££zj=. • % PRESENTED BY THE PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION U L # SCS> 73,737 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/gemsfromcoralisl00gill_0 Capt. Cook Landing on Eromarga. GEMS PROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. SHtsftnt IJdljtusia: COMPRISING THE NEW HEBRIDES GROUP THE LOYALTY GROUP NEW CALEDONIA GROUP. BV THE / REV. WILLIAM GILL, RAROTONGA. PHILADELPHIA: PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, NO. 265 CHESTNUT STREET. STEREOTYPED BY JESPER HARDING & SON, NO. 57 SOUTH THIRD STREET, PHILADELPHIA. INTRODUCTION. The writer of the following pages left England seventeen years ago, to proceed as a missionary, under the auspices of the London Missionary Society, to the islands of the South Sea. During this period he has been actively engaged in the Christian instruction, and the consequent civilization, of the barbarous tribes inhabiting those islands. Many persons who have heard oral details respecting the advancing improvement going on amongst the islanders, and who are interested in the universal education and ele- vation of heathen nations, have urged that a narrative of facts, connected with missionary work on those islands, du- ring the last sixteen years, should be put through the press ; especially illustrating the labours of Native Teachers. Every island gained to Christianity and civilization, west- ward of the Tahitian group, has been gained through the la- bours of Native Missionaries; and many stations in the Her- vey, Samoa, Penrhyn, New Hebrides, and New Caledonia groups, are now suitably occupied and efficiently worked by Native Teachers and Pastors. The present volume contains an account of the introduc- tion of Christianity into the islands of three of the largest groups of Western Polynesia; the formation of Native churches — the character of Native evangelists — the work (iii) iv INTRODUCTION. they have to do — the manner in which they do it, and the results of their labours ; giving a complete Missionary history of each island in those groups to the present time. Commending this work to the kind notice of his brethren in the ministry, to teachers in Sabbath-schools, and to all who desire the universal extinction of heathenism, he hopes that, in their various circles, they will aid the circulation of information thus given ; and that the results may be an in- creased acquaintance with the progress of Missionary labour in those islands, a due appreciation of what the infant Na- tive churches on those islands are doing to extend the bles- sings of Christianity to the heathen lands beyond them, and an augmentation of the resources by which Missionary Societies, in this country, shall be able to continue and to extend their aggressions upon the world of heathen darkness, idolatry, and degradation. 1855. CONTENTS. PAGE Island of Mare .... 7 Island of Fate .... 51 Island of Eromanga .... 93 Island of Fotuna . . . 132 Island of Aneiteum .... 139 Island of Lifu . . . . 175 Island of Toka .... 190 Island of Uea .... 193 Island of New Caledonia. . . . 199 Isle of Pines .... 209 Island of Tana .... 217 O) i * ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Nasilini, Native of Marb . . . 31 Rejected War Weapons ... 48 Natives of Fate .... 50 Head and Dress of a Fate Chief . . 65 Captain Cook landing on Eromanga . . 98 Dillon’s Bay, Eromanga . . . 106 Eromangan Native expounding the Scriptures . 128 An Eromangan Club . . . 129 Map of the New Hebrides . . . 138 A Native of Aneiteum . . . 143 Map of Loyalty Group . . . . 174 View of New Caledonia . . . 198 A Native of New Caledonia . . . 208 Natives of Tana, and the Volcano . . 216 (vi) THE ISLAND OF MARE. CHAPTER I. Name of the island — Heathen condition of the people — Their objects of worship — Superstitious practices in drought and in floods — Conse- cration of youth to war and to priesthood — Delight in cannibalism — The contrast — Massacre of white men by the natives. The Island of Mare is one of the Loyalty group in Western Polynesia. It is a low coral reef land, about sixty miles west of New Caledonia. The natives call this island Nengone ; the name of Mark is derived from the Isle of Pines, a small island off the south end of New Caledonia, with the people of which the inhabitants of Mark have had intercourse from time imme- morial. This island is nearly 70 miles in circumference, and has a population of 6000 souls. This population is divided into four distinct tribes or clans, who were, when first visited by us, living on the most barbarous terms. They were con- tinually at war — and were amongst the most degraded sav- age races of the South Sea Islanders. (') 8 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. Before giving an account of our visits to this people, and of the successes gained in their education and civilization, it may he well to state, as briefly as possible, a few partic- ulars respecting their heathen character, together with their idolatrous superstitious. In common with all the South Sea Islanders, the people of Marh believed in the existence of a great unseen power or personage, whom they honoured as God. They had no carved images, but worshipped this superior governing power, through the medium of sacred stones and wood, and relics of departed relatives and heroes. On the death of an individual, renowned either as priest, or warrior, or navigator, the hair of his head was cut off, and his eye-lashe3 were carefully plucked, both of which were sacredly preserved ; the body was then buried, and ten days after interment, the priest of the district, in company with the relatives of the deceased, went to the grave, and, with much ceremony, extracted from the corpse its finger-nails and toe-nails, and certain bones of the arms and legs ; these relics were consecrated and kept with the greatest care, from one generation to another, and were honoured as a medium of communion between the people and their gods. Happy did the degraded females of a family deem them- selves, who had the skull of a departed mother, to place in the centre of their plantation. Before planting yams, they presented an offering of fruit to this relic, saying, while prostrate before it, “ 0 mother, let thy power be seen, and compassionate these thy children ; see thou that the rains descend, and that the sun shine on this onr work. Let our fruits be abundant, and thy fame, and the fame of thy fam- ily, shall be great in the land.’' In the practices of incantation also these relics were used as a medium to draw down vengeance on their enemies. A priest to whom this work was committed watched his oppor- ISLAND OF MARE. 9 tunity to enter, unobserved, the house of the intended vic- tim ; he then spread out the relics with au observed order ; and having thus gained his position, announced his presence to the inmates of the house by vociferating most hideous yells, while, in the name of those represented by the relics, he invoked the gods to manifest their power, either in the sickness or death of the individual thus cursed. Amongst the many superstitious ceremonies of this people, those observed in seasons of drought were not a little sin- gular. In drought two sacred men, having, as an act of humiliation, besmeared their bodies, from head to foot, with a mixture of lamp-black and mud, visited the grave of some renowned person recently buried; every bone of the corpse was then carefully cleansed, and with the skill of practised anatomists the priest carefully reunited bone to bone, until the skeleton was complete. This work was performed iu a consecrated cave; and hanging up the skeleton, water was poured on it, the sacred men at the same time presenting a prayer to the gods for rain. It was supposed that the spirit of the departed had power with the gods to convey this oblation of water into the heavens ; and by being thus propitiated, they would create clouds, and again cause rain to fall on their famishing land. Something of the same service was performed in seasons of floods, only instead of pouring water on the skeleton, every bone was then entirely consumed by fire, and it was thought by these deluded people that the fire would be used instrumentally by the gods to dry up the rains which de- luged the land. The sacred men who performed these rites never left the cave until the object desired was secured. The entire male population of Marb, in early youth, was consecrated either to the oflice of the priesthood or to the service of war. War was their constant employment, and in it they had the greatest delight; in its practice they 10 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. were strangely clever and fiendlike. In most instances ex- cited by revenge, and at all times impelled by cannibal pro- pensities, the warriors were frantic in their efforts to secure victims. In fight they were fearless; and although many fell in a conflict, yet they kept a steady aim, until a leading warrior or chief of the opposing party was slain. During these heathen wars the warriors ate but little food, and re- garded themselves as sacred to the service of the gods. The following is a brief description of the manner the people of Mare treated victims taken in war. Using the most guarded language, and curtailing its details to the shortest possible limits, it is horrifying in the extreme. A reference to it is, however, necessary to show the awfully degraded condition of these tribes previous to their instruc- tion by the Christian teacher, and also to lead us more fully to comprehend the subduing and elevating power of Christianity in the glorious and happy change now seen in them. If the victim secured in fight was a chief or a renowned hero, the body was divided in small pieces, and distributed to every male member of the conquering tribe, and each one, young and old, was expected to cook his own portion, and eat it, performing at the same time certain religious ceremonies. In this manner the children and the young men were taught to be brave in fight. If a female was taken in war, her arms and feet only were eaten ; the body was either buried or thrown into the sea. One of our first Christian teachers to this island, after describing .scenes practised by the people in reference to their cannibalism, which cannot be described, says, in his first letters to his missionary, “ These things are so bad that you may enquire if I myself have seen them done. I tell you in truth I see them every day ; I am constantly going about in the midst of them. I dare not tell you all I see of ISLAND OF MARE. 11 cannibalism in this land of darkness ; you could not bear it. Not only do these people eat bodies taken in war, but on occasions of strife and jealousy, a father kills and eats his son, — a son his father, — a brother his brother. Alas, alas ! they are more like wild beasts than men/' Repulsive indeed must have been the state of things which so much distressed a Christian islander, whose own father, only five-and-twenty years before, was accustomed to the same deeds of cruelty and savageism. But looking at the Rarotougan Christian in contrast with the Mar£ heathen, we see the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus, and also how it fills the heart of man with a Divine compassion, which enables him, even at the peril of life, to devote him- self for the elevation of those who are in the same state of degradation as his fathers were, before they knew the word of God. By the united agency of Christian natives from the Sa- moan and Rarotongan islands, we shall have to record, in this narrative, details of important moral and spiritual triumph. But in tracing the difficult path through which these devoted teachers have had to pass to their present position of re- ward, we must notice many deeds of cruelty and bloodshed which have been committed in the first contacts of the na- tives with white men. In 1841, a boat’s crew of six men, belonging to a small trading ship from Sidney, went on shore for the purpose of bartering for supplies of yams and other vegetables. The crew landed on the north side of the island, and under covert of fire-arms succeeded in concluding their barter on terms of comparative friendliness. As the white men were leaving the beach, the chief of the district expressed a de- sire to accompany them on board the ship. This proposition was resolutely opposed, and in the hurry and bustle of the boat’s crew pushing off to sea, one of the oars struck the 12 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. chief on the head. A shout for revenge was immediately raised, a fight ensued, and the six unfortunate white men became victims to the cruelty and cannibalism of the savages of Mark. At a later date another English ship touched at Mare. One of the Christian teachers, then on shore, went off to it, told the captain of the former massacre, and urged on him not to attempt a landing. This advice, however, was not heeded ; a boat’s crew were sent to the beach, and at the same time a number of the natives were admitted on board the ship. A premeditated signal was given, a simultaneous attack was made by both parties of natives on the foreign- ers, and ten white men were murdered in the affray ! Ezclciel xxxvii. “ The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and behold there were very many ; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live ?” CHAPTER II. Unfair barter of tbe captain of a merchant vessel — Evil results — A gun- powder explosion — Natives revenged by the murder of five white men — Two white men saved — Their ingratitude — The chief’s forbear- ance under great provocation — Landing of the first Christian teach- ers in Mar& — Daily school commenced — the chief’s sou interested in learning — The difference between the language of the Western groups and the Eastern groups — A general and fatal sickness on the people — Heathen sacrifice to propitiate the gods — The teachers devoted to death by the people — Teachers ransomed by the sons of Jeiue, the old heathen chief — Unfavourable reports to the natives from Englishmen respecting the Christian roligion. The next account of intercourse these barbarous savages had with Englishmen is still more disastrous than the pre- ceding. The tragic event was minutely recorded, at the time of occurrence, by the teachers who themselves were daily in jeopardy of their lives. A chief accompanied some of his people, who went on board a small Sydney vessel for the purpose of selling yams for hoop-iron. The chief proposed terms for barter, to which the captain would not agree ; a quarrel ensued, and the captain unwittingly gave the savage prince a rope’s-end thrashing, and sent him on shore. A war consultation was immediately held by the natives, who resolved to be revenged for the indignity done to their 2 ( 13 ) 14 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. chief. On the following day the wind, being light, favoured their diabolical scheme. A number of canoes surrounded the vessel; the captain and the whole of the crew were murdered, most of the movable property was taken on shore, and the vessel itself burnt to the water’s edge, and then sunk. Amongst the treasures secured by the natives of Mare, in this daring act, was a quantity of gunpowder. With this they were one day amusing themselves by throwing small portions into the fire ; unfortunately some sparks fell on the open barrels, and, greatly to the consternation of the igno- rant people, an awful explosion took place; the large hut in which they were assembled was blown to atoms, several of their company were severely wounded, and four of them were killed on the spot. The infuriated people, thus ensnared in their own trap, concluded that this judgment was an act of revenge from the God of the white man; and instead of manifesting cither fear or humility, they resolved further retaliation on the next white man’s ship that should be seen off the shores of their land. Not long after this a large open boat, having in her seven Englishmen, visited this people. Five of this party were murdered, whose bodies were cooked and eaten with more than usual revcngefulness, while they were still feeling the effects of the recent gunpowder explosion. The other two of the seven men escaped to a district where the people were being brought under the influences of Christian instruction ; and owing to the interposition of the teachers, their lives were spared. It might be supposed that these two men would have manifested their gratitude at least by kindliness of conduct towards the natives; but, alas ! the tale to be told reveals a recklessness and a deprav- ity not exceeded even by the heathen themselves. 1ST, AND <)F MARE. 15 Having resolved to escape to an island about sixty miles distant, these men equipped themselves by stealing from the chief, who had been their friend, a quantity of clothes and other articles, and even many garments belonging to the teachers, who had been the means of sparing their lives. Thus laden with ill-gotten spoil, one morning just before daybreak, they took the mission canoe, and put to sea. Before, however, they had made much progress, their deed of darkness was discovered, and a party of exasperated semi-savage natives took to their canoes, and at a distance of about two miles at sea overtook the ungrateful delin- quents. Thinking their conduct would be punished by death, the two men attempted to drown themselves; the natives, however, dived after them, and half dead they were taken out of the sea, and returned as prisoners to the shore. On their arrival, the first thought of the heathen chief was to kill the two scoundrels, but yielding to the persua- sion of the Christian teacher, he spared their lives, and they were permitted to leave the island, on board the first ship that came after the affair. In these notices we see the inveterate revengeful and can- nibal propensities of those heathen tribes; we also see how easily those propensities are excited to cruelty of actiou, iu some instances by the imprudence, and in others by the in- justice, of our own countrymen ; and we further witness the practical development of the first influences of Christian in- struction taming the ferociousness of the savage, inducing him to yield to the argument of love, and securing from him the exercise of forbearance towards objects who had deserved punishment at his hands. Having thus given a brief insight of the heathen char- acter of the people of Mare, we must proceed to narrate details more immediately connected with the introduction of 16 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. Christianity to them : the difficulties it has had to contend with, the triumph it has won, and its present advanced posi- tion amongst this once degraded, but now deeply interesting people ; many of whom are moral and spiritual gems, sought out from the deepest depths of human ruin, and who, pol- ished by the agency of a preached gospel, are destined to shine as the stars of the firmament, in the region of complete and eternal purity and bliss. The first Christian teachers who landed among this people on the island of Mare, were two educated intelligent na- tives, from the Rarotongan and the Samoan islands. Two years after their landing, they were visited in the missionary ship by the Rev. A. Murray, who was pleased to find that a favourable impression was being made on the minds of some of the people in favour of Christianity. After this visit, the teachers were permitted to build themselves a house ; which, being finished, stood in perfect contrast to the wretched hovels occupied by the people of the land. It was the first appearance of civilization seen by these rude savages. A large space in the centre of the building was set apart for week-day instruction and Sabbath- day preaching. The teachers in erecting this house were assisted by many of the young men of the island, who saw with wonder, how materials so nigh at hand, could by the proper use of the saw, and adze, and plane — tools which they had never before seen — be formed into so commodious a dwelling-place, and also into articles of furniture .and domestic use. In the first class of heathen youths gathered together for daily instruction, there were two sons of Jeiue, the old heathen chieftain of the district. These two young men soon became deeply interested in the new instruction the teachers imparted, and were raised up, by God, to protect them, when the rage of their heathen father and of tho ISLAND OF MARE. 17 people would have destroyed them. Before, however, much progress could be made in instructing the people of Mare, the teachers had to learn their language. This was no easy task. In the eastern groups we find but different dialects of the same language, but in these western groups, the lan- guage is quite different in its structure and idiom. The following translation of Mark x. 14, “ Suffer little children," &c , in two dialects of the eastern groups, and two different languages of the western islands, will serve as a specimen. Eastern Islands, Tahitian, Mark x. 14. A tuu mai i te tamarii rii ia haere noa mai ia’ u nei, e eiaha e tapea hia' tu. Rarotonga , Mark x. 14. Ka tuku mai ana i te tamariki meangiti kia aere mai ana kiaku, auraka e tapuia atu. Western Islands, Mark, Mark x. 14. Uajiro maichaman uaam, jo hue tu nu, ake jori maru nui puiji ekereso o no re, me ne nge roi o makeze. New Caledonia, Mark x. 14. Yano me vanikore tonie, mo ve pete me iera, nowi tene ve avetete mo toko o Jehova. THE numerals. Rarotonga. Tana. Loyalty Island. New Caledonia. 1. Tai Liti Chas Ta 2. Rua Karu Luetse Bo 8. Toru Kahar Konite Beti 4. A Kefa Eketse Beu 5. Rima Crirum Tipi Tahue 6. Ono — Chagemen No-ta 7. Itu — Luegemen No bo 8. Yaru ' — Konigemen No-beti 9. Iva — Ekegemen No-bcu 10. Nqauru — Luepi De-kau 2* 18 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. These brief specimens will give an idea of the diffi- culty the natives of the Rarotongan and Samoan islands had in learning the languages of the western groups ; especially when it is remembered that the people had no knowledge of any letter or sign, or any character whatever by which to signify the sounds they uttered. Yet this difficulty has been mastered by our teachers; they also made the first attempt to reduce the languages to a written form, and invariably are the pundits of the first European missionaries who resided among these tribes. Just as the teachers on Mark were getting proficient in the language, and were cheered by the daily attendance of many of the natives on their instruction, a very general and fatal epidemic broke out on the land, great numbers of the people died, the same day they were attacked, in agony most severe. The only medicine to which the afflicted had resort was sea-water, of which they drank in great quanti- ties. Various religious services were also performed by the “ sacred men,” but all without success. The poor peo- ple died in great numbers daily, and the land was full of lamentation. At length with a view to propitiate the gods, two of the “ sacred men” were appointed to die ; a day for the sacrifice was fixed on, the people who could attend assembled around the altar — the victims were murdered — but there was no abatement of the disease, many of the people were taken off daily by its virulence. In the midst of this extreme distress, it was concluded, that the teachers of the new religion must die, and be offered in sacrifice to the gods. Knowing the superstitious notions of the islanders, the native Christians realized their danger, and calmly resigned themselves to the will of God. The time of trial was now come. An influential party of heathen natives came from ISLAND OP MARE. 19 a distant district, to that where the teachers lived, and with much solemnity demanded au interview with the prin- cipal chief. They said, that they had brought a present of food and native property to him, and expressed their deter- mination to take off the Rarotongan and Samoan teachers, to put them to death immediately, and to present their bodies to the gods ; stating that this was the only hope left to them to save their population. The old chief, Jeiue, accepted the present thus brought, and consented to the proposal of the visitors. Death seemed inevitable, but God interposed, through the means of Jeiue’s sons. Much distressed at the decision of their father, they placed a ransom in the hands of the visitors, and thus succeeded in saving the lives of the two Christian men. whom they now esteemed as their best friends. A few weeks after the above took place, the virulence of the disease abated, but before the people had quite recovered from their distress, or the teachers had realized the mercy of their salvation, another cloud gathered blackness, and threatened destruction. A brother chief of old Jeiue on Lifu, an island about seventy miles from Marh, having heard that death was sweeping away so many of the people of Marh, manned his double canoe, and sent a special messenger to advise him to rid his land, without delay, of the Samoan and Rarotongan teachers of “ the new religion.” This advice was urged on the fact, that an English sandal-wood ship had lately touched at Lifu, the captain of which had positively affirmed “ that Jehovah, the God whom the Rarotongans wished them to worship, was a man-slaying God, and that the people of Rarotonga and Samoa were fast dying, since they had received this new religion.” These statements led the old chief of Marh again to resolve that the work of Christian in- struction should not advance amongst his people ; and but 20 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. for the interposition of the young men before mentioned, the teachers would have been put to death. Alas ! that we are constrained to admit the fact, that our own countrymen give out to a heathen people such vile reports as the above. Such, however, is the fact, and god- less Britons have, in this and other ways, done more to prevent the progress of Christianity and civilization in the islands of Western Polynesia, than all the united agency of savageism and idolatry of the natives, whom we have sought to bless. Under such circumstances, the Christian teacher has to sow the seed of instruction with much weeping, and it is only as he receives from his God daily supplies of faith, patience, and love, that he labours on with present comfort, or has any prospect of a future and successful harvest. CHAPTER III. The first visit of the “ John Williams” to Marft — Reinforcements of native teachers for the island — The first teachers’ report of labours during the mission vessel’s absence — Dawn of hopeful success in 1847 — Old Jeiue’s selfish schemes to hinder the good work — The native tea- chers’ adaptation to their work — Commencement of evening classes for native youth — War prevented — Jeiue mortified. It must be remembered that in making a voyage from the parent missions in the Rarotonga group to the island of Marti, we have to travel some three thousand miles. Hence the joy of the missionaries on the arrival of the Children of England’s Missionary Ship, to the islands. We had long felt a desire to be able to visit the Western Islauds with more frequency and regularity than could possibly be secured by any other vessels. In 1846, accompanied by several Rarotongan Christian teachers, we left Rarotonga, in this mission ship, and after calling at the Samoan islands, where we were joined by the Rev. H. Nisbet, and several native brethren from that mission, we sailed to the islands of the distant Loyalty group. On approaching the shores of Mare we saw hundreds of the wild naked savage heathen population running along the beach, or dancing through the cocoa-nut groves, in the utmost state of frenzy, and so loud was the yelling as to be distinctly heard on board the ship as we sailed some distance from the shore. ( 21 ) 22 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. Arriving off the settlement where the teachers had been landed two years before, we were cheered by soon seeing one of them coming off to us in a canoe, and on reaching the ship we were glad to find him accompanied by two sous of the chief, who had now resolved to abide by the instruc- tion of the word of God. Although much encouraging progress had been made, yet it was not deemed prudent for the ship to come to an anchor, nor even that we should trust ourselves on shore. The lives of the teachers were safe, yet such was the wildness and unsubdued savageism of the masses of the people on shore that no dependence could be placed on them at this pe- riod, for the security of life, for even our clothes were sufficient to present a temptation to them to commit acts of violence. The teachers had made good progress in the language, and it was pleasing to see that the people now thoroughly understood the object of our visit, in contrast with that of those foreigners who had come among them for other pur- poses. Gaining much valuable information on this visit respect- ing this early stage of the people’s advance in knowledge, we were permitted to land two other teachers, to strengthen and to extend the good work thus commenced. From the journals of these devoted pioneers we learn ISLAND OF MAKE. 23 much respecting the difficult nature of their first labours. They give a vivid picture of the fallow ground which had to be broken up before the seed sown could take root and yield fruit. Trials and difficulties abounded, yet the faith aud patience of the husbandmen were sustained by witness- ing the slow but sure advance made on the mental darkness and the degraded habits of the people. Early in 1847 the teachers thus write : — “We have been long weeping, but now we are becoming glad. We see our work is not altogether in vain. Our house is open for daily teaching. Many of the old people frequently come, and are attentive to instruction ; and nearly all the children who live near us are constant in their attendance. We have week-day services explaining the word of God, and two public assemblies on the Sabbath. These are now well attended ; but, alas ! alas ! the poor people come, almost without exception, in their heathen naked condition. Some few of them get plaited leaves, which they wear around the loins. Alas ! as we look at them, our heart is sick with compassion towards them, and we have given to them the native cloth sent by you last year. The childreu who at- tend school have nothing but plaited leaves to cover them. But they are making progress, and their parents are be- ginning to be interested in the ‘ new words we teach.' Brethren, pray for us. We often retire in secret, and pray that God would speedily cause his word to grow in this land.” While the people were thus making progress in Christian instruction, the old chief, Jeiue, urged on by the jea- lousy of the heathen “ sacred men,” did all he could to annoy and oppose the teachers. Because his two sons had espoused the new religion, he just gave the Rarotongan and Samoan men the protection of his despotic power ; at the same time he was secretly enraged at their successes, and resolved to banish them the island as soon as possible. To 24 OEMS FROM TIIE CORAL ISLANDS. save time, this heathen chieftain devised a plan that should interfere as much as possible with the schools. He ordered a new house to be built for himself in Rarotongan style, and demanded that the teachers should be the archi- tects. They were to follow his servants to the felling of trees, they were to saw the trees into planks, and they were to be at the work every day from daybreak until sunset until the house was finished. Although necessity was thus laid on them, and to have resisted would have been fatal, yet our devoted teachers, in the spirit of Him who became all things to all men, gave themselves to the erection of this first building on the island, for the chief’s residence, worthy the name of a house. Iu this doubtless they were right; their knowledge of the use of tools, in building comfortable houses, in making su- perior canoes, and in teaching the people to make articles of furniture connected with civilized domestic life, aided them much in accelerating the advance of this savage people from the degradation of heathenism to a moral and social eleva- tion. In this instance it was intended by the old Jeiue to interrupt the daily teaching in the schools, but the restraint thus enforced gave increased impetus to the desires after knowledge already created in the minds of the chief’s two sons, and also in a few other young people who were now en- tering on a new state of life. They consequently requested the teachers to have an evening class, to which they might attend after the labours of the day about the house. A class was formed as they requested, a goodly number of the young people attended, and every evening’s fresh acquisition of knowledge increased their desire to gain more. Thus a double blessing was secured where the opposing heathen chieftain had designed nothing but evil. About this time, while the work of instruction was ad- ISLAND OF MARE. 25 vaneing amongst the people with whom the teachers resided, the heathen tribes on the other side of the laud created an occasion of disturbance which threatened to destroy all hopes of success. One Sabbath day, while the people were assembled for worship, a party of these wild savages arrived in the settle- ment. The war whoop was vociferated by a hundred voices, and at an unexpected moment all was excitement and confusion. They announced to the chief that their tribes had been attacked by another tribe, that many of their people had been killed, that most of their plantations had been desolated, and their huts destroyed by fire. They had now come to Jeiue and his people as their allies, and requested that without delay they would unite with them in an act of retaliation upon their enemies. To secure this object they had brought the dead bodies of five men, secured from among the slain of the opposing tribe. These, as was the usual custom, were intended to supply a cannibal feast before uniting in the proposed attack. Much to the distress of the little party, who were now yielding themselves to the iufluenees of Christian instruc- tion, the old chief Jeiue gave the visitors a cordial welcome, confirmed their old alliance, and ordered the bodies of the humau beings before him to be cooked in the ovens. This was a day of great anxiety to the Christian teachers; but nerved with more than usual boldness, they determined to present themselves before the half-deified heathen chief. After giving expression to the distress of their minds at the circumstances of the day, they assured him that if he yielded to the request made, and especially, if he persisted in having the proposed feast on the bodies brought, that his sin^ against Jehovah would be greater now than it would have been in the days of his complete ignorance. They 3 26 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. exhorted him to consider his ways, and to set aside his pre- vious wicked designs. These exhortations were sustained by the advice of his sons. Jeiue yielded, the five bodies were decently buried, the cannibal feast was prevented, aud a proclamation was made to the warriors that none would be compelled to go to the war against their own desires. Still, however, the heart of this old despot remained un- changed, and he continued to create circumstances of annoy- ance to the Christian party. Soon after the above defeat, one Sabbath morning he sent his messengers throughout the settlement, announcing his determination to have fish- ing sport that morning in the sea; aud demanded that his people should accompany him, bringing their lances and their nets. This act was wantonly determined on to annoy the teachers, at the time of worship ; and to a great mea- sure it was successful. Unexpectedly, however, Jeiue and his party attended public service in the house of God on the evening of the day, but their behaviour, in the midst of the congregation, manifested the same spirit of daring opposition that had led them on in their moruiug’s diversion. Seeing this to be the case, the teacher, in the practical application of the sermon, waxed warm, and perhaps exceeded the limits of prudence, in his reference to the conduct of the party, whom he addressed personally. Enraged at this public reproof, Jeiue felt himself hum- bled in the sight of his people, over whom he had reigned with diabolical tyranny, before the introduction of “ the new religion.” He gathered together his principal people — proclaimed a prohibition under severe penalties, against the people attending the instruction of the teachers, and vowed that he would adhere to his heathen practices to the day of his death. CHAPTER IV. Act of incantation on the teachers — The people suffer from fever and ague — Illness of the chief’s sons — Lives of the teachers again threatened — Old Jeiue’s illness — His state of mind — His death — More difficulties from heathen tribes — Advance of mission. Under the combined influences of mortified pride and inveterate hatred to the new state of things, the chief was now determined to bring things to a crisis. His priests came to his aid, and in good earnest they commenced the ceremonies of incantation, with a view to destroy the new religion by taking away the lives of the teachers. Several of the principal “ sacred men ” waited day by day, in acts of worship before the gods, and their devotions being complete they came one evening, and surrounded the teachers’ house. The oldest of their party secretly entered, having with him his basket of sacred relics. These he arranged in due order, and then the whole company of ‘‘sacred men” wrought themselves into fanatic excitement; — running in and out of the house, they first flourished their clubs in the air, and then with awful fury struck them ou the ground, at the same time vociferating their hellish imprecations ou the devoted objects of their hate. ( 27 ) 28 GEMS FROM TIIE CORAL ISLANDS. At length, alike exhausted and confounded, they returned unsuccessful to their homes; for smiles, and life, and good humour were manifested by the teachers, on whom they had sought to produce fear, consternation and death. Slowly yet surely the cause of education and civilization was progressing among the people of Mare, when nearly the whole population were again laid low by the general preva- lence of influenza, with fever and ague. The whole of the people were more or less affected — many were seriously ill — and not a few died. Jeiue, the superstitious chief, escaped an attack, but his two sons had the complaint so severely, that it was thought they would die. The father, notwithstanding many signal defeats in his opposition to the advance of Christian instruc- tion, availed himself of the illness of his sons, to manifest his continued hatred to the teachers, and iu the name of his gods, he vowed, that if either of them died, that very hour the teachers’ lives should be sacrificed. This was a season of more than ordinary trial to those devoted men. Con- scious that they had no power to save life, yet sure that if either of their attached young disciples should die, the commands of the chief would be executed on them, they gave themselves to prayer. Their prayer was heard — faith and patience were granted to them during the days of un- certainty, and in mercy the health of the two young chief- tains was restored, and the wicked purposes of the father frustrated. Jeiue would much rather that the death of one of his sons had given him a pretext for murdering the teachers, than that the teachers should have lived, and the gospel live with them in his land. After these trials, a season of comparative uninterrupted labour was granted to the Christian party, and so great was the success gained, that before the events recorded in the following chapter took place, the majority of the people of ISLAND OF MARE. 29 four villages, in Jeiue’s district of country, had placed them- selves under daily instruction. We have now to detail the illness and death of the half- enlightened, yet heart hardened, wicked Jeiue. The time is now come, when this old heatheu must mourn the want of that grace which he so long and so obstiuately re- jected. At the latter end of 1848, Jeiue was taken ill, and soon after the attack severe symptoms of dropsy were developed. Day by day he grew worse, and as is usual, alike in uncivi- lized and in civilized lands, the serious illness of a chief is a season of public anxiety and alarm ; so it was now with the people of Marb. Every available means for Jeiue’s recovery was resorted to — offerings of food, and charms, and prayers; everything, except human sacrifices, was religiously attended to by the heathen priests; but they were of no avail, the old man continued to grow worse. The Christian teachers too did all they could to relieve his sufferings and to instruct his mind. In one of their letters, written at this time, they say — “ Alas ! alas ! for the parent chief Jeiue ; our com- passion toward him is very great. We see him every day; we talk with him about the Gospel of Jesus ; we give him what foreign medicines we have, but he gets no better : Jeiue must die!’' During this sickness, the disconsolate sufferer manifested more mental distress than is usually seen in a heathen. He often expressed a wish that “ he had died ten years be- fore.” And why ? Alas ! the light of life and love had been shining around him, but he had opposed its entrance into his heart, and its power over his people. He had loved darkness, and now in darkness of soul, stung by an upbraid- ing conscience, he must die ! As his end drew near, the faithful anxious Christian in- structors never left him; to them the self-condemned man 3 * 30 GEMS FROM TIIE CORAL ISLANDS. unveiled the bitterness of his soul, in review of his idolatry, his heathen practices, and his cannibalism. In a moment of comparative repose, he said to his sons, “I have been wrong in my opposition to the word of Jeho- vah — attend you to my advice, and continue as you have begun ; let the heathenism of our family die with me ; be kind to the teachers, and never again let cannibalism be practised in this land.” To questions proposed to him, it was pleasing to find that, even at the eleventh hour, the dying sinner acknow- ledged that “Jesus was the only Saviour:” to every an- nouncement made to him of. the love of God, and of his willingness and power to save unto the uttermost, he bowed an emphatic assent, and his last words were, “ Jesus is the only Saviour.” Thus died Jeiue. His sons determined to bury him with a Christian burial, and selected a natural cave, in a rock, facing the sea, as the place of interment j where the coffin was fastened to the ground by many lengths of cable chain belonging to one of the ships, which had been cut off by the old man’s commands, a few years before. Many points of character in this heathen chief might be commented on with advantage to the missionary enter- prise, but we must proceed in narrating the progress of the word of God among the people of Marb. Soon after the death of Jeiue, his eldest son, liberated from the restraint his father had imposed, gathered together the principal people of his district. Representatives both of the Christian and heathen parties were there, and a long discussion took place respecting the past history of heathen- ism, and the present position of Christianity. At the close of this meeting the young chief Nasilini made known his determination, that heathenism and idolatry should no longer reign in his districts of country, that he and his brother had ISLAND OF MARE. 31 NASILINI 32 OEMS FROM TIIE CORAL ISLANDS. given themselves to Jehovah, the true God, and that they intended to use their influence to establish his worship throughout the whole laud. Such was the pleasing condition of the principal settle- ment in Marii about the middle of 1849. There was still, however, on the other side of the islaud, a numerous tribe over whom all the practices of heathenism continued dominant. To this tribe the teachers looked with much anxiety, and used every practical means to induce them to receive instruction. Its chief and its “sacred men” had done much to annoy the Christian party, and soon after the death of old Jeiue they made another bold attempt to in- volve them iu war. The scheme devised was as follows : — A man and woman of this tribe were found dead, near the district belonging to the Christians. Reports were widely circulated that these bodies had been murdered by the Christian party. The plot succeeded in exasperating the warriors of the hea- then party, who assembled in large numbers, on the “ war ground ” between the two districts, and proclaimed a war of revenge on the Christian settlement. Day after day messengers were sent, urging the Christians to come out and fight — to let the gods decide their guilt or innocence, respecting the charge of murder, by their defeat or victory in the attack. Every morning and evening, mes- sengers were sent from the Christians, to their enemies, stating that they knew nothing of the murdered bodies found — that they believed the whole thing had been done by some designing persons in order to involve them in diffi- culties, and that whatever might be the issue, they had re- solved to have no more war. Finding, however, that the warriors did not leave the “ war ground,” Nasilini, in company with a few of his head men, went unarmed to them, and finally announced, that ISLAND OF MARE 33 they would not fight — that they now feared Jehovah — they were learning his word, and intended to abide by its in- structions. After this the heathen party returned to their own district; their diabolical scheme was frustrated, and since then there has beeu no more war on the island of Mare. “ Thus, you see,” write the teachers, “ the word of Jehovah is fulfilled to us which is written by Moses, saying, ‘ Fear not, I am with thee; I am thy shield and thy reward/ The work of God is growing in the hearts of many of the people here, and they are coming every day to us, to inquire respecting heathen practices that must be given up on making a profession of having become a believer.” One of the last difficulties these anxious inquirers had to overcome, was the giving up of their plurality of wives. Not ' because they were not now convinced that one wife in the domestic circle is better than many, but because this cus- tom had been a part of their system from time immemorial, and because so much labour was done by the women. They said, “ Alas ! our wives are our hands, and if we cut them off, who will plant our food and do our work ?” Honourable mention is made, however, of a few who at this time, for the gospel’s sake, gave up their many wives, each only retaining one. These examples, by their consist- ency of conduct, united industry, domestic peace, and daily family prayer, did much good, by exhibiting the relative duties of Christians, and setting before the heathen party a practical exposition of the doctrines preached by the teachers. Before, however, closing this chapter and witnessing the further triumph of the gospel, we have to record the painful circumstances of another, and happily, the last massacre of Englishmen on this island, done by the heathen tribe some little time before their war scheme, which has been referred to. An English ship called off their station, the captain of which wished to purchase fire- wood and yams. Vexations 34 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. occurred in this barter, which led to a quarrel, three of the natives were killed on board the ship, and many others severely ill-used and sent on shore. The whole of the exasperated tribe vowed revenge on the next white man’s ship that should come within their power. Unfortunately, about the end of the same year, a small cutter, from Sydney, put in for supplies to this station. By a well-organized plan, under the mask of friendly trade, some of the most daring of the savages went on board the little vessel — the innocent and unsuspecting captain and crew suffered the fury of heathen revenge — the ship was set on fire, and the whole of its company, seven in number, were murdered, whose bodies were taken on shore, divided among the tribe and eaten. The tidings of this deed of bloodshed much distressed the Christian party. They now felt that the injury done to man was also a sin against Jehovah. They had reason also to fear that this new act of barbarity towards Englishmen would bring an English ship of war, of which they had heard the teachers speak, and that their whole land would be in- volved in trouble, and the progress of the good work, now going on so well among themselves, would be much retarded. In relating the new experiences of their souls, under these circumstances, they said, “ Alas for us ! we never felt before as we now feel. When in heathen darkness we knew nothing of this kind of heart distress, on account of the evils done in our laud. Surely this change has been brought about by the word of Jehovah. It is a bright light shining into our hearts. We now see the greatness of our sin. Alas for us ! What shall we do? What will be the end of these things ?” CHAPTER V. First visit of Bishop of New Zealand to Mari — Havana ship of war — Captain Ersltine’s visit to the island- — The people fear the con- sequences of the former treatment of English vessels — Public con- sultation of the natives — Proposed substitution for the life of the chief — Captain Erskine’s interview with the people on shore — Arti- cles restored to Captain Erskine. In the preceding chapter we have seen the struggle be- tween light and darkness — life and death — as sustained by the few and infant disciples of Christ against the powerful and experienced emissaries of Satan ; we have now to wit- ness the advance of the struggle, and to rejoice in the steady conquest over every foe, by the power and the love of Christ, who has “ spoiled principalities and powers, and has made a show of them opeuly, triumphing over them by his cross.” Towards the latter end of 1849 we are told by Maka, the Rarotongau teacher, that “a missionary ship from New Zea- land touched at Marh, having on board a missionary called a hisopi (bishop), Dr. Selwyn, Bishop of New Zealand. “ This missionary ship was accompanied by an English ship of war from Sydney. The ship of war came on account of the number of Englishmen killed by this people.” (35) 30 OEMS PROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. As might be expected, the appearance of these vessels excited the worst fears of Nasilini and his brother. Their own participation in the deeds of bloodshed done in former years pressed heavily on their minds. In their distress they asked counsel of the teachers, who told them to con- fess all that they knew of vessels that had been cut off by the people. They were assured that the “ great English captain ” would not come on shore, and hastily kill them, or destroy their village for deeds done in heathenism ; but that he would demand a consultation with the chiefs and the people, and calmly inquire into the whole truth. To this inquiry they were advised to submit with confidence and fidelity. A meeting of the people was at once convened by Nasilini, the chief, who stated to them that as the captain was coming on shore to-morrow, to inquire respecting the murders which had been committed by themselves and their fathers, he was anxious to make arrangements for his reception, and also wished to know their opinion as to what satisfaction they could offer, so as to prevent the consequences they dreaded. At this meeting most of the under chiefs of the tribe ad- dressed the assembly, one of whom made the following ap- peal : — “ You see the white man’s fighting ship has come to us ; the great captain will be on shore to-morrow ; he is come to be revenged on us for the murders we have committed on his people. We all know that we have done wrong, but what can we now do to deliver ourselves? We have no property that the captain will value. It may be that our chief will have to suffer. Now this is my inquiry to you all : who is there amongst us that will compassionate our chief and our land, and of his own accord will come forward and give him- self up to the English captain, either to be put to death or to be put in confinement on board ship, as may be decided on ? ISLAND OF MARE. 37 O people, think of this ; it may be by this means the foreigners will forgive our past crimes, and save our land from destruction.” This appeal deeply affected the half-civilized affrighted natives, who were but just entering into the light and liberty of Christian truth, and four brave men came forward from amongst the multitude, and willingly gave themselves up to imprisonment or to death, as Captain Erskine might decide, if by so doing they could deliver their people from death. Captain Erskine, of whose kind services to our native teachers we cannot speak in too high praise, landed on Mare the morning after the above meeting was held, and we cannot do better than record the interview he had with the people, as given by himself, in his journal of a cruise amongst the islands. Captain Erskine says, “ On entering the little boat har- bour, the first object which struck our attention was part of a canoe inserted at a considerable distance above the sea in a cave, to which it was fastened by several turns of an iron chain. This was the coffin and burial-place of the old chief Jeiue, and the securing chain was a part of a cable belonging to an English ship destroyed by this tribe. “ It being high water we landed easily on the beautiful sandy beach, in a little cove. The whole population was gathered together in solemn silence, and the two young chiefs were seated in the centre. In no instance had we yet met with so formal a reception ; and it was evident from the anxiety depicted on the countenances of all, that they considered the great question of forgiveness or punishment for past offences was now to be settled. “We took our seats between the two chiefs, and after a short pause the business of the day was opened. After re- counting the deeds of bloodshed they had committed in the seizure of ships and the massacre of white men, I alluded to 4 38 GEMS FROM TIIE CORAL ISLANDS. the report I had just received from the Christian teachers respecting their improved disposition, the abandonment of savage customs, and their desire for instruction, and concluded by saying that in consequence of their altered habits and the contrition they had expressed for their former misdeeds, I was willing to forgive the past, and would in- flict no punishment.” As a proof, however, of their sincerity, Captain Erskine demanded that they should surrender to him all articles still in their possession, belonging to the unfortunate vessels they had cut off". This communication relieved the apprehensions of the people, and scarcely had the demand been made before several men came dragging many lengths of chain cable of the cutter Sisters, with iron mast hoops and many other articles, which were given over to Captain Erskine. In a speech made by the young chief Nasilini, he ex- pressed his sorrow for their former wicked practices, and said that it was not then their good fortune to have mis- sionary teaching, and that now he hoped nothing of the kind would ever occur again. In conclusion, he said every article in their possession taken from ships had now been given up, with the exception of the chain attached to Jeiue’s coffin, but it also should be sent for if required. Captain Erskine disclaimed any intention of disturbing the dead, and with much tact requested that the chain in- terred with the old chief should remain in the grave to sig- nify that all their animosities should be for ever buried. This figure was well understood by the natives, and much applauded. Thus favourably ended Captain Erskine’s in- terview with the people of Marb. The Bishop of New Zealand, who accompanied Captain Erskine on shore, and who has often expressed himself highly gratified with what he saw of the people’s advanced position ISLAND OF MARE. 39 at this time, gave them a short exhortation to continue to attend to Christian instruction. Captain Erskine says “ that the men who came to the conference had no wrappers, and some of them had painted their faces in white lines as a sign of mourning. Their eyes were remarkably fine, and their foreheads high and well- formed.” As a result of Christian teaching, Captain Erskine found the people very eager to barter the produce of their land for shirts, calico, and other articles of English manufacture. This desire, it is hoped, will be encouraged by merchants visiting the island, which, if met with justice and equity, will aid them to acquire the means necessary to advance their civilization. And now after a long, dreary, dangerous, and laborious night of years of toil, the devoted Christian teachers were permitted to witness the beaming forth of the bright rays of morning which continue to increase and promise a joyous day of enlarged prosperity. Up to this time Sabbath-day services had been held iu small and scattered congregations ; it was now proposed that the natives who lived sufficiently near should form themselves into a convenient settlement. This being done, the people united their energies and built the first large commodious chapel erected on Marti. Under the superin- tendence and assistance of the teachers, this house of prayer, a wattled and plastered building, was speedily finished. It was 130 feet long, 36 feet wide, and 42 feet high in the roof. It would have been an interesting sight to have seen this half enlightened, half-subdued barbarous people, busying themselves, heart and hand in this new work IIow great the change manifested then, even iu their transition state, as reviewed iu contrast with the entirely wild condition, iu which they were found but a few years before ! CHAPTER VI. Opening services in new chapel — Another morning cloud — Its disappear- ance — The first Christian baptism — Another villago occupied — An- other chapel built — Book in language of Mare — Arrival of mission ship, 1852 — A joyous day on shore — Native desire for European missionaries. The house of prayer commenced in a spirit and under circumstances of so much interest, as those referred to in the last chapter, was finished early in 1851, and the people waited three months after its completion, hoping the Mission Ship would come with the missionary to take part in the opening services. At length, weary of delay, they resolved to open it themselves, a day was fixed and an invitation was sent to the tribes of the districts near, urging them to attend; this invitation was very generally accepted, and great numbers came together on the auspicious occasion. Referring to this cheering event, the teachers say, “ This was a day of much joy, our hearts were made glad. Early in the morning messengers were sent from clan to clan to pro- claim the joyful occasion each one calling out as he went, ‘Bre- thren ! come, come to the opening of the house of Jehovah ; come, the house is finished, the feast is ready, come.’ ” Truly might it have been said that day, “ ITow beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who bringeth good tidings, good tidings of peace.” Obeying the joyful summons, tribe after tribe came to the new settlement, and with (40) ISLAND OF MARE. 41 v emotions as new and as peculiar as the circumstances, attended the opening services of this house of prayer. At an early hour, hundreds of visitors had arrived, of whom, with the people of the districts, more than a thousand entered the building. The honoured teachers were there. Many had been the years of toil through which they had passed, and who of us can realize the amount of trial and privation which they had endured ; and who of us can know the joy they now felt while they stood in the midst of the large assembly, in this house of God, raised by their own industry, and aided by a people who a few years before were savage cannibal heathens 1 While we may in some degree picture to our minds the pleasing external circumstances of their new position, it is impossible to describe the experiences of such men, as they reviewed the past, and offered praise from an overflowing heart to the living God who had been their help and confi- dence, and who was now become their salvation and their joy- It would have been a season of gladness to the mission- aries, the spiritual fathers of the teachers, could they have witnessed the scenes of that day; and what a reward and an encouragement would have been realized by the friends of missions at home, could they have been in the midst of this people on that hallowed occasion. But although neither missionaries nor the friends of missions were there, God was in the midst of them, the place of his feet was made glorious. Jesus was there : he saw the travail of his soul, and rejoiced in the triumphs of his cross; and the angels of the Most High were there to renew the song of Glory to God, praise to the Saviour, and peace and good- will amongst men. After a short prayer, a hymn of praise was sung, translated into the language of Mare from the Rarotonga hymn book. 4 * 42 OEMS FROM TIIE CORAL ISLANDS. Only having a manuscript copy, the teacher read line by line, and while, doubtless, there were many discordant voices, yet it must have been a thrilling scene. Portions of the holy scriptures were then read, and the whole assembly bowed in solemn prayer. Another hymn was sung, and a sermon preached by one of the honoured native teachers, from the appropriate words in the Prophet Isaiah, chap, lxi., 1st verse. Words of mercy indeed ! “ Good tidings unto the meek, healing to the broken in heart, liberty to the captive, and the opening of the prison house to them that were bound.’' This scripture was fulfilled that day in the people of Marb. Those who had made a profession of faith in the gospel were confirmed in their profession by the hal- lowed services of the occasion, and many who had come from a distance heard for the first time the plan of God’s salva- tion plainly unfolded, were led to see the folly of heathenism, and gave themselves to sincere inquiry after the truth. An interesting and somewhat remarkable circumstance took place at the close of the morning service in the dedica- tion to God, by the ordinance of baptism which was adminis- tered to five adults and two children. This was the first instance of the kind in the history of our native teachers’ pioneering labours in the islands of the South seas. The missionaries advise the teachers, that in their early attempts to instruct a heathen people, they should leave the adminis- tering of the ordinances of the gospel until those instructed are well advanced in Christian knowledge and experience. The circumstances of this deviation from the general rule were peculiar, and justifying — there was no doubt respecting the conversion of the individuals baptized; the teachers and the taught had evidence that the Spirit of God was with them, and who could refuse water that they should not baptize ? After the morning service above described, most of the ISLAND OF MARE. 43 people sat down under the shade of trees, and partook of a feast which had been prepared by the inhabitants of the village. In the afternoon the company re-assembled in the chapel and held a kind of public meeting. One of the teachers presided and many of the people gave short addresses. They spoke of the change which had come over them and their land, in contrast with former days; they expressed their joy at their present altered and happy condition; and they proclaimed their intention to adhere with constancy to the instructions they were receiving from the word of God. Thus closed a day of glorious triumph : the elevating, sanctifying power of the gospel was seen in the mental, social, moral, and spiritual improvement of these people, who had been dug up from the lowest depths of human depravity, and were destined to become bright gems of re- splendent glory in the crown of Jesus, to whom be all the praise ! Some time before these pleasing circumstances took place, the four teachers had separated, in order to occupy another district of the country, where the people had become desirous for Christian instruction. At this new station, the people resolved to follow the example of their neighbours in build- ing a chapel. Lime was burnt, posts and rafters were prepared, planks were sawn and planed ; and in three months from its com- mencement the building was finished, — seventy-two feet long, thirty-four feet wide, walls sixteen feet high : all done, under the guidance of the teachers, by people who, a little time before, did not know the Dame of chisel, saw, or plane, much less their use. The opening services of this house of prayer were similar to those of the first station, and equally interesting, and five adults also were then baptized. 44 GEMS FROM TIIE CORAL ISLANDS. At these stations daily schools are now established, and are numerously attended, and a goodly number of boys and girls can read well. In 1848, we printed at the Mission Press, Rarotonga, a number of school books, and Scripture-extract books, com- piled in the language of Mare, by one of the teachers. These had been invaluable during the past years of pioneer- ing work, and in writing to us, the teachers urgently request another and a more varied supply. They say iu one of their last letters , — “ Our want of books is very great. The people much desire to learn. Alas ! how long a time we have to wait before we shall get any. Oh that we had a press near, to print off speedily the books we need, in the language of this people l” One moonlight night, June 1852, after an absence of nearly two years, “ The Children of England’s Missionary Ship" again visited Mark. It cast anchor in a fine bay, on the south east side of the island, near the station where the second chapel was built. A great and glorious change had taken place on the island since the last visit of the ship — a change for which the missionaries had often prayed, but which they were not now prepared to witness.' About seven o’clock in the morning, as the missionaries looked on shore from the vessel, they saw crowds of natives travelling along the beach towards the chapel ; it was Sab- bath day, and they were going to the early morning prayer meeting. The building, the people, and everything seen from on board the vessel, were involved in mystery, until the excellent, long-tried, faithful teachers came off, and related, as well as their excited feelings would allow, the experiences through which they had passed since the departure of the missionary ship. The Rev. Messrs. Murray and Sunderland, of the Samoa Mission, accompanied by Captain Morgan, went on shore to ISLAND OP MARE. 45 attend the forenoon service. The missionaries preached, through the aid of the native teachers, who acted as inter- preters. Owing to the former desperate character of these people, but few captains of merchant ships had yet visited their shores. Hence but few of this deeply interesting congrega- tion were clothed; some of them had a single garment over their shoulders, others had on native cloth which had been sent to them by the churches in Samoa and Rarotonga, but the large majority had nothing but plaited leaves or bark of plants to cover themselves. After the service, the brethren visited the schools ; two hundred children were present, being taught in classes by the more advanced young men and women. Remaining two or three days at this station, the mission- aries then went to the settlement where the first chapel was built ; here the change seen in the character and habits of the people was still greater than that seen at the place above mentioned. The brethren, iu their report, exclaim, “ What hath God wrought ! How changed is the condition of this people ! A few years ago they were a wild cannibal race, living in continual war amongst themselves, and aim- ing to murder every white man who approached their shore. Now they are repentant, docile, humble, and anxious to be instructed. Here is a good chapel 120 feet long, neatly seated with good benches, in which we met more than a thousand natives for the worship of God. The service was conducted with the greatest order and attention. Sabbath- day services are constantly and well attended — daily schools are full of children — thirty-one individuals have been bap- tized — and many others are consistent candidates. Instead of the thorn there is come up the fir tree, and instead of the briar there is come up the myrtle tree, and we have in them a name, and a sign unto the Lord, which shall never be cut off.” 46 GEMS FROM TIIE CORAL ISLANDS. Continuing the “report” of this island, in 1854, when it was again visited by the mission ship, the missionaries, in forming the most dispassionate judgment on the present state of things, say, “ that education, civilization, and Chris- tianity are steadily progressing, and that the altered condi- tion of the people is such as has never been before witnessed in so short a time, under similar circumstances, either in Eastern or Western Polynesia.” The people had built a large commodious dwelling-house, hoping soon to welcome a missionary from England, who should take up his permanent residence amongst them. This house was fifty-four feet long, thirty feet wide ; walls fourteen feet high ; has a spacious veranda, Venetian blinds, and six convenient rooms ; the entire workmanship of the natives themselves, and built expressly by them for an Eng- lish missionary residence. This interesting and significant fact powerfully appeals to Christians in this country to give ear to their call. A complete revolution has taken place in the entire frame- work of society. Hundreds of the people can read the word of God ; hundreds more are learning, a great number of whom are anxiously seeking the salvation of their souls. According to the word of Jehovah so it is come to pass, — “ Behold, I make all things new,” and “ the islands shall wait for my law.” “ All things are ready.” Instead of our having to go to them to compel them to come in, they now entreat us to go to them and instruct them more fully in the way of salvation. Let it, however, be remembered, that the instrumentality employed in effecting this great change has been native in- strumentality, men whose fathers, in the Samoa and Raro- tonga groups, but a few years ago were heathen idolaters. The agents have been men, the power has been from God ; to him be all the praise. ISLAND OF MARE. 47 May this narrative of missionary enterprise on the Island of Marii stimulate the churches iu this country to sustain and increase the funds of our various Missionary Societies that they may continue to send out many labourers to this aud other parts of the mission field, where untold multitudes are with anxious desire crying, — “ Come over and help us.” After the foregoing was written, the Missionary ship John Williams reached England from the islands, and. brought encouraging information respecting the island of Mare down to the time of her leaving. Through the liberality of Christian friends in Sydney, the Directors of the London Missionary Society were enabled to send out two missionaries, in the autumn of 1853, to be located either on islands of the New Hebrides, or the Loyalty group, as Providence might indicate. These bre- thren, Rev. Messrs. Creagh aud Jones, with their devoted wives, reached Samoa last summer, and in September were taken on in the mission ship, by the Rev. Messrs. Hardie and Sunderland to the island of Mare. On their lauding, they were welcomed by a great con- course of natives, who, with few exceptions, were all clothed, either in native or foreign garments. After expressing their joy that English missionaries had come to reside with them, they offered three of their most convenient neatly -plastered houses for the use of the missionaries. The brethren took up their residence on this most interesting island, which had been so successfully opened up, by the blessing of God on the labours of our native teachers. At one station, since the last visit of the mission ship, twelve good lime-plastered houses had been built; a strong stone chapel had been erected, eighty feet long by sixty feet wide, which is filled to overflowing every Lord’s-day. The whole population, except the very aged aud the very young, 48 GEMS FROM TITE CORAL ISLANDS. can read; and about one hundred persons are candidates for Christian communion. At another settlement, the same progress obtained. — Heathenism and polygamy are abandoned, — many good houses and a new chapel have been erected, as a fruit and evidence of the people’s advance in civilization. More than two hundred persons had learned to read well, and more than fourscore of that number were giving evidence of a true conversion to God, and were waiting to be united together in communion with the Church of Christ. Seldom or ever has it been the lot of missionaries to commence their labours under circumstances so favourable, amongst a people so prepared to receive, and to be blessed, by their instruction. More than one-half of the entire population of Marfe have abandoned heathenism, and are thirsting after knowledge. Those who have not yet publicly renounced their old prac- tices, give a kind welcome, and an attentive hearing, to the Christian teacher; and there is every reason to hope that, ere long, the whole land will be subdued by the power, and radiant with the glory of the gospel of Jesus, to whom be all the glory ; and let the whole church say, — Amen. “NATION SHALL NOT LIFT UP SWOltD AGAINST NATION, NEITHER. SHALL THEY LEARN WAR ANY MORE.” ISLAND OF WARE. 49 HYMN 2 8 3. Translated, into the Native language. “WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS,” &c. Kia nana au i te Satauro, I mate ei a Jesu Christ ; Taku i kite teianei ao, E mea viivii anake rai. Kia maara au ’te matenga, O Jesu te Ariki mou ; Taku i rekareka, na, Kua akakoreia e au. Te rima e te upoko nei, Te vaevae e te kaokao rai, Na reira mai i tae mai ei Te ora e te aroa rai. Eaa te tau kia apai au, Ki toku Pu, kia Jesu rai ; Eaa, ko toku nei ngakau, Ei apinga nona uaorai. 5 50 GF.MS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. NATIVES OF FATE. THE ISLAND OF FATE. CHAPTER VII. Flight of a party of Samoan warriors from Samoa, in heathenism, — Their landing on Fate, — Character and influence of Sualo, their leader — His first hearing of missionaries being on Samoa — His desire that they should come to Fath — The first visit of the John Williams — Description of the people — A Sydney trading vessel cut off by the people— Favourable reception given to Christian teachers in 1845. The first missionary visit to the island of Fat'e is con- nected with an incident of native immigration, which can- not fail to interest and instruct, and, it may be, give some idea respecting the peopling of many of the isolated and far separated lands of the Pacific. During one of those sanguinary wars which were fre- quently occurring between the tribes of the Samoan islands in Central Polynesia, before the introduction of Chris- tianity, a vanquished party of heathen warriors, numbering upwards of fivescore, left their Samoan island home in double canoes, intending to steer their course to Tongatabu, an island of the Friendly group, some 400 miles south-west of Samoa. ( 51 ) 52 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. Under ordinary circumstances of fine weather and fair winds, they would, in all probability, have reached Tonga- tabu in safety, but they were overtaken with foul weather, got into contrary winds and currents ; lost their course ; many of the party died at sea j and, after some weeks’ dis- tress and danger, a mere remnant of them reached Fate, one of the largest lands of the New Hebrides group, and about 1,300 miles in a contrary direction to that they had desired to take. Fato was at this time thickly populated by a savage heathen people, whose different tribes were continually at war. Sualo, a leading spirit of the immigrant party, and who had been a great fighting man in Samoa, joined himself to one of the Fatfe tribes ; was very successful in his aggres- sions on the mountain tribes ; soon became a man of renown, and gained much influence over the chief and peo- ple of the district where he resided. In the year 1845, the missionary ship John Williams made her first voyage round the westward islands, having on board the Rev. Messrs. Murray and Turner, as visiting deputation. While lying off Eromanga, endeavouring to land teachers on that dark, yet interesting island, a merchant vessel hove in sight, and, on nearing the missionary ship, the captain came on board. He said, that he had just come from the island of Fath, a day’s sail to the north-west of Eromanga, and that there he had found, to his great sur- prise, a Samoan family. To this family the captain ex- plained, through a New Zealand interpreter, how that the worship of idol-gods in Samoa had been entirely abolished, that a new religion — the worship of Jehovah — had been adopted, and that a new state of things, nationally and so- cially, had come over the whole of the people there. Sualo became deeply interested in these wonderful facts, and inquired by what agency this change had been ISLAND OF FATE. 53 effected. He was told, that the au, tuvini o Jehova (the servants of Jehovah) had come from Beritani, (Eng- land,) and had taught them his word, and that this word had been the means of the wonderful change brought about in Samoa. Here we see God in providence. Sualo, while listen- ing to the above statements, became impatient with desire, and gained from the captain a promise, that he would visit the servants of Jehovah, in Samoa, as soon as possible, and urge them to come without delay to Fate, to explain more fully to him the things about the new religion, and that he, now knowing the language of Fat6, would assist them in doing for its people what had been done for the Samoans. Thus commissioned, the captain of the merchant vessel was glad to meet the mission ship off Eromanga, and the missionaries were no less rejoiced to receive the information, and to obey the request he had communicated. Having on board several Samoan Christian teachers, who were will- ing to risk their lives in introducing the gospel to heathen lands, the voyage to Fatb was undertaken, with a confidence that God was leading the way. Early in the morning of the 1st of May, 18#5, the John Williams came to an anchor off the island of Fate in a bay of immense extent. Everything on shore, as viewed from on board ship, looked lovely and fertile in the extreme, as compared with the barren beach of Eromanga. A belt of luxuriant vegetation extended some half a mile or more, inland towards the first range of hills, which were covered with rich pasture, and were more or less under cultivation. Little groups of wild, naked natives were seen on the beach and under the shade of trees, but there was an evident disinclination on their part to come off to the vessel, until repeated signs had been given that the visit was of a peaceful 5 * 54 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. nature. Thus encouraged, they began to come, in small par- ties, in their cauoes, until a sufficient number of them, to be safe or pleasant, were on board ; and now for the first time the people of Fate were brought in contact with Christian teachers, the history of whose subsequent labours, we are about to narrate in the following pages. In order, however, to give the reader a view of the Fatb people as they were first found, I cannot do better than give an extract, from the descriptive pen of Captain E , of H.M.S. Havana, who afew yearsago visited this land. “ The people, although differing much among themselves, have but few points of resemblance to the inhabitants of islands in the same group. They are of large stature and regular features, some having straight or almost aquiline noses, good foreheads, and beards of moderate size. Their dress consisted of a broad matting- work, seven or eight inches wide, wrought in diamond patterns of red, white, and black colours. Many of them were tattooed with various designs, the cartilage of the nose was, in many instances, pierced, and the orifice filled with a circular piece of stone, and the lobe of each ear was also pierced, and hung with ornaments of sea or tortoise-shell. “ Ingeniously-wrought bracelets, or small rings of ground cocoa-nut and shells, resembling chain armour, were worn round their arms and ankles ; garters, of green leaves, were tied round the leg, under the knee ; and their long crisp hair was gathered into a large top-knot, coloured yellow by lime, having a plume of cock’s feathers attached to a scratching-pin, inserted in it, at one side of the head." These were the kind of men, in whose characters and cir- cumstances there was much to interest and to pity, with whom our teachers were brought in contact on the island of Fatb, each one having his weapons of war, the principal of which were spears of most beautiful design, ISLAND OF FATE. 55 having carved barbs resembling the finest Gothic work, kept in poisoned shields of banana bark. These weapous were very numerous, and on them they set a high value. The shyness manifested by the natives in coming to the mission ship, and the evident anxiety felt by them while on board during the first day, was accounted for by the fact, that only a short time before this visit, they had destroyed a Sydney trading ship, and murdered the captain and most of the crew. As the whole blame of this affair has been attributed to the natives, we will give the particulars of its occurrence, and its issue, as they have come to our knowledge. The vessel in question came to an anchor in the spacious and beautiful harbour at the south-east of the island. Crowds of natives came off to her, evidently in a friendly manner, from the fact of having a number of females in their canoes. This fact, however, seems to have been the cause of the disturbance which ended so fatally. Amongst the crew there were eight or ten natives of New Zealand. To these, the Fate females showed more favour than to the white men. A quarrel ensued, in which the captain interfered, and the enraged natives of the crew ab- sconded to the shore. Expecting that the captain would seek after and punish them, they advised the people of Fat£ to murder him and the white crew, to secure to themselves as much of the pro- perty on board as possible, and then to sink the vessel. To this proposition the heathen natives of Fate demurred, saying that the white man was wiser and stronger than they, and that they feared the consequences. The day after the above consultation, the captain went on shore in search of the New Zealanders, who being deter- mined on revenge, made the first attack on his life, and being assisted by some of the Fate warriors, they succeeded in 56 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. murdering both him, and the whole of the boat’s crew, who went with him on shore. Infuriated with the flush of their diabolical success, the designing New Zealanders got their hands bound together, as though done by the captain, and were rowed in the boat to the ship by some of the Fate natives. Getting on board, where only the mate of the vessel, and two or three men were remaining, they told a humiliating tale about tbeir cap- ture by the captain, who, they said, had thus sent them off, and who himself would come to the ship so soon as the boat returned. The novel appearance of these men, with their hands bound together, with the apparent truthfulness of their report, put the crew off their guard, and at a given moment, a preconcerted signal was made, the whole of the bound New Zealanders burst the bonds, which had been but slight- ly tied, and, assisted by the Fate savages, they succeeded in murdering the whole of the remaining ship’s company. Other natives speedily came to the vessel, her stores were ransacked, a few guns and articles of clothing, with other things, were taken away, the vessel was set on fire, and sunk. Eight of the vile men, who were really the cause of this massacre, died of virulent disease on the island, and the others left in sandal-wood ships, giving out a report that the natives of the island had been the sole perpetrators of the deed. The missionary ship, on her first visit to this island, re- ferred to in the preceding pages, cast anchor on the very spot where the remains of the unfortunate Sydney vessel lay, and hence the apprehensive shyness of the natives. Not one came off to her the first day; early on the morning of the second day, some few men came in their canoes ; they were induced to come on board ; kindness gained their confidence, ISLAND OF FATE. 57 and before evening, hundreds of these wild people were seen going to and fro in the greatest state of heathen ex- citement and confusion. As soon as possible the missionaries made inquiries after Sualo, the Samoan heathen warrior, who had sent the mes- sage which led them, at this time, to visit the island. After considerable difficulty and delay, Sualo came on board accompanied by a large retinue of savage attendants. Since his landing on Fatb, he had married the daughter of the principal chief of the district, — he had distinguished himself by deeds of heathen valour; his name spread terror far and wide over the land, and fortunate did the tribes consider themselves who had him for an ally. Physically, he had the appearance of a fearless daring fellow, and now, as he appeared on board the ship, in Fate dress, with his murderous spear in his hand, it was evident that he was, even in the midst of the heathen Fate people, pre-eminently a man of violence and blood. How strange that from such a man should have emanated a desire for Christian teachers ! But such was the case, and both he and his party hailed, with no ordinary delight, their countrymen from Samoa, whom they now saw subdued, intelligent, instructed Christians. Much of the first day’s intercourse with the people was taken up in explaining to Sualo, and through him to the natives of Fate, the difference between the missionary ship and merchant ships, and simply expounding to them the leading doctrines of the gospel. To these statements the people listened with great interest. Four Samoan native teachers willingly gave them- selves to the pioneering work. Two were located at a dis- trict called Pango, and two at the settlement where Sualo and his tribe resided. In their report of this first visit to Fate, the thankful and 58 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. delighted missionaries say, “ Oh that we had had forty teachers instead of four to have left with the people of Fate ! We could have located them all with encouraging prospect of success.” Such was the auspicious commencement of Christian in- struction on this island, one of the largest and most lovely of Western Polynesia. A great advantage would have been gained could it have been visited again three or six months after this intro- duction of teachers; but its far west position, and the many groups of islands at which the mission ship had to call, rendered this impracticable, and eighteen months of toil and danger elapsed, before the missionary could again visit the devoted teachers left on the island of Fate. CHAPTER VIII. Second visit of mission ship — -Joyful meeting with the teachers — Confer- ence held with the teachers, who give in their report — Notices of re- ligious faith and practices of the heathen people — Population, nu- merous and much scattered — A visit to the interior — Report of teachers’ first successes— A meeting with the heathen natives of Fatb on board the mission ship — Their desire for more teachers — Application from Ngos, a heathen chief — A Christian volunteer — The vessel’s departure. It was in October, 1846, that the second missionary visit was made to Fath. The day before reaching the island, we had passed the forbidding land of Eromanga, where thick clouds were resting on its barren mountains, and thicker clouds of heathen delusion and degradation enveloped its savage population ; but as we drew near Fatk, however, we felt that we had in view a land of hope — and all nature around seemed designed to animate and encourage us. It was one of those lovely South Sea mornings, of which peo- ple who only live in northern climes can have no conception — the sea was smooth, the sky was clear, and a fine fair moderate trade-wind bore us nearer and nearer to its extend- ing and richly fertile shores. Thus circumstanced, we were indeed happy in the hope of soon becoming the instruments of cheering the hearts, ( 59 ) 60 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. and relieving the wants of our devoted native brethren, who had been left so long a time without visitation. Our joy, however, received a check from the length of time which elapsed before we saw any movement made by the natives to come off to the ship. Crowds of natives were seen on shore, as we lay off and on many hours j and at noon, the ship hav- ing drifted some distance seaward, we resolved to tack in but once more, and if no canoe came to us, to sail round to the other side of the land. On nearing the shore this time, we were cheered by seeing the two teachers coming off. They were soon alongside the ship, and were taken on board. The unbounded joy of these faithful men, at again seeing the ship, after eighteen months’ residence amongst such savage cannibals as the people of Fate, and in much suspense as to the vessel’s return, can better be imagined than written. In the embrace of their native Christian brethren, they fell prostrate on the deck — sobs and cries, for some time, gave relief to the joy of their overflowing hearts, and as soon as they could speak, words of praise were the first sounds we heard. Faafetai i le Atua ! Faafetai i le Atua i tona al- ofa tele ! Praise be to God — Praise be to God for his great love ! Many of the incredulous heathen on shore, especially the warriors and priests, had been long since taunting the teach- ers, and the little party attached to them, saying, that their religion ship would not return, and that they had been de- ceived by the foreigners, who only wished to gain a footing on the land. It was, however, gratifying to find, that, al- though it was not deemed safe for us to go on shore, yet there was no danger apprehended by our coming to an anchor in the harbour. This we did towards the evening of the day, and the ship was soon surrounded by more than a hundred canoes, each ISLAND OF FATE. 61 carrying from four to ten natives, of whom many, with ne- cessary caution, were admitted on board. As might be im- agined there was much wildness, disorder, and confusion in the conduct of these visitors, but we were desirous to recip- rocate the friendly disposition they seemed willing to manifest, " and this being done, at sunset we gave them to understand that we would like them all to leave the ship until morning. This intimation was given through one or two of the leading men, aud in an instant, scores of these wild unseemly-look- ing savages were seen scrambling down over the sides of the ship, in what to us was confusion confounded, by their hid- eous yells and shouts — each, however, understood what he was about, and getting into his own canoe, paddled off to the shore. Left alone with the teachers on board, we spent most of the night in listening to a report of the various incidents that had occurred to them during the protracted absence of the ship, and in gaining from them an account of the habits and customs of the people. It was found that these ignorant and degraded people needed not a divine revelation to teach them the existence of a God. In common with all the Polynesian tribes, yet visi- ted, they believe in the existence and dominion of a God, which they called Maui-tikitiki. They were found to have no carved idols or images, but had many objects and places con- nected with events, and persons, which they held sacred. They also rendered worship to their departed chiefs and re- nowned warriors. They believed in a state of future exis- tence, and this had a practical influence in leading them to make preparation to enter it happily, by attending to certain rites and ceremonies. When asked, where the happy place is, whither they desire to go at death, they invariably point towards the west, and call it Lakinatoto. The population is scattered over the country, and is 6 G2 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. divided into tribes, numbering from one to three hundred each — the largest tribes inhabiting the bays and mountain districts, and some forming extensive mountain villages. Each tribe is governed by its own chief, and hence constant jealousies occur, which frequently lead to war, in the horrors of which the male population delight to revel. Canuibalism, polygamy, infanticide, and immolation, were found to prevail beyond all restraint, in their most barbarous and revolting forms, among the people of Fate. Subsequent to our visit, the worthy captain of the ship Havana found the people still averse to strangers penetra- ting into their country. One day, however, as a great fa- vour, gained through the kindness of the Bishop of New Zealand, who was on a visit to the island at the same time, a party from on board that vessel were permitted to visit the spot, where the teachers had erected a house ; they were not, however, allowed to go along the shore, but were conducted some distance round by an inland route. The native houses were found to be of tolerable dimensions, of oblong form, with curved roof, closed at the sides, but open at the end. The first of these seen was taken for a temple, and from all the rafters were suspended quantities of bones, supposed to be offerings to the gods. On reaching the village, they were ushered into a large building, one hundred feet long by twenty-five feet wide, having the whole of one side open, and the interior of the roof entirely concealed by bundles of bones which were hung from the rafters; vertebrae of piirs, joints of their tails, merrythoughts of fowls, and every conceivable bone of birds and fish, mingled with lobster shells and. sharks’ fins, were suspended from the roof. These, we have found, were more or less connected with their religious ceremonies, and could they have been exam- ined, and their history told, would have revealed, most fear- fully, the inveterate cannibal habits of the people. ISLAND OF FATE. 63 On this second visit of the mission ship, we were gratified, by the testimony of the teachers, to find that Sualo, the celebrated Samoan heathen chieftain, who had been instru- mental in introducing the Christian teachers to Fate, con- tinued steady and firm in his attachment to them ; but as yet there was no evidence of his having received the gospel of Jesus, in power , into his heart. We found him still a heathen, yet desirous to lend his influence in aiding the establishment of Christian instruction throughout the island. Each teacher had been permitted to build himself a house, a part of which was appropriated as a place of assembly, to give instruction to the people. The first day of the week had beguu to be observed, by many, as a day of rest — schools, adult and juvenile, had been established, and were daily attended ; and more than a hundred persons at each of the stations, where the teachers resided, had nominally re- nounced the belief and the practices of heathenism. This success, however, created a struggle in which the powers of darkness, embodied in war, and other deeds of heathen cruelty, were aroused to more than usual activity and strength. One deadly conflict had been engaged in by tribes, amongst whom Christian truth and light had become an antagonistic power. The conflict continued many weeks, and many were the slain of both parties, whose bodies were brought to the stations, and ou which the chiefs and war- riors feasted with hellish delight. Determined on every possible occasion to denounce this horrid practice, and anxious to bring it to an end, the teachers frequently went out and met the warriors, as they returned in triumph with their victims, and in some in- stances dissuaded them from their cannibal purposes, and succeeded in getting the bodies decently buried. The cruel practice of burying alive, old and infirm people, and new-born infants, especially females, was found to exist 64 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. to a fearful extent, against which the beuign influence of Christianity, through the instrumentality of the teachers, had exerted its power, in some instances successfully. Having gained thus much of report from the teachers, we resolved to have a public service with the people, on board ship, the following day. Early in the morning messengers were sent on shore to announce our wishes ; and in a very short time the entire deck of the missionary vessel was com- pletely crowded, with a novel company of tall, black, naked, wild, yet attentive savage people. Taking our seats in the middle of the “ quarter deck,” and having near us the teachers and principal chiefs of the districts, we expounded to them, through our interpreters, the doctrines of the gospel, concerning God and Christ ; sin and death ; resur- rection, and heaven and hell. We were solemnly in- terested, and deeply affected, with the sight before us; and the people evidently understood much of our address, to which they listened with profound attention; rays of divine light penetrated, for the first time, into the inner soul of many in that assembly, where the densest darkness had before held absolute dominion ; convictions and emotions had been created by the word, through the Spirit of God, which commenced a new history, a new life, in many an immortal being, to be developed either in happiness or misery through- out eternity. On board our mission ship, in the midst of the vast sea, surrounded by such a congregation, we felt that we were fishers of men, letting down the gospel-net into the abyss of deepest moral ruin and degradation, and bringing up to heaven’s light, many thickly-encrusted pearls of inestimable worth, who were, when polished, to be bright gems of eter- nal splendour in the crown of Jesus, the Saviour of men. At the close of this address, the people desired that we would not only leave amongst them the former teachers, but ISLAND OF FATE. 65 that we would add to their number. Consequently, four tried and devoted young men were set apart to reinforce this mis- sion. They were instructed to use every prudent means to make a tour of the whole land, and to locate themselves at different stations, as soon as opportunity should occur Amongst the company in the assembly above alluded to, there was an old and influential chief, called Ngos, who, with his tribe, inhabited a small, but pleasant island, situated 6 * i 66 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. in the bay where our ship was lying at anchor; and, after having made arrangements to locate four teachers on the main land, Ngos requested, with great importunity, that we would allow one to take up his residence with him. We were much pleased with this request, but how to comply with it was our difficulty. Already, we had drawn too largely from our limited supply of teachers, and, having yet to visit many other islands in the group, we felt that we could not, from those who remained, select one for Ngos. While, however, consulting with my colleague, the Rev. H. Nisbet, as to what we should do, a young man, who had been for some time a tried, consistent junior deacon, in one of the RarotoDga churches, and who, with his excellent wife, had accompanied us this voyage, as a friend and assistant, came, and said, that he had been spending the previous night in prayer to God, that he would open a door for himself and wife to enter on missionary labour, amongst this people ; and, that now they were not only willing, but anxious to be allowed to go with Ngos, and to become missionary pioneers amongst the savage tribe over whom he reigned as chief. This offer was thankfully accepted by us ; and Tairi, for that was the young man’s name, was landed on the island of Mele under circumstances of peculiar interest. A short narrative of Tairi’s early life, together with his early and painful close of missionary career, we will give in the following chapter. Having thus accomplished as much as could be expected on this visit to the island of Fate, we commended our bre- thren to the protection and blessing of God, and set sail. 5 Much had been gained, but we were sad, as we sailed away from this large island, remembering that every district was thickly peopled with tribes yet unknown to us, and whose jealousies made it dangerous for our teachers to visit them. We deeply felt the greatness of the work to be done, the ISLAND OF FATE. 67 fewness and feebleness of our means at command ; and we were in sadness at the thought, that two long years would, in all probability, pass away, before Fate could again be visited by the missionary ship. CHAPTER IX. Tairi’s parentage and early life — His education — His decision for Christ — His labours in the Hervey Group — His voyage to Fat& — Circum- stances of his landing — Protracted absence of mission ship — Two teachers die — Tairi’s illness and death — Circumstances of Tairi’s wife’s death — An infant rescued from the grave who had been bur- ied alive — A young man’s escape from the grave. Tairi, the Christian teacher left with Ngos, as men- tioned in the last chapter, was born in Rarotonga, just about the time the gospel was introduced to that island. His father was a great mataiopo, or independent land-holder, in one of the largest districts, and was the son of one of the most savage cannibal warriors, who had gained a high pre- eminence in deeds of cruelty and bloodshed, in times when idolatry and war were rampant there. Tairi’s father, however, was one of the first of his tribe who gave attention to Christian instruction, and who, pub- licly, made profession of his having received the word of Jehovah as his guide and portion. Tairi, himself, was among the group of heathen lads who first attended the schools, established at Arorangi, Rarotonga, by the native teacher Papehia, and there, in 1832, he received from the hands of Mr. Williams, the first printed elementary book ( 68 ) ISLAND OF FATE. G9 which he could call his own. He gave great heed to instruc- tion, made steady progress in reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography, and was soon distinguished in the midst of lire companions as a thoughtful, prayerful, pious youth. At the age of eighteen, he made a public profession of his attach- ment to Jesus, by uniting himself to the Christian church, and henceforth gave his time, and talents, and influence, with constancy, humility, and zeal, to the work of instruct- ing his fellow-countrymen. Three years after joining the church he was set apart as an assistant teacher, to Maretu, an excellent native pastor, who had the entire charge of Mangaia, then an out-station to the Rarotonga mission, and for two years, Tairi filled this office with ability, consistency, and success. On the appointment of an English missionary to Mangaia, Tairi returned to Rarotonga; was elected assistant deacon to the church at Arorangi ; and, surrendering his claim to a large inheritance of landed property in favour of his younger brother, he gave himself to daily theological and general studies, with a view to the office of the ministry. Such was Tairi’s character and position, in 1846, on the island of Rarotonga. He was truly one of the numerous gems, gained from Polynesian tribes, through a preached gos- pel, alike the fruit and the glory of our missionary enterprise. His Christian excellency shone with a steadily-increasing strength. In the church, in the settlement, and in the schools he was loved ; and in the light of his instruction, and example, both the aged and the young delighted to follow in the paths, in which he led the way. We had hoped, his life would be spared, and that in future years, he would be an efficient pastor, over one of the Polynesian churches. On the arrival of the mission ship, in which we were to visit the heathen tribes of the New Hebrides, and Loyalty groups, Tairi, and his excellent wife, expressed their great 70 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. desire to accompany us, but did not disclose their intention, in reference to missionary work, until we were off Fate, when Ngos, the chief of Mele, requested that we would leave a teacher for his tribe. It was then that Tain came, and told us that he, and his wife, had been praying to God, to open to them some field of labour in a heathen land, and that they had both made arrangements not to return to Rarotonga; in proof of which he showed us a basket full of mallets, and other tools, for making native bark cloth, which he said, his wife had brought with her, in order to teach the native heatheus how to make cloth, and thus to aid him in his labours to elevate and civilize the people. Finding that we hesitated to accede to his desire, on his parent’s account, he said, “ My father understands and approves of our intentions. On bidding him farewell, I said, ‘ Father, do not again think of me in reference to our land, give me up to do the work of Jesus amongst the heathen.’ My father said, ‘Well, my son, if it so be the will of God, I do give you up. I, and your fathers before me, have done much service for Satan, during his reign over our country— Go, my son, I give you up— go, and may you be a good warrior in the service of Jesus.’ ” Under such circumstances, we were glad of such a volun- teer, and to the apparent high gratification of old Ngos, the heathen chief, Tairi and his wife were put on shore. While bidding us farewell, on landing, they were much affected ; a native savage young man, a son of Ngos, about twenty-five years old, seeing their tears, took one hand of each into his hands, and mimicking the act of eating human bodies, looked up, as mildly as a savage could look, aud shaking his head, tried to subdue in them, what he thought, was an expression of tear, by saying, “No tear no cry me no eat you !” ISLAND OF FATE. 71 Such were the interesting and affecting circumstances under which Tairi, and his companion teachers, were left with the people of Fatb, and twenty-three months passed away before they were again visited ! The John Williams was bound to England. No other vessel was available, and had there been, the responsibility, and expense, of engaging it, would have devolved on the missionaries; but during the absence of the mission ship, both we on the Hervey islands, and our brethren on Samoa, were few in number, and so fully engaged with the immedi- ate duties of those groups, that a voyage to the western stations was rendered impracticable. Just one year and eleven months of toil, trial, and joy, mingled with no small degree of sorrow, had been endured by our native brethren, when the Rev. Messrs. Turner and Nisbet, of Samoa, conducted the third missionary voyage to the island of Fate in 1848. This lengthened absence of the vessel was most disastrous to the best interests of the mission. Some of the teachers were found alive but in ill health ; others had been removed, by the hand of death, from their trials and labours, to rest and reward. After about ten months’ successful progress in their work, one of the teachers was taken ill, and in a few days died. His companion’s health at the same station soon began to fail, he lingered some little time, and as the disease advanced, became delirious. This circumstance was unfor- tunate, as it was the practice of the Fateans on the first symptoms of delirium, to put an end to the existence of the person so affected. As the report got about, that the Sa- moan stranger was in this case, a number of the heathen people came to his house, with murderous weapons in their hands, and demanded admission. The poor fellow, con- scious of their design, resisted them for some time, by putting his boxes, and other available articles, against the OEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. door — but he was feeble, and alone ; — they forced an en- trance, struck him to the ground, and he died. At Mele, where the devoted Tairi and his wife had been placed with the tribe of old Ngos, we were called to mourn over disappointed hopes, blighted under circumstances deeply affecting, and which, for the time being, involved the abandonment of that station. Tairi, on his landing, had visited the tribes near his resi- dence, had explained to them the object he, and his bre- thren, had in view in coming among them, had got a few both of adults, and children, to attend to daily instruction, and had succeeded in getting together a congregation every Sabbath-day, to listen to the exposition of God’s word. But before these new influences had gained sufficient power, so as to subdue the old habits of the people, Tairi was taken ill of fever and ague, his strength failed, he gradually grew worse ; there were no remedial agencies at hand, and sub- mitting to the command of his Master’s message, he fell, saying, “Not my will, but thine be done.” His end was peace, and we have a well-grounded hope of his glorious im- mortality. His attached and faithful wife was spared the pains of disease, to fall under circumstances still more distressing. She was in health at the time of her husband’s death, and soon expecting to give birth to her first-born child. The other teachers were at their distant stations, but arrange- ments had been made to remove her to one of their stations, as soon as possible. Some time, however, elapsed before this could be accomplished, and she was left alone in the midst of a cruel heathen population. Taking advantage of her desolate, and unprotected condition, these degraded peo- ple proposed, that she should be given to one of the chiefs, who already had many wives, and with whom it was pro- posed she should live. ISLAND OF FATE. 73 This proposition she, day by day, determinately opposed for some time, until one night, a party of savage men came to her house, and said, that they were now resolved to accom- p ish their object, by carrying her off to the chief’s house ; she succeeded in resisting them until morning, and then ran into a narrow part of the sea, which divides Mele from the main land of Fatk, hoping thereby to escape to the other teachers ; she was pursued by the infuriated heathen, and getting out of her depth, she sank, and was drowned ) thus preferring death to degradation ! We do homage to the noble spirit of this Christian woman, and to the principles of God’s grace, which made her what she was ; and while we deprecate the awful wickedness of the degraded men who caused her death, let us redouble our efforts, to bring them under the full influence of the benign gospel of Jesus, which will lead them to a just estimate, and to a proper discharge of relative duties in this life, as well as prepare them for glory, honour, and immortality, in the life that is to come. Amidst the many sad events revealed by the visit of 1848 to the island of Fath, there were circumstances which indicated an aggression on the heathen habits, customs, and principles of the people. The teachers, whose lives had been spared, had made good progress in the language, had visited many of the distant inland tribes, by whom they had been well received, and not a few of the aged and the young were receiving the first principles of the gospel — the power of God to salvation, to every one who believeth. Just before the arrival of the mission ship, a little child had been born in a family near which the teachers resided. Because this new-born infant was a girl, the parents wished her to be put to death, and the relatives, in order to hasten the deed, had with all possible speed dug a grave, brought the poor child, and actually buried it alive ! The teachers, who 7 74 OEMS FROM TIIE CORAL ISLANDS. had been apprized of the fact, went to the grave, removed the earth, found the babe still living, and rescued it from early death. Not only were the majority of female infants doomed to an untimely end, but all the sick and infirm were buried alive. The grave having been prepared, the victim was bound with tough green thongs, and lowered into it, his cries and groans being drowned in the frantic yells of the assembled multitude. A deeply affecting instance of this kind had just occurred. A young man, in the prime of life, had been, on account of his illness, buried alive, in the manner above alluded to, but he had burst his bonds and es- caped. He was again taken and buried, — a second time he struggled to the surface, and was about to flee to the moun- tains, when he was again secured — was taken by his friends ! to a valley, where his body was firmly fastened to a tree, and compelled to die of starvation. Alas ! how truly are the dark places of the earth full of the habitations of cruelty ! 0 arm of the Lord, awake ; awake ! Arouse thy church to prayer and effort, in some de- gree commensurate with the wants and claims of the hea- then world. Give love, and zeal, to thy people, to obey thy command, and send out thy word to all the nations, and give strong faith, and enduring patience, to thy servants, who live in the midst of the heathen, that they faint not in the great work committed to their hands. CHAPTER X. A whaling ship wrecked on Fate — Crew murdered — One man saved by the teachers — His note of testimony — A scheme devised by the na- tives to take the mission ship— The vessel’s esoape to another station — Difficulties arising out of the great wickedness and ignor- anoe of the people — Two attempts by the natives to murder the teachers — Horrid deeds of barbarity by white men — The mission- ary’s lament — An appeal. Just before the events recorded in the last chapter took place, circumstances of a most disastrous nature interrupted the labours of two teachers who were located on the last voyage of the mission ship, at Olatapu, a large station on the east coast. A Sydney whaling-ship had been wrecked ofl' this place. The day after the wreck, two of the sailors, starving for want of food, were discovered by the savages of the Olatapu tribe, who immediately determined to kill them. The teachers interposed, and succeeded in saving their lives that day, but on the following morning, the bloodthirsty natives, watching their opportunity, slew one of the uufortunate shipwrecked men, and before the feet of mercy could reach the spot, his body was being prepared for a cannibal feast. The other man took up his permanent residence with the teacher and was saved. ( 75 ) 76 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. A few days after, on a Sabbath morning, the captain of the wreck, and some twenty men belonging to the crew, reached Olatapu, en route to a large harbour on the south- west side of the island. At first they were treated kindly, and supplied with sugar-cane and cocoa-nuts ; and it was hoped by the teachers, that they would be allowed to pass on uninjured. Suspicious preparations, however, were seen, and in reply to questions, they said, they were going to fight with a neighbouring tribe. But it was too evident that they were intending to make a wholesale onslaught on the company of white men. At length, having assembled together in great numbers, arrangements were made, as was said, to conduct them on their journey; the whole party proceeded to walk, single file, along the road, a native between every white man, and other natives, as guards, on either side. Thus they marched some little distance, when the daring leader wheeled round, gave the signal, and the whole party of strangers were struck dead to the ground. Ten of the bodies were cooked on the spot ! and others were distributed amongst the friendly tribes ! Alas, the awful barbarity of such incarnate demon spirits ! The wonder is that they spared the teachers’ lives ; hut the God in whom they trusted was their confidence and strength, and we shall see, in this narrative, how, rather than give up their work, by fleeing the island, these heroic Christian men themselves fell victims to the cruelty of those tribes. The Christian teacher, both native as well as foreign, has been too often calum- niated by our own countrymen, whose wicked deeds he has opposed ; but iu such cases as the above, even our enemies have been constrained to do honour to the gospel, by wish- ing that all the savage tribes were brought under its subdu- ing power. The following is a note left on Fate by the white man, ISLAND OF FATE. 77 ■who was rescued by the teacher from the hands of the natives : — “ * * * This is to certify that 1 Mose ’ (the teacher) and his partner left Olatapu on the 16th of May 3 we had to run for our lives to get clear of them. J. Jones was the only one saved out of the crew 3 they killed them all. Mose, and I were saved, and I beg you to give him something. He is a good man. He ventured more than any man would think, and after all had to run. I hope the Lord will pay him for his trouble with me. John Jones.” On the arrival of the mission ship at this island in 1849; the Rev. Messrs. Hardie and Murray were the visiting de- putation. The vessel cast anchor in the beautiful bay of the settlement of Pango j but it was soon found expedient to quit her moorings, for a strong heathen party had planned an attack on her. The tribe inhabiting Pango was at war with an inland tribe, and they had resolved to bring off to the vessel a large quantity of yams, pigs, and other articles, as a present to the captain, and to demand thereupon that the ship’s crew and guns should come to their service, in fighting their enemies. If this was refused, it was arranged that they Would show no signs of displeasure, but go on shore, and collect large quantities of provision for barter, and bring it off to the ship, in an apparently friendly way, and so locate themselves about the deck, as to engage the attention of every person on board, and, on a given signal, make one simultaneous attack, murder every individual, and secure the vessel as a prize. This daring scheme became known to a native attached to the teachers, through whom it was made known, during the night, to the missionaries on board 3 and before morning dawn, without being placed in the awkward position of 78 GEMS FROM TI1E CORAL ISLANDS. either receiving or rejecting the present, the anchor was raised, and the ship put out to sea; and was thus, in the good providence of God, preserved from what might have proved a fatal attack. Sailing round to another part of this large island, the mis- sion ship was brought to an anchor off another station, where teachers were also residing. Here the people were found more mild, and disposed to give attention to instruction, but the great masses of them were still in their heathen ignorance, wildness, and degradation. They had demanded that the teachers should join them in their wars, and because they would not, but rather did all in their power to prevent war, they were often in danger of being murdered. If sick- ness prevailed among the people, they were blamed for it ; and, if they fell sick themselves, it was urged as a weakness on the part of their God, who did not preserve them from its influence. They thought Jehovah was just such a God as their own false gods; and so deluded were they, that one day, a pig near death was brought to the teacher, accompa- nied with a large oblation of native food, as a sacrifice to Je- hovah, requesting the teacher to pray for its life ! It is impossible to convey, without these details, any idea of the gross darkness into which the mind of man is sunk, as found in these islanders. The native Christians themselves are equally astonished and disgusted at the conceptions and the practices of their heathen brethren, and feel, that nothing but the patient, faithful, and constant teaching of the word of God can enlighten and subdue. In endeavouring to ac- complish this, they have to endure dangers and privations which baffle all description, and which never could be sus- tained, were not the living principles of gospel love and power strongly operative in their hearts. Their faith is sim- ple and strong, and they are doubtless favoured with special communications of consolation, and special interpositions in time of danger. ISLAND OF FATE. 79 An instance of this occurred to the teachers, at this stage of the mission on Fate, that we must not omit to record. Determined to prevent the further spread of the “ new religion,” thirty armed savage warriors came from a distant settlement, in the bay, to the place where the teachers re- sided, and, in company with a few of the most daring there, determined to put an end to their lives; — they were as lambs among wolves, but an invisible hand was their defence, and not a hair of their head was then injured. For many days, the warriors continued their schemes and experiments to strike the fatal blow, but all without success; and they returned home, declaring it a wonderful thing, and as an evidence of a power that they could not understand, that the teachers, without weapons, should escape from their hands. Again, and again, these wicked men came in con- tact with the teachers — more than once they actually raised their hatchets; but their arms were restrained, they trem- bled, and could not strike. Some time after, another party from another district set out on the same bloody errand, and determined that they would not suffer a defeat, as their neighbours had done. Many canoes were fitted out, in which not less than sixty of the most savage of heathen warriors set off on their murder- ous expedition. Could we have seen them, skirting the shores of the land, passing quickly along to the spot of their expected conquest, we should have heard their profane war- song, already chorused with shouts of victory; we should have seen them whirling their paddles and their spears in the air, dancing about as the limits of the canoe admitted, with diabolical frenzy, as their bloodthirsty desires seemed even already gratified, in anticipation, on the bodies of the devoted teachers, whose errand of mercy had induced them to leave all the pleasures of their own happy, peaceful island home, to live on Fatb, amid such scenes as we are 80 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. now describing. But God was near to save. The above party had not proceeded more than two-thirds of their jour- ney, before they were overtaken by a storm, — their canoes were dashed in pieces, and the whole company returned to their homes, more unsuccessful and more humbled than those who had gone before. While, however, thus speaking of the horrid deeds of barbarity practised by these degraded tribes, our sympathy is excited, and our blame much modified, upon the remem- brance that ships had visited the shores of Fat£, before the missionary ship, commanded and worked by men of our own colour, born in Christian Britain, and cradled in the Chris- tian religion, but who had committed deeds of outrage on the persons and the property of the natives, which for ever shame and degrade the white man’s name. Many a heathen young man, on the island of Fate, has this day, fresh in his remembrance, a smart fleet of three English sandal-wood vessels, which cast anchor in one of their finest bays, some little time before the first visit of the mission ship. The crews of these vessels were landed, and because the natives stood in the way of their gaining the sandal-wood, without proper remuneration, a quarrel ensued, in which nearly one hundred of the defenceless, unsuspect- ing islanders were killed on the spot. Alarmed at this slaughter, about thirty others, of the aged, and women, and children, fled to a cave, there hoping to find refuge from the fiend-like fury of the white foreigners; but the white men pursued them, filled up the mouth of the cave with dry brushwood, a fire was kindled, and kept burning until the groans and shrieks of the whole company of guiltless natives were silenced in death ! * * * This being done, the foreigners were left masters of the district ; they cut down sufficient wood to fill their ships, and, stealing a good supply of pigs aud yams, they sailed away glorying in their shame ! ISLAND OF FATE. 81 Oh that Christian enterprise, in the form of Christian missions, had reached Fatb before such men as those of the above expedition had reached its shores ! Then, how much our views respecting their cruelty would have been modified, and tlieir first experiences of the white man’s character would not have been connected with barbarity and crime. Mournful, indeed, is the lament sent forth to the world, some time ago, in the following language, by brethren who had visited Fatfe. Truthfully they say : — “ The evils committed by the white man on these shores who can estimate? As we approach, we find them red with blood, spilt through the cupidity and avarice of the foreign- ers. The natives, after the first visit of the white man, know him only as a savage, and, standing at a distance, ter- rified at our approach, bid us begone from their shores; or, bent upon revenge, they allure us to come nigh, and devise a thousand schemes to ensnare us as their victims. Alas ! what can be done?” The churches of Christ are now replying to that question. The mission ship and the missionary are now becoming known to the natives as their best friends, and, although we have yet to narrate events on Fatb, which cause us to mourn that our mission there was commenced so late, yet, there is more than sufficient in past delay, and present encourage- ments, to urge on the church of Christ to sustain and to extend its mission of mercy, even to the most degraded tribes of the earth. CHAPTER XI. Havana harbour — Fatfe chief desires to visit Samoa — His engagements while there — The mission ship returns to England— Trial of teachers’ faith and patience — Burying alive of a widow and her daughter prevented — Further reinforcement of the mission — Very general sickness of the people — Heathen party exasperated — They murder two-and-twenty natives — Hopeful progress at some of the stations. On the south-west side of Fatb, there is a splendid bay, known as Havana harbour; it is unequalled in either East- ern or Western Polynesia, being some nine miles deep, by three miles broad, and completely land-locked. In this lovely bay, the mission ship had been lying at anchor during the day of the visit to Fate, mentioned in the last chapter. Serna is the name of a district of land which surrounds this beautiful bay, and considering the many disastrous circum- stances which had so recently occurred, retarding the pro- gress, and counteracting the influence of Christian instruc- tion, it was peculiarly gratifying to witness the confidence of the Serna people towards the missionaries, who desired that their young chief, and his brother, should go in the ship to Samoa. They had now seen educated Christian men of their own colour from Samoa and Rarotonga, who, they were assured, but a few years ago, were in a state of idolatry and hcatheu- ( 82 ) ISLAND OF FATE. 83 ism. They had also heard of the great change that had been effected by the preaching of the gospel in those eastern lands, and how that, in schools and institutions there, promising young men were educated for future useful- ness; and they wished some of their own countrymen to go, and to see if these things were so, and to remain under in- struction by the missionaries, so as to return home on the next visit of the ship. Tongalulu the chief, and his companion, were proposed, and the request was gladly acceded to by the missionaries; they were brought to Samoa, and took up their residence in the institution for the education of native teachers. Here they remained more than two years; they learned to read the word of God, and were brought under influences which wrought favourably on their minds and their habits. The only thing regretted was, that during the residence of these semi-heathens in Samoa, some of the Samoan clans themselves were unhappily engaged in war, and they con- sequently saw and heard much evil, fitted only to their own dark land; yet, even uuder these circumstances, the char- acter and effects of the word of Jehovah were strikiugly seen in the educated minds and consistent Christian lives of thousands of the Samoan population; and it was hoped they would gain much that should prepare them, on their return to Fate, to render good service to the mission there. At this point of our missionary efforts for the island of Fate, we have again to mourn over the unavoidable length of time which passed away before the John Williams again visited its shores. It was her return voyage to England. Here she was detained for repairs, and nine or ten mouths elapsed before she set sail again for the islands. On her voyage westward, she called at Rarotonga, where several na- tive teachers were ready to go on in her, and calling at Sa- moa, several others were added to the number, and the visit- 84 OEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. ing of the stations was undertaken by the Rev. Messrs. Murray and Sunderland. But, alas ! more than thirty moons, according to native calculation, had passed away since the departure of the ves- sel from the island of Fatfe. The windmakers, and priests, and warriors, among the people, were now quite sure the “ religion ship of the foreigners” would no more return. The teachers, too, whose faith was usually strong, began to doubt, and their patience oftentimes was well nigh exhausted. Day by day, for some months, they had frequently gone to the furthest point of land, and ascending the highest elevation, looked seaward, with anxious hope, for the vessel’s return. The friends and relatives also of Tongalulu, the young chief, were filled with much anxiety respecting his safe- ty, and had frequently visited the stations where the teachers resided, to inquire whether they knew anything of the cause of the vessel’s delay; and getting no satisfactory intelli- gence, they at length returned home, and with the people of their district, made general lamentation, and attended to various heathen funeral rites and ceremonies, mourning over their absent relatives, whom they now believed to be dead ! Under these circumstances, both the teachers and people were much rejoiced at again seeing the John Williams at anchor off their island, after an absence of two years and a half. A number of canoes soon surrounded the ship, and as early as possible a meeting was held with the teachers. It was gratifying to find, that encouraging progress had been made among many of the clans ; — not a few of the heathen party had ceased to unite with other stations in war; had discontinued many of their superstitious customs, and had given up their former inveterate cannibalism. Un- der the superintendence of the teachers, they had also built the first chapel, exclusively set apart for the worship of God — in which regular services were conducted, and were well ISLAND OF FATE. 85 attended ; several families had established morning and eve- ning prayer at their own homes, and a few persons gave hopeful evidences of their true conversion to God. The teachers had been able to itinerate among other tribes of distant stations, where they had been for the most part well received, and their message listened to with encour- aging attention. The horrid custom of burying alive the old and infirm people, and children, had been broken in upon by Christian instruction, and among the instances of prevention, was one which occurred at a neighbouring village, a short time be- fore the return of the ship. An influential young man had died, and his relations de- termined that his wife and little daughter should be buried alive with him. But the chief of the station, who had for some time been attending to Christian instruction, deter- mined, if possible, to prevent this purpose ; he visited the family, reasoned the matter with them, and explained, as far as he knew, the better principles under which he had been brought by the word of God. He happily succeeded in his mission, and had the pleas- ure of seeing the body of the young man buried alone, and was the means of saving the lives of the wife and the daugh- ter from a premature grave. Thankful and encouraged for the position gained at this station, a Rarotongan teacher and his wife were located there to assist in the work thus begun, and the ship sailed round to Havana harbour, whence, it will be remembered, the chief Tongalulu embarked for Samoa. His return was hailed with frantic joy; hundreds of wild savage warriors, accompanied with as many women and children, gathered together on the beach to welcome him, who had been so far from home, and for whom they had mourned as for one dead. 86 OEMS FROM TITE CORAL ISLANDS. It must be remembered, that at this period of our mis- sionary efforts in Fate, we had six stations, more or less under the influences of regular Christian instruction. At three of these, a desperate struggle between heathen- ism and Christianity was now going on, and was marked by signs which indicated that a still greater conflict would have to be endured before the old system of things was broken down. At one village, where a chapel had been built, and things had been going on favourably, a fatal epidemic had prevailed, of which many of the tribe had died. The inveterate heathen party availed themselves of this visitation, and de- termined that Christian instruction should cease. The teachers, however, continued their services, until the more daring of the tribe set tire to the chapel, burnt it to the ground, persecuted the little Christian band, and effectually resisted all further aggression. About this time, a party of nine-and-twenty natives came from Havana harbour to this station for purposes of barter. Just now the people of Pango were urged to heathen cruelty, by influences more strong and active than usual, and they resolved to murder the whole of the visitors. To accomplish their purpose, they gave out a report that a ship was imsight — this brought the unsuspecting victims to the spot selected for the tragical deed, and two-and -twenty of them were killed, whose bodies, with one exception, were distributed to the cannibal warriors of the neighbouring tribes. At Erakor, one of the most promising villages, sufficient progress had been made in 1853, to induce the hope that the time was not far distant, when all its people would be brought under the power of the Gospel. The missionaries visiting that year, spent a Sabbath-day at this place, and were much pleased with what they saw. Two hundred and ISLAND OF FATE. 87 fifty persons came together for worship, who evinced much desire to advance in knowledge and civilization. At Sema two hundred of the natives were constant in attendance ou religious instruction every Sabbath-day, and more than fifty children were in the schools. Lolopa, in Havana harbour, was also taken up as a new station. Two teachers landed there under circumstances most favourable, and the brethren were again permitted to leave the island, mourning indeed over much evil, and many hin- derances, which yet existed, but rejoicing that so much of this unpromising soil had been broken up. In many places the seed of the kingdom had been sown ; and although har- vest time had not come, yet there were sufficient encourage- ments to invite the Christian husbandman to continue in his toils — believing, that “ he who goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless, in due time, come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” But the harvest home is not yet on Fath. CHAPTER XII. Last visit to the island in 1854 — A meditated attack on the mission ship by a heathen party — Many teachers had died since the last visit — Circumstances of their illnes6 and death — A native letter — Two teachers barbarously murdered — Present consequent painful position of Fate mission — Our hope still in the power and the grace of God. In bringing this narrative of Missionary efforts on Fatb to a close, we are not permitted to record details of triumph, like those gained on Mare, and other islands of this group. The enemy has marshalled his forces agaiust us, and we are at present suffering a retreat; a record of which, however, will show the friends of Missions, the difficulties we have to contend with in introducing the gospel to those heathen people, and we trust lead them to deeper sympathy, and more dependent, constant prayer to Almighty God, that he would give his servants continual supplies of sustaining grace, by which they may endure to the end, and ultimately triumph over every foe. The Rev. Charles Hardie, who in company with the Rev. F. Sunderland, last visited Fate, in October, 1854, gives a deeply affecting report of troubles which now prevail there, of which the following is a brief account : — As we approached the district of Olotapu, we were at ( 88 ) ISLAND OF FATE. 89 first cheered by seeing natives coming off in canoes, but much to our surprise and annoyance, as they came near the ship, they paddled off to the other side of the island. Not long after, however, another canoe came off, having on board a man who had formerly been at Samoa, and from him we learnt that some of the teachers had died of disease, since we last left the island, that others had been murdered by the heathen tribes, and that only one remained on shore to give us a full detail of the mournful facts. Deeply affected by these sad tidings, and anxious to gain further information, we shortened sail, and lay “ off and on,” some time, until a great number of canoes, filled with warriors, all heavily armed, were seen making for the anchorage. From their hostile appearance, an attack on the vessel was feared, and the captain determined not to come to an anchor. After some delay we succeeded in getting off Setephano, the native teacher, and Pornarb, the chief of Erakor. Poor Setephano ! on coming on board, he was deeply affected, — sobs and cries for some time prevented his utter- ing a word. At length he told us that he was the only teacher spared amidst the afflictive events of the past year. Yaaru, a devoted intelligent man, left at Erakor, died of fever after eight days’ illness. Tauri, another Raro- tongan teacher, stationed at this place, under date of Febru- ary, 1854, writes encouragingly, saying : — “lam glad to tell you that I and my wife, the last three months, are getting on in the language. The heathen party, inland of my sta- tion, are very numerous, but I am permitted to go among them, and many of them are coming to our Sabbath-day services. Oh, what a sweet thing is prayer to God ! It may be this whole land will soon be filled with praise to Jesus, for the power of his word. “ I and Tauri Vaine, my wife, have two classes of young people, whom we are instructing, every morning and even- 8 * 90 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. ing. These young people are much pleased in learning, they are diligent, and we hope they will soon help us in teaching the old people.” . . . But in the midst of Tauri’s commen- cing prosperity, his hopes are blighted — his wife was taken ill and died. Thus bereaved, the young man, while his heart is full of sorrow, on account of his loss, writes, — “ Death has separated us — has released us from the law which united us in the flesh, but it was well with her in death. Alas ! for the heathen, they were just beginning to understand, and to rejoice in her instruction.” Before, however, the father’s wounds, on account of the loss of his companion brother, and his wife, were healed, his only child was taken ill, and in one month after the death of the mother, the child also was carried to the grave. The distressed father again writes : — “ This is a severe blow — my heart is full of sorrow : Rautoa, my son, is dead — I am weeping — but I lean my trouble upon Jesus.” In concluding this letter Tauri says , — “ What I have written will show you the nature of our work among this heathen people ; but now our greatest anxiety is for those who have to come to us for instruction ; they are constantly tried and tempted to turn aside.” Not many months after the date of the above letter, Tauri’s own health gave way, there was no hand nigh to administer to his wants, — he lingered some time, and died also ! At another station, the prevalence of disease led the dis- affected party to determine on the death of the teachers, but nothing daunted, at this time, the faithful, ever-constant Christian men went to preach to an inland tribe, and were accompanied by some of the kind people of Erakor. On their return home, they were attacked by a party of the savages ; one of them was severely beaten — another was only saved from a spear wound, by his garment receiving the weapon ; four of their native friends were murdered, and the teachers ISLAND OF FATE. 91 ■wore only spared, by paying a ransom of two large pigs each, and six native mats ! But the most distressing event to our Mission on the island of Fat&, took place on the 20th of November, 1854. Two Karotongan teachers, Pikikaa and Kaveriri, with their wives, were all barbarously murdered, at Lolopa, a station in Havana harbour. The horrid deed was made known to the people of Erakor, two days after it had been perpetrated, by a man to whom part of one of the bodies had been sent; and who, with his degraded companions, rejoiced in the tri- umph thus gained to their cause. A little boy, a son of one of the teachers, was at first spared, by order of one of the chiefs, who afterwards com- manded that he should be taken out to sea, and cast away. This was done, but the poor little fellow, escaping from the deep, had his hands cut off, and after being otherwise tor- tured, was killed; and a party of the most savage spirits in human form revelled with delight on his body, in a cannibal feast. But now the question arises in the reader’s heart, Are these beings men? and can such beings ever be educated and blessed by Missionary teaching ? Yes, they are indeed men — our fellow men; and thanks be unto God, who for our en- couragement, has, by his grace, through a preached gospel, subdued and sanctified “an exceeding great number” of such men as they. Among the “spirits made perfect,” around the throne of God, and of the Lamb, they shine as holy and as happy as any of the jewels saved by grace ; and, in our infant churches, in heathen lands, there are hundreds, concerning whom, it can be truthfully said, such were they — but they have been sought out and polished, by the Spi- ritual Refiner of men, and now, reflecting his image, they shine as lights in the world, exhibiting as great and as glo- rious a contrast as can be exhibited on earth between the heathen savage and the truly Christian life. 92 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. Fatb is at present under a cloud — this is the hour of the powers of darkness there — but there is a light still shin- ing at the station of Erakor. A considerable number of its people, with its chief, have abandoned heathen customs, are delighting in the word of God, constantly observe family, and public worship, and otherwise give evidence of having experienced a saving change of heart. It has been thought well that Sualo, the Samoan warrior, who first led our Mission to Fate, and Setephano, the sur- viving teacher, should retire awhile to Samoa, where they now are, with the churches there, praying God to inter- pose, by his providence; and, on the return of the John Williams from England, to cause the people of Fate again to see their teachers, and to rejoice in their return. Brethren, re-peruse this missionary narrative respecting Fate, until your tenderest sympathies are awakened on its behalf ; and by believing, expecting, constant prayer, accom- panied with generous practical assistance, doubt not the issue. On Fate, as well as on other fields, where the enemy has already fallen, we shall yet spoil the opposing powers and the principalities of darkness, make a show of them openly, and triumph over them, through the Gospel of Jesus, our Saviour, and our King. THE ISLAND OF EDO MANGA. CHAPTER XIII. Notices respecting sandal-wood — Its growth, purchase, and sale — Deeds of injustice and atrocity by traders in sandal-wood — Captain Cook’s discovery of Eromanga — His intercourse with the people — His landing among them — Subsequent difficulties — Captain Cook’s firo upon the natives — Unfavourable impressions of the white man’s character on the minds of the natives. As the history of the New Hebrides group of islands, especially that of Eromanga, is in its details so intimately connected with the sandal-wood trade, a short notice re- specting its growth, and the manner in which it is obtained from the islauders. its sale, and its uses, will not be consid- ered out of place, as an introduction to the missionary history of this island. The sandal-wood yet discovered in those islands is that well known in commerce, which is of a light yellow colour, and of exceedingly fragrant odour. It is a tree of small size, having numerous branches of irregular form, which, with the trunk, are covered with a thick, red-brown bark. The leaves are of a very dark green colour, are set in pairs, and ( 93 ) 94 GEMS FROM TIIE CORAL ISLANDS. disposed to turn inwards. The flowers grow in small clusters, and are white, not unfrequeutly having a red exterior. This wood, although rarely found in large trees, of mature growth, in the islands of the Pacific, yet is comparatively abundant on the Sandwich, Marquesan, Fejee, and New Hebrides groups. It has been long well known and highly valued by the Chinese, by whom it is variously and beauti- fully wrought, in the manufacture of fancy tables, boxes, fans, and other articles; they also burn it as incense in their private houses and temples, and use long thin slips of the wood, iuserted iu a mixture of rice paste aud its sawdust, as candles, which emit a most pleasant fragrance, and are con- sidered a luxury. It is to be regretted that a production so extensive in those islands, and which, if bartered for from the natives upon just principles of commerce, might be the means of much good to those barbarous tribes, has, in reality, almost without exception, so excited the avarice and cupidity of the white man, as to make the means by which it is obtained, “ little better than plundering expeditions carried on with extreme distrust on both sides, accompanied by no incon- siderable loss of life,” and either preventing altogether, or much retarding, the success of benevolent efforts made by the Christian church, to subdue and to regenerate the hea- then tribes of these lands. The avidity with which the sandal-wood is sought after is much regulated by its demand in the Chinese market, where it brings a return varying from $75 to $175 per ton. There have been about ten to fourteen vessels generally engaged in this trade, among the islands of Western Poly- nesia ; and it is calculated that each full cargo, after all ex- penses of an eight months’ cruise are paid, leaves to the owner a net profit of more than Jive thousand dollars. ISLAND OF F.ROMANGA. 95 It is now about five-and-twenty years ago since Eroinanga first began to be visited by sandal-wood traders. During the whole of this period, down to the last two or three years, the most revolting deeds have been perpetrated with mourn- ful frequency, — foreigners murdering the Eromangans, and the Eromangans murdering foreigners; so that wood brought from the island has been frequently seen literally besmeared with human blood, as the barbarous price by which it has been secured. We have already .seen in the narrative of Mare and Fate, that the natives have committed deeds of most appalling cruelty and barbarity on foreigners, when first visited by them. This was, however, to be expected, for they were found a savage, heathen, cannibal people ; but we say not too much when we affirm, that not one-tenth of those deeds would have been done by them , bad not the vile conduct of the white man too often aroused them to revenge and re- taliation. From facts that have come to light in connection with the way in which sandal-wood has been obtained from the natives, we have wondered that any white man, once in their power, has ever escaped with his life. We have heard of traders who, when they get a chief on board, keep him prisoner, without any offence, until the people bring boat-loads of wood off, as the price of his release. The remuneration demanded by the natives in their heathen state, in exchange for the wood, is always small; and yet, in untold instances, this has been either given with an unjust hand, or refused altogether. Pigs, teeth, cats, goats, small white shells, — these were the articles demanded by the Eromangans, and one of which was frequently sufficient to purchase a ton of sandal-wood. Yet for many years, on every visit of our mission ship to the island, we learnt that fresh acts of fraud and cruelty 96 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. had been committed on the persons of the natives. In 1852, four natives were murdered by a party who went to the island in a collecting schooner; and at a still later period another was shot dead, because of a dispute which occurred by his demanding a shell in exchange for his wood, while the purchaser would give nothing but tobacco, which the native refused. Happily there have been traders in this article who are honourable exceptions in their dealings with the natives to the examples given above — a tenth of whose inhuman deeds can never be told. The exceptions have dealt honestly with the people, and have obtained the wood by fair means or not at all; but the majority have been determined to have it at any price, even the price of blood. The following well- known fact will awfully illustrate a case : — A captain on a sandal-wood cruise put his ship into a settlement on an island not far from Eromanga, when the tribe residing there was found to be at war with another tribe not far round the coast. In his desire to fill his ves- sel with wood, the captain presented many inducements to the people if they would aid him in getting a good sup- ply down to the beach. This they said they could not do during the war. Away from the restraints of law and order and the influences of civilized society, the so-called Christian man thought that he could act towards the natives with impunity, and proposed that, if they would assist in getting down the wood, he, in return, would go and fight their enemies after the white man’s style. The agreement was made ; he sailed his vessel round to the station where the opposing tribe lived, and, with feigned blandness of conduct, had a lengthened interview with them. They had no sus- picions respecting his object, and confided in the friend- liness they saw. Having thus far gained his point, he invited the people ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 97 to come off in great numbers to his ship. The invitation was accepted ; a multitude of them came on board, and the cruel, civilized (!) white man made an attack on them while in their unprepared, and defenceless state. Poor creatures! they were thrown into the utmost consternation, aud those who escaped did so by jumping overboard into the sea, and swimmiug on shore. One dead body was secured, who with a living captive, was kept on board. Having thus succeeded, the captain weighed anchor, and sailed round to the tribe with whom he had entered into the infernal compact; and, horrid to relate, he not only delivered up the body of the mnrdered Dative, but also gave up the unfortunate victim, taken prisoner, to his enemies, who took him on shore, and revelled on his body in a cannibal feast ! The wicked man who committed this outrage, got his vessel filled with wood, bought with the blood of his fellow-men ; but woe to his guilty spirit, if its sin be not forgiven, and its guilt be not cleansed ! Por, although man thinketh not so, yet verily there is a God who judgeth in the earth. Eromanga is an island not much less than a hundred miles in circumference. It is of triangular form. Its coast is for the most part rugged and barren; its mountains are of moderate height, and its valleys, even in heathenism, were in a state of comparative cultivation. The first acquaintance of the English with the inhabitants of this land was made in 1774, by the great navigator Cap- tain Cook. On nearing the shore the first day, his ship ranged the west coast, keeping about a mile distant. Nu- merous inhabitants were seen, who by signs invited the strangers to land. Detained by baffling winds and currents, the vessel did not get in with the land until the fourth day after its discovery. Two boats were lowered, and Captain Cook, commanding one of them, began to examine the coast, and to seek a proper place for lauding, in order to 9 CAPTAIN COwK LANDING ON EttOMANGA. ISLAND OF EROMANOA. m obtain firewood and water. Not findiug a suitable place to go on shore, owing to the rocks which everywhere lined the coast, the captain merely put the boat’s bow to the shore, and distributed various presents to the natives, who became so desirous that he and his party should land among them, that they offered to haul the boat over the breakers. Finding, however, that their offer was not acceded to, the excited people directed the papalcingi, or “ heavenly for- eigners,” to row further down the bay, while they ran along the shore abreast of them. At length coming to a suitable spot, the captain landed on a fine sandy beach, in the midst of a vast concourse of natives, having nothing in his hand but a green branch of a tree, which he had obtained from the people, and by which he signified his friendly intentions. In all probability, our enterprising navigator was the first white man who had come in actual contact with the Ero- mangans by landing on their shores. What they thought of him we know not ; but he was evidently much charmed with their behaviour. He says they received him with “great courtesy and politeness;” — they brought him cocoa- nuts, and yams, and water, for refreshment, and an influential man, who was taken to be a chief, successfully exerted him- self to keep the crowd in order, making them form a semi- circle around the bow of the boat. Nothing, it appears, in their manners on this occasion gave indication of un- friendly feelings; only that they appeared, what they were in reality, a heathen people, in a degraded condition, and armed with clubs, spears, and bows and arrows. How much is it to be regretted, that on this first inter- course of English people with these heathen tribes, our fathers did not make provision to give them a knowledge of Jehovah as the only living and true God, and that they did not make immediate efforts to bring them under the in- 100 OEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. fluences of our pure Christianity ! But, alas ! we have found by subsequent visits to these lauds that our early Protestant navigators not only did not give any information to the na- tives respecting a true God, and a true religion, but, in many instances, confirmed them in their idolatry, and sunk them deeper in evil than they were before. In reference to Eromanga, after remaining some time on shore, Captain Cook thought he saw signs of intended mis- chief, and returned to his boat. On embarking, the natives took up a board, which had been used as a “ gang-board/' with evident design of stealing it, taking away at the same time two oars from the hands of the crew. On the cap- tain's presenting a musket, the board was returned ; but the natives appeared now determined to detain the boat, and made an attempt to haul it on shore. At this critical mo- ment, the captain resolved that the leader among them should fall. lie pointed his gun, but it missed fire ; and instantly the natives threw stones and darts, and seemed prepared to make an attack on the crew. A general discharge was then ordered from the boat’s guns. The first fire put the natives in confusion, and the second was sufficient to drive them ' from the beach. Four natives were seen lying on shore, to all appearance dead ; and although two of them afterwards crawled to the bush, yet it is to be feared that more fell in the skirmish. Returning on board, the captain weighed anchor; but while doing so, several of the natives were seen on a low rocky point of land, exhibiting the two oars that had been taken from the boat’s crew. It was thought this looked well ; nevertheless, says the captain, “ I was prevailed on to fire a four-pound shot at them, to let them see the effect of our great guns!” This fire seems to have so frightened the natives, that they went away and were seen no more; but the two oars were left standing against the bushes. ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 101 Thus terminated, unhappily, the first visit of the white man to the people of Eroinanga, and we can easily imagine what impressions they would have respecting him as he re- tired from their shores. Blood had been spilt by him, life had been sacrificed ; and for this the natives, in their heathen state, knew of no other principles than those of revenge and retaliation. These principles were for many years much strengthened by the unwise, and in some cases barbarous, conduct of sub- sequent visitors; and while doubtless the islanders have more than repaid themselves by their untold deeds of cruelty and bloodshed on the white man, yet we have seen that we cannot lay the entire guilt of these crimes at their door. If we inquire what led to the melancholy catastrophe, the murder of our enterprising missionary Williams, recorded in the following chapter; or what, since that sad event, has, until within the last three years, effectually closed Ero- manga to the Christian teacher, we can only give a truth- ful reply by stating, that its inhabitants had learned by the white man’s deeds, to regard him as their most deadly foe ; that it was this, and this alone, which led them to form the desperate resolution to murder every white man that should land on their shores. Thanks be to God, that resolution has now been overcome, and we have a glorious triumph to record over the evils which so long prevailed there ; but before we do so, we have yet to mourn over crimes committed in heathen ignorance and retaliation, upon the Christian teacher, in incidents more immediately connected with the missionary history of the island of Eromanga. CHAPTER XIV. First efforts to introduce the gospel to Eromanga — Missionary brig Cam- den off the island, 1839 — The Rev. J. Williams’s and Mr. Harris’s landing on the island — Their death by the hand of the natives — - Unsuccessful attempt toobtain their bodies — The service of H. M. S. Favourite granted by Sir G. Gipps — Relics of Williams and Harris obtained — Their interment in Samoa. The first efforts made to introduce the gospel to the is- land of Eromanga, issued in the tragical murder, by the natives, of two missionaries, Williams and Harris, which about fifteen years ago filled the Christian public of this country with so much lamentation and concern. The details of that dire event are yet fresh in the memo- ries of most of our adult readers ; but the completeness of this missionary narrative of the island of Eromanga demands that these details be here recorded, which we will do, as briefly as possible, hoping thereby to give information to juvenile readers, which will excite their sympathies towards a heathen world, and lead them to take an active part in those labours, begun by their fathers, which have been, and continue to be, blessed for its education and regeneration. Amongst the numerous advantages secured to the South Sea mission by the advocacy of the Rev. J. Williams, during ( 102 ) ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 103 his visit in England eighteen years ago, none was more grati- fying to his own heart, or more important to the islands, than the purchase of the brig Camden, to be employed as a missionary ship. In this vessel he sailed from England in the year 1838, and after visiting most of the stations in Eastern and Central Polynesia, already under Christian instruction, as a fruit of his former labours, Mr. Williams contemplated, with eager desire, a voyage of missionary enterprise to the yet heathen islands of the New Hebrides, and the Loyalty groups. Before, however, arrangements were completed for this contemplated voyage, the missionary apostle was joined by an intelligent, large-hearted, enterprising missionary dis- ciple, in the person of Mr. Harris, who had just arrived from Ireland, and who wished to be united with him in the voyage, with a view, ultimately, to give himself to the work of a Christian teacher on one of the islands. Qn his way to Samoa, this young Christian missionary called at Rarotonga, and it was cheering to see his delight in the manifest change which had come over the Rarotongans, and to hear him ex- press his soul’s desire that he might be used by God as an honoured instrument, to bring about a similar change in the character and habits of the people of Eromanga, and those of the adjacent islands. Deeply impressed with the importance of this new mis- sion, and at the same time encouraged by the stimulus of a sanguine heart, Mr. Williams left Samoa for the New Hebrides islands in October, 1839. On his way he called at the island of Rotuma, more than 600 miles from Samoa, where it was reported a native from Eromanga was residing. Delighted with the prospect of getting the services of a native pioneer, every effort was made to see him, but as soon as the people of Rotuma knew his intention, they devised means to frustrate his object. 104 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. “This,” writes Mr. Williams, “ was a great disappointment; but, having made the effort, we have done what we could ;” and leaving the island, the vessel sailed for the New He- brides group. The evening before reaching these islands, a special prayer meeting was held on board the ship, and with a mind as sensible to the danger as his heart was devoted to the la- bours before him, Mr. Williams exclaimed, “ Oh ! how much depends on to-morrow. Will the savages receive us or not ? I am all anxiety, but desire to be prudent and faithful in the management of the attempt.” The first island of the group sighted was Fotuna, and after having a short and somewhat favourable interview with some of its people, the ship passed on to the island of Taua. Here Mr. Williams went on shore, and was much pleased with the frieudliness and peaceful disposition of the people ; and much to his joy he was permitted to land three excellent Samoan Christian men, as the first preachers of the gospel on f hose distant heathen shores, — an object for which he had planned, and prayed, and pleaded so long. As the boat was leaving the island, the natives followed it as far as possible — expressing their desire that the mis- sionary would return to them within two or three months’ time. “ Thus terminated,” says Mr. Williams, “one of the most interesting visits we have ever yet been privileged to have with the heathen in their barbarous, savage state.” On the eveuing of that day the missionary ship was off the island of Eromanga, and as it was gliding along its shores, Williams might have been seen, leaning over its side, conversing in glowing terms with a friend, on the suc- cessful events of the past few days, and looking forward with hope to days yet to come. It was on the following morning, the 20th of November, ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 105 1839, that the island of Eromanga was full in view; and as the ship sailed in towards Dillon’s Bay, three natives were seen in a canoe near the beach ; the ship’s boat was imme- diately lowered, and Messrs. Williams and Harris, accom- panied by a passenger, Mr. Cunningham, and the captain, were rowed towards them. On the boat’s reaching near the natives, the missionaries addressed them in the dialect of the eastern groups, but could not make them understand a word ; a few presents were made to them, but they assumed a very wild appearance, and were extremely shy. Proceeding further up the bay, to a landing-place, where a crowd of natives were seen standing, the missionary party made signs to them to come off to the boat; but they in return signified their hostility, and gave the strangers to understand that they wished them to depart from their land. Anxious, however, to secure intercourse with the people, and with a view to gain their confidence, a present of beads was thrown on shore; these the natives picked up with much eagerness, and came nearer to the boat, when other presents of beads, and fish-hooks, and a looking-glass, were given to them. As the visitors lay off in their boat, they had a view of a beautiful valley, down which ran a stream of water. A boat’s bucket was handed to one of the natives with a re- quest that he would get some water. This was done : Mr. Williams drank of the water, and having gained confidence in the people, said that he would have no fear in landing, continuing, as he looked to the captain, “ You know we like to take possession of land, and if we only leave a a good impression, we can return, and locate teachers : we must be content to do a little. Babel was not built in a day.” About this time Mr. Harris jumped on shore, at which 106 GEMS FROM TIIE CORAL ISLANDS. the natives immediately retired from him ; but on his sitting down they returned, bringing him cocoa-nuts. DISTANT VIEW OF DILLON’S BAT. Mr. Williams and Mr. Cunningham then landed ; the na- tives, however, refusing to shake hands with Mr. W., he sat down, and distributed cloth among them, hoping in this way to gain their confidence. It was well known that they had been often ill-treated by foreigners, and their shyness and distrust were attributed to that cause. The party then walked about a hundred yards inland, Mr. Harris keeping some distance ahead of them. While pursuing their course by the side of the brook, Mr. Wil- liams got into conversation with a number of native lads, whom he was teaching to repeat the names of the Samoan numerals. At this moment a yell was heard, and Mr. Harris was seen to run out from between some bushes, followed by a num- ber of natives, who murdered him as he fell into the stream of water. Mr. Cunningham and Captain Morgan gained the boat in safety, but Mr. Williams stumbled, and was struck with a club. Rising from this fall, it appears he ran into ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 107 the shallow water on the beach, hoping to gain the boat; but he was overtaken by a native, who struck the fatal blow, which was soon after followed by a shower of spears and ar- rows. Thus died the devoted and enterprising missionary Williams, by the hands of the Eromangans, whom he loved and sought to bless. He and Harris, his youthful compan- ion, fell victims to their cruelty aud ignorance; and in their attempt to introduce the gospel, were made to suffer revenge for deeds of bloodshed done by the white man, who had pre- viously visited their shores. The distressed and broken hearted Captain Morgan, in company with Mr. Cunningham, returned to the ship ; as the boat came alongside, orders for “ all hands to stand by, and make sail,.” produced a thrilling sensation in the hearts of all on board ; and when it was announced that Williams and Harris were dead, language cannot describe the intense grief which prevailed. Beating up in the ship to the fatal spot, with an intention, if by any possibility, to secure the bodies from the cannibal savages, the body of Williams was seen lying on the beach ; it had been dragged up to the water’s edge, where a crowd of heathen boys had so cruelly beaten it with stones, that both the stream and the shore were red with blood ! Alas! it was a distressing moment; many efforts were made to get the natives to leave the beach, but they were fruitless, for they came in larger numbers, and removed the body some distance further inland. The missionary vessel immediately proceeded to Sydney, and Sir George Gipps, having satisfied himself respecting the particulars of the calamity, readily granted the service of H. M. S. Favourite, Captain Crocker, to proceed to Ero- manga, with a view to obtain the remains of the brethren. On reaching the island, Captain Crocker, the second lieut- enant, and Mr. Cunningham, put off from the ship, in 108 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. a boat ; but as they approached the blood stained-shore, they heard the sounds of the war couch, and saw the savages flying in all directions. After some delay and trouble, communications were opened with the people, who confessed that they had devoured the bodies, and that nothing re- mained but a few bones. These were secured, and brought to the island of Upolu, in the Samoan group, where they were interred, under the shade of the mission chapel, amidst the sorrows and lamentations of a deeply-affected people, who had but recently been blessed with Christian instruc- tion through the instrumentality of him who had fallen, while attempting to introduce the same blessing to the hea- then land of Eromanga. CHAPTER XV. Christian forbearance and compassion manifested by the native converts — Their mourning on account of Williams's death — A public service held — A native convert’s speech on the occasion — His sympathy and proposition — Second visit of mission ship to Eromanga, 1840 — Two Christian teachers landed on the island —Painful incidents of their twelve months’ residence among the people — Their providential pre- servation by the kindness of a native. It is deeply interesting to witness the first development of Christian character, in the exercise of sympathy, forbear- ance and love, by a heathen people recently brought under the influences of the gospel. Such fruits were seen in the conduct of the natives of Samoa and Rarotonga, while they mourned the death of Williams, and desired still to bless his murderers. In hearts where, but a few years be- fore, revenge would have been the dominant thought, we see Christian compassion reigning : “ Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.” “ He that brought us the word of salvation is gone,” said the converts in Samoa. “ 0 cruel heathen ; how great a man have they destroyed! but they knew not what they did:” and not a few of them desired to be taken to Eromanga, and were will- ing, at the risk of their lives, to land in the midst of its sav- age inhabitants, to explain to them the word of salvation : 10 ( 109 ) no GEMS FROM TTI E CORAT, ISLANDS. Ou the receipt of the sad tidings at Rarotonga, they were carried with amazing rapidity from village to village, and from house to house. The utmost confusion and distress prevailed, mingled with an evident unbelief in the truthful- ness of the report. With a view to communicate full and correct information, I gave notice to the people of the dis- trict, that a public meeting would be held in the village chapel in the evening of the day. Not less than thirteen hundred people came together, nearly all of whom had laid aside their usual garments, and, according to their ancient mourning style, came in rags of old worn-out native cloth, and pieces of ragged old mats, either loosely thrown over their shoulders, or fastened around their loins. After singing and prayer, I attempted to read letters, re- ceived from Captain Morgan, and from the missionaries in Samoa, giving particulars respecting the murder of Mr. Williams. For some time, I was repeatedly interrupted by the cries and lamentations of the distressed people. Hav- ing at length completed the details, I gave a short exhorta- tion, aud was followed by several of the elder members of the church, who spoke to the people in most touching terms of Wiliamu’s first visit to Rarotonga; of his prudence in not landing among them then ; of his subsequent instruc- tions and labours for their welfare ; and of their grief at his untimely end, by the hand of the heathen : the whole scene was deeply impressive, and was worthy of their love to him to whom they owed so much. But not one word of reproach, or ill will, was uttered towards his mur- derers, the heathen. Amongst the last speakers was a middle aged man. He had been born a heathen, and had lived the years of his youth, and early manhood, in the service of idolatry and heathenism.. When the gospel of Jesus was first preached in Rarotonga, he was one of the most daring warriors and in- 1ST, AND OF EROMANGA. Ill veterate cannibals of his tribe. But his savageism had been subdued, his miud enlightened, and his heart renewed; and on rising to address the congregation, after wiping away the tears which rolled down his cheeks, he said : — “ Brethren, listen to me ! This is a day of sorrow, — we have not known such sorrow since the word of God was brought to our land. Wiliauiu, our father, is dead ; he has been murdered by the savages — blind savages ! Ah ! he was a warrior, a great warrior of Jesus, and he has fallen. “ But, brethren, I have been thinking, why should we weep for him ? You remember how we used to act in our heathenism. Our warriors would leave home, and wives, and children, to fight the battles of our chief. To fall in battle was esteemed an honour. It was desired, and the friends of the fallen rejoiced in it. You know we used to say, that the warrior who thus fell would have great pos- sessions and honours, in company with his chief, in te ao a muri a tu, “ the world beyond.” This thought warms my heart now ; let us weep for ourselves ; let us weep for Wiliamu vaine, Mrs. Williams; let us weep for the hea- then, but let us not weep for Wiliamu. He has fallen, but in his fall he has only let go his hold of the weapons of war, to ascend to our great King, and to be with him for ever in glory. “ Brethren, wipe away your tears. This is my question to you, What about the work ? Who will stand where Wiliamu fell ? Who will go and complete the battle which he began ? “ Brethren, I have been remembering the prayer of Jesus when he hung upon the cross, ‘Father, forgive them, they know not what they do ’ Should not this be our prayer ? Now, in conclusion, I look to the missionary, and I look to you, and I tell you that the desire of my heart is, to be put on board the next ship that comes to our land ; that I be 112 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. taken down to that dark land of Eromanga, and be put on shore, in the midst of the heathen who murdered Wiliainu. “ I will tell them what we once were, and what the word of God has now made us; and, it may be, they will under- stand what I say : but should I fall by their hands,” — looking towards another church member, he said, — “ If I fall, you, my brother, follow me ; and if you fall let another come, and another, and in this way the land of Eromanga, and all its people, shall be gained for Jesus, and become as we are this day, through the preaching of his word.” Such was the spirit of one of the redeemed from among the tribes of Rarotonga, who would have regarded it his highest honour could he have gone to Eromanga, and have told its people what the word and the grace of Jesus had done for them. But this he was not permitted to do. Be- fore Eromanga was “ gained for Jesus,” he had joined the number of the saved and sanctified, around the throne of Jesus in heaven. On the arrival of the Camden in Samoa, in 1840, the missionaries resolved to adopt measures at once, to carry out what they knew to have been the plans of Mr Williams, iu reference to the New Hebrides islands. The Rev. Thomas Heath was appointed to visit Tana, and to make other attempts to land teachers on Eromanga. Two well-tried and excellent Samoan native Christians were appointed to recommence efforts for that island; and leaving home for this long voyage and dangerous mission, they were followed by the sympathy and the prayers of the native churches, many of whose members would have gladly given themselves to the same work. Arriving at the island of Eromanga, it was not thought desirable to visit Dillon’s Bay; accordingly the vessel sailed rouud to another district. After laying off and on ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 113 some time, a party of Datives came off to the ship, with whom the missionary succeeded ia getting a favourable interview. It should be remembered, that in locating native teachers ou a heathen island, it is always necessary to gain a promise of protection for them, from the ruling chief of the place ; and in most cases, when this is secured, it is all that can be expected on a first visit. Generally speaking our confidence, thus inspired, is not betrayed. In the present instance a chief came on board, to whom was explained the object in view ; and he, with his people, expressed themselves willing that the teachers should land among them and that they should be protected until the next visit of the mission ship. The opening was considered favourable. The two Samoan Christian teachers were landed, under circumstances which led the missionary to rejoice, yet not without fear, deepened into sadness, as he remembered that twelve months would pass away before the vessel would return. On the next approach of the missionary ship to Ero- manga in 1841, a number of natives came off to her, and having at a distance cautiously examined her, hastily re- turned to the shore. This conduct was not at all calculated to give a favourable impressiou to the missionary; but after waiting some time in no little suspense, the ship’s boat was lowered, and the missionary was rowed towards the shore, when anxiety was much relieved by taking on board Lasolo, one of the teachers, and Nanari, said to be chief of the tribe of the district. The other teacher was on shore, but the people were not at all disposed to bring him off to the boat. The landing-place was up a narrow inlet, between two cliffs, each of which was thickly crowded with armed savages ; and uuder such circumstances it was not deemed prudent to go nearer the shore. While thinking for a moment what plan to adopt, a Samoan Christian 10 * 114 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. native proposed to land, and try to bring off, if possible, the missing teacher. This step involved much danger, but not so much as if the missionary had himself gone; aud as it was his own proposal, and as the chief of the district was in the boat, it was thought that he might go with little appre- hension of evil. Lalolangi, for that was the name of the Samoan, was not long absent, but returned as he went : he had seen the poor sickly-looking teacher in the midst of the armed heathen, but had not been allowed to converse with him, and was given to understand that he was not permitted to come oif to the boat. Things now began to wear a somewhat mysterious and threatening aspect ; and to crown all, the chief, who had been up to this time in the boat, leaped into the sea, and began to swim towards the land. As his escape would endanger the life of the teacher who was on shore, it was necessary that he should be recaptured. The boat, there- fore, pursued him, aud in great terror he returned on board. Kindness however, soon allayed his fears, and he was given to understand that the missionaries had none other than friendly feelings towards him, and that all that was desired was, that the teacher on shore should be permitted to come off to the ship. Being thus enlightened, and finding himself in the power of the strangers he shouted lustily, to the highest pitch of his voice, to the natives on shore, to bring off the teacher. For some time they appeared to give no heed to his com- mands; at length, however, they came off, bringing the teacher with them, but would not allow him to come to the boat ; as it advanced or receded so they rowed, always keep- ing at a vexatious distance, in all probability fearing lest they should be fired on, as had been the case on other visits of foreigners. ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 115 Just at tills period, while the circumstances were so try- ing, and so critical, the teacher tore himself away from the natives, plunged into the sea, and swam towards the boat. Poor fellow ! he had well nigh been drowned ; for some time past he had been in ill health, and was now so extremely weak, that the excitement of the morning induced delirious- ness, which continued some time. Having now secured their object, the missionaries wished the chief to accompany them on board the ship ; to this, however, he would not consent, but having received a few presents, he returned to his party on shore, and agaiu Pro- manga was left, and its ignorant and barbarous people would often ponder over the mysterious conduct of the white man who came in the mission ship, in contrast with that of him who came in other vessels ; and in this way prejudices were overcome, which have eventually led to the happy change that now prevails amongst them. The two teachers whose rescue has been detailed in the preceding page, were living on Eromanga twelve mouths ; they had gained much knowledge respecting the character and habits of the peopje, had learned a little of their lan- guage, and had been able, in a limited circle, to convey some idea respecting the gospel mission. The inhabitants of Eromanga, in their physical develop- ment, in their language, and in many of their habits, differ from their nearest neighbours in the same group. They are comparatively small in stature, have crisp, curly hair, and many of them appear to be closely allied to the negro race. Polygamy is extensively prevalent, the men rove abroad in a comparative state of nudity, the females are deeply de- graded, they live in miserable huts, and in their heathen state the different tribes were continually engaged in san- guinary war with each other; and so great were their cannibal propensities, that the practice occurred daily ; woe to their 116 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. unfortunate neighbours, who by contrary winds, or other causes, landed on their inhospitable shores; and in their feasts for the chiefs and warriors, a body of a female usually formed the principal part of the repast ! Amongst these people the Christian teachers had been most providentially preserved for twelve months; for the chief who had promised them protection and support, had failed to fulfil his promise. Finding that their teaching and habits were contrary to his inclination, he cast them off soon after their landing; not indeed that their lives were at all threatened by violence, but the plan devised seems to have been to leave them to die of starvation. Near the place where the two teachers resided, there lived a native of another island, who through one of his wives had become related to an Eromangan family. This man was favourably disposed towards the teachers and for seven months showed them much kindness, by providing for their wants. But the time came for this man to return to his own island, and the teachers were left in a state of perfect destitu- tion. The chief gave orders that no one of his people should go near the house where they lived, and in those circumstances their health soon failed, and they expected nothing but a lingering yet certain death. Before landing, however, they had counted the cost, and now that the trial came upon them, severe and painful as it was, they were not only resigned, but acquiesced in the will of their Saviour and Lord, for whom they had suffered the loss of all things. Their faith and patience were sustained during the affliction, and at the time of deepest extremity, the providence of Him in whom they trusted appeared for their deliverance. The same God, who in ancient days was with the prophet, who guided him to the brook, and who commanded the ravens to feed him, was the teachers’ ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 117 God. In the day of their distress, a native, quite a stranger to them, had his heart stirred up with compassion towards them, and day by day for the space of five months, this stranger came secretly to their hut, and lifting up the thatch, gave them necessary supplies of daily food; and in this way, was the means of saving alive the men who his savage brethren designed should die of starvation. Under the influence of what motives this kind heathen man acted, it is impossible to conjecture, but in what he did we recognize the hand of God. It would have been a gratification to have rewarded this man, but the brethren on leaving the island were afraid to inquire after him, lest it should expose him to the revenge of the inveterate heathen party. Now, that the gospel is constantly preached in Eromanga, and many of its inhabi- tants have received it as their salvation, may this man, through faith in Jesus, obtain the reward of those concern- ing whom, with gracious approbation, He said , — “ Inas- much as ye did it unto these , ye did it unto Me ” ! CHAPTER X Y I . First visit of the John Williams, 1845 — Favourable interview with the people — The landing of the Bishop of New Zealand, in company with a Rarotongan teacher — Eromangans taken to New Zealand — Early history of a native youth — Ilis desire for the office of bell- ringer — His education — His dedication to missionary work — His marriage — His landing, in company with another teacher, on Ero- manga — Hopeful prospects of their mission. After the removal of the two teachers from Eromanga, under the circumstances mentioned in the last chapter, the island was not again visited, until the arrival, from England, of the new missionary ship, the John Williams, in 1845; and although an entrance was not then gained for the per- manent location of Christian teachers, yet intercourse was held with the people, alike interesting and instructive. The vessel cast anchor in Dillon’s Bay, just opposite the spot where Williams had been murdered. No canoes were seen, but four natives swam off, and after assuring them- selves that it was the mission ship, they were induced to come on board. At first they were fearful and shy, but kindness gained their confidence, and after a little kindly conversation, they were taken on shore in the ship’s boat. On landing, crowds of natives surrounded the boat; a (118) ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 119 few presents of fish-hooks and other articles were distributed to them, for which they brought sandal-wood, as an expres- sion of their appreciation of kindness shown them. The saudal-wood was, however, declined, with assurances that the mission ship had nothing to do in its trade. Towards evening, other natives came off, to whom the same atten- tion wtis shown, and the island was again left, with satisfac- tion, that this friendly intercourse would better prepare the way among such a people, on this occasion, than by re-occu- pation of the land by the settlement of native teachers. The John Williams had now become a marked vessel, and the natives were prepared to welcome her on her return. A favourable impression also was made on the Eroman- gans by two or three visits of the Bishop of New Zealand to the island during the absence of our missionary ship. On his first voyage to the New Hebrides, the bishop called at Tana, and after showing much kindness to our teachers there, he took one of them on board his little ship to Ero- manga. Both he and the teacher landed on its blood- stained shores, and while remembering Williams and Harris, they knelt together on the sands, and wept, and offered up prayer to God, speedily to open up a way for the gospel to the benighted people. One or two of the natives were taken by the bishop and Captain Erskine to New Zealand, where they were shown much kindness, and gained know- ledge respecting the word of God, and were safely returned home. In this way God was preparing the people of Eromanga for the full reception of Christian instruction, the com- mencement and progress of which it is our pleasing duty now to relate. Just about the time when Williams fell, there were two little native boys, one on the island of Aitutaki, and another on the island of Rarotonga, who in the days of their youth 120 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. gave themselves to God, and who were raised up by him to be the honoured instruments to accomplish the good work now going on, on this island. The history of one of those teachers, from his boyhood, has been listened to with deep interest by many friends in this country; and with a view to instruct and to encourage the young people in our schools and churches, I have been requested to give its details here. In the year 1840, I was one evening sitting in my study, at uiy station, Arorangi, Rarotonga, when a little boy from the settlement came and knocked at the door. On being admitted, I asked him his errand, and in reply, he said, that he had been thinking a long time past, that he would like to do angaanga no te are tc Atua, some work for the house of God. Rather surprised at such a proposition, I asked him what he thought he could do. He replied, that he would like to ring the bell. Now, in the islands at that time we had no metal bells, but a kind of wooden gong, which answered the purpose; a piece of hard wood, about three feet long and eight inches in diameter, was hollowed out in the centre, which being struck with a small single stick of iron-wood, makes a sharp shrill sound, heard from a mile and a half to two miles distant. This gong was used to announce the time for worship in the chapels, and also to gather together the children in the schools, and it was to this that the lad re- ferred, when he said, that he would like to do something for the house of God, and he thought he could begin by ringing the bell. A few days after this interview, Akatangi, for that was his name, was installed into the office of bell-ringer ; and as I have gone to the services, I have often been delighted, to see him standing at the place appointed, beating the gong with all his might; his little soul beaming forth from ISLAND OF F.ROMANOA. 121 his jet black eyes, with evident delight at thus being em- ployed in the service of God. About two years after this first interview, I established a boarding school on our Mission premises, for the better education of a few lads of promise who were in the settle- ment school. The evening after these lads had been selected, Akatangi came to my house, looking very sorrow- fully, and on my inquiring the cause, he said, “ Alas ! my heart has been crying all day.” “ And why so ?” was my question ; to which he answered, “ You were at the settle- ment school this morning, and you selected Tekao and Nootu, and others, to come to your new school. All the time you were there I kept looking at you, and thought I would like to have come with them ; but you said the number was complete for the present, and when I heard that, my heart began to cry, and has been crying all day.” “ Are you then very desirous,” I asked, “ to come to this boarding school?” “ My desire,” he replied, “is very great.” Knowing his family, I said, “ But how can you be spared from home — your mother is dead, you are the eldest of your family, and are needed by your father to assist in his plantations — how can you be spared by him to come and reside here ?” To this he quickly rejoined, saying, “ I think my father will give his consent, if you will allow me to come.” After a little further conversation, I gave him to under- stand that I would learn from his teachers in the settlement school his general conduct and attainments, and that, if their reports were favourable, his desires should be gratified. Thus encouraged, Akatangi returned home that night with a much lighter heart than he had come with. Inquiries were made; his teachers recommended him; his father gladly gave him up, and before the end of the month, the 11 122 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. lad was a resident in the boarding-school, in the settlement of Arorangi. Here he gave diligent attention to reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, history, and other branches of in- struction attended to in the school. Two or three hours a day, also, were devoted with much earnestness, with the rest of the lads, to acquiring a knowledge of the use of carpen- ter’s tools — a practice adopted in the island boarding-schools, with a view to train the scholars to habits of industry and usefulness. While these duties were attended to, Akatangi did not give up his office of bell-ringer. Every morning he was seen beating the wooden gong, calling the children of the settlement school to instruction, and then attending to his own. Two or three years passed on, and he became known as a youth who loved to read the word of God, and daily observed private prayer. One night, when he was about fourteen years old — and he always came at night, if he had anything to say about him- self — he visited me, and said that he had a manga manoko iti, “ a little thought,” which he wished me to know. I in- quired what it was, when he replied, that he would like to become a tangata no te Atua, “ a man of God.” I assured him, that was no little thought, and that it was a great and a good desire, and that it was the only object God had in view in loving us. After some further conversation, he said, “ I have been thinking I would like soon to join the church.” I then remarked, “ that merely becoming a mem- ber of the church of God, would not make him a man of God.” “ No,” he replied, “ I know that ; I have given myself to God, and now desire to give myself to his people.” Some time passed away after this conversation, and Akatangi continued to give evidence by his consistent life that he was a child of God, and he was admitted to com- munion with the members of the church at Arorangi. ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 123 Months rolled on, and his term of scholarship had well nigh expired, when one night he came again, for private conversation. He said he had now been a long time under instruction; he trusted the advantages he had received had not been entirely puapinga Icore, “ profitless ;” he felt grateful to God for those advantages, and that he was now desirous to give himself to the work of God among the hea- then. If I thought him suitably qualified, he wished to be admitted into the college for the education of native teachers and pastors. This was not altogether unexpected by me, but it was the first time we had talked together on the sub- ject, and shortly after, Akatangi was transferred from the school to the Institution ; and having passed the usual pro- bationary term of six months, he fully entered on his studies, which he prosecuted with diligence and success. Early in the year 1852, the missionary ship being ex- pected to call at Rarotonga, on her return voyage from England, and on her way to the heathen lands westward, Akatangi, with others, was appointed to proceed in her as a native missionary. I well remember the interview I had with him, when I communicated to him our decision. He wept tears of joy, and said, that it had long been his desire to be the first teacher to some savage, cannibal people, who had not yet heard of the gospel of Jesus. About a week passed away, and the young missionary was again sitting by my side. For some moments he re- mained silent, as though musing on some important subject; and it turned out to be so, and as it will reveal an amusing and instructive incident in native character, it must be recorded. After his silent musing, he said, that as his station had been partly fixed on, and the vessel was ex- pected shortly, he had been thinking, if there was no great difficulty in the way, he that would like to akaipoipo vaine , “ get married.” 124 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. This proposition was a? unlooked for by me, as it was se- rious and important to his future history ; and thinking that his station would be somewhere near the island of Aneiteuin, where European missionaries were already residing, I ex- pressed my concurrence in his wishes, and inquired whether he had thought of any suitable individual. “ Yes,” be said, “ I have been thinking of Maria.” This young woman was a daughter of one of the first Samoan native pioneer mission- aries, and had been educated in the mission school ; consid- ering she would make a fit companion, I asked if he had made known bis desires to her. With somewhat bashful countenance, he replied, “ No, I have not yet spoken to her on the subject, but I have been looking at her a long time.” I rejoined, that in order to bring things to a crisis, it was now necessary that something more should be done than merely looking at her. He replied, that he thought so too; and, putting his hand in his pocket, he took out a letter, which he handed to me. It contained the important ques- tion for Maria’s decision. Feelings of consistent cheerful- ness, mingled with a conscious importance of the matter, filled my mind, as I read it; and being assured it will be rightly appreciated by the readers of this narrative, I will transcribe a copy : — “ To Maria, the daughter of “ I, Akatangi, have been appointed to go as a missionary to the heathen, in the dark lands westward. I have been looking at you a long time, and I desire that you will go with me. If you love Jesus, if you love the heathen, and if you love me, let us go together. Think of this, and let me know. Blessings on you from Jesus. Amen. “ Na Akatangi.” A worthy deacon of the church conveyed the letter to Maria, who, on beiug tuld from whom it came, betrayed au ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 125 expression of countenance which showed that his looking at her had produced no unfavourable impression ; and on read- ing it, she was pleased to signify her willingness to con- verse with her parents on the matter; and, if their decision was favourable, she would give an affirmative to the pro- posal. The result was, that Akatangi and Maria were married ; and in March, 1852, the missionary ship John Williams reached Rarotonga. They embarked, and sailed to the hea- then lands of the New Hebrides, some 2500 miles away, followed by the affections and prayers of the churches in their happy island home in Rarotonga. After calling at Samoa, they proceeded to the island of Eromanga, and there, in company with a companion teacher from Aitutaki, were landed, under most favourable circum- stances ; and have been the means of subduing the savageism of the people, of instructing them in the word of God, and of leading the very men who murdered Williams and Harris, to the blood of Jesus, that cleanse th from all sin. In the following chapter will be stated the present plea- sing position of the inhabitants of this island, as the result of the labours of these devoted Christian teachers; but it has been thought well in this to detail the incidents in the early history of one of them, who, by the grace of Jesus, has been so highly honoured, and who is but a specimen of hun- dreds of like-minded young native Christian teachers ; our most active and efficient assistants, in sustaining and spread- ing the labours of the Church of Christ in Polynesia; — men who began their practical Christian life, like Akatangi, by doing something for God ; and in whose case, that something was becoming hell-ringer for the house of prayer, and for the schools, in the village where he lived. 11 * CHAPTER XVII. four natives of Eromanga taken in mission ship to Samoa — Their edu- cation and consistent deportment — Their return to Eromanga, 1852 — Interesting address by one of them to his countrymen — Beneficial influence of their reports— Portions of Scripture and school-books printed in the Eromangan language — Reinforcoment of the mission, 1853 — Pleasing interview with the murderer of Williams — Last missionary visit, 1854 — Notices of the stations now occupied — A native teacher’s letter — A call for European missionaries. Towards the close of the year 1849, the Rev. A. Mur- ray, of the Samoan mission, visited the island of Eromanga, and succeeded in inducing four native young men to come in the missionary ship to Samoa. On their arrival, they were placed in the institution at Malua, where for nearly three years they resided, attending to instruction, and it is hoped received the word of God as the salvation of their souls. On the return of the ship in 1852, these young Eromangans left Samoa with ardent desire to return to their own island, to tell their countrymen what they had seen and learnt during their absence. One of them, Nivave, was in delicate health, and died on the voyage. He had learnt to read the word of God in the Samoan language, was attentive to all the means of grace, lived consistent in Christian practice, and, in the judgment of his teachers, died, having a hope- (126) ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 127 ful interest in redemption through Christ. Was he the first fruit of Christian instruction, gathered into the heavenly home, from among his degraded people ? Would the spirits of the martyrs recognize him as such ; and with renewed joy sing the new song of thanksgiving, and honour, and dominion, while they presented to the Lamb the fresh triumphs of his gospel, as witness of the continued advance of that gospel in heathen lands? At present we know not; but let us rejoice in the fact, that not a few Eromangans now give evidence of a renewed nature, who doubtless will be found among the number of the washed and sancti- fied and glorified in heaven. The three surviving young men, who were being taken home in the John Williams, were much attached to the teachers, and rejoiced when they knew it was intended to seek an opening for Akatangi and Yaa to be placed on their island. Under God, these instructed young natives of the island were the means of gaining for us this long-cherished desire. One of them, Naliel, was a very interesting character. He read fluently and intelligently in the Samoan New Tes- tament, and gave evidence that Christian truth had taken hold of his heart. How gracious and how wise was the Providence which led him to Samoa ! He was the first man fully to expound to his countrymen in their own lan- guage the doctrines of the gospel. On reaching the island, a number of natives came on board to welcome their friends; and after a little while, Naliel took his stand by the mast of the ship, in the midst of the rude, naked, heathen savages, and read to them from the New Testament. The wondering natives listened with astonishment to his account of Christ’s birth and life and death. Pointing to his hands and feet he described to them the 128 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. Saviour’s crucifixion ; and, lifting up his hand to heaven, spoke of his resurrection and ascension. AN EROMANGA NATIVE EXPOUNDING THE SCRIPTURES TO HIS COUNTRYMEN. On the following morning an interview was gained with Naioan and Raniani, the two principal chiefs, and every en- couragement was offered for the location of teachers; and, as an evidence of their sincerity, Naioan requested that his son should be taken by the missionaries to Samoa for in- struction, and returned on the next visit of the ship. The teachers theu landed, and, after sleeping a night on shore, returned to the vessel in the morning, fully assured that the set time to favour Eromanga was come. On the 25th of May, 1852, Akatangi and Yaa, with their excellent wives, were landed in the midst of a great number of natives, who gave them a most cordial welcome. Thus, after many years’ visitation under circumstances of painful interest, possession was taken of the land, and the hopes then created have been fully realized. Early in 1853, the teachers wrote a most encouraging ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 129 letter to the missionaries, sending rough translations of “Scripture Extracts” and first class school-books in the Eromangan language, urging that an edition of each should be printed off immediately and sent to them by the first ship, because of the desire of the people to learn to read ! In the autumn of the year, another visit was made to this island, and it was refreshing to witness the kindness of the natives. They had fulfilled their promises. A rudely-built chapel and teachers’ dwelling-house were built, and the mis- sionaries were told by foreigners who had been trading with the people, that they could go now with safety to any part of the island, with the exception of Cook’s Bay, where the people were still hostile. During this visitation, Raniani, the chief mentioned in the preceding page, was found to be the very man who mur- dered Williams. In a conver- sation held with him, respect- ing the reasons which led him to commit the violence, he said that foreigners had visited his laud just before, and had mur- dered his son •, and he was re- solved to be revenged on the next white man who came on shore. He was now both sorry and ashamed. The very club, with which it is said Mr. Wil- liams was killed, was given to the missionary, from which the accompanying sketch has been taken, and a pocket handker- chief belonging to Mr. Harris, and having his initials, was got from the wife of Raniani. 130 GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. Titus prospered and encouraged, the missionary deputation, after reinforcing the mission, by locating two teachers at a new station, with no ordinary feelings of gratitude to God, again left the island ; and subsequent accounts, given by the Rev. C. Hardie, who visited in the autumn of last year, 1854, show that success is still crowning the labours of the teachers; which inspires confidence that an ultimate triumph will ere long be gained over the evils which have so long reigned there. At the station last occupied, Bunkil, a village about six miles from Dillon’s Bay, the teachers are kindly treated, and their instructions well received. A small chapel has been erected, and about thirty individuals have renounced hea- thenism, and placed themselves under Christian instruction. At Dillon’s Bay, the small house at first used as a place of worship had become too small for the attendants ; a bamboo chapel, forty feet long by twenty feet wide, had been built, and lime had been burnt, and other materials had been prepared for the erection of two commodious mission houses. Sixty-seven persons have renounced heathenism, and give daily attention to learning to read and to religious services. At a third settlement in Elizabeth’s Bay, the teachers were hoping soon to gain a position ; and, upon the whole, considering the obstacles which have had to be encountered — in the difficult language of the people — in their wild, unsettled heatheu state — in the continual jealousies and strifes occurring among themselves — in the frequent ill- health of the teachers, and in their early inexperience of the manners and customs of the people; — looking at all these things, and many others which have been against us, we are constrained to exclaim, “ What hath God wrought!” In closing this narrative, it will not be considered out of place to give an extract from a letter just received from Akatangi, under date Eromanga, March, 1854 : — ISLAND OF EROMANGA. 131 To Mrsi Gilo, my minister, who taught me the word of God. “ Blessings on you ! The letter you wrote me has come to hand. I and my wife read it with great desire, and we wished much to see you; but, alas ! you are gone to Bere- taui. We are still here, and are doing the work of Jesus our Master, and he has prospered our work. The chief of the tribe with whom I am living is the man who murdered Wiliamu; he is now living. He did not know that Wiliamu was a missionary. He is now full of distress wheu he thinks what he did. But I am now teaching him to read the word of God, and he is gaining knowledge. My joy is great in God, who has assisted me in this work, and who has brought forth the people to be instructed. The work is still great : send us missionaries to do it. This is my request to you. Blessings ou you.” This, then, is the cry, even from Eromanga, “ Come over aud help us !” The door is open, wide open ; and a zealous, prudent European missionary should be sent out without delay to enter on labours so inviting. The church of Christ has wept, and prayed, and waited. God has heard prayer, and is now saying, “ Arise, and take possession of the land ; behold ! it is before you.” By the assistance of those laborious and faithful teachers, whose character and toils we have recorded in this narrative, a missionary would, without doubt, soon gain the whole population to Christian instruction; settlements would be formed, regular habits of industry induced; and at no distant time an untold number of the once barbarous tribes of Eromanga would be given to him as his joy here, and gems in his crown of rejoicing before the throne of God and the Lamb. THE ISLAND OF FOTUNA. CHAPTER XVIII. Geographical position of the island — Its discovery by Captain Cook — Its size, productions,