Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-10-03
Fighting In Eli.

The Fiji correspondent Of the Sydney
Morning Herald writes: One day,
quite recently, about two hundred of
the Fiiian troops arrived at Levuka, in
two large war canoes, from the Ra
coast, at Wit Lew, where they had been
for some time engaged in war with
some of the mountain tribes. The con-
fict has been brought to a successful
termination, and these wild men of
the mountains having been now near
ly all subdued and submitted to the
King, it is expected that few, if any,
disturbances will again take place in
those districts. The men who have re-
turned looked remarkably well, and
marched through the town to Nasova,
armed with rifles and bsyonets fixed, in
a very soldier-like manner. This war
was occasioned by the tribe of natives
at Dawaran having murdered a number
of Christian natives. As soon as the
news reached Levuka, Major Harding
with body Of troops was despatched
to the place in Her Britannia Majesty's
schooner Renard. On arriving they at
once marched to caravan, under the
command of Major Harding and the
native Captain Ratu Joni Tholata. On
the 10Th of May the troops came up
with the murderers, who were assem-.
bled in great force, having been Joined
by number of others from distant
parts. After three hours hard fighting,
however, the Kings troops were sue
cessful and drove the enemy from his
position, with loss of from 80 to 60
men killed and wounded. On the 18th
of May they continued their march to
the great fighting town of Roma Lew,
near which they arrived at night, and
continuing their march came suddenly
upon the town and took it by surprise,
by approaching it on the side opposite
to the direction in which they had
come. The chief and some 10 or Is of
the insurgents were killed in this as
sault. In this town they found several
natives who belonged to a supposed
friendly tribe, but who had come to
give the enemy information respecting
the number and movements of the
Kings troops. These men, who were,
in fact, in friendly alliance with the
government, were made prisoners, and,
having been duly tried by a court
martial, consisting of three native chiefs
and white officer, four of them were
ordered to be shot, which sentence was
executed. Having taken this strong
hold, it was totally destroyed and
evacuated, and on the 18th the troops
marched on to another large town, at
which were assembled large number
of natives from distant places. After a
smart contest this town was also taken
and destroyed. THIS being the tenth
and the last town in the district taken
by the government troops, the whole
tribe at once surrendered and gave in
their adherence to the King. The
troops continued their march to theil
headquarters at the Ba, and the more
remote tribes in all directions, seeing
the uselessness of further resistance
sent in to surrender to the v1ctors
Thus the whole of Witt Lew has nov
submitted to the Kings authority, ant
there is every prospect that the whole
OF the island will be opened for thu
purchase of land by settlers before thu
close of the present year. This cam
paign only occupied three weeks; tn
whole of the orders delivered to Majo
Harding on leaving Levuka for tn
scene of action were executed in tina
short period, and peace restored an,
established.