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diff --git a/23190.txt b/23190.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e784f27 --- /dev/null +++ b/23190.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2836 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mary Liddiard, by W.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: Mary Liddiard + The Missionary's Daughter + +Author: W.H.G. Kingston + +Release Date: October 25, 2007 [EBook #23190] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY LIDDIARD *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Mary Liddiard, by W.H.G. Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ +Mary is the daughter of a missionary somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. It +is towards the end of the eighteenth century. Some but not all of the +natives on the island have been converted. The author expounds at great +length on the central truth of Christianity. + +There is an attack by the natives of another island, which Mary and her +friends survive by hiding in a cave. Later they are obliged to leave +the island by canoe. There is a great storm, but they survive it, being +picked up by an English missionary vessel. There is a happy ending, +with a great family reunion. + +________________________________________________________________________ +MARY LIDDIARD, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON. + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +A MISSIONARY STATION IN AN ISLAND OF THE PACIFIC DESCRIBED.--THE GIRLS' +SCHOOL SUPERINTENDED BY MRS LIDDIARD, HER DAUGHTER MARY, AND LITTLE +MAUD.--MARY LIDDIARD'S NARRATIVE.--INTRODUCE TO MY READERS LISELE, THE +CHIEF'S DAUGHTER, ONE OF OUR PUPILS.--MY MOTHER EXPLAINS THE GOSPEL TO +HER. + + "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow, + Praise Him all creatures here below, + Praise Him above ye heavenly host, + Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." + +These words were ascending from the lips of a number of dark skinned +girls assembled round a fair haired English lady in a building thickly +thatched with the leaves of the sugar cane, beneath the shade of a grove +of tall cocoanut trees, in one of the many far off beautiful islands of +the wide Pacific. The building, erected by the natives after their own +fashion, was the school-house of a missionary station lately established +by Mr Liddiard, and the lady was his devoted wife. It stood upon a +platform of coral-stone, raised about two feet from the ground, while +the roof projected a considerable distance beyond the walls, and was +supported by stout posts formed of the bread-fruit tree, tightly bound +to the rafters by ropes of sinnet. + +After the conclusion of the hymn of praise--a sound unwonted in that +long benighted region, whose groves had hitherto echoed only with the +shouts and wild laughter of the savage heathens, as they performed their +barbarous rites, and the shrieks and groans of their victims--the pupils +grouped themselves round Mrs Liddiard on the mats with which the floor +was spread. + +They were of various ages; some were children, others full grown young +women. All kept their eyes fixed on her attentively, as if anxious to +understand every word she said. Some were clothed in light cotton +dresses, their black hair neatly braided and ornamented with a few sweet +scented wild flowers, while others were habited in garments of native +cloth, formed from the paper mulberry tree. + +By the side of Mrs Liddiard sat, on low stools, two young girls, whose +light complexions contrasted with that of their dark skinned sisters. +Though she spoke in the native language, the two English girls +understood her perfectly, and appeared to be as attentive as their +companions, and anxious to set a good example to the rest. One of them, +with black hair, called little Maud, who seemed to be about eleven years +old, had a grave expression of countenance; the other, Mrs Liddiard's +daughter Mary, was very like her mother, with light hair and blue eyes, +full of animation and intelligence. + +On one side of the house the ground sloped away down to a beach seen +between the Pandanus and cocoanut trees, of fine white sand fringing a +calm lagoon of the deepest blue, beyond which appeared a long line of +foaming breakers, ever dashing against a coral reef, which extended +parallel with the coast as far as the eye could reach. On the other +side rose the steep sides of a range of rocky and picturesque mountains, +clothed to their summits with the richest and densest foliage, +numberless creepers climbing up the trees, and hanging from branch to +branch, while here and there, amid openings of the forest, several +sparkling cascades came rushing down from the far off heights, now +falling in sheets of glittering foam, now dashing from ledge to ledge, +and at length making their way into the lagoon. + +Near the girls' school-house was a building of considerably larger +dimensions, and of much greater height, with numerous windows and a +porch. It was the mission chapel erected by the native Christians. At +a short distance from it was Mr Liddiard's residence, a neat cottage +with a broad verandah in front, partaking more of the European style +than any of the other edifices. + +Under the shade of the trees were numerous huts, inhabited by the +converts, who had left their former homes and gathered round their +pastor. Among them was a hut somewhat larger than the rest, which had +been built by the zealous native teacher Nanari, who had come from a +distant island to bring the glad tidings of salvation to the people; and +undaunted by the opposition of the heathens, had long laboured alone, +until the arrival of Mr Liddiard, under whom he now acted as catechist +and assistant. + +Notwithstanding the unceasing exertions and prayers of Nanari, aided by +his faithful wife, and of Mr and Mrs Liddiard, comparatively few of +the natives had as yet been gathered into Christ's fold. The greater +part of the island was inhabited by fierce heathens, who still carried +on frequent wars against each other; and angry with their countrymen for +having abandoned the faith of their forefathers, constantly threatened +them and the missionaries with destruction. + +In spite of the dangers which surrounded him, Mr Liddiard continued +dauntlessly to labour to win souls to Christ, knowing well in whom he +trusted; and that although it might not be allowed to him while on earth +to see the fruit of his toils, yet that a rich harvest would some day be +reaped. + +The missionary's life was not an idle one. When not engaged in +preaching the gospel or in giving instruction to his converts, he was +compelled to work with his hands to obtain his daily food, and he and +Nanari, with the young men who had become Christians, were engaged in +the taro grounds or in their gardens, attending to the cultivation of +the bread-fruit tree, yams, casavas, sweet potatoes, and other +vegetables. He had also built his own house, and manufactured his +furniture, and had every day some manual work to perform besides being +engaged in studying the language and translating the Bible and other +works, for the instruction of the natives. Thus, from morning till +night, he and his wife were actively employed. Although Mary and little +Maud could now give them some assistance in household matters, the young +girls themselves required instruction, which also occupied a portion of +their time. Maud was not their own child, though they had educated her, +for she was friendless and destitute, and they loved her as a daughter. + +To return to the school-house I have described. I should say that I was +the Mary I have mentioned, the missionary's daughter. I will tell more +about little Maud by-and-by. We used to act as assistant teachers to my +mother. As soon as the address she had given was over we went among the +girls to answer any questions they might put to us, or to help in their +tasks. + +"Malay," said a girl at the further end of the room, near whom I had +seated myself (`Malay' was the name the natives always called me). "I +wish to know if your God always sees you." + +"Yes, indeed, He does," I answered. "He sees and knows everything I +think and say and do." + +"Then I would rather not _lotu_," she said. "Because I don't think that +the gods of my people know what they do, or what they think or say, and +I am very sure that I shall wish to do many things which might displease +them. Not long ago I laughed and jeered at them, and I am sure that +they did not find me out." + +The term "_lotu_," I should explain, is used by the natives to signify +changing their religion, or becoming Christians. + +"But our God, Jehovah, is above all gods. He made the world and all the +human race, and He therefore knows everything that you and all heathen +people do and say and think. The darkness is no darkness with Him, and +the day and night to Him are both alike," I answered. "But come to +mother, Lisele, and she will explain the matter to you more clearly than +I can do." + +Lisele was the daughter of a heathen chief, who was very well disposed +towards the Christians; and although he would not _lotu_ himself, he +allowed Lisele, who was very intelligent, and possessed an inquiring +mind, to attend the school. She was about two years older than I was, +and I think any one who had seen her dressed in her costume of native +cloth of the finest texture, with a wreath of white flowers in her raven +hair, would have thought her very pretty. She was as yet imperfectly +instructed in Christian truth, and possessed of high spirits and an +independent will--a mere child of nature. It was evidently necessary to +treat her with the greatest caution to prevent her running away from us +and rejoining her former heathen associates. + +Lisele, taking my hand, came and sat down at my mother's feet, and I +then put the question that she had asked me. "Yes, indeed, Lisele," +said my mother. "Jehovah not only sees all you do, and hears all you +say, but knows every thought which is passing through your mind, and if +you think anything that is wrong, and utter even a careless word, He is +grieved at it. He is so pure and holy that even the bright heavens are +not clean in His sight; and were He to treat us as we deserve, when we +indulged for a moment in an evil thought, or departed in the slightest +degree from the truth, He might justly punish us; but He is merciful, +kind, and long-suffering, and thus He allows sinners to continue in +life, to give them an opportunity of repenting and turning to Him." + +"Then there would be no use for my father and all the chiefs and people +whom I know to _lotu_, for they have done over and over again all sorts +of things which you have told me Jehovah hates," remarked Lisele. + +"My dear Lisele," said my mother, taking her hand, "Jehovah has said in +His holy Book, that He will receive all who turn from their sins and +come to Him in the way He has appointed, through faith in His dear Son; +and He also tells us that the blood of Jesus His Son `cleanseth from all +sin.' Likewise He says, `Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be +as white as snow; though they be red like crimson they shall be as +wool.' Believe this blessed promise yourself, Lisele, and tell your +father that though Jehovah knows all the murders he has committed, and +every crime he has been guilty of, if he will but turn from them and +trust to the perfect sacrifice which Christ offered up on Calvary when +He was punished, by dying that cruel death on the cross instead of us, +then all will be forgiven and blotted out of God's remembrance. `The +blood of Jesus Christ,' I repeat, `cleanseth from all sin.'" + +The Indian girl stood with her eyes open, gazing at my mother, and lost +with astonishment at what she had heard. + +"But surely we must do something to gain this great favour from God. We +must labour and toil for Him. We must pay Him all we have in recompense +for the bad things we have done, that have offended Him so much," she +exclaimed. + +"No! we poor weak creatures have nothing to do. We could do nothing to +make amends for the ill we have done, to blot out our sins; and all the +wealth we possess could not recompense God, for all things are His. But +the debt has been paid for us by Jesus, he became our surety, and when +we go to Him, and trust to Him, and pray to Him, as He is now seated at +the right hand of God, He acts the part of our advocate, and pleads for +us with God, urging that He Himself paid the debt, and, therefore, that +we have nothing to pay and nothing to do. God in His mercy has promised +a free and full pardon to all who trust to Him. `Pardon for sin is the +gift of God,' and the King who makes the present requires nothing in +return but gratitude and love and obedience." + +"I think I understand," said Lisele. "If my father was to conquer +another tribe who had offended him, and, instead of putting them to +death, was to pardon them all, and to give them a country rich in +bread-fruit trees and taro grounds, they would be bound to love and +serve Him, and give Him the best produce of their lands." + +"Exactly," said my mother. "But Jehovah does not require the fruits of +the earth, for `all things are His.' What He wants is the willing +obedience of His creatures. He wishes them to obey His laws, to be +kind, and merciful, and courteous, and pitiful, to all their fellows, +not returning evil for evil, but good for evil, and endeavouring to make +known His name and His power and goodness to all those who do not know +it. That we may know His will, when Jesus Christ came into the world to +die for man, He set us the example we are to follow. Then as our hearts +are prone to evil, and Satan is ever going about seeking to mislead us, +He has sent His Holy Spirit to instruct our minds, to support us and +help us to withstand the deceits of Satan." + +"Then I think it must be Satan who makes my people fight with each +other, and do all sorts of things that you tell me God's Book says are +so wrong," exclaimed Lisele. "I must try and persuade my father to +worship Jehovah, and then, perhaps, the Holy Spirit you tell me of will +prevent him from spending his life in fighting and killing people. It +has always seemed to me a very bad thing to do, and that it would be +much better if people would live together in peace, and dance and sing +and amuse themselves without the constant fear of being attacked by +their enemies and killed." + +"Undoubtedly, my dear girl, if anyone turns to Jehovah, trusting to +Jesus Christ, and seeks the aid of the Holy Spirit whom He has promised +to send, he will be enabled to do His will. God cannot lie. Everything +He has promised He will fulfil," answered my mother. "I pray that you +will be enabled to explain this matter to the chief, your father." + +"Yes! yes! that I will," cried Lisele. "Till this moment I did not +understand it. I thought that it must be a very difficult thing to +serve Jehovah, and that those who had done anything to offend Him were +to toil and work to the end of their days, and even then have very +little chance of being received into favour." + +"Satan tries to persuade man that such is the case, that he may turn his +eyes away from the all-sufficient atonement made by Christ on Calvary, +and prevent him from trusting to that, and that alone," said my mother. +"Satan hates the atonement, because it is that which destroys his power, +and he cares nothing when people try to be good, and try to please God, +trusting to themselves, provided they have no faith in the atoning +sacrifice of Christ, in the all-cleansing power of His blood," observed +my mother. "If you will reflect, my dear girl, on the fact that God +made us and gives us all the blessings we enjoy, and that consequently +we owe Him everything, you will see that nothing we do can make amends +to Him for the sins we have committed, because if we were to devote +every moment of our lives to His service we should only be doing our +duty. Then again, a sin which has been committed cannot be undone; so +it is written against us in the great book prepared for the day of +judgment. God is so pure and holy that even the heavens are not clean +in His sight, and He is so just that He cannot forgive sin; we only mock +Him when we ask Him to forgive us our sins, if we plead our own merits, +because, as I have shown you, we cannot possibly have any merits to +plead--all our merits are but as filthy rags, they cannot cover up our +vileness and sinfulness. But then Jehovah is all merciful as well as +just, and He has, therefore, formed that blessed plan of salvation, the +gospel plan, just suited to our wants, by which we can take advantage of +the all perfect merits of Jesus Christ, and make them our own--our +vileness being covered up by His righteousness, our nakedness clothed +with His pure and spotless robes, so that Jehovah does not see our sins; +they are put away as far as the east is from the west; they are blotted +out of the great book of remembrance. This is done immediately the +sinner trusts in the Saviour. It is not _to be done_. All the work +_was_ done on Calvary, when Jesus cried, `It is finished!' All that God +requires is that the sinner should take advantage of that work finished +by Jesus, by trusting to Him alone, thus becoming completely qualified +for heaven. May God, the Holy Spirit, enable you to understand this +truth." + +The Indian girl sat down, and for some time appeared lost in thought; +then starting up with the impetuous manner which her ardent disposition +made her assume, she asked, in her native tongue, "Then if I believe +that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of Jehovah, left the glories of +heaven, and became man, and suffered a fearful death on the cross, His +precious blood being then shed, and that He suffered this punishment +instead of me, and that God's justice is thereby satisfied, am I no +longer to fear punishment? Does God no more look at my sins? Am I +received into His favour? Oh then how grateful ought I to be to God, +how much ought I to love Jehovah's kind Son, how ought I to try to serve +and obey and please Him!" + +"Yes, indeed, Lisele, if you thus trust in Christ, if you believe that +His blood was shed for you, that you are sprinkled with it, you may be +assured that God has taken you into favour, that He has blotted out all +your sins, and that when you leave this world you will be received into +that glorious heaven which He has prepared for all those who love Him." + +"Oh, I am sure what you tell me is true," exclaimed the Indian girl, +clasping her hands, while a look of joy irradiated her countenance. "I +long to know more of that kind and merciful Jesus, and love Him and +serve Him. I must go and tell my father all you have said, and get him +to come and hear himself about Jehovah. Your religion is just what we +want in this country, for nothing else will prevent the people from +fighting and murdering each other, which cannot be pleasing to a good +God, though our priests tell us that our gods delight in war and in the +human sacrifices offered to them, and encourage our warriors to kill and +burn their prisoners." + +"Our religion is not only suited to the inhabitants of these islands, +but to people of all countries, and at all times," said my mother. "It +is the only true religion, because it is the only one which God has +given to man, and He has sent us the Bible that we may learn what His +will is, and He pours out the Holy Spirit that we may understand and be +enabled to perform it. And the time will come when `all kings shall +fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him,'" (Psalm 72 verse +11.) + +All the other girls had returned to their homes. Lisele remained, eager +to gain more information about the wonderful things she had heard. What +a happy thing it would be if boys and girls in Britain were as anxious +to obtain spiritual knowledge as was the young savage girl in that +Pacific island! + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +OUR STATION THREATENED BY HEATHEN NATIVES.--LISELE, ACCEPTING THE TRUTH, +DESIRES THE CONVERSION OF HER FATHER, AND OBTAINS PERMISSION FROM HER +AUNT AND ABELA TO VISIT HIM.--I DESCRIBE OUR VOYAGE, WHEN LITTLE MAUD +WAS FOUND.--CONDITION OF THE STATION AT THE TIME WHEN MY NARRATIVE +COMMENCES. + +Our little Christian settlement was truly an oasis in the wilderness. +We were closely beset by heathens, and frequently we could see them +assembling on the hill side, performing their savage dances, or +threatening our destruction with fierce gestures--shaking their clubs +and spears, and shrieking and hooting wildly. + +Most of the converts settled round us belonged to the tribe of Masaugu, +Lisele's father; for although he himself still remained a heathen, he +did not oppose those of his people who wished to lotu, or become +Christians. + +Among them was Lisele's aunt, the sister of her mother, with whom she +resided, and through her influence Lisele had first been induced to +attend the school. + +On the day I have spoken of, when it was time for Lisele to return to +her aunt's house, she invited me to accompany her, which my mother gave +me permission to do. She wanted me to assist her in persuading her aunt +to allow her to return to her father. + +"I have been so long accustomed to speak falsehoods, that if I tell her +that I wish to go she will not believe my object," said Lisele. +"Besides, she will not think it possible that so fierce a warrior as my +father will consent to lotu; but I heard your mother say the other day, +that with Jehovah nothing is impossible, and therefore I believe that if +I pray that my father's heart may be changed, he will, notwithstanding +his fierceness, become a Christian." + +"I am very sure that Jehovah will hear your prayers," I remarked, "if +you offer them up according to His own appointed way, through Jesus +Christ; but still He will take His own good time to bring about what you +desire. My father often says we must not expect to have our prayers +answered exactly in the way we wish. God knows what is best, and +oftentimes He does not accomplish that which we desire; and though we +cannot comprehend His reasons, still it is our duty to pray on in faith, +without ceasing. Jehovah, too, often allows those He loves to suffer; +and though they may complain that the sufferings are very hard to bear, +He will assuredly lift them up and support them, for He has said, `My +strength is made perfect in weakness,'" (2 Corinthians 12 verse 9). +This conversation lasted till we reached the house of Abela, Lisele's +aunt. + +Abela was a woman of about forty, her face, though not handsome, and +with a serious expression, was mild and pleasing. She was dressed in an +ample petticoat, made from the fibres of the hibiscus, while over her +shoulders she wore a tippet somewhat resembling a small poncho, which +completely shrouded the upper part of her form. Having finished the +labours of the day (for although of high rank, she was compelled, like +others, to work for her support), she was seated on a mat, with a book +open on her knees, from which she was endeavouring to read. Not having +long been a convert, she had as yet made but little progress in her +studies. She affectionately welcomed her niece and me as we took our +seats near her. Lisele then eagerly poured forth what she had been +hearing, so rapidly, that I could scarcely follow her. + +"It is all true," said Abela, when her niece at length ceased speaking. +"I praise Jehovah that you know it." + +When, however, Lisele told her of her wish to go back to her father, +Abela hesitated. "He will not understand you, my child," she exclaimed, +"and perhaps will not allow you to return to people whom he may think so +foolish." + +"Oh, but I'll pray for him," answered Lisele. "I'll ask Jehovah to help +me, and I know He will hear me, so I shall not have to trust to my own +strength." + +Abela remained silent for some time, and I saw that she was engaged in +prayer. + +"You shall go, my child," she said at length. "Jehovah will take care +of you, and may He prosper your undertaking." + +Delighted at having obtained this permission, Lisele returned to spend +the evening with us, for my father wished to have an opportunity of +speaking to her. He warned her of the opposition she must expect to +meet with from her people, and of the dangers she would have to +encounter, especially as he knew that she had been sought in marriage by +a young heathen chief, who might wish to detain her. + +"But now I know the truth. I will never consent to marry one who is a +heathen," she answered. "And I do not intend to remain. I will only +try to persuade my father to visit you, and then I will return." + +Lisele set off the next day, accompanied by two Christian people of her +tribe, who promised to protect her from the heathens, and aid her return +should it be opposed, even although they might risk their lives in so +doing. We were very sorry to lose her, as we feared that efforts would +be made to prevent her returning among us. + +Maud could not restrain her tears. "I know too well how cruelly these +heathens can act," she said. "They will not hesitate to carry her off +to some distant island, whence she cannot possibly escape; or, if she +offends them by what she says, they may even kill her." Dear Maud had +indeed had bitter experience of the barbarities often committed by the +savage islanders. + +My father had for some years been a missionary in another part of the +Pacific, when it was settled that he should occupy the Station where we +now were. I was too young at the time to remember much about what +occurred, so I can describe only what I have heard. As there was then +no missionary vessel to convey us, we embarked on board a whaler, the +Christian captain of which undertook to carry us to our destination. He +was, however, unable to make a direct passage, as he had in the +prosecution of his business first to visit several other places, still, +as no other means of getting where we wished to go were likely to occur, +my father was glad to embrace the opportunity thus offered. We had been +for some time at sea when a fearful storm arose, which compelled us to +run before it under bare poles, and carried us a long way out of our +course. The vessel received also considerable damage, losing one of her +masts and several spars. At length a beautiful island appeared in +sight, covered thickly with trees, and directly ahead was seen a +commodious harbour. The captain therefore ran into it and came to an +anchor, that the damages which the vessel had received might be +repaired. He soon found that it was inhabited by numerous savages, who +pushed off in their canoes to visit the strange ship. He, however, had +so long been acquainted with the treacherous character of the natives of +most of the Pacific islands, that he would allow no one to come on +board, and he had also boarding-nettings triced up to guard against any +sudden attack they might venture to make. We had on board a Sandwich +islander, who managed to make himself understood by the natives. +Through his means our good captain let them know that he wished to cut +down some trees, and that he was ready to pay for permission to do so. +The captain then inquired for their chief, and said that if he would +come off and receive part of the payment, the remainder would be given +after the spars had been brought on board, and as a proof of his good +intentions, he sent the chief a present of an axe and a piece of cloth. +This had the desired effect; and in a short time an old warrior came +alongside in his canoe, and announced himself as the chief of the +district. The Sandwich islander then explained what the captain wished, +and certain articles which had been agreed on were given to him, he +undertaking, while the trees were being cut down and carried off, to +keep his people at a distance to prevent the possibility of any dispute +arising. + +As soon as the chief and his followers had returned to the shore, two +boats' crews, well armed, put off, and while one party were engaged in +felling the trees, the other remained drawn up to guard against any +attack which the natives might treacherously venture to make. The spars +having been brought on board, the old chief returned for the promised +remainder of the payment. He seemed highly pleased with the +transaction. + +"I see that you are wise and just people," he observed. "If all whites +who come to our shores acted in the same way, we would be their friends; +but it has not been always so, and after they have ill-treated and +cheated us, we have been tempted to take advantage of their folly and +carelessness to revenge ourselves." + +This remark induced the captain, through the interpreter, to make +inquiries as to what the chief alluded to. At length he learned that +some time before a vessel, with white people on board, had come into the +harbour to obtain sandal wood; that after the natives had supplied a +large quantity, sufficient to fill her, the captain had refused the +promised payment; but, in spite of this, that the crew were allowed to +go on shore and wander about in small parties, when some of them had +quarrelled with the natives and ill-treated them. In consequence the +sailors had been set upon, and killed every man of them. A party of +warriors then put off for the ship, and pretending they had come to +trade, clambered up her sides before the part of the crew who had +remained on board had heard of the massacre, or suspected their +intentions. The savages thus taking them at a disadvantage, put every +person to death, with the exception of a woman and child, who were saved +by the intervention of the old chief. The vessel, it appeared, by some +accident, caught fire, and had been utterly destroyed. + +The captain, on hearing this, made eager inquiries about the poor woman +and the child. The former, however, had, he found soon afterwards, +died, leaving the little girl in possession of the chief. + +Instead of threatening the old chief with the vengeance of his people, +as some might have done, he spoke to him gently, saying that he himself +had not come there as a judge, or to take vengeance for injuries which +other white men might have received, but that we wished to know whether +he would be ready to give up the little girl he had under his care. The +old man seemed very much struck by this style of address, and confessed +that the child was still living with him, but that he was very fond of +her, and that when she grew up he hoped that she might become the wife +of one of his sons. + +This of course made the captain still more anxious to recover her, and +he used every argument he could think of to induce the old man to give +her up. He told him that, unaccustomed to the mode of life of his +people, she would probably die, as her mother had done, and that if he +really loved her, he would be anxious for her safety, and that though he +had paid him liberally for the trees, he would give him twice the amount +of goods if he would, without delay, bring the little girl on board. +This last argument seemed to weigh greatly with the chief, and he said +he would think about it, and returned on shore, leaving us in doubt, +however, what he would do. + +Our anxiety about the poor girl was, as may be supposed, very great. +The men, on hearing of the matter, came aft, and each one said that he +would be ready to contribute some article to induce the chief to give +her up. Some even proposed, that should he refuse, to land and compel +him to do so by force of arms. The captain thanked them for their zeal, +but told them that that was not the way he conceived Christian men +should act. + +I well remember that evening, when we were assembled to worship God as +usual, in the cabin, how my father lifted up his voice in prayer, that +the heart of the chief might be moved to restore the little Christian +damsel to those who would bring her "up in the nurture and admonition of +the Lord," and that she might be saved from the fearful fate the old man +intended for her. God never fails to listen to the prayers of +believers. + +The next morning, as we anxiously turned our eyes towards the shore, the +chief's canoe was seen coming off. + +"Our prayer has been answered," exclaimed my father, who was watching it +through a spy-glass. "There is a child by his side." + +The sailors sprang into the rigging, and every one on board eagerly +watched the approach of the canoe. It was soon alongside, and the +little girl we had been looking for was handed up on deck, followed by +the old chief. She was dressed in a clean white frock, and her hair was +neatly braided, and ornamented with flowers and feathers; but she looked +thin and ill, and sadly scared. When my mother approached the gangway +she flew towards her, and threw herself into her arms, as if she was +sure that she should find in her a loving friend. + +"Mamma! mamma!" she exclaimed; but she could utter no other words; and +had it not been for those sounds we should have supposed that she had +lost the power of speech. My mother could not restrain her tears, as +she held the forlorn little creature to her heart. + +Such was the way in which we met with little Maud. + +Nothing would induce her to leave my mother while the old chief remained +on board; and although he and his people might have treated her kindly, +they certainly had not won her love. + +Having received the promised reward, to which the captain added a few +other articles, the chief prepared to take his departure, evidently very +well satisfied with the transaction. The captain, however, warned him, +that should he venture to attack another vessel he would not escape a +severe punishment; but that if he would promise to behave well towards +white people in future, they would come and trade with him, and bring +him a greater blessing than he could at present comprehend. The captain +said this, because he hoped that some day he might be able to convey a +missionary to the place, that he might spread the blessings of the +gospel among the heathen inhabitants. + +After the ship was refitted we put to sea, but she was some time engaged +in catching whales, so that our voyage was a very long one. The little +girl who had been rescued from the savages was utterly unable to explain +anything that had happened to her. + +Weeks passed away, and not a word did she utter, and my father and +mother began to fear that the hardships she had gone through had +deprived her of her senses. For a long time she could not be induced to +leave my mother's side, and seemed to mistrust every one else. If +separated from her, even for a few moments, she would run back again, +and seizing her gown, glance up with an imploring look, as if begging to +be protected from some imaginary danger--she would not even trust +herself with me, and seemed to fancy that I might hurt her. Possibly +she might have been ill-treated by the native children, and was unable +to distinguish the difference. Gentle and careful treatment, however, +had its due effect on her, and her fears were gradually allayed. + +At length one day she, of her own accord, took my hand, and looking into +my face said, "Girl not hurt poor Maud." These were the first words we +had heard her utter. Until then also we were ignorant of her name. + +Putting my arms round her neck I kissed her, and answered, "No indeed I +will not hurt you, but I will treat you as a dear sister, and love you +very very much." + +A faint smile passed over her countenance, as if she comprehended my +answer. After that she would remain contentedly with me--still her +mind, for some time longer, continued apparently in the same state as at +first. My father and mother, however, felt sure that her senses would +ultimately be restored. They were not mistaken; but even when she had +begun to speak, she made no allusion to the circumstances of the +massacre, or her life among the natives, and we forbore to ask her any +questions. + +When at last we landed here, her alarm at seeing the natives was very +great, and my father was afraid that it would cause her mind to relapse +into its former state. By doing all we could to re-assure and cheer +her, no ill effects occurred. When once we were settled, and she had +got accustomed to the scenery, and the appearance of the people, her +improvement was more rapid. In course of time her mind and bodily +health were perfectly restored. On seeing me at my lessons, she showed +a strong wish to join me, and though she had forgotten even her letters, +if she had ever known them, she made rapid progress, so that she was +soon able to read fluently, when she eagerly perused every book my +father would allow her to have from his library. Even then, however, +she could give no account of her former life, and we knew no more of +little Maud than at first. My father and mother treated her as they +would a daughter, while I looked upon her and loved her as a younger +sister. + +We had now been upwards of three years at the Station. My father had +laboured on in faith, as a missionary in all regions must be prepared to +do, for as yet only the comparatively small body of Christians as I have +mentioned, who had settled round us, had been brought out of heathenism, +while the larger number of the population appeared even more hostile to +the new faith than at first. Still my father would often say, when he +felt himself inclined to despond, "Let us recollect the value of one +immortal soul, and all our toils and troubles will appear as nothing." +Such was the state of things at the mission station when my history +commences. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +THE ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC DESCRIBED.--MY MOTHER'S ILLNESS.--NASILE, A +MESSENGER FROM LISELE, COMES TO THE SETTLEMENT, FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY +LISLETE AND MASAUGU, WHO PROMISES TO LOTU AFTER HE HAS DEFEATED HIS +ENEMIES.--MY FATHER WARNS HIM IN VAIN OF THE FEARFUL DANGER HE RUNS BY +PUTTING OFF BECOMING A CHRISTIAN. + +The vast Pacific--in one of the islands of which the events I am +describing occurred--presents a wide and hopeful field for missionary +enterprise. It is scattered over with numberless islands--in most cases +so clustered together as to form separate groups--some rising in lofty +mountains out of the sea, surrounded by coral reefs, beautiful and +picturesque in the extreme, while others are elevated but a few feet +above the ocean, generally having palm trees growing on them. These +latter are known more particularly as coral and lagoon islands. The +islands of the character I have last mentioned have been produced by the +gradual sinking of the land beneath the ocean, when on its reaching a +certain depth, countless millions of coral insects have built their +habitations on it, and have continued building till they reached the +surface--the new islands consequently keeping the forms of the submerged +lands which serve as their foundations. The lagoon islands have been +formed by the insects building round the edge of some submerged crater. +As the land sank the creatures have continued to build upwards, and thus +a ring of coral rock has arisen in the ocean--sometimes complete, at +others with a break or opening in it. In other instances the coral +insects have built near the shore, and as the land has sunk they have +continued to build upwards, but in consequence of requiring the pure +salt water, have not advanced towards the land, which, however, still +sinking, a wide space of water has appeared between it and the structure +raised by them. This is the cause of the numerous encircling reefs +which are found around so many of the islands of the Pacific--affording +harbours within them, and sheltering the shore from the fury of the +waves. + +Many of the islands are also of volcanic origin; some contain active +volcanoes, and while the land in some instances has sunk, in others it +has risen, and is broken into the most curious and fantastic shapes, +bringing up also with it the coral rocks which were formed on it while +it lay beneath the sea. + +Most of these islands are clothed with a varied and rich vegetation. +The climate of those at a distance from the equator is generally +healthy, but that of others near the line, especially to the westward, +is unhealthy in the extreme, so that even the natives of other islands +of the same ocean cannot live on them throughout the year. + +The eastern groups are inhabited by a brown skinned and generally +handsome race, often not darker than Spaniards, and supposed to be +descended from a common stock, as in general appearance and language +there is a great resemblance. + +The groups of the large islands to the westward on either side of the +equator are peopled by a black and savage race, in many respects +resembling the negroes of Africa, and sunk even still lower in +barbarism. Such are the inhabitants of the Fijis, New Caledonia, and +New Hebrides, the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and others to the +northward of them. + +When Captain Cook sailed over the Pacific, and till many years +afterwards, the people of these beautiful islands were sunk in the +grossest idolatry and barbarism. + +Towards the end of the last century, when the Christian Churches awoke +to their responsibilities for making known the glad tidings of salvation +to their heathen fellow-creatures--societies were formed to send +missionaries to various parts of the world. A band of twenty-nine +missionaries, some of them unhappily untried, were sent out by the +London Missionary Society in 1796, to the Pacific islands. They made +slow progress, but at length, in 1815, idolatry was overthrown at +Tahiti, and the gospel firmly established in that island. + +Two years afterwards, the Rev. J. Williams and the Rev. W. Ellis, two of +the most distinguished missionaries who have laboured among the islands +of the Pacific, arrived at Tahiti. The former took up his abode at +Raiatea, one of the Society islands, and afterwards going alone to the +island of Rarotonga, though not bred a shipwright, built there, with his +own hands, aided only by the natives, a vessel of about seventy tons +burden. Having rigged her with sails of matting, he and a native crew +returned to Raiatea, and thence he proceeded to Samoa with a large party +of missionaries, for the purpose of leaving them at different islands on +the way. He sailed in her afterwards over many thousand miles of ocean, +visiting missionary stations--the little craft truly performing her duty +as the "Messenger of Peace." + +She was the first of many missionary vessels which have since been sent +out by different societies to the Pacific. Some have been lost, but +their places have been supplied by others; indeed it is only by means of +such vessels that the now numerous missionary stations scattered +throughout that wide ocean, can be properly maintained. + +How well might some of the beautiful yachts which float idly on the +waters of the Solent, be employed, if their owners, influenced by the +love of immortal souls, would hoist the banner of peace at their +mast-heads, and go forth to those distant islands, to sail here and +there visiting the isolated stations, or conveying fresh missionaries to +the numberless groups still in heathen darkness. + +I cannot help saying this when I recollect how often, for long months, +and even for years together, we were left without a visit from any +European Christian, and how eagerly we watched the approach of each sail +which appeared in the horizon, hoping that she might bring us news of +distant friends, or necessaries of which we stood greatly in need, or +still more, that a brother might be on board who might afford counsel +and encouragement in the difficulties by which we were surrounded. My +dear father often felt the want of the assistance I have spoken of. My +mother was indeed a helpmate meet for him, and was a source of comfort +and consolation; but especially when the heathens threatened our lives +and those of the native converts, oh, how thankful he would have been +for the advice and support of an experienced Christian friend. + +My mother had for some time been a sufferer from illness, and though she +still continued her usual duties, we watched her form grow thinner, and +her cheek paler, day by day. My father, strange as it may seem, did not +appear to remark the change, but Maud and I, when we were together, +could not help speaking about it. Still, as my mother did not complain, +we could only hope that, should her anxiety about the condition of the +mission decrease by its prospects becoming more promising, her health +would improve. + +We did all we could to lessen her cares by assisting her in her +household duties. Maud and I learned to cook, and we also cleaned and +swept out the house and kept it in order, with the help of a native +girl, who, though not very expert, was willing to learn and to follow +the example we set her. + +We were anxiously expecting the return of Lisele, and Maud and I paid +frequent visits to Abela, to inquire whether she had received any +message from her niece. She shook her head sorrowfully, saying she was +afraid that Masaugu was too much wedded to his heathen practices to be +induced to abandon them by any arguments Lisele could use, and that he +was far more likely to prevent her from returning. This made us very +sad, for we had had hopes that Lisele had really become a Christian, and +would remain faithful to the truth. + +Abela guessed by our looks what was passing in our minds, and she added, +"though the chief's heart is very hard, I have been praying that it may +be changed, and I know that with Jehovah nothing is impossible." + +While we were still seated in the hut, a native arrived whom we knew, +from his scanty dress and his wild savage look, to be still a heathen. +He brought a message to Abela from her niece, saying that she hoped +shortly to return to the settlement, as her father had consented to pay +the English missionary a visit. + +"I shall rejoice to see her again," said Abela to the native. "And has +she spoken to you, my friend, of the true religion?" + +"Yes, she has told me that we cannot see the great Jehovah who made the +world and all things in it, but that He sees us and knows everything we +think of, say, and do; and that He hates all sin, but that He loves the +sinner, and wishes all human beings to come and live with Him for ever +and ever in the beautiful place He has prepared for them," was the +prompt and unexpected answer. + +"But has she told you that you are a sinner, and that your sins must be +wiped away before you are fit to go to that pure and beautiful heaven +she spoke of? Has she told you how you can become fit for heaven, and +has she pointed out to you the only way you can go there?" asked Abela. + +"Yes, she told me that many things I thought right are very wrong in the +sight of Jehovah, and that I cannot undo what I have once done, and that +the only way by which those things can be blotted out, is by believing +that Jehovah's dear Son came down upon earth and was punished by a cruel +death instead of me, and that if I believe this, and trust to Him, I +shall be received into that glorious place above the blue sky, which He +has prepared for all who love Him," answered the native. + +"But do you believe this?" asked Abela. "Do you believe that Jehovah is +satisfied that another was punished instead of you, and that He +therefore has set you free?" + +"I did not understand it, but it seemed very good," answered the native. +"I should like to remain and learn more about the matter." + +"Oh yes, do remain," exclaimed Abela. "Go not back to worship again the +blocks of stone in which our countrymen put their trust. The English +missionary will explain matters more clearly to you than I can." + +I assured Nasile--for such the native told us was his name--that my +father would gladly explain the truth to him, and leaving him in +conversation with Abela, we hastened homewards with the satisfactory +intelligence. + +In a short time we saw a party coming across the hill. At first their +appearance caused some consternation, it being supposed that they were +heathens intending to attack the village. As they drew nearer, however, +Masaugu was distinguished at their head, accompanied by Lisele. The +chief was a tall fine man, with ample folds of native cloth round his +waist and over his shoulders. My father hastened out to meet him, and +welcome him to the Station, and Maud and I followed. As soon as Lisele +saw us she ran forward and threw her arms round me, and then embraced +Maud, calling us her dear sisters, and telling us how rejoiced she was +to come back. + +"I was afraid at first that my father would not listen to me," she said. +"But I prayed and prayed, and at length, to my joy, he said that he +would go and hear more of the strange things I had told him of." + +My father at first intended to conduct the chief into the chapel; but +though he was willing to go, several of his followers were afraid of +entering it, believing that some incantations would be used, and that +they might be compelled to _lotu_ against their will. The whole party +therefore seated themselves in a shady place outside. Here my father +addressed the chief; and he hoped that while speaking to him, what he +said might be attended to and understood by many of his followers. Not +saying a word about the false gods he worshipped, my father told him of +the greatness and power and love and mercy of Jehovah, and explained to +him the simple plan of salvation which He has offered to sinful man. + +The chief appeared much interested. "I understand," he answered, "that +the white man's God is greater and more powerful than my gods, and I am +resolved soon to worship Him, as I am sure He can do more for me than +they can; but I have some enemies who have offended me, and I am about +to set out on an expedition to punish them, and when I have obtained the +victory, I will return and do as I have promised." + +"Oh! my friend," exclaimed my father, "I should have told you of Satan, +who is allowed--we know not why--to go about the world to deceive men, +and he it is who has made you resolve to do this. Jehovah does not +allow you to say that you will serve Him by-and-by. He requires you and +all men to obey Him at once. Satan, on the contrary, ever strives to +persuade people to put off serving Jehovah till by-and-by, that he may +get them altogether into his own power before they can do so. Thus it +is that he deceives men and destroys their souls in all parts of the +world, and thus he has done at all times. Jehovah has told us that He +will not allow us to punish our enemies, but that we are to love them +and do good to them. Oh! let me warn and entreat you not to go on the +expedition you propose." + +The chief was silent for some time. Lisele and Abela, who had arrived, +united with my father in entreating him to remain and hear more of the +truth. + +"What you say may be very right and good for those who profess to follow +Jehovah," he answered at length, "but I have not yet abandoned my gods, +and they will, I am sure, help me to gain the victory. What I say is +wise, is it not?" he added, turning to his heathen attendants. Of +course they all applauded him, and greatly to my fathers grief, he arose +to take his departure. + +"Remember, oh chief, that I have warned you," said my father. "We +cannot pray that you may gain the victory, because Jehovah will give it +as He thinks fit; but we will pray that your heart may be changed, and +that you may still worship Him whom you now reject." + +"Alas! how many act as this poor heathen is doing," said my father, +after Masaugu and his companions had gone away. "They believe in God, +and yet, blinded by Satan, fancy in their folly that they can safely put +off the time to begin serving and obeying Him." + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +OUR ANXIETIES INCREASE ON THE DEPARTURE OF MASAUGU.--MY FATHER IS +SUMMONED TO VISIT A SICK MISSIONARY AT ANOTHER ISLAND, AND WE ARE LEFT +UNDER THE CHARGE OF NANARI, THE NATIVE MISSIONARY.--MY MOTHER'S SUDDEN +DEATH.--A VESSEL APPEARS OFF THE COAST, AND AT KANARI'S SUGGESTION I +SEND OFF A NOTE, WARNING THE CAPTAIN OF THE DANGER TO WHICH HE IS +EXPOSED FROM THE NATIVES. + +We rejoiced to find that Lisele was allowed to remain with her aunt at +the settlement. She had tried, even before her return to the +settlement, to persuade her father to abandon his intentions of going to +war. The tribe he intended to attack inhabited an island some leagues +away to the south, and as we stood on the shore we could see its blue +outline rising out of the ocean. Lisele had reminded her father that he +had professed to wish us well, and that by going away he would leave us +exposed to the attacks of other heathen tribes, who would now venture +without hesitation through his territory, to attack us. He replied that +they would not dare to do so, as he had threatened them with punishment +on his return should they molest them. + +"Alas!" said Lisele, who told us this when we went to see her at her +aunt's house. "Suppose he is defeated, what protection shall we then +have from our enemies?" + +"We must trust in Jehovah, my child," said Abela. "Or, if he thinks fit +to allow us to be afflicted, we must submit without murmur to His will. +We know that we can but suffer here for a short season, and that He has +prepared a glorious and happy home for those who love Jesus, and obey +His commandments down on earth. Oh yes! since I have known the truth, I +have learned to understand that this world is a place of trial, and that +we must not look for peace and happiness and rest while we are in it. +God indeed made the world beautiful, and intended it to be happy, but +Satan persuaded man to sin, and sin has caused man to depart from God, +and brought all the disorder and misery and suffering which we see +around us. Faith in Jesus Christ can alone remedy all these evils, and +I am sure that they will exist till all the world learns to love and +obey Him." + +These remarks of Abela will show that she had made great advances in +Christian knowledge, and was well able to instruct her young niece. + +Lisele came back with us to the school, which my mother, although weak +and suffering still, insisted on superintending. I think that she +herself was not aware how ill she really was. + +We used to go down every morning to the sea to bathe in a little +sheltered cove, almost surrounded by high rocks, where there was no +danger of a visit from a shark. Here my father had built a small hut in +which Maud and I might dress. The native girls dispensed with any such +accommodation, and while we were content to swim about in the bay, they +would boldly strike out a long distance from the land. Even when the +wind blew strong on the shore, and the surf came rolling in, they would +dash through it, now diving under a huge breaker, now rising to its +foaming summit, and playing about as securely as if they were on the dry +land. + +Two mornings after the chief had paid us a visit we went down as usual +to bathe, when we saw a large fleet of canoes, propelled by paddles, +gliding over the smooth water of the lagoon towards the passage which +communicated with the open sea. On first seeing them we were about to +hurry home, fearing that they might be enemies, but Lisele quieted our +alarm, by telling us that they were her father's fleet, starting on his +proposed expedition. They were curious looking vessels. Each consisted +of two long narrow canoes placed side by side, but at some distance from +each other, and united by strong beams, on which a platform or stage was +erected, thus making one vessel. The rowers sat with long paddles on +either side, while on the deck stood the warriors in their war-paint and +feathers, and flourishing their lances and whirling their clubs, +inciting each other to the deeds of valour, or rather of cruelty, which +they intended to perform. Instead of a mast in the centre, there was a +triangle with the ends fixed on either side, on which the mat-formed +sail extended on a long yard ready to be hoisted. + +As they glided by the sound of the wild shouts and shrieks they uttered +reached our ears. + +"May my poor father be protected," said Lisele to me, as we watched +them. "Once I should have thought what we see very fine, and should +have sung and clapped my hands with joy. Now that I know how wicked it +is to go and fight and kill other human beings, I feel inclined to weep +with sorrow." + +"We must pray for your father, Lisele," I said, "that God will turn his +heart and make him see the crime of warfare." + +"Yes, yes; that is my comfort," she answered. + +When the canoes reached the outlet from the lagoon the sails were +hoisted, and at a rapid rate they glided away over the ocean, while +Lisele, Maud, and I, knelt down on the sand and prayed, not that God +would give the victory to the chief, but that He would turn his heart +and make him to know the truth. + +As we were leaving the beach we saw another canoe coming round a +headland through the lagoon, which she had entered by a further off +passage. Had the strange canoe been a little sooner she would have +encountered the fleet, and very likely have been stopped and compelled +to accompany the war party. Her appearance caused us some anxiety. If +she had heathens on board, they might land and rob us, or cause us even +more serious annoyance. We continued to watch her, as we knew that we +should have plenty of time to escape and give warning at the village +before she could come to shore. At length we discovered a flag flying +from the end of her yard, and great was my joy to see that on it was +worked a dove with the olive branch of peace--I consequently hoped that +a missionary might be on board coming to visit us. We waited therefore +for the arrival of the canoe. We could distinguish, however, as she +drew near, only natives on her deck. They all were in the dress adopted +by Christian converts--in shirts and trousers. + +The canoe soon ran up on the beach, when a native stepped on shore with +a letter in his hand. He told me that he had been sent by Mr Hilton, a +missionary stationed on an island about fifty miles off. Mr Hilton was +very ill, and entreated my father to come and see him; for, believing +that he should not recover, he was anxious to commit his motherless +children to his charge. We accordingly conducted the messenger up to +the house. + +The letter caused my father much grief and perplexity. He sorrowed to +hear of his friend's illness, and felt anxious to go to him, and yet he +was unwilling to leave my mother and us for so long a time, when the +settlement might possibly be annoyed by heathens. Still he knew that he +could with confidence leave the instruction of the people to Nanari, who +would also protect my mother and us to the best of his power. He sent +for Nanari, and spoke to him on the subject. + +"God helping me, I will do all that man can do," answered Nanari. "And +nothing shall tempt me to quit the post you have committed to my +charge." + +My mother, feeling for our poor friend and for the young ones who might +soon be deprived of his protection, sacrificing her own wishes, urged my +father to go as he was requested. As there was no time to be lost if he +would see his friend alive, bidding us a tender, and it seemed to me a +peculiarly solemn farewell, he went on board the canoe, which +immediately set sail on her return. We accompanied him to the beach, +and watched the vessel till she was lost to sight in the distance. + +On our return home we found my mother suffering greatly. The agitation +of parting from my father had been more than she could bear. Oh, how I +longed to recall him! Little could he have known her dangerous state. +My father had a knowledge of medicine, and he might have applied +remedies of which we were ignorant. Good Abela came up on hearing how +ill my mother was, though she could afford us but little assistance. +Suddenly, as I gazed at my mother, a fearful conviction came upon me +that she was dying. She knew herself that such was the case. I cannot +even now bear to dwell upon the sad scene, for sad indeed it was to us, +though my mother's heart was lifted up with joy and hope. + +"God's will be done, my children," she said, taking Maud's and my hand +in hers. "He will care for and protect you though troubles arise which +may seem overwhelming." + +Abela and Nanari assured her that they would devote themselves to our +service, yet the absence of my father must have been a sore trial to +her. + +During that night she breathed her last, and I was left motherless; so, +indeed, was dear Maud, to whom she had been truly a mother. + +Then quickly followed the funeral. All the Christians of the settlement +stood round the grave, in a beautiful spot which had been set apart for +the purpose, at a short distance from the chapel, when Nanari offered up +a prayer that God's Holy Spirit would influence the hearts of all +present, and enable them to possess the same hope of a joyous +resurrection as that in which my mother died, he then addressed the +people, urging them to put faith in God's goodness and wisdom, and +telling them that though troubles might come, not therefore to suppose +that He had forgotten to be gracious, but to go on praying and trusting +in Him, till He might think fit to call them out of this world, to be +with Him in glory and happiness unspeakable. + +Maud and I spent that sad evening with our hands clasped together, often +weeping but seldom speaking. My heart bled for my poor father, as I +thought of his grief and anguish, when, on his return he would find that +my mother had been taken from him. + +"Still," said Maud, looking up in my face, "he will know that she is in +joy surpassing human understanding, and we cannot tell from what trials +and sufferings she may thus have escaped." + +With the last thought I was greatly comforted. + +As we stood together in the verandah that evening, gazing up into the +sky and thinking of the glories now revealed to my mother, we saw a +bright star with a long tail of light, such as we had never before +beheld. I knew at once from its appearance that it was a comet. Many +of the natives had seen it too, and we heard their voices uttering +exclamations of surprise and terror. Soon afterwards we saw Lisele +approaching. She hesitated, as if unwilling to intrude on our grief, +but I called to her, and she came up to us. I told her what I knew +about comets, and begged her to try and calm the alarm of her people, +and to assure them that it was but a luminous mass, and that it +betokened neither good nor evil to the inhabitants of this world, though +Jehovah directed its course, as He orders everything else in the +universe. + +"Ah, but the heathens will not think so," she exclaimed, "and we know +not what effect it may have upon their minds. Perhaps they will think +it is sent through the incantations of the Christians, and will come in +consequence and attack us." + +I scarcely thought this possible, but Lisele was positive that it would +have a bad effect. She went, however, to tell the Christian natives +what I had said, and to assure them that the comet would do them no +harm. + +Oh, how sad was that night and the next morning, when we looked on the +bed on which my mother had slept, and knew that we should never again +see her dear face there, so calm and beautiful. We had, however, our +duties to perform, and we set about them as we knew she would have +desired. + +While we were thus engaged Nanari appeared to learn if there was +anything he could do for us, saying that the people would bring us all +the food we might require, and begging that we would not be anxious on +that score. He then told us that a vessel was off the coast, and by +going to the front of the house we saw her. We hoped that she might +have friends on board coming to visit our Station, or that where my +father and Mr Hilton were, as we knew how gladly she would be welcomed +there. + +As we watched her, we saw at length, to our disappointment, from the +course she was steering, that she was not coming to our Station, but was +apparently about to enter a harbour further down the coast. + +"I would that I could warn those on board of the character of the +natives where she is going," said Nanari, when he saw this. "Unless +they are on their guard I fear that they may be treated as others have +been." + +We had only one small canoe at the Station, but Nanari said that if we +would write a message he would induce two of the Christian natives to +carry it off. I accordingly hastily wrote a note, warning the captain +of the vessel against any treachery which might be intended, and with +much satisfaction saw the canoe paddle off towards her. The breeze, +however, was strong, and it seemed doubtful whether the canoe would +reach the stranger before she came to an anchor. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +WE RECEIVE THE SAD TIDINGS OF THE MASSACRE OF THE CREW OF THE VESSEL.--I +STILL HOPE THAT SOME MAY HAVE ESCAPED, AND LISELE TAKES MEANS TO RESCUE +THEM.--SHE SENDS HER COUSIN TOFA, TO MAFOA, THE YOUNG CHIEF TO WHOM HER +FATHER HAS BETROTHED HER.--A FEARFUL HURRICANE.--THE HEATHEN NATIVES +PREVENTED BY IT FROM ATTACKING THE SETTLEMENT AND SEIZING US. + +We could scarcely hope that my father would have had time to return, yet +we anxiously looked for his arrival. The canoe with the two natives had +been unable to reach the vessel, and information was brought to Lisele +that they had been seized and killed by the heathens, who had gone out +in chase of them. A bright light was also seen at night in the +direction of the harbour in which the vessel was supposed to have +anchored; and the next day the dreadful rumour reached us that Nanari's +worst apprehensions had been realised, that she had been surprised by +the treacherous natives, and that every person on board had been put to +death. At first we could not believe so fearful a story, but Lisele +assured us that she had no doubt of its truth. + +"Is it not possible that some may have escaped?" I exclaimed, when +Lisele gave me the account. "Have all the people on board the beautiful +vessel, sailing by so proudly the other day, been killed? Should any +have escaped could we not take means to let them know that there are +Christian friends here who would welcome them? If my father was at home +I am sure he would make all effort to rescue the unhappy people." + +Lisele replied that although the tribe who had committed the deed were +at present at peace with her people, that even should any white man have +escaped it would be difficult to get them out of the heathens' hands, +but that she would try what could be done. "There is a young chief +among them who is more inclined than the rest of the people to be +friendly with my father," she observed. "Although he is a brave +warrior, he is neither fierce nor cruel; and if, by chance, any of the +white men have fallen into his power he may possibly have spared their +lives. I will try to send a message to him and ask him to protect them, +and to give them up to your father. Yet I fear there is very little +probability of any having escaped." + +Lisele's answer gave me very little hope that any had escaped the +massacre; but I was sure that she would take every means to ascertain +the truth. Nanari, when he heard the account, was willing to go +himself, but both Abela and Lisele entreated him not to make the +attempt--urging that the heathens were so enraged at him for having +caused so many people to _lotu_, that they would be certain, should he +venture among them, to put him to death. + +He at length was persuaded to abandon his design, and Lisele undertook +to send a young relative, who, although a heathen, was attached to her, +and would do whatever she desired. Being still a boy he had not +accompanied her father, but he was more likely to succeed than anybody +she could think of. In the course of the day Tofa, the lad of whom +Lisele spoke, made his appearance. He was a fine intelligent-looking +youth, and I could not help hoping that through the means of his cousin +he might be brought to know the truth. He seemed proud of the mission +given to him, though he was well aware of the danger he incurred. + +"Tell Mafoa that if he really regards me as he professes, he will act +according to my wishes, and treat the white men as friends," said +Lisele. Mafoa was the young chief of whom she had spoken, and who, I +had no doubt, from this remark, entertained hopes of making her his +wife. + +Recollecting that should any seamen have escaped, they would have a +difficulty in understanding young Tofa, I wrote a short note which I +hoped would prove of more service than the last I had sent, mentioning +the missionary station, and saying that we and the Christian natives +would gladly afford them all the assistance in our power. Several other +messages having been given to Tofa, he set off on his expedition; and we +kneeling down, offered up a prayer for his success. + +Notwithstanding our anxiety, with the assistance of Lisele and Abela, we +held school as usual, while Nanari conducted the service in the chapel, +and instructed the young men and boys, as was his custom. The night was +as calm as the preceding one. The comet could be seen winding its +solitary course through the heavens, appearing even brighter than +before. After Maud and I had gazed at it for some time we retired to +our beds. I heard her sobbing, giving way at length to the sorrow she +had restrained in my presence--not that she could have felt my mother's +loss more than I did, but I was older, and had endeavoured, though the +strife was a hard one, to command my feelings. At length I heard her +sobs cease, and I in time forgot my sorrow in sleep. + +We were both suddenly awakened by a fearful noise. We started up--all +was dark. There came the sound of the wind howling in the trees and +falling timber, and the roaring of the sea, as it dashed upon the reef +with tremendous force, and rocks crashing down from the mountain +heights. A hurricane was raging. We sat up trembling with alarm. My +first thought was for my dear father, should he now be at sea returning +to us. Then other dreadful sounds, like thunder breaking overhead. +Something else terrific besides the hurricane was occurring, it seemed +to us, yet we dared not leave the house for fear of being blown away by +the wind. After some time we assisted each other to dress, as well as +we could, in the dark, for we expected every moment that the roof would +be carried off, or the house itself blown down. We remembered several +hurricanes, but this appeared more violent than any that had before +occurred. We had been protected during former ones, and we knew that +the same power would take care of us now. I had proposed lighting the +lamp, when Maud observed, should the house be blown down, it might set +the thatch on fire, and the whole village would be burnt. + +"Let us remain in darkness, for remember God sees us as if it was light, +she said. Darkness is no darkness with Him--the day and night to Him +are both alike." + +I agreed with Maud, and together we knelt down side by side to pray for +protection. Although the tempest continued to rage without, our house, +built by my father's hands, stood firm. It was, like his own faith, +well knit and bound together. He had not forgotten, when erecting it, +that such hurricanes were likely to occur, and he had accordingly +prepared for them. + +So should we go through life, not trembling with the fear of +misfortunes, but ready to encounter them should they overtake us. + +Hour after hour seemed to pass by as we thus knelt and prayed. Every +now and then we could not help starting up, as a more fearful crash than +usual sounded in our ears. Still the wished-for daylight did not +appear. The truth was, that since the commencement of the storm but a +short time only had elapsed, though in our desolation and solitude it +had appeared very long. + +At length we heard a knocking at the door. I made my way, followed by +Maud, to open it, when two figures appeared, and I heard the voices of +Nanari and Lisele. During the moment the door was open I observed a +bright glare in the sky above the waving and bending trees, but it was +only for a moment, as immediately they were inside they closed the door +behind them. + +"Are you safe, are you uninjured?" they exclaimed. "We could not bear +to leave you all alone, and, trusting to Jehovah's protection, we +ventured up here, hoping to comfort you." + +We thanked them for coming, and I led the way into our sitting-room. +"What dreadful event is occurring in addition to the hurricane?" I +asked. "Can the forest be on fire?" + +"The mountain has burst forth, and is sending up stones and ashes into +the air, while hot streams of lava are flowing down its sides," answered +Nanari. "Not one but many forests may be burned, but we are in the +hands of Jehovah, and should not fear, my daughter." + +I inquired whether he thought that the ashes or streams of lava might +reach as far as the settlement, he believed that, shut in as we were, by +a separate range of hills, that the lava at all events would not run +down towards us; though, with regard to the ashes and stones, how far +they might be carried, he could not say, and again he added the same +consolation he had before offered. + +Poor Lisele was in much affliction. Her father might probably be at +sea--as I feared mine was--and exposed to the dreadful tempest, and she +could not hope that he, having set forth against the warnings of his +Christian friends, would be under the protection of Jehovah. "Alas! +alas!" she exclaimed, wringing her hands, should he be driven out over +the ocean and lost, he will not have known the good and merciful God who +would--had he listened to the advice given him--have received him as a +son, and taken him to dwell with Him for ever in the glorious country +you have told me of beyond the skies. + +"We have prayed for your father, and may continue to pray for him, my +child," said Nanari. "And Jehovah may still find a way to preserve him +from the danger in which he is placed." Thus conversing, and often +kneeling down to pray, we passed the hours of darkness. + +As dawn approached, the hurricane began to abate; and by the time the +sun rose out of the eastern ocean, it had entirely ceased. As we opened +the door and gazed forth we had reason to be more than ever thankful +that we had escaped destruction. Several tall trees, a short distance +from the house, lay torn up by the roots, and huge boughs strewed the +ground in every direction. The chapel and school-house had escaped +injury; but Nanari, who went out to ascertain whether any of the people +had suffered, came back with a sad report. Several of the cottages had +been blown down, two people had been killed, and many more injured. + +Leaving Maud and Lisele to attend to the house, I accompanied Nanari to +visit the sufferers. While receiving instruction as a missionary he had +been taught the simple methods to be pursued under such circumstances. +Abela, I was thankful to find, had escaped, and she assisted us in +bathing and binding up the wounds and setting the limbs of those who had +been hurt. There was sorrow for those who had been killed, but it was +not such sorrow as the heathen would have shown who have no hope. + +"Jehovah is merciful, and has called our brothers to a better and +happier land than this," exclaimed those who stood around, preparing to +carry the dead to their graves. + +We were not aware of it at the time--but we learned afterwards--that on +that very night a band of savage heathens were on their way to attack +the settlement with the intention of killing Nanari, and carrying off +Lisele and us as prisoners. How dreadful would have been our fate had +they succeeded, and, unwarned as we were, we should have been taken by +surprise without the possibility of escaping. + +The volcano continued raging during the day, but the natives, accustomed +to see its fires burst forth from time to time, were less alarmed at it +than they were at the appearance of the comet. As I watched it, I +conceived the hope that a stream of lava, flowing down between us and +the more hostile heathen tribes, might prevent them from approaching to +attack us. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +LISELE AND I FEEL GREAT ANXIETY ON ACCOUNT OF OUR FATHER'S NOT +RETURNING.--TOFA ALSO HAS NOT APPEARED.--WE ARE ASSEMBLED IN THE CHAPEL, +WHEN TOFA, WITH A WHITE STRANGER, ARRIVES AND WARNS US THAT THE HEATHENS +THREATEN AN ATTACK.--TOFA TAKES CHARGE OF HIS COMPANION.--WE FLY TO THE +MOUNTAINS, AND WITNESS THE BURNING OF OUR VILLAGE. WE LIE CONCEALED IN +A CAVE, WHILE THE SAVAGES SEARCH FOR US. + +The hurricane had caused sad damage to the cocoanut groves and +plantations in our little settlement, and we had no doubt that it, in +addition to the eruption of the volcano, had produced still more +destructive effects throughout the island, but I own that my thoughts +were far more occupied with my anxiety about my father. In vain we +watched for the return of his canoe. No sail appeared in the blue ocean +in the direction of the island to which he had gone. Lisele too was +overwhelmed with grief at the non-appearance of her father; her only +hope was that he had conquered his enemies and remained in possession of +their country. Still he would, she thought, before this, have +despatched a canoe to announce his victory. + +Two days passed away, and we began to look for the return of young Tofa; +but on the third day, when he did not come, fears for his safety were +added to our other troubles. The chief, indeed, the only refuge from +our sorrows, was prayer; how great was the comfort that brought to our +hearts none but those who have experienced it can tell. + +We continued to attend to our usual duties. Though the younger girls +and boys assembled for school, the older people were too much agitated +and alarmed to attend to their studies; they were also chiefly employed +during the day in repairing the damages caused by the storm. + +In the evening, however, they all assembled in the chapel for public +prayer. Nanari was addressing them, when the noise of feet was heard +without, and directly afterwards Tofa appeared, followed by a young +white man. The latter took off his hat when he saw how we were engaged, +and stood reverentially at the door for a moment, as if unwilling to +interrupt us, though evidently in a state of great agitation. + +Tofa, however, influenced by no such feelings, exclaimed loudly, "Fly! +fly! and hide yourselves. Your enemies are approaching, and will be +here anon. Mafoa tried to prevent them, but he could not prevail." + +"My friends!" exclaimed Nanari, "the warning has been sent that you all +may seek for safety. For myself, I will remain with the aged and +wounded people, who cannot fly; but you, my daughters," turning to Maud +and me, "who have been committed to my charge, I must see that you are +placed in a secure hiding-place, where the heathens cannot find you." + +"We will place ourselves under your guidance," I answered, "but you must +also take care that this stranger does not again fall into the hands of +the heathens," I added, turning to the young man who was standing at the +door, and who appeared to be above the rank of a common sailor. "Tell +me," I asked, "are you the only person who has escaped from the vessel, +which we heard was burned the other day along the coast?" + +"I fear that such is the case, and why my life was spared I cannot tell +you," he answered. "I jumped overboard, and was swimming towards the +shore, when I was taken up by a canoe, in which was a young chief, who +made signs that he would protect me, and faithfully kept his word. I +should have remained with him had I not received a note sent, I presume, +by you." + +This was said in a hurried tone, while Nanari was arranging a plan for +our safety. + +I told the stranger of the warning we had just received from Tofa of the +threatened attack by the heathens, supposing that he might not have +understood what the lad might have said to him. + +While some of our friends ran off to the huts to obtain provisions, +Abela and Lisele taking our hands, told us that we must set off at once +to the mountains, till the fury of the heathens had ceased. Three or +four of our other friends also prepared to accompany us. + +"But what will this stranger do?" I asked. "Surely if the heathens +find him when no longer under the protection of Mafoa, they will put him +to death." + +"He is under my care," exclaimed Tofa. "I promised Mafoa that I would +protect him, and I will show them that I am clever enough to hide him +away even although the whole tribe come to look for him." + +I explained this to the young stranger, and advised him to put himself +under Tofa's guidance. Nanari having commended us to the care of +Jehovah, we and our friends, not stopping even to obtain anything at the +house, hurried off towards the mountains, while Tofa led the stranger by +a more direct way up a precipice, which was too steep for us to climb. +As we were quitting the chapel, turning my eyes seaward for a moment, I +caught sight of several sails dotting the ocean in the far distance. I +pointed them out to Lisele. + +"They may be my father's canoes," she exclaimed, "and he might arrive in +time to protect us." + +"Alas! even should they be Masaugu's fleet, they may be too late for +that," said Abela. "We must not delay on such a chance; perhaps, too, +they may prove more deadly foes than those from whom we fly. Let us +hasten on, and we may be able to learn what they are when our charge is +in safety." + +Thus urged, Lisele no longer hesitated. Night was coming on, but +provided we could make our way, the darkness would assist us in eluding +our savage foes should they pursue us. The path towards the mountains, +at all times difficult, was rendered doubly so by the number of fallen +trees across it, thrown down by the hurricane. Sometimes we had to +climb over the trunks, at others to creep under the branches. + +"The heathens will be less able to discover our tracks," observed +Lisele, "than if the path had been open." + +"Ah yes! my child," said Abela, "all is ordered for the best." + +Now we went on and on, now clambering over wild rocks, now proceeding +along a narrow valley, now climbing its steep sides till we reached a +height whence we could look back upon our settlement. "Hark!" said +Lisele, "what cries are those?" We listened; the Indian girl's quick +ear had detected sounds which neither Maud nor I had till then +perceived. + +"Alas! alas!" she exclaimed, "they are the shouts of the savage heathens +as they rush in among those we have left behind, and rage at finding +that we have escaped them." + +That she was right in her conjecture we had too soon painful evidence. +Several bright lights appeared, and presently fierce flames burst forth +from amid the trees. The savages had set the houses on fire to revenge +themselves on the inhabitants who had for the present escaped their +fury. Our friends, not stopping to watch the progress of the flames, +hurried us on. Proceeding along a narrow ridge, we once more descended +down a ravine thickly covered with trees. The natives knew their way, +but so dense was the foliage that to my eyes all appeared dark around. +We could hear the roar of a torrent close to us. Now they led us along +slippery rocks, tightly holding our hands; now we found ourselves +ascending, now descending, steep precipices. At length they stopped, +and drawing aside the thick foliage, Abela led us into a small cavern, +the front of which appeared to be completely concealed by underwood and +numberless creepers with which it was entwined. A portion of the +provisions, and some water which had been brought, were placed by our +sides. + +"Here, my daughters, you will remain safe till the heathens, having +searched for you in vain, take their departure," said Abela. "I know +this spot well, for before Masaugu's father conquered the territory he +now holds, I and my family dwelt in the neighbourhood. I discovered it +as a girl when rambling about the mountains with my brothers, who are +dead, and no one else is acquainted with it. We ourselves propose to +find concealment in different directions, for should the heathens search +for us, some may thus have a better prospect of escaping, and the faith +of Jehovah will still remain in the land." + +Abela and her companions, having carefully allowed the shrubs to regain +their natural position, left Maud and me alone, and we soon lost the +sound of their footsteps. The cavern was perfectly dry, and sufficient +air found its way through the boughs to prevent the atmosphere from +feeling close. Some mats had also been left for us, on which we could +recline; but, as may be supposed, the fearful events that had occurred, +and the grief and anxiety which weighed on our hearts, prevented us for +many hours from sleeping. No sound except that of the ceaseless roar +and splash of the neighbouring waterfall, reached our ears. While we +sat, shrouded in darkness, it was difficult to avoid giving way to +despondency. We did not, I need scarcely say, forget to pray, while we +had cause to be thankful at having received sufficient warning to escape +from the cruel fate which would have overtaken us had we been at the +settlement. + +At last we slept, and the light of day was making its way through the +dense foliage when we awoke. Our cavern, we now found, was even smaller +than we had supposed. There was no room to walk about; indeed, it +afforded us just space sufficient to lie down at full length. As we +peered out between the bushes, we could see the opposite sides of the +ravine rising up in a perpendicular precipice directly before us. This +gave us an assurance that there was little probability of our being +discovered by the savages, even though they might search diligently for +us through the mountains. Our friends had left us an ample supply of +provisions so that if necessary we might remain many days there without +fear of starvation. But what was to be our future lot it was impossible +to say. + +"It is a great comfort to know that God will decide it for us," said +Maud, putting her arms round my neck. "He knows what is best, and He +will find a way of escape for those who trust Him, out of all +difficulties. See," she added, "I have brought His word to comfort us," +and she produced a small Bible from her pocket, which she had +thoughtfully put there when leaving the chapel. + +What consolation did that book give us! We read and prayed, and then +read again in a low voice, and strange as it may seem to some, the time +did not appear to drag heavily along; but calmness came ever our minds-- +our hearts were at peace, we no longer feared what man could do to us. + +We had been reading together, when suddenly we both started. A wild cry +readied our ears; it was echoed by others in different directions, some +coming up the ravine, others sounding, it seemed, overhead. I felt Maud +tremble as she clung to me. + +"Can those cries come from the heathens, who have discovered our +footsteps?" she whispered. "If so, we are lost." + +"Not lost, dear Maud," I answered. "They can but take our lives, and I +trust that though they may be near they will not find us. Our friends +felt sure of our safety in this concealment, so let us not despair, but +it will be prudent not to speak." + +We remained silent, clinging to each other. Again the wild shrieks and +cries echoed around us, some of the voices appeared to be quite close. +We sat listening anxiously--now the sounds appeared to proceed from a +greater distance. Yes, we trusted that the savages were at length +passing by us, their shrieks grew fainter and fainter, and ultimately +altogether ceased. + +We had been again preserved from a threatened danger. We could scarcely +believe that it was over when darkness once more crept up the ravine. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +WE REMAIN CONCEALED, NONE OF OUR FRIENDS APPEARING.--MAUD SEES A PERSON +ON THE HILL.--OUR ALARM.--WE AGAIN HEAR VOICES AND FOOTSTEPS.--OUR +NATIVE FRIENDS RETURN AND BRING US SAD TIDINGS; YET WE HAVE CAUSE TO BE +THANKFUL THAT SOME HAVE ESCAPED.--WE ARE MAKING OUR WAY TO A CANOE, WHEN +THE HEATHENS PURSUE US.--ESCAPE.--CHARLES NORTON GIVES ME HIS HISTORY. + +Two more days passed away, and none of our friends had come near us. We +began to fear that they had been seized by the heathens. Should such be +the case, what must be our fate! + +"We will wait where we are till our provisions are exhausted, and then +we must make our way down to the sea-shore, and perhaps we may be seen +by some passing ship and taken off," said Maud. "Anything will be +better than trusting ourselves to the savage heathens." + +I agreed with her that this was the only plan we could follow, that, +indeed, was almost a hopeless one. + +"But suppose papa has been detained longer than he expected with Mr +Hilton, and returns to the settlement. If so, we may see him and reach +his canoe," said Maud. She always called my father papa. + +This idea of Maud's gave me new hope, and then I thought how sad must be +our meeting when I should have to tell him of our mother's death. + +Our chief want in our cavern was water; but Maud managed, by creeping +under the bushes, where she was sure she could not be seen, to reach a +pool filled by the never ceasing spray from the cascade. I entreated +her, however, not to go out often, for I was afraid of her foot +slipping, or, notwithstanding her assertion, that some native passing +over the mountain above us might catch a glimpse of her. She agreed, +therefore, to wait till just after dawn, when no one was likely to be at +so great a distance from any habitation. She went out one morning to +fill the gourd, which held our store of water, and when she came back +she told me that she had seen a person looking down towards her from a +point a long way up above the top of the waterfall. + +"I did not stop to look a second time," she said, "but, crouching down, +crept back, in the hopes that he might not have discovered me." + +This circumstance caused us great alarm; still we hoped that even had +any one seen her, he might not be able to discover the entrance to our +cavern. + +"Perhaps the person I saw may have been Tofa, or the young Englishman," +exclaimed Maud, as if the thought had suddenly struck her. "They would +naturally come to look for us, especially should they know that any of +our friends had been discovered by the heathens, and they might assist +us greatly." + +"I trust that our friends have escaped," I said. "Though it seems +strange that they should be so long in returning to us, and as Tofa and +the young Englishman are strangers, I would rather trust myself to those +whose fidelity has been well tried." + +"Oh, but I am sure that the Englishman would defend us with his life," +said Maud. "I was struck by the good expression of his countenance, and +the way he behaved during the few moments we saw him. I do trust that +he has escaped, and I long to know who he is, for I am sure that he is +not a common sailor." + +In this I agreed with Maud: indeed, had I not known that it is imprudent +to trust strangers, I should have been _very_ thankful to obtain his +assistance. Although he might be the person Maud had soon, we knew that +it would be very unwise to venture out of our concealment. + +"Still I should like to try and look out through the brushwood, and then +should we see him approaching, and be sure that it is him, we might make +ourselves known," said Maud. + +As Maud was sure that she could do as she proposed without being +discovered, I did not forbid her, though I felt that it might be wiser +to remain as closely concealed as we had been hitherto. Still no one +approached. + +"After all, I may have been mistaken," said Maud, coming back and +sitting down by my side. + +We were employed as usual in reading, when the sound of voices at a +distance reached our ears, coming apparently up the ravine. "Can they +be the savages returning to look for us," whispered Maud. + +"I think that their voices would sound very differently to those we +hear," I answered. "They would be wildly shrieking and shouting, unless +they intended to attack an enemy unprepared for them. Still, as the +persons may possibly be strangers, we will keep concealed." + +We remained seated on the ground, hoping that should enemies be +approaching, they would pass by without discovering us. The footsteps +grew nearer. We could hear them climbing up the precipice to the ledge +on which the cavern opened. Maud, notwithstanding her usual courage, +trembled violently. + +The boughs were drawn aside, when several natives appeared in front of +us. A second glance showed us that they were entirely clothed according +to the custom of the converts, and then, to our joy, we saw that Abela +was among them. We sprang up and threw ourselves into her arms. + +"My children," she said, "we have left you long; but we have had many +difficulties to encounter, and, alas! disasters have overtaken our +friends. But come, we have no time to lose, we will tell you more as we +go along." + +We were thankful to find that besides Abela, those who had accompanied +us to our hiding-place had likewise escaped. Our friends having taken +the baskets, and the remainder of our provisions, we set off down the +ravine, which led, as we supposed, towards the sea-shore. I immediately +inquired of Abela if she had heard of my father. + +"Alas! no, my child," she answered, "Our good pastor's canoe has not +returned; we have anxiously kept watch for him, and he could scarcely +have reached the shore without having been observed." I then inquired +for Nanari, who might, I hoped, have escaped. "He died faithfully at +his post with those whom he would not desert," she answered. "He was +entreated by the sick and wounded to fly, but would not, and then, alas! +the savage people rushed in and slew him." + +She then told me that Lisele was safe, although she had run great risk +of being captured by the heathens. The fleet we had seen was the +remnant of that with which Masaugu had set sail. Though at first +victorious in his expedition, he had been attacked by overwhelming +numbers of his enemies, and, with the loss of a large portion of his +warriors, and many of his canoes, had with difficulty reached the +island. On his arrival he found a large party of the heathens, who had +heard that he intended to lotu, arrayed against him, and once more he +had to put to sea. He had, however, reached the end of the island where +we now were. There Lisele had joined him, and, at her earnest +entreaties, he had left a canoe to convoy us away. Abela told us also +that Tofa and the young Englishman had been communicated with, and she +hoped that they would be found already on board the canoe. + +"Oh then we will proceed at once to Mr Hilton's station," I exclaimed. +"What joy it will be if we find that my father has not yet quitted it." + +"Such are Masaugu's intentions," said Abela. "He has seen the folly of +his conduct in going to attack his enemies when so earnestly warned by +your father, and now he wishes to remain with the Christian missionary, +that he may receive instruction in the truths he before despised." + +The news we thus received caused us many conflicting feeling's. We +deeply grieved for the loss of the faithful Nanari, while my anxiety +about my father was still unrelieved. Yet we rejoiced that Masaugu, +through the severe lesson he had received, should have been induced to +seek for Christian instruction. + +Our path down the ravine was extremely difficult, and often dangerous, +and we could make but slow progress. Abela, however, hurried on as fast +as we could venture to proceed, for she feared that the heathens, +knowing that many of the Christians had escaped, would be searching for +us, and that although they might not dare to follow Masaugu's fleet, +they would not hesitate to attack the single canoe, with only a small +party on board. At length we caught sight of the blue ocean, but the +sparkling white lines of foam I saw dancing over it, made me fear that +the canoe would have a hard buffet with the waves. + +We were already not far from the beach, when we saw two persons running +towards us--they were Tofa and the young Englishman. "Hasten," they +exclaimed; "a large band of our enemies are coming along the shore, and +we have been in dread that you would be cut off." The latter, who of +course spoke in English, took Maud and me by the hands to assist us, and +helped along by him we soon reached the boat. The crew stood ready with +poles to urge on the canoe into deep water. We were speedily on board, +and launching forth; the wind being favourable, a large triangular mat +sail was set, and we glided away from the beach. + +Scarcely had we got beyond the reach of their spears, than the savages +arrived at the spot we had left. Several were hurled at us, but happily +no one was hit, and the next shower, which the vindictive savages darted +from their hands, fell short of our canoe. + +Abela and every Christian with her knelt down on the deck and offered up +an earnest prayer--in which we joined--that the hearts of our foes might +be changed, and that they would ere long be brought to know the truth. +The savages continued shrieking and shouting at us till we had got +outside the reef. Happily no canoe was near, or they would undoubtedly +have followed us. + +We could see Masaugu's fleet in the far distance; but as our canoe was +smaller than any of his we could not hope to overtake him. I was +thankful, however, to find that he was steering towards Mr Hilton's +station, where we hoped in time to arrive. The sea was, as I had +feared, very rough, and though our canoe was strong and buoyant, she was +tossed much about, and had it not been for the assistance of the young +Englishman and Tofa, we should have had great difficulty in clinging to +the deck. In the centre was a small house or cabin, generally used by +the chief or owner of the canoe, and this we found was to be devoted to +our use at night as a sleeping place. Still, as I surveyed the +curiously-constructed and apparently weak vessel, I could not help +feeling that a voyage on board her of the length we were about to +attempt, must be attended with much danger. Happily we could say at sea +as on shore, "We will trust ourselves to the care of One all-powerful to +save." + +As I now had a better opportunity of observing the young stranger more +particularly than before, I felt more convinced than at first that he +was a person of education. His manner towards Maud and me especially, +was retiring and reserved, and he seemed unwilling to intrude himself +upon us. After some time, however, he came and sat near us, and thanked +me for the note I had written, which, as he supposed, had not only been +the means of obtaining his freedom, but of his life being preserved. + +"I wrote merely on the possibility of any European having escaped the +massacre which I understood had taken place," I answered. "I can +therefore claim no thanks from you." + +"I am not the less grateful," he answered. "I had so fully expected to +be killed, that I feel like one risen from the dead." + +"I trust that you have risen to newness of life," I ventured to say, for +I am sure it was a remark my father would have made, and I felt anxious +to be assured that the young man was under religious impressions. It +was an opportunity indeed I dare not let pass by. + +"Yes, Miss Liddiard, I do feel that," he exclaimed. "And with what +horror do I reflect what would have been my doom had I died with my +companions. I knew the truth when I was a boy, for I had been brought +up by a pious father and mother, but I became careless and wild, and +neglected all their precepts and warnings. I went on from bad to worse, +and at length, believing that if I could get out to the Pacific--of +which I had read--I could enjoy unfettered liberty and licence, I +shipped on board a vessel bound out, round Cape Horn. Having knocked +about in the way I proposed for some time, though, as may be supposed, I +did not find the life among rough seamen and fierce savages as agreeable +as I had expected, I at length reached Sydney in New South Wales. I +there joined the sandal wood trader, which has been so fearfully +destroyed. + +"Just before going on board I met an old friend of my father's, a +missionary, whom I had known at home. He spoke to me seriously, and +warned me against joining the vessel, knowing as he did, the lawless +character of her crew. He offered to obtain my discharge if I would +come and live with him. His words made a deep impression on my heart, +although I was too self-willed to follow his advice. During the voyage, +while we were sailing from island to island, those words often and often +recurred to my mind. I in vain attempted to drive them from me. When I +saw my companions being put to death--expecting to meet the same fate-- +how earnestly I wished that I had followed my friend's counsels. I +could only utter, `Lord be merciful to me a sinner,' and entreated God +to protect me. When I found myself so unexpectedly preserved, I +remembered the prayer I had uttered, and resolved to give myself to the +service of God in any way He might open out for me. You now know my +brief history, Miss Liddiard. I felt bound to give it you, but I am +unwilling to trouble you with more than I have already told you about +myself. My name is Charles Norton." + +"You can have no difficulty in finding opportunities of serving God, Mr +Norton," I exclaimed. "When we see thousands and tens of thousands of +human beings scattered about this broad Pacific ignorant of Him, and +given over to abominable heathen practices, all requiring to be fed with +the bread of life. Why should you not prepare yourself to go forth as a +missionary among them?" + +"I feel that I am too unworthy and sinful to undertake so serious an +office," he said humbly. + +"No human being could be qualified to go forth as a missionary of the +gospel trusting alone to his own merits, and no one would be found to +undertake the office were all influenced by the opinion you express," I +observed. "All must feel their unworthiness and we must take God at His +word, and believe that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin, +and then go forth and declare what great things He has done for us. I +repeat what I have heard my father say:--We must not trust to our +feelings, but we must believe that God is a rewarder of those who +diligently serve Him, not only of those who have all along done so." + +"You have given me new life and hope," exclaimed the young man. +"Henceforth, if my life is spared, after having prepared myself for the +task, I will devote it to making known the gospel to the poor heathens +of these regions." + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +WHILE ON OUR PASSAGE IN THE CANOE A STORM ARISES.--WE ARE DRIVEN FAR +AWAY TO LEEWARD OF THE ISLAND.--ABELA INSTRUCTS TOFA IN THE TRUTH.-- +SCARCITY OF FOOD AND WATER.--OUR SUFFERINGS BECOME INTENSE.--THE NATIVE +CREW GIVE WAY TO DESPAIR. + +Although the sea was rough the canoe had made good progress towards our +destination when night came on. The wind had been increasing, and I saw +the natives looking anxiously at the sky, which had become overcast. +The darkness was intense, and we had no compass in the canoe by which to +direct our course. The native boatmen, however, continued steering on, +trusting to the wind, which had remained steadily blowing from one +quarter. Still, as the waves rose, and our frail canoe pitched and +tossed about, it seemed to me that she would be unable to accomplish the +passage. + +Abela was sitting by us. "Alas," she exclaimed, "we have escaped the +fury of our enemies only, I fear, to perish in the waves." + +"Nay, nay, Abela," said Maud. "God, who has protected us heretofore, +can protect us still. He will find a way for us to escape if it is His +will that we should do so." + +"Ah, you are right," answered Abela, "and I am weak and faithless to +doubt His love." + +Still I must confess that it required much strong faith not to feel +nervous and alarmed while we saw the dark foaming seas rising up around +us, and apparently every moment about to overwhelm our little vessel. +The crew had lessened the sail, but yet it seemed scarcely capable of +withstanding the furious blasts which struck it. Maud and I, with Abela +and the other women, sat close together in the little hut on deck. I +observed that Mr Norton and Tofa had come nearer us as if to try and +prevent us from being washed away should a sea break on board, which it +appeared too probable would occur. The canoe was excessively buoyant, +or she could not have escaped being overwhelmed. Onward she continued +to fly over the tumbling waters, and we at length, becoming accustomed +to the movement of the vessel, began to hope that she would reach the +shore in safety, and already the crew were looking out in the +expectation of seeing it ahead. + +All our hopes were to be disappointed. A furious blast struck the sail, +and before it could be lowered it was torn away, with the spars which +supported it, and we were left helpless on the wild ocean. To attempt +to use the paddles in such a sea was useless. The helmsman had turned +the head of the canoe away from the wind, and all that now could be done +was to fly before it. The gale increased. On we went, expecting every +moment that the seas would overwhelm us. + +We could sit quiet and pray, but I felt much for our poor heathen crew, +who had no such consolation. Abela had called young Tofa to her side, +and was endeavouring to explain to him the glorious truths of the faith +she held, he seemed greatly struck by her calm resignation. + +"Formerly you would have shrieked out, and trembled with fear," he +observed. "Now you seem as brave as the boldest of our warriors." + +"I am brave, because I know in whom I trust," answered Abela. "I have +the support of the Holy Spirit sent by Jehovah. Though I am by myself +still very weak, my soul is at peace, and I know if I am taken away from +this world that I shall go to a better and more glorious land, where I +shall live with my Saviour, who has redeemed me, and bought me with the +price of His most precious blood." + +"Oh, how I wish I could go with you to that glorious land," said the +lad. "But I am not fit; I could not be received there, if Jehovah is +the pure and holy Being you say He is." + +"You will be fit to go the moment you accept the offers Jesus makes you, +and you are sure to be received there," answered Abela, and once more +she explained to him the simple plan of salvation. "You see, my son, +that you have nothing to do; but all has been done for you, to satisfy +God's justice. You are bought by the blood of Jesus. God makes you a +free gift of salvation. If He required anything in return it would not +be a free gift. If you had anything to pay it would show that the +purchase was not completed by Christ. Now God says that the purchase +was completed on Calvary, and He tells us that eternal salvation is a +free gift; we, therefore, offend God when we want to pay anything to Him +in return, and we dishonour the purchase made by Christ when we fancy +that it is insufficient. Still, after you have become the servant of +Christ, if life is spared you, you will desire to obey Him, and please +Him, and do His will by every means in your power. This will show that +you have a living faith, and that you are really, as you profess to be, +His disciple." + +"Oh, I am sure what you say is true," exclaimed Tofa. "Although I +cannot yet understand it all I believe in Jesus, I trust to Him, I will +never never again worship the foolish idols I have till now trusted in. +You must tell me all you have said over and over again, for I wish to +know all I can about Jesus, that should the canoe be overwhelmed by the +sea, I may be ready to go and dwell with Him." + +The young Englishman occasionally spoke to us. He was not ignorant of +gospel truth, but, alas, he had long sinned against light and knowledge, +and rejected what he knew in his heart to be true. His merciful +preservation had been the means of changing that heart, he was really +born again, and now the knowledge he possessed seemed to come back to +him. Notwithstanding the fearful danger in which we were placed, his +manner was calm and composed. He did not speak to us as many a brave +worldly man would have done, urging us to keep up our spirits, +expressing a hope that the storm would soon abate, and that we should be +able to return to the land; he observed only, "we must trust in God's +merciful protection; let us remember that we are in His hands." + +Maud and I responded to what he said. + +"Those days I spent in solitude in the mountains have, indeed, been +precious days to me, Miss Liddiard," he continued. "I felt like the +prodigal son, who had returned to his father, and the bright gleam of +His smile seemed to rest on me. My only regret was, that I had not His +word to apply to, but many precious verses which I had learned as a +child came back to me, and afforded me comfort and consolation, and then +I could pray as I had never prayed before." + +I told him that we had been employed in the same way, and that happily +having a Bible we could turn to the sacred page, and draw comfort from +the ever flowing fountain. + +Thus the hours of darkness passed away. The canoe, from the lightness +of her construction, rode easily over the seas, driving, as she now was, +directly before the gale, and we were not pitched and tumbled about as +we had been when the wind was on her side, and we were attempting to +steer for the island. When morning dawned the foaming waters were +around us on every side, and we could just distinguish in the far +distance, almost astern, the dim outline of the island which we had +hoped to reach. Had the weather been moderate the canoe men might have +attempted to make their way towards it, but that, was now impossible, +and we continued to drive on, leaving it further and further behind. +Where we were going we could not tell. The natives knew of no islands +in that direction, and I heard them reminding each other of several +canoes which had been blown off the land and had not again been heard +of. + +We asked Mr Norton his opinion. He had, he said, during the last day +he was on board examined a chart, and he could afford us but little hope +that we should reach any shore where we might obtain a new mast and sail +and be able to return the way we had come. "There are islands a long +way off; but as the inhabitants, I fear, are savage in the extreme, it +would be dangerous to land amongst them," he added. "Still, though we +speak of the dangers we may have to encounter, let us continue, trusting +firmly that God is watching over us, and though we cannot yet see the +way by which He intends to save us--if such is His good will--He has +nevertheless got it ready, while we on our part are bound to make every +exertion to preserve our lives. As we may not for a considerable time +reach land, I must therefore, in the first place, strongly urge the +people to place themselves on an allowance of food and water. We should +use as little as will suffice to sustain life, that we may the longer be +able to hold out." + +I explained what the young Englishman said to Abela; and she and Tofa +spoke to their countrymen, and persuaded them to do as he advised. The +wind had somewhat abated, but as it was still too strong to permit of +our making head against it, we continued to drive on as before. We read +the Bible, and prayed several times during the day, and occasionally +some of the heathen crew came, and, kneeling down near us, listened +while I read. + +Abela, although she had not begun her studies till about two years +before this, read very fairly, but she was especially powerful in +prayer, and her whole heart and soul seemed lifted up as she poured +forth her petitions--seldom failing to exclaim, "Lord be merciful to me +a sinner." + +The hours passed on, and we felt that an all-powerful hand was +protecting our frail bark from the fury of the seas. When the water +washed into the canoe beneath the platform, it was quickly bailed out +again, and everything was so firmly secured, that in spite of the +tossing and tumbling of the vessel she held as tightly together as at +first. + +Another day and another and another passed by, and still the strong wind +prevented us from attempting to return. Many of the heathen crew +appeared to have resigned themselves to their fate, and had it not been +for the influence Abela exerted over them--supported as she was by the +young Englishman and Tofa--I believe that they would quickly have +consumed all the provisions, and have then laid down to die. + +We were already feeling the ill effects of the small amount of food we +could venture to eat. The sun too, burst forth, and its burning rays +striking down upon us; we now, in addition to hunger, began to feel the +fearful sufferings of thirst. What must it be should a calm come on! +And although the crew might then use their paddles with effect, their +strength would be gone, and very many days must pass before we could +regain the island from which we had been driven. + +Often and often I thought of my poor father. I persuaded myself that he +had certainly remained with Mr Hilton, and that had we arrived in +safety we should have had the happiness of seeing him. Now should he +return to the settlement, what would be his feelings to find it +desolate, and to suppose, as he must, that we had shared the fate of the +other inhabitants. + +Our condition was also becoming, humanly speaking, fearful in the +extreme. As I looked at Maud's pale countenance I feared that she could +not long endure such suffering. I was not aware that I looked equally +ill. The young Englishman treated us with the most gentle and constant +attention; he even insisted on our taking a portion of his scanty +allowance of food and water, and when we refused to deprive him of it I +am sure that he took means to add it unseen to our shares. At length +the gale ceased, the canoe no longer tumbled about, and the heat of the +sun's rays--as they shone upon the glass-like surface of the ocean on +which we floated--was intense in the extreme. Abela urged the crew to +get out their paddles, but they answered, as I had expected, "we cannot +live to reach the island, and when our food and water are exhausted, we +will lie down and die. There is nothing else for us to do." + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +A CALM.--THE CANOE FLOATS MOTIONLESS ON THE OCEAN.--MANY OF OUR NUMBER +APPEAR TO BE DYING FOR WANT OF WATER.--I FEAR CHIEFLY FOR MAUD, WHEN A +SAIL IS SEEN, AND, WITH A RISING BREEZE, SHE APPROACHES.--WE ARE +RECEIVED ON BOARD THE "TRUE LOVE," AND KINDLY TREATED BY CAPTAIN HUDSON +AND HIS WIFE. + +The canoe still floated motionless on the calm ocean, which shone like a +sheet of burnished gold. Maud and I lay in each other's arms, expecting +thus to die. Still we could whisper together, and talk of the glories +of that heaven we hoped soon to reach. Abela sat like a mother watching +over us, but she too was sinking. Of the heathen crew several appeared +to be dying, if they were not already dead; but others, who had listened +to the Word of Life, gathered round us that they might hear the +instruction which Abela, as long as she had the power of speech, +afforded them. Young Tofa bore up bravely, and Mr Norton struggled +wonderfully with his sufferings. He occasionally rose to his feet and +gazed around, as if he still hoped help would come ere it was too late. +Another day I felt sure must terminate the existence of most of those on +board. + +I closed my eyes, feeling a faintness coming over me, when I was aroused +by Mr Norton's voice. I saw him standing up, with his arms +outstretched, and his dim eye lighted up. + +"A sail! a sail!" he exclaimed. "She is bringing up the breeze--she is +standing this way." + +This announcement gave me a strength I did not believe that I +possessed--I raised Maud in my arms. "We shall be saved, dearest; our +prayers have been heard," I whispered. She opened her eyes, and seemed +to comprehend me. + +"We must make a signal, or the vessel may pass us," said Mr Norton. +"Can you direct the natives to assist me? The broken spars, if lashed +together, will answer for a flagstaff." + +I explained what the young Englishman required, and Tofa and a few +others, although scarcely able to lift themselves from the deck, secured +the spars, and fastened them together as he desired. A piece of matting +answered for a flag, and the flagstaff was held up on the deck. + +How eagerly we watched the distant sail. + +"She looks like a whaler, and if so, a bright look-out is certain to be +kept on board," observed Mr Norton. + +On she came. Unless our small flag was observed, as the deck of the +canoe rose but a few feet above the water, should she pass only a mile +or two on either side she might sail away without noticing us. We did +not forget to pray that we might be seen. She came nearer and nearer. +At length, to our joy, we saw a flag run up to her mast-head as an +answer to our signal. + +We were seen. Still the breeze was light, and the ship seemed to be a +long time coming up to us. + +Every moment was of consequence. I dreaded lest aid should come too +late for dear Maud, while several others appeared unable to last much +longer. + +How often do we mistrust God's mercy. The vessel came close to us, and +heaving-to, a boat was lowered. + +"She is a whaler," exclaimed Mr Norton. "Water, water--bring water +with you," he shouted; but his voice was faint and hollow, he pointed to +his lips. + +The sign was understood, for the boat put back, and a cask was lowered +into it. In another minute, with sturdy strokes, the boat's crew dashed +alongside. We heard the sound of English voices. + +"You seem in a sad plight, my lad," said the officer of the boat. "We +thought you were all savages. Are there any more of you on board?" + +Mr Norton pointed to where Maud and I lay. The cask of water was +lifted on deck, and the officer approached us with a cup. I begged him +to give Maud some. He poured a few drops down her throat. + +"Come, young lady, you must take some now," he said. + +How delicious was that draught--it almost instantly revived me. I gave +Maud some more, and then offered the cup to Abela. Those of the crew +who could move crawled towards the cask. The young seaman poured it out +from the cask into their hands, that they might obtain it sooner. I +remember thinking it a fearful waste that any of the precious liquid +should be spilled. Not till all the rest had received some water would +Mr Norton take the cup which the mate offered him. + +"Now, young ladies, the sooner we get you on board, where our captain +and his good wife will look after you, the better," exclaimed the mate, +as he offered to carry us to the boat. I begged that Abela might be +brought with us. He lifted me up in his arms as if I had been a +feather, and others followed, with Maud and Abela. Mr Norton had +scarcely strength to reach the boat. I explained that Tofa was a +chief's son, and that having rendered us great service, I begged that he +might be treated with attention. + +In a few minutes we were on board the "True Love," and in Captain +Hudson's cabin, under the care of his kind motherly wife. She almost +shed tears as she saw us; Maud especially excited her sympathy. + +"Poor dear child, she could not have lasted another hour, and she now +will require all the care we can bestow on her. And we must look after +you too," she added, addressing me. "I wonder you have held out so +well. You must tell me all about it by-and-by. You are too weak to +talk now. I cannot get a word out of any one else--not even from the +young Englishman. He fainted on reaching the deck, and my husband is +attending to him; but you need not be alarmed, he will come round in +time." + +I inquired for Abela. + +"The native woman is in one of the mate's cabins. I will go and attend +to her directly, and all the rest who are alive are safe on board; but +five or six of the poor Indians were dead, I am told, before they could +be lifted from the deck of the canoe." + +I grieved much to hear this, for I had entertained hopes that all when +brought under Christian instruction would have accepted the truth; but +God's ways are inscrutable--we only know that they are just and right. + +Soon after Mrs Hudson had placed me in bed, I sank into a state of +almost insensibility, and was conscious only that I was attended by a +kind hand. I could neither speak nor think, and knew not to what place +the ship was carrying us. My first inquiry on coming to myself, when I +saw Mrs Hudson standing over me, was for dear Maud. My heart leaped +with joy when I heard her voice saying, "I am here Mary--I am so very +very glad to hear you speaking again." I found that she was lying on a +sofa outside my cabin, to which Mrs Hudson said she had entreated to be +brought, that she might be near me. Abela, I found was also recovering, +and Mr Norton was well, and devoted himself to the care of the +sufferers, some of whom were still in a precarious state. + +"He is trying to learn their language, and the young prince is never +weary in giving him instruction," said Mrs Hudson. + +"They call Tofa the young prince, because the rest of his people pay him +so much respect," observed Maud. + +I was truly thankful to hear this of Mr Norton. I should have trembled +for him, lest after getting safely on board the ship had he shown that +he had forgotten his good resolutions. + +"That young Englishman is a very superior person indeed," observed Mrs +Hudson. "He has made inquiries about you and your sister every hour in +the day, and I really believe had you been taken from us it would have +broken his heart; he looked so anxious when I told him how ill you were. +He constantly also speaks to our crew, and reads the Bible to them, and +prays with them in the forecastle. They seem very well pleased to hear +him, and though my husband has prayers every Sunday, he cannot go among +them and talk to them in the familiar way this young man does. He tells +me, though I am sure he is a gentleman born by his manners, that he has +served before the mast, and therefore knows their habits and ways, and +that there is nothing like being on an equality with people to win their +hearts." + +"Yes, that is what a missionary must be if he follows the example of his +Master," I said. "Jesus made Himself equal to the poorest, and of no +reputation, that He might gain souls to Himself." + +"Ah yes, my dear young lady, if all ministers of the gospel as well as +missionaries acted thus, His blessed religion would make more progress +in the world than it now does." + +In addition to my other causes of gratitude I thanked God that we had +been taken on board a ship commanded by a believing captain, with a kind +excellent wife. Through His mercy we were greatly indebted to Mrs +Hudson's constant and affectionate care for our recovery. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +MAUD AND I WITH MOST OF OUR PARTY RECOVER.--MR NORTON INSTRUCTS THE +CREW, AND PROVES THAT HE IS REALLY CONVERTED.--THE GREAT KINDNESS OF +CAPTAIN AND MRS HUDSON.--THEY OFFER TO TAKE US TO ENGLAND, BUT WE +RESOLVE TO REMAIN ON AN ISLAND INHABITED BY CHRISTIANS, ON WHICH WE +LAND, THAT WE MAY DEVOTE OURSELVES TO MISSIONARY WORK.--MAUD IS RESTORED +TO HER PARENTS.--CAPTAIN HUDSON, ON A SUBSEQUENT VOYAGE, BRINGS MY +FATHER TO US, AND I, HAVING BECOME THE WIFE OF MR NORTON, WE RETURN TO +OUR ISLAND, WHERE MASAUGU HAVING BECOME A CHRISTIAN, WITH LISELE AND HER +HUSBAND, ARE RESIDING.--THE WHOLE OF THE INHABITANTS BEFORE MY FATHER'S +DEATH BEING ALSO CONVERTED TO THE TRUTH. + +We had been many days on board, and Maud and I were able to enjoy the +fresh air on deck, where Captain Hudson warmly congratulated us, in his +fatherly manner, on our recovery; arranging cushions on which we could +recline--for we were still too weak to sit up--and kindly doing all he +could for us. How glad we were again to see Abela and her companions, +and to comfort them in their sorrow, for they believed that they should +never again see their native land. + +Young Tofa, however, was perfectly content. "I shall learn more about +the religion of Jehovah, and that will be my support wherever I am," he +observed. + +Mr Norton came up and spoke to us so gently, and yet with unmistakable +earnestness in his mariner. "Oh Miss Liddiard," he said, "I am now more +than ever sure that our merciful Father in heaven hears the prayers of +the greatest of sinners who have returned to Him. I have never ceased +beseeching Him that you might be restored to health, and that while you +may enjoy happiness yourself, you may prove a blessing to many of our +fellow-creatures." + +"I do indeed hope that I may be of use to some," I answered. "I desire +no greater happiness than to be employed in God's service." + +"Such will, I believe, be the occupation of the blessed throughout +eternity, although He has not revealed to His creatures the way in which +they are to be employed. That surpasses human comprehension," he +observed. + +A few days after this we came in sight of a high and picturesque island, +even more beautiful than the one we had left. + +"My dear young lady," said Captain Hudson, "I should be very sorry to +part with you, and would gladly have carried you with me to old England, +but the poor natives are, I am sure, anxious to be put on shore, and as +an English missionary resides on yonder island, and all the inhabitants +are Christians, I thought it best to go there to land those who desire +to land. Will you and your sister remain with us? The ship's time in +these seas will soon be up, and when we get to England our house shall +be your home. We have no children of our own, and my wife and I will do +our best to act the part of the parents you have lost." + +My heart swelled with gratitude to the kind captain and his wife. I +could scarcely speak. I had often thought of England, and how +delightful it would be to see it, but I had resolved to devote myself, +as my dear father and mother had done, in endeavouring to make known the +gospel among the heathen islanders. I knew their language and customs, +and felt that I was suited for the task. I was sure also that Maud +would not consent to leave me; still, I did not wish to bias her should +she desire to accept Captain and Mrs Hudson's offer. My eyes filled +with tears as I took the captain's hand, and expressed my gratitude for +his generous proposal. I told him the object on which my heart was set, +and had it not been for that, how thankful I should have been to accept +his offer. I then explained that Maud was not my sister, and gave him +her history, adding, that she would indeed be fortunate to have such +kind protectors as I was sure he and Mrs Hudson would prove. + +"I will ask her," said the captain. "But I should like to have had you +both." + +I waited anxiously to hear what Maud would say, earnestly praying +meantime that she would be directed aright. I had closed my eyes, when +I felt Maud's arms round me. "I cannot, no I cannot leave you, dear +Mary, where you go I will go," she whispered. "If you had said yes to +the good captain I would gladly have accompanied you. If you remain out +here I will remain also." + +As we neared the harbour a canoe, manned by natives in white jackets and +trousers and straw hats, came off. One of them, in good English, +announced himself as a pilot, and under his charge the "True Love" was +safely conducted into a secure and beautiful harbour, where her anchor +was dropped. Neat white-washed houses lined the shore; beyond them rose +several buildings of good size, the largest of which was a stone church +with tower and belfry. Plantations extended on every side as far as the +eye could reach. Everything wore an aspect of peace and contentment. +How different from that of the heathen island we had left! Yet a short +time before the numerous dark skinned natives, well clothed and in their +right minds, were naked heathen savages, such as those among whom we had +dwelt, and often despaired would ever be brought to know the truths of +the gospel. + +The boat was lowered, and Maud and I, with Mr Norton, Abela, and Tofa, +were seated in her, accompanied by Captain and Mrs Hudson, on our way +to the house of Mr Arnold, the missionary of which they had before +spoken, and to whom, they had told us, they were well-known. On landing +we proceeded along a well made clean road, at the further end of which, +some way from the shore, stood Mr Arnold's house. How neat and +beautiful it looked, with its garden full of flowering shrubs, and a +broad verandah in front! + +Mr Arnold came out to meet us, followed by his wife. A few words from +Captain Hudson served to explain who we were. + +"Indeed you are welcome, most welcome," he exclaimed, taking our hands. +"We have enough and to spare, and there is work for all of you if, as I +trust, you are willing to labour in the Lord's vineyard." + +We were soon seated around the missionary's hospitable board, for +Captain Hudson's ship was well-known, and Mrs Arnold had been preparing +for the guests she was sure would come before they left the Pacific. +She was an interesting looking lady, but there was an expression of +sadness in her countenance, which at once struck me. Our host and +hostess had, of course, many questions to ask, and we gave them an +account of the dreadful events which had occurred to us. Captain Hudson +told them of his wish to carry us on with him to England. + +"We only desire to have willing labourers," observed Mr Arnold, "and +they having counted the cost must decide for themselves. They have some +experience what it is; and you, Mr Norton, do you intend to return +home?" he asked. + +"My desire is, the Lord helping me, to prepare myself for a missionary +among the heathen islanders of these seas," he answered. "I have +counted the cost, and with God's grace I hope not to turn back." + +Mr Arnold warmly pressed his hand. "We will pray that His grace will +ever continue with you," he said. I felt an infinite satisfaction at +hearing this. + +While the gentlemen went out to walk we remained with Mrs Arnold, who +gave us much interesting information about their island, and her account +raised my hopes that our own poor savages, as I called them, might some +day enjoy the same inestimable blessings, and that smiling villages and +churches and schools might appear throughout the island. + +On Mr Arnold's return I saw that he was greatly agitated, and cast an +eager inquiring glance at Maud. He advanced towards her, but seemingly +restrained himself, and taking his wife by the hand, led her from the +room. + +During their absence Captain Hudson, sitting down by Maud, to my great +surprise said, "Do you think, my dear, that the poor lady you supposed +was your mother was really so?" + +Maud started, then seemed lost in thought. "She was very, very kind to +me, and I used to call her `mamma,' because I had no other mamma then, +but I have a faint idea that there was some one else whom I loved still +better, and who had given me to her, saying, that we should meet again." + +"Then I think there is no doubt it," exclaimed Captain Hudson. "Suppose +you were to find your real father and mother, could you bear the joy of +meeting them?" he asked. + +Maud trembled all over, and I now began to suspect the truth. In a few +minutes Mr and Mrs Arnold re-entered the room. I was surprised at the +wonderful command which Mr Arnold had over himself. He placed his wife +on a sofa, and then led Maud up to her. + +"It may be that we are in error," he said, "but God's goodness is great, +and such as this dear girl is might have been our child." + +Mrs Arnold gazed at Maud's features for a few moments, then hastily +took off her tippet. On her neck was a well-known mark which assured +her that her hopes were realised. She drew her to her bosom and sobbed +aloud. + +We truly grieved to part with good Captain and Mrs Hudson, but we were +to meet ere long again. Our heathen crew were soon distributed among +the inhabitants, and all of them earnestly desired to be instructed in +the truth. Tofa made rapid progress in his studies under Mr Arnold, +and expressed his ardent wish to return as a missionary to his native +land. Mrs Norton laboured devotedly as a catechist, and rendered the +greatest service to Mr Arnold in his work, while Maud and I assisted +Mrs Arnold in the girls' school, as we had been accustomed to do under +my dear mother, while Abela was of great use among the older women. + +Two years passed by, when it was announced that the "True Love" was once +more entering the harbour. We hastened down to the landing-place to +meet our kind old friend. We saw the boat coming with the captain and +his wife and a gentleman with them. Captain Hudson assisted him to +land. He gazed anxiously at us as we approached, then tottered towards +me with arms outstretched. + +My joy was full. He was my dear father. He had supposed we had all +perished, till Captain Hudson, a short time before, had put in to visit +Mr Hilton's station. His former faith had supported him through all +his afflictions, and now, how full was his heart with gratitude at +having me restored to him. I saw by his thin and wasted figure and pale +countenance how much he required a daughter's care. He brought glorious +intelligence from our island. + +Masaugu had become a devoted Christian, and having made peace with his +former foes, had, accompanied by Lisele, returned home, many of his +people having also cast aside their idols. + +I have not hitherto said that a short time before Mr Norton had asked +me to become his wife. My father, hearing of his character from Mr +Arnold, gave his full consent. Captain Hudson was bound in the +direction of our island. With my devoted husband and father, +accompanied by Abela and Tofa and several of our formerly heathen crew, +we embarked on board the "True Love." + +I could not have borne parting with Maud had I not known that she was +left with loving parents, who would amply supply my place as my husband +supplied hers in my heart. + +I need not say how joyfully we were welcomed by Lisele and her Christian +husband, the young chief. We had, notwithstanding, many difficulties to +encounter. The heathens offered all the opposition in their power, but +at length they were conquered,--not by force of arms, but by the power +of gospel truth, and ere my dear father was laid beside my mother's +grave, he had the happiness of seeing the once heathen inhabitants of +our island, as also of many others in the Pacific, cast aside their +idols and become faithful worshippers of Jehovah, trusting to the +all-cleansing of the blood of the Lamb slain on Calvary for sinners. + +FINIS. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mary Liddiard, by W.H.G. 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