There he found that a wonderful and cheering work had been accomplished, and that a large proportion of the people were living genuine Christian lives, thoroughly blameless. Of these he baptised upwards of two hundred, and married sixty-six couples, and by his encouragement and presence greatly cheered the little body of converts. It was not to be supposed that this movement had progressed without serious opposition from many of the heathen inhabitants, and many events occurred at this time, stranger than any fiction. Amongst other incidents, there was the baptism of Tovo, the beautiful daughter of the chief of Ono. She had become a devoted Christian, and delighted in doing all the good in her power, visiting the sick and teaching in the schools. But in infancy she had been betrothed to the old heathen king of Lakemba, who now claimed her to be his thirtieth wife. She resolutely refused to fulfil this heathen betrothal, her father and all the Christian chiefs fully supporting her. On returning to Lakemba, Mr Calvert learnt that the old king had fitted out a fleet of eleven canoes, manned with warriors, and intended going himself to seize his bride. He went to him, bearing the customary whale’s tooth as a peace-offering, and besought him to refrain from this marauding expedition; but finding his words were to no purpose, he solemnly warned him that in fighting against these people, he was fighting against the Almighty, whose care they had invoked. The king, nothing daunted, set sail, and reached the Christian isle of Vatoa, where he cruelly ill-treated the people, wantonly destroying their food and property. There he remained several days, waiting for a fair breeze; but he despatched four canoes with a hundred piratical warriors, to await him at Ono. These canoes were never heard of again. When the fair wind sprang up he started in person, but though he actually sighted Ono, the wind shifted, and he was blown far away to leeward. The breeze freshened; the canoes and all on board were in imminent danger. Almost by miracle they escaped and returned to Lakemba, when the king sent to Mr Calvert the feast which, in his hour of danger, he had vowed to his gods, and prayed that his words of warning might never follow him again. He expressed his willingness to accept the customary gift of property, in lieu of the young woman, that she might be free to marry any other man. However, before it arrived, he had again changed his purpose and kept the offerings, but still demanded the damsel. Nevertheless he did not venture to return to claim her, so she was left in peace and in the enjoyment of single blessedness, as no other suitor dared to come forward, the king not having relinquished his claim.