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diff --git a/21457.txt b/21457.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b216234 --- /dev/null +++ b/21457.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7782 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Cruise of the Mary Rose, by William H. G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Cruise of the Mary Rose + Here and There in the Pacific + +Author: William H. G. Kingston + +Illustrator: Alfred Pearse + +Release Date: May 15, 2007 [EBook #21457] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CRUISE OF THE MARY ROSE *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +The Cruise of the Mary Rose, or Here and There in the Pacific, by +William H G Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +This book is very largely about the work of Christian missionaries in +the Pacific. There is a thin plot, but otherwise we are treated to +lengthy texts extracted from the reports of various missionaries, and of +Naval officers who had visited the area. + +The book is dressed up with a cover and a title that makes it look like +a boy's adventure story from the second half of the nineteenth century. +I imagine that many a kindly old aunt, searching for a Christmas present +for a favourite nephew, will have bought a copy, and been surprised when +the "thank-you" letter didn't seem as effusive as she expected. But +don't let me stop you reading it if you are interested in the work of +these brave missionaries. + +Kingston is generally quite pious in his writings, so you can imagine +how pious he is when trying to out-missionary the missionaries. + +Some of their more nauseous habits of their "clients" are described, +such as eating your enemy when you have killed him. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +THE CRUISE OF THE MARY ROSE, OR HERE AND THERE IN THE PACIFIC, BY +WILLIAM H G KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +UNCLE JOHN'S JOURNAL. + +My family had for centuries owned the same estate, handed down from +father to son undiminished in size, and much increased in value. I +believe there had been among them in past generations those who feared +the Lord. I know that my father was a man of true piety. "Casting all +your care upon Him, for He careth for you," was his favourite motto. +What a world of doubt and anxiety, of plotting, and contriving, and +scheming, does this trust in God save those who possess it. On this +blessed assurance my father took his stand in all the difficulties of +life. It never failed him, and so we his sons had a good training and a +godly example. + +The younger members of each generation followed various honourable +professions, but they failed to rise to high rank in them, owing, I +fancy, to a want of worldly ambition--the general characteristic of our +race. Altogether, however, I believe them to have been a simple-minded, +upright, clear sighted set of people, who did whatever their hands found +to do honestly and with all their might. Such people ought to rise, it +may be said. So they do,--but not to what the world calls the summit. +They generally rise to a position of independence, where they may enjoy +fair scope for the exercise of their mental and spiritual faculties. +There they are content to remain, for a time. This world is not their +rest. Another world opens to their view. In that they see the goal at +which they aim. There is the golden crown. Why then be distracted by +the glittering baubles which are held up to draw their attention from +the real jewel--the gem without price? I am happy in the belief that +such was the reason that my ancestors did not become men of much worldly +note. + +The occupant of the family estate had always attended to its +cultivation, and was properly called a gentleman farmer. Unostentatious +and frugal, he never lacked means, in spite of bad harvests or +unexpected losses, to assist the younger members of the family in +starting in life, or to help forward any good cause which required aid. + +My father, Paul Harvey, was a perfect type of the family--so was my +elder brother, his namesake. John came next; a daughter followed; I was +his fourth child. He kept up a good old custom--never broken through +from any excuse. An hour before bed-time his children and the whole +household assembled in the sitting-room, when he read and explained a +chapter in the Bible. A hymn was sung, and prayers full of fervour were +offered up to the throne of grace. After this a simple supper was +placed on the table, and we were encouraged to speak on the events of +the day, or on what we had read or thought of. That hour was generally +the pleasantest of the twenty-four. Our father guided, if he did not +lead the conversation, and generally managed to infuse his spirit into +it. Although many of the subjects discussed even now rise up to my +memory, I will mention but one, which had a powerful influence on the +career of some of those present. I had been reading an account of the +Crusades, and my enthusiasm had been unusually stirred up on the +subject. "I wish that I could have lived in those days!" I exclaimed +(I was but a lad it must be remembered.) "What a glorious work those +warriors of old undertook, who with sword and lance, under the banner of +the cross, they went forth to conquer infidels, to establish the true +faith, to recover the blessed land, hallowed by the Redeemer's +footsteps, from the power of the cruel followers of the false prophet of +Mecca. How degenerate are we Christians of the present generation! Who +among us dreams of expelling the Turks from Syria? On the contrary, our +statesmen devote their energies to keep them there. I really believe +that were Peter the Hermit to rise from his grave, he would not find a +dozen true men to follow him." + +"Possibly not," said my father, quietly; "though he might find two dozen +fully as wise, and as honest, too, as those he led to destruction. But +has it not struck you, David, that there are other conquests to be +achieved in the present age more important than winning Palestine from +the Moslem; that there is more real fighting to be done than all the +true soldiers of the cross, even were they to be united in one firm +phalanx, could accomplish? Sword and spear surely are not the weapons +our loving Saviour desires His followers to employ when striving to +bring fresh subjects under His kingdom. That they were to be used was +indeed the idea of our ignorant ancestors, when the teaching of a +corrupt Church had thrown a dark veil over their understandings. +Christians only in name, the truth was so disfigured and transformed +among them, that it exercised no influence over their hearts; and though +they believed the Bible to be of value, they regarded it rather in the +light of a mystic charm than the word of God. Thus all the great truths +of our most holy faith were so travestied and changed as to produce +alone a degrading superstition. They believed that the Bible had the +power of exorcising spirits of evil. So it has; but it is not the +closed Bible, which they in their ignorance employed--not the mere +printed paper bound into a volume--unread, or if read, misunderstood, at +which the devil and his angels tremble. No; it is the open Bible--the +Bible in many tongues--read and understood through God's gracious +teaching, sought for by prayer earnestly. It is the blessed gospel of +peace which alone can put to flight debasing superstition, gross +customs, murderous propensities, cruel dispositions, barbarism in its +varied forms, and all the works of darkness instigated by Satan and his +angels. Again, I say that the Bible, and the Bible alone, is the true +crusader's weapon; armed with that sword of the Spirit, with the shield +of faith on his arm, and under the guidance (never to be withdrawn while +he seeks it) of God's Holy Spirit, he may go boldly forth conquering and +to conquer the numberless hosts of heathenism arrayed for battle against +the truth. These weapons are dreaded by the spirit of evil more than +all those iron implements of warfare on which man in his folly and +blindness relies. The victories won by the Bible are lasting in this +world, and not only in this world, but through eternity. + +"To drop metaphor, what is, and what long has been the condition of +those lands the crusaders vainly boasted they had won from the followers +of Mohammed? In what state do we find those vast territories of the New +World conquered by Spain? both gained by sword and spear, under a banner +falsely called the `banner of the cross.' Compare these and similar +conquests over heathenism with those victories won in pagan lands by the +Bible--the sword of the Spirit. How great the contrast!" + +Our father spoke with far more animation than was his wont. I listened +respectfully, though I confess that at first I did not comprehend the +full meaning of his remarks. Still, they considerably dimmed the bright +halo with which my imagination had surrounded the crusades. My second +brother, John, however, fixing his eyes attentively on our father, drank +in every word he uttered. "Yes, glorious indeed are the victories +gained by the gospel of peace in heathen lands, and happy are those +permitted to fight them," he whispered, with a sigh, after a few +minutes' silence. John was less robust in health than were most of us, +and it was intended that he should devote himself to mercantile +pursuits, for which I had long suspected that he had no great taste; +still, at the call, as he believed, of duty, he had begun the task of +acquiring the necessary knowledge. + +"I suppose, father, that you are alluding to the labours of missionaries +in foreign lands?" I observed. "But I have heard it said, that in +spite of all the money expended, their preaching produces but meagre +results. In India, for instance, the Company will not admit them. In +Africa, the climate destroys them. The fanatical Turks and other +Mohammedan nations will not listen to their message; and it would be but +time lost and energies wasted were they to attempt to preach to the +cannibals of New Zealand and the other islands of the Pacific, or to the +almost baboons of Australia and New Guinea." + +"You have not, I see, given much thought to the subject, David," +observed my father, mildly; "God's grace is sufficient for all men. The +gospel is to be preached to all men, without distinction of race, or +colour, or nation, or rank. What says the Bible? `Go ye into all the +world, and preach the gospel to every creature.' Who is to decide then +from what depths of moral degradation the power of God's grace will fail +to lift up a human being? Certainly, we mortals, fallible, helpless, +sinful, as we must feel ourselves, are not capable of judging. All we +have to do is to receive the plain command, and obey it. Oh, there is +scope, believe me, for the exertions, not of one missionary only, but of +hundreds and thousands of the soldiers of the cross in those very +regions of which you have spoken. How can we dare to doubt how the +gospel will in the end be received? `Blessed are ye which sow beside +all waters,' `Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it +after many days.' `In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening +withhold not thine hand, for thou knowest not which shall prosper, +either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.' Our +duty as disciples of Christ is plain. We are to sow. `God giveth the +increase.' That is not to be our care. We are to `preach the gospel to +every creature.' Some will hear; some will turn away from the truth. +With that we have nothing to do, except to pray and work on, awaiting +God's time. You have none of you seen more than the outside of my Uncle +John's journal. Indeed, I had not myself till lately looked into it. +He was, as you may have heard, a seaman, and he made more than one +voyage to the Pacific. Possessing more education than most officers in +the merchant service in those days, he seems to have carefully noted the +observations he made as he sailed from place to place. His descriptions +are graphic, and he was of an acute and inquiring mind; his remarks, +too, are of value. I think, therefore, that we may glean from it both +amusement and instruction." + +We of course all expressed a wish to hear the contents of our relative's +journal, and it was agreed that the next few evenings should be devoted +to its perusal. I should observe that our father's interest in the +subject of missions to the heathen in foreign lands had lately been +awakened by the visit of an old friend, one of that band of great and +good men who were then endeavouring against contumely, ridicule, and +every opposition which the prince of this world could raise, to send the +glad tidings of salvation to the perishing millions scattered thickly on +the surface of the globe, over which midnight--the midnight of heathen +darkness--reigned. + +I believe that the thought of our dear father's heart at that time +was--"I have many sons given me by God; surely not one of them have I a +right to withhold from His service; all, all, every one of them should +be freely, joyfully given if it be His will to accept their services." +I do not mean to say that he uttered these words, but that such was the +language of his heart spoken to heaven, I am certain, from conversations +and circumstances which subsequently occurred. Of all the family our +brother, John, appeared to be the most deeply impressed with the remarks +which had dropped from our father's lips, and as I watched his +expressive countenance, I observed the changes passing over it, and am +now certain that feelings were then working within his bosom too deep +for utterance, and which afterwards exerted a powerful influence on his +career. + +The following evening, the word of God having been read and our frugal +supper discussed, the looked-for journal, a dogskin-covered, somewhat +worn folio, was produced. John, by a unanimous vote, was chosen to read +it, and I am bound to say that the honest seaman's descriptions gained +considerably by the spirit which our brother's animated voice threw into +them. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +Supped at the "Three Crowns" with Phineas Golding our supercargo, and so +aboard, my leave being up, and work enough and over to get the ship +ready for sea. A long voyage before us of four, or it may be of five +years. Meeting our supercargo at the owner's, I had deemed him a quiet, +well-behaved young man; I now find him a slashing blade, ever ready with +his fist, or his sword, as with his pen,--hot in dispute, and always +eager to bring a quarrel to the arbitration of one of the former. How +differently do men appear when in presence of those they serve and when +out of their sight! There exists One out of whose sight we cannot +escape. How comes it that we do not always bear that truth in mind? +Are we more afraid of a fellow-creature than of the Maker and Judge of +all the world? I said thus much to Phineas Golding. He replied with an +oath, which caused me to feel that I had been casting pearls before +swine. And yet I was right, surely; for by speaking the truth boldly on +fitting occasions, I do hold that the truth will in the end prevail, and +may be conquer the unbeliever's heart. On one thing, therefore, I am +resolved, to go on as I have begun, and speak the truth always with +earnestness of purpose. + +Of my other shipmates I will speak a word. The master Simon Fuller, is +grave man, the snows of nearly sixty winters settling on his head. He +has made many voyages, and seems a fit man to command men. The first +mate, too, James Festing, is every inch a seaman, but somewhat handy +with his fist, a rope's end, or a marline spike, or, truth to say, +whatever lies nearest, and withal not over choice in his words when +angered, or desirous of getting work done smartly. Of myself, as second +mate, it becometh me not to speak. I have been five years at sea, am a +fair navigator, and an average seaman. I fear God, and strive to do my +duty, though not always succeeding. Our ship's company muster +thirty-five good men, I hope, all told fore and aft. The ship, as is +requisite, is well armed, with six guns with swivels on the quarters, +and muskets, pikes, axes, and cutlasses for all hands. We have to visit +many strange places and strange people, and we must expect often and +again to fight for our lives with the savages. Phineas Golding rejoices +in adventure, and says such chiefly induced him to leave home. He has +never before been at sea, and dreams not of the troubles in store for +him. + +_June_.--We have taken our departure from the land, which is even now +sinking astern, a strong breeze blowing from the north-east. + +_July_.--We have touched at Madeira, belonging to the Portingalls, as +the old voyagers call them. They are a suspicious people, though civil +when not angered. I witnessed some public exhibitions, which I was told +were religious. I cannot suppose that such performances are acceptable +to our Lord and Master, or He would surely have ordered such. But it +becomes not me, after so slight acquaintance with a people, to pass much +censure on their customs, though I see not how to approve them. + +Crossing the Line, we had a usual Father Neptune and his Tritons on +board. Tony Hinks, our boatswain, was Neptune. He and his mates +severely handled some of the men who had shown ill manners or bad +tempers, tarring their faces, and shaving their chins with rusty hoops. +Phineas vowed that he would not be so treated, but had to succumb, +escaping with a thorough sousing from a dozen buckets. Phineas vows +vengeance on the boatswain; but I warn him that Tony Hinks followed but +the custom of the sea, and is not a man over whom it would be easy to +get an advantage, for he boasts that he always sleeps with one eye open. + +We have touched at Rio, the chief town in the Brazils. From what I saw, +I should take the people to be heathens, such as I have read of in Roman +and Grecian history; but they say that they are Christians. One thing +is certain, that if they desire to keep the sabbath holy, they have a +curious way of so doing. Still I say, it would be easy to sail from +place to place and to condemn all we visit unheard. One thought occurs +to me: "Look to it that we fall not into like errors." + +Proceeding south before rounding Cape Horn, we again made the land, and +standing in, anchored the ship in a sheltered cove. It was the southern +part of that region known as Patagonia. The captain, with Phineas +Golding and I, with a crew of eight men, well armed, took the long boat +and went ashore. The aspect of the country was not pleasant; rocks, and +trees, and marshes, but no signs of cultivation. Suddenly from among +the rocks some creatures appeared watching us. "Are they men or are +they baboons?" asked Phineas, levelling his musket; but the master held +back his arm. They approaching slowly and with hesitation, we +discovered that they were human beings, though marvellously ill-favoured +in aspect. Their skin, which seemed of a dark brown, was covered with +dirt, and their faces, which were flat with high cheek-bones, were +besmeared with red and yellow ochre. Their long black coarse hair +hanging down straight over their shoulders, their small twinkling +bleared eyes peeping out between it, like two hot coals. They had +spears in their hands and short clubs. They were nearly naked, their +chief garment consisting in a piece of sealskin, which they wore on the +side whence the wind blew. Again Phineas was about to shoot in very +wantonness. + +"What's the harm?" he asked. "We have no chance of trading with such +people; and if we were to kill a few, what would it matter?" + +"They have souls, Master Golding," said I, for I could not keep silence; +"and souls, I have learned, are precious things." + +A scornful laugh was his reply, and he still kept his musket ready, as +if to fire. The savages, however, seemed in no way afraid, but lifted +up their hands, and made as if they too had muskets; and when we laughed +they laughed, and when we shook our fists they shook theirs; and so we +discovered that, though hideous, they were a harmless race, and great +mimics. They readily accepted beads, and knives, and coloured +handkerchiefs, and such like things. + +These people, we learn from Tony Hinks, who has before been on the coast +(indeed where has he not been?) are different from the tribes of +Patagonians who inhabit the country to the north as far as the Spanish +settlements. These latter are a fierce race, often of large stature, +though not giants, as some suppose, and dress in skins and ride on +horseback. Again, there are other tribes whose dwellings are among the +marshes and inlets of the sea up the Straits of Magellan. They move +about only in their canoes, living on shell-fish, seals' flesh, and +fish, their habits being more filthy and disgusting even than are those +of our present friends. Phineas laughs at the notion of their being our +fellow-creatures, and says that they must have sprung from apes; but +Tony, who has seen many strange people, says that he would not give a +fig for the supercargo's opinion, for that he has known white men become +almost as brutish in their appearance, and much more brutish in their +manners, just from living a few years among born savages, cut off from +all communication with their fellow whites. A little practical +experience often shows the folly of these would-be philosophers. + +On the Pacific coast of this end of America are found the unsubdued +tribes of the Araucanians in vast numbers, so that in this one small +portion of the continent are many hundred thousand savages, all lying in +the midnight of heathen darkness. + +Phineas observes that it is a pity they cannot be swept away, and +civilised men, with whom it would be an advantage to trade, introduced +in their stead. He esteems men in proportion as they are able to +exchange gold dust, ivory, spices or precious stones, not knowing their +value, for glass beads and Brummagem knives and needles. I cannot help +thinking that all those savages have immortal souls, and regretting that +they should be allowed to pass away from this life without having the +light of gospel truth set before them. Year after year passes by, +thousands are swept away, and still darkness dense as ever broods over +the land. + +Once more we are under weigh. With a fair breeze gliding over a long +heavy swell, we pass Cape Horn, which stands out boldly into the blue +waters, and enter the mighty Pacific. Tony Hinks tells us that, though +peaceable enough at times, he has seen here as fierce gales and heavy +seas as ever sent tall ships to the bottom. Grant that we do not +encounter the loss and disaster met with by Lord Anson, whose voyage I +have been reading. Hitherto a kind Providence has favoured us, and we +are standing up along the coast of Chili, the lofty Andes rising blue +and distinct against the sky in the distance. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +TAHITI IN HEATHEN DAYS. + +Anchored in the Bay of Conception to obtain meat and vegetables, and to +refresh our ship's company. The town whence we obtained supplies is +Talcaguana, the old town of Conception having been destroyed by an +earthquake, and the new town standing some way inland. It is a wealthy +place--no lack of silver and gold utensils in the houses, and flocks and +herds outside, but the inhabitants lead uneasy lives, for not far off +beyond the mountains are found tribes of fierce Araucanians, who, riding +fleet horses, now and again pounce down on the town, and never fail to +carry off a rich booty. They care not for the Spanish artillery and +musketry, they keep out of range of them; but might not the power of +gospel truth spoken in season change their savage natures? Could some +Christian men find their way among them, they might tell them of happier +employments than killing each other, and robbing their neighbours. Yet +I dream. Such seems to be the chief occupation, not only of savages, +but of civilised people all over the world. What power can assuage such +a flood of iniquity? There is one and one alone, the bright light of +gospel truth, and the living power of Divine grace. + +Having shipped our stores, the boat was leaving the shore for the last +time, when a brown man, dressed as a seaman, with strange marks on his +face and hands, came down begging to be taken on board. His name he +said was Taro, and that he was a native of an island far to the west, +also that he had long been on board an English ship, the master of which +had left him here sick. Captain Fuller believing his tale, and well +pleased to obtain the services of one who might prove useful as an +interpreter, consented to receive him among the crew. Our ship's +company gave him at first the name of Tar, and hence he soon became +known among them as Tom Tar. He proves an amusing, and seemingly a +good-natured fellow till he is angered, and then he will cast off his +clothes, and seizing a billet of wood or whatever comes to hand, will +flourish it, threatening the lives of all near him, exhibiting his body +covered with strange devices, appearing, as he is still, the fierce, +vindictive savage. He comes from an island called New Zealand, where +the inhabitants are terribly fierce, and undoubted cannibals. I asked +Taro whether he had ever eaten any of his fellow-creatures. He nodded, +laughing, and I doubt not, from the expression of his countenance, that +he had often done so, and would not hesitate in again indulging in such +a practice. Though living so long among men professing to be +Christians, he is still a heathen in all his thoughts and ways. I asked +him one day how this was. His answer was simple: "They say and do just +what heathen man say and do. They no pray to their God; they no care +for their God; they no love their God. Why should I?" + +Taro spoke the truth; I felt abashed. How can we expect the heathen to +become Christians, when those who call themselves so show so little +regard to the religion of Christ? I see the same sad shortcoming on +shore. Christians do not strive to bring honour to the name of Christ. + +For three weeks and more we traverse the Pacific, keeping bright +look-out by night and day for rocks and reefs. + +"Land on the starboard bow," is the cry. We haul up for it. As the +ship rises and falls on the long, slow swell, now the trees appear +partly out of the water, now they disappear looking thus at a distance +like a fleet at anchor. There are cocoa-nut palms, pandanus trees, and +many shrubs, growing on a low island, fifteen feet at most above the +level of the sea, some twelve miles long, and not a quarter of a mile +wide, with a deep blue lagoon inside. This is one of those wonderful +coral islands of which I have read, formed by minute insects working +upwards from rocky foundations amid the ocean, and ceasing their work +when they have reached the surface. The waves have torn off masses and +thrown them up so as to form an elevation above the water; then birds +have come, dropped seeds, and formed their nests, and dwelt there; and +timber and plants floating about have been cast on shore, and their +vitality not yet destroyed, have taken root; and more coral and shells +have been heaved up and ground fine by the toiling waves to form a +beach; and thus a fit dwelling-place for man has been formed. Nearing +the sandy beach we heave-to for soundings, but finding none, the ship +stands off, while Phineas and I, with Tom Tar and our boat's crew, well +armed, pull in with the intention of landing. This the surf will not +let us do; and as we are lying off on our oars, presently, from out of +the bushes, rush a herd of savages with spears and clubs, which they +flourish furiously, making signs to us to be gone. We pull on, however, +and find an opening in the reef, through which we get close to the +beach. The natives shout and gesticulate more vehemently than ever. +They declare (so Taro interprets) that we come for no good purpose, and +that they want no strangers. Phineas hopes that they may possess pearls +with which to trade, so we row in, he standing up in the bows of the +boat, holding up a looking-glass and a string of glass beads in one +hand, while he keeps his musket ready in the other. He is bold, and +leaping on shore, approaches the natives. At first the savages retire; +then one advances, stops, gazes at the supercargo, and with a loud +shout, flourishing his club, rushes towards him. Phineas, flinging down +the looking-glass and the beads, springs back, firing his musket in the +air. The savage is upon him. In another moment that huge club will +have dashed out his brains. I see his danger. I have no thought but to +save him--no feeling that I am about to slay a fellow-creature. I raise +my musket to my shoulder and fire, taking good aim. The savage falls. +Phineas, shouting to us to give the Indians a volley, is hauled in. The +men obey as the Indians, with terrific howls, rush towards us. Five +more fall, some in the water, which is tinged with their blood, others +on the land. Our passions are up. Golding urges us to load and fire +again. Having thus done, we pull away. Says Golding, "They'll not +meddle another time with strangers who peaceably visit their shores to +trade." We leave ten or twelve poor heathens dead or wounded on their +native strand. My thoughts are sad. The face of that hapless savage as +he turned his eye on me when falling is still in my sight. True, I +fired to save the life of a shipmate. Yet it is an awful thing to shed +the blood of a fellow-being, let it be in warfare or in any other way +which men justify as from stern necessity. + +Are such, too, the blessings which we Christian and civilised men +distribute in our course round the globe? The loud laugh of my +companion sounds in my ear. "Come, rouse thee, John Harvey," he says. +"Art down-hearted, lad, because we have not been more successful in our +traffic? Not a good beginning, but the Pacific is wide, and there will +be no lack of customers." + +Standing on for three days we sight several islands. On the nearest is +a grove of fine cocoa-nut trees. We require a supply of nuts. Two +boats with crews well armed leave the ship. An opening appears in the +reef--we pull through it and land easily. Our men climb the tall trees +and shake down the nuts in heavy showers. While we are collecting the +nuts, the men in the trees shout that they see a fleet of large canoes +crossing from another island. We deem that it will be prudent to regain +the boats. The Indians, seeing the broken nuts strewing the ground, and +the heap we are carrying away, shriek, and shout, and shake their clubs +and spears, and then furiously rush towards us. Golding, as before, +cries out to the men to fire, but I order them to shove off, that we may +escape without killing any, for which I see no necessity. We have +stolen the savages' provisions, and they have right on their side. The +men obey me, and we strive to get the boat afloat. No time to lose. +The Indians draw their bows, and the arrows fall thick around us; some +come on with stones, and others plunge into the water with clubs and +spears to do battle for their rights. Our lives are in jeopardy, and +one of our men is fearfully wounded. The savages throng around the boat +and try to drag her to the shore. We keep back the savages with the +stretchers, and I hope to escape without bloodshed. Again Golding +shouts out, "Fire, lads! fire! Why keep back the men from firing? We +shall all be murdered." Urged by his example, the men fire a volley +among the surrounding savages. With fearful howls those grasping the +boat let go; others fall back killed; the mass rush in terror up the +beach. We escape into deep water, two or three arrows sticking in the +arms of our men and in the sides of the boat. Golding cries out for +vengeance; and the men fire till every savage has disappeared. + +We return on board. It strikes me that we cannot appear very well +favoured in the sight of these poor savages. I say as much that day at +dinner to the captain. He is a man of few words. + +"You are right, John; the next comers will suffer," he remarks. + +"That matters nought to us," says Phineas Golding. "We shall not come +here again." + +"Scant kindness to the next comers; as scant as that we have showed the +natives," I observe. + +"We must all look out for ourselves in these seas," says the captain. +"It will be our own fault if we are at any time caught unawares. +Remember that, Master Harvey." + +I make no answer, for the captain does not bear contradiction. The +first mate, Golding, and the doctor, keep always well with him. So do +I, for this reason: I heard him once say, "That John Harvey needs +keeping under." On that, I resolved, as far as it should lie in my +power, to keep myself under--to do my duty, and give him no occasion to +find fault. Thus far I have succeeded--but not always with ease; for +Simon Fuller has had uncontrolled power as a sea captain for many a long +year, often over rogues and vagabonds, whom fear alone will keep in +order, so he fancies. I have heard say that the rule of kindness will +work wonders. I have never seen it tried as I could desire, but I find +that the worst of our ship's company obey me more readily than they do +James Festing, and yet the first mate is an older, and, I truly believe, +a better seaman than I am. I speak quietly to the lads, eschew oaths, +and never handle a rope's end in wrath. He swears loudly, and uses +both. + +I was called forward to see Tom Collis, the poor fellow who was wounded +in the boat. The surgeon can do nothing for him, he says, and I see +that the man's countenance is marked by death's hand. Around us, as I +sit by him, we hear laughter, and oaths, and gross talking. Collis is +suffering great agony. "Mercy! mercy!" he shrieks out. "To die thus-- +no time for repentance, with hideous crimes weighing down my soul!" +Sometimes he raves, and says things which make my blood run cold; but I +talk quietly to him, and he grows calmer. I tell him in few words of +that simple plan God in His gracious mercy arranged before the world +began, by which sinners even great as he might be saved. He drinks in +every word. I tell him how the loving Jesus came on earth to live as a +man a life of suffering, that men might understand that He knows how +they suffer; that He was tempted, that they might feel assured He +pities, and will help them when they are tempted; that He was +crucified,--made a sacrifice, that He might take their sins on His +shoulders; that His blood was shed that it might wash away the sins of +all who trust in it, and look to Him; that He was buried, and rose +again, that He might conquer death, and show that all who follow Him +must conquer too; and that He ascended up on high, that He might present +all who place their faith in Him washed from their sins pure and +undefiled before the throne of God. + +"But all that could not be done for such a wretch as me," says Collis. +"If God would let me live, I might repent, and lead a different sort of +life, and do all sorts of things to please Him; and then perchance He +might think me more fit for heaven." + +"Oh, my dear shipmate," I say, "don't think of such folly. You could +never do anything to make you more fit for heaven than you now are, +vile, sinful, guilty wretch as you may be." + +I then read to him how the Israelites, bit by the fiery serpents in the +wilderness, were saved from death and cured by looking at the brazen +serpent held up by Moses. And then I read about the thief on the cross, +and then I say: + +"Just look to Jesus in that way. Feel that you are bitten by sin, +helpless, and dying, and deserving of death; and He says to you, as He +said to the thief on the cross, `To-day shalt thou be with Me in +paradise.'--`Thy sins are forgiven thee.'" + +"What, sir!" exclaims Collis, "you don't mean to say that the Son of the +great God who made heaven and earth, and all those thousands of stars we +see up there, did all that for me, and such as me,--that He says all +that to me, and such as me?" + +"Shipmate," I answer, solemnly, "He did do all that for you, and such as +you,--and He says all that to you. Take hold of but the hem of His +garment, so to speak, by faith, and you are saved. As to satisfaction +to Divine justice, it is done. You have nothing to do with that, you +have but to feel that you are sinful and guilty. You have to repent, +which, may God the Holy Spirit help you to do. You have to look to +Jesus as the only cure, as the only Saviour,--to His blood as the only +means by which you can be cleansed; and the holy word of God says it, +`Thy faith hath saved thee,'--`By faith ye are saved,'--`His blood +cleanseth from all sin.' He doesn't say from little sins, or slight +sins, but from all sin. He doesn't say He will receive you by-and-by, +perhaps, when you have done something to please Him; but He does invite +you, He does receive you. No power of earth or hell can prevent Him +from presenting you faultless before the throne of grace. Shipmate, if +you only feel your guiltiness, it is you He invites, with all your sins +upon you, to come to Him,--it is you He will present faultless and +fearless before God's judgment throne, welcomed as a son of God,--not +crying out, as numbers will be doing, for the mountains to cover them, +for the rocks to fall on them." + +"This is news indeed,--glorious news!" says the poor fellow, in a +cheerful, happy tone, very different from what he had before spoken in. +"I wish that I had known it before. But I know it now, and that's +enough. Jesus died for me, and I trust in Jesus." + +I have soon to leave him to attend to my duty on deck. Captain Fuller +would not hold it as an excuse that I was attending to a dying man. +After some time, my watch on deck being almost out, Tony Hinks comes to +me and tells me that Collis is dead; but says he, "It was strange to +hear him saying over and over, again and again, `Jesus died for me, and +I trust in Jesus.' What does that mean, Mr Harvey?" + +I tell him. He goes forward, muttering, "Strange! I never heard the +like." + +I see Collis once more before he is sewn up in his hammock. There is a +smile on his features, such as I had never before seen there. + +Six days more, and we sight the high land of King George the Third +Island, called by the natives Otaheite, or Taheite. As we draw near it, +the prospect becomes truly pleasing to the sight. Lofty hills, covered +with beautiful flowering shrubs, and fringed by pandanus, cocoa-nut, and +various other trees which we see in these tropical regions, rise up into +the clear blue sky, with green valleys between them, and sparkling +waterfalls rushing down their sides. A line of white breakers +intervene, however, foaming over a coral reef, with a belt of deep blue +water between it and the white glittering beach and the feathery fringe +of vegetation which springs up close to the strand, the trees +overshadowing it with their branches. Never have I seen a more lovely +picture; and Tony Hinks, who has been here before, tells us there is no +country, to his mind, more pleasant to dwell in. "A man may live here," +says he, "with nothing to do, abundance to eat, and plenty of people to +tend on him." He gives the first mate and me a hint to keep a sharp +look-out on the ship's company, or some of them may be missing when we +sail. No wonder, I think, if the place is such an earthly paradise. He +speaks of many other things likely to prove attractive to seamen. I ask +if the natives are Christians. "Christians? no," he answers, with a +laugh. "They would be spoilt, to my mind, if they were. They are much +better as they are, as you'll agree, Mr Harvey, when you go on shore." +I am inclined to be at issue with Tony on that point; but still I would +fain judge of the savage virtues of which he speaks before I condemn +them. + +We coast some way round the island, till we reach an opening in the +reef, entering through which we moor the ship in a commodious harbour. +Soon she is surrounded with native canoes, laden with cocoa-nuts, +bananas, bread-fruits, apples, figs, and other pleasant vegetable +productions. The natives bring boughs with them, which Tom Tar tells us +we are to make fast to the rigging, to show that we are friends. We now +drive a brisk trade, giving beads, and trinkets, and looking-glasses, +and bits of cloth and coloured calico, for fruit, vegetables, pigs, and +fowls; but the captain will allow no one to come on board. He says that +they are arrant thieves, and so we find them. By-and-by Phineas, with +the doctor, Tony, and I, having Tom Tar to interpret, go on shore, but +take ten men well armed at our heels. It is a hard matter to keep the +men together: but it is not safe to let them separate. The natives are +treacherous and revengeful, at least if they are like those we have +already encountered. Our men might easily provoke them, especially by +rude conduct to the women. Seldom have I seen more comely females. +Their manners are attractive, and they know how to add to their charms, +by dressing their glossy hair with flowers and shells, and such like +ornaments. The country is as beautiful as it appeared a distance. The +houses are mostly open at the sides, and thatched with palmetto leaves; +but some are enclosed, and all are neat and clean. A house is offered +to us by the chief, in which we may take up our abode while we remain on +shore. It is amidst a grove of trees, with matting for the walls and +floor. A sparkling torrent, rushing down the side of a hill, flows in +front of it, cooling the air, while afar off is seen the deep blue sea. +Provisions of all sorts are sent us by the king,--baked pig, and roasted +bread-fruit, and plantains, and fish, and other articles of food, all +served in large leaves. The bread-fruit is about the size of a +horse-chestnut, and when baked is somewhat of the consistency of new +bread. It is not fit to be eaten raw. The king and the people seem +friendly; but to my mind there is no dependence to be placed on them. +It is made clear to us that they are sadly depraved, nor can I describe +many of the scenes which take place. Suffice it to say that, like other +heathens who know not God, they give themselves up to work all manner of +abominations without constraint or shame. We place a guard during the +night; but when we awake there is great shouting among our party for +missing articles, and it is found that we all have been robbed of +articles of dress, knives, pistols, handkerchiefs, and pocket-books. +Phineas declares that he will shoot the first savage he finds +purloining, chief or not. We complain of our loss to the king, who gets +back some of the articles; but Taro surmises that he has got the +remainder himself. + +After a bountiful breakfast we continue our progress through the island. +Our surprise is great to come upon a large edifice of stone among a +people supposed only able to erect huts of leaves. It is a pyramid, +nearly three hundred feet long and one hundred wide, with a flight of +steps on either side leading to the summit, which is fifty feet from the +ground. On the top is a bird made of wood, and a fish of stone. This +building forms one side of a court, the other three sides being composed +of a wall of hewn stone; the enclosed area is covered with a pavement of +flat stones. In this court are several altars of stone, on which are +placed baskets of bread-fruit, sweet potatoes, cocoa-nuts, and other +food, which we conclude were offerings to their Eatuas, or gods, which +they ignorantly worship. Not far off we come upon a figure of one of +these gods. It is made of wicker-work, in the form of a man; it is +seven feet high, and covered over with black and white feathers. We +learn that this pyramid is a temple, and that the court is a +burying-place, called a Morai; the altars are called Ewattuas. While we +are about to proceed on our journey we see a concourse of people +collecting from all quarters, and hurrying toward the morai. We inquire +of Taro for what object they are assembling. + +"To offer a sacrifice to their Eatua, their god," he answers. + +"Of what will the sacrifice consist?" I ask, thinking that it would be +of the bread-fruit and other fruits we saw on the altars. + +"You will see," he answered, with one of those gleams of savage pleasure +which ever and anon pass over his countenance. + +We remark that there are only men and boys among the crowd,--no women +nor girls. The crowd increases,--there is expectation on their +countenances, as if something of importance is about to happen. Still +we can obtain no information from Taro; he only says, "You will see, you +will see." + +"A very well-behaved set of people are these," observes Golding. "In +England, among such a crowd, there would be fighting and squabbling. I +would as lief be one of these happy islanders as an Englishman, with all +our religion and civilisation." + +"I have an idea, begging pardon, Master Golding, that you are not yet +very well acquainted with these happy islanders," observes Tony Hinks. +"It strikes me that ere long you will change your opinion. Wait a bit; +as Tom Tar says, you will see--you will see." + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +A NARROW ESCAPE. + +The air is warm and balmy, the blue sea sparkles brightly, the lofty +mountains, glowing in the sunshine, rise up majestically into the clear +sky, the graceful palm-trees gently wave their boughs; all nature is +smiling with life, and health, and beauty, and all the perfections which +a bountiful Creator has spread over these regions. "What a paradise," +exclaims the surgeon. "I agree with Golding, I should be well content +to remain here to end my days." + +While watching for what is next to occur, we see four chief men, so they +seem by their dress and bearing, walking along the beach. Taro says +they are priests. There are several men in attendance. They stop, as +if waiting for some one. They are armed with clubs and knives. Among +the crowd comes a young man taller than his companions, and comely in +his appearance. He seems joyous and light of heart, for he sings and +laughs, regardless of coming ill. The priests, watching him +steadfastly, slowly approach. He stops and looks at them with an +inquiring expression on his youthful countenance. "We require one quick +of foot to bear a message to the Eatua," says the chief priest. The +youth starts. Before he can reply, a blow from the priest's club lays +him low on the sand. The others fall on him with their clubs, and drive +out any life remaining. The priests, surrounding the corpse, place it +with the feet towards the sea, and utter some long incantations, each +priest holding in his hand a bunch of red feathers. Then they rise and +place the body of their victim parallel with the line of the sea beach, +and more incantations are uttered. The king, meantime, and his +principal chiefs have assembled, and take their stand near the temple. +Hair is now plucked from the head of the victim, and one eye is taken +out and wrapped in leaves, and presented to the king. With drums +beating slowly the body is now borne up by the attendants of the +priests, and placed on one of the altars. The tufts of red feathers are +at the feet, and rolls of cloth at the head. After this, for a quarter +of an hour or more the chief priest addresses it, and pretends to give +the message it is to convey to the world of spirits. The surrounding +populace look on with stupid amazement, no one knowing whose turn it may +be next to be slaughtered as a sacrifice to their blood-loving deity. + +While the priests are chanting round the corpse the attendants dig a +shallow grave, into which it is thrown with little ceremony, and covered +up with stones and earth. Fires are now lighted, and dogs and pigs are +slaughtered and roasted, and these being placed on the altars, the Eatua +is invited to partake of the feast prepared for him. When we left the +spot, I shuddering with a horror I had never before felt, the provisions +remained on the altars. Taro tells us that the priests, if angered with +a person, avenge themselves by selecting him as a victim, and that for +fear of offending them no one ventures to interfere. The priests have +thus gained more real power than the chiefs themselves. They generally, +however, select some of the poorer people as their victims. + +We see arranged near the morai a pile of sixty skulls, and that of the +youth just slain is now added to it. They appear but little changed by +the air, and Taro says that they are those of victims who have all been +offered up within the last few months. He tells us that whenever one of +the chiefs is about to commence an undertaking, he selects some unhappy +victim, who is forthwith slaughtered and sacrificed. We have undoubted +evidence, too, that they often eat their enemies, and they do this +without shame or compunction. We see many of the chiefs and warriors +going about with human jawbones hanging as ornaments round their necks, +and we learn that they are those of enemies slain in war. + +Sick at heart I accompany my shipmates. "Friend Golding, what do you +now say of these pleasant-mannered, happy islanders?" I ask. + +"I knock under," says he. "England is a better place; but there are +thousands there who get on very well without religion, so I say religion +has nothing to do with it." + +"Religion has everything to do with it," I answer, in a somewhat hasty +tone. "Religion influences those who have no religion themselves. The +heathen world of old, with all its civilisation, was not one jot better +than are these cannibals, equally given over to work all manner of +uncleanness. If it were not for the true faith of some, influencing +general opinion, many Englishmen would even yet be the same as these +savages. I may say, as said a pious minister of whom I have read, if it +were not for God's grace, we ourselves should be as are these poor +barbarians; we might well see ourselves in them." + +"A truce with your preaching, John Harvey. You would make us all out +blacker than we are," says Phineas, walking on quickly. + +"That were a hard matter," I say. "Be not offended, I include myself, +remember. It is only as we see ourselves in Christ Jesus that we are +otherwise than most black, guilty, and lost." + +"I understand you not, John," he answers. "But you shall not force me +to acknowledge that I am not better than these half-naked savages." + +"I did not say that; by God's grace, or in His providence, there are +great differences, but all are sinners in the sight of God's holy law. +But we will talk more of this another time." + +This island of Tahiti, or Otaheite, is the largest of a group known as +the Society Islands. It is about fifty miles long, consisting of two +peninsulas joined by a narrow isthmus. It contains a mountain rising +twelve thousand feet above the level of the sea. The other islands of +the group are mostly lofty. They are Eimeo, Huaheine, Ulitea, Bolabola, +and others. They are volcanic, and mostly fertile in the extreme. + +We visit Ulitea, a beautiful island where there is a vast morai. +Numbers of priests reside here, and it is looked on as the sacred island +of the group. In reality it is more given over to horrible wickedness +than any other. While on shore we witness another terrible human +sacrifice. Not a week passes but some unhappy people fall victims to +the bloodthirsty passions of the priests. + +This my first introduction to savage life makes me feel doubly grateful +to God that I was born of Christian parents, and in a land where the law +of Christ, however imperfectly obeyed, is acknowledged in some sort as +the standard. + +The wind being fair, we sail north-east towards the Marquesas. + +We have been for ten days at the anchorage of Taogou, off the island of +Ohevahoa, the most fertile of the Marquesas. We have been engaged most +profitably in purchasing sandal-wood, and hogs, and fruits, and +vegetables of all sorts, and Phineas Golding is in high spirits, and +declares that these are a people truly after his own heart. Their +country certainly is beautiful, for though the mountains are not so +lofty as those of the islands we have lately left, they equally please +the eye, as do the groves, the valleys, and the waterfalls. The men are +tall, handsome, and athletic, and the women are scarcely inferior in +beauty to those of Tahiti. Alas, that I can say no more in their +praise. Both men and women are most depraved, of which we have constant +evidence. Hitherto we have been on good terms with these islanders. We +have a strict watch kept, and whatever may be their secret disposition, +they have had no opportunity of taking us at advantage. Taro warns us +to be on our guard. He tells us that they are treacherous, and that if +they thought they would gain by murdering every man of our crew they +would do so. Taro understands their language, which is much like that +of Tahiti and his own country. The men are much tattooed, their only +clothing being a piece of native cloth round their loins, but the women +wear a petticoat and a mantle over the shoulder. This cloth is made of +the fibre of a sort of mulberry tree--not woven, but beaten into a +consistency of paper. When torn the rent is mended by beating on a +fresh piece. It will bear washing only once. A garment thus lasts +about six weeks. The women are better treated than among most Indian +tribes. Their occupations are entirely domestic--they manufacture +cloth, cook, tend the house, and look after the children, but from all +we hear and see, their morals are degraded in the extreme. + +Having completed refitting the ship as far as is necessary, I have been +able to go on shore. We form a strong body, twelve officers and men in +all, with muskets. Our chief object is to visit a valley where the +sandal-wood grows, to learn on what supply we can depend. High up the +valley we come suddenly on a platform on which grows a large grove of +bread-fruit, cocoa-nut, toa, and other trees. Amid them is a large idol +of hewn stone of a man in a squatting posture. The figure is not ill +sculptured. His mouth is wide, and his eyes and ears large, while his +arms and legs are short and out of proportion. There are numerous other +idols, of the same size and form, made out of the bread-fruit tree, +arranged on either side and behind him, as if they were his ministers +and attendants. To the right and left of these hideous idols are two +obelisks, about thirty-five feet in height, built very neatly of +bamboos, with the leaves of palm and cocoa-nut trees interwoven. At the +base are hung the heads of hogs and tortoises, offerings to the idols. +They are also ornamented with streamers of white cloth. A few paces to +the right of the grove we see four large war-canoes, furnished with +their out-riggers, and decorated with ornaments of human hair, coral, +shells, and white streamers. In the stern of each sits the figure of a +man steering with a paddle, and in full dress, with plumes, ear-rings +shaped like whale's teeth, and all the ornaments fashionable in the +country. These canoes are placed here to be blessed, we suppose, by the +priests. These priests have great power, for they are looked upon as +little inferior to the idols. We see this same stone idol represented +in a variety of ways, made of human bones, hung round their necks, or +carved on their clubs, or making handles to their fans and +walking-sticks. + +We find that there is no lack of sandal-wood, which raises Golding's +spirits. Mine sink when I see the idolatry of these poor people, with +no hope that they may be taught better. On descending the valley we +pass a morai, or worshipping place, I may call it. On the ground is +seated the chief, with his sons, and a large number of his attendants, +or courtiers. In front of them are a number of little houses, or sheds, +made of bamboo, each about two feet long and rather less in height, and +ornamented with shreds of cloth. There are a dozen or more, forming a +cluster like a village. The chief and the rest are singing and clapping +their hands, and thus they go on for an hour or more. This they call +praying to their gods,--a fit homage to gods of wood and stone. +Sometimes they stop, and laugh and talk together, as if they have +forgotten what they are about. We have seen no human sacrifices, but we +have reason to believe that they take place, and from what we hear the +people are undoubtedly cannibals. There are several tribes on the +islands, in some instances two or more an the same island, who carry on +devastating wars with each other, and who all slaughter and eat the +captives taken in battle. Though they seem much attached to their +country, they firmly hold to the belief that there is a far better land +to the east, and numbers are seized with a strong desire to visit it. +Year after year the largest canoes are fitted out and provisioned, and +men, women, and children crowding on board, they set sail, and away they +glide, never to return. Strange to say, that although those who have +gone have not again been heard of, others are found equally ready to go +in the same direction, believing that their predecessors have reached +the happy land. The priests encourage this infatuation, as those who +embark leave their property to them. This is faith, but alas! sadly +misdirected. It shows a yearning for something better,--to escape from +cruel wars and practices and misgovernment, to attain peace and quiet +and rest. It is certain that almost all who thus embark perish horribly +at sea. A few may be thrown on coral islands,--probably to die,-- +certainly never to return. + +I must speak of the sandal-wood in which we are trading. It is a small +tree, with numerous irregular branches, and which with the trunk are +covered with a thick red-brown bark. The leaves, which turn inwards, +are of a very dark green colour. The flowers, growing in clusters, are +white, with a red exterior. The wood is of a light yellow colour, and +is very fragrant. It is sold to the Chinese, who burn it as incense in +their temples, and manufacture from it a variety of articles. Candles +are also made from it thus: a thin sheet of the wood forms a wick, which +is surrounded by a mixture of its sawdust and rice-paste. + +Our traffic has continued without interruption. Tony Hinks, in command +of a boat with Golding, is embarking the sandal-wood, of which a pile +lies on the beach. I am watching from the deck through my glass what is +taking place. The vendor of the wood is a young chief: he has been +examining the articles given him in barter. Suddenly he seems +discontented with them, and refuses to put more wood into the boat +Golding, who is on shore, threatens him. He lifts his club, and I +believe that the last moment of the supercargo has arrived. Tony Hinks +is in the boat; he lifts his musket, and before the club can descend on +Golding's head a bullet is sent through the chiefs shoulder, and the +weapon drops powerless. Howling with rage, he retreats; but it is to +summon his countrymen, who with threatening gestures rush on. Golding +leaps into the boat amid showers of stones cast from the natives' +slings, followed by spears and darts. While some of the men shove off +others fire, and load again and fire. The boat is heavily laden, and +can with difficulty be moved. I fear that my shipmates will be cut off, +and share the fate of Captain Cook, and many others since his day. I +order another boat to be lowered, and cry out for volunteers. No lack +of them. I send down to the captain--there is not a moment to be lost. +I, with eight hands, leap into the boat. Away we pull. The captain +comes on deck and calls us back. He points to a fleet of war-canoes +coming round the point: he fears that we also shall be cut off, and that +the ship, with the loss of half her crew, may fall a prey to the +savages. Still I cannot without an effort see my shipmates destroyed. +We dash on,--the foam flies from our bows. Hinks has got his boat +afloat, but several of his men are wounded; yet they struggle bravely. +We open fire, and keep the savages at bay. The war-canoes, however, +approach,--Hinks' boat gets up to us. It is doubtful whether we or our +enemies will gain the ship first. We pull for our lives. Simon Fuller +will fight his ship to the last. Our shipmates are casting loose the +guns ready for action. The savages in the war-canoes stand up ready to +shower down their darts and stones at us. + +"Give them a volley,--give them a volley," shouts Golding. + +"It were lost time," I tell my men. "It were better get on board." + +We keep ahead of the enemy, and gain the ship's side. The falls are +ready,--we hook on,--the boats are hoisted up, and we hasten to man the +guns. There is a favourable breeze out of the harbour, the anchor is +being hove up, the sails are loosed. The canoes gather round us; the +savages begin to assail us with all their weapons, shouting and +shrieking terribly. The ship gathers way; the savages, grown bold, are +climbing up the sides. + +"Depress your guns, lads," says the captain. "Small-arm men, give it +them." + +The shot goes crashing in among the canoes, knocking many to pieces. +Not a native clinging to the sides escapes the small-arm men. Again and +again we fire, leaving the natives terrified and amazed at the power of +our arms. Our guns loaded with langrage commit great havoc among them. +They lose courage,--the ship is clear of them. + +"And so we bid you farewell," says Phineas Golding, firing his musket at +a chief with whom he had the day before been lodging. We sail out of +the bay, firing shot on either side. + +"We have a good supply of sandal-wood, however," observes Phineas +Golding. "But we had a narrow escape from the savages." + +Not a word does he say of his merciful preservation from death; and far +be it from me to hint that by my promptness I had a second time saved +him, and all with him, from destruction. Tony Hinks, however, when we +are clear away at sea, comes up to me and says-- + +"We owe our lives to you, Mr Harvey. If you hadn't come when you did, +it's my belief that not one of us would have escaped." + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +AMONG THE CANNIBALS. + +Afar off appears above the blue line of the horizon a silvery dome +clearly defined against the sky. It might be taken for a cloud, but +that it never moves its position. It is the summit of the lofty +mountain of Mona Roa in Owhyee, the largest of the Sandwich islands, now +fully fifty miles away. There are ten of these islands, though eight +only are inhabited, the other two being barren rocks on which fishermen +dry their nets. As we draw near, other mountain tops are seen, those of +Mona Kea and Mona Huararia. Mona Roa is a volcano, and the whole +country round is volcanic. It is said to rise above twelve thousand +feet above the level of the sea. It is night before we cast anchor in a +sheltered bay. Next morning we are surrounded by canoes, and many +people come swimming off to the ship, for they are as expert as other +islanders of the Pacific in the water. We are plentifully supplied with +taro, yams, cocoa-nuts, bananas, and water melons, also with hogs, which +are of a large size. Friend Golding, however, finds that he cannot +trade with them on the same easy terms as with other savages we have +met, for many ships have visited them, and they now require firearms, +and powder and shot. These people are much in appearance like those we +have before seen--they are tall and athletic, and many of the chief +people, both men and women, are of great bulk. + +I cannot but remember that it was at this island the renowned navigator, +Captain Cook, was slain; and the people have long in consequence been +looked upon as very savage and treacherous. This we do not find them to +be, but they are heathens given up to gross superstition, and are +ignorant and immoral. They carry on bloody wars with each other, offer +up human sacrifices, and are, it is reported, cannibals. But if so be +they are all this, and more, surely it behoves us as Christians to teach +them better things. What, however, do we do? We sell them firearms and +ammunition to carry on their wars, we partake in their immorality; so +far from showing them any of the graces of our religion, we make them by +our lives believe that we have no religion at all, while by all those +who visit these shores not a voice is raised to tell them of the truth. +We find them more mild and gentle than the people of Tahiti, and very +different from the fierce savages of the Marquesas. Not far off is +Karakaka Bay, where Captain Cook fell. + +We communicate with two other ships while lying here, and the officers +all speak in favourable terms of the people. Captain Fuller, therefore, +allows us to visit the shore more than he would otherwise have +considered safe. We find these people very different from the wild +inhabitants of the coral islands we have visited. They have attained +considerable proficiency in many arts--their cloth is fine, and +beautifully ornamented, as are their mats, but they excel in feather +work. The helmets, and mantles, and capes of their chiefs are very +beautiful. The helmets are in the form of those of ancient Greece, and +are covered with bright red feathers, worked in to look like velvet, +with tall plumes, and as their cloaks are of the same texture and +colour, and the wearers are tall, powerful men, they have, when armed +with dubs or spears, a very imposing and warlike appearance. The king +alone is allowed to wear a dress of yellow feathers. The common people, +however, wear but scant clothing, none being required in this favoured +climate. Their great war-god is Tairi. To propitiate him human +sacrifices are offered up, and his idol is carried at the head of their +armies. Lesser chiefs have also their idols carried before them. One +of their temples, a morai, merits description. It is formed by walls of +great thickness, like that at Tahiti. It is an irregular parallelogram, +two hundred and twenty-four feet long, and a hundred wide. The walls on +three sides are twenty feet high and twelve feet thick, but narrowing +towards the top. The wall nearest the sea is only eight feet high. The +only entrance is by a narrow passage between two high walls leading up +to an inner court, where stands the grim god of war, with numerous other +idols on either side of him. In front rises a lofty obelisk of +wicker-work, and inside this the priest who acts the part of the oracle +takes his stand. Just outside this inner court is the altar on which +the human sacrifices are made. Near it stands the house occupied by the +king when he resides in the temple, and numerous other idols fill the +rest of the space. All have hideous countenances, large gaping mouths, +and staring eyes. Tairi is crowned with a helmet, and covered with red +feathers. Great labour must have been expended in rearing this vast +structure, and in carving all these hideous images, and sad indeed is it +to consider the object for which all these pains have been taken. + +The king, with whom we have been on good terms, sends to Captain Fuller +to beg that he will lend him some of his ship's guns and muskets, and a +few of his crew, as he is about to make war on a neighbouring island. I +am on shore with Golding and Taro, and while a message is being +returned, he invites us to witness the usual ceremonies which take place +before war. As we accompany him to the morai, we see dragged on by the +crowd no less than eleven men, whose looks of terror, show that +something they dread is about to happen. Arrived before the temple, +there is a cry from the multitude, who instantly set on them with their +clubs. Taro tells us not to grieve; that some are prisoners taken in +war, others guilty persons who have broken a taboo, and others the +lowest of the people. While we stand shuddering, a concourse of people +arrive bearing fruits of all sorts, and hogs, and dogs. The human +victims are stripped of all their garments, and placed in rows on the +altars; the priests now offer up some prayers to the hideous idol, and +then the hogs and dogs are piled up over the human bodies, and the +whole, we are told, are left to rot together. Sometimes, on occasions +of great importance, twenty-two persons have been offered up. + +The oracle is favourable, we hear, and the king sends round to all his +subjects to collect at his camp with their arms--spears, clubs, +javelins, and slings--ready for battle. No one dares refuse. Vast +numbers assemble, but a few only of his immediate attendants have +firearms. Nothing can be more fittingly hideous than their idol god of +war, with his grinning mouth armed with triple rows of sharks' teeth. A +hundred war-canoes are prepared. The army embarks, and, like a flight +of locusts, they descend on the opposite coast. We see flames ascending +from spots where lately stood smiling villages. A few days pass, and +the army returns victorious with numerous captives. Some are forthwith +offered up to the war-god, others are kept to be sacrificed on a future +occasion. A great chief dies of his wounds, and several victims are +offered at his tomb, while, as a sign of grief, his relations and +followers knock out their front teeth, and fix them in a tree in his +morai. His people also appear to have gone mad, committing every +species of abomination, and we hear that many people lose their lives on +the occasion. + +The Sandwich Islanders have many more idols than those of which I have +spoken. There is Mooaru, or the shark god, whose temple stands on +almost every point or headland. To him the fishermen offer, on landing, +the first fish they have caught that day--for they imagine that he it is +who drives the fish to their shores. But the greatest of all their +gods, or, at all events, the most feared, is Pele, the goddess of the +volcano. She resides on the summit of Mona Roa, and descends in fire +and flames to punish her enemies below. She has many priestesses, who +appear in the villages with singed garments and marks of fire on their +persons, to demand tribute from the inhabitants to avert her vengeance. +I do not hear of one of their idols who has a mild or beneficent +disposition. All the sacrifices offered are simply to avert their +vengeance. The people have no love nor veneration for their idols, and +they believe that their idols' chief pleasure is in tormenting and +punishing them. + +One of the most remarkable objects I have met with in the Sandwich +Islands is what may properly be called a city of refuge. It is a sort +of morai, surrounded by strong walls, with an entrance on each side. In +the interior are temples and numerous houses, in which the priests and +occasional occupants reside. Here, whatever crime a fugitive may have +committed, if he can reach it he is safe. A victorious enemy in pursuit +of foes will come up to the gates, but if the vanquished have entered +they are safe. During an invasion of the territory, therefore, all the +women and children are sent in here, where they may remain in security. +There are several such places of refuge in the islands. + +The taboo system is also very curious. The priests govern chiefly in +this matter. They settle what or who is to be tabooed, and how long it +is to last. To taboo is not only to set aside for a particular object, +but to make sacred. The king, a hog, or a house, may be tabooed. +During that time people may not do certain acts, and animals or things +may not be touched or used. So important are these taboos held, that +any person breaking through one of them is punished severely, often with +death. + +Is it not possible that some of the customs I have mentioned, though +barbarous and debased, may have been derived from ancient tradition? +Whence has sprung that strange expectation of the return of their +long-lost god, Rona, to bring a blessing on their nation? What means +that longing for a better land far away in the east, entertained by the +Marquesas islanders? The king of this island seems to have great power. +He is the owner of all the land, and is the lord and master of all his +subjects. He rules wisely, and has the affection of his people. + +I might say a great deal more about these Sandwich islanders--their +history, habits, and customs, and of the events which have taken place +since we have been here, but should I write all I might, my journal +would be soon filled. To describe them briefly thus:--Their islands are +grand and picturesque; they are very intelligent, and are physically +powerful, but they seem abandoned to a debased idolatry, to cruel +customs, and to a gross licentiousness. Constant and barbarous warfare, +infanticide, and the diseases introduced by their foreign visitors have +so rapidly decreased their numbers that the population consists of +one-third less now than it did at the time of Cook. Captain Fuller, and +the other masters and mates of the ships here laugh at the idea of their +ever becoming Christians or civilised, and, in truth, unless they have +faith in God's grace, it would seem a hard matter; but I know that He +can order all things according to His will, and that, in spite of all +man's theories and doubts, He will find means to accomplish His work. + +Phineas Golding has just come on board in high glee. He says that he +has just heard from Taro, who gets the information I know not how, that +there are to the southward of this several coral islands, where +abundance of mother-of-pearl and also pearls of great size are to be +procured; and thus, instead of sailing west, as we had proposed, he has +arranged with Captain Fuller to sail once more south towards the Hervey +group, and to touch at the Friendly, Fiji, and many other islands, ere +we once more steer north-west towards our destination. To complete our +stores, we take in a good supply of salt, to be obtained here in +abundance; and then bidding farewell to our friends the Sandwich +islanders, we make sail, and steer south. + +We find a young lad, the son of a chief, who had managed to secrete +himself on board. We ask him why he has done so. He answers that he +wishes to see the great country from which we come, and promises to do +everything we require if we will let him remain. Captain Fuller +consents; but I fear sometimes that he will have a hard life of it. I +resolve, however, to protect him as far as I can. He gets the name of +Charlie, but no other. + +We have sighted several low coral islands, but at length we reach the +neighbourhood of a group known as the Penrhyn Islands, about six hundred +miles due north of the Hervey group, which we also purpose to visit. We +sight a coral island, which we estimate as fifty feet high, nine or ten +miles long and five broad, with a deep lagoon in the centre. It is as +if a huge coral ring had been thrown down in the ocean. At one end +there is an opening, through which a boat can enter the lagoon. The +island is covered with groves of cocoa-nut, pandanus, and other trees; +and, from the number of huts we see, and the people moving about, it +seems to be thickly populated. While the ship is hove-to, I take charge +of a boat to carry the supercargo, and Taro, and Charlie; with six men, +on shore. We pull round, but find that there is so heavy a surf running +that we cannot land on the outside. To save time, Taro and Charlie swim +on shore to communicate with the natives. I anxiously wait off to +receive their report. After some time we see them running, pursued by +many natives. They leap into the water, and dash through the surf. +Some of the natives attempt to follow, but our shipmates distance them, +and are taken safe on board. + +They say the natives, though looking very wild and fierce, were kind in +their manners, and invited them up to their houses, and brought them +food; but that they soon pressed round them, and began to strip off +their clothes, and to take possession of everything they had. Seeing +them preparing some hot stones with which to heat an oven, they believed +that they were to be cooked and eaten, and so starting up, they rushed +headlong for the shore, so completely taking their entertainers by +surprise, that no one at first attempted to stop them. They report, +however, that they saw pearl-shell ornaments, and even pearls, worn by +the savages; which so excites Golding's imagination, that he insists on +our attempting further communication with the people. Finding at length +the opening into the lagoon, we approach the mouth, the surf breaking +over the rocks on either side with great violence. There is a narrow +lane of clear water; we pull in; a strong current carries the boat along +with fearful speed, and several seas break into her. It seems as if we +were in a whirlpool. The rudder has lost its power, and we are spun +round and round helplessly; about every moment it seems to be hove on +the rocks. She violently rises and falls, and then we are cast, as it +were, into the smooth water of the lagoon, though still carried upward +for some distance. It strikes me at the moment that we are like mice +caught in a trap, and that it must depend on the pacific disposition of +the natives whether or not we escape. + +At length we steer for the shore, where we see several Indians +collected. They retire as we draw near. We again send Taro and Charlie +on shore with looking-glasses and trinkets; they go not very willingly. +The savages stop, and cast at us glances of suspicion. Then they make a +rush forward, seize all the articles they can lay hands on, and again +run off. Our two interpreters now come down shaking their heads, and +saying that there is no hope of trading with these savages. Still +Phineas will not give up the attempt; he has seen the pearls, and is +longing for them. + +"Why, such a necklace as that would be worth a hundred pounds, or more," +he exclaims. "We must have the fellow dead or alive." + +He stands up in the boat with his piece, ready to fire. I sternly draw +him back, crying out, indignantly: + +"I will not allow murder to be committed; for murder it would be, if the +men were ten times more savage than they are. They have souls immortal +as ours, which we have no right to drive out of their bodies before +their time." + +"Souls or not, mate, you have made me lose my pearl necklace," says the +supercargo, angrily. + +"It were better to lose a dozen pearl necklaces, or all the pearls the +bottom of the sea can produce, than commit a great crime," I answer, +more hotly than usual; and then, knowing that another sort of argument +would have more weight with such a man, I added, "Remember, too, we are +yet inside the trap. If we kill one of these people, their countrymen +may assemble at the entrance, and slaughter every one of us." + +This silenced Golding. We pull some way up the lagoon. The water +swarms with fish, and the shore seems more fertile than any of the coral +islands we have visited. In all directions we see signs of inhabitants, +and in some places small canoes hauled up, but none approach us. We now +pull back towards the passage by which we entered; but the tide still +runs in like a mill-stream. Suddenly we run aground. The men jump out +and lift the boat off. We are in a wrong channel. We at length get +into what we believe to be the right passage. The men track the boat +along, but we make little way. Night comes on rapidly. There will be a +moon, but it has not yet risen, and without its light we cannot escape. +We secure the boat to the rock, and wait anxiously for that time. Few +of us can sleep, for we know not any moment whether the savages may be +upon us. Both Taro and Charlie declare, from what they saw on shore, +that the people are cannibals. There was also the remains of a wreck +burnt on the beach, and they declare their belief that some ship has +been cast away there, and the unfortunate crew destroyed. We wait +anxiously. Golding says very little; he is evidently ill at ease. I +write it, not to boast, but my own mind is far more at ease; for I can +say, "In God put I my trust: I will not fear what man can do unto me." +Thus, through God's grace, I have always been allowed to feel when in +positions of great peril. My shipmates I have heard speak of me as the +bravest man among them. So I verily believe I am; but then I am brave +not in my own strength, but in the strength of Him who is strong to +save. There would be many more brave men in the world, if all knew on +whom they may leap confidently for support. There is a kind of bravery +that is natural to some, and is a constitutional fearlessness; but a far +higher and surer courage belongs to those who have committed their souls +to their God and Saviour, and who feel that whatever may befall them, +when in the way of duty, must be for the best. + +These thoughts pass through my mind as I keep watch while the men are +sleeping around me. Still the night continues dark; but as I peep +through the obscurity, I fancy that I see against the sky some objects +flitting here and there over the rocks. I step cautiously back into the +boat, rouse up the men, who seize their arms, and with the oars ready to +shove off, if necessary, we wait prepared. The figures approach +silently in great numbers, but cautiously stealing along, as if not +aware that we are awake. We make no sound. On they come over the +rocks, with more ease than we could advance in daylight. In less than a +minute they will be upon us. I wish to save bloodshed. There is a +faint light in the sky: it is the looked-for moon about to rise. +Suddenly the silence is broken by loud unearthly yells, and hundreds of +naked forms spring up as it were from the ground upon us. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +SAVED BY A STORM. + +Never have I heard yells more terrific than those with which the Penrhyn +Islanders set on us. We are assailed also with showers of darts and +stones, which wound many of our people sorely. Golding, brave as he is +on most occasions, utters a cry of terror, and nearly leaps overboard on +the opposite side of the boat I give unwillingly the word to fire. Many +of the foremost savages fall--the rest hang back. We shove off. The +oars are quickly got out. The moon rises. I distinguish the channel. +It is almost slack water. We pull for our lives. Golding and Taro +stand up and fire. The savages either do not see their comrades fall or +do not dread the bullets, for they rush along the rocks still within a +few yards of us hurling their stones and darts. I feel assured that if +we strike a rock our lives will pay the penalty. The rising moon gives +me more light to steer, and allows Golding and Taro to take better aim. +It shows us, however, more clearly to the savages. There is still the +narrowest channel to pass. The savages are making for the point when, +Golding and Taro firing together, two of their chief men fall. It is as +I thought, they had not before noticed who had been struck. Now they +stop, and with loud howls lift up the bodies of their chiefs. Our men +bend to their oars--we dart through the narrow opening, and though many +of the savages spring after us, they fail to reach the point in time. +Golding and Taro continue firing without necessity. The poor wretches +have received punishment enough, and why thus slaughter them when our +own safety does not sternly require us to kill? The lights on board our +ship greet our sight, and we pull gladly towards her--Golding still +uttering his regrets at the loss of his pearl necklace. We reach the +ship, and stand off for the night, Golding insisting that he will try +his luck to-morrow. The morrow comes, but when we pull in the aspect of +the people on shore is so hostile that even Golding acknowledges that we +are not likely to get pearls from them this visit. Captain Fuller, +therefore, resolves to steer south for the Hervey Islands, according to +orders, although, from the accounts I find in Captain Cook's voyages, I +doubt much whether our supercargo will be satisfied with the traffic we +may chance to open up with the natives. + +The first island we made is that of Atiu, the same which Captain Cook +calls Wateeoo. It is about seven hundred miles west of Tahiti. We +passed not far from the low island known as Hervey Island, which gives +its name to the whole group. + +We now sail round this island of Atiu, in hopes of finding a +landing-place, but none appears--a coral reef surrounds the whole. +Still our bold supercargo is anxious to land, and so while the ship +stands off and on, I take him, with Taro as interpreter, towards the +shore, in the long boat, in which we have a gun mounted. We pull in as +close as we may venture outside the surf. Numerous natives are on the +shore. Taro beckons, and three small canoes are launched. They paddle +swiftly through the surf, and come alongside. Those on the shore stand +waving green branches as a sign of amity, so Golding determines to land +with Taro. Away they go, and as I may not quit the boat, I watch them +anxiously. They land in safety, and vast numbers of the natives +instantly close round them. I see them borne up by the throng away from +the beach, and then lose sight of them. Two hours pass away, and they +do not appear. I begin to dread that they have been cut off. I wait +another hour. Just as I am about to return to the ship, the canoes are +launched. As they approach, to my disappointment I do not see our +shipmates. "The Indians are just thinking that they will knock us on +the head," I hear one of my men say. "It will be our fault if we let +them," I answer, not feeling, however, altogether satisfied that the man +was wrong, yet unwilling to show any fear; "we'll let them know what we +can do if they play us tricks. Hand me the slow match." There was a +clump of palm-trees close down to the beach. I step forward to the gun, +and have the boat's head put towards the shore. On come the Indian +canoes paddling rapidly through the surf--the men shouting and +shrieking, and whirling their paddles round their heads. I am unwilling +to injure the poor wretches. I aim instead at the trees. The white +splinters start off on either side from a palm-tree struck by the shot. +The effect is like magic, the Indians' threatening shrieks are changed +to cries of terror, and in hot haste they dash back through the surf +towards the shore. Still we are left in doubt as to the fate of our +friends. It is clear that we cannot land to go to their assistance. +But I resolve not to give them up. We rest on our oars watching the +beach. At length we see a concourse of people coming over a ridge of +sand which shuts out the view of the interior from us. Golding and Taro +appear in the midst of them. The savages seem to be paying them great +respect, and Golding bows with infinite condescension now on one side, +now on the other. Canoes are launched, they step into them, and the +obedient natives come paddling off to us through the surf. Golding +steps on board and signs to the Indians to return. "Now, Harvey, get on +board as fast as we can," says he. "It has been a question in my mind +all day whether we were to be treated as gods, or to be cooked and +eaten; and even now I don't feel quite comfortable on the subject. Your +shot turned the scale in our favour, for notwithstanding all Taro's +boastings, they had no great opinion of us when they found that we could +not bring our big boat through the surf." Taro at length bethought +himself of boasting that we could make thunder and lightning, and set +off a few cartridges he had in his pocket to convince them. The effect +was considerable, but not as great as was hoped for. There was the +lightning, but the thunder was wanting. On the hill-side were some +ovens with fire in them heating. Taro looked at them suspiciously, not +quite satisfied that he might not before long be put inside one of them. +Turning about, he saw some warriors walking round and round with huge +clubs in their hands. He had no longer any doubt of their intentions. +Golding saw them also, and became not slightly uncomfortable. Just then +our gun was fired. Many of the natives fell flat on the ground, others +rushed hither and thither, while some of the braver examined the trees +which had been struck, and reported the effects of the white man's +thunder and lightning. Instead of knocking our friends on the head and +eating them as they had purposed, the savages came crouching down before +them in the most abject manner, as if they were beings altogether of a +different nature. Still, as Golding says, the look of those ovens made +him glad to get down to the beach, lest the Indians should again change +their minds about him. + +Two days after this we sight another island. Again Golding goes on +shore with Taro, and the captain, and Tony Hinks. + +I cannot be surprised if some day Golding is cut off by the savages. He +is bold and daring, and far from cautious. Aitutaki is the name of the +island. Natives come off to us in great numbers singing and shouting. +They are tattooed from head to foot. Never have I seen wilder savages. +Some of their faces are smeared with ochre, others with charcoal, and +are frightful to behold. We keep on our guard, for we know not any +moment that they may venture to attack us. As Taro is on shore we +cannot understand what they say. Festing and I allow only a few at a +time to come on board. They attempt to climb up the sides, but we keep +them off by striking at their hands with boarding pikes, and pointing to +the gangway, showing that they may only enter there, a few at a time. +Still they persist, when Festing taking up a musket ready at hand, fires +it over their heads. They look around for a moment, as if not certain +whether they are standing on their heads or their feet, and then leap +headlong, some into their canoes and some into the water. They paddle +to a distance, but then stopping, look back and threaten us. Festing +insists that the only way to make these countries of any use is to sweep +the people off into the sea. As to civilising them, that, he says, is +impossible. I differ from him. We wait anxiously as before for the +return of the captain and our other shipmates. Hour after hour passes +by. However great the danger in which they may be placed, we cannot go +to their assistance. We begin to fear that they have fallen victims to +the savages. + +"You and I, Harvey, will have to take the ship home, I suspect," +observes Festing; "I am sorry for the old man especially, as we can do +nothing to revenge his death." + +"That were small consolation," I observe; "nor is that as God wills it." + +Festing looks astonished. He would be very angry if he were accused of +not being a Christian, and yet, it seems to me, that he encourages +feelings and ideas very much opposed to the rules Christ our Master laid +down for the government of His disciples. + +Evening approaches. With thankfulness I see the boat putting off from +the beach. We stand in as close as the reef will let us to meet her. +She makes for a narrow channel between the breakers. It is a question +whether she will get through. The spray, as it curls upwards, +completely conceals her. Or--I look through my glass--has she been +capsized by the breakers? No, she is seen again. Her crew give way. +She is soon alongside. All have come back safe, though they have been +in great peril of their lives. + +Captain Fuller has a curious story to tell of the inhabitants of this +lovely spot. They are the wildest savages he has ever seen. More like +wild beasts than men, yet not so cruel as some of the islanders we have +met. As an example. It appears from what Taro has learned on shore, +that a vessel calling off here but a few days back, landed a number of +natives from another island, who, instead of being killed and eaten, +have been kindly treated. The name of the island is Raratonga, but +whereabouts it lies Taro could not learn, for the vessel appeared off +the coast at early dawn on the east side, and no one saw whence she +came. They are young women, and have a pitiable tale to tell of the +cruel way in which they were kidnapped by these monsters in human shape. +Probably to prevent disputes among his crew, the captain landed these +poor creatures, certainly from no motives of humanity if the account +Taro gives of them is true. + +The vessel only left the island three days ago, so that we may chance to +fall in with her. Both Captain Fuller and the supercargo declare that +they will give the master a bit of their mind. "Suppose," say they, "we +had chanced to call off that island directly after those fellows had +perpetrated this rascality, not suspecting harm, what would have been +our fate? Without doubt we should have been clubbed." + +"So we might, indeed!" I observe, but I think to myself, what may other +voyagers say who follow in our footsteps. Have we not shot down the +poor savages, who have been defending their own shores? Well may the +islanders be ready to destroy any white men they can get into their +power. + +Captain Fuller says that he never was in greater danger of losing his +life than on this morning. If one of the party had wavered, the savages +would have been encouraged to rush in on them and club them. He and +Golding talk of looking for Raratonga in the hopes of trading with the +natives, but we can by no means learn in what direction it is to be +found. There is another group we hear of to the south of the Society +Islands called the Austral Islands, but it would take up too much time +to visit them, and so we shape a course for the Tonga or Friendly +Islands. Rumours have reached us that the people do not quite deserve +the character given of them by Captain Cook. + +Steeling west, we again sight land. We stand in, and heave-to off the +coast. It is Savage Island, justly so-called by Captain Cook. Several +canoes, with uncouth, fierce-looking savages, come off to us, with +painted faces and long hair, even more brutal than those of Aitutaki. +Taro ascertains from them that another vessel with two masts has just +called there, but gone away,--undoubtedly the brig which carried off the +poor people from Raratonga, the unknown island. We may therefore +overtake her. A calm comes on,--the savages surround the vessel, and +contemplate an attack on us, it seems. The guns are loaded with +langrage, and Captain Fuller issues orders to prepare for our defence. +Their numbers increase. Taro warns us that they are about to commence +an assault on the vessel. He signs to them that they had better not +make the attempt; but by their gestures they show their contempt and +boldness. Again with loud shouts they come on, shooting their arrows, +and hurling darts, and spears, and stones. + +"Depress the guns, and fire," cries Captain Fuller. + +The order is obeyed. In an instant the sea is covered with the forms of +human beings, some swimming from their canoes cut in two, others having +jumped overboard through terror. The sea is red with the blood of those +wounded. The captain orders that the guns be again loaded. Shrieks, +and groans, and cries rise from the water. It is fear, I feel sure, +prevents the poor wretches moving. I wish that I might beg the captain +not again to fire; but he would not listen. He is about to lift his +hand when I see the topsails fill, and the vessel glides out from among +the crowd of canoes. + +"Hold," cries the captain; "they have had enough of it." + +Away we sail, following the setting sun. "A pretty day's work," I think +to myself, as I get into my berth. "Yet how is it to be avoided?" + +I drop asleep. I know that I am asleep, and yet I fancy that I am +looking over the side of a vessel,--not the _Mary Rose_, though,--and I +see the ocean covered with the forms of men, their skins brown, and +white, and black, swimming towards all points of the compass. They swim +strongly and boldly; each on his head wears a crown of gold, and in his +right hand carries a book,--an open book. I look again,--it is the +Bible. They read the book as they swim, and it gives them strength to +persevere; for sharks rise up to threaten them, and other monsters of +the deep. And now land appears, the very island we have left, and two +or more swim towards it, and the savage inhabitants come out in their +canoes to attack them, and I tremble for their fate; but the swimmers +hold up their Bibles, and the savages let them pass, and follow slowly. +Soon the swimmers land, and numbers collect round them and listen +attentively while they read. Weapons are cast away,--the countenances +of the islanders are no longer savage. They kneel,--they clasp their +hands--they lift up their eyes towards heaven,--their lips move in +prayer. They soon appear well clothed, parents with their children +dwelling in neat cottages, and lo! a large edifice rises before my eyes: +it is a house of God. A bell sounds, and from every side come men, +women, and children all neatly clad; and then the words of a hymn strike +my ear. The music is sweet, but the words are strange. It grows louder +and louder, till I hear the cry of "All hands shorten sail!" + +I spring on deck. The ship has been struck by a squall; she is almost +on her beam-ends. It is blowing heavily, the thunder rolls along the +sky, the lightning flashes vividly. Not without difficulty the canvas +is got off her. Once more she rights, and now away she flies before the +gale. The sea rises covered with foam. Still she flies on. We prepare +to heave her to; for thus running on, with coral islands abounding, may +prove our destruction. It is a moment of anxiety, for it is questioned +whether the canvas will stand. It requires all hands, and even then our +strength is scarce sufficient for the work. We, under circumstances +like these, see the true character of men. Golding, hitherto so daring +and boastful, trembles like an aspen leaf. He believes that the ship is +going down, and dares not look death in the face. I may write what I +feel: "Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe," as says +Solomon, and as his father David had often said in other words before +him. It is this knowledge makes the truly bold and brave seaman at all +times. + +This night is one truly to make a stout heart sink not thus supported. +At the main-mast-head appears a ball of fire. Now it descends,--now it +runs along the main-yard-arm,--now it appears at the mizen-mast-head,-- +now there is a ball at each mast-head. The men declare that it is a +spirit of evil come to guide us to destruction. Often while the foaming +seas are roaring and hissing round us, and the wind is shrieking and +whistling through the shrouds, and all is so dark that a hand held up at +arm's length can scarcely be seen, flashes of lightning burst forth +making it light as day, and revealing the pale and affrighted +countenances of those standing around. + +Day dawns at length. As I looked to leeward, not half a mile away, I +see a vessel. She is dismasted, labouring heavily. We are drifting +slowly down towards her. Now she rises, now she falls in the trough of +the sea, and is hid from view. She is a brig, as we discover by the +stumps of her two masts, and we do not doubt the very vessel of which we +have lately heard. A signal of distress is flying from a staff lashed +to the main-mast; but, with the sea now running, what help can we render +her hapless crew? + +We watch her anxiously; even Phineas Golding, his thoughts generally +running on dollars, seems to commiserate the fate of those on board, +especially when Tony Hinks remarks in his hearing that such may be ours +ere long. The men are at the pumps, and we can see them working for +their lives; but, by the way she labours, there seems but little chance +that they will keep her afloat. We are gradually dropping down towards +her; we can distinguish through our glasses the countenances of the +crew, their hair streaming in the gale. What looks of horror, of +hopeless despair are there! They know that we cannot help them, though +so near. The vessel is sinking lower and lower; the crew desert the +pumps, and hold out their hands imploringly towards us as we drive down +towards them. Their boats have been all washed away: it were madness in +us to attempt to lower one. Some with hatchets are cutting away at the +bulwarks and companion hatch to form rafts, others run shrieking below +to the spirit-room, or rush bewildered here and there; not one do I see +on bended knees imploring aid from heaven. The vessel now labours more +heavily than ever; a huge sea rolls towards her,--she gives a fearful +plunge. Many of our people, rough and hardened as they are, utter cries +of horror. I pass my hands across my eyes, and look, and look again. +She is gone!--not a trace of her remains but a few struggling forms amid +the white foam. One by one they disappear, till one alone remains +clinging to a plank. We see him tossed to and fro, looking wildly +towards us for help. Not another human being of those who stood on the +deck of the foundered vessel remains alive. Will this one be saved? I +feel a deep pity for him. As I watch him, I lift up my heart in prayer +to God that he may be saved. + +The gale has been decreasing, and the ship lies-to more easily. We hope +in a short time to make sail. The seaman still floats in sight. At +length I believe a boat would live. I ask Captain Fuller leave to go in +search of the man, and sing out for volunteers. No lack of them. We +must have drifted some way to leeward of the man; but still, as I took +the bearings when I last saw him, I believe that I can find him. Away +we pull; the seas are heavy, but long, and do not break much. I look +out in vain for the seaman. + +"He must have gone down before this," I hear one of the crew remark. + +"But the plank would be floating still," I observe. "That man has a +soul, whoever he may be. If we save his body, by God's grace his soul +may be saved." + +This thought encourages me to persevere. Often the boat is half full of +water, but we bail her out, and pull on. Already we are at some +distance from the ship, when I see a dark, speck rise on the crest of a +sea and then disappear. My hopes rise that it is the person of whom we +are in search. We hear a faint cry. He is still alive. The crew +cheer, and pull lustily towards him. The stranger gazes at us eagerly: +he if a youth, with long light hair hanging back in the water. His +strength is evidently failing. I urge on my men. Even now I fear that +he will let go his hold ere we can reach him. Again he cries out +imploringly. A sea striking the boat half fills her with water, and I +lose sight of the lad. + +"He is gone, he is gone!" some of the men cry out. But no; I see his +hair far down, close under the stern of the boat I plunge in, and +diving, grasp it and bring him to the surface. The boat has forged +ahead. With difficulty I get him alongside, and we are hauled on board. +The young man has still life in him, but cannot speak. We pull back to +the ship, more than once narrowly escaping being swamped. It is some +time before the stranger can speak. Even then he does not seem willing +to say much. He does not mention the name of the brig to which he +belonged, nor whether he was serving before the mast or as an officer; +but he speaks like a lad of education. He is, however, so much +exhausted, that it would be cruel to ask him questions. Indeed, from a +remark he made, I suspect that he believes himself to be dying. I fear +that he may be right; but, alas! it is without hope that he looks on +death,--only with dark horror and despair. I speak to him of One who +died to save all sinners who look to Him for salvation and repent; but +my words seem to fall unheeded on the young man's car. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +A LAND OF HORRORS. + +The young man we picked up two days ago is better. He takes more to me +than to any one else, yet he is reserved even to me. His name is, he +says, Joseph Bent, and the brig was the _Wanderer_. I suspect that he +is one of those castaways who have fled from the restraints of parents, +or pastors and masters, and that he has been reaping the fruits of his +folly, and found them bitter. The brig undoubtedly visited the island +of which we have heard, and her crew were the men who committed those +black deeds of which I have spoken, but do not here again describe. + +How soon are they all sent to their dread accounts except this youth! +Great is his astonishment when I speak to him of what was done, and of +the poor natives so barbarously carried away. + +"The vengeance of a pure and just God quickly finds out the doers of +such deeds," I remark. "And, Joseph, my friend, where would you now +have been had you not been rescued by the hand of mercy from the jaws of +death?" + +"In torment--in torment!" he shrieks out; "in everlasting torments! +Rightly condemned--rightly condemned!" + +"But, think you not, that the same loving hand which saved your life +from destruction will preserve your far more precious soul from death +eternal if you will but believe in His power and will to save you? Do +not have any doubts on the subject. The most guilty are entreated to +repent and to come to Jesus--the loving Saviour--the Friend of sinners." + +"These are strange words you speak, mate," said the young man sitting up +and looking earnestly at me. + +"Not strange, friend," say I. "Thousands and thousands of times have +they been spoken before to the saving of many a perishing soul. Let +them not be spoken to you in vain." + +Thus do I continue for some time, till I see tears starting into the +eyes of the young man. The knowledge of a Saviour's love softens his +heart, while his sins still make him afraid. + +"I remember to have heard words like those you have been speaking, mate, +long, long ago," he observes. "I forgot them till now. They sound +sweetly to my ears." + +"Never forget them again, friend," I answered, having now to go on deck +to keep my watch. + +Joseph Bent lives, and is gaining strength, but as he does so he seems +to be hardening his heart, and avoids religious subjects; yet he speaks +of the doings of his late shipmates at Raratonga. What must have been +their feelings when their ship was going down, and the thoughts of their +late evil deeds came rushing on their minds. If people would but +reflect each morning as they rise, and say to themselves, "For what I do +this day I must most assuredly account before the judgment-seat of the +Almighty," how many a sin might be avoided; and yet, surely, the love of +Jesus, the dread of grieving our blessed Master, will do more than that. +With me love is the constraining power--with some men the fear of +judgment may have more effect; fear may prevent sin, but love surely +advances more the honour and glory of Christ's kingdom. It is love to +his blessed Master which will make a man give up home and country, and +go forth to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ to the perishing +heathen; fear will keep him strictly observant of his religious duties +at home: fear rules where the law exists; love reigns through the +liberty of the gospel. Yes, I am sure, that love, and love alone, will +make a man a persevering missionary of the truth. + +We bring up at length on the north shore of Tongatabu, at the same spot +where, many years back, Captain Cook anchored his ships, when he called +the island Amsterdam. It is the largest by far of all the Friendly +Islands, being some twenty miles long and twelve broad, and it is very +beautiful, though not rising anywhere more that sixty feet above the +level of the sea. Its beauty consists in the great variety of trees and +shrubs with which it is covered, while few spots on the earth's surface +are more productive; added to this there is a clearness and brightness +in the atmosphere which is in itself lovely. Captain Cook bestowed the +name of the Friendly Islands on this group, on account of the friendly +way in which the natives received him. Captain Fuller says that he has +heard certain reports which make him doubt as to the friendliness of the +natives. They come off to us in large double canoes, unlike any we have +before seen. They consist of two canoes secured side by side, though at +some distance apart, by a strong platform, which serves as a deck. In +the centre is a house with a flat roof on which the chiefs stand. The +sail is triangular, and formed of matting, and long oars are also used, +worked on either side. These canoes carry a hundred men or more, and +make long voyages, often to Fiji, on the east, and lo! the Navigators +Islands, on the north. When sailing forth for war covered with armed +men, blowing conch-shells and flourishing their clubs and spears, they +have a very formidable appearance. Many smaller single canoes came off +to us ringing fruits and fowl of all sorts. They are a very fine race +of men, taller than most Englishmen, and well formed and of a light +healthy brown colour. They come on board in great numbers, and laugh, +and appear to be well disposed. The Captain's suspicions are soon +lulled, and so are Golding's. He wishes to trade with them for +cocoa-nut oil and other articles. Several of our men ask leave to go on +shore, and the captain allows them. + +Just as they have gone off, Joseph Bent comes on deck. He has, he tells +me, been living on shore here for some time, and knows the people. +Notwithstanding their pleasant manners and handsome figures and +countenances, they are treacherous in the extreme. He tells that of +which I have not before heard, that missionaries have already been sent +out to these seas; that some were landed on this very island, of whom +three were killed, and the rest driven away. Some, strange to say, were +in King George's Islands while we were there, but we heard not of them +nor they of us. Indeed, I fear that our captain would have taken but +little interest in the matter, though he might have shown those poor +banished ones, as countrymen, some of the courtesies of life. Thus I +see that people may visit a place, and fancy that they know all about +it, and yet be very ignorant of what is going on within. Other +missionaries have gone, so says Bent, to the Marquesas Islands. We +heard nothing of them; indeed, our captain laughs at the notion of such +savages being turned into Christians. + +"Who can this Bent really be?" I have asked myself more than once. For +one so young he knows much about these seas, and what has taken place +here. While I have been thinking how good a thing it would be to have +missionaries sent out among them, I find that people at home have +already done so, though as yet to no purpose, as far as man can see. +The people seem everywhere sunk in heathen darkness. When Bent sees +that some of our men are going on shore, he urges that they may be at +once recalled; but Captain Fuller says that the supercargo, Taro, and +Tony Hinks, will take care they do not get into mischief. The +half-naked chiefs, with their clubs in their hands, and many other +people are wandering about the deck, examining everything they see, and +now and then standing and talking, as if expressing their wonder. I +observe Bent moving quietly among them. Soon afterwards he comes up to +me. + +"Mate," he says, in an ordinary tone, as if there was nothing the +matter, "These men are plotting to take the ship. The fellows on shore +will all be murdered, and so shall we unless we manage well. My advice +is to get the chiefs into the cabin on pretence of giving them a feast, +and then seize them and hold them as hostages. Directly that is done, +run the after-guns inboard and clear the decks. It will be better to +knock away the bulwarks than to be clubbed." + +The captain seems unwilling to believe this. + +"I have little to thank you for in saving my life if you do not now take +my advice," says Bent, earnestly. "You, and I, and all on board may be +numbered with the dead before many minutes are over. Look at those +men's arms, and at their heavy clubs. Whose head would stand a single +blow from one of them?" + +I urge the point with the captain, for I am convinced that Bent is +right. He is still irresolute, when we see some more canoes coming off +from the shore. This decides him. Fortunately the men's dinner is +ready. The captain sends for it into the cabin, and the steward covers +the table with all other food he has at hand. We then fix upon four of +the leading chiefs whom Bent points out, and by signs invite them to +feast below. They look suspicious, and, we are afraid, will not come. +Bent stands by to hear what they say. He whispers to me that one of +them proposes coming, as it will throw us more off our guard. Again, by +signs, we press them to come below. When at length they comply, we +endeavour not to show too much satisfaction. We treat them with great +courtesy seemingly, keeping our eyes, however, constantly fixed on them. +We have the steward and two other men concealed with ropes ready to +spring out and secure them. The captain, Festing, and Bent, go below, +while I remain in charge of the deck, and Festing hands me up a brace of +pistols and a cutlass, through the companion hatch. The crew have been +prepared, and stand ready to run in the after-guns and to slew them +round the instant the chiefs are secured. I listen for the signal, +anxiously watching the proceedings of the savages. Now I see them +talking together; now they handle their clubs, and look towards the +cabin, as if waiting for the return of their chiefs to begin the work of +death. They eye our men askance. It is clear that both parties +mistrust each other. The suspense is painful in the extreme. There is +a sound of struggling, and shouts from the cabin; the savage warriors +press aft. Just then the captain cries out that the chiefs are secured. +I order the guns to be slewed round, and sign to the natives to keep +back. They are about to make a rush, when Bent springs on deck, and +shouts to them in their own language, warning them that if they move our +war-fire will burst forth on them, and that their chiefs will be killed. +The men, looking grim and fierce, stand match in hand at the guns. +Bent now orders the savages to return to their canoes. Sulkily, and +with many a glance of defiance at us, they stand, unwilling to obey, +till Captain Fuller brings on deck, bound, one of their chiefs, holding +a pistol to his ear. The chief speaks to them, and one by one they go +down the ship's side. Bent now tells them that unless all our +companions return in safety the lives of the chiefs will be taken. I +bethink me of writing a note to the supercargo, telling him what has +occurred, and urging him to return instantly. I give it to the last +savage who leaves the deck, and Bent explains to whom the paper is to be +delivered. We now use all haste to get ready for sailing. We have for +the present escaped a great danger, but we tremble for the fate of our +shipmates, and we are convinced that fear alone will keep these savages +in order. The chiefs, finding that Bent can speak their language, +endeavour to persuade him to let them go. "When our friends return you +will be set at liberty," is his answer. It seems at present very +doubtful whether they ever will return. Bent says that these people are +treacherous in the extreme, worshippers of devils, offerers up of human +sacrifices, and cannibals, though not so bad as the people of Fiji, the +next islands we are to visit. The chiefs all this time are kept in +durance below. I have seldom seen four finer men in figure and feature. +The children, Bent says, are often quite white, like English children, +but as heathens they are born, and as heathens they die, without hope. + +A boat is now reported coming off from the shore. A large canoe +follows. In the boat are fewer men than left the ship. What has been +the fate of the rest? They come alongside, and we order the big canoe +to keep off. The supercargo and Taro make their appearance on deck. +Their escape has been most miraculous. Already had the clubs of the +natives begun to play on the heads of their companions, and five had +fallen. Golding tells me that he expected every moment to be his last. +The man next him had been struck down, and lay writhing on the ground, +when a cry was raised, and the canoes were seen hurrying away from the +ship, the savages refrained from letting drop their uplifted clubs, and +watched the approaching canoes. + +When the messenger with the note arrived there was a long consultation. +Golding says he never felt so uneasy. It was handed to Tony Hinks, who, +unable to read, gave it to Golding. He assumed a tone of authority, and +through Taro told the savages that if all the survivors were not +released their chiefs would be carried away captives. They seemed to +hesitate. Golding believed that they were balancing in their minds +whether they loved their chiefs or the blood of the white strangers +most. At last they decided to let Golding and Taro with three other men +go, and to keep Tony Hinks, whom they take to be a chief, as a hostage. +Tony was very unhappy at being left, and tried to escape, but the +savages held him fast, and Taro, it seems, who owes him a grudge, would +not help him. Thus we are placed in a difficulty to know how to get +Tony back without first liberating the chiefs. If it were not for the +boatswain, the captain says he would hang all four at the yard-arm. At +last it is decided that one alone shall go, and Bent is instructed to +tell him, that unless the boatswain instantly returns alive and unhurt, +the other three shall be hung up. I put him on board a canoe, which +comes out to meet our boat as we pull in. + +Some time passes, and at length Tony appears on the beach. We make +signals that he must be brought off in a canoe. As he steps into the +boat, stout-hearted fellow as he generally is, he sinks down, overcome +with the terror he has been in. Several of the crew cry out that now we +have got him back, we must hang the savages we have in our power in +revenge for our shipmates who have been clubbed. The captain says that +we are bound to let one go. I plead that all should be let go, that on +the faith of this Tony was returned to us, and that it is both our duty, +and wise as a Christian and civilised people, to show clemency to the +savages. With difficulty, however, I prevail, and Bent tells the chiefs +that they may order a canoe to come alongside, and may go free. They +appear very much astonished, and doubtful whether we are in earnest. I +watch their eyes when they fully understand that they are free to go. +Savages though they may be, there is human sympathy between us; they are +grateful for the way we have treated them; and I feel sure that we +should be far safer on shore should we return, than if we had hanged +them as proposed. "We are well quit of these savages," observes +Golding, as we get free of the reefs, and stand out to sea. + +There is another group to the north of the Tongas called Samoa, or +Navigators Islands. The people, Bent tells me, are very like those of +the Tonga group. Of this Tonga group which we are leaving there are +numerous islands--the first collection to the north, called the Haabai +group, while further north is that of Vavau--all governed by different +chiefs, who spend their time in fighting with each other. + +While I am on deck in charge of the watch that night I see a bright +light burst forth to the north-east, rising out of the sea and reaching +to the sky. There is a noise at the same time as if there was distant +thunder. I fancy at first that some hapless ship has caught fire, and I +send below to ask leave of the captain that we may steer towards her to +pick up any of the crew who may have escaped. The captain bids me come +and examine the chart, and I see several islands with burning mountains +on them marked down. The fire we see proceeds undoubtedly from one of +them--Koa, perhaps. The matter is settled by finding our deck covered +with fine ashes fallen from the sky. + +Four days after leaving Tonga we find ourselves among islands of every +size and shape and height, many of them having lofty mountains in their +centres, while coral reefs are in all directions. Never has my eye +rested on scenes of greater loveliness than these islands present; they +are apparently fertile in the extreme, green gems dotting the blue +ocean. If men could be perfectly happy and gentle and contented, loving +each other and being loved, it would, I should think, be here. Each +island looks like a paradise--the abode of peace and innocence. We are +standing in towards a secure harbour formed by a coral reef, a native +town appearing on the beach, with a hill covered with graceful trees +rising above it, down which a waterfall tumbles and glitters in the +sunbeams, forming a clear pool, from which we expect to fill our casks. +I remark on its beauty to Bent. + +"No doubt about that, Mr Harvey," he answers. "But we have more need +to be on our guard against the natives here than in any islands of the +Pacific. A more treacherous, fierce, and determined race of cannibals +is not to be found. Of all the islands we see scattered around, and of +many score more, the inhabitants of one dare not visit their nearest +neighbours, for fear of being entrapped and killed and eaten. Their +great chiefs and warriors boast of the number of people they have killed +and devoured; and if they have no captives in their hands when they wish +to make a feast, they will kill some of their own slaves, or will send a +party of their warriors to any small island near, to knock as many +people on the head as they may require." + +I fancy that Bent is joking, though it is not a lively subject to joke +about. The captain, however, says that he will be on his guard, and a +strong party, well armed, will alone be allowed to go on shore. Still, +as we require water and fuel and fresh meat and vegetables, we must put +in here to obtain them. + +We drop our anchor in a calm bay, with scarce a ripple on the surface of +the clear blue waters, while against the outer edge of the coral reef +the sea rolls in and breaks in masses of white foam. There is a town in +sight, surrounded by a ditch and bank, and bamboo stockades, and full of +cottages with high-thatched roofs. Above the town, on the hill, is a +separate tall building with an exceedingly high-pitched roof, also +thatched, the ridge-pole extending out on either side. It is a temple, +Bent says, where human sacrifices are offered, and many other abominable +things done. The god may be a whale's tooth, or a piece of cloth, or a +hideous wooden idol. Soon after we have furled sails, two large double +canoes make their appearance inside the reef, running for the town. +They have vast mat sails, and on the deck of each are fully a hundred +black warriors armed with clubs and spears and bows. They are painted +hideously. Several have huge heads of hair, and all are gesticulating +violently, as if recounting their deeds of valour. They pass close to +our vessel, but do not seem to heed us much. We have our guns run out +and the crew at quarters ready for them. + +As I look through my glass I see in the bows of each some twenty dead +bodies arranged in rows--men, women, and children. "Alas! were these +taken in war?" I ask. The canoes reach the beach, and crowds come down +with loud shouting and wild leaps, and the canoes are hauled on shore, +and then the dead bodies are dragged up the hill towards the temple, all +the men shouting and shrieking louder than ever. They appear truly like +a horde of evil spirits let loose on earth. I accompany the captain and +supercargo with Bent, Taro, and a boat's crew, all well armed, on shore. +Taro explains that we come as friends, and as the people see that we +are well prepared for war, no opposition is offered. We enter the house +of a chief who has just died; his body lies at one end of a long hall +full of people. Among them are some twenty women, most of them young +and fine-looking persons. Their hair is adorned with flowers, and their +bodies are oiled. Some look dull and indifferent to what is taking +place, others are weeping, and others look well pleased. Taro tells us +that they are the wives of the king. Several men stand near them; ropes +are cast round their necks, and suddenly, before we have time to rescue +them, as we feel inclined to do, five of them are strangled, and fall +dead corpses on the ground. Their bodies are quickly carried off, with +that of the chief, and all are buried in one common grave. The new king +now appears, and the crowd come to do him honour. He is a tall, stout +young man--every inch a savage. We look with horror at what we +witness--the bodies are dragged up the hill, and thrust into huge ovens. +Some of the captives not yet dead are blackened and bound in a sitting +posture, and thus, horrible to relate, are placed _in the ovens to be +baked alive_. + +It is too sickening to write what afterwards follows. None of us can +longer doubt that these people are the most terrible of cannibals. I +feel inclined to charge forward to rescue them, but the captain orders +us all to stand fast, or we may chance to be treated in the same way +ourselves. + +We now, through Taro, tell the chief that we require water and fruit and +vegetables and hogs and fowls, and that we will pay for all. He +receives the message somewhat haughtily, and informs us with the air of +an emperor, that though he is one of the greatest sovereigns on earth, +and that all men bow down to and fear him, he will grant our request. +There he sits, a naked black savage, benighted and ignorant in the +extreme; and yet such is his opinion of himself. I cannot help +thinking, as I look at him, that I have seen civilised men almost as +well contented with themselves with as little cause. We do not find any +of our men inclined to straggle, after what they have seen. We hurry +down to the beach. The boat has been left hauled off at some distance, +under charge of three men, well armed. They pull in when they see us, +and say that they are not a little glad to find us safe, for that many +canoes with fierce-looking savages have been paddling round and round +them, the cannibals showing their white teeth, and making signs that +they would like to eat them. Whether this is only the fancy of our men +I cannot say. Even Golding, when we get on board, looks pale and says +little. It seems to me as if Satan had truly taken possession of the +people of these islands, for Bent tells me that the scenes we have +witnessed are only such as occur constantly. + +We keep a watchful look-out all night, ready for action at a moment's +notice. Again we visit the shore, armed as yesterday. Preparations are +making to build a house for the new chief. The four uprights for the +corners are already placed in large holes dug deep into the earth. In +each hole stands a living man bound to the post, with upturned eyes +gazing at the light of day. What is our horror to see parties of +savages begin to throw in the earth upon them. It covers their breasts, +their shoulders, and rises up, the hapless wretches still breathing, +till the tops of their heads are concealed, and then with eager haste +the murderous wretches stamp down the ground over them. Taro tells us +the savages say that the spirits of the dead men will guard the house, +so that no evil will befall its inmates. Truly I shall be glad to be +clear of this land of horrors, yet it is a fruitful land, and one +producing a variety of articles for barter. With cocoa-nut oil alone we +could quickly load our vessel, and with the population these islands +possess, what numberless other tropical productions might they not +furnish, if means could be found to civilise the people! + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +IN PERILS VARIOUS. + +Again we go on shore, armed as yesterday. The men cast uneasy glances +around, and show no inclination to separate from each other. We meet +the chief, who looks taller and fiercer than ever. His black hair is +frizzled out in the most extraordinary manner, and on the top he wears +twisted round it a piece of smoke-coloured native cloth like a turban. +He has rings round his arms and legs, and a small piece of cloth round +his loins, but otherwise this great king, as he believes himself, is +entirely naked. He carries in his hand a richly carved black club--so +heavy, that to strike with it is to kill. He receives us in the same +haughty manner as before, as if he wished to impress us with his +importance. As he strides along, the people fly on either side, or bow +down before him, though he does not in the slightest degree heed them. +He is on his way to witness the launching a large new war-canoe, and +which, now decked with streamers, we see at some distance from the +beach. Conch-shells are sounding, and there is much shouting and +dancing. As we draw near, a band of prisoners, with downcast looks of +horror, are driven along towards the canoe. Men stand ready with long +ropes to drag her to the water. Before she is moved, the captives, +bound hand and foot, are cast down before her; then loud shouts arise-- +the men haul at the ropes--the canoe moves, and is dragged over the +bodies of the slaves, crushing them to death. No one pities them. This +night the cannibal chiefs will feast on their bodies. Even now the +ovens in the great square are heating to cook them. It strikes me that +these people take a pride in showing to us the enormities they dare to +commit. + +As later in the day we are passing through the town, we see two people, +a man and woman, wrangling. The man grows more and more angry. A young +child is near them; it runs to its mother's arms, but the man seizes it, +and in an instant he has killed the poor little creature, and with a +fierce gesture thrown the yet panting body on the ground. He gazes for +a few seconds moodily at the dead child. The mother does not attempt to +touch it; then he orders her to bring a spade. He digs a hole in the +floor; the still warm body is thrust in; the earth is thrown back; both +stamp it down, and then return to their seats as if nothing had +happened. + +We see another day a young man buried alive by his own parents. Taro +says he had grown weary of life, and they did it to please him. We see +very few old people, and we hear that when people get weak and ill from +age, their children either strangle them or bury them alive. Bent tells +me that human sacrifices are often made to their gods, when the priests +and chiefs feast on the victims. We see many people with fingers cut +off, and we hear that they have been devoted as offerings to their +chiefs who have died, or may only have been ill. No crime is more +common than that of killing children, especially girls, indeed, it is +remarkable that these people do not seem at all sensible that they are +committing crimes. At all events they glory in their shame. + +I might note down many more things we see and hear during our stay in +this group, but I feel sick at heart as I write and think of all that is +told me; and every day, as I tread these blood-stained shores, the very +air seems polluted, and the shrieks of the wretched victims of their +fellows cruelty, ring in my ears. Wars seem never to cease among them. +One tribe is always attacking another, and those inhabiting islands +within two or three miles of each other cannot live at peace. The +desire to retaliate is the great cause of all their quarrels. If a man +is killed by those of another tribe, his friends are not content till +they have killed some of that tribe; then the people of that tribe do +not rest till they have avenged the death of their relations; and so it +goes on, each murder producing another, till there is not a man among +all their tribes who does not feel that there are numbers ready to take +his life, while he is also on the watch to kill certain people with whom +he is at feud. + +Of another thing I hear, which, had I not seen so many horrible things +they do, I could scarcely credit. If the people of a small island +offend a chief, he does not kill them at once, but he takes away all +their canoes, so that they cannot escape. Then, whenever he wants +victims to offer in his temples, or to feast any friendly chief who may +visit him unexpectedly, he sends and brings off one or more families, or +parts of families, from the doomed island. No one knows who will be +next taken, but they live on with the full consciousness of what their +fate will be. They see their relatives and friends taken and carried +off to be baked, and they know that, perhaps, their turn may come next. +Bent was some time among them, protected by one of their chiefs, to whom +he made himself useful, yet he says that he never felt sure of his life +an hour together; and whenever he saw the chief handling his club, he +could not help fancying that it might come down on his head. + +Dreadful as these accounts are, we can speak of little else on board. +"It would be as easy to wash a blackamoor white, as to make these men +Christians," observed Phineas, one evening, as we sit in the cabin. +"What say you, Mr Bent; would you like to make the attempt?" + +Bent casts his eyes on the deck, and does not answer. Golding looks at +me. "I'll tell you my opinion," I reply. "If man alone had to +accomplish the work, I would say, it is impossible. But man works not +alone. God's Holy Spirit is on his side. We are all by nature vile; we +have all gone astray. All our natural hearts are of stone. God's grace +can alone soften our stony hearts, can alone bring us back to Himself, +and as He surely is all-powerful, to my mind He can just as easily shed +His grace on the hearts of these black heathen cannibals, and soften +them, and bring them to love and worship Him, as He can work the same +change in any white man; and so I see no reason to doubt that if the +gospel is put before them some will hear it gladly and accept it." + +The captain, as I speak, begins to grow angry. Golding bursts into a +fit of laughter. + +"You're talking Greek to me," says he. "How could these black savages, +who have never seen a book in their lives, understand the Bible, even if +you gave it them? It's hard enough for civilised white people to +comprehend, eh, Captain Fuller! You find it a tough job? I'm sure I +do." + +"As to that, I don't pretend to much learning in that line--like my +second mate here, but I always leave such matters to the parson." + +What the captain meant I cannot tell. On looking up, I see Bent's eyes +full of tears, and he says nothing. I do not press the subject now as +it will only provoke hostility, but I resolve to speak privately to Bent +whenever I can. Yes, I am sure, by God's grace, and through the +instrumentality of human ministers and His book, these dark heathens may +become enlightened worshippers of Him. + +We hear that there is a port at the great island of Vanua Levu, where +sandal-wood is to be procured, and we accordingly forthwith sail there. + +Truly it is dangerous work navigating these seas among coral banks in +every direction, some just above water, others three, four, and fifteen +feet below it. It is only when the sun is shining and the sea blue that +we can distinguish the coral, which gives a green tinge to it, under +water. One of us is always stationed aloft to pilot the ship. We have +hitherto escaped. I pray we may, for if we were to wreck the good ship, +these savages would spare the lives of none of us. + +Once more we drop our anchor, and canoes come off to us. We make known +that we have come for sandal-wood, and have axes, and knives, and nails, +to give in exchange. The natives seem so ready to trade that Golding is +quite enamoured of them, but the captain wisely will allow no one to go +on shore. We keep a careful watch as before. The natives, however, +seem very peaceable. They tell Taro that they wish to trade with us, +and be our friends, and tempt us to come back again. The first mate, +Tony Hinks, and others, declare that the captain's regulations are too +strict, and that they ought to be allowed to go on shore. + +Two days pass by, and we are almost ready once more to sail. I am below +talking with Bent and the doctor. Most of the men are forward at their +dinner, the captain, and the first mate, and the watch only being on +deck. There is a loud sound like a blow given on the deck, then a shout +and a piercing shriek. Something is the matter. We seize cutlasses and +pistols, and any weapons we can lay hands on, and spring on deck. +Upwards of a dozen savages are collected there with heavy clubs in their +hands uplifted, and our men are righting desperately with them, but +almost overpowered. The first mate lies dead on the deck near the +companion, and further forward are Tony Hinks and a seaman with their +heads beaten in. The supercargo is defending himself with a capstan-bar +against several savages, while the captain stands in one of the quarter +boats, which has been lowered partly down, pointing a telescope at the +savages, who look at it as if they think it some sort of firearm. Most +of the cannibals turn upon us, and advance furiously with their heavy +clubs. We have, I deem, but little chance of contending with numbers so +overpowering. I hand a cutlass and a pistol to the captain, who springs +out of the boat on deck. Bent stands wonderfully cool, and levelling +his pistols kills two of our assailants almost at the same moment. The +rest hesitate; they have not thought of putting on the hatches, and to +our great relief we see the crew springing up from the forepeak armed +with axes, knives, and harpoons. With loud shouts and threats of +vengeance they rush at the savages, some of whom they cut down, others +they hurl overboard; we from aft join in the onslaught, till the savages +take fright, and in another instant our decks are clear. The guns are +always kept loaded--the captain orders them to be depressed and fired at +the canoes, towards which our late assailants are swimming. Many are +struck, and several of the canoes are knocked to pieces. The greater +number of the people swim to the shore with the greatest ease, diving +when they see the guns fired, or the levelling of the muskets. We make +sail and stand out of the harbour to the west, intending to bury our +chief mate and boatswain in deep water, out of sight of these cannibal +regions. + +Truly it makes me sad to think of these two men thus suddenly cut off, +utterly unprepared to go into the presence of a holy God. They trusted +not to Him who alone could washed them clean. They were good seamen, +but they were nothing else. The captain comes on deck, as their bodies +lie near the gangway, lashed in their hammocks, with that of the other +man killed, and covered up with flags. We read a portion of the burial +service, and commit them to the deep, till "the sea shall give up her +dead." + +The next island we make, sailing north, is Tutuila, one of the +Navigators', or Samoan group. The harbour we enter is Pango Pango. It +is the most curious we have seen. It runs deep into the land, and on +either side are high precipices, some a thousand feet high, with two or +three breaks, by which the waters of the harbour are approached from the +shore. The people come off to us with great confidence in their large +dug-out canoes. They are a brown race, like those of Tahiti. They are +evidently a better disposed people than those we have just left. We +have no fear about going on shore, and meet with civil treatment. Yet +they are great thieves and beggars--the greatest chiefs asking for +anything to which they take a fancy. They are also debased idolaters; +and Taro says they worship fish, and eels, and all sorts of creeping +things. They are also savage and cruel, and constantly fighting among +each other. As to their morals, they are undoubtedly superior to the +people of Tahiti, yet, from the style of their dances, we cannot argue +much in their favour. + +There is much wild and beautiful scenery in the islands of this group, +and as far as we are able to judge, the climate is good. We keep as +usual on our guard, and from what we hear, not without reason, for +numerous articles of dress, and carpenters tools, and iron work, and +chests, and parts of a vessel, have been seen among the people, which +leaves no doubt that some unfortunate ship's company have been wrecked +on their shores or put off by them. Indeed, it is worthy of remark +that, with the exception of Tahiti, there is not a single group at which +we have touched where we have not had evidence that ships had been +attacked or wrecked, and a part, if not the whole, of the ship's company +cut off. In some, only boats' crews have been destroyed, as was the +fate of Captain Cook and his companions, but at several of the islands +several ships' crews have been captured, and the greater number of the +people killed and eaten. Indeed, such is the barbarous heathen and +debased condition of the countless inhabitants of this island-world of +the Pacific, that the navigation of these seas is indeed an undertaking +of great peril. No man can tell when he is safe, or at what moment the +treacherous islanders may not turn round and destroy him, just as they +did Captain Cook, and just as they have treated many other unfortunate +Englishmen since his time. Truly, it may be said, that these islands +lie in darkness and in the shadow of death. There is but one means by +which they can be changed--the sending to them the gospel. Yet my +brother seamen and the traders laugh at such a notion, and people at +home, who ought to know better, call it fanatical nonsense. I do not +wish to set my opinion up against that of others, but there are certain +points where a man can feel that he is right and others wrong, and this +is one of them. The gospel has power to change the evil heart. Nothing +else can do it. That never fails if accepted. God has said it. Why +should we doubt? + +We hear that the people of this place are carrying on war with those of +another island. Some of the chiefs come and invite Captain Fuller to +help them, but he replies, that if they wish to fight, they must fight +among themselves. I would rather he had tried to dissuade them not to +fight at all. We make sail out of the harbour, and are becalmed not far +off a fortress on the summit of a high cliff which is to be attacked. + +It is crowded with the whole population of the island. With our glasses +we can see clearly what is taking place. Soon the canoes from Pango +Pango, and of other tribes, their allies, appear. The people land, and +begin to scale the rock. Numbers are hurled down and killed, but others +climb up. Higher and higher they get. They seem determined to conquer. +I tremble for the fate of the hapless defenders if they succeed. We +can hear their shouts and cries. Some of the assailants have gone round +on the land side. We observe the multitude inside rushing here and +there. Those scaling the rock on our side have reached the summit; +several fall, but now the rest break through the stockade, and rush with +their clubs and spears against the shrieking crowd. The rest of the +invaders have succeeded in gaining an entrance on the opposite side. +The work of death goes on. All are indiscriminately slaughtered--men, +women, and children. The warriors hold together, and fight +despairingly. One by one they fall before the victors' clubs. A breeze +springs up, and we stand clear of the reefs and once more out to sea. +In the last glimpse we obtain of the fort the fighting is still going +on, and thus it continues till the scene fades in the distance. + +"Such is the warfare carried on among these savages," observes Bent. +"Those who are victorious to-day will be attacked by other tribes before +long, and in like manner cut to pieces. In a few years not one of these +numberless tribes will remain. War kills many; but in war, crops are +destroyed, and famine ensues, and kills many more; and disease, with no +sparing hand, destroys numberless others also. A few years hence, those +navigating these seas will find none alive to welcome them." + +The carpenters declare the ship in such good condition that the captain +and supercargo resolve to explore the Loyalty and New Hebrides, and +other groups in that direction, before seeking our final port. These +islands are especially rich in sandal-wood, with which it is resolved we +shall fill up. The first land we make is Mare--one of the Loyalty +Islands--a low coral island, about seventy miles in circumference. The +inhabitants are almost black, and a more brutalised savage race we have +not yet seen. There are four tribes constantly at war with each other-- +the victors always eating their captives. + +Hence we steer north, and bring up in a fine harbour in the island of +Fate, or Sandwich Island. It is a large, mountainous, and fertile +island, with great beauty of scenery. The inhabitants are tall, +fine-looking people, but most debased savages and terrible cannibals. +Here sandal-wood is to be had in abundance, and very fine, so that +Golding is highly delighted, and declares that it is the finest country +he has yet been in. More than once, however, our suspicions are aroused +with regard to the natives, who are, we think, meditating an attack on +us on board, or when we go on shore to bring off the wood. While here I +will write down a brief account of some of these numberless islands in +the Western Pacific, among which we are cruising. + +The largest is New Guinea, to the north of Australia, the inhabitants of +which resemble the negroes of Africa, but are more barbarous. Next, to +the south-east of it, is New Caledonia, also a very large island, with +barbarous inhabitants. To the south-east is the Isle of Pines, and to +the north-east is the Loyalty group, of which Mare is one, and Livu, and +Uea. North-east again, we come to the considerable islands of Aneiteum, +Tana, Eromanga, and Fate. North again, we fall in with the Shepherds' +Islands and the New Hebrides, of which Malicolo and Espiritu Santo are +the largest; and then there are the Northern New Hebrides and the Santa +Cruz group, and the Solomon Islands, and New Britain, and New Ireland, +between where we now are and New Guinea. Then there are the Caroline +group--the isles as thick as the stars in the milky way; and the Ladrone +Islands, and Gilbert Islands, and many others, too many indeed to write +down. I do not say, however, that the countless inhabitants of these +islands do not differ from each other in appearance, and manners, and +customs. Some are almost jet black, and others only of a dark brown, +but in one thing they are similar--they are all equally fierce heathen +savages, and mostly cannibals. + +We have now a full cargo, and Golding rejoicingly calculates that he +will make several hundreds per cent, on the original outlay. He does +not, methinks, reckon the lives of those who have been lost in the +adventure. Having laid in a supply of yams, taro, bread-fruit, +cocoa-nuts, and other roots, fruits, and vegetables, we raise our anchor +for the last time we hope till our voyage is over. The captain and +Golding can talk of nothing but their plans for the future--how they +will return and load the ship with sandal-wood and other valuables. +Whether the captain is thinking more of his speculations than of our +reckoning I know not. He has insisted that we are clear of all danger, +and we are running on at night under all sail before a fresh breeze, +when the cry of "breakers ahead" makes me spring from my berth. Before +the ship can be rounded to she strikes heavily. Again and again she +strikes, and I can hear the coral grinding through the bottom; the masts +go by the board, and the ship lies a helpless wreck on the reef. The +wind has fallen, and, being sheltered by another part of the reef, we +have no fear of her yet going to pieces. We wait anxiously for day, not +knowing whether we may not be near one of those cannibal islands from +whose inhabitants we may expect little mercy. + +Another day has passed. We find a sand-bank some eighty yards across, +close inside the reef. On this, having saved one small boat, we are +landing our stores, and provisions, and arms. + +We set to work to build a small vessel. The men labour diligently, +though they grumble. We, the officers, keep watch over the spirit +casks. Our great want is water. We dig deep, but the little we find is +brackish. + +The schooner is finished, and Captain Fuller proposes steering for Port +Jackson, where there is a convict settlement. + +The schooner is launched, but when we search for a passage to take her +over the reef, none is to be found. In vain we make the attempt. +Everywhere we are baffled. Some of our people almost go mad with +despair. I propose building a large flat-bottomed punt from the deck of +the ship, which can pass over the reef. All agree. + +Our punt is almost completed. We see three objects in the distance, +which prove to be canoes. We are discovered, for they approach. They +are filled with black savages, who keep at a little distance, shouting +and flourishing their spears. We make signs of friendship, but they +still come on. We stand to our arms, and as they begin to hurl their +spears at us, we are compelled to fire; several fall. With loud howls +they paddle off to a distance, watching us. We have little doubt that +they will return. + +The punt is completed and provisioned. We get her over the reef, and +try again to get the schooner across. In vain. We abandon her on the +reef. It is time to be away, for we see a fleet of canoes approaching +from the north. We hoist sail. The sea is smooth, and we glide rapidly +over it, but on come the canoes still faster. They may overwhelm us +with their numbers. Much of our powder has got wet. The men do not +know it though. Happily the savages catch sight of the schooner and our +tent left on the sand-bank. Their eagerness to secure the plunder from +the wreck overcomes every other consideration, and they dash over the +reef, and allow us to proceed unmolested. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +We have been many days at sea; frequent calms and little progress made. +The men are becoming discontented, and several are sick. We have +avoided nearing any land. Several islands have been seen, but were we +to touch the shore, our prospect of escape would be small indeed. Far +better, we agree, to trust to the fickle ocean. No, strange as it may +seem, there is not among all these rich and lovely islands one on which +we dare set foot. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Several of our men have died; the rest are in a state of +insubordination. We are on a short allowance of water, and we fear that +our provisions will not hold out. Our frail punt has been so damaged by +a gale that we can never cease baling. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +[Port Jackson.] When almost despairing that one of our company would +escape to tell the tale of our disasters, a ship hove in sight, took us +on board, and brought us hither. Thus ends our voyage, and all the +bright anticipations of wealth enjoyed so long by Golding and our old +captain--not a log of sandal-wood, not a string of pearls preserved. ... +Bent has told me his history. He feels his heart warmed with gratitude +to the Almighty, who by His grace has preserved him from death of body +and soul, and his whole mind is bent on going home with me forthwith, +and returning to carry the gospel of salvation to the perishing heathen +of the wide-spreading islands we have visited. Surely he could not +devote his strength and life to a more glorious purpose. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +A NOBLE RESOLVE. + +I must ask the reader to return to the scene described in the +introductory chapter, where we commenced hearing the extracts from the +sea journal of old John Harvey. It will be remembered that at our +family gathering at my father's house my brother John was the reader. + +"Father," said my brother John, pausing awhile after he had finished +reading our uncle's journal, "God willing, and with your permission, I +will go and preach the gospel to the heathen of those Pacific Islands." + +"Go, my son," said our father, promptly. "You shall have my prayers +that your preaching may not be in vain." + +"What! go off at once, dear John, and leave us all?" exclaimed several +of the younger members of the family in chorus. + +"I think not," answered John, calmly, with that sweet smile and gentle +voice which gained him so many hearts; "I have much to learn and much to +do before I shall be fitted for the office of a missionary. It is not a +task to be undertaken lightly and without consideration. When a man +charges among a host of foes, he must be armed at all points. A +missionary, too, should be like a light shining amid the surrounding +darkness; he should be able to show the heathen how to improve their +moral and physical, as well as their spiritual condition. He should be +fairly versed in the most useful mechanical arts, and possess especially +some knowledge of medicine and surgical skill." + +"Well, it will take you a good many years before you can do all that, +and perhaps you will change your mind before the time comes," said one +of the younger ones, who did not, as indeed they could not be expected +to do, enter into John's thoughts and feelings on the subject. + +I may say from that very moment John devoted all the energies of his +mind and body to preparing himself for the high and holy calling he had +undertaken. Long, I know, that night he knelt in prayer for grace, and +wisdom, and strength to direct, fit, and support him for the work. +Besides giving much time to his studies at the theological college, he +gained a considerable knowledge of medicine and surgery, and was to be +seen now with saw and plane labouring with a carpenter,--at the +blacksmith's anvil, with hammer in hand, forming a bolt, or hinge, or +axe,--and now at the gardener's, with hoe or spade, planting or digging, +or pruning. Many wondered how his mind could take in so many new +things, or his slight frame undergo so much labour. Few could +comprehend the spirit which sustained him. He grew indeed stronger and +more robust than any one would have supposed he would become. + +I had since my childhood wished to go to sea, and my father allowed me +to follow the bent of my inclinations. I now and then thought that I +ought to go forth as a missionary also; but when I compared myself with +John, and considered his great superiority to me, I gave up the idea, +which I had mentioned to no one, as preposterous. My first two voyages +were to India and China, and when I came back from the second John was +still at college. I remember thinking that he was losing a great deal +of time in preparation. He, however, said that he was gaining time. "A +blunt tool can never properly perform the work. I am getting sharpened, +that I may be used to advantage," was his remark. + +On my return home from my third voyage, he had gone to the Pacific. +Where he was to be stationed was not known. He had not gone alone, for +he had taken a wife to support and solace him. I had never seen her; +but I was told that her heart was bound up with his in the work in which +he was engaged. + +Having now become a fair seaman, I determined to seek a berth as a mate. +An old shipmate and friend had just got command of a fine ship bound +round Cape Horn; and though I had had no previous intention of going to +the Pacific, I was glad to ship with him as third officer. My sisters +had copied out our uncle's journal for John; they now kindly performed +the same task for me. My ship was the _Golden Crown_ a South-sea +whaler, and Mr Richard Buxton was master, belonging to Liverpool. +Things had changed greatly since the days of my uncle John. We had a +definite object: no supercargo was required, and every spot we were +likely to visit was well known, and mapped down in the charts. We had +several passengers--two missionaries and their wives, newly married. I +thought them inferior to John; but they were good men, humble too, with +their hearts in the work. We had also another gentleman, a merchant or +speculator of some sort. What he was going to do I could never make +out. His heart was in his business, and he seemed to consider it of +greater importance than anything else. This made him look down with +undisguised contempt on the missionaries and their work, nor could he +comprehend their objects. "If people want to go to church, let them," +he more than once remarked: "but I don't see why you two should be +gadding about the world to teach savages, who would know nothing about +chapels, nor wish to build them, if you would let them alone, and stay +quietly at home and mind a shop, or some other useful business." + +The missionaries seldom answered his remarks. They continued +perseveringly studying the language of the natives among whom they were +to labour, and prayed with and expounded the Scriptures to all on board +who would join them. I am writing an account of certain events, and not +a journal, so I must suppose the Horn rounded, Chili visited, and +Raratonga, where we were to land the missionaries, reached. This was +the island whose very position was unknown when my uncle visited those +seas, and for long afterwards lay sunk in heathen darkness. It had now +become the very centre of Christianising influences, whence rays of +bright light were emanating and reaching the farthest islands of the +Pacific Ocean. + +I have seldom seen a more attractive-looking spot than Raratonga +appeared as we came off it. In the centre rise mountains four thousand +feet above the level of the sea, with lower hills and beautiful valleys +around them, clothed with every variety of tropical tree and shrub. At +the foot of the hills is a taro swamp, and then a belt of rich country +covered with cocoa-nut, bread-fruit, and banana trees; and then a broad +white sandy beach, and a band of blue water; and next a black broad +coral reef, like a gigantic wall, against which the swell of the Pacific +comes thundering, and rising majestically to the height of twenty feet, +curls over and breaks into masses of sparkling foam. The openings in +the reef are few and narrow, so that no ship can anchor near the +coral-girt isle. Canoes, however came off to us with natives on board, +well clothed, and gentle in their manners, who welcomed the missionaries +with a warmth and affection which must have been very gratifying to +them. + +I accompanied the captain on shore to obtain supplies. We took with us +a chest of suitable goods for barter. An officer met us on the beach, +the appointed salesman of the place, and putting out his hand, said, +"Blessing on you." He then led us to the market-house, where we found +collected a large store of all the chief productions of the island,-- +cocoa-nuts, bananas, potatoes, yams, pumpkins, hops, fowls, eggs, and +many other things. We selected all we required, payment was made, and +the salesman engaged four canoes to carry them off at once to the ship. + +I was but a short time on shore, but I saw enough to wonder at. +Everybody was well clothed,--the men in jackets, shirts, waistcoats, and +trousers, with straw hats, and many had shoes and socks; the women in +gowns, shawls or mantles, and bonnets. There were many stone cottages, +neatly furnished, and others of a less enduring character. There was a +handsome stone church, and an institution, a substantial stone building, +for training native youths for the ministry, surrounded by cottages, the +residences of those who were married; while gardens and cultivated +fields were seen on every side. Such, I was assured, was the condition +of the whole island, there being ample church and school accommodation +for all the inhabitants, provided entirely by themselves. I saw also an +excellent printing-press, at which several editions of the whole Bible +had been printed, as well as commentaries, and numerous other works, and +issued well bound, almost the whole work being performed by native +youths, whose fathers were wild savage cannibals, as indeed were all the +natives when first visited by the Reverend J Williams, in 1823, and such +they would have remained, had not Christian missionaries arrived among +them. + +I have fallen in with many seafaring men who have abused the +missionaries in no measured terms, and I have read books written by +educated men who have done the same, and I was not quite decided whether +they were right or wrong till I went to the Pacific. Then I discovered +why those men abused the missionaries. Where the missionary has +laboured faithfully, the natives will not desecrate the sabbath, and +will not pander to the gross desires of their civilised visitors. That +is the secret of their dislike to the missionaries. + +Again, however, I have met many masters of whalers and numerous officers +of the Royal Navy who have spoken and written in the highest terms of +the missionaries, and acknowledged that the change which has been +wrought through their instrumentality has been most beneficial to the +cause of commerce as well as humanity; and that whereas where formerly, +if a ship was wrecked, the destruction of her crew was almost +inevitable, now through nearly the whole of Eastern, and a considerable +portion of Western Polynesia, they would receive succour, and sympathy, +and kindness. Still there are many--very many--dark places both in +Eastern and Western Polynesia, and no Christian soldier need sigh, like +Alexander, that no more worlds remain to be conquered. + +During our voyage to Raratonga I learned a great deal more about the +progress made by the missionaries of the gospel in these seas, which, +while the _Golden Crown_ lies off the island, I will briefly describe. + +The London Missionary Society was established in 1795, and in the +following year it sent forth, on board the _Duff_, a band of twenty-nine +missionaries, who landed at Tahiti, one of the Society Islands, March, +1797. Some went on to Tongatabu, the chief of the Friendly Islands, and +two to Christina, one of the Marquesas. The savage character of the +inhabitants of the two last-named groups prevented success. At +Tongatabu three missionaries were murdered, and the rest made their +escape, as did those at the Marquesas. At Tahiti they were received at +first in a friendly way by the chiefs and people; but for several years +very little real progress was made in instructing the people in the +truths of Christianity. Indeed, at one time all the missionaries, in +despair of success, in consequence of the unceasing wars of the natives, +sailed for New South Wales. Favourable reports, however, reaching them, +some returned, and from that time forward slow but steady progress was +made, though it was not till the year 1815 that Christianity was firmly +established, and idolatry almost completely abolished. The year 1817 +was memorable on account of the arrival of two of the most distinguished +missionaries who have laboured among the isles of the Pacific--the +Reverend J Williams and the Reverend W Ellis. + +Mr Williams, who combined a wonderful mechanical talent with the most +ardent zeal for the propagation of the gospel, soon after took up his +abode at the island of Raiatea where by his example he advanced the +natives in the arts of civilisation, at the same time that he instructed +them in the truths of Christianity. The natives of the Society Islands +having sincerely accepted Christianity, became anxious to spread the +good tidings among their heathen neighbours. A considerable number +prepared themselves for the office of teachers. Some went forth to the +Paumotu Group, or Low Archipelago, to the east; others to the Austral +Isles, to the south; and others, among whom was Papehia, accompanied Mr +Williams on a voyage to the Hervey group. His first visit was to +Aitutaki, where some native teachers were left, by whose means the +natives became Christians. + +After paying a second visit to Aitutaki, Mr Williams sailed in search +of Raratonga, of the position of which even he was uncertain. He was +accompanied by Papehia, and by some natives of Raratonga, who had been +carried away by a trading vessel from their own island, and cruelly +deserted on Aitutaki. Among them was Tapaeru, the daughter of a chief, +who had become impressed with the truth of Christianity. At length +Raratonga was discovered, and the native teachers were landed; but had +it not been for the courage and constancy of Tapaeru, they and their +wives would have been destroyed on the first night they were on shore. +Sadly disconcerted, they returned next morning on board, and the +enterprise was about to be abandoned, when the devoted Papehia stepped +forward and volunteered to return on shore. + +"Whether the natives spare me or kill me, I will land among them," he +exclaimed. "Jehovah is my Shepherd--I am in His hand." Clothed in a +shirt, with a few yards of calico in which he had wrapped some portions +of the holy Scriptures, the intrepid pioneer landed alone among a host +of heathen warriors, who stood on the reef with their spears poised +ready to hurl at him. He had not trusted in vain. He persevered, and +soon a powerful chief, Tinomana, turned to the truth, and burned his +idols. + +Again Mr Williams came to Raratonga--this time to remain for many +months, to see Christianity established, to erect a large place of +worship, and to perform one of the most wonderful tasks I have ever +heard of a man single-handed doing. It was to build in three months a +schooner of eighty tons, without one single portion of her being in +readiness. He taught the natives to cut down, and saw, and plane the +wood; then he erected a bellows and forge for the smith's work, which he +performed himself; a lathe to turn the blocks, a rope-making machine, +and a loom to manufacture the sail-cloth. All the time he laboured, he +taught the wondering natives in the truths of Christianity. In three +months from the day the keel was laid, this prodigy of a vessel was +safely launched, and named "_The Messenger of Peace_." She proved a +seaworthy, trusty little vessel, and from island to island, across many +thousand miles of water, she was the means of conveying numerous +missionaries of the gospel of peace to their benighted inhabitants. + +First, several islands of the Hervey group were visited by her, and then +she sailed for Raiatea; whence, after remaining some time, she once more +sailed with a party of English missionaries and native teachers on a +long voyage, calling at the Hervey Islands, then at Savage Island, where +an unsuccessful attempt was made to land teachers. Next, she called at +Tongatabu, already occupied by missionaries of the Wesleyan Missionary +Society. Then she steered north for Samoa, known as the Navigators +Islands. Here Mr Williams and his companions met with a most cordial +reception from the chiefs and people, and teachers were soon established +on several of the islands. The Wesleyans had before sent some +missionaries to Samoa, but in a truly Christian spirit, worthy of +imitation, they agreed to yield the group to the care of the London +Missionary Society, while they devoted their exclusive attention to the +Friendly and Fiji groups. They had made great progress among the +Friendly Islanders, and the king himself had become a Christian, when it +was resolved to attempt the conversion of the Fijians. Between Tonga +and Fiji a constant intercourse was kept up, and thus the way seemed +opened to carry the gospel to the latter group. There was also no lack +of interpreters, an important advantage at the first. The first +missionaries to Fiji were established on the island of Lakemba, where, +in spite of great opposition, they laboured on faithfully and steadily, +extending their efforts to other islands, till finally the Cross was +triumphant even at Mbau, the blood-stained capital of the group, where +the cannibal monarch himself, the dreaded Thakombau, became a Christian. + +In the meantime, the inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands had heard of +the gospel from English and American ships visiting the group. No +sooner did King Rihoriho ascend the throne than he decreed that idolatry +should be abandoned, because he had discovered that his idols could not +benefit him; but he knew little or nothing of the Christian religion. +At that very time, however, the American Board of Missions had sent out +a band of missionaries to them, who on arriving to their joy heard that +the idols of Hawaii were overthrown. They were, I believe, chiefly +Episcopalians. + +While these glorious events were taking place in Eastern Polynesia, the +Church Missionary Society had sent forth missionaries among the fierce +cannibals of New Zealand. They were joined by several Wesleyans, who +together laboured with so much perseverance and success, that a very +large number of the inhabitants became acquainted with the truths of the +gospel. Numerous well-trained native teachers have gone forth from +Tahiti and Raratonga to the surrounding isles, and many of them to the +Loyalty and New Hebrides groups, and other parts of Western Polynesia. +Following this example, the Bishop of New Zealand has brought natives +from a large number of the islands in Western Polynesia, which he has +visited, and having instructed them, at a college he has established +near Auckland, is sending them back, to spread among their countrymen +the truths they have learned. Thus Christianity has begun to spread +among the dark-skinned races of those almost countless islands. To +carry the gospel to them had been one of the energetic Williams's +darling schemes; and it was while carrying it out that, landing at +Eromanga, he, with a young missionary, Mr Harris, was barbarously +murdered by the savage natives. Still the Society persevered, and +missionaries have been established at several of the islands, and many +of the natives have become Christians. Among these islands several +Presbyterian missionaries have been established, who have laboured +steadily and successfully in the Lord's vineyard. Thus several sections +of the Protestant Church have been engaged cordially together in +instructing the heathen nations of the Pacific in a knowledge of the +truth, and in many instances the Holy Spirit has richly blessed their +efforts. Still there are many hundred islands the inhabitants of which +remain in gross darkness, while a large portion of those who have been +converted require instruction, support, and the correction of errors. +Much is done through native agency, but still the superintendence of +well-educated and well-trained English missionaries is required at even +the most advanced settlements to act as overseers or superintendents. + +Having now given a very brief account of the progress of Christianity +since those midnight hours when my uncle sailed in these seas, I may +commence my personal narrative. It must be understood that I have +somewhat anticipated events in the above account. At the time my +narrative commences, Christianity, though advancing, had not made the +great progress it has since done, and many of the islands which are now +entirely Christian, were then only partially so, heathen practices +prevailed, and the heathen chiefs had still influence and power. It is +daylight over these regions, but nearer the dawn than noon. Many a year +must pass away before the full blaze of the light of truth will shine +from east to west across the vast Pacific. I must not forget to mention +the impediments which the priests of Rome, chiefly Frenchmen, endeavour +to throw in the way of the progress of the pure faith in Christ. To +gain an influence with the natives they wink at many of their vices, +they teach them an idolatrous faith, and try to prejudice them against +the Protestants. + +Having performed our contract at Raratonga, landing the missionaries and +their goods, we sailed for our fishing ground in the south, where we +were tolerably successful. Whale catching is very hard work, and at +length it became necessary to return north, to obtain fresh provisions +and to recruit our crew. Our captain had resolved also to try his +fortune on the fishing grounds in the neighbourhood of the New Hebrides +and the other Western Archipelago. + +"A sail on the starboard bow," cried the look-out man, from aloft. I +was officer of the watch. We were far away from land, and meeting with +a strange sail is always a matter of interest in those seas. I went to +the mast-head with my glass, and made out that the sail was that of a +large double canoe. We kept away for her, not doubting that she had +been driven far out of her course. Of this the sad spectacle which met +our eyes as we drew near convinced us. On her deck were numerous +savages--some grouped together in the after part, others lying about in +different places, or leaning against the mast, and some apart in every +variety of attitude. Many appeared to be dead or in the last stage of +existence. Some few lifted up their hands imploringly towards us. +Others shook their spears and clubs, which they held in their +fast-failing grasp, possibly unconscious of what they were doing--the +ruling passion being, with them as with others, strong in death. The +ropes of their mat sail had given way, and it no longer urged them on. +It was necessary to approach them cautiously, for, though the savages +had but little strength left, they might, in their madness, attack us. +We lowered two boats, and, with our men well armed, pulled up to them. +As we got nearly alongside, some of the people in the after group rose +from their seats, and one endeavoured to drag himself towards us. He +was a young man--a light-coloured Indian--tall and handsome, and, unlike +most of the rest, clothed in jacket and trousers. The others moving, +showed us a young girl of the same light hue, reclining on a pile of +mats. She was clothed; her head was adorned with a wreath of coral, and +her arms and ankles with strings of beads. She struck me at once as +being very beautiful, though, as I saw her nearer, I perceived that her +eye had lost its lustre, and that her face was wan and emaciated. The +canoe was a very large one, capable of carrying a hundred and fifty +people, though not more than sixty were on board, and of that number +nearly half lay dead or dying on the deck. It was easy to divine what +had become of the rest. The young man made a sign that he would speak, +and pointing to the girl, he said, in a husky voice, "Save her, save +her! she Christian!" and then sunk exhausted on the deck. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +THE DESTRUCTION OF THE IDOLS. + +The canoe, it was evident, had met with some severe weather, and she +could scarcely, we considered, have held together had she encountered +another gale. We lost no time in getting the survivors into the boats. +The suspicions of the warriors were soon calmed by the explanations of +the young man, and they allowed us without resistance to lift them on +board. The chief's daughter, or young princess, she might have been +called, was less exhausted than many of the strong men. I lifted her up +with care, and placed her on her mats in the stern sheets, and pulled +back as fast as we could to the ship, that the sufferers might have the +advantage of our surgeon's assistance. Having removed the sinnets, +mats, and other articles with which she was loaded, we abandoned the +ill-fated canoe, and stood on our course. I asked the doctor what he +thought of the state of the Indians. "The princess and her attendants +require careful nursing, and so does that young man, but for the rest +who are still alive I have no fear," he answered. "The greater number +died for want of water. They had no lack of food, I suspect." I looked +in his face, and shuddered at the answer he gave. Several days passed +by before the young man who had addressed us in English was again able +to speak. He spoke but a few words of English, but enough to let me +understand that his name was John Vihala, that he was related to the +young girl, daughter of the chief or king of one of the islands; that +her name was Alea; that she had become a Christian; but that her father +and most of the family remained heathens. She had been betrothed (as is +the custom, at an early age) to a powerful chief of a distant island, +still a heathen and a cannibal; and, notwithstanding all her prayers and +entreaties, her father insisted on her fulfilling the contract. She, in +due state, accompanied by several of her relations and female +attendants, was placed on board the canoe, which sailed for its +destination. At first the wind was propitious, but a fierce gale arose, +which drove the canoe out of her course for many days before it, till +those on board were unable to tell in what direction to steer to regain +their own island. Another gale sprang up, which drove them still +farther away, and then famine began, and sickness, and then water +failed, and death followed, and despair took possession of even the +bravest. Alea's chief relations died, but she and Vihala were +wonderfully supported. While their heathen companions lost all hope, +they encouraged them, spoke to them of their own religion, and +endeavoured to teach the truths of the gospel. + +Much to my satisfaction, Captain Buxton agreed, on hearing their story, +to take them back to their own island. I do not mention the name of the +island for reasons which will appear. It took us some days to beat up +to it. It was a lovely spot, of volcanic formation, with lofty +mountains in the centre, and in most parts clothed with the richest +vegetation. Alea and her female attendants were by this time able to +come on deck. Her astonishment at seeing her native island was very +great, but her satisfaction was less than I expected. I asked Vihala +the reason of this. "She expects to be sent again to her intended +husband," he answered, in a melancholy tone. I suspected that Vihala +loved his young cousin, nor was it surprising that he should do so. +They were of the same faith, and pity for the sad condition to which she +would be reduced if the wife of a heathen chief, would have made him +wish to free her. We anchored the ship in a secure harbour, and at once +sent Vihala and several natives on shore as a deputation to the chief, +to inform him of the arrival of his daughter. + +After some time, they returned with the announcement that the chief +would receive us, and that his daughter would be welcome. We found him +seated under a wide-spreading tree, on a bundle of mats, in great state, +with numerous lesser chiefs and attendants standing on either side of +him. His only clothing was a piece of native cloth wound round his +body, and he looked every inch the savage. We expected Vihala to act as +interpreter, but when we approached the chief, a person whom we supposed +to be a native, though he had a rougher and more savage appearance than +the rest, and had on as little clothing as they, advanced a few steps, +and informed us in undoubted English, or rather Irish, that he had the +honour of being the king's prime minister, and that it was his duty to +perform that office. His name was Dan Hoolan (a runaway seaman, we +found), and he had been fifteen years on the island, and was married and +settled with a family. + +After we had made our statement, poor Alea was allowed to approach her +father, which she did in a humble posture, with fear and trembling. He +manifested very little concern at seeing her, and directed her to be +conducted to her mother's cottage. I was anxious to know how Alea and +Vihala had become Christians, and asked Dan if he had taught them. "No, +indeed, I have not," he answered drawing himself up. "I hope that I am +too good a Catholic to teach them the sort of religion they know. There +is a sort of old missionary fellow comes over here who has taught them, +and he has left a native teacher here, who does nothing but abuse me +because I do not make the king here _lotu_, and do not _lotu_ myself, as +they call it, and give up my wives, and make myself miserable." From +this speech of Dan Hoolan's, I had no difficulty in understanding the +state of the case. The wretched man would not give up his own sins, +and, therefore, tried to keep the chief in heathen darkness. It would, +however, be impolitic to quarrel with him, or, rather, wrong, because +the so doing would have increased the difficulty of bringing him round. +I should explain that the term _lotu_ means becoming a nominal +Christian. + +"But I thought, friend Hoolan, you said that you were a Christian," I +remarked quietly, looking fixedly at him. + +"So I am inwardly, of course, mate," he answered, with a wink he could +not suppress. "That is to say, a right raal Catholic, as my fathers +were before me, with nothing of your missionary religion about me; but +just on the outside, maybe, I'm a heathen, just for convenience sake, +you'll understand." + +I did not press the subject then, but being interested about poor Alea, +I inquired if he could tell me how her father would treat her. + +"Why, send her on to her husband, of course, mate," he answered, with +the greatest unconcern; "it's the right thing to do." + +"But the chief to whom she is to be given is a heathen and a cannibal, +and old enough to be her grandfather," I remarked. + +"Maybe, but it's the rule; we don't set much value or women in this part +of the world," observed the prime minister; "I might have married her +myself for that matter, but it would have brought on a war with the old +chief for whom she is intended, so I did the right thing, do ye see, +mate, and let it alone." + +I now turned the subject, and asked what assistance he could give in +refitting the ship and supplying fresh provisions. He was immediately +in his element, and showed himself in worldly matters a shrewd, clever +fellow. Everything now seemed to go on smoothly, and the repairs of the +ship progressed rapidly, while we had no lack of fresh provisions. We +soon discovered that another double canoe was fitting out to carry Alea +to her intended husband. My heart bled for the poor girl, and I would +have done anything to save her, I thought over all sorts of plans. They +were, however, needless, for the next morning I heard that she had +disappeared. No one knew where she had gone. At first I feared that +her father had sent her off secretly; but Hoolan's rage and undisguised +fears of the consequences which might occur when the old chief +discovered that he had lost his bride, convinced me that such was not +the case. I suspected that Vihala might have had something to do with +it when I found that he had disappeared about the same time. We were at +first suspected, but I convinced Hoolan that we had had nothing to do +with the matter. + +Several days passed, and not a clue was gained as to what had become of +the young princess. One evening, when the men had knocked off work, as +I was sitting under an awning on deck, I saw a large canoe entering the +harbour. It struck me that it might contain the old chief come to claim +his bride; so, as it was not my watch, I jumped into a boat and went on +shore to see what would happen. As the canoe drew near, however, I saw +that instead of her deck being crowded with tattooed, naked, and painted +warriors, dancing, and shouting, and sounding conch-shells, all the +people on board were well clothed, while in the after part stood a +venerable-looking man with long white hair escaping from under his +broad-brimmed hat, and by his side a young lady, both evidently +Europeans. I at once naturally walked towards the part of the beach +where they would land, and waited for them. No sooner did the canoe +touch the shore than several natives from the crowd rushed forward, and +lifting the strangers on their shoulders, bore them, with every +demonstration of respect, to dry ground. I at once went forward and +addressed them in English, and was warmly greeted in return. The old +man said he came from a station about fifty miles off. The young lady +was his daughter. They had come over on a periodical visit to the +Christian converts of this island, and were much concerned to hear that +Vihala and the young princess had disappeared. + +"They should have abided the storm," the old man remarked. "I will go +see this heathen chief, and try again if by God's grace his heart may be +softened." + +I undertook to get Pat Hoolan out of the way, as it was evident that all +his influence was exerted to prevent his master from becoming a +Christian. I had fortunately arranged to transact some business with +him about this time; so, leaving the missionary addressing the people +under a cocoa-nut tree, I hurried up to the king's village, and without +much difficulty persuaded Hoolan to accompany me on board. I kept him +there as long as I possibly could. Meanwhile the missionary sought out +the chief, and found him willing to listen while he unfolded the story +of the gospel. A long time the two conversed; and for the first time +the benighted savage heard the message of salvation. Gradually the +truth interested him, and he began to turn a more favourable ear to the +missionary's exhortations than he had ever before done. + +"Ah, would that I had Vihala with me," he would frequently exclaim to +the missionary. "When you are gone he would instruct me further in the +wonderful things I hear." But neither Vihala nor Alea were to be found. +He had driven them forth, there could be no doubt, by resolving to +unite his daughter to a heathen chief; and yet was Vihala free from +blame in carrying off the young princess? The heathens said that they +had committed suicide, and were drowned, but judging from Vihala's +generally consistent character, I felt sure that that was not the case. + +From the first I had felt myself drawn very much towards the venerable +missionary. His gentleness, yet firmness of manner, his utter negation +of self and devotedness to his Master's cause were very remarkable. His +tender love for his daughter, too, was very beautiful. She returned it +with the deepest affection and devotion. Accustomed as I had been to +the endearments of a happy, well-ordered home, I was sensibly touched by +it, and took every opportunity of being in their company. It may appear +curious that three days had passed before I learned the name of the good +old man. Everybody called him the missionary, spoke of him as the +missionary,--thrice-honoured name! In the same way he knew me only as +the mate. He had a house assigned to him by the chief, which, by being +partitioned off into three chambers, was made tolerably habitable. I +was one evening drinking tea there with him and his daughter, when I +happened to mention my name. + +"What! are you any relative to that devoted missionary, John Harvey?" he +asked. When I told him that I was his brother, "Ah, that accounts for +your having so friendly a feeling for missionaries," he observed. + +"I learned to respect missionaries, and to see the importance of their +work, long before my brother became one," I answered; and I then told +him of my uncle's journal, which I promised to bring on shore to show +him. He was evidently much interested, and made many inquiries about +it. + +"Does he mention the name of Joseph Bent?" he asked suddenly. + +I remembered well several circumstances connected with that person. + +"I am the very man," he exclaimed, grasping my hand. "Oh, how much do I +owe to that excellent man! He saved my life; but he did far more,--he +brought the truth before me,--he showed me my own vileness by nature; +and thus, by his instrumentality brought by grace to trust in Jesus, has +my soul been saved. Can one man owe a greater debt to another than I +owe to him? I had begun to like you for your own sake, and for that of +John Harvey I shall ever regard you as a son. Your uncle was an example +of the good a true Christian layman can effect in his ordinary course in +life. Those on board every ship in which he sailed benefited by his +presence, not so much from what he said as from what he did, from his +pure and bright example; for he was a man of few words under ordinary +circumstances, though he could speak on occasion, and well. Many by his +means were brought to know Jesus, and to serve and love him as their +Lord and Master. When John Harvey left the sea and went to live on +shore, he devoted his whole time to doing God's service, and great has +long since been his reward." + +This was indeed an interesting discovery. It was gratifying to me to +hear the fine old man speak thus of my uncle, as I was sure the praise +was not undeserved. As I looked at him, too, I felt how great is the +power of grace. I saw before me the drowning youth snatched from the +very jaws of death, and of eternal death, too, and allowed to spend a +long life in making known to the heathen the inexhaustible riches of +Christ. From that day I naturally looked on Mr Bent as an old friend, +and was more than ever with him. Indeed, I confess that I was thus +drawn into a more intimate acquaintance with his daughter Mary than +would have been otherwise the case, and to discover and admire her many +excellences. + +The missionary was never idle during his visit to the island, and in a +week after his arrival the king declared openly that he could no longer +withstand the arguments he brought forward in support of his religion, +and that he was resolved to lotu. Hoolan, who had been tipsy for some +days, or as he called it, enjoying himself, was very indignant when he +recovered and heard this, and hastily going to the king, advised him to +wait till the arrival of some Roman Catholic priests, who were the +proper persons to whom to lotu; but the king replied, that the advice of +a man who had been making himself no better than a hog was not worth +having; that he had heard what he was sure was true from the missionary, +and that therefore he should become of the missionary's religion. To +show his sincerity, he resolved to destroy his gods and burn their +moraes, or temples. His great regret was that his daughter and Vihala +were not present to see the work done. The missionary urged him to lose +no time. It was impossible to say what a day might bring forth. It was +not a thing to be done lightly. The missionary visited the king the +evening before the ceremony, and many hours were passed in prayer and in +reading the Scriptures. + +The next morning the king, attended by some of his principal chiefs, and +all those who had already professed Christianity, assembled at an early +hour, armed with axes and clubs, and firebrands, and ropes, and +proceeded to the principal morae, or temple. The heathens also +assembled, and stood at a distance trembling, in the expectation that +something dreadful would happen. As the king approached the morae, some +of his own followers even drew back, and formed a knot at a distance. +They had been taught that their gods were full of revenge and hatred, +delighting in doing harm to mortals. As Mr Bent considered it to be +most important that the natives should destroy their idols themselves, +we also stood some way off watching proceedings. The king advanced, +exclaiming, "Jehovah is the true God--these are but senseless blocks of +wood. See!" As he uttered the last word he struck the principal idol a +blow which brought it to the ground. He then rushed at another, several +of his chiefs following his example, and in a few minutes every idol was +overthrown. [See Note 1.] All the time it was interesting to watch the +attitudes and gestures of the heathen, who were evidently under the +expectation that fire would come down from heaven, or that the earth +would open and destroy their impious chiefs. Their astonishment was +proportionably great when nothing of the sort happened, and when the +iconoclasts, fastening ropes round the senseless logs, dragged them +ignominiously forth, while others of the king's followers applied their +torches in all directions to the morae, and set it on fire. While the +conflagration was at its height several of the idols were thrown into +it, and speedily consumed; others were dragged down to the sea, where +blocks of coral were fastened to them, and they were put on board +canoes, ready to be carried into deep water and sunk; while the +remainder we secured, to be sent home as trophies won by the soldiers of +Christ. The king and the chiefs dragged them up to us, shouting as they +did so, "The reign of Satan is at an end--the reign of Satan is at an +end." So far I could agree with them that his kingdom was shaken to the +foundation, as it always is where the free gospel is introduced. + +Just at this juncture Hoolan, who had remained on board all night, came +on shore. His astonishment gave way to rage, and walking up to the +king, he shook his fist in his face, and asked him how he dared lotu to +the missionaries, and not wait for the arrival of the Catholic priests +whom he expected? The chief, accustomed to the eccentricities of his +late prime minister, answered calmly: + +"Because the reign of Satan is over. The missionaries told us news +which we know to be good, and we have believed them. When the priests +you speak of come, will they tell us better?" + +Hoolan had nothing to say; he soon got calm again, and observed, as he +turned on his heel, "Well, I only hope that you'll be after getting on +as well under your new system as you did under mine, that's all." + +The king made no reply. He steadily progressed in his knowledge of the +Scriptures, and gave very hopeful signs that he was really converted. +No men could be more scrupulous as to receiving converts in name as +really converted than were all the missionaries I met; and I boldly +declare that very many of the newly converted could give a better reason +for the faith that was in them than can, alas! a very large number both +of young and old with whom I have conversed on the subject in England. +There still remained, however, a strong heathen party in the island, +under the leadership of a warlike and fierce chief, who was very likely, +we feared, to give the king a good deal of trouble. It was necessary, +however, for Mr Bent to return to his station. He says that, although +called by the natives a missionary, he was not employed by any society, +but felt it a privilege to help on the good work, supporting himself by +trading, and supplying necessaries to the ships that touched at the +island where he had fixed his residence. On asking him about some of +the places mentioned in old John Harvey's journal, he said he could tell +me of wonderful works of God which he had either witnessed himself, or +of which he had heard from those in whose reports he could place the +fullest confidence. I need scarcely say how much I felt the idea of +being parted from him and his daughter, and I bethought me that I would +ask permission from the captain to carry them back in our largest boat. +It was at once kindly granted, as a much safer mode of conveyance than a +native canoe. I was very happy at being able to pay this last mark of +attention to those I so much esteemed; and having made every arrangement +I could think of for their comfort during our short voyage, I received +them on board at the earliest dawn, in the hopes that we might reach the +station before night fell. How true is the saying, "Man proposes, God +disposes." Oh that men would therefore throw all their cares on the +Lord, remembering alway that "He careth for us." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Note 1. In the early Missionary Reports wonderful narratives are given +of the speedy destruction of idolatry in many of the islands. With too +sanguine hopes, some of the missionaries spoke of these revolutions as +the result of religious zeal, and even quoted the prophecy of "a nation +being born in a day." A few years' experience taught them that in many +instances the first profession of Christianity was due to various +influences, and that the people with impetuous impulse followed the +example of their chiefs. Not without prayerful labour and long patience +did the missionaries at length obtain precious fruits of spiritual +conversion from the good seed sown in these regions. The statement in +our narrative only expresses what was often true as a historical fact. +In "Brown's History of Missions," volume two, will be found some of the +more remarkable instances of the sudden overthrow of idolatry. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +VIHALA'S NARRATIVE. + +The missionary and his daughter were on the beach attended by a number +of natives, among whom was the chief, so lately a fierce heathen, now +deeply affected at the thought of parting from his friend. As the boat +drew near, they all knelt down and offered up prayers, reminding me +forcibly of the departure of Paul the apostle from Miletus. It was a +deeply interesting sight. In the centre was the venerable missionary +with his silvery hair, his daughter kneeling by his side, while around +were the king and other chiefs and people, with many women and children. +My men without my orders lay on their oars till the prayers had ceased. +We then pulled in, and my friends embarked, when the natives burst +forth into a hymn, and as we rowed away from the land, we continued to +hear it still growing fainter and fainter, till the sound was lost in +the increasing distance. We then set our sails and glided swiftly and +pleasantly over the sparkling waters. I felt very happy. I would not +think of the separation to take place, and determined to enjoy the +society of my friends to the utmost. This, perhaps, prevented me from +observing as carefully as I might have done the signs of a change in the +weather. I believe, however, that Mr Bent, who had more experience as +a seaman in this ocean than I possessed, had perceived but he said +nothing. The wind suddenly dropped, then it sprung up again, then once +more dropped, and the boat scarcely moved through the water. At last it +fell altogether, and the sun's rays struck down with intense violence. +My men, however, willingly took to the oars, and we proceeded slowly on +our course. Still the island was far away, and I lost all hopes of +reaching it before dark, though I could not persuade myself that there +was any danger to be apprehended. Mr Bent, however, more than once +cast a look round the horizon, anxious more on his daughter's account +than his own. We had lowered the sail, for it was useless keeping it +set. Suddenly Mr Bent exclaimed, "Here it comes, round with her head, +David." I looked up, and saw a foam-covered sea rolling towards us. I +placed the boat's head so as to receive it, while the men pulled on +steadily as before. The question was whether they would be able to +continue so doing. The gale was coming from the west, and should it +blow with the same fury for any length of time, we might be driven far +away to the east without falling in with any land where shelter could be +found. I was thankful that my friends were not on board a native canoe. +It would have fared much worse with them. We had the means of finding +our way, and might beat back when the weather moderated. Mary behaved +with beautiful composure when the sea came seething and hissing up +alongside us. "This is only one of the trials and dangers to which +missionaries are exposed," she observed. "We should bear it patiently +and trustfully." + +"Trustfully!" How seldom employed, how still less frequently made a +practical use of. That one word described much of her character. + +The gale soon reached its height; the sea, lashed into fury, seemed one +mass of foam, and broke over us so frequently that every instant I +expected the boat to be swamped. Two men baling could scarcely keep her +free. Our only chance was to run before it, for the strength of the +crew no longer availed to keep our small craft's head to wind. The +danger of getting her round was very great; should a sea strike her on +the beam, it would have rolled her over helplessly. I gave exact orders +what was to be done--one man to hoist the foresail, two to pull round +with the starboard oars, the rest to spring aft so as to throw the +greatest weight into the stern of the boat, thus allowing her head to +come round more rapidly. I waited till a heavy sea had rolled past, and +then before we had sunk to the hollow I gave the word. For the first +time Mr Bent and his daughter turned pale. The boat flew round, and +seemed to be climbing up the ascent towards the crest which had just +hissed by, and then on we darted with the small patch of sail we could +show to the gale. + +On, on we went, the huge seas rolling up astern of us, and appearing as +if they would come down and overwhelm us. During all my nautical career +I had never been in an open boat exposed to such a gale, though +frequently in a big ship, and even then I have felt the helplessness, +the nothingness of man. Still more sensibly now was it brought before +me--"He commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the +waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down to the depths; +their soul is melted because of trouble. Then they cry unto the Lord in +their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses." The +missionary was repeating those lines, which come so home to the +Christian sailor's heart; and at his exhortation, we offered up our +united supplications for protection in our sore distress. To the few +solemn words which he spoke, the seamen listened earnestly. They knew +that at any moment they might be summoned away. I felt an unusual +calmness. I may say that I had no fear: I knew the danger, and yet I +believed that we should be preserved. + +On, on we drove, farther and farther to the east, our view now confined +to the sides of the two seas, in the dark trough between which we +floated, seemingly about to be swallowed up, and now lifted on the +summit of a foam-crested billow to the tumultuous mountain masses of +water which madly leaped and danced one beyond the other till lost in +the line where the murky sky sunk over the seething caldron. We had an +abundance of provisions on board, but for many hours anxiety prevented +any one of us from wishing to partake of them, even the rough seamen +seemed indifferent about the matter. At length, however, Mr Bent and I +agreed that Mary ought to take some food, which, after a blessing had +been asked for, she did, the rest of the party following her example. + +We all felt wonderfully refreshed, and hope revived in the hearts of the +most desponding. Still we could scarcely dare to conjecture by what +means we should be saved. We could not conceal from ourselves that the +gale might continue to blow for many days, and that we might be driven +far away to the east, whence a long time would be occupied in returning, +or that we might be thrown on one of the numberless coral reefs of those +seas, or hurled against some rocky shore and be dashed to pieces, while +we knew that any moment some cross sea might strike us and send us to +the bottom. I have heard of people's hair turning grey in a single +night. The anxiety I began to feel the moment I allowed myself to dwell +on our too possible fate would quickly have turned my hair grey, and yet +directly I turned my gaze upward, and put my trust in Him who said to +the waves, "Peace, be still," all my anxious fears vanished, and hope +came back strong as ever. The missionary all the time maintained the +most perfect and beautiful equanimity, not speaking much, but +occasionally offering a few words of encouragement to his daughter. She +looked up in his face and smiled. + +"I have no fear," she said, calmly. "We cannot be separated, dear +father. Should the ocean overwhelm us, we shall together begin a joyful +eternity. You have taught me that our Redeemer liveth. `I know in whom +I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I +have committed unto Him against that day.'" This hope gave her courage +when others would have shrieked with fear. + +The gale continued, the boat driven before it. The night approached. +Darkness came down on the face of the waters. Oh, the horrors of that +night. The sea roared and hissed, and we knew that those mountain waves +were following us as before, though the sight could scarcely distinguish +the vast watery masses which, in the obscurity, seemed doubled in +height. That a delicate girl should exist through the time appeared +indeed surprising; yet, anxious as I was, I could discover no failing of +strength or energy in her. + +When the sun went down, the missionary had called on us all to join in +prayer. At midnight he did so again, thereby comfort and consolation +being brought to the souls, I believe, of all of us. He then offered to +take the helm, to allow me a short sleep, which nature much required. +The instant my hand was off the helm, I dropped down and was fast +asleep, too soundly even to dream. I was awoke by a cry from the men, +and starting up, I beheld a sight sufficient to alarm the stoutest +heart. Before us in the direction the men were gazing, as we rose to +the summit of a sea, appeared in the grey light of morning a long row of +breakers unbroken apparently for miles, the sign of a coral reef. The +sea, hurled against it, rose to a height so great in a wall of foaming +water that it was impossible to see beyond whether there was land or +not; indeed that was a matter of indifference I felt, as the boat must +be dashed to pieces and overwhelmed the instant it reached those fearful +breakers. These were the thoughts which flew rapidly through my mind as +with the first impulse of waking I looked ahead. My next was to turn +round, when I saw the venerable missionary standing up on the after seat +gazing earnestly ahead, while his daughter clung to his legs in her +anxiety lest he should be thrown overboard with the violent movement of +the boat. + +I could not help being struck, even at that moment, with the appearance +of the old man, so calm and collected, and so earnest as he kept his eye +fixed on some object ahead. "Courage, courage, friends! God will find +us a way to escape," he cried out, at length. "An opening appears in +the reef; yes, yes, the boat is heading in for it." As he spoke, I +observed a dark spot in the wall of foam which an unpractised eye would +not have discovered. As we rushed on towards the breakers, it increased +in width till I felt assured that it was indeed an opening, and now +beyond it appeared the tops of palm, pandanus, and other trees of those +regions, giving us the assurance that we should find land and a haven +where we might rest secure from the storm. Still, humanly speaking, our +peril was fearful. The greatest skill and judgment were required to +guide a boat in a direct course across the tumultuous sea on which we +floated. But looking up at the calm countenance of the missionary, as +he called me to his side, I had no doubt about the result. On we flew. +On either side appeared those walls of foam; one narrow space alone was +to be seen where the waves rushed in unbroken by the resistance of the +reef. We mounted to the summit of a vast billow--it seemed as if it +were about to hurl us on the reef. In another instant we must be +struggling helplessly amid that foaming mass of water I heard a cry of +despair from more than one of my men. But no, the boat's head again +turned towards the opening, and gliding down the billow we dashed +through it, and saw on either side a comparatively smooth lagoon +extending between the reef and the shore. The sheet was immediately +hauled aft, and we ran along parallel with the beach in search of a +favourable place for landing. We could scarcely judge of the size of +the island, but we supposed it to be about three miles in length, and a +mile or two in width, but Mr Bent did not know its name nor the +character of its inhabitants. + +The question now arose as to whether they were the treacherous savages +and cannibals most of the islanders of those seas were till the +introduction among them of Christianity, and would attempt our +destruction as soon as we landed, or whether they would receive us with +kindness and hospitality. As yet we had seen neither houses nor people; +but a smooth beach appearing, with a natural quay of rocks, we resolved +to land. We stood in towards the shore, and soon found a calm dock, +into which we ran the boat and secured her. With thankful hearts we +stepped on the dry land, when the missionary exclaimed, "Let us, dear +friends, return thanks to God for the merciful deliverance He has +vouchsafed us." Following his example, we all knelt in prayer, bursting +forth at the end in a hymn of thanksgiving. While we were thus engaged +a sound made me look up, and I saw emerging from among the cocoa-nut +trees a band of unclad Indians with long hair and beards, and armed with +spears, and bows, and clubs. That they were still savage heathens there +could be no doubt. However, as emerging from the wood they saw us +kneeling, they stopped, apparently watching us with the greatest +astonishment. Not till we rose from our knees did they again advance. +Flourishing their weapons, however, with frightful gestures, they rushed +towards us. Happily they did not shoot their arrows. Mr Bent called +out to them, but so loud were their shrieks and cries that his voice was +not heard. We had a couple of muskets and a fowling piece in the boat; +but so completely wetted had they been, that I doubted if they would go +off, even had there been time to get them. We waved our handkerchiefs +and lifted up our hands, to show that we were unarmed, and desired their +friendship; but they disregarded all our signs, and came rushing on. +Our destruction appeared inevitable. + +"It's hard lines to lose our lives by these savages, after escaping all +the dangers of the seas," exclaimed one of my men near me. + +"Friend, God knows what is best for us," said the missionary, calmly. +"His will is never really hard, though we may think it so. Trust in +Him." + +Mary was clinging to her father's arm, ready to share his fate. I stood +by her side, resolved to defend her to the last. The savages were close +upon us, when another person appeared from the wood, flying at full +speed towards us, shouting at the same time in a loud voice to the +savages. He was fully clothed in native fashion, and at first I thought +that he was a chief, till, as he came nearer, I recognised in him our +missing friend Vihala, the Christian teacher. The natives stopped when +they became aware of his approach, and, finding that we made no +resistance, contented themselves with standing around us, till he, +rushing through them, cast himself down at the feet of the missionary, +sobbing with joy at again seeing him. He then turned round to the +natives, telling them that we were their greatest friends, and had left +our homes and come from a far-off land to do them good. He spoke in a +manly, authoritative tone, and greatly to our relief the savages at once +retired, watching us at a distance. Mary's first inquiry was for Alea, +in whom she took a great interest. "She is here, and safe," answered +Vihala; and he then briefly recounted the way in which they had been +brought to the island. + +When first escaping, their intention had been to visit Mr Bent, and to +get him to intercede with Alea's father, and to try and conciliate the +heathen chief to whom she was betrothed: but the small canoe in which +they had embarked being driven out of its course, they were unable to +find their way back, and finally reached this island. The weather had +greatly moderated before they got near it, or their frail canoe would in +all probability have been dashed to pieces on the reef. They found a +passage similar to that by which we entered, and with fear and +hesitation approached the beach. Still they had no choice; their water +and food was expended, they were suffering from hunger and thirst, and +their limbs were cramped and chilled, and they must land or perish. +Their chief hope was that the island was not inhabited; for they knew +too well the savage character of the people of most of the islands +surrounding their own to have much hope of escaping without being either +killed or made slaves. They had little doubt that there were +inhabitants, from the fertile appearance of the country, and as their +canoe touched the beach a number of savages darted out of the wood and +surrounded them. They cried out that they had come with no evil intent, +and that they had some news of great importance to announce to them. +Notwithstanding this, the savages showed an inclination to maltreat +them, and were proceeding to rifle their canoe, when another party +appeared on the stage. Vihala at once saw that they were chiefs or +people of consideration, and immediately thereupon cried out, and +entreated that their lives might be spared. The chiefs, for such they +were, came forward, and with some interest asked numerous questions in +their native tongue, and soon there commenced a most affectionate +rubbing of noses all round, and Vihala discovered with great +satisfaction that the chiefs were his own relatives, who had left their +native island some years previously, and were supposed to have been +lost. Alea, as the daughter of the king, they treated with even more +consideration than Vihala. + +Most providential was the influence the young people were thereby +enabled to gain over their savage countrymen; nor did they fail to +endeavour immediately to exercise it for good. This was clearly one of +God's ways of working, and one which has been more than once employed in +Polynesia. They had glorious tidings to give,--to describe the new and +beautiful religion brought to them by people from a far-off country, who +had left their native land, their homes, and their families for love of +their souls, in obedience to the loving, merciful God whom they served. +Some listened, rejoicing in the news; others would not understand, and +many turned aside altogether. A small band had, however, been taught by +the Spirit to acknowledge Jesus as their Saviour, and they now welcomed +heartily the missionary who had at first brought the glad news into that +region. Vihala was able to repeat many of the words of truth, which +were dropped as seeds in the hearts of the people. The conduct of Alea, +even in her living in a different part of the island from Vihala, +excited their curiosity and gained their attention. So admirable an +example had they set, and assiduously had they laboured, that many of +those who had become Christians were already well instructed in the +faith, and could give a reason for the hope that was in them. Even the +heathen party appeared to have no enmity towards them; when they heard +that we were people of peace, and anxious only to do them good, they +showed their friendly disposition by bringing us provisions, and in +preparing a house for our reception under the direction of Vihala. + +Alea was on the other side of the island when we arrived, so that we had +been on shore some time before she appeared. The meeting between Mary +and her was very affecting. She threw herself into Mary's arms, and +sobbed aloud with joy, exclaiming, "Oh, my sister, my sister,--my more +than sister,--my teacher, my mother, my soul's friend!--and have I found +you again? Do I once more hear that dear voice,--do I once more kiss +those sweet lips which have told me such holy truths? Ah me! I have +gone through much pain and terror, and sorrow and suffering of the +spirit, and I have done very wrong, I fear; but I think that I am +forgiven, because that I am allowed once more to see you in this +wonderful way." + +Often have I since thought of the words uttered by that young +unsophisticated child of nature, so lately a child of Satan, and the +remarks made by the venerable missionary to me:--"`My soul's friend!' +Do we, with all our learning, and knowledge, and religious privileges, +thus measure the value of our friends? How many of our friends are our +soul's friends? Oh, as we value our souls, let us try and find out and +cling to those which are so. Do we value most the lips which tell us +holy truths or those which speak to us pleasant words,--flattering +words? Let us seek, my friend, those only whose lips ever speak to us +holy truths,--who will tell us of our faults,--who will not flatter with +their tongues." + +I will not repeat more of his remarks, but I may mention that, like all +faithful pastors of the Lord's flock, he never lost an opportunity of +inculcating the truth, of exhorting of advising. He knew the value of a +soul in his Master's sight. The chiefs assured us that our boat would +be safe; so having unloaded her, we hauled her up on the beach, and left +her in charge of some natives, with whom it was arranged my men should +lodge till we were again able to put to sea. I took one of them with me +well armed, as I was myself; for I own that I did not like altogether to +trust the missionary and his daughter alone among the savages, the +greater number of whom were still heathen in all their notions and +customs. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +A LOVING WELCOME. + +We now set off with Alea and her friends through the woods to the other +side of the island. The natives kept at a respectful distance, the +children peeping at us out of the entrances to their huts or from behind +the trees, we being the first white people they had ever seen. We +reached at length the shore of a beautiful sandy bay, where in a grove +of cocoa-nuts we found Vihala busily employed in forming divisions in a +large native hut to suit our requirements. So assiduously had he and +his Christian converts worked, that it was almost ready for our +reception. The people began immediately to assemble round us, expecting +that the missionary would address them, as Vihala had been accustomed to +do, but he told them that we were weary from our long voyage and needed +rest, as indeed we did. "No, no, my friend," said Mr Bent, "do not +send the people away till we have bestowed on them some portion of the +bread of life." On this, greatly fatigued though he was, the missionary +spoke to them in plain and simple, yet in tender and glowing words, of +the great love of God for a perishing world, which caused Him to send +His only Son down on earth, that all who believe in Him should not +perish, but have life everlasting. Many wept and cried out that they +were sinners, and entreated that he would talk to them again of this +matter as soon as he was able. + +After an ample repast, provided by the natives, we retired to rest +without fear, for we felt that we were watched over by One who never +slumbers nor sleeps. I do not believe that I ever slept more soundly in +my life. + +The next morning the people again assembled to hear the missionary +deliver his message, his glad tidings of great joy, and glad tidings +indeed they were to many of those long-benighted beings. They had never +dreamed of a God of love; their only notion of a superior power was one +which inspired them with awe and terror. I have frequently observed +that the unsophisticated minds of savages grasp the simple and glorious +truths of the gospel with an avidity and a power of comprehension which +would be surprising to those who have been accustomed week after week +and year after year to set the same truths before those to whom they are +familiar. As I heard Mr Bent and Vihala addressing the people, whose +upturned eager earnest countenances I watched, my heart glowed within +me, and I longed to be able also to spread the same glad tidings among a +race so eager to receive them. Mary Bent was not idle either, for she +had collected round her a number of young women and girls, to whom she +was telling the same truths in a way calculated to fix them on their +memories. + +I deeply regretted that we could not remain on the island till some at +least had been thoroughly instructed in the doctrines of Christianity, +but it was clearly my duty to return as soon as I possibly could to my +ship. "Find out what is right and do it, independent of all other +considerations," was a maxim in which I had been instructed. Mr Bent, +although more anxious to remain for some time longer even than I was, +saw things in the same light I set to work, therefore, with my crew to +prepare our boat for sea, so as to commence our return voyage directly +the storm should cease and the sea become calm. + +A week, however, elapsed before I considered that we might safely +venture to put to sea. When the natives heard that we were about to +take our departure, they entreated with tears that we would remain some +time longer. Finding that they could not prevail, they then of their +own accord begged that Vihala might be left with them. This was a sore +trial to him, for Alea had been convinced that it was her duty at once +to return to her father, and the separation was grievous to both. Still +the path of duty seemed clearly marked out for them. There was no +hesitation. Vihala felt that he could not abandon those who had been so +lately taught to know the truth, and who so much needed further +instruction. The young people consoled themselves that they might soon +again meet to be united for ever. "Fear not, dearest," said Vihala. +"Let us put our trust in God. We are doing our duty. He always +protects those who do that." Still, though they thus bravely spoke, +they were both deeply affected at parting. + +A large multitude of the natives accompanied us to the beach, and +earnest prayers were offered up for our safety. Mary and her friend +were already in the boat, when there was a cry among the crowd, which +opening in the centre, several men appeared dragging by ropes what +looked like logs of wood. "Here, take these things," they shouted. +"These were once our gods--we are ashamed of them; but they will serve +to show the people of other lands that we are no longer what we were, +trusting to blocks of wood and stone, but disciples of the true God, who +made the heavens, and the earth, and all things therein. Take them-- +take them with you, or cart them into the sea, so that we may never +behold them again." The boat was already fully loaded; but we could not +refuse this request, so fixing one at the stern, and another at the +bows, and some smaller idols under the seats, we, thus freighted, pulled +out through the reef and made sail for the mission station. + +The wind was light, and we could scarcely expect to accomplish the +voyage within three days. As however the boat was large, we were able +to fit up a small shelter, in which Mary and Alea could sleep with +tolerable comfort while the weather was fine. The conversation of Mr +Bent I found of unspeakable advantage. He and I kept watch and watch, +though I insisted on keeping five to his three, not to run the risk of +fatiguing him overmuch. I remember, during a midnight watch, feeling +some uneasy sensations come over me with occasional shivering, but at +the time thought little of it. + +The second morning dawn had just broken, when I saw in the distance an +object, which, as we neared it, proved to be a large double canoe. +Where she could have come from, and what was the character of the people +on board I could not tell, and this caused me no little anxiety. Still, +without going much out of our course, it would be difficult to avoid +them. I awoke Mr Bent, and we agreed to sail directly on, taking no +notice of them, unless the people showed a friendly disposition. In a +short time we got near enough to ascertain without doubt that she was +crowded with heathen warriors, who were indulging themselves in every +conceivable variety of violent gesticulation. We had too much reason to +believe that they would attack us. Our men loaded the firearms, but I +hoped that we might avoid having to fight for our lives. Providentially +the wind was light. Under sail the canoe could beat us hollow, but we +could pull faster than she could. I accordingly ordered the oars to be +got out, so as to avoid her if necessary. Suddenly, however, as she got +close to us down came her sail, and all the warriors prostrated +themselves on the deck, where they remained as we glided by. Had we +been alone we should have boarded them, but with Mary and Alea on board, +we felt it more prudent to avoid them. + +The wind soon again springing up, on we sailed, and as long as we could +distinguish the people on the deck, they were seen still lying down as +they were when we passed. The cause of this strange behaviour did not +till then strike me, when my eye fell on the hideous idol in our bow, +and I found many months afterwards that I was right in my conjectures, +when I met with one of the men who had formed the crew of the canoe. He +and his companions were among the most ferocious of the cannibals of the +Pacific. On seeing us they had borne down upon us intending our +destruction. When, however, they saw the two hideous idols stuck up at +either end of the boat, they were impressed with the idea that some +powerful gods were on a cruise, or about to visit some new country, and +completely awestruck, they dared not examine us further. Thus were we +delivered from another great danger. It was not till we were out of +sight of the war-canoe, that Mary and Alea awaking, we told them of what +had occurred. The Indian girl trembled, as well she might, for there +was much reason to suppose that it belonged to the heathen chief to whom +she was betrothed, and that had she been discovered she would have been +carried away as a prisoner. Again a feeling of illness came over me, +for which I could not account, but I exerted myself and succeeded in +overcoming the sensation. + +Our voyage continued prosperous though our progress was slow, and it was +not till the morning of the fourth day that we sighted the high land +above the missionary station. As we sailed in through an intricate +passage, under the guidance of Mr Bent, we saw people collecting on the +beach. He stood up and waved to them with his daughter resting on his +arm. A minute passed, when it was evident that he was recognised, for +there was an immediate hurrying to and fro--numbers rushing down to the +beach from all quarters, clapping and stretching out their hands, and +leaping, and dancing, with other demonstrative gesticulations; and as we +got closer we could hear them shouting forth their welcomes, and then a +song of gratitude and praise arose from the mouths of the many hundreds +collected together. The reception was truly touching and gratifying. +"Oh, how they love my father!" said Mary. Those words spoke volumes. I +did not propose allowing myself more than an hour on shore, intending to +start immediately for my ship. + +Scarcely, however, had I walked ten paces than I tottered, and should +have fallen had not Mr Bent and some of the natives caught me; and I +found myself carried away to his house. My impression was that I was +dying, and Mr Bent insisting that he would not allow me to undertake +the voyage, I begged that my men would return to the ship. As the +coxswain was a steady fellow, and the wind was fair, I had no anxiety as +to their finding their way. The boat, therefore, immediately sailed, +and I was left alone at the missionary station. I have ever felt that +it was providential my illness seized me when it did, for had I +embarked, I do not believe, humanly speaking, that I should have +survived. I use the term providential, at the same time that I believe +nothing happens to us which is not subject to God's providing care. For +many days Mr Bent believed that my life hung by a thread, as the +expression is, and it was owing, as far as human means were concerned, +to his and his daughters watchful care that I recovered, and to his +knowledge of medicine. + +I do not wish to trouble the reader of this narrative with more than is +seemly of my personal affairs, but I must briefly refer to what proved +the happiest event of my life. After having seen so much of Mary Bent, +I felt that no pain could be greater than that of having to part from +her, and I found also to my joy that she had given me her affection. We +at once told all to Mr Bent. + +"My only regret, if I have one, David, is, that you are not a +missionary," was his reply. "I had wished Mary to have become the +helpmate of one entirely devoted to the glorious service of our Lord and +Master." + +"But, sir, surely without being set aside exclusively for the work of a +missionary, I may labour not without effect in the Lord's vineyard," I +answered, promptly, for I had often read and often felt how much might +really be done by a Christian layman in the cause of Christ. + +"True, true, David, and I pray God that you and many more like you may +thus labour in whatever course of life you are called," answered the +missionary. "I believe you, indeed I may say that I know you, to be (as +far as one man can judge another) a true and sincere Christian, or no +consideration would induce me to entrust my child to you. I do, +however, give her to you with confidence that you will watch over her +spiritual, as I am assured you will over her temporal welfare." + +I will not repeat more that Mr Bent said to me on the occasion. The +exhortation he then uttered I have repeated often to others. Husbands +and wives, do you watch over each other's spiritual welfare? Are you +each jealously watchful over every word and action which may lead the +other into sin? With whom do you associate? In what sort of amusements +do you indulge? What sort of places do you prefer to visit? In these +matters your consciences do not accuse you. Very well. But do you pray +together, and pray aright? Do you read the Scriptures together? Are +you constantly pointing out to each other the heavenward way? Do you +more earnestly desire each other's salvation than all the wealth the +world can give, than all earthly blessings? Have you assured yourselves +that you will meet together before the great white throne clothed in the +bright robes of the Lamb? Surely those alone are truly happy and fitly +matched who can answer yes, yes, in a joyful chorus, to such questions. + +It would be profitable if I could repeat many of the remarks made to me +from time to time by Mr Bent. "How sad it is that seamen are generally +so ignorant of their awful responsibilities, and of the immeasurable +amount of good they have it in their power to effect in the Christian +cause during their visits to foreign lands," he one day observed to me. +"Ay, alas! and to think of the immeasurable amount of harm they by their +too general conduct produce. Thousands and thousands of professed +Christian seamen are found every day in the year at seaports inhabited +by heathens. Into what disrepute do they too generally bring +Christianity, instead of exhibiting its beauty and excellence by the +propriety and correctness of their lives--I will not say, as I could +wish, by their purity and holiness. + +"It is impossible to calculate the amount of harm nominally Christian +seamen have produced among these islands of the Pacific. There have +been bright exceptions, especially among the British ships of war +happily commanded by Christian officers; Sir Everard Home, Captain +Waldegrave, and others--names that will ever be honoured among the isles +of the Pacific. Several masters of whalers and merchantmen also have +come here and done credit to the Christian character; but the larger +number, with their crews, have done incalculable mischief to the hapless +natives, and when they have found their evil practices opposed by the +missionaries of the gospel, they have wreaked their revenge by spreading +on their return home reports intended to injure them, and to prevent the +spread of Christianity among the isles of the Pacific. God ever +protects those labouring earnestly in His cause; and although these +reports have done little harm at home, they will have to render up a +tremendous account for their own doings among the inhabitants of +Polynesia. The missionaries and their supporters only desire that those +at home should read their statements as well as the reports of their +traducers, feeling assured that every impartial judge will pronounce a +verdict in their favour. The missionaries to the Pacific desire that +their fellow-men should approve their proceedings, not for their own +sakes (for to their Master they joyfully and confidently commit their +cause), but that their so glorious cause may not suffer, and may obtain +the required support." + +But to return to my narrative. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +THE ROMANCE OF MISSIONS. + +I have not described the mission station where I had spent the last few +weeks. It was beautifully situated on gently rising ground backed by +lofty hills wooded to their very summits. Here and there dark and +rugged masses of rock might be seen peeping out from amid the trees and +streams of sparkling water falling down their sides far away below into +basins of foam, and then taking their course in rapid, bubbling rivulets +towards the blue sea. The windows of the house, which were very large +to admit a free current of air, and were shaded by a deep-roofed +verandah, looked on one side up towards the hills, and on the other over +the boundless ocean. The interior was a pattern of neatness. The +furniture, though simple, was pretty and well made, with snowy white +curtains to the windows and beds, and green blinds to keep out the glare +of that hot clime. The verandah ran completely round the house, and a +thick thatch of leaves formed a roof which effectually prevented the +sun's rays from penetrating below. In front was a pretty flower-garden, +and in the rear a well-stocked kitchen garden, producing in perfection +all the native vegetables, fruits, and roots, as well as many from +Europe. The islanders there saw even their own fruits and roots +increased in size, and improved in flavour by careful culture. Near it +was a cool grove of cocoa-nut palm and bread-fruit trees, through which +a fresh current of trade wind was continually blowing. + +The church, although built by the natives of wood--under the direction +of course of Mr Bent--was a commodious and imposing edifice. The +school-house was also a large and neat building. In its neighbourhood +was a long street of cottages inhabited by natives, constructed after +the plan of the teachers' dwellings--some of stone or rather rock coral, +and others of wood--all having both flower and kitchen gardens, while +round the settlement were extensive fields where the chief food for the +support of the community was produced. Of the many missionary stations +which I have visited, all are more or less like the one I have +described. The missionaries have thus not only taught the natives of +these wide-scattered islands the truths of the gospel, but by +practically showing them the very great advantages which civilised men +possess over savages, they have induced them to become industrious, and +to learn those elementary arts by which alone their civilisation can be +advanced and secured. However, it must be remembered that very few +communities are so favourably placed that they can advance far in +civilisation unless they have the means of exchanging the produce of +their labour with that of other people, and on this account Mr Bent was +very anxious to obtain another vessel in lieu of one which had been +lost, so that he might enable the natives under his special charge to +trade with other islanders, and might at the same time convey +missionaries and teachers wherever they might desire to move. + +I offered to assist in building such a craft--a schooner which could be +easily handled--and afterwards to take command of her should the _Golden +Crown_ not return for me. In the event of her appearing, I hoped that +still Captain Buxton would give me my discharge; but should he be +unwilling to comply with my wish I purposed returning out to the island +as soon as possible, that I might marry Mary Bent, and then commence the +very important undertaking I had proposed. + +That no time might be lost, we forthwith drew out the plan of our +vessel. I was still unable to move about to assist Mr Bent; he, +however, at once set the natives to work to cut down the necessary +trees, and to prepare the timber. When we remembered how much that +great and good missionary, Williams, had accomplished single-handed, we +agreed that we ought not to be daunted by any difficulties which might +occur. We had already an ample supply of tools, a carpenter's and a +blacksmith's workshop, and several of the younger natives had become, if +not perfectly skilled, at all events very fair artisans; indeed, fully +capable of performing all the rougher work, both of wood and iron, which +would be required. Indeed, I may say, that in a great degree they made +up for their want of skill by their teachableness and anxiety to do +their work in a satisfactory manner. They understood as clearly as we +did the importance of the undertaking, both on account of the worldly +advantage it might prove to them, and the benefit of a religious +character the vessel might convey to others. The more I saw the work +progressing as I lay helpless on my couch, and the more I thought of the +benefit, not one alone, but a fleet of such vessels, might prove to the +Pacific isles, the more eagerly I prayed for my recovery, that I might +take my share in it. It was indeed a joyful day when at length I was +able to go out and join the rest, even although only for a short time, +in the work. + +I had brought my uncle's journal with me that I might lend it to Mr +Bent, as I felt sure that he would be interested in reading it. "The +perusal of that manuscript has caused me tears of joy and thankfulness," +he observed, as he returned it to me. "Wonderful, under God's +providence, are the changes which have been wrought among the +inhabitants of a large portion of Polynesia since the time of which he +wrote. They have indeed truly been called from out of darkness into +light; and even those who have not been converted, benefit by the light +which shines among them. The description he gives of their spiritual +condition and of the scenes which were constantly enacted among them is +indeed most true. You see what they have become; you see order and +civilisation prevailing among those who were considered the most savage +and debased; places of worship, educated and enlightened ministers, +well-regulated schools, a large proportion able to read the word of God +in their own tongue; but you are not acquainted with the means by which +this glorious change has been wrought--with what may be called `the +transition state' of Polynesia. One of the chief reasons why people at +home are incredulous as to the present condition of these islands is, +that they are ignorant of the events which have occurred, and of the +nature of the instrumentality which has been employed. They say that +man could not have done it, and, therefore, that it cannot have been +done. They are right in saying that man could not have done it, but it +has been done by the Holy Spirit of God working by means of human +agency; weak things have indeed been employed to confound the strong." + +I was seated with Mr Bent and his daughter at our evening meal--the +labours of the day being over--enjoying the cool sea breeze, which +blowing through the room afforded us that strength and refreshment which +our frames, exhausted by the heat, greatly required. I assured him how +thankful I should be to have the account he offered, confessing that +except with respect to the islands at which we had touched, and where I +could judge of the changed state of the people, I was still very +ignorant of the condition of the principal part of the inhabitants of +Polynesia. Indeed, I owned, that had I believed the accounts given in +two works we had on board, I should have supposed that the inhabitants +had rather suffered than benefited by the advent of missionaries among +them, and that from being light-hearted, happy beings, they had become +morose, discontented, and inhospitable. I mentioned Kotzebue's "Voyage +round the World," in which work the author abuses the missionaries in +unmeasured terms, and another by a Mr Beale, the surgeon of a South-Sea +whaler, who, in a book full of valuable descriptions of whales, and the +mode of catching them, loses no opportunity of showing his dislike to +missionaries, and the principles they have inculcated on their native +converts. + +"Yes, indeed," said Mr Bent; "I might mention several other works of a +similar character, which, I believe, have prevented many persons from +supporting missions to these seas, or served as an excuse to them for +not doing so; but I also have many works written by men of high +standing, and thoroughly unprejudiced as witnesses, who do full justice +to the labours of my missionary brethren, or rather, I would say, to the +results which by their instrumentality have been produced. The Hon. +Captain Keppel (now Admiral Yelverton), of HMS _Meander_, who visited +these islands in 1850, will, I know, speak in favourable terms. Captain +Erskine, of HMS _Havannah_, has done so in a very interesting work on +the `Islands of the Pacific' Captain Wilkes, of the United States navy, +in his `Voyages round the World,' speaks most favourably of the result +of missionary enterprise; and so indeed do many other naval officers of +both nations. I myself must be considered as an impartial witness to +the magnitude of the work which has resulted from the labours of the +agents of the various societies which have sent the gospel of peace to +the islands of these seas. On being rescued from more than death by +your uncle I was received back as a returned prodigal by my family, and +was enabled to pursue a course of studies which would fit me for the +work to which I had resolved to devote myself. My father, when he +consented to my wishes, made the proviso, however, that I should not +connect myself with any religious body for the purpose, or act as the +agent of any missionary society, but that I should go forth by myself, +relying on the funds which he would place at my disposal. While he +lived he supported me liberally, enabling me to marry and to bring out a +wife to be the sharer of my toils, and on his death he left me an income +which has been sufficient, with that derived by my own labours, for all +my wants. I have thus been able, by means of the little vessel I spoke +of, to move about among the islands as I judged best, and often to +render assistance to brother ministers of various denominations, whose +work had become too great for their strength. I do not speak of the +mode of proceeding I adopted, to induce others to follow in the same +course, but simply to explain how it is that you find me unattached to +any missionary society, and yet acquainted with the transactions of all +those labouring in this part of the world. I propose, my young friend, +that you may the more clearly understand the present spiritual condition +of these Pacific isles, to give you a brief sketch of what I consider +the four great prominent events which have taken place connected with +them, and almost immediately, I may say, under my own eye--events of +importance unspeakable, as marking the signal overthrow of Satan's +power. First, the declaration by the king of Tahiti, one of the +Georgian Islands, of his conviction of the truth of Christianity, and of +his desire to become a servant of the true God, on the 12th June, 1812, +just fifteen years after the arrival of the missionaries in that group, +followed immediately by the open profession of several natives of +Tahiti. The second event occurred in November, 1819, when King +Rihoriho, of Hawaii, one of the Sandwich Islands, in one day breaking +through the most revered of heathen customs, set fire to the temples, +and destroyed the idols, a few months before the arrival of the +missionaries, who were then on their way to attempt the conversion of +his people. The third event occurred in 1829. It was the conversion of +a powerful chief of the Friendly Islands, who afterwards became King +George of Tonga. Some time before this, two Tahitian teachers connected +with the London Missionary Society, on their way to Fiji had resided +with Tubou, chief of Nukualofa. Under their influence and instruction +Tubou gave up the Tonga gods, destroyed the spirit house, and erected a +place for Christian worship, in which he and his people, to the number +of two hundred and forty, assembled to listen to Divine truth in the +Tahitian language, on the 4th of February, 1827. He was not, however, +baptised till 1830. A fourth event, which appears still more wonderful +to those who know the man than any I have before mentioned, was the +conversion of the fierce and proud cannibal, King Thakombau, of Bau, the +most powerful among the chiefs of Fiji, on the 30th April, 1854. He +may, indeed, be considered the king of all Fiji, for all the other +chiefs are either his vassals, or vassals to those who acknowledge him +as their chief. Although a large number of the inhabitants of the +group, of all ranks, had embraced Christianity before the king, yet his +conversion more especially marked the triumph of the truth in Fiji, and +proves the power of the gospel to change the heart of a man, however +benighted, savage, and bloodthirsty he may have been. + +"To these more prominently important events may be added the +establishment of a church at Raratonga, in May, 1833, ten years after +the landing of the first native teacher, which went on increasing till +the entire population had been brought under Christian instruction. + +"Still more important than the former events was the arrival of Messrs. +Williams and Barff at Samoa, with a band of native teachers, in 1830, at +the moment when Tamafaigna, a despot, who united the supreme spiritual +with great political power, and whose boundless sway presented a most +formidable barrier to the introduction of the gospel, had just been +slain, and their cordial reception by Malietoa, a chief of an acute and +inquiring mind and amiable disposition, who himself, with his sons, and +their wives and children, soon afterwards renounced their superstitions, +and destroyed the only idol found in Samoa. The population, when the +missionaries landed, amounted to forty thousand, who, though not so +cruel and bloodthirsty as that of other groups, were still sunk in the +lowest depths of pagan ignorance and misery. + +"I have watched too the partial establishment of Christianity among the +native inhabitants of New Zealand, and its extension thence northward, +as also from the east among the islands of Western Polynesia--the New +Hebrides, New Caledonia, and the Loyalty and Britannia Islands. Still +the great work is progressing. New labourers are appearing in the +field. From all directions the heathen are crying out for instruction +in the wonderful gospel, and more and more labourers are required to +supply their urgent wants. A very remarkable feature in this great work +is the mode in which it has been accomplished. The number of educated +white men engaged in it has been comparatively very small. The most +unexpected results, the greatest triumphs have been brought about +through native agency. The natives of the Society Islands and Hervey +group especially, instructed by English missionaries, and inspired by +the Holy Spirit, have, with love in their hearts for their perishing +brethren and a burning desire for their conversion, gone forth, braving +all perils, some to the surrounding, others to far distant islands, and +their language being similar, they have at once been able to address +their heathen inhabitants. Many have died from sickness, others have +been murdered by those they came to help, but the remainder have +persevered till they have seen the cause of the gospel triumphant. + +"Oh, Mr Harvey, I wish that others were impressed as I am with the +awful thought that day after day thousands upon thousands of heathen are +perishing in darkness and sin who might, did their Christian fellow-men +use more exertion, have had the glorious gospel preached to them, and +have been brought to see the light. I will illustrate the remarks I +have made," said Mr Bent, "by examples as they occur to me, keeping, as +much as my memory will allow, to the sequence of events." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +To the testimonies referred to in the foregoing chapter may be added +that given by Dr Seemann, in "Viti: An Account of a Government Mission +to the Vitian or Fijian Islands in the years 1860-61." He was sent out +by the English Government to ascertain the fitness of the group for the +production of cotton. He was absent only thirteen months from England, +and had time not only to sow the seed, but to pluck the cotton which it +produced. Speaking of the missionaries to the group, he says: "It was +all up-hill work; yet results have been attained to which no +right-minded man can refuse admiration. According to the latest +returns, the attendance on Christian worship in 1861 was 67,489, and +there were 31,566 in the day-schools. For the supervision of this great +work the Society had only eleven European missionaries and two +schoolmasters, assisted by a large class of native agents who are +themselves the fruits of mission toil, and some of whom, once degraded +and cannibal heathens, are becoming valuable and accredited ministers of +the gospel." Dr Seemann is a naturalist, and certainly is not +prejudiced in favour of the Wesleyans, or of any other religious body. +His evidence is therefore of more value. A description of the condition +of Fiji as it was is sickening; and yet it is necessary to show the +depth of depravity to which human nature can sink, and the glorious +change which the gospel can work even in savages such as these. They +were constantly at war with each other, and often fought for no other +purpose than to procure people for their ovens. They have been known +even to bake men alive. Often a town was attacked, and all the +inhabitants, sometimes four or five hundred in number, were slaughtered. +When the son of a great chief arrived at manhood, it was the custom to +endue him with his _toga virilis_ on the summit of a large heap of +slaughtered enemies; and the whole population of a town was ruthlessly +murdered for no other purpose than to form such a heap. + +When a chief received a visit from a brother chieftain, if he had no +captives ready to kill, he would kill some of his own slaves, or send +out to catch some men, women, or children from a neighbouring island, or +from among his own people. Indeed, no man, whatever his rank, was safe; +and hundreds thus lost their lives every year, that the cannibal +propensities of the chiefs might be gratified. + +Infanticide was common among the chiefs as well as among the lower +orders; and mothers, abandoning all natural affection, considered it no +crime to kill their children. It was an ordinary matter for children to +bury their aged parents alive; and fathers and mothers have been known +to bury alive their grown-up sons who might complain of illness, or have +become weary of life, stamping down on their graves with the greatest +unconcern. + +On the death of a chief his favourite wives were invariably strangled +with him. Numerous slaves also were killed, to form his band of +attendants to another world; and a great cannibal feast was also held. +Human victims were offered to their obscene deities by their priests in +their temples, groves, and high places. When a house was to be built +for a chief, four live slaves were placed in deep holes to support the +corner posts, when the earth was filled in on them, that their spirits +might watch over the edifice. When a large canoe was to be launched +victims were clubbed, or the canoe was drawn over their living bodies +like the car of Juggernaut, crushing them to death. For the slightest +offence a chief would club to death one of his wives, or any of his +people, and feast afterwards on their bodies. + +But enough has been said to show the character of the people of Fiji. +They are, especially the chiefs, tall, handsome men; and though their +skin is black, they have not the features of negroes. They are also +very intelligent, active and energetic. + +Dr Seemann says, page 77 of his work, "Until 1854, Bau, which is the +name of the metropolis as well as of the ruling state, was opposed to +the missionaries, and the ovens in which the bodies of human victims +were baked scarcely ever got cold. Since then, however, a great change +has taken place. The king and all his court have embraced Christianity; +of the heathen temples, which by their pyramidical form gave such a +peculiar local colouring to old pictures of the place, only the +foundations remain; the sacred groves in the neighbourhood are cut down; +and in the great square, where formerly cannibal feasts took place, a +large church has been erected. Not without emotion did I land on this +blood-stained soil, where probably greater iniquities were perpetrated +than ever disgraced any other spot on earth. It was about eight o'clock +in the evening; and, instead of the wild noise which greeted former +visitors, family prayer was heard from nearly every house. + +"To bring about such a change has indeed required no slight efforts, and +many valuable lives had to be sacrificed; for although no missionary in +Fiji has ever met with a violent death, yet the list of those who died +in the midst of their labours is proportionately great. The Wesleyans, +to whose disinterestedness the conversion of these degraded beings is +due, have, as a society, expended 75,000 pounds on this object; and if +the private donations of friends to individual missionaries and their +families be added, the sum reaches to the respectable amount of 80,000 +pounds." + +Dr Seemann describes a visit to the island of Lakemba, hallowed as the +spot on which the first Christian mission was established. Mr +Fletcher, the resident missionary, conducted him and his companions +through a grove of cocoa-nut palms and bread-fruit trees to his house, a +commodious building, thatched with leaves, surrounded by a fence and +broad-boarded verandah, the front of the house looking into a nice +little flower-garden, the back into the courtyard. + +The ladies gave them a hearty welcome, glad to look once more upon white +faces, and to hear accounts from home. Though the thermometer ranged +more than 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the thick thatch kept off the scorching +rays, and there was a fresh current of trade wind blowing through the +rooms. It was pleasing to see everything so scrupulously neat and +clean; the beds and curtains as white as snow, and everywhere the +greatest order prevailed. + +"There are the elements of future civilisation,--models ready for +imitation,--hallowed homes which no Romish priest can afford," observes +the Doctor, "the yard well-stocked with ducks and fowls, pigs and +goats,--the gardens replete with flowers, cotton shrubs twelve feet +high, and bearing leaves, flowers, and fruit in all stages of +development. These missionary stations are fulfilling all the objects +of convents in their best days, and a great deal more; for their inmates +are teaching a pure and simple faith in Jesus, which those of the +convents did not." + +Mr Fletcher showed them over the town, the first spot in Fiji where +Christianity was triumphant and a printing-press was established, from +which was issued an edition of the whole Bible in the language of the +people, and several other works. There exist, indeed, two versions of +the Bible in the language of Fiji. The church in the town is a +substantial building, capable of holding three hundred people. There +are some thirty other churches in the Lakemba district alone. + +From Lakemba, occupying a week on the voyage, they proceeded to the +island of Somosomo, till lately one of the strongholds of idolatry and +cannibalism. Golea, the king, was a heathen, but his chief wife, +Eleanor, was a Christian, and they believed a sincere one, judging from +the almost frantic manner in which she endeavoured to obtain a Fijian +Bible seen in their possession. She exhausted every argument to get it, +and her joy was indescribable when her wishes were acceded to. + +Dr Seemann writes: "If the Wesleyan Society had more funds at its +disposal, so as to be able to send out a greater number of efficient +teachers, a very few years would see the whole of Fiji Christianised, as +all the real difficulties now in the way of the mission have been +removed. On my representing the case in this light, his Majesty the +King of Hanover was graciously pleased to subscribe his first gift of +100 pounds towards so desirable an object, at the same time expressing +his admiration for the labours of the individual missionaries I named." + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +FROM DARKNESS TO DAYLIGHT. + +"My dear young friend," said Mr Bent, addressing me, in continuation of +the subject on which he had before been speaking, "we should never +despair while God is with us of the success of our labours among the +heathen. In my experience I have known numerous instances in which, +when it appeared that profound darkness rested on the land, light has +burst forth and spread far and wide around. + +"I believe that thirteen years had passed after the _Duff_ had made her +most successful voyage to these seas in 1796, and landed a large body of +missionaries at Tahiti, before one single acknowledged convert to +Christianity was made. Still the diminished band of missionaries +laboured on. They obeyed God's express command to preach the word to +all creatures, and they knew that His word would not return to Him void. +God works through human agency, and it must be confessed that many of +these missionaries were not fitted by education for the work they had +undertaken. It may be said with justice that therefore they did not +succeed. Still they laboured on, teaching many the principles of +Christianity although none turned to the truth. + +"Pomare, the king of Tahiti, although he was friendly to the +missionaries, for long remained as determined a heathen as any of his +people. At length, however, attacked by his own subjects, he could not +protect the missionaries, and the larger number were compelled to retire +to the island of Huahine, where they hoped to be in safety. So little +progress did they appear to be making even here in their undertaking, +that, with one exception, the following year they left Huahine and +retired to New South Wales, thus bringing the once promising mission to +the Society Islands to a termination. I refer to this time to show you +how necessary it is that missionaries should not under any circumstances +despair of success. Nothing could be more hopeless than this mission +now seemed. Pomare, although he befriended the missionaries, remained +still seemingly as dark and determined a heathen as at first, and he had +now indeed no longer the power of helping them. He had, however, +received a considerable amount of instruction from them. He had +acquired the arts of reading and writing his own language, and had +learned the first principles of Christianity. + +"The seed had not, as was supposed, been sown on stony ground, though it +took long in growing up. Adversity caused Pomare to think. He had been +told that Jehovah is a God of purity and holiness, and he began to +reflect that the life he and his people led must be very distasteful to +such a God, and might be the cause of the sufferings he was enduring. +The Holy Spirit seemed to apply the truth, so that he at length +comprehended the nature of sin, and especially felt his own great +sinfulness. He, therefore, wrote letter after letter, entreating the +missionaries to return. With joy they accepted his invitation. On +their arrival, the king and several of his people professed their belief +in the new religion; but a coalition of heathen chiefs being formed +against them, some severe fighting took place. The heathens were +defeated. Pomare treated them with great leniency, allowing no one to +be injured, and even sending the body of a chief killed in battle back +to his own people to be buried. So great was the effect of this conduct +that the heathen party became anxious to know more of the new faith, and +in a few months the idols of Tahiti were thrown to the ground. Although +Pomare and some of his chiefs, as well as the lower orders, had embraced +Christianity in spirit as well as in name, the mass of the people +remained, as might have been expected, ignorant of its principles, and +indulged in habits the very reverse of those it inculcates. Still the +true faith went on taking root downwards and bearing fruit upwards. In +1817 a large number of missionaries arrived from England at Eimeo. +Among them came two whose names are known far beyond their spheres of +action--William Ellis and John Williams. The following year some of +them removed to Huahine, the principal of the Leeward or Society group, +and soon after John Williams and Mr L Threlkeld, invited by Tapa and +other chiefs of Raiatea, settled in that island. Similar invitations +were received from the chiefs of other large islands, while native +teachers were sent to the smaller islands which were also occasionally +visited by the missionaries. Thus in a few years the entire population +of the Georgian and Society Islands had renounced idolatry, and were in +general outwardly very strict in their religious observances. I say +outwardly, because many of those who attended religious worship and +refrained from all work and amusement on the sabbath, still continued in +the practice of heathen vices. Yet I believe that at that very time the +great mass of the people were not more ignorant of Christian truth, nor +more vicious, than are too many communities of like size in so-called +Christian Europe. We should judge of people who have lately been +brought out of a savage state, not by a standard which we should wish +them to attain, but by other people who have long been considered +civilised Christians; and thus judging of the inhabitants of Tahiti and +the neighbouring islands, I am certain that they will not lose by +comparison with many of those who have claimed for centuries to be +civilised, and whose religion has long been nominally Christian. I say +this with confidence, but after all it is not saying much in their +praise. One thing, however, is very clear. A few years ago they were +ignorant barbarians, savage and debased, not knowing right from wrong. +Now they abstain from their former cruel and sanguinary practices, they +go about clothed and live in neat cottages, and industriously cultivate +the ground; they can generally read and write their own language, and +have learned many mechanical arts; they understand the principles of +Christianity, attend Divine worship, and respect the sabbath, while +undoubtedly some, and perhaps many, have been `created anew in Christ +Jesus unto good works,' and not a few have risked their lives, and laid +them down for the gospel's sake. A large number of the native teachers +who have gone forth among the savage tribes of the wide-scattered +islands of the ocean to carry to them the glad tidings of salvation, +have come from Tahiti and other parts of the Georgian and Society +Archipelago. + +"Great as was the change, after all allowances are made, in the islands +of which I have been speaking, that produced by the promulgation of the +truth in Raratonga was still greater. You know how John Williams, after +founding the church in Huahine, moved to Raiatea, in the Hervey group, +and thence sailing forth, discovered the then savage Raratonga, where +the devoted Papehia landed to commence the work which he was afterwards +enabled to perfect. Papehia began his ministrations by telling the +people about the power and purity of God, and His love to mankind, and +contrasting His attributes with those of their idols. By teaching both +old and young portions of Scripture, and the latter to read, they began +to perceive the follies of heathenism. + +"Thus the old religion was undermined, and a way prepared for the +introduction of the new faith. The priests were the most inveterate +opponents of Christianity, yet the first person who destroyed his idols +was a priest. Several others followed his example. Soon another native +teacher from Tahiti joined Papehia to aid in the work which so rapidly +progressed. The first chief converted was Tinomana. After a lengthened +conversation with Papehia, in spite of the expostulations of priests and +people, saying, `My heart has taken hold of the word of Jehovah,' he +ordered a servant to set fire to his idol and his temple. The +Christians now united, with Tinomana at their head, to live together in +one community, numbering four or five thousand. Not fifteen months +after Papehia landed, they erected a chapel three hundred feet long, +with a pulpit at either end, from which each teacher addressed nearly +fifteen hundred wild, naked savages at once, without inconvenience. +This wonderful change had been effected, you must remember, by two +native teachers alone, in less than two years and a half from the day of +their landing in Raratonga, and who were themselves born heathens and +trained in idolatry in an island nearly seven hundred miles away. + +"Four years after the discovery of the island, John Williams took up his +abode there with the Reverend C Pitman, they being afterwards joined by +the Reverend A Buzacott. Laws were now formed, and the first Christian +community divided into two separate villages. A chapel of a substantial +character was next planned. A site was cleared, large trees were cut +down, coral lime was burned, the timber was sawn, and in two months from +the commencement an edifice an hundred and fifty feet long and fifty-six +feet wide, the thatched roof supported on either side by seven iron-wood +pillars twenty-five feet high, was erected. There were ten doors, three +at each side and two at each end, and twenty windows, with large +Venetian blinds. This chapel was a substantial proof of the zeal of the +Christian converts; but the heathens were still numerous and powerful, +and at length, hoping to overthrow the new faith, they attacked the +settlement, and burned the chapel and many of the Christians' houses. A +fearful storm and flood and a severe epidemic followed, carrying off +hundreds of the natives. Though severely tried, the missionaries were +not cast down. The heathen retired, the epidemic ceased, the damage +caused by the storm was repaired, and the work of civilisation +proceeded. + +"It became expedient to form a new village for the immediate followers +of Tinomana. A site was fixed on, the land was cleared, and in a few +months the village was completed. It was nearly a mile and a half in +length; a wide and straight road, gravelled with sea-side sand, was made +from one extremity to the other, on either side of which were rows of +the tall and beautiful tufted-top `ti' trees. The houses were built of +lime and wattle, each about forty feet long, twelve high, twenty wide, +and divided into three or four rooms. They stood back some fifty yards +from the road, and were that distance from one another. About the +centre, on one side of the street, was the chapel, and on the other the +school-house. A belt of trees protected the settlement on the sea-side, +while inland rose ranges of picturesque mountains, the intervening space +being occupied by pastures and fields cultivated or in the course of +cultivation. I remember the scene well. It gave me an indescribable +feeling of satisfaction when I first saw it, for it proved that a very +great change must have been wrought in the habits of the people, and I +trusted that their spiritual condition had likewise been much improved. +This was the first on the same plan of many villages which were erected +as Christianity spread among the people. At each village, or even where +there was a chapel alone, a school-house was erected, where the elements +of reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography, were taught to adults as +well as to children, and only eight years after the landing of Papehia, +two thousand children and one thousand six hundred adults were under +instruction. Although many of the adults could never be taught to read, +they learned portions of Scripture, and as they willingly listened to +the teachers, the truth gradually spread among the whole population. + +"A printing press was during this year of 1831 introduced into the +island, and the first native Raratongan teacher went forth to carry the +glad tidings of salvation to the people of the Samoan group, then lying +in darkness. `Teava' was one of the first converts made by Papehia, and +a devoted imitator of the noble example he set. He wrote earnestly, +praying to be allowed to go Samoa, thus expressing himself: `My desire +is very great to fulfil Christ's command when He said, "Go ye into all +the world." My heart is compassionating the heathen, who know not the +salvation which God has provided. Let me go. Why this delay?' He was +conveyed to Samoa, and gained a position among its then savage people at +Monono, where he has proved one of the most consistent pioneers to the +European missionaries, and one of the best native assistants both in the +schools and in translating the Bible and other works. A letter he wrote +to his friends in Raratonga a few years afterwards is worthy of note. +In it he says: `When I left you, the good work had not taken much root, +but now I hear it has spread over the land. All the people have +received it. My friends, be diligent in the use of the means, in +learning, in reading, in hearing, in prayer; search the word of God. +But I will ask you, Do you expect to be saved by your works? No; no man +can thus be saved. Salvation is obtained through Jesus. There are two +kinds of scaffolding, one of banana stalks and the other of iron-wood: +those who trust in their own works are resting on the banana stalks, and +will fall; but let our minds be fixed on Jesus alone, and we shall be +safe.' Such are nearly the exact words he used. They prove the +soundness of his knowledge and faith. The glorious work progressed +wonderfully in Raratonga. Churches and schools were built at all the +settlements, and several works printed by natives, under the +superintendence of the missionaries, issued from the press. I was +present on the arrival of the _Camden_ from England with an edition of +five thousand copies of the New Testament in the language of the people, +and several missionaries. Crowds came from morning till night to +purchase the book, and for many days the missionaries house was more +like a bazaar than a private dwelling. + +"One day a messenger at full speed arrived from the old chief Tinomana. +Seating himself cross-legged on the floor, he asked if a missionary had +arrived for his part of the island. On one being pointed out to him as +destined to labour in his settlement, he sprang up with an expression of +joy, and hastened back at full speed with the intelligence to his chief. +This was at Avarua, where a chapel had been erected worthy of +description. It was built in a frame, a hundred and forty feet long and +forty-five feet wide, filled up with wattle and lime plaster, white as +snow. It was well floored, surrounded by a gallery, and had a pulpit +and desk at one end. On the day I was there it was filled with sixteen +hundred natives, mostly clothed in home-made cloth, the greater number +really thirsting for religious knowledge. Next to the chapel stood the +school-house filled in the morning with seven hundred children, each +class of ten or twelve having its teacher. Near it was the +missionaries' cottage, neat, clean, and commodious; and not far off that +of the chief, which was large, well-built, and convenient. It was +thoroughly furnished with chairs, sofas, tables, and beds, and the +floors covered with mats; while on the tables were several books, which +he could read with fluency. Ten years before this he and his people +were naked savage cannibals. Missionary meetings were held in the +island to assist in sending the gospel to other lands. Thus spoke an +aged native at one of them to the young people: `Exalt your voices high +in praise of God. He has saved you from the pit of heathenism. We your +fathers know the character of that pit; some of us were born there. The +place on which we are now met was once a place of murder; spears and the +sling and stone were our companions; we ate human flesh, we drank human +blood. Let us do what we can to send the word of God to those who _are_ +as once we _were_.' That year three thousand pounds of arrowroot were +subscribed for missionary purposes. + +"More effectually to carry out this object, it was resolved to establish +a missionary college. A piece of ground was purchased, a number of neat +stone cottages for the students and a house for resident missionaries, +and lecture-halls, one of which was for female classes, were erected. +The latter were under the charge of the missionary's wife. Here one +hundred men and women have been instructed, a considerable proportion of +whom were married couples. Some have been employed on the home +stations, and others have gone forth to the Western Islands to prepare +the way for European teachers. A boarding-school was also established, +where some forty boys have received instruction. At the college the +students go through a course of theology, church history, Biblical +exposition, biography, geography, grammar, and composition of essays and +sermons. For three hours in the morning they are employed in the +workshop, and in the afternoon in study, in class, or examination. + +"In the Hervey group ten or more stations are well worked by these +native teachers; in Samoa four of them have stations; they have +introduced the gospel to the Maniiki group; and in Western Polynesia +they have successfully preached the truth in the language of the +inhabitants, and braved, and several have suffered, martyrdom for the +gospel's sake. What should you suppose is the total expense of +instructing, clothing, feeding, and lodging these most valuable +missionaries? Only five pounds a year; while the entire outlay of their +providing for twenty students does not amount to the sum of three pounds +a week, or less than a hundred and fifty pounds per annum. +Comparatively very few of those educated at the college have fallen away +or proved unworthy of the confidence placed in them. Of course there, +as elsewhere, the faith of the missionaries has been tried. Storms, and +floods, and disease have visited the island; evil-disposed persons have +come from other lands and endeavoured to introduce drunkenness, and to +turn the unstable to their own bad courses. Still I may safely say, +that there are not twenty persons in the island, and very few in the +whole group, who do not attend Christian worship. + +"A large edition of the whole Bible has been purchased by them; and I +may also venture to assert that, in consistency of conduct, in civil and +social propriety, in commercial industry and honesty, and in zeal and +liberality, they are not behind any other community in the world. The +gospel has been introduced and completely established in the Penrhyn +Islands, or Maniiki group, as they are more properly called, entirely by +native teachers from Raratonga. But I wish to describe to you the +progress made by the gospel in Samoa. Before I do so, however, I will +give you a sketch of the way in which some of the missionaries I have +met, whose duties require them to be stationary, spend their time. + +"The missionary in some instances attends the early morning adult +service, those present having then to go forth to their daily duties in +the field or on the water. In other instances he devotes the hour from +six to seven o'clock in dispensing medicine to the sick; from eight to +nine he is either at the children's general school in the village, or +attending to private advanced classes at home, or discussing public +matters with neighbouring chiefs. From nine to eleven he lectures in +the class-room; thence till noon he is in the workshop, where the +students or the boys at the boarding-school are learning the use of +carpenters' tools. Until dinner time, at one, he is in the +printing-office, where the natives have been composing, printing, and +binding for several hours. During the next hour the students dine and +read. From two to three the missionary holds private conversation with +members of the church, candidates for church fellowship, or inquirers. +Four days in the week Bible-classes are held, and at most stations +public services take place three days in the week, from five to six. +The missionary and his wife generally walk out from six to seven, +visiting any who are sick or unable to come to them. For an hour +afterwards he is in his study reading, translating, writing sermons, or +looking over proof-sheets. The next half hour is occupied in family +prayer, and the last in pleasant and instructive conversation with his +family and the natives in his household; and thus closes his day of +labour. The missionary's wife is as busy with the women and girls as is +her husband with the men and boys, and her influence and example are +calculated to produce a lasting effect on the rising generation. With +this succession of occupations the missionaries have found time to write +and to superintend the printing of numerous works in the language of +Raratonga,--works which are eagerly sought for and read by all classes +of the community,--the elder of whom were once naked cannibal savages. +When you write home, mention this with your own experience, and ask +whether they do not consider missionaries worthy of support, and the +results they have produced an encouragement to perseverance. + +"One remark more. You have often heard of the fearful decrease in the +population of these islands. Raratonga has been no exception to the +general rule, and yet its circumstances are very different from most +others. Its climate is perfectly healthy; no foreigners reside on it; +and, as it possesses no harbour, the crews of ships can never land on +its shores, as they merely call off for supplies and proceed immediately +on their voyage. Before the introduction of Christianity, when the +islanders had not the slightest intercourse with Europeans,--were, +indeed, entirely unknown,--the deaths must have been as six or eight to +one in excess of the births. As Christianity spread, the deaths were as +four to one, then as two to one, then but slightly in excess; and now I +rejoice to say that the births slightly exceed the deaths. It is easy +to account for their decrease while they were heathens,--their wars, and +famine consequent on it,--disease, produced by immorality, and +infanticide destroyed many, and prevented increase. Christianity at +once mitigated these evils, but the effects of many of them still +existed, and it has taken years before the population could gain that +health and strength which is the reward in this world of virtuous and +industrious lives. + +"I find it stated that a hundred ships touch at the islands of the group +annually, and receive produce of native labour for manufactured wares, +amounting to not less than three thousand pounds. We have here a +notable example of the way in which civilisation, industry, and commerce +result from the establishment of Christianity. The commanders of many +of those ships must remember the time when they dared not set foot on +these shores, from which they now are sure to obtain the supplies on +which the health of their crews and the success of their voyage so +greatly depends, and will, I trust, be ready to bear witness that +thousands on thousands of the once savages of Polynesia have become +Christian in name and character, and truly and completely civilised." + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +PASSING ON THE BLESSING. + +"When describing missionary enterprise, we cannot dwell too much on the +value of native agency, and should therefore endeavour to show the +importance of establishing training colleges for native youths," +continued Mr Bent, who, once having entered on the subject to which he +had devoted his life, showed no desire to drop it. "Humanly speaking, +not one-third part of the work which has been done could without native +help have been accomplished. Mangaia is a notable example. That island +is about twenty miles in circumference, and contains about three +thousand inhabitants. When Williams visited them in 1822 with a few +native married missionaries, who went on shore for the purpose of +remaining, the latter were so barbarously treated by the savage people +that they were compelled to return on board the mission ship, thankful +to escape without loss of life. Two years afterwards, however, he +returned with two zealous Tahitians, Davida and Tiere, who swimming on +shore through the surf, as did Papehia at Raratonga, with their books +and clothes in a cloth on their heads, landed among the fierce natives. +God had so ordered it that their reception was very different from what +they had expected. An epidemic had attacked the island, carrying off +chiefs and people, the old and young alike: and believing that it was a +punishment sent by the white man's God in consequence of the way they +had treated the former missionaries, the inhabitants hoped to avert the +evil by behaving in a more friendly manner to the new comers. The way +was thus providentially prepared for Davida, who laboured on alone for +fifteen years,--for Tiere was soon afterwards removed by death,--till +assistance was sent him from Raratonga, itself lying in darkness when he +commenced his ministrations. He received, however, occasional visits +from the missionaries at Tahiti. Twenty years passed by before the +Reverend William Gill arrived to spend some weeks among them. He found, +with but few exceptions, that the whole population had renounced +idolatry. Several large churches and schoolrooms had been built. In +one school-room from eight hundred to nine hundred children and young +persons were present, who, after singing and prayer, were led in classes +to attend public worship. The church was very large, and really +handsome. The numberless rafters of its roof, coloured with native +paint, were supported by twelve or fourteen pillars of the finest wood, +carved in cathedral style. It was crowded,--those unable to get in +looking through the windows,--not less than two thousand being present. +Still many at that time were very ignorant with regard to scriptural +knowledge, though many even of the heathens could read. + +"A few years have passed by, the heathens have one by one turned to the +truth, and sound scriptural knowledge is possessed by the population +generally. A European missionary lives among them. They have built a +handsome stone church with a gallery, capable of seating two thousand +persons. There exist two other large stone chapels and three stone +school-houses, each about seventy feet long and thirty-five feet wide. +But what is far more important, there are one thousand six hundred +children and adults under daily instruction, besides five hundred +members in consistent church communion, leaving but one-third of the +population who, though educated and nominal Christians, must be looked +on as yet not earnest in spiritual matters. Of the former, some seven +or more are at the Raratonga training college, and several have gone +forth as evangelists to the heathen many thousand miles away; while +there are more than one hundred native teachers in the schools, +gratuitously employing themselves in instructing the rising generation. +The excess of births over the deaths is very considerable, so that the +population, which at one time was diminishing, is rapidly on the +increase. Davida is dead. He departed just twenty-five years after he +commenced his missionary labours. `Is it right,' he asked, in a humble +tone, `for me to say, in the language of Saint Paul, "I have fought the +good fight, I have finished my course"? These people were wild beasts +when I came among them; but the sword of the Spirit subdued them. It +was not I, it was God who did it.' Davida and Papehia, and many other +dark-skinned sons of these fair isles of the Pacific, themselves born in +darkest heathenism, have gained their crowns of glory in the heavens, +never to fade away, which the highly educated inhabitants of civilised +Europe may have cause to envy. + +"People in England are, I hear, astonished at the rapid progress made by +Christianity in these islands, and assert that either the accounts are +exaggerated, and that the great mass of the people remain heathens as +before, or that if they have become nominal Christians, it is because +they have been compelled by their chiefs to embrace the new faith. To +this last objection I reply, first: You well know how slight is the +influence exercised by the chiefs over the people, and in no island with +which I am acquainted would a chief be able to compel his followers to +abandon idolatry and embrace Christianity. In the greater number of +instances by far, a considerable proportion of the people have become +Christians before the chief has given up his idols. Pomare was still an +idolater when many of his subjects had been converted. There were +numerous Christians in Samoa before Malietoa became one; and services +had been, held in Tongatabu before any of the chief men turned to the +faith; and already numerous churches had been established in Fiji before +Thakombau, the most despotic and fierce of the rulers of the isles of +the Pacific, bowed his knee in worship to the true God. People who know +how utterly savage and barbarous the natives had become will easily +understand that numbers among them were pining for a purer faith, for +some system which would relieve them from the intolerable burdens, from +the utter misery under which they groaned. When Rihoriho overthrew his +idols and burned his temples he knew nothing of Christianity; but he had +discovered that his idols were no gods, and that the religion of his +fathers was utterly abominable and foolish. In many islands, when a +chief lotued before his subjects, he did so at the risk of being deposed +by them; and in every direction there are instances of rebellions being +raised by the heathens against the chiefs who had professed +Christianity. For many years the fact, that whole communities of once +cannibal savages had become civilised Christians was denied; and now +that the fact can no longer be denied, certain so-called philosophers in +Europe are at pains to invent explanations to suit their own theories. +The natives might answer them as the blind man restored to sight by +Jesus did the Pharisees of old: `Why, herein is a marvellous thing, that +ye know not from whence He is, and yet He hath opened mine eyes.' The +explanation which should best satisfy Christians is, that God has worked +with us. In His infinite compassion and love He has presented +instruments exactly fitted for the work to be accomplished; and though +He has thought fit in many instances to exercise the faith and patience +of His servants, He has at length made the way clear before them. + +"If I desired a particular proof that man has fallen from a high estate, +and that he came forth pure and bright, and with a mind capable of +rapidly acquiring knowledge, from the hands of his Maker, I should point +to these savages, among whom, debased as they are, so many have a +yearning after a better existence, a consciousness of sin, a desire to +propitiate an offended deity, a weariness of their degraded condition, +of the state of anarchy, of the bloodshed and immorality amid which they +live. If these and other facts were known in England, though people +might still wonder at the great change which has taken place in these +islands, they would cease to disbelieve the statements which have been +made by missionaries and others on the subject. + +"But I must go on with my account. I was going to tell you how +Christianity was introduced into Samoa,--and here the guiding hand of +God can especially be traced. + +"When John Williams sailed from Tahiti on his first long voyage in the +_Messenger of Peace_, after visiting the Hervey group, and many other +islands, he touched at the Tonga, or Friendly Islands, many of the +inhabitants of which had already become Christian. The history of the +group I will give you presently. At Tonga, a chief of the Navigator +Islands, called Fanea, was met with, who had been eleven years away from +home. His wife had become a Christian, and he himself was favourable to +the new religion. He offered to accompany Mr Williams, and to +introduce him to his brother chiefs. His account of himself being found +correct, his offer was accepted, and he and his wife embarked. The +voyage was prosperous, and Sapapalii, or Savaii, an island two hundred +and fifty miles in circumference, was reached. Fanea now showed how +especially fitted he was to assist the missionaries in their task. +Calling them aside to a private part of the vessel, he requested them to +desire the teachers not to commence their labours among their countrymen +by condemning their canoe races, their dances, and other amusements, to +which they were much attached, lest in the very onset they should +conceive a dislike to the religion which imposed such restraints. `Tell +them,' said he, `to be diligent in teaching the people, to make them +wise, and they themselves will put away that which is evil. Let the +"word" prevail, and get a firm hold upon them, and then we may with +safety adopt measures which at first would prove injurious.' Fanea was +related to Malietoa, one of the principal chiefs of the island, and was +therefore, by his influence with his relatives, able to render great +assistance to the work. He expressed, however, his fears that a +powerful and perhaps an insuperable opposition would be offered by a +still greater chief, who was besides a sort of pope or high priest, the +head of such religious institution as they possessed. His name was +Tamafaigna. Fanea asked after him in a trembling voice. `He is dead,-- +killed ten days,--clubbed to death, as he deserved,' shouted the people, +in evident delight, showing that they dreaded more than respected him. +`The devil is dead,--the devil is dead,' cried Fanea. `There will now +be no opposition to the lotu.' This was found to be the case. Had the +event occurred a few days before, there would have been time to elect a +successor. This man was supposed to have within him the spirit of one +of the principal war-gods. The tithes of the two large islands had been +given him, and in pride and profligacy he had become a pest and a +proverb. He had, however, his supporters, who took up arms to avenge +him, and among them were his relatives Malietoa and his brother +Tamalelangi, who, although they rejoiced at his death, were compelled, +according to the custom of the country, to endeavour to punish those who +had killed him. Tamalelangi from the first showed himself a warm friend +of the missionaries, and, while his brother was engaged in fighting, +assisted them to land with their effects and stores, and to establish +themselves on shore. Malietoa afterwards proved their warm friend, and +four teachers were left with him, and four with Tamalelangi. Their +people showed the teachers the greatest kindness, and, as a mark of it, +each man who could get hold of a child carried it off to his own +cottage, killed a pig for its food, and stuffed it to repletion before +he carried it back to its anxious parents. Fanea, too, was unwearied in +explaining the advantages of Christianity and the wonderful knowledge +possessed by the missionaries, which enabled them to communicate their +thoughts merely by making marks on a bit of paper. It is possible that +he was somewhat influenced by ambitious motives, and the credit the +introduction of Christianity would bring to him. His wife, however, +appears to have been a sincere believer, and by her example and +exhortations greatly to have forwarded the cause of truth. Malietoa, +who inherited all Tamafaigna's political influence, exerted it to the +end of his life in favour of the Christians. The truth was not, as it +might be expected, to be established without opposition; and on one +occasion a large heathen party approached the dwellings of the teachers, +resolved on their destruction. Their friends turned out completely +armed in native fashion, with clubs, and bows, and slings, and spears, +for their defence, not unfrequently expressing in their tone and gesture +the untamed ferocity of their nature by their appearance and loud +shouts, even when kneeling in the attitude of devotion. Thus the night +was spent in expectation every moment of an attack; but when the morning +came it was discovered that their foes had disappeared. The native +teachers, who could preach as well as instruct in school, made rapid +progress. The people began to eat the fish and other creatures which +they had formerly worshipped as gods, and dreaded to injure or even to +touch. Some daringly devoured them, others cautiously put the dreaded +morsels in their mouths, while the awestruck spectators waited as did +the people of Melita when Saint Paul was bitten by a snake, expecting to +see them swell or fall down dead. From this the natives concluded that +Jehovah was indeed the true God, and were about to cast their war-god +Popo, a block covered with a piece of matting, into the sea, and had +tied a stone round it to sink it, when the teachers rescued the image, +that they might present him as a trophy of the triumphs of the gospel. + +"The Samoans, though not such gross idolaters, and certainly not so +inhuman in their practices, as most of the other islanders in the +Pacific, were much degraded both in mind and morals. They are perhaps +the finest people in a physical point of view of any, yet they had more +pharisaical pride and less consciousness of sin; and this, it is +possible, prevented them from adopting some of those cruel practices +prevalent among their neighbours. + +"The teachers left by Williams laboured perseveringly. Still they could +not persuade Malietoa to abandon the war. He went on one occasion to +Upolu with all his fighting men, and three of the teachers resolved to +follow him, hoping thus to influence him the more. He had allowed his +son to join them. On their way they preached the word at several +villages through which they passed, and the people heard them gladly. +Malietoa was unmoved, and they had to return; but their journey had not +been so bootless as they supposed. Scarcely had they reached home, than +a messenger arrived from the chief of a village they had visited at +Apolulu, begging them to return in haste, as he and his people were +waiting to hear from their lips the truths of the gospel. Three of them +set out for the settlement, where they were warmly welcomed by the chief +and a thousand followers. After the usual salutations, the chief turned +to the teachers and said, `Have you brought a fish spear?' Surprised at +this strange inquiry, they replied, `No! why do you ask for that?' `I +want it,' he answered, `to spear an eel. This is my _etu_--I will kill, +cook, and eat it. I have resolved to become _lotu_.' He then added +that he would afterwards spear and eat a fowl, as the spirit of his god +was supposed to reside in that also. And these bold designs were no +sooner formed than executed, though none of his followers supported him, +nor was it till they saw that no evil results were the consequence, that +they ventured to imitate his example. Numbers then declared that they +wished to become Christians, and to be instructed in that faith. +Returning from this expedition, they saw the stronghold of the heathen +party in flames. Malietoa treated the conquered party with great +leniency, and on one of their battle-fields erected a church to the +service of the true God, while Popo, the god of war, was banished for +ever. Many other chapels were built in different directions, and the +new faith made great progress, though at that time, probably, many of +the converts were very far from enlightened Christians. While these +events were taking place in the larger islands, a large canoe with some +Christians on board was driven on Tau, the most eastern island of the +group, having embarked at Ravavai, one of the Austral group, two +thousand miles distant, intending to proceed to some neighbouring +island. Their lives and their health had been providentially preserved, +and they received a friendly greeting from the natives, to whom they +imparted a knowledge of the faith they professed. Several joined them, +and the little congregation thus formed without a teacher, was looking +forward to the arrival of a missionary ship, which they had heard would +bring one, when Williams himself touched at their settlement. Soon +after this three English missionaries visited the group, and one +remained till the arrival of a considerable number, who came out direct +from England for especial service in Samoa. The first care of this most +efficient body of men was to master the language, and when this was done +they lost no time in commencing a translation of the Bible. A +printing-press was set up in 1839, and in July of that year printing was +commenced in Samoa. The natives took a deep interest in it, and called +it the fountain whence the word of God flowed to all Samoa. The native +youths quickly learned to work it, and surrounded by numbers of their +countrymen, standing as if riveted to the spot, and gazing with intense +interest, now speechless with wonder, now shouting with delight, they +endeavoured to show with what dexterity they could throw off the sheets. +Numerous works were printed by them--sermons, catechisms, hymn-books, +works on geography, astronomy, arithmetic, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, +and a native magazine. Upwards of 2,000 pounds was paid by the +purchasers of the Scriptures and these books. + +"In 1844, the `Samoan Mission Seminary' was commenced. It was on a far +larger scale than that I have described at Raratonga, though conducted +on a very similar plan. It was for a group, it must be remembered, of +considerable extent, containing not less than 34,000 inhabitants. +Special attention is paid in the institution to the instruction of the +wives of the students, and so highly are the labours of these female +teachers prized in the islands, that inferior men are sometimes chosen +on account of the high qualifications of their wives. I believe that +nearly a hundred and fifty teachers have gone forth from the +institution, some to labour in Samoa, and others in the Loyalty Islands, +New Hebrides and Savage Island--many with their devoted wives having +died from the effects of climate or fallen by the murderous hands of the +savages to whom they carried the gospel. A high school is attached to +the institution, as well as one for the children of the students. There +are, I find, fifty boarding-schools in the group, having 800 scholars; +210 children's day-schools with 6,000 scholars, and 210 adult sabbath +and day-schools with 7,000 scholars. When first Williams landed at +Samoa, the natives wore no clothing except the most scanty of leaves or +native cloth. Now I find it stated, that apart from all other articles +of foreign manufacture, the demand for cotton goods alone amounts to +15,000 pounds per annum, and is every year increasing. [See Note 1.] I +mention these facts because they are beyond dispute, and I beg that you +will repeat them when you write home, as they may convince some who deny +that the Polynesian savage can comprehend the spirit of the gospel, that +at all events he has made considerable advances in civilisation, and +that his connection is worth cultivating. You and I, and all who take +the trouble of observing, know that he is as capable as the most highly +educated European of understanding the whole scope of the gospel in all +its beauty and holiness, and accepting it in all its fulness. We must +never forget the saying of our blessed Lord, who knew what was in man, +`that many are called but few chosen,' and that this is true in Samoa as +elsewhere. Of the many thousands who have become nominal Christians, we +have every reason to hope that some--I might dare to say many--have +accepted Christ to their eternal salvation. And Samoa forms but one +group out of the many thousand isles of this ocean. + +"Let us take a glance at Tonga, at which Williams called, as I told you, +on that first voyage, so peculiarly blessed to Samoa. You have heard +how a body of missionaries so far back as 1797 were landed at Tongatabu, +from the ship _Duffy_ by Captain Wilson. They were all ultimately +compelled to leave the island, very much in consequence of the conduct +of some white runaway seamen or convicts, who set the natives against +them. Several were ultimately murdered, the rest escaped to New South +Wales with the exception of one, who, sad to say, apostatised, and lived +as a savage among the savages for some years. More than twenty years +passed by, and the savage character of the wrongly named Friendly +Islanders prevented any further attempt being made to offer them the +gospel of peace; when God put it into the heart of the Reverend W Laury, +a Wesleyan minister residing in New South Wales, who had been interested +in the people by a widow of one of the early missionaries, to attempt +their conversion. He sailed from Sydney in June, 1822, on board the +_Saint Michael_, a merchant vessel, with his family, accompanied by a +carpenter and blacksmith, both pious young men. He reached Tonga in +safety, and remained for upwards of a year, gaining the language of the +people, and protected by the chiefs, but without making any converts. +On his return to Sydney he left the two young mechanics, and they were +afterwards joined by the Reverend John Thomas, a young ardent missionary +from England. They had indeed need of faith and patience. The chiefs +who at first protected them proved themselves fickle and treacherous, +robbing them of all they possessed, and it was evident that they valued +their presence among them on account of the property they brought, not +for the sake of the religious instruction they would afford. Just +before Mr Thomas's arrival at Hihifo, on the west side of Tonga, two +native teachers from Tahiti, on their way to Fiji, had landed at +Nukualofa on the north coast. The preaching of these devoted men had +awakened such a spirit of inquiry, that when Mr Thomas preached at +Hihifo, numbers came over a distance of twelve miles to hear him. +Tubou, the chief of Nukualofa, appeared convinced of the truths of +Christianity, had a chapel built, and attended service; but tempted by +his brother chiefs, who promised to make him king of the whole group if +he would adhere to the old faith, he declined for the present to make a +profession of Christianity. The work thus commenced at Nukualofa by the +London Society's Tahitian teachers, was carried on in a spirit of +brotherly love by the Reverend N Turner and William Cross and their +devoted wives, sent out by the Wesleyan Missionary Society in 1828. +They began schools there, which were well attended, while Mr Thomas +opened one at Hihifo, at which, in spite of the opposition of the chief +Ata, some twenty boys attended. In two years Mr Thomas could preach +fluently in the language of the people, and congregations for public +worship were formed and well attended. Mr Thomas had gone over to +Nukualofa to preach, when the king Tubou, who had been absent for six +months, attended, with two hundred of his subjects, the chapel which he +himself had built, and where he now heard in his own tongue from the +lips of an English minister the gospel clearly explained. Other chiefs +from the two groups of islands to the north, Vavau and Haabai, in the +course of the year sent to petition for teachers, or rather, one sent, +being indifferent about the matter; the latter, Tui-Haabai, as he was +called, came to Tonga in person. Though he earnestly pressed the point, +there was no one to send; and so on his return home, finding an English +sailor who could read and write, though sadly ignorant of the truths of +religion, he made him his teacher. His perseverance and earnestness +were to be rewarded. A sick lad, a step-son of Ata's, was the first +convert at Hihifo, but on his death, the chief still more hardening his +heart, it was agreed by the missionaries that Mr Thomas should remove +from that station to Haabai. They however first sent one Peter, a +native convert, to prepare the way, a plan which has been almost +universally successful. The missionaries now spent some time together +at Nukualofa, where the field appeared so promising. So indeed it +proved; often so crowded was the chapel, that the missionaries went out +amid the encampments of their visitors on the sea-side, that they might +preach to them the words of eternal life under the free vault of heaven. +It was at this time that King Tubou was baptised with his family and +nearly thirty men and sixty women of his tribe. It was indeed a day to +make the hearts of the long persevering and faithful missionaries +rejoice." + +To many readers of missionary reports these statements may not be new, +but it was pleasant to have such testimony amidst the scenes themselves. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Note 1. See Turner's "Nineteen Years in Polynesia." + +"Of an evening," says Lieutenant Walpole, RN, writing of Samoa, "when, +taking advantage of intervals of fine weather, we went for a ramble in +the delightful woods, the quiet of the grove was often disturbed by a +ruthless savage, who would rush out upon you, not armed with club or +spear, but with slate and pencil, and thrusting them into your hands, +make signs for you to finish his difficult exercise or sum." + +Dr Coulter, surgeon of HMS _Stratford_, has given this testimony: "The +power of religion has completely altered the naturally uncontrolled +character of the natives, and effectually subdued barbarism. The former +history of these islanders is well known to all readers. They were +guilty of every bad and profane act. Infanticide and human sacrifices, +in all their horrid shapes, were common occurrences. Utter abandonment +and licentiousness prevailed over these islands (the Friendly Islands). +What are they now? The query may be answered in a few words: They are +far more decided Christians than the chief part of their civilised +visitors." + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +HOW THE LIGHT CAME TO FIJI. + +"Tui-Haabai Tuafaahan, or George, the name he assumed when he became a +Christian, the chief or king of the Haabai Islands, was no ordinary man. +He possessed great influence over his people; and in this instance +there can be no doubt that, in consequence of his embracing +Christianity, great numbers of his subjects immediately professed it. +So much was this the case, that out of eighteen inhabited islands of +which the group consists, the people of all but two called themselves +Christians when Mr Thomas arrived in 1830. Of course they were very +ignorant of religious truths; but at the same time they were aware of +their ignorance, and desired to be taught,--and what more could a +missionary pray for? They consequently made great progress, though the +work nearly wore out the missionary. A second, however, the Reverend +Peter Turner, joined Mr Thomas the next year. Their wish at once was +to extend the sphere of their labours. + +"In April, 1831, King George, now himself well able to expound the +gospel, with twenty-four sail of canoes, visited Finau, chief of Vavau, +who had once sent for instruction to the missionaries at Tonga. With +the king went the faithful missionary Peter, bearing a letter from +Messrs. Thomas and Turner. King George, too, endeavoured to convince +Finau of the truth, and at length he promised to join in worshipping the +Lord on the next sabbath. This he did accompanied by several chiefs and +others; and when Monday came he directed that seven of his principal +idols should be placed in a row. He then addressed them: `Listen to my +words, that you may be without excuse. I have brought you here to prove +you.' Commencing with the first, he said, `If you are a god, run away, +or you shall be burned in the fire which is ready for you.' The idol +made no attempt to escape. In the same manner he addressed the next, +and the next, till he came to the last. As none of them ran, he +directed that their temples should be set on fire. The order was at +once obeyed, and some eighteen or more with their idols were consumed. +George and all his people capable of explaining the truths of +Christianity, were employed in preaching and speaking night and day +during their stay, so eager were the people to be instructed. All +ordinary occupation was suspended. The reply to any expostulation was, +`We can labour when you are gone: let us while you stay learn how to +worship God.' Afterwards two native teachers were sent to Vavau, till a +missionary could be spared for them. + +"Finau, who had himself once strongly opposed the Christians, now met +with opposition from one of his own chiefs, who had been absent at Fiji. +This chief threw himself into a strong fort; but it was surprised by +the Christians, and the insurgents being brought out, it was burnt to +the ground, without one person being killed. Mr Cross was soon +afterwards appointed to Vavau, and on his voyage there from Tonga his +canoe was wrecked, and his wife was drowned besides twenty other +persons. + +"It was about this time that the Reverend William Yate, of the Church +Missionary Society, visited Tonga from New Zealand. He had heard much +of the great change among the people, and was disposed to regard part at +least as too strange and too good to be true. He therefore went much +among the people, observing their domestic habits, and their attention +to their religious duties, and he assured the missionaries that what he +saw exceeded all that he had heard. + +"Christianity was making progress in all the three groups, though in +Tonga a powerful body of heathens, under Ata of Hihifo, still remained, +when Finau, king of Vavau, died, leaving his government to King George +of Haabai, who thus became sovereign of both groups. He and his wife +gave full evidence soon after this that they were Christians not only in +name, but in spirit and in truth. They were made class-leaders," and +the king was appointed a local preacher. He did not presume on his high +civil dignity, but always conducted himself in the house of God with +becoming humility. One who heard him preach his first sermon told me +that the great court-house, more than seventy feet long, could not +contain the people who thronged to hear their king. Every chief on the +island and all the local preachers were present. The king led the +singing. He preached with great plainness and simplicity, and in strict +accordance with the teaching of God's word; dwelling on the humility and +love of the Saviour, the cleansing efficacy of His atoning blood, and +the obligations under which we are laid to serve and glorify Him. But a +few years before part of this very congregation might have been seen in +this same house preparing guns, spears, and clubs, in order to slay +their fellow-men, and waiting to be led forth to battle by the great +warrior who was now the royal preacher. He proved his Christianity in +another way. Hearing that the English had abolished slavery and that it +is abhorrent to the character of the gospel, he that very day called all +his slaves together and forthwith gave them their liberty. He next +employed himself in building a church upwards of a hundred feet long and +fifty wide, the largest building that had ever been erected in Tonga. +He also exhibited his wisdom by framing a code of laws, by which all +chiefs as well as people were to be equally bound. They were most +judicious, and admirably fitted for the wants of the people. Not one +professed heathen now remained in the two groups governed by King +George, and the blessings he had received he was anxious to send to +others. A missionary and several native teachers therefore went forth +and established churches in Samoa, as well as in some small islands +lying between the two groups. The missionaries were afterwards removed, +it having been agreed between the Wesleyan and London Missionary +Societies that Samoa should be left entirely under the charge of the +London Missionary Society,--a wise resolve, the object of which does not +appear to have been very clearly comprehended by the Samoan Christians, +accustomed to the Wesleyan form, or by King George, who made a voyage to +Samoa to consult about the matter. The reason of the arrangement was, +that the Wesleyan Society might be able to devote all their means and +energies to the promulgation of the gospel in the Fiji Islands, a work +which they forthwith commenced and have carried on with unsurpassed +vigour and success. I will describe it to you presently. + +"Josiah Tubou, the king of Tonga proper, or Tongatabu though a +consistent Christian, was a man every way inferior to King George in +energy and talent, and the heathen chiefs and other ill-disposed persons +set his power at defiance. They even went so far as to take up arms, in +the hope of deposing him. In this, however, they were disappointed; for +King George, with a large body of warriors, came to his assistance, and +they were compelled to take refuge in certain strongly-built forts in +their native districts, where they continued to hold out against his +power. The war thus commenced and carried on for some years, proved a +sad hindrance to religion and the advancement of civilisation. Two +Roman Catholic priests were also landed from a French ship of war, and +took up their residence with the heathens, whom they undoubtedly +supported against their chief. + +"It was while endeavouring to negotiate with the rebels in one of these +forts that Captain Croker of HMS _Favourite_, who had with him a party +of his ship's company, was shot at and killed. Another officer and +several men fell on the occasion, while many were badly wounded. +Several forts were taken or yielded, and the defenders pardoned; but the +rebels were still holding out in the strongest, that of Bea, where the +Romish priests resided, when Sir Everard Home, in the _Calliope_, +arrived at Tonga. Several times the fort had been summoned to +surrender, and Sir Everard Home had now the satisfaction of witnessing +the way in which it was captured, and the leniency with which the rebels +were treated, while he and King George himself were instrumental in +saving the property of the Romish priests from destruction. From that +time King George has been employed in consolidating his power, and in +advancing the material as well as spiritual interests of his subjects. + +"The success which attended the exertions of the missionaries at Tonga +encouraged them to commence the work at Fiji, with which extensive group +Tonga has for years been intimately connected, although the inhabitants +are of a totally different race and character. I must go back again +from the time of which I have just been speaking to the year 1835. +Utterly debased and savage as were the people of Fiji at that period, +the mission was commenced under peculiarly favourable circumstances. It +was especially supported by King George of Tonga, who was much respected +by the inhabitants of Lakemba, the spot which had been fixed on as the +residence of the missionaries. Many Tongans also resided there, who +could at once be addressed in their own language, which was also +understood by the chief and many of the people of Lakemba. As many +Fijians were living at Tonga, the missionaries were able likewise to +prepare and print some books in Fijian. King George's introduction +insured them a favourable reception from the chief of Lakemba, who at +once gave them ground for the missionary premises. House-building is +short work in Fiji, and a large body of natives, having prepared posts, +spars, reeds, etcetera, assembled at the chosen site, and commenced +operations. On the third day all the furniture, articles for barter, +books, clothes, doors, windows, and various stores were landed, and +carried to the two houses, of which the families took possession that +evening. Lakemba is thirty miles in circumference, and contains, +besides the king's town, eight other towns and three Tongan settlements. +Many of the people inhabiting them, on their visits to head-quarters +saw the mission premises, and went home to tell of what had excited +their own admiration. Thus the number of visitors increased, and many +becoming dissatisfied with their own gods, and tired with the exactions +of the priests, came regularly on the sabbath to worship at the chapel. +As they had to pass the king's town they were observed, and abused for +presuming, though common people, to think for themselves in the matter +of religion, and even daring to forsake their own gods for the new God +of whom the strangers spoke. Threats were used, and the Christians +would immediately have been persecuted, had not a chief from Tonga, who +had come over to protect the Christians from the people of Mbau, himself +adopted the new faith, letting it be known that he would protect his +co-religionists. They did not escape altogether: their houses were +pillaged, and many had to fly for their lives. They however went to +other islands, carrying, as did the Christians of old, their religion +with them, and were the means of spreading it to other parts of the +group. Many of the Tongans heard the word gladly, though hitherto known +for their evil doings, and returned home changed in heart and manners. +The king of Lakemba even pretended that he wished to become a Christian, +though his profession was not sincere, as he continued to persecute the +converts. He at last said that he would lotu if some other powerful +chiefs would do so; and suggested that the missionaries should go to +Mbau and see what change they could effect in the rulers of that +notorious cannibal island. Mr Cross took the king at his word, and +with his wife and family embarked for Mbau. On his arrival there, he +found that war had been raging, that two bodies were in the ovens, and +that very little attention to his preaching could be expected. Though +Thakombau, the king's son, promised him his protection and a spot of +ground for a house, he considered it wiser to proceed to Rewa, a town +about twelve miles away on the main island, where the chief promised to +protect him, and to allow as many of his people to lotu as desired it. +At first Mr Cross preached in the open air; but a chief of some rank +and his wife becoming Christians, they opened their house for worship, +and a hundred hearers would sometimes assemble there to listen. + +"Off the island of Great Fiji is another small island, that of Viwa. +The chief, Namosi, and his nephew, Verani, had captured a French brig +and destroyed the crew. The captain, it was proved, had allowed his +vessel to be used in the native wars, and had even suffered the body of +an enemy to be cooked and eaten on board. To punish Namosi, two French +men-of-war appeared off the coast, and the crews landing, burned down +his town and destroyed his crops. This misfortune seems so to have +affected him, that he begged a teacher might be sent to instruct him in +the new religion; and to show his sincerity, he built a large chapel, +where many of his people joined him in worshipping God. Thus were two +centres formed in Fiji, where two men single-handed battled with almost +incredible difficulties, cheered, however, by no inconsiderable +success,--that is to say, Mr Cargill at Lakemba, and Mr Cross at Rewa. + +"In 1838 three missionaries arrived from England. One of them was the +devoted John Hunt, who at once volunteered to go to the assistance of +Mr Cross, who was already breaking down with his labours at Rewa. With +them also came a printer, a printing-press, and book-binding materials. +Early in 1839 Saint Mark's Gospel and a catechism in Fijian were +printed,--an important event in the history of a people who three years +before had no written language, and who seemed sunk in the utter depths +of darkness and moral degradation. Fiji was indebted for Mr Hunt to +the Christian liberality of a lady--Mrs Brackenbury, of Raithbury Hall, +Lincolnshire, who offered to pay all the expenses of his outfit and +passage, and 50 pounds a year for three years, provided the committee +would send another missionary, and thus raise the number to seven. + +"The mission establishment at Rewa drew many visitors, especially the +people from Mbau, who came to make inquiries about the lotu. To this +place the printing-press was moved, and it was made the head-quarters of +the Fijian mission. On an island off Vanua Levu, or the Great Land, was +situated the town of Somosomo, the chief of which, who had considerable +power, begged that missionaries might be sent to him. + +"Accordingly Mr Hunt and Mr Lyth, with their families, went there, and +took up their quarters in a large house provided by the chief. He +showed clearly, however, that he only required their goods; and not only +were the families neglected, but the most horrible cannibal practices +took place close to them, encouraged by the chief. His son was wrecked +on an enemy's shore, when he and his followers were killed and eaten. +In consequence a number of women were murdered, in spite of the +entreaties of the missionaries that their lives might be spared, while +captives were constantly dragged before their windows to be killed and +baked. Ultimately the station was abandoned, and the chief was murdered +by one of his own sons, who was himself murdered by a brother; and such +anarchy and confusion reigned, that Somosomo was laid almost desolate. + +"After a time the remaining chiefs and people, brought low by distress, +turned to the God of the strangers, and great numbers became +Christians,--showing that the seed had been sown and taken root, though +when the missionaries left the island they were disposed to fear that no +good had been effected. + +"The truth spread by a great variety of means. A chief named Wai, of +the far-off island of Ono, tributary to Lakemba, came to that island to +pay his dues. He there met with Takai, another Fijian chief, who had +visited Sydney and Tahiti, and had become a Christian. With such +knowledge as he could thus pick up he returned home. He there taught +his people; and so great a thirst for further instruction sprang up +among them, that a whaler calling at Ono for provisions, they engaged a +passage in her for two messengers who were to beg the missionaries at +Tonga to send them a teacher. A long time must have elapsed before one +could have reached them; but the Lord knew the desire of their hearts, +and took His own means for giving them the spiritual food after which +they hungered. + +"Early in 1836 a canoe, on board which was Josiah, a converted Tongan, +with other Christians, sailed from Lakemba for Tonga, but was driven out +of her course to Turtle Island, about fifty miles from Ono. Hearing +when there that the people of Ono were seeking after religious +instruction, Josiah hastened there to tell them all he could of the +gospel. In a short time forty persons became worshippers of God, and a +chapel was built to hold a hundred. In the meantime their two +messengers reached Tonga, where they were told that as missionaries were +now stationed at Lakemba they must apply there for the help they sought. +A teacher was found, once a wild youth, who had been converted at +Lakemba. Here he remained two years preparing for his work, till he had +an opportunity of going to Ono. On his arrival he found that one +hundred and twenty adults had become Christians. A strong heathen party +was, however, formed against them, and they had more than once to fight +for their lives. Even the king of Lakemba threatened to destroy them +because they would not give up a young Christian girl who had in her +infancy been betrothed to him. A gale drove back the king's canoe, and +some of those of his followers were lost; so that he was persuaded that +the God of the Christians frowned on his design. The island was visited +several times by English missionaries, and at last one was appointed to +reside there. + +"All the people have now become Christians, and probably fifty agents +have been raised up there to carry the gospel to other parts of Fiji. +Christianity spread among the islands in the neighbourhood of Lakemba +subject to Somosomo. This was in spite of the belief in a threat of the +king, that he would kill and eat any of his subjects who should lotu. +The king arrived, and hearing of the tale indignantly denied it. He +ordered, however, that tribute should be paid to him on Sunday. This +the Christians refused to do, but the following day they appeared with +their offerings. This produced a favourable impression on the king, +showing as it did, what was the genuine effect of Christianity when +carried out. No one was punished, though unhappily the king seemed to +remain as complete a heathen as before till his death. + +"In Lakemba the Christians multiplied, and the whole population of one +town, that of Yaudrana, lotued in one day. They had been ill-treated, +and two of their number had been killed by the king or his people. +Suddenly they came to the conclusion that their own gods could no longer +protect them, and they resolved to pray to Jehovah the God of the +Christians. They accordingly sent to Mr Calvert, the missionary. The +chiefs of the town met him to speak on the matter, in the principal +temple in the place, and after singing and prayer they bowed down to +worship God. The following Sabbath the whole population, by agreement, +openly abandoned idolatry. The king sent to forbid them, but his +message arrived after the ceremony had been performed, and they replied +that they would pay him lawful tribute, but would not abandon their new +faith. After this movement of the larger number of his subjects, the +king himself became a Christian. + +"I can with difficulty recollect the numerous events connected with +missionary work as they occurred in the wide extending group of Fiji. +Of the most important I have not yet spoken. It is necessary to +remember the names of three important places: Mbau, though a small +island, contains the capital of the powerful chief Thakombau, now called +the king of all Fiji. Twelve miles off, on the mainland, is Rewa; and +on another small island two miles from Mbau, is Viwa, the residence of +Namosimalua, who had become nominally Christian, or was at all events +favourable to the Christians. Here Mr Cross took up his abode, when +Thakombau refused him admission to Mbau. Thakombau was the son of +Tanoa, the chief of Mbau. Mbau had obtained the influence it possessed +over other parts of Fiji in consequence of its having become the abode +of Charles Savage, a runaway seaman, a horrible ruffian, a Swede by +birth, who managed to obtain a large supply of firearms and ammunition, +and led her armies for many years against her neighbours of the larger +islands, compelling them to become tributary to her. At length, being +defeated in Viti Levu, by a party of natives against whom, in +conjunction with the master of an English trading vessel, the _Hunter_, +of Calcutta, he was carrying on a war for the sake of procuring a cargo +of sandal-wood for the ship, he was, together with fourteen of the crew, +put to death and eaten, his body being treated with every mark of +detestation, and his bones converted into sail-needles, and distributed +among the people as a remembrance of the victory. Namosimalua was +looked upon as the Ulysses of those regions. He in conjunction with +other chiefs, weary of the exactions of Tanoa, rebelled against him, and +compelled him to fly, also advising that his young son Thakombau, whose +talents he had discovered, should be put to death. This not having been +done, he resolved to gain the friendship of Tanoa without committing +himself. He therefore offered to go in pursuit of the king, but +secretly sent a messenger to warn him of his danger. When Thakombau +restored his father to his possessions, Tanoa saved Namosi's life, +though the former never forgave him his intentions towards him. + +"Among the greatest warriors and fiercest cannibals of Fiji was a nephew +of Namosi's, called Verani, who was a firm friend of Thakombau's. At +Rewa a mission had been established, but its chief Ratu Nggara remained +a heathen, and was a powerful rival of Thakombau. Some time after the +establishment of the missions at Viwa, Namosi its chief became a +Christian; and as visitors from Mbau and other places visited the +mission-house, the knowledge of the new faith spread in every direction +around. The fierce warrior Verani even listened to what the missionary +had to say, and hopes were entertained that he too might lotu; but his +friend Thakombau urged him to remain firm to the old faith, and to join +him as before in his wars. At first, Verani yielded to evil counsels; +but, happily, again and again he visited the missionary, till he +declared his conviction that Christianity was true; and from that day he +became as resolute and bold in promulgating the truth, as he had before +been in supporting the customs of heathenism. For several years he held +a consistent Christian course of life, and his example had probably an +influence on his friend Thakombau. His good influence was, however, +opposed by some of the abandoned white men, resident on neighbouring +islands, who dreaded, should the king turn Christian, that a stop would +be put to their own evil doings. They even went so far, when they +thought this possible, as to join the natives in carrying on war against +him; and so successful were they that on every side he found his power +decreasing. What force or persuasion could not effect, affliction +accomplished. During the time of his greatest distress he received a +letter from King George of Tonga, urging him to delay no longer, but to +turn to the God of the Christians. This letter seems to have decided +him. + +"On the 30th April, 1854, at nine o'clock the death-drum was beaten--the +signal for assembling in the great `Strangers' House' for the +worshipping of the true God. Ten days before, its sound had called +people together to a cannibal feast. Three hundred persons were present +in the ample lotu dress, before whom stood Thakombau, the chief, with +his children and wives. The missionary, who had so long watched for +this event, was deeply moved, and could scarcely proceed with the +service. It was indeed a day to be remembered in the annals of Fiji. +After worship, the people crowded round the missionaries, to ask for +alphabets, and gathered in groups to learn forthwith to read. The king, +after this, caused the Sabbath to be observed. His deportment was +serious, and his own attendance at preaching and prayer-meetings was +regular. His little boy, about seven years old, had already learnt to +read, and he now became the instructor of his parents, who were both so +eager to acquire knowledge, that their young teacher would often fall +asleep in the midst of his lesson. + +"Among the most implacable enemies of Thakombau was the king of Rewa. +Elijah Verani undertook a mission to that chief, in the hopes of +bringing about peace, when he and most of his companions were +traitorously murdered and eaten. Not long after this the king of Rewa +himself died, and his people sued for peace. + +"Thakombau, the once cannibal and homicide, was not allowed to remain +quiet. He had enemies on every side; some of them he conquered in war, +but often his life was in danger from his own former associates and +relations. The effect, however, was good, as it made him turn more and +more to God for pardon through Jesus Christ and to the consolations of +religion. At length he triumphed, and his enemies were subdued under +him. He had from the first prohibited cannibalism; murder was now +declared to be against the law. The first two murderers guilty of the +crime before the law was promulgated were pardoned, but the next, though +a chief, was tried, and being found guilty of the murder of his wife, +was publicly executed by his countrymen at Mbau, the missionary wisely +absenting himself at the time. In the same year three chiefs of rank +were publicly married, each to one wife, a step afterwards taken by the +king himself. Churches were now built in every direction, and thousands +of the people of Fiji abandoned their horrible customs, put away their +idols, and turned to the true God." + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +THE COURAGE OF KAPIOLANI. + +"Although the change in Fiji is very great, much remains to be done. It +is not more than we may justly say, that cannibalism and the more +abominable crimes once common have ceased to exist wherever English +missionaries reside, and in most places where native teachers have +gained a footing. The kingdom of peace is making daily progress. The +gospel has firmly established itself in the heart of Fiji. Thakombau +remains firm and consistent in his profession of Christianity, and +though certain chiefs rebelled against him, he has dealt as leniently +with them as the maintenance of authority and order will allow, and has +striven as far as possible to avoid bloodshed. + +"It is satisfactory to see the way Captain Erskine, of HMS _Havannah_, +speaks of those who have contributed to bring about this state of +things. I cannot refrain from touching on a circumstance which he +mentions, redounding as it does so greatly to the honour of the wives of +two of the missionaries, Mrs Lyth and Mrs Calvert. It occurred while +old Tanoa was still alive, and of course long before Thakombau became a +Christian. + +"A powerful tribe had sent a deputation to Mbau with tribute, and it was +necessary to provide them with a banquet, a portion of which must, +according to custom, be human flesh. The chief whose business it was to +provide for the occasion, not having any enemies, set forth by night and +captured a number of women belonging to a village along the coast, who +had come down to pick shell-fish for food. Immediately Namosimalua, the +Christian chief, heard of it, he hastened to the missionary station; but +the missionaries' wives alone were at home. These heroic women, +however, resolved to go themselves, and to endeavour at all risks to +save the lives of the captives. Accompanied by the faithful Christian +chief they embarked in a canoe for Mbau. Each carried a whale's tooth +decorated with ribbons, a necessary offering on preferring a petition to +a chief. As they landed near old Tanoa's house, the shrieks of two +women then being slaughtered for the day's entertainment chilled their +blood, but did not daunt their resolution. Ten had been killed; one had +died of her wounds; the life of one girl had been begged by Thakombau's +principal wife, to whom she was delivered as a slave, and three only +remained. Regardless of the sanctity of the place, it being tabooed to +women, they forced themselves into old Tanoa's chamber, who demanded, +with astonishment at their temerity, what those women did there? The +Christian chief, presenting the two whales' teeth, answered that they +came to solicit the lives of the remaining prisoners. + +"Tanoa, still full of wonder, took up one of these teeth, and turning to +an attendant, desired him to carry it immediately to Navindi--the chief +who had captured the prisoners--and ask, `If it were good?' + +"A few minutes were passed in anxious suspense. The messenger returned. +Navindi's answer was, `It is good.' The women's cause was gained, and +old Tanoa thus pronounced his judgment: `Those who are dead, are dead; +those who are alive shall live.' The heroic ladies retired with their +three rescued fellow-creatures, and had the satisfaction besides of +discovering that their daring efforts had produced a more than hoped-for +effect. A year or two ago, no voice but that of derision would have +been raised towards them, but now returning to their canoe, they were +followed by numbers of their own sex blessing them for their exertions, +and urging them to persevere. + +"Captain Erskine, who heard this account from the ladies themselves, and +gives it much as I have done, adds, `If anything could have increased +our admiration of their heroism, it was the unaffected manner in which +when pressed by us to relate the circumstances of their awful visit, +they spoke of it as the simple performance of an ordinary duty.' He +continues: `I could not fail to admire the tolerant tone of the +missionaries when speaking of these enormities. Accustomed for years to +witness scenes such as few believe are to be seen on the face of the +earth, and to combat the wildest errors step by step, with slow but +almost certain success, these good men know well that a constant +expression of indignation, such as must naturally arise in the mind of a +stranger, would not produce the desired effect on the unhappy beings to +whose loftiest interests they have with much self-sacrifice devoted +themselves. Navindi, the cannibal chief of the fishermen, whose natural +disposition they describe as kindly and confiding, was received quite on +the footing of a friend, and Thakombau was also spoken of as a man of +great energy and good intentions, by whose instrumentality much good +might yet be effected among his numerous subjects or dependants. The +wisdom of their conduct has been proved. These men have been won over +to the truth. When our blessed Lord walked on earth He reproved in +strongest language the scribes and Pharisees who knew the law, but not +the publicans and sinners who knew it not. Captain Erskine describes +the missionaries as engaged in the translation of the Scriptures and +other religious works to be completed before a given time--a labour to +be carried on in the midst of constant interruptions, to which the +members of this mission and their families are liable at all hours of +the day. Besides being referred to in cases of quarrels and disputes, +the care of the sick and the distribution of medicines are duties which +they have undertaken, and carry out with unremitting attention.' + +"I wish that people in England knew of the efforts made by the priests +of Rome to impede the progress of the pure gospel. Their mode of +proceeding is very clearly described in a few words by Captain Erskine. +He says, `There are two French Roman Catholic missionaries stationed at +Lakemba, but, as at Tongatabu, it is to be feared that their presence +will tend rather to retard than advance the improvement of the natives. +The practice of this (Roman Catholic) mission, in availing themselves of +the pioneer-ship of men of a different sect, for the purpose of +undermining their exertions, cannot be too severely reprobated. Being +very irregularly furnished with supplies from their own country, these +two are sometimes dependent for the common necessaries of life on the +Wesleyans, for whom they entertain the strongest dislike, and who cannot +be expected to treat them otherwise than as mischievous intruders; nor +are their privations in any way compensated by success in their +objects.' He describes a visit to the fortress of Bea, in Tonga, where +two Roman Catholic priests reside, and which is inhabited partly by +Roman Catholics and partly by heathens. `The appearance of the people +in this fortress was not such as to impress one favourably, compared +with the others of their countrymen we had seen. They were more +scantily clothed, and apparently less cleanly in their persons and +houses, a natural consequence of living in a more confined space; and +the absence of that cordiality which we everywhere met with from persons +connected with the Protestant missions was very apparent. I heard also +among the younger officers of pockets picked and handkerchiefs stolen, +showing a more lawless state of life, and a retention of their old +habits, which were so obnoxious to their early European visitors.' The +priests complained to Captain Erskine of the way the missionaries spoke +of them, on which he says, `It is perhaps sufficient to remark that, +even if the Wesleyans were guilty (which I do not believe) of all the +improper conduct attributed to them by M Calinon, it has been occasioned +entirely by the obtrusion of the Society to which he belongs into ground +previously occupied by others, who would undoubtedly, had their efforts +remained unopposed or unassisted, soon have numbered the whole of the +population among their fellow-worshippers.' + +"The priest also wrote to Captain Erskine, repeating his accusations of +intolerance against the Wesleyans, and expressing his fears that their +efforts to disparage him would be renewed on their departure, and the +flight of the pope from Rome, of which they had heard, represented as +the downfall of the Catholic Church. + +"The captain says, `I thought it right to answer his letter, as I could +exonerate the missionaries from any charge of having attempted to +prejudice us against the Roman Catholic priests, nor did I believe that +they would make use of any unfair argument against their faith, founded +on the political position of the pope.' I must also express my +conviction that the charge against the Wesleyans made by the priests of +adopting as proselytes all who offer without examination is quite +unfounded. The putting away of all but one wife--no small sacrifice on +the part of a people who have practised polygamy for ages--is always +insisted on as a first step, and regular attendance on religious worship +is also expected. Among the older Christians I saw every evidence of +their having adopted the new faith from conscientious conviction, and +the chiefs of the highest distinction are probably better read in the +New Testament than any of the English met with among the islands. + +"Captain Erskine also bears testimony to the character of other +missionaries. Describing the work at Samoa, he says: `The first +circumstance which must strike a stranger on his arrival, and one which +will come hourly under his notice during his stay, is the influence +which all white men, but in particular the missionaries, exercise over +the minds of the natives. + +"`No unprejudiced person will fail to see that had this people acquired +their knowledge of a more powerful and civilised race than their own, +either from the abandoned and reckless characters who still continue to +infest most of the islands of the Pacific, or even from a higher class +engaged in purely mercantile pursuits, they must have fallen into a +state of vice and degradation to which their old condition would have +been infinitely superior. That they have been at least rescued from +this state, is entirely owing to the missionaries; and should the few +points of asceticism which these worthy men, conscientiously believing +them necessary to the eradication of the old superstitions, have +introduced among their converts, become softened by time and the absence +of opposition, it is not easy to imagine a greater moral improvement +than will then have taken place among a (once) savage people. + +"`With respect to those gentlemen of the London Mission, whose +acquaintance I had the satisfaction of making in Samoa, I will venture, +at the risk of being considered presumptuous, to express my opinion, +that in acquirements, general ability, and active energy, they would +hold no undistinguished place among their Christian brethren at home. +The impossibility of accumulating private property, both from the +regulations of the Society and the circumstances surrounding them, ought +to convince the most sceptical of their worldly disinterestedness, nor +can the greatest scoffers at their exertions deny to them the possession +of a virtue which every class of Englishman esteems above all others, +the highest order of personal courage.' [See Note.] + +"But I need not quote further from Captain Erskine, nor from other +unprejudiced writers, to convince you, and through you your friends, of +what has been accomplished through the instrumentality of missionaries. +You will have many opportunities of judging for yourself. There is, +however, another subject to which I would urge you to draw attention, +that is, the attempts made by French priests of the Church of Rome to +counteract the efforts of the missionaries. You know what has been done +at Tahiti. You hear from Captain Erskine what is doing at Tonga and +Fiji. The same attempts are being made at Samoa and elsewhere, wherever +English missionaries have pioneered the way, and there are good +harbours, but not otherwise. This almost looks as if their designs are +political as well as religious, and that the object of those who send +them is to establish French posts across the Pacific, so that in time of +war they may have coaling stations and harbours of refuge in every +direction. As they have by means of these priests a party in each +group, they will never want an excuse for interfering in the affairs of +the islands whenever they may have occasion to do so. + +"But I must tell you more of many other islands brought under Christian +instruction. Savage Island offers a notable example of what can be done +in a short time. Captain Cook gave it that name, on account of the +savage appearance of the inhabitants. When Williams first visited them +in 1830, they appeared to be in no way improved. Several at length were +induced to visit Samoa, where at the training college they gained so +sound a knowledge of Christianity, that in 1846 two of them were well +fitted to impart it to their long-benighted countrymen. They narrowly, +however, escaped with their lives, and some time elapsed before they +could gain the confidence of those they came to instruct. When visited +by the Reverend A Murray in 1852, about two hundred converts had been +made, and many others had learned to look at the teachers with +affection. Unhappily that very year several of the natives were killed +by the crew of a man-of-war which had called off the island, because one +of them had stolen a carpenter's tool, and among them was the chief who +had protected the missionaries on first landing. Still they were +already too well instructed to wish to return evil for evil, and with +simplicity complained that the punishment was rather severe, especially +as the innocent suffered, though not altogether undeserved. From this +time forward, under their native teachers, the people made great +progress in their knowledge of religious truth, and so rapidly were +numbers added to the Church, that in a few years not a heathen remained +on the island. It was not indeed till quite lately that an English +missionary was placed on the island, and he found five large churches +built, one of which was capable of holding more than a thousand people; +and many young men were anxious to be trained, that they might carry the +gospel to other lands. I might give you a similar account of the way +Christianity has been introduced into many other islands, and small +groups of islands in this part of the Pacific; but I have a very +different one to give of the western part, or of those islands which +form what is called Melanesia. They consist of five groups, and not +only do the inhabitants of each group speak different languages, but +frequently those of neighbouring islands. + +"We will begin with the large island of New Caledonia, on which the +French have lately formed a convict establishment. To the south of it +is the Isle of Pines, and to the east the three islands of Mare, Livu, +and Uea, forming the Loyalty group. At Mare and Livu chiefly, +Christianity has made progress, and Protestant missionaries have for +some years been residing on them, while the people of Uea have gladly +received the word; but the Isle of Pines has been stained with the blood +of several native missionaries; and not only did the savage people +reject the offer themselves, but they impeded its progress on New +Caledonia, by threatening all who became Christians, till the French +arrived and put a stop to the promulgation of Protestant truth among the +people. Altogether, the influence of Romanism has been most pernicious +in these islands. + +"To the north-east of them are the New Hebrides, the most southern of +which is Aneiteum; next Tanna, Eromanga, Fate, Malicolo, Espiritu Santo, +and many others. The next group is that of Banks' Island, with Santa +Maria, and many small isles. The Santa Cruz group is the fourth in the +list; and to the north-west of them the Solomon Isles, consisting of +many large islands, make the fifth group. The London Missionary Society +have made every effort to carry the gospel to the inhabitants of the two +first named groups, and in some instances successfully. + +"It was at Eromanga that the devoted missionary John Williams fell, with +his young companion Mr Harris, struck down by the club of a chief. +This sad murder did not prevent the Society from making further efforts +to send the gospel to the benighted inhabitants. Those efforts have +been blessed, and among the converts was the chief who committed the +deed, and who gave up to a missionary the very weapon with which the +fatal blow was struck. On Aneiteum, English missionaries are located, +Christian Churches have been established, and, with few exceptions, the +whole of the population have in name become Christian. + +"These five groups are now called Melanesia. They have for some years +past been regularly visited by the energetic Bishop of New Zealand, who +has induced young men from most of them to accompany him in his mission +vessel to New Zealand, where at the Auckland training college they are +prepared to carry back the gospel to their savage countrymen. A +missionary bishop has lately been appointed to superintend the work, +which, if carried on in the spirit with which it has been commenced, +must with God's blessing prosper. + +"These islands were long noted for the deeds of blood committed on their +shores, for the number of vessels cut off, and both white and native +missionaries murdered, and the natives have been looked on in +consequence as of the most fierce and sanguinary character. That they +deserved it in a degree there is no doubt; but at the same time it is +very certain that their conduct towards foreigners was caused by the +unjust, cruel way in which they were treated by the crews of vessels +which came to procure sandal-wood on their shores. These men shot them +down, cheated them, and ill-treated them in every possible way, +sometimes carrying off chiefs and people from one place to exchange them +as slaves for sandal-wood in another. Over and over again natives have +been shot both on board vessels and on shore by the traders. Such was +the cause of the death of the lamented John Williams and young Harris. +A trading vessel had touched at Eromanga a short time before their +arrival, her crew having shot several natives, among whom was the son of +a chief, who afterwards confessed that it was in retaliation he had +instigated his countrymen to the attack, and had himself struck the +fatal blow. + +"But time will not allow me to give a further description of this +portion of the Pacific. I have as yet told you nothing of the Sandwich +Islands, or, as they are now called, the Hawaiian Islands, with their +capital Honolulu, in the isle of Oahu, and their late sovereign, King +Kamehameha the Fourth. They consist of several large and beautiful +islands: that of Hawaii (Owhyee), containing two mountains, Mouna Kea +and Mouna Roa, said to be eighteen thousand feet in height, and by far +the most lofty in the whole Pacific. The inhabitants are a fine and +handsome race. Their religion was one of gross superstition, and so +overloaded with restrictions, constantly increasing, and curtailing the +liberty of all classes except the priests, that the chiefs and people at +length became utterly weary of it. Even when visited by Captain +Vancouver in 1793, some of the chiefs requested him to send them +instructors in the Christian faith,--a prayer to which little attention +appears to have been paid. + +"It was not till the year 1820 that the young King Rihoriho, who had +ascended the throne established by his victorious father, no longer +believing in the power of his idols, and weary of the restraints of the +old religion, at one stroke broke through the hitherto sacred taboo and +the entire system of priestcraft. + +"Just before this eventful time it had been put into the hearts of +Christian men in the United States, who formed the American Board of +Missions, to send missionaries to the long-known savage murderers of +Captain Cook. A band of devoted men, admirably selected, arrived on the +30th March, 1820, in sight of Mouna Roa. They were received in a +friendly way by the king and many of the chiefs, and three stations were +soon occupied by them and their families. + +"Two years afterwards, Mr Ellis, of the London Missionary Society, was +invited to come from Tahiti to aid in the work, which he was happily +enabled to do. He came accompanied by some native Tahitian teachers, +who were of the greatest assistance to the missionaries. He remained +until the ill-health of Mrs Ellis compelled him to return to England. +The king of the Sandwich Islands and his excellent queen, after they had +become Christians, paid a visit to England, where they soon died from +the measles, which they caught on landing. King Rihoriho, who had +assumed the title of Kamehameha the Second, was succeeded by his younger +brother, the islands being well governed in the mean time by his mother +and one of his chiefs. + +"The missionary stations were increased in number, many schools were +established, and the natives began to understand the truths of the +gospel, and to accept its offers, when there came a rude interruption +from an outbreak of heathen chiefs, set on by their priests. After some +severe fighting the rebels were defeated, and the insurrection +completely put down. Christianity and civilisation once more again made +progress; but the missionaries had to contend with opposition not only +from the heathen natives, but from so-called Christian strangers, who +were furious at finding that they could no longer indulge in the gross +licence in which in former days they had been accustomed to revel. Not +only were they insulted by masters of whalers, but the American +missionaries complain that they were ill-treated by the commander of one +of their own men-of-war, and by all his subordinates. From such sources +have arisen the numerous calumnies current against the missionaries in +the South-Sea." + +[See Note 2.] + +"In about ten years from the landing of the first missionaries one-third +of the population were under instruction, and there were no less than +nine hundred native teachers; but even at that time, and much later, +there were many heathens, and vice and immorality were very prevalent +among professing Christians. Still among all classes there were notable +examples of true piety, and ardent zeal for the propagation of the +truth. The excellent queen-mother, Kaahumanu, by her precept and +example did much to advance the cause of religion. I must tell you of +another native lady, Kapiolani, the wife of Naike, the public orator of +the kingdom, by whose courage and faith one of the most terrible of the +old superstitions of Hawaii was overthrown. The old religion was +coloured by the awful volcanic phenomena of which these islands are the +theatre. The most fearful of all their deities was Pele, a goddess +supposed to reside in the famous volcano of Kilauea. Here, with her +attendant spirits, she revelled amid the fiery billows as they dashed +against the sides of the crater. To the base of this volcano the old +heathenism, driven from the rest of Hawaii, slowly retreated, though the +priestesses of Pele several times ventured even into the presence of the +king, to endeavour by threats of the vengeance of the goddess to induce +him to support the faith of his fathers. These impostors still +exercised considerable influence over the uneducated masses. + +"Kapiolani, bold in the Christian faith, resolved practically to show +how utterly powerless were these supposed fiery gods. After a journey +of a hundred miles, as she neared the side of the mountain, a prophetess +of the supposed goddess met her with warnings and denunciations of +vengeance. But undauntedly she persevered, and as she stood on the +black edge of the seething caldron she addressed, in words of perfect +faith, the anxious bystanders watching for the effects of Pele's wrath: +`Jehovah is my God: He kindled these fires. I fear not Pele. If I +perish, then you may believe that she exists, and dread her power. But +if Jehovah saves me, then you must fear and serve Him.' As she spoke, +she cast with untrembling hand the sacred berries into the burning +crater, quietly waiting till the spectators should be convinced that no +result was to follow. Thus she succeeded in breaking through the last +lingering remnant of the long-dreaded taboo; and while the priests and +priestesses were compelled to support themselves by honest labour, their +votaries abandoned their heathen practices, and in many instances sought +instruction in the new faith. + +"The examples I have given will show you the mode in which Christianity +has spread over the isles of the Pacific. But there are still +numberless dark spots to which the gospel has not been carried, and in +all, the Churches still require the support, strengthening, and +instruction which in general white men can alone afford." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Note 1. "Journal of a Cruise among the Islands of the Pacific," by +Captain J Elphinstone Erskine, RN, page 100. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Note 2. The _Quarterly Review_, 1853, in noticing accounts of voyages +in the Pacific, after quoting the favourable testimonies of some +writers, thus refers to others: "There is one circumstance which +produces a very painful impression: it is the extreme unfairness which +has been brought to bear against the missionaries and their proceedings, +even by reporters whose substantial good intentions we have no right to +controvert. Surely their work was one which, whatever exception we may +take against particular views or interests, ought to have excited the +sympathies, not only of those who belong to the religious party, as it +is commonly called, but of all who do not take a perverse pleasure in +contemplating human degradation as a kind of moral necessity. The +object of these devoted men was to redeem the natives from no mere +speculative unbelief, but from superstitions the most sanguinary and +licentious. Even those who were careless as to the great truths which +the Polynesians had to learn, must feel, upon reflection, that merely to +unteach the brutal and defiling lesson of ages of darkness was to confer +a priceless blessing. Every prejudice should surely be in favour of the +men who have by general confession accomplished the first and apparently +most laborious part of this task; instead of which a large class of +writers find a species of satisfaction in thinking nothing but evil." + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +A HAZARDOUS EXPLOIT. + +Mr Bent had been waiting for my recovery to restore Alea to her father, +and to revisit the newly-established Christian community in her native +island. It was important to lose no time in doing this. Mary Bent +would have accompanied us; but as her father proposed being absent only +a short time, and as the inconveniences of voyaging in a native canoe +were very great, he wished her to remain at home. She was, however, not +alone; for the widow of a missionary resided with her, and shared her +onerous duties in instructing the native girls, an occupation in which +both ladies took the greatest delight. All the inhabitants of the +island now, it must be understood, professed Christianity, and might +justly be called thoroughly civilised. Many also were true and sincere +believers; so that these two English ladies, left alone on a small +island of the Pacific, felt as secure as they would have done in the +centre of civilised England. + +As we drew near her father's island, Alea showed considerable +trepidation and anxiety as to the way in which she would be received. +She could not persuade herself that one from whom she had fled so short +a time before, and left a fierce, ignorant heathen, would be willing to +forgive her, and treat her with kindness. Might he not also, after all, +compel her to become the wife of the cannibal chief to whom she had been +betrothed? That was the most dreadful thought. Mr Bent used every +possible argument to calm her apprehensions. Although the poor girl had +felt the influence of grace in her own soul, she scarcely as yet +comprehended its power to change the heart of men. I had entertained a +sincere interest in the fate of the young princess from the day we had +found her and her perishing companions on board the canoe. I was now +able to exchange a few words with her, and there was one subject on +which she was never tired of dwelling,--the praise of Mary Bent,--in +which I could always join. + +Believing that my future lot would be cast among the people of these +islands, I had begun seriously to study their language, and I took every +opportunity of practising myself in speaking it. We had two native +teachers on board, who were to be left among the new converts, and all +day long I was talking to them, so that I found myself making rapid +progress in their somewhat difficult language. + +With a fair wind, the missionary flag flying from the mast-head, we +entered the harbour. The shore was crowded, and more and more people +came rushing down from all quarters. It was evident that they would not +receive us with indifference. Mr Bent had wished to prepare the king +for his daughter's return; but she was recognised before we reached the +beach, and several people hurried off to inform her father of her +arrival. As the vessel's keel touched the strand we saw the people +separating on either side, and between them appeared the old chief +hurrying down towards us. We instantly landed with Alea, and no sooner +did her father reach her than, contrary to all native customs, he folded +her in his arms, and kissing her brow, burst into tears?--but they were +tears of joy. + +"Forgive you, daughter!" he answered to her petition. "It is I have to +be thankful that I could not succeed in ruining your soul and body as I +proposed. What agony should I now be feeling had I cast you into the +power of the child of Satan, to the destruction of your soul and body +alike!" + +These words made Alea truly happy, and still more so when her father +gave her free permission to become the wife of Vihala. During their +first interview we stood aside; but now the king came forward, and +invited us to come up to his abode. He had evidently some reason for +wishing us to come at once. What was our surprise to see on the summit +of a hill a building beyond all comparison larger than had ever been +erected in the island. The king pointed it out to us with no slight +pride. It was a church built entirely by the natives, according to the +descriptions given them by Vihala, and the assistance of two or three of +them who had seen Christian places of worship during their visits to +other islands, though they were at the time themselves heathen. Often +have I since seen heathens sitting at the porch of a place of worship, +or standing outside the circle of eager listeners; and I have hoped, not +without reason, that those men were imbibing some portion of the seed +thus scattered, to bring forth fruit in due time. This fact alone is +encouraging; indeed there is every encouragement to persevere in +missionary labour throughout the Pacific. Where, indeed, is it not to +be found, if waited for with patience? The missionary, too, feels that +he goes not forth in his own strength,--that a far higher influence is +at work, and on that he places his confidence of success. + +Nothing could be more satisfactory than the reception afforded us by the +chief; but I need not describe the number of hogs and fowls, of +bread-fruit, of taro, of the sweet potato, and of numerous other +articles of food which were collected to make a feast in honour of our +arrival. Mr Bent lost no time in carrying out the object of our visit, +in addressing the people, and in installing the teachers in their +office. One of our first works was to plan a school-room and houses for +the teachers, and to suggest certain alterations in the church to make +it more suitable for public worship. It had been arranged that we +should return before the next Sabbath; but as it was possible to +complete the building by that day, Mr Bent resolved to remain and open +it in due form, the natives redoubling their efforts, and working almost +day and night to effect that object. I lent a hand, and in sailor +fashion erected a pulpit, which, as there was no time to carve, I +covered with matting and native cloth, which had a novel, though not +unpleasing, appearance. + +I did not before speak of my ship: I scarcely expected to find her here +on my arrival. Indeed the captain, I understood, thought that all on +board the boat had been lost. He had waited, however, day after day, +till losing all patience, he had sailed at length the very day we had +reached the missionary station. I was most concerned to hear that my +boat had not reached the island, though I had a hope that she had fallen +in with the _Golden Crown_, and been picked up. If, on the contrary, +she had been lost or captured by savages, I felt how grateful I should +be for having escaped destruction. Captain Buxton, fully believing that +I was lost, had left no message for me, so that I could not tell where +the ship had gone, nor what were his intentions. + +I must now return to the subject of the church. The opening was one of +the most interesting sights I ever beheld. It was crowded at an early +hour with people, old and young, all clothed in native cloth, and with +their hair cut short,--signs that they had lotued, or become Christians; +while numbers were seen approaching from all directions, many of whom, +being unable to obtain seats inside, crowded round the doors and +windows. Mr Bent's address was most fervent, and, though I could +understand but little of it, yet, judging from the way in which the +attention of every one present was absorbed, it must have been deeply +interesting. Of course but comparatively a small number of those +present were really Christians, or understood even the great principles +of Christianity. They now required the instruction which man can give, +and the work of the Holy Spirit to change their hearts. I may here +remark, that I have often heard missionaries accused of over eagerness +to increase the number of their flocks; but I should say that Protestant +missionaries are never willing to consider those converted who are not +really so, and that no ministers of the gospel are more strict in the +tests they apply to ascertain the fitness of converts for baptism. Mr +Bent well knew the character of his congregation, and addressed them +accordingly; but surely it was glorious progress to have some hundreds +of persons, not long ago untamed savages, listening attentively to the +truths of the gospel. No work of man could thus have progressed,--no +mere civilising influence would have produced such an effect. When the +morning service was over, the people assembled on the hill-side and in +open spaces in the neighbourhood of the church, and there, while eating +the provisions they had brought with them, they eagerly discussed the +subject of the discourse they had just heard. The teachers I observed +went about among them, now sitting down with one group, now with +another, and were thus able to answer questions, to give information, +and to correct the erroneous notions which were likely to be +entertained. Alea scarcely ever left her father's side, and was +continually engaged in imparting to him the instruction which she had +received from Mr Bent and Mary; and it was interesting to observe the +avidity with which the old man received the truth from the lips of the +young girl. + +I heard reports, however, that the heathen party, still numerous, were +mustering strongly in another part of the island. It had been +ascertained also that a canoe manned by heathens had left the island +some time back, but where they had gone was not known. These +circumstances I thought suspicious, and I feared foreboded evil. The +meeting at the service in the afternoon, of the natives professing +Christianity, was fully equal to that in the morning, but there were +fewer heathens. The service continued with prayer and songs of praise, +and an address full of instruction and exhortation from Mr Bent. It +was almost concluded, when a heathen chief, an old friend of the king, I +found, rushed breathless into the building, announcing that a large +fleet of double canoes was approaching the island,--that it was that of +the cannibal chief to whom Alea was betrothed, coming undoubtedly with +hostile intent. + +"How far off are the canoes?" asked the king. + +"Some distance as yet," was the answer. + +"Then we will pray for protection from One mighty to save," exclaimed +the king. "We shall now judge which is the most powerful,--Jehovah, +whom we have lately learned to worship, or the false gods whom we have +cast away." + +None of the people moved from their places. The missionary concluded +his discourse, and then offered up an earnest prayer for protection from +all dangers, to which every one present repeated a loud Amen. They then +moved in an orderly manner out of the church, when the greater number +hurried up the hill, whence they could see the approaching canoes. Of +these there were some fifteen or twenty of different sizes, but most of +them large enough to contain a hundred men at least. They were making +for a sandy point some way from the town or settlement, where we +concluded the enemy would land. I could see with my glass the warriors +dancing, and shaking their spears, and gesticulating violently, in a way +intended to insult those they had come to attack, and to strike terror +into their hearts. A council of war was now held. It was believed that +the enemy would not attempt to make an attack that night, but would wait +till the morning; still it was necessary to be prepared. The warriors +accordingly armed themselves, and assembled in strong bodies under their +different leaders. It was a difficult position for Mr Bent and me. +He, however, at once stated that he could not assist our friends except +by his advice and prayers, but he told me that I might act as I thought +fit. Should I fight, or should I not? There was a sore conflict within +me. My inclinations prompted me to fight, but my new-born principles +taught me to pray rather than to fight, where not called on positively +by duty to do so. In either case, my example might be of service. I +prayed (as all men in a difficulty should pray) to be guided aright. I +decided to remain with the missionary, and use every means to stay the +fight, or to mitigate its horrors should it take place. + +"I am glad, my son, that you have so resolved," remarked Mr Bent, when +I told him of my determination. "Surely the prayers of a believing man +are of more avail than the strong arm of the bravest of warriors. It is +a trial of your faith, certainly; but oh, pray that your faith may not +waver." + +While I had been consulting with Mr Bent, I found that a herald from +the enemy had arrived with a demand that the Princess Alea should be +forthwith delivered up to his master, and threatening the king and all +his adherents with utter destruction if he refused compliance. + +"Tell your chief that once I was in the dark as he is. Then I thought +it no sin to give him my daughter; now I have light, and see my +wickedness and folly. When he has light, he likewise will see as I do. +My daughter cannot be his wife." This bold speech seemed to astonish +the herald, who, having repeated his threats, took his departure. + +Active preparations were now commenced for the defence of the +settlement, and such fortifications as the natives use were thrown up on +all sides. Slight as they may appear, they are capable of offering a +considerable resistance, and on one occasion, in the island of +Tongatabu, a brave English naval officer and several of his men lost +their lives in an attack on one of them held by a rebel and heathen +chief who had set at defiance the authority of King George. + +As evening drew on we could see the enemy on the sand-bank, dancing +round large fires which they had kindled, the sound of their war-shrieks +and shouts, and the blowing of their conch-shells reaching us through +the calm night air. Meantime the missionary repaired to the church, +which during the night was visited at intervals by the whole Christian +population. The king also sat frequently in council with his chiefs. +One of the youngest, who had, however, greatly distinguished himself, +arose and proposed leading a band of chosen warriors to attack the enemy +before they commenced their march in the morning. + +"While they are singing and dancing, they will not keep a good watch, +and thus we may approach them without being discovered. Jehovah will +aid us. It is Satan fights for them. We will prove which is the +strongest." + +All approved the words of the young chief, and he had no lack of +volunteers. About two hundred men were chosen and well armed; they at +once set out on their hazardous exploit. They had resolved to conquer +and save their brethren or die, and yet, perhaps, there was not one who +did not expect to be victorious. I had not seen Alea for some time. +While I was with the king, who was surrounded by several of his chiefs, +she unexpectedly made her appearance among us. She was weeping +bitterly. + +"Father," she said, "I am the cause of all the bloodshed which is about +to occur. Let my life be sacrificed rather than that of so many of your +friends. Give me up to the chief. He can then have no cause to +complain. I will never be his wife. I may make my escape or I may die, +but the lives of you and your friends will be preserved." + +On hearing this noble resolve, the chiefs to a man exclaimed that +nothing should induce them to abandon the princess. Prayers from all +sides were in the mean time offered up for the success of the band of +warriors who had gone forth to attack the enemy. No one, however, +slackened in their efforts to fortify the town, and all, from the king, +when not engaged in council, down to the slave taken in battle, carried +baskets of earth or posts for stockades, during the greater part of the +night, to those parts of the fortifications which required +strengthening. As the hours drew on we waited anxiously for the result +of the expedition. I could not help feeling how critical was our +position. I was not anxious, however, on my own account, but I could +not help reflecting on the sad condition to which Mary would be reduced +should her father and I be cut off, as we might too probably be if the +heathens gained the victory. Then came the blessed and consoling +thought that God cares for the orphans, especially of those who serve +Him; what strength and courage does it give those who rest on His sure +promises--a comfort which people of the world can never enjoy. + +I went the rounds of the fortifications a short time before dawn, and +found all the warriors at their posts. I then rejoined Mr Bent, and +was conversing with him, when a loud shout from a distance reached our +ears, followed by a confused sound of shrieks and cries mingled with the +shouts, which continued without cessation for many minutes. Scouts were +sent out to ascertain the cause, but no one returned before day broke. +The light then revealed to us the fleet of the enemy shoving off from +the land. Some of the canoes had already got away, others were hoisting +their sails, while a body of the enemy were defending themselves on the +beach, hard pressed by our friends. On seeing this the warriors in the +town rushed from their trenches, but before they could reach the scene +of action not an enemy remained on their strand, with the exception of +three or four slain and some thirty or more taken prisoners. The rest +sailed away in hot haste, seized with an unusual, if not an +unaccountable panic. As their sails had become mere dots on the +horizon, the victors entered the town singing, not as before songs of +triumph in honour of their idols, but praises to Jehovah, to whom they +ascribed their victory. Mr Bent and I, with the women and children and +aged men who had not gone forth to the fight, met them, when the king, +in set form, recounted what had occurred. The first band had remained +concealed till near daylight, when the enemy appeared to be getting +drowsy after all their feasting and dancing. At a signal from their +leader they dashed forth on the foe, who, totally unprepared for them, +were seized with a sudden panic, and the greater number, leaving even +their arms, fled towards their canoes. The few who were killed had +refused to receive quarter, and as many as could be seized were taken +prisoners. These latter fully expected to be slaughtered immediately, +and to be offered up to idols, if not to be eaten. They had been +somewhat surprised in the first instance to see that their friends who +had been killed in the fight were decently interred where they fell, +instead of being dragged ignominiously by the heels to the town. They +only concluded that this was one of the new customs of the lotu people, +and had no expectation in consequence of escaping the common doom of +captives. Several of them were chiefs who had attempted to defend the +rear while their countrymen were embarking. They stood with downcast, +sullen looks, prepared for torture and death. The king now approached +them. "Why, O chiefs, did you come to attack my island and my people?" +he asked calmly. "We are now among those who wish to live at peace with +all men, to have enmity towards no one. Why did you desire to do us +harm?" + +"We came against you because our king and master ordered us," answered +one of the prisoners, looking up with a fierce scowl of defiance on his +countenance. "Our object was to carry off your daughter to become our +king's wife; the rest of you we should have killed and eaten." + +"And I, O chiefs, let you go free because my King and Master orders me +to be merciful, that I may obtain mercy," answered the king. "You, O +chiefs and people, are free to return to your own island, but before you +go you must learn something of the new religion which we have been +taught, that you may go back and speak of it to your people, or wherever +you may go." + +The astonished captives could scarcely believe their senses, the +treatment was so unlike anything those they had known taken in war had +experienced. They consulted together and expressed their willingness to +accept the offer. They were completely overcome when the king promised +them a large canoe and ample provisions for their return. The people +having taken some refreshment, assembled at the church, where hearty +thanksgivings were offered up for the deliverance they had experienced. +The captives attended. I watched their countenances. They seemed lost +in amazement. All the sentiments were so new and strange. The reign of +the Prince of Peace was spoken of. They soon after came to the +missionary desiring that they might be allowed to serve so good a +Master. They never seemed tired of receiving instruction in the new +doctrine, and I was struck with its wonderful adaptability to +unsophisticated man, and its power of satisfying his heart yearnings, +from the avidity with which they seized each point as presented to them. + +It was now time to return to the mission station. We bade an +affectionate farewell to Alea, promising to send her intended husband +back to the island as soon as possible. The now liberated captives +agreed to embark on the same day. Their chief entreaty was that a +missionary or a teacher might be sent them to instruct them in the way +of eternal life, that way which, by a wonderful combination of +circumstances, they were now anxious to follow. Thus the Almighty works +often, and thus He has thought fit in an especial manner to work +throughout the Pacific. + +The difficulty was to obtain a teacher. Mr Bent had several under +training at the station, and he told the captives that if they would +accompany us he would endeavour to find one who would return with them +to their island. They were delighted with the proposal, and exhibited +an extraordinary eagerness to set forth. Their hurry was at the time +unaccountable, as they were evidently sincere in their expressions. +Anxious to please them, we accordingly had our canoe launched, taking +several of them on board, the remainder going in the canoe given by the +king. The wind being fair, we had a quick run till more than half way +across. Just then, through our glasses, we caught sight of a canoe, +which, on discovering us, as it seemed, paddled off at right angles to +avoid us--her people evidently mistrusting our character. We instantly +altered our course to cut her off, and approached her with our +missionary flag flying. No sooner was this discovered than the canoe +turned again towards us. She soon drew near, when we recognised the +people in her as belonging to the station. By their gestures and +countenances we had too much reason to believe that they brought us evil +tidings. "Haste! haste! haste!" they exclaimed, leaping on board. "A +heathen fleet has arrived at the island, and the chief threatens to +attack the station. Even now he may have begun the onslaught, for his +fury was great. Haste! haste! haste!" + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN. + +THE LAUNCH OF THE OLIVE BRANCH. + +We now understood more of the dangers to which the families of +missionaries have often been exposed in all parts of the world. I must +own that in my fears for Mary Bent's safety, my own faith and fortitude +were well nigh giving way. Mr Bent retained his calmness in a +wonderful manner. "All things are in God's hands," he observed. "He +will guide them as He knows to be best. We have to go on labouring to +the utmost of our power, leaving the rest to Him." I felt that I must +be in action, and hauling the canoe on board with the aid of her crew, +we got out the paddles and urged our craft ahead somewhat faster than +the wind was doing. Every moment might be of consequence. As the +cannibal chief, exasperated at having been deprived of Alea, might +attempt to carry off Mary, the very thought drove me almost distracted. +I had had few or no trials in life, and was not prepared for this one. + +Mr Bent wished to ascertain whether, if required, we could depend on +the assistance of our new friends. They had heard what had occurred, +and at once volunteered to use every means in their power to prevent +their chief from doing harm, even to turning against him. + +"He will live perhaps to thank us," one of them, a young and intelligent +chief, observed. "At all events you have bound us to serve you." + +All now seemed to depend on our arriving before the attack had begun. +We trusted that if not begun we should be able to prevent it. Meantime +all we could do was to offer up constant, earnest prayer for the +protection of one so dear to us, and for all those at the settlement. +The wind, hitherto blowing a strong breeze, now fell light, and our +progress was slower than before. + +"All is for the best, depend on that, my son," repeated the missionary +several times, when he observed my look of anxiety. "God's loving mercy +endureth for ever. Pray against doubt--pray against doubt. Put on the +armour of faith. In that you will find strength to quench all the fiery +darts of the evil one." + +My venerable friend spoke the truth, and already my fears began to +subside, although I could in no way see the mode of deliverance. I +expressed the same to Mr Bent. + +"Nor did we the other day, but God clearly fought for us as He did in +days of old for the children of Israel, by putting fear into the hearts +of their enemies, and so can He now find some means for the protection +of those who serve Him." + +On we glided over the calm blue water. Now the breeze freshened, and as +the surface became rippled over, it sparkled brightly in the sunbeams. +As the island came in sight my heart beat quicker and quicker, and with +difficulty I could restrain my impatience. I stood at the bows with my +glass at my eye directed constantly at the spot where the station was to +be found. As the sun then was, objects close in under the land were not +distinctly discernible, but as my glass every now and then swept the +horizon on either side, the sails of a fleet of canoes came into view. +The instrument almost dropped from my hand. We were too late. The +attack had been made and the victors were sailing away with their +captives. My first impulse was to give chase, and to attempt their +recovery. I did not consider how powerless we were even should our new +allies remain faithful. For some time I could not bring myself to tell +my fears to Mr Bent; but it was necessary to alter our course if we +were to pursue the enemy. At length, therefore, it became necessary for +me to tell him what I had seen. He took the telescope, and after a +severe scrutiny of the horizon in every direction, and especially of the +island, he asked, in a more cheerful voice than might have been +expected: + +"Can you not assign some other cause for the flight of the foe? Look +again." + +I did so; and now, the sun having come round a little, I saw close in +with the missionary station a large ship at anchor. She might be the +_Golden Crown_, come to take me away. I hoped not. My heart again +sunk. As we drew nearer I saw that she was much larger--a man-of-war. +The station was safe. Otherwise she would have been sailing in pursuit +of the canoes. With one voice we burst forth in the native tongue with +songs of praise and thanksgiving; and now the canoe seemed to glide more +swiftly over the glad blue sea. We entered the harbour, where lay a +fine English frigate. As we passed her I hailed and inquired if the +station was safe. + +"Yes, yes, all right," was the answer. "We came in just in time to +prevent mischief." + +Our eagerness to reach home prevented us from stopping to make further +inquiries. No sooner did our boat's keel touch the strand than we +leaped on shore. Even then before leaving the beach the missionary +knelt down and offered up a few words of thanksgiving for the mercies +vouchsafed us. We reached the house. Mary and her companion did not +come out to welcome us. Voices reached our ears from within. One I +thought I recognised. We looked in. Mary was doing the honours of the +tea-table with some other ladies. There were three naval officers and +two gentlemen in black coats. One of the latter turned his face. It +was that of my brother John. I had time to greet him while Mary was +receiving her father and introducing her guests. Then came my turn to +be received by her. I need not describe that. I was very happy. The +whole scene was so different from what I had but a short time before +expected, that I was perfectly bewildered. I felt deeply grateful that +Mary had escaped all the dangers I apprehended, and which had really +threatened her. + +The frigate had appeared off the station just at the very moment that +the cannibal chief and his followers were about to land. She brought up +with her guns commanding the approach to the town. The captain, +suspecting mischief, instantly despatched an armed boat to warn the +chief that he would allow no warlike demonstration to be made in his +presence, and that if he attempted to land he would blow his canoes to +pieces. The warning had had at first very little effect, and the chief, +in defiance, leaping on shore with his followers from the largest canoe, +left her deserted. The officer in charge of the boat immediately fired +the gun in the bows right into her, and almost knocked her to pieces. +The interpreter then shouted out, "If the small gun of this little boat +will do all this mischief, what would all the great guns of the big ship +do?" + +The argument was irresistible. The chief, leaping on board another +canoe, begged that no more damage might be done, and offered to sail +away immediately, promising never again to come near the settlement. +This he was allowed to do on condition of his returning directly home +without committing further damage on the way, and he was compelled to +leave two hostages as a guarantee that he would perform his promise. +All this was told in a few words, and John now introduced me to his +devoted wife; and as I heard of some of the many trials and dangers they +had gone through, and how calmly she had endured them, I felt how +admirably she was fitted to be the helpmate of a missionary. The +captain of the frigate was, I discovered, an old family friend--one who, +convinced of the importance of missionary labour, was zealous in aiding +and supporting missionaries of the gospel wherever he met them engaged +in their Master's work. He had found John suffering from hard work and +anxiety, and had persuaded him and his wife to take a trip among several +of the Polynesian groups, to visit as many of the missionary stations as +could be reached, in the hopes that he might return home with renewed +strength for his work. One of the ladies was his wife's sister, who had +come out to assist her in her labours--not the only example of +self-devotion to a glorious and thrice blessed cause. The other +gentleman in plain clothes was the chaplain of the ship. While +conversing with him an idea occurred to me which I took an early +opportunity of communicating to John, who highly approved of it, and +undertook to broach the subject to Mr Bent while I mentioned it to +Mary. It was one which concerned us both very nearly, for it was a +proposal to take the opportunity of marrying while a legally authorised +person was present to perform the ceremony, with my own brother and our +naval friend as witnesses. Mary had no objections to offer, and we soon +overcame those Mr Bent suggested. + +The benefit of the visit of the ship-of-war to the different missionary +stations was very great, besides having preserved ours from almost +certain destruction. The admirable discipline of the crew had a great +influence on the minds of the heathen natives, so different from what +they had been accustomed to witness on board many whalers; the perfect +order of everything on board the ship, and the mighty power of her guns, +awed them still more, and showed them the folly of offending people who +had in their possession such instruments of punishment. I will not say +that the appearance of any ship of war would do good. Unless discipline +is strict and no licence is allowed, they might do, as some have done, a +great deal of harm. + +One of the worst of this kind, was that of Captain Kotzebue, commanding +a Russian exploring expedition. Wherever he went he outraged decency by +the licence he allowed his crew, and on his return home malignantly +abused the English missionaries whom he found nobly struggling, against +innumerable difficulties, to reclaim the hapless natives from the sin +and corruption which he had done his utmost to encourage. Others, from +ignorance or from vicious dispositions, followed his line of abuse, +though happily the greater number of their publications have sunk into +deserved oblivion, while the glorious result of missionary labour, +evident to all who will inquire, proclaims the falsehood of their +accusations. To the honour of the British navy be it said that by far +the greater number of captains who have visited the isles of the Pacific +have rendered essential service to the missionary cause while on the +spot, and have spoken and written heartily in its praise on their return +home. + +We had very little time to prepare for the wedding as the frigate could +not remain long. I employed the interval in getting assistance from the +ship's carpenters in building a vessel, and instruction, with the +necessary plans for continuing the work after the frigate had gone. I +had some knowledge of the art to begin with, so that I knew exactly what +information I required. My ambition was to have a fine, serviceable +little vessel, and I had every hope of succeeding. I was thoroughly up +to rigging and fitting her. + +The time passed very rapidly, and my wedding-day arrived, and Mary +became my most loving and devoted wife,--a bright example to those among +whom our lot was cast. I have not dwelt on the visit of my brother +John, or the enjoyment and benefit I derived from his society. Our +station was healthy, but the surgeon of the ship recommended his +continuing the voyage, and with reluctance I parted from him, hoping, +however, to visit him when my schooner should be completed. Once more +the missionary station was left in its usual quiet state; but, though +quiet, no one was idle. There were schools both for adults as well as +children,--the males, under the superintendence of Mr Bent, with native +teachers; the women and girls under Mary and her friend. Classes also +assembled during most days in the week for religious instruction. Mr +Bent was also frequently engaged in teaching the young men and boys +various mechanical arts: house-building in its various departments, +agriculture and gardening, and last, though not least, printing and +book-binding. It is wonderful with what rapidity many acquired the art +of printing, and many learned to bind books with great neatness and +strongly. I meantime, aided by my wife, was making fail progress in the +language, so that I was able to talk without difficulty to the men who +assisted me in building the vessel. She was at length ready for +launching. I proposed calling her the _Mary_, but to this my wife would +not consent. We had a discussion on the subject round our tea-table +during that pleasantest of all meals in most missionary, indeed in most +quiet families. The _Ark_ was proposed, and then the _Olive Branch_. +The latter was the name decided on. + +It was made a day of rejoicing and prayer and praise on the occasion of +launching the little _Olive Branch_. Formerly one, or perhaps several, +human victims would have been offered up to their idols by the then +benighted inhabitants. The vessel herself was decked with flags and +garlands, and surrounded by high poles, from which gay-coloured banners +were flying. + +A feast was prepared also, at which the chief, who came in state, +presided. We had limited the quantity of provisions, or else, according +to custom, far more than could have been consumed would have been +collected. A large bower or tent of boughs and flowers had been erected +for the chief and his principal attendants,--a very elegant, though a +rapidly created structure. Mary named the vessel as she glided down the +ways, and a hymn of thankfulness, combined with a prayer for the safety +of all who might ever sail in her, was sung by the children of the +school at the same time, the effect being admirable. I was somewhat +anxious till I saw the little craft floating safely in the water. + +We had purposely avoided anything savouring of heathenism, such as +breaking a bottle of wine on her bows, taken evidently from the Greek +custom of pouring out a libation to Neptune; nor would we make a mockery +of the rite of baptism, by pretending to christen her. Living among +heathens, it was our duty to be especially circumspect in all our +proceedings. The natives are very acute, and are accustomed to make +enquiries as to the meaning and origin of everything they see. How +unsatisfactory would have been the answer we should have had to give, +had we, without consideration or thought, adopted the practice generally +followed in England. + +The missionaries have endeavoured as much as possible to abolish all +heathen customs, so that the evil-disposed may have no temptation to +return to them. In this they show wisdom. Even the sports and pastimes +of heathenism, though they may by some be considered harmless in +themselves, are generally adverse to the spiritual life of a Christian, +and therefore they have been discouraged. The missionaries have in +consequence been accused of being morose and narrow-minded. Far, far +different is their real character. As a class, they are zealous, +earnest, devoted men, full of life, activity, and energy,--courageous +and persevering,--gifted with high and varied attainments, which would +enable them to shine among civilised communities, but they have joyfully +abandoned home and country, and, in obedience to their Lord and Master, +have gone forth to teach the heathen the unsearchable riches of Christ. +Let those who may fancy that I overpraise these men, read their memoirs, +and they will be convinced of the truth of my statements. + +The native carpenters worked admirably. I had spars, rigging, and a +suit of sails ready, supplied me by the frigate, with a compass and such +nautical instruments as I required, so the _Olive Branch_ was soon ready +for sea. I proposed in my first experimental trip to pay a visit to +Vihala, to leave two more native teachers on the island, and then, on my +return, to see Alea, and to ascertain the progress made by her father +and fellow-islanders in religion. Mary begged that she might accompany +me, and, as her father made no objections, I was too glad of her company +to refuse. For several days, however, I first made frequent trips out +of the harbour, to exercise my native crew, who, although they had never +before been on board a vessel, became efficient hands in a wonderfully +short space of time. The reason of this was that they gave their minds +thoroughly to their work, and were anxious to learn everything I could +teach them. + +The _Olive Branch_ was completed to my satisfaction and to that of all +who saw her. I was indeed very proud of her, as chiefly the work of my +own hands; and yet when I compared the slight difficulties I had had to +overcome with the great ones conquered by Mr Williams at Raratonga, +when building the _Messenger of Peace_, I felt sensibly how little cause +I had to boast. + +As Mr Bent had promised to relieve Vihala of his charge as soon as +possible, two teachers had been trained for the purpose, and these we +now took on board. We had with us a number of axes and knives, and +other articles most prized by the natives, both to pay for provisions or +whatever we might require, as also to bestow on Vihala, hoping that, if +he were thus richly endowed, the old king would not refuse longer to +give him his daughter. + +Two of the men who had come as heathen enemies now remained as friends, +and earnest searchers after truth. The remainder, deeply imbued with +the spirit of Christianity, had returned to their own island, we hoped +to pave the way for a missionary among its still heathen and cannibal +inhabitants. + +Thus during the few months since I had left my ship I had seen a way +made for the entrance of the gospel into these thickly-inhabited +islands. Thus it has pleased God to work through human agency among a +large proportion of the isles of the Pacific; nor has He ever failed to +afford, after a time, superabundant encouragement to His faithful +labourers. Oh that some of the many thousands and thousands of young +men and women who read this would consider the noble, the glorious +nature of missionary work, and esteem it as a high privilege to be +allowed to employ their energies in the cause! + +How different was our voyage from that which Mary, Mr Bent, and I +before took in the same direction! But where were our companions? Were +we the only ones alive out of the whole party? At all events, we had +ample reason to be grateful. The wind was fair, and our passage +promised to be as calm and pleasant as we could desire. + +On getting near enough to the island to distinguish objects on shore, we +saw a number of people hurrying down to the beach, from among the trees, +while some launched their canoes and paddled off through the opening in +the reef towards us. Their object was to welcome us, and to pilot the +schooner into their harbour. They knew that the schooner was a +missionary vessel from her flag, but they had not guessed who was on +board. Their delight, when they recognised Mr Bent and Mary, was +excessive; and so completely did they forget all about the vessel, that +had I not kept a good look-out she would have run right on to the reef. +On our enquiring for Vihala, the answer was, "He is well, and we all +Christian." + +The glorious news we found on landing to be true. Vihala received us +with joy unfeigned, and it was some little time before we could proceed, +from the number of people who crowded round us to express their +satisfaction at our arrival. Great also was ours when, at length moving +on, we saw before us a handsome structure, a church erected entirely by +the natives, under Vihala's superintendence, capable of holding seven or +eight hundred persons, and near it a school-house and two neat +residences for teachers. + +"Your church is indeed large," observed Mr Bent, after expressing his +admiration of it to Vihala. + +"Yes," was the quiet answer; "but all desire to hear the word, and why +should any be excluded? The kingdom of heaven is wide enough for all." + +Alas! that any should so mistake the gospel message as to think +differently, and to act as if all should be thrust out who do not +conform to certain rules and regulations of man's invention, although +they with deep repentance trust in the blood of Christ alone for +salvation. Many a once heathen savage will rise up in the day of +judgment to condemn those men. Would that, for their own sakes, they +could even now voyage amid the isles of the Pacific, and behold the +glorious work wrought by the instrumentality of true Christian men of +various branches of the one Church, and I believe that they would be +compelled to acknowledge that an unction from on high is of more avail +in saving souls alive than any mere official and external qualification, +such as the Romish priesthood with its pretended apostolic succession +claims. The means are best judged of by the result, and that can be +known of all men. "By their works ye shall know them." It was +remarkable that, except for the few days Mr Bent had preached on the +islands, none of the inhabitants had heard the truth from a white +missionary, and yet the majority of them had cast away their idols, and +become nominal Christians,--while many of them were really converted. + +We had a most delightful time on the island. The two new teachers we +brought somewhat reconciled the people to the loss of Vihala, though +their grief was most unmistakable when they were told that he must leave +them for a time at all events. + +Again we were on the ocean, and approaching the island where Vihala +expected to meet his promised bride. He had long been separated from +her. He acknowledged that it had been for his good, and he hoped that, +with the spiritual benefits he had received while engaged as a teacher, +they should the better be able to walk together on their heavenward way, +and lead others on to the same happy goal. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY. + +A FEARFUL HURRICANE. + +But a few years ago, before the power of God's word was felt among the +inhabitants of the fair islands of the Pacific, to the numerous dangers +usually encountered by mariners, that of being attacked and cut off by +cannibal savages was to be added throughout its whole extent. Now, +throughout the eastern portion, the greater number of the islands may be +visited, not only without fear, but with the certainty of a friendly +reception. There are still some,--like the Marquesas and parts of the +Pomautau group, or Low Archipelago,--which still remain in the darkness +of heathenism; but on the western portion of that mighty ocean, the +bright spots on which the gospel shines are the exception to the general +rule, and over the widest parts the spirit of evil reigns supreme. It +was here that true soldier of Christ, the energetic Williams, fell; and +here, too, Mr Gordon and his wife and family were lately murdered by +the savage inhabitants. + +It was towards a group of islands in the eastern Pacific that the _Olive +Branch_ was now holding its course. We had seen Vihala happily united +to Alea, with the full consent of the old king, and they had devoted +themselves for missionary labour wherever they might be required. This +was surprising to many, and to the heathen perfectly incomprehensible. +It was as astonishing to them as it would be to people in England, if a +young noble of high rank were to declare his resolution of going forth +as a missionary of the gospel to these heathen lands. Yet what +undertaking more glorious, what work more pleasing to the Lord and +Master, whom Christians of all ranks, rich and poor, profess to serve. +We had likewise visited the island of the once cannibal chief, who had +heard of the new religion from his countrymen, had confessed its vast +superiority to his own, cast away his idols, and gladly received the two +teachers we had brought with us. All this had been most cheering and +encouraging. + +We had landed Mr Bent at the station, and now we hoped shortly again to +meet my brother John and his wife, and to convey them, and some other +missionaries and their wives, to a general meeting to be held shortly at +the central station. We had received on board a variety of stores, and +books, and numerous articles to distribute among the various stations at +which we were to touch. Indeed, it was highly satisfactory to me to +find how useful my little _Olive Branch_ could be made. + +Hitherto the little vessel had not encountered a single storm. It was +like the rest we might suppose the ocean enjoyed after the subsidence of +the waters when the ark rested on Ararat,--not a calm, though; for +gentle breezes filled our sails, and rippled over the blue surface of +the sea with glittering wavelets, laughing joyously in the sunbeams. A +lovely island hove in sight, with blue mountains, and rocks, and +sparkling waterfalls, and green shrubs, and pastures, and graceful +palm-trees, and yellow sands; and we sailed in through an opening in the +never absent reef, and dropped our anchor in a sheltered and beautiful +harbour, and numbers of canoes surrounded us. But we had no boarding +nettings up, no guns loaded, no pistols in our belts, no cutlasses and +pikes ready at hand; for the gospel ruled here. The canoes were filled +with well-clothed, intelligent natives. Not an oath was heard, not a +man showed an angry temper, and not one who could not read the word of +God, and understood it too, and could give a clear reason for the hope +that was in him, and who was not probably, even in secular matters, far +better educated than the larger portion of the watermen of any port in +England, or other long-civilised country in the world. + +Provisions of various sorts had been brought in the canoes; but when I +enquired for John Harvey, and announced that I was his brother, and that +my wife was the daughter of Mr Bent, not an approach to payment would +any one receive. When we landed they lifted us up in their arms, and +carried us thus to the mission house, where our appearance was a +pleasant surprise to our sister-in-law, who had not been made aware of +our arrival. My brother was away, but every hour expected back. + +I had looked upon Mr Bent's station as a model of neatness; this was +larger, and superior in many respects; nor was it inferior in respect to +spiritual things. The church, built entirely of stone, was a large and +handsome building, and the most conspicuous object from the sea. +Running parallel with the shore were two rows, facing each other, of +neat cottages, many of stone, with verandahs round them, and gardens +both in front and in the rear. Between them was a broad hard road, with +two rows of trees, and a stream of sparkling water led through the +centre, fed by a waterfall which came foaming down the side of a rocky +hill at a little distance inland. Several streets of equal width had +been commenced at right angles with the main street, and on the same +plan, and new houses were in course of erection in several directions. +Here it was evident, indeed, was the commencement of a large town. The +cottages were all very fair copies of the mission-house, though on a +smaller scale. Those of some of the chiefs, however, were of good size, +and were arranged so that they could enjoy all the privacy of domestic +life. + +And why, it may be asked, was this congregation of natives in one place? +What could be the attraction? My love and admiration of John suggested +the answer, and I was right: the power of God's word put forth through +His faithful servant. The inhabitants of this town had been collected +by concern for their soul's welfare, and the belief that the nearer they +were to the preacher the more that welfare would be cared for. They +displayed a wisdom which is foolishness to the world, and is, alas! too +often neglected by those at home, by those who profess to be seeking +after the food which perisheth not. I write this, as well as other +comparisons I have made, not to find fault with my countrymen at home, +but that (should my journal ever be read by any of them) I may excite in +them a holy emulation with these so late savage heathens, that they may +examine themselves, and ascertain whether they are using all the means +in their power to attain to holiness of life and conversation, and +without which their spiritual life will too probably languish. + +I found my sister-in-law actively engaged from morning till night in her +household duties, and in affording instruction of every description to +native women of all ages. She declared with perfect sincerity her +belief that she was one of the happiest of her sex. She retained the +most perfect health, though her figure was slight and delicate, and she +had been most gently and tenderly nurtured. Not only that, but she had +been what is called highly educated, and was not a stranger to the gay +and brilliant assemblies of "civilised" life. It was not that she knew +no other lot, and therefore esteemed her present one the best; but she +had weighed it with many others she did know, and found it immeasurably +superior. She knew from experience that worldly rank hides many a heavy +or vacant heart where God is not acknowledged, that wealth cannot give +peace of mind, and that gaiety and dissipation most assuredly quench +spiritual life. She had found, too, that even a decent church-attending +style of existence may be unprofitable to the soul, and as certain to +lead to spiritual death. My sister-in-law was not entirely alone. +There were two other stations on the island, which was large, and the +missionaries and their wives enjoyed frequent intercourse, thus +encouraging and supporting each other. + +Indeed, I have as a rule found the stations the most prosperous both +spiritually and physically where two missionary families have been +living together, or where they are near enough to meet frequently. A +missionary's wife has to attend to her household duties, often not +slightly onerous when she has children requiring instruction. Then she +has the female schools to look after, adult classes to receive at her +own house, to afford advice to all who ask it, to call on the sick and +to administer medicine, and to visit often from house to house. She +must correspond with friends at home; she has her private devotions, and +must take time for reading and self-examination, or she will find that +she can ill perform her other duties. I do not believe that I have +overstated the amount of work I have known my sister-in-law and other +missionaries' wives perform. Indeed, my own wife was in the habit of +getting through not less daily, for weeks together. + +Although the greater number of the inhabitants of the island had become +Christians in name, there was still a large district the powerful chief +of which remained a stubborn heathen. He seemed to hate the gospel with +a deadly hatred, and threatened to club any of his subjects who should +venture to lotu. Notwithstanding this, several who had heard the truth, +either directly or through their friends, had secretly escaped to +Christian villages. Many of these persons had become really converted, +and were of course longing to induce their relatives and friends to +become Christians likewise. + +Such was the state of things when the _Olive Branch_ arrived at the +island. A more beautiful picture could scarcely be found than that +presented by the calm bay on which our little vessel floated, with her +mission-flag flying,--the glittering sand, the tall cocoa-nut and +bread-fruit trees, the wild rocks and fantastic-shaped hills, the green +fields, the foaming waterfalls and shining streams, and the rows of neat +habitations, the church and school-houses,--all showing that the gospel +had indeed here found an entrance, and made it doubly beautiful in our +sight. + +We had been some hours on shore when we saw the natives hurrying out of +their cottages and assembling in the chief street, and the cry arose +that the missionary was coming. I was scarcely prepared for the warm +and affectionate greeting with which they welcomed him. There was no +adulation and nothing cringing in their manner; but it was evident that +they knew him from experience as a sincere and loving friend. + +Great as was our mutual satisfaction at again meeting, so multifarious +were his duties that we had but little time for private conversation. I +was able, however, to ascertain that John's heart was in his work, and +that he infinitely preferred being a missionary in the South-Seas to +holding the highest secular office at home. The Sabbath came. It was a +day of toil to the preachers and teachers, and yet a day of refreshing +to them as it was to hundreds of others, who collected from all quarters +to worship the true God, and to hear His word expounded. Many came with +their wives and little ones, bringing their provisions, to spend the day +of rest in obtaining spiritual food for their souls' welfare. The +service over, numbers collected round my brother and the native +teachers, and almost the whole interval between the services was devoted +to affording advice and consolation to these seekers after life eternal. + +But the faith of the young Christian community in the especial +providence of God was sorely to be tried. All things were prepared for +our departure, and we were about going on board the _Olive Branch_, when +the somewhat threatening appearance of the weather made me resolve not +to sail before the following morning. I was convinced shortly that a +gale of more or less strength was coming on, and leaving Mary at the +mission house, I went on board to secure the vessel and make all things +snug. Scarcely had I got out a second anchor and two fresh warps than +dark clouds were seen rushing across the sky, the wind howled among the +hills and trees, lightning flashed brightly, and the thunder roared and +rattled fearfully. I was in hopes, however, that the vessel would, +notwithstanding, ride in safety, when it struck me that the sea outside +was roaring louder than usual, and in an instant a huge roller appeared +rushing with fearful violence into the harbour, while before I could +look round I found the vessel lifted up, cables and anchors dragging, +and warps giving way, and on we drove helplessly towards the shore. My +crew held on to the bulwarks with affrighted looks, for we could expect +nothing else than that our little vessel would be dashed to pieces, and +if so, that we ourselves should be swept out of the harbour by the +receding wave. Another dread seized me, that the roller might sweep up +to the mission house and overwhelm those so dear to me. This feeling +made me forget all fear for my own life, or for those with me. As I +gazed landward, I saw the devastation the hurricane was already +committing. Several cottages were in view. Now the wind lifted the +roof of one and bore it in shattered fragments to a distance. Now the +walls of another trembled and fell; tall trees were bending and +breaking, or being torn up by the roots and laid prostrate; house after +house was thus destroyed; whole groves of trees, as it seemed to me, +fell to the ground; darkness appeared to be coming down like a thick +mantle to add to the horrors of the scene. + +On drove our little vessel; the rocks against which I expected to be +dashed appeared; these were covered, and over them we were carried by +the raging tide, above even the sands, and lifted high up on to a soft +bank amid brushwood stern first, where she hung while the waters rushed +back leaving her uninjured on the shore. We were mercifully preserved +from the sudden death we expected, and were grateful; but yet, though +not cast down, knowing all would be for the best, I felt most anxious to +assure myself of the safety of my dear wife and her companions. + +We had come on shore, as far as I could judge, half a mile or more from +the mission house, a distance which it would be not only difficult but +extremely dangerous to traverse while the storm was raging and tall +trees were being hurled about like straws. One of my crew--a true +Christian man--volunteered to accompany me. The _Olive Branch_ had +already been made snug aloft, so when I had seen her securely shored up, +trusting and believing that no second roller would come to move her, I +set off, leaving the rest of the people on board to attend to her. My +companion and I provided ourselves each with a stout pole. I led the +way, he to help me should I fall, and I promising to turn back should he +cry out. + +The noise of the tempest prevented our having anything like conversation +with each other, indeed it was only when we shouted at the very top of +our voices that they could be heard. The darkness had increased, and as +I began to move on I felt that the attempt was almost beyond my power; +still the incentive was so great that I resolved to persevere. I prayed +for strength and protection. In my own arm I knew that I could not +trust. There were no stars to guide me, and the flashes of lightning +sadly confused and dazzled my eyes, so that it was only by keeping as +near as possible to the shore that I could hope to keep in the proper +direction. This way was longer, however, and very rough where rocks +covered the ground, and I dreaded a return of the roller, when we might +have been swept helplessly away. The dangers to be encountered by +keeping inland were equally great. We might be struck by lightning, +crushed by falling trees, or losing our way, fall into some gully or +chasm. + +Feeling the ground before us with our poles, my companion and I began +our hazardous march, I desired him to keep as close behind me as he +could, and to shout frequently to assure me that he was following. The +tempest increased in fury, the rain came down in torrents, causing such +floods as in some places almost to sweep us off our feet. + +We had made good some five or six hundred yards, when I thought that we +might make faster progress on the higher ground, where the water would +not be so great an impediment to our progress. I knew also that we +should be able to steer our course more or less directly by feeling the +direction the water was flowing, so that we might always regain the sea +by following down the streams. Accordingly we attempted gradually to +gain the higher ground, but as we ascended, we felt the wind blowing +with greater force, and were again nearly carried off our legs by it. I +had to exert all the energies of my mind not to become totally +bewildered. Over rough rocks we climbed, and fallen trunks of trees, +and through the beds of streams, down which the fierce waters now rushed +foaming and roaring with fearful force, and across swamps and marshes, +till at last we reached a grove of tall trees. We could discover no way +round it, so I resolved to push through it by a path in which we found +ourselves. The trees were bending and writhing, and the loud crashes we +heard told us that every instant some were hurled to the ground. Now +one fell directly before me, and impeded my progress. I climbed over +it, my companion followed, and we continued our course, guided as before +by the way the rain beat on our heads and the waters flowed past our +feet. Again the thunder rolled loudly and the lightning flashed with +startling vividness, casting a horrid glare over the whole scene, now +darting amid the lofty boughs, and then snake-like running with loud +hisses along the ground. How utterly helpless and insignificant I felt +amid the war of the elements. + +Still onward we must advance. How much farther I could not tell. My +companion's frequent shout cheered me. Perhaps trusting to the aid of +another made me more careless, for neglecting for an instant to keep my +stick feeling the ground before me, I stumbled forward, and found myself +floundering in a foaming stream. My cry prevented my companion from +falling likewise. Descending more cautiously he rushed into the flood +after me, and seizing me by the jacket just as I was being borne down, +assisted me to regain my feet, and helped me across, the water being +scarcely up to our middles. In another instant I should have been +carried helplessly down the stream beyond my depth. We struggled out, I +scarcely know how, and pushed on. + +Again, I took the lead. We were passing through a second grove of +bread-fruit trees. Another tall tree fell directly before me. I +climbed over it. Crash succeeded crash. I prayed for preservation from +the fate which might any moment overtake me. I began to hope that we +were approaching the station. Still we were not out of the wood. I was +working my way on when it occurred to me that my companion had not sung +out to me for a longer time than usual. I called to him. There was no +answer. Eager as I was to push on, I could not desert him. I turned +back. Again and again I called. There was no answer. I reached a +fallen tree. Was it the one I had climbed over, or was it one which had +fallen after I had passed? I felt along it. My foot struck against a +soft substance. I stooped down. There lay a human form--quite still +though--the hand I lifted fell powerless. My companion was dead. "One +shall be taken and the other left." God in His good providence had +thought fit to spare me. My companion was trusting wholly in Christ's +blood. I could not mourn him as one without hope. + +It was no time to delay. Once again I was straining all my energies to +find and follow the right way. It appeared to me that far more than +double the time had passed which I had believed would suffice to reach +the station. I almost ran against the gable end of a house the greater +part of which was in ruins. I heard a loud moan. It was repeated. I +hunted about till I came on a native crouching down and endeavouring to +find shelter under part of the building yet standing. I asked him if he +would guide me to the mission house. My voice roused him, and he said +he would gladly do so. He sprang to his feet, and led me on by the +hand. "Here it is!" he exclaimed; but, alas, it was roofless and +deserted. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Note 1. In the course of this volume the author, it will be observed, +has transcribed much from the actual reports of missionaries, and from +the journals of naval officers who have visited the South-Seas. Even in +the connecting thread of narrative, and in descriptive scenes such as +this of the storm, the writer has stated nothing for which he has not +ample authority in published works. In a most interesting book, "Gems +from the Coral Islands," by the Reverend William Gill, volume two, +chapter 9, an account is given of the fearful hurricane of 1846, which +devastated the island of Raratonga. Dr Bourne, son of the Reverend R +Bourne, one of the founders of the Tahitian mission, the friend and +associate of Williams, thus writes concerning the illustrations which +accompany our letterpress, proofs of which he had seen: "The engravings +represent the tropical aspect of the vegetation with great correctness. +Many are not aware of the grandeur of the mountain scenery in some of +the islands. Dr Darwin, who was with Captain Fitzroy's expedition, +says of Tahiti: `Until I actually visited this island, and tried to +penetrate its mountain fastnesses, I could never understand the +statement made by Ellis, in his "Polynesian Researches," that after the +great battles of former times the defeated party took refuge in the +mountains, where it was impossible to follow them.' Mr Darwin then +describes the rugged ravines and forest-clad precipices, wilder than +anything he had witnessed in the South American Andes or Cordilleras." +Raiatea, Eimeo, and others in the Society group, are composed of vast +and abrupt mountain ranges, rising almost abruptly from the sea, and +having very little habitable ground, but all covered with the densest +vegetation. The most stupendous volcanoes in the world are those of the +Sandwich Islands, compared with which Etna and Vesuvius are mere +hillocks. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. + +THE RUINED VILLAGE. + +For an instant the horror of finding the house in ruins, and being +unable to discover my wife and the dear ones with her, almost overcame +me. I should have sunk to the ground exhausted, had not the native +supported me. + +"Trust in Jehovah, friend," he remarked, quietly. "He knows what is +best for us all: your wife and our good missionary are in His hands." + +"How long have you been a Christian?" I could not help asking. + +"Two years," was the answer. "Before that I was a gross idolater and +cannibal; there was no wickedness I did not do. But, praised be the +Lord Jesus Christ, I was, through the teaching of the Holy Spirit, +brought out of darkness into the light of His glorious truth." + +I felt rebuked, and grasping my staff once more, braced myself up to +continue my search. The native accompanied me. + +"They may have escaped to the mountains," he observed. "We will go +there. I can find the path even in the dark, and there is a cavern not +far up, where they may have taken shelter. Once, when we were devil's +people, we dreaded to enter it, thinking it the abode of evil spirits; +now that we are God's people, we know that God is everywhere, and have +no fear." + +Again I felt how the remark of this babe in Christ, this late savage +heathen, would rebuke many of those in our own dear England who, even in +this professedly enlightened nineteenth century, yet tremble at the +thoughts of ghosts, witches, and other similar phantoms of their foolish +imaginations. + +It appeared to me that the hurricane was subsiding; but still our +progress was slow and painful. It was, however, an advantage having a +beaten path, though that in many places was cut up by the water, and in +others, trees and roofs of cottages had been blown across it. I found +that we were ascending,--higher and higher up the mountain we got. +Lofty rocks appeared on every side,--the lightning seemed to be more +vivid,--the crash of the thunder, as it reverberated in rattling peals +amid the cliffs, was even louder than before. I remembered my +companion's remark, and felt no fear. + +"There is the cavern," he said, at length. + +I hurried in through a narrow opening, following closely at his heels. +A light was shining at the farther end: it was from a fire, round which +a number of persons were collected. On the opposite side, with the +light shining full on his countenance, stood my brother John. A book +was in his hand,--the book of books undoubtedly. His eyes were turned +toward heaven: he was praying for the safety of all those exposed to the +fury of the tempest. My own name was mentioned. I advanced, and knelt +down by the side of my own Mary. "God hears prayer," I whispered. "He +has preserved me." + +She soon lay in my arms, weeping tears of joy. I now learned that no +sooner had the signs of the coming tempest appeared than several of the +principal natives came to the mission-house, and advised John to remove +his family, with his books, and such articles as the water might spoil, +to a place of safety, offering to assist him. Of this kindness he +gladly availed himself; but the journey was not performed without great +danger and difficulty, as the tempest broke before they had proceeded +far, and the wind and floods impeded their progress. Mary suffered +most, from her anxiety for me. Now we praised God together joyfully for +the preservation he had awarded us. + +It was daylight before we were able again to set forward to return to my +brother's now desolate home. Still we could rejoice, and be thankful +that none of those most dear to us had been lost. We hoped that the +poor natives might have escaped as well; but we had not descended far +through the lower ground before we found one crushed by a fallen tree, +and another drowned in a water-hole, into which he had apparently +stumbled. The lightning had struck a third whose blackened corpse we +found beneath a tall tree stripped of its branches. These were beyond +human help. + +"Grant that they died in the Lord," observed the missionary, as we noted +the spots where they lay, that we might send and bury them. + +The numbers wandering houseless and without food most claimed our +sympathy. Our worst apprehensions were realised. In the late neat and +pretty village not a cottage retained its roof, and by far the greater +number lay levelled with the ground, some mere heaps of ruin, while of +others not a remnant was to be seen, the whole building having been +carried off by the floods or wind. Of the church only part of the walls +remained standing; and even the heavier timbers of the roof lay +scattered about in every direction. This destruction naturally deeply +affected the missionary. "Still I pray that the faith and trust of the +people will not be found wanting under this trial," he murmured as we +passed on. + +The school-houses were much in the same condition; but happily the +printing-office, a strong stone building, had escaped any serious +damage, as had its valuable contents. Here not only was printing +carried on, but the Bibles and other books were stored, as were the +machines for binding, a work performed very neatly by the natives. This +circumstance again raised my brother's spirits: "While the Book of God +remains, we have nought to fear." + +It was sad to see the natives collecting from all points to which they +had fled to escape the flood and storm, as they first caught sight of +their ruined habitations. + +"The village must be rebuilt on Christian principles," said my brother +with a smile; and going among the people, he called them around him, and +advised them to lose no time in collecting food and rebuilding their +houses, urging those without young children or unmarried to assist those +with families, or the sick and aged, before attending to their own +wants. The reply was most satisfactory, and all agreed to follow his +advice. + +We now repaired to the mission-house, and, clearing out the rubbish from +within the angle formed by two walls, were soon able to obtain some +shelter and privacy for the ladies and children. It was melancholy work +hunting about for the furniture, crockery, and other articles, among the +ruins. However, we obtained a sufficient number of things to furnish +our make-shift abode, though it was long before we could get the bedding +sufficiently dry to be of any use. The flour and many other articles of +food, were spoilt, or had disappeared; but we raked up sufficient for +the present wants of the household; and as we assembled round a table +once more together, we returned our grateful thanks to Heaven that we +were still preserved to each other. + +Among the ruins a chest of axes, and some saws, and other carpenters' +tools was found, and these my brother distributed among the chiefs and +other principal people, that they might the better be able to rebuild +their abodes. When assembled to receive these valuable gifts, their +answer was: "We accept them with thanks, on one condition,--that we may +first be allowed to rebuild our missionary's abode." They would take no +denial; and forthwith forming themselves into gangs, some set to work to +clear away the ruins, while others went off to cut fresh uprights and +rafters to replace those that were broken. It was gratifying, as being +so purely spontaneous, and showing the high estimation in which they +held their missionary for his work's sake. Thus, aided by zealous +friends, the work proceeded rapidly. + +I meantime hastened back to my vessel, taking with me some natives to +aid in launching her. On our way we came unexpectedly on the spot where +lay the body of my poor companion who had been crushed to death. We +buried the remains not far off on the hill-side, while I offered some +prayers and a short exhortation for the benefit of those present. As I +went over the ground again I was more than ever surprised that I had +been able to accomplish the journey on such a night, and deeply thankful +that I had been preserved from the numberless dangers I had encountered. + +On reaching the _Olive Branch_, I found that my mate had been making +most judicious preparations for getting her off. He had formed a strong +cradle, with rollers under her keel and posts ahead, to which to secure +some strong tackles. By hauling on these tackles he hoped to get her +off several feet every day. "Slow and steady wins the race, you know, +sir," he observed. His hopes of success were not without foundation. + +Day after day we toiled on, aided by the indefatigable natives, who gave +every evidence that they were working from pure Christian love. + +"You have brought us the blessings of the gospel,--ought not we, who +highly estimate its blessings, labour to enable you in your ship to +carry it to others?" said the chief of the party, when I was one day +thanking him for the energetic way in which he and his people were +working. Their satisfaction when the _Olive Branch_ at length floated +securely in the harbour was nearly equal to mine. + +Little time as there was to spare before the meeting would take place, +at which my brother wished to be present, he was anxious to see the +people housed before he would leave them. They meantime were working +most heroically, and I was surprised to see the rapid way in which they +put up their houses, and set to work to replant the fields of taro and +other roots, which had been destroyed by the flood. + +At length we were ready to continue our voyage. It had been intended +that our wives should accompany us; but as, in consequence of the delay, +John's absence would be shorter than had been expected, it was thought +better that they should remain and restore order to the establishment. +As we were about to go the chief men of the island sent to beg that we +would receive certain gifts which they had stored up to increase the +funds devoted to sending missionaries to the other islands of the +Pacific yet lying in heathen darkness. + +"Had it not been for the storm, they would have been far greater," they +observed; "but, though we are feeling a want just now of this world's +goods, we are rich in gospel blessings; nor can we make our present +condition an excuse for denying those blessed privileges to brethren in +other lands, for whom our Lord died as well as for us." + +Surely, I thought, these remarks, were they known at home, would put to +shame too many who are ready to make any slight decrease of income an +excuse for not assisting the cause of the gospel either among the +ignorant around them or in other countries. Since I went among these so +late heathen savages, I have often had to think with grief and shame of +the very low standard of Christian excellence considered requisite by +many at home who profess, and probably have a wish, to be religious. +Often and often I have wished that I could paint to them in their true +and vivid colours the self-denying, laborious lives of the devoted +missionaries, and the humble, zealous, faithful, truth-searching +behaviour of the converts. + +With a fair wind we sailed, praying that God would protect our dear +ones, and bring us back to them in safety. We took up several +missionaries who were going to the conference, and who had been waiting +for the _Olive Branch_, and also some native teachers, who were destined +to act as pioneers in islands where the light of the gospel had not yet +penetrated. + +Without any adventure especially worthy of notice we reached the head +station, where a considerable number of missionaries were collected +awaiting our arrival. All had more or less felt the storm at their +respective stations, but few with the violence that we had. The +discussions which took place at the meeting were most important and +interesting, and encouraging to all to persevere in the work; but I must +not now report them. Although only in a certain sense a looker-on, I +felt greatly refreshed, and my spiritual life renewed by the +exhortations delivered and the prayers engaged in. I had the privilege +of attending all the meetings. Several had taken place, when the +subject of the new stations to be occupied was brought forward. John +was named to fill one of them. The inhabitants were looked upon as +among the fiercest of the savages of the Pacific; the climate was far +from salubrious. But John did not hesitate a moment; on the contrary, +his countenance was radiant with satisfaction. It was an important +post, and it was believed that a large accession might be made to the +kingdom of Christ by the establishment of a mission there. "Wherever my +overseer and brethren consider our holy cause can most be advantaged by +my presence, there I am ready to go," answered my brother, after the +offer had been made him. + +The ground had already been broken by native teachers, who had earnestly +petitioned for an English missionary. Our passage to my brother's +station was somewhat circuitous, as we had to leave several missionaries +at their posts, to carry stores and books to old stations, and to leave +native teachers at new ones. We had brought with us the missionary who +was to succeed John, whom I was directed to carry on to his new station. + +We were received on our return to my brother's home with unmistakable +signs of pleasure by the natives, who collected to welcome him. I +expected, however, that when he came to announce to his wife the +proposed change, that it would be a sad damper to her happiness; but she +simply observed: "Wherever you are called to go, dear husband, it will +be my joy to go also. How much better am I off than the wife of a +soldier serving in the army of some earthly monarch. She may not +accompany him to the war; if he falls wounded, she may not be near to +tend him; if he is slain, no reward is of value to him. Where, too, is +her assurance that they will be reunited? Where my husband goes I may +go,--if he is ill, I may watch over him,--if spirits and strength fail, +I may support him. When death separates us, I know that we shall be +reunited; and I know, too, that a glorious crown, the prize of his high +calling, will assuredly be his, and that that crown I shall share with +him, and full draughts of joy unspeakable for ever and ever." + +These words were spoken in so low and gentle a voice by my dear +sister-in-law, that a stranger would scarcely have understood the firm +faith and high resolve they indicated. The packing up occupied but +little time. John's household goods were few, nor did his library fill +many boxes. + +"But you will sell your cattle and poultry?" I observed. + +"I do not consider them mine," he answered. "I look upon them as +belonging to the Society, and as necessary to my successor. A +missionary should have as few worldly incumbrances as possible to draw +him away from his work. He should labour solely for the Lord, and to +the Lord leave the care of his wife and little ones. A missionary sent +out by a Society should feel secure that they would provide for his +worldly wants while he can work, would support him in his old age, and +care at his death for his widow and children." + +Thus with perfect faith my noble brother went forth in the gospel's +glorious cause to conquer souls for Christ's kingdom. + +The grief of the people among whom he had ministered since his arrival +in the Pacific, when they heard that he was to leave them, was +excessive. At first they threatened to put a restraint upon him, and +not to let him go. + +"Would you then selfishly deprive others of the blessings you enjoy?" he +asked. "Would you, who know the gospel, keep back the instrument which +brought it to you from presenting it to others? No, no; surely you, +dear friends, have not thus learned Christ." + +"Go, go; our prayers will ever be lifted up for your safety and +success." + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. + +MARTYRED FOR THE TRUTH. + +Scarcely a native in the settlement who was not present to bid farewell +to their beloved missionary, and amid tears and prayers, he embarked on +board the _Olive Branch_. My wife accompanied me, and though the little +vessel was much crowded, we had a very happy party. + +The weather was fine, and as we had numerous places to touch at, we were +not more than twelve days without obtaining fresh provisions. Formerly, +when the islands of the Pacific were little known, crews starving or +suffering from scurvy must often have passed just out of sight of land, +where they might have obtained an ample supply of fresh provisions; but +now, very much through the instrumentality of the missionaries of the +gospel, scarcely an island remains unknown, and entirely through their +instrumentality the greater number may now be visited, not only without +fear, but the voyager is certain to receive a Christian welcome on their +shores. + +An instance came under my notice where the natives did not only return +good for good, but good for evil. The master and crew of a large +English ship had grossly misbehaved themselves and ill-treated the +people of an island. Scarcely had they sailed when a gale sprung up, +and their ship was driven on shore and lost. The cargo and other +property in the ship was taken possession of by the natives, who +considered that they had a right to it. On the captain, however, +claiming it through the missionary, the chiefs met and decided that it +should be given up, which it was forthwith without a word of complaint. +Here the brown Christian set an example to the white man, virtually a +heathen. + +The new post to which my brother was appointed was on a lovely island, +fertile in the extreme, and thickly populated. Indeed it might have +been said of it, "that only man was vile." No natives appeared on the +shore to welcome him, but after a time the teachers came off in their +canoe, and gave us accounts which were far from cheering. Chiefs who +had appeared friendly had turned against them, and some had prohibited +their people from listening to the Word of God, or attending school or +chapel. I suggested to my brother that under the circumstances it might +be wiser not to land. + +"What, because the enemy begins the fight shall the soldier desert his +standard?" he asked, with a look of surprise. "No, David, you would not +counsel such conduct." + +I could say nothing. The teachers were of opinion that he would be +treated with indifference rather than actual hostility, at first, by the +great mass of the people, and that his life at all events would be +perfectly safe. They mentioned one chief who appeared to be more +friendly disposed towards Christianity than the rest, and to him +accordingly, we at once went to pay our court. The chief looked like a +perfect savage, with his hair long and frizzed out, his eyes rolling +wildly, and with scarcely any clothing on his dusky body. Still he +received us politely, and not without a certain dignity, and promised if +the missionary now remained he would be answerable to me for him, should +I again visit the island. + +The man was still a heathen, and I felt very unwilling to put any +confidence in his promises. It was too evident to me that he wished for +a missionary for the sake of axes and saws, and other articles he +expected to obtain, rather than for any spiritual benefit he hoped to +derive from his presence. I had, however, no alternative, than to land +my dear brother with his wife and little ones, and household goods. My +only consolation was that I was able with my crew to assist in putting +up a house for him, many of the parts of which we had brought with us. + +The teachers were good carpenters, and had already, with the aid of some +natives whom they had instructed, prepared some stout uprights and beams +and planks. Notwithstanding this, the rapidity with which we got up the +house, dug up a garden and fenced it round, caused great astonishment +among the people. Before we left, my brother had already begun a +school-room, to serve also as a chapel till a larger edifice could be +erected, while he received inquirers at his own house. My sister-in-law +had also two female classes of adults and children, to whom she imparted +such religious instruction as they would receive, and some of the arts +of civilised life, while round the station resembled a busy hive, all +the natives who had professed Christianity being actively employed as +sawyers or in some other mechanical work. His aim at this early stage +of the mission was to show the natives the advantages the Christians +possessed over the heathens, and thus to make them look with favour on +Christianity. He never failed while they were thus engaged to impart so +much religious instruction as they could receive. Everything appeared +now to be going on favourably. When I remarked that I now had +reasonable hopes that he would succeed-- + +"Who can doubt it?" was his answer. "If I do not my successor will. +The gospel will most assuredly cover the earth as the waters cover the +sea. God has said it." + +One of the saddest moments of my life was that when I parted from my +devoted brother as he stood on the beach while I returned for the last +time to my vessel. Yet I asked myself more than once, Why should I +grieve? why should I be anxious? He is engaged in the noblest cause in +which the energies of a human being can be employed--gaining subjects +for the Redeemer's kingdom. + +Still I was his brother, and as such I could not contemplate without +fear the dangers to which he was exposed. I was now to return direct to +Mr Bent's station, where I proposed refitting the _Olive Branch_ to be +ready for any work she might be called on to perform. We found that +great progress had been made at the station, both spiritual and +material. There were many new converts, and several excellent little +houses built, surrounded by neat gardens and fields. It had not been +done without cost, and it was too evident to Mary and me that her +father's health and strength were failing. She spoke to him, and +suggested a change of scene. + +"Here I have been planted by the Lord of the vineyard, and here let me, +if He so wills it, wither and fall, dear one," he answered. + +It was too evident to us that his body was withering, but not so his +spirit--that was expanding more and more, ripening for heaven. It +seemed to burn with a deep and unextinguishable love for the conversion +of all the islanders among whom he had so long laboured--not those of +his own group only, but for the inhabitants of all the isles of the +Pacific, "ay," he would finish, as if there had been a shortcoming of +his love for the souls of his fellow-men, "of the whole heathen world. +May they all come to know Thee, O Lord, and accept Thy great salvation." +Still his more constant prayers were for his own people. Gradually he +sunk--evidently entering into the rest prepared for those who love +Christ--his joy increased, his end was peace. Thus has many a +missionary died, and who would not change all the world can give to be +assured of such a death. Mary felt her father's death severely, but yet +as one who mourned with assured hope of a joyous resurrection. + +My brother had earnestly petitioned to have another missionary or a +native teacher of superior attainments sent him, and while I was +debating what course to pursue, I received directions to carry the +teacher Vihala and his wife to him, and to visit many other stations on +my way. Vihala and Alea were delighted to see us again, but when they +heard of Mr Bent's death they shed tears of unfeigned sorrow at the +thought that they should see his face no more. They both had advanced +greatly in Christian knowledge, and Vihala appeared to me equal to the +taking entire charge of a station, however large. He was delighted to +hear that he was to join my brother, and made all his preparations with +alacrity. + +As I was preparing to sail, a ship hove in sight. She was from England +direct, and brought letters for me and John. + +I opened mine with trembling hands. All were well at home; but they +contained news and of importance too. A distant relative had died and +left a considerable fortune to my father's second son, but in the case +of his death it was to belong to the next, and so on. It could only +descend to the children of the brother who had possessed it for five +years. Thus John was to be the first possessor. It at once occurred to +me, would it prove a snare to him? Would it induce him to abandon his +high and holy calling? Would the man of property be unwilling to remain +the humble missionary? Still I thought I knew what John would do. I +felt that I was wronging him by having any doubts on the subject. + +The delay was providential, for a gale sprung up as we were weighing +anchor, and again dropping it, we remained safely in port till the storm +had subsided. We had several places to call at, and baffling winds +still more prolonged our voyage. At last we anchored in the beautiful +bay opposite my brother's station. + +I looked out anxiously expecting him to come off to us. I was then +about to land with Mary, thinking to take him and his family by +surprise, when a canoe appeared with one of the native teachers on +board. His first words were, "I am the only one left alive." My heart +sunk within me. + +I put Mary again on board and went on shore. On the way the teacher +told me the sad tale. At first the natives in the district had been +friendly, but instigated by the heathen chiefs, they had, after a time, +refused provisions or assistance. Even some who had professed +Christianity were afraid to come openly to receive instruction. A +little band was faithful, and many came at night to hear the word of +God, and brought food, or the mission family might have been starved. +Still my brother persevered, and not without effect. Fresh converts +were made. Children were allowed to come to the girls' school, and when +it was discovered what useful arts they learned there in addition to +reading and writing, even some chiefs became desirous of sending their +daughters for instruction. This unexpected progress, made, in spite of +opposition, by the missionaries, exasperated the heathen chiefs still +further, and a plot was formed to cut off all the Christian teachers. +Their safety was, however, watched over by their converts, and all +attempts defeated. Treachery was next attempted, and one of the most +savage of the heathen chiefs pretended to be desirous of hearing the +truth. He sent to my brother, begging him to come to him. He was urged +not to go. + +"What, and run the risk of allowing a soul to be left in Satan's power +which may be rescued!" was his answer. He went, accompanied by a +teacher and two Christian natives. They were unarmed. Day after day +passed, and no tidings came of them. At last the bodies of all four +were found. They had been barbarously murdered; but whether or not they +had reached the old chiefs residence could not be ascertained. He sent +a message expressing his regret that the missionary had not come to him. +My sister-in-law was supported in a way the Holy Spirit can alone +support a person in distress. Her longing desire was to meet him in +heaven, and to prepare their two boys to follow in his footsteps. + +Notwithstanding all that had occurred, Vihala undauntedly resolved to +remain. + +"If I fall, it is in God's cause, and to advance His glory," was his +only remark. + +Having done all I could, with a heavy heart I quitted the station with +my sister-in-law and her children, and returned to head-quarters, where +I had the satisfaction of presenting the _Olive Branch_ for the service +of the mission. I persuaded my sister-in-law to accompany Mary and me +to England, where I have devoted a certain portion of the fortune of +which I so painfully became possessed to her support and the education +of her children, and at Mary's urgent request, another, what the world +would consider a no inconsiderable portion, to the support of missions. +We live in a humble way, but are far more happy than we should be did we +spend our wealth on ourselves. Our nephews, too, are amply rewarding +us, and will, I trust, prove efficient soldiers in that glorious army +which goes forth under the banner of the cross to fight against +idolatry, ignorance, vice, and all the foes Satan can array against the +truth as it is in Christ Jesus. + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Cruise of the Mary Rose, by +William H. G. 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