night when the Ameri-
can Brigantine, Eliza hit Mocea reef near 1840 - The United States Exploring Expe-
1789 - Captain William Bligh, after mutiny Nairai, bringing to Fiji the notorious, Char- dition reached Fiji, after spending three
on the Bounty (April 28), sailed through the lie Savage and his muskets months in Fiji waters charting the major
Fiji group, entering it south of Moce and islands of the group under the leadership of
North of Yagasa on Monday, May 4. Within 1813 - February, an East Indiaman, under Commodore Charles Wilkes
the next 24 hours he would pass close to Captain Robson and a tender Elizabeth
