tihvavy oft:U theological ^^minavy 
 
 PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY 
 
 PURCHASED BY THE 
 HAMILL MISSIONARY FUND 
 
 BV 2852 .G3 M37 1877 
 Marsh, John W. 1822-1882. 
 The story of Commander Alle 
 Gardiner, R.N. , with 
 
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 1^ 
 
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 a^€^^:^^^t^6y]^ 
 
THE STORY 
 
 COMMANDER ALLEN fARDINER, M. 
 
 SKETCHES OE MISSIONAEY WORK IN 
 SOUTH AMEEICA. 
 
 JOHN W. IIARSH, M.A., 
 
 VICAR OF BLEASBY, N OTTIN G H A MSH IRR. 
 
 WAiTE H. Stirling, b.a., 
 
 SUPERINTENDENT MISSIONARY FOR TIERRA DEL FUEOO. 
 
 jFourtf; (JHtiition. 
 
 LONDON: 
 JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET. 
 
 MDC.CLXXVII. 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 The original Memoir of Captain Gardiner was published 
 in 1857, when the Fuegian Mission had recently been 
 established by the adoption of the plan recommended in 
 memoranda, which were written by Captain Gardiner, in 
 Tierra del Fuego, a little before his death. The mis- 
 sionary schooner, Allen Gardiner, had been built, Keppel 
 Island had been selected for the station on the Falklands, 
 and a clergyman had been appointed to superintend the 
 working of the Mission. 
 
 Ten years have now elapsed since that time, and some 
 account of the intervening period has been repeatedly asked 
 for by those who are interested in the South American 
 Mission. Hence, the present volume. Captain Gardiner's 
 missionary researches in South America have been again 
 related, and a short narrative has been given of efforts 
 made for ten years to follow up the work in that great 
 country. It will be seen that the early history of tlie 
 Mission is in harmony with the suggestions and plans of 
 the founder. 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 The following are some of the suggestions made Ly 
 him a short time before his death in 1851: — 
 
 I. NAME OF THE SOCIETY. 
 
 " Considering the wide field, which it is proposed that 
 the Society should enter upon and occupy, as far as they 
 have ability, it would be advisable to alter its present 
 designation to one more comprehensive and applicable, 
 viz. — The South American Missionary Society." 
 
 II. CLASSIFICATION OF THE SOCIETY'S OBJECTS. 
 
 " That the Society's operations be classed under two 
 departments, viz. — The Island, and the Continental." 
 
 III. PLAN FOR THE ISLAND OE FUEGIAN MISSION. 
 
 " To transfer the station to East Falkland, maintaining 
 there a few of the natives from Picton Island, for the 
 purpose of enabling the missionaries to acquire their 
 language. They should first be taught English, which will 
 enable them to become more efiicient instructors in their 
 own language, and save much time, as they are exceed- 
 ingly quick in imitating sounds, and repeating foreign 
 words correctly. 
 
 " The Government should be applied to for a tract of 
 land suitable for the Mission premises, and also suffi- 
 ciently large for garden ground and pasture. 
 
PREFACE. VU 
 
 " During the progress of their education, and acquiring 
 and teaching language, the natives should be employed in 
 tilling small plots of garden ground, and also in tending 
 stock on the Mission grazing farm. 
 
 " As soon as the missionaries have acquired the Puegian 
 tongue with sufficient fluency, it would be advisable to 
 relinquish the station on East Falkland, and return to 
 Banner Cove, which appears to be the most eligible spot 
 for the head-quarters of the mission. 
 
 " Whenever it is deemed right that they should return to 
 Pictoa Island, a suitable vessel should be purchased, fitted 
 up expressly for that service, and sent out from England 
 with stores and provisions, to convey them to their des- 
 tination. This vessel should be regarded as the Mission 
 House, and might remain so occupied as long as she 
 could flo2<t. A brigantine of 100 tons would be the most 
 suitable, and, if well built, would last for twenty or thirty 
 years." 
 
 IV. SUGGESTIONS FOE THE CONTINENTAL WOEK. 
 
 First — As to the Indian Tribes. — Having arrived at 
 the Indian frontier, " the missionary, if he be prudent, 
 and would not mar his future prospects, must be content 
 for a while to pause. To endeavour, without a competent 
 knowledge of the native language, to gain their confidence 
 and to locate within their borders, would be futile. It 
 has been attempted by the writer in various points, and 
 by dearly-bought experience, he is obliged to recommend 
 
 L^ 
 
VUl PREFACE. 
 
 a far difTerent course ; slower, indeed, but effectual, and 
 the only one practicable. It is simply this, first, to 
 acquire the language, and then, and not till then, to cross 
 the Indian frontier, not indeed with the expectation of 
 remaining among them, but as the first of a series of 
 brief, oft-repeated visits, which, being judiciously con- 
 ducted, will assuredly lead to the desired end — a perrna- 
 nent station in their country." 
 
 Secondly — As to the Spanish population. — " The 
 Indian and the Spaniard being placed as they are in such 
 close proximity, and in many instances with irregularly 
 denned boundaries, the Society, whose main object is the 
 instruction of the Indians, would materially further its 
 operations by bestowing some portion of its care upon 
 the Spanish speaking population also, for it is scarcely 
 possible that any permanent good should be effected in 
 one of these communities without producing a corre- 
 sponding effect upon the other. 
 
 " Since the separation of the iSouth American Eepublics 
 from the mother country, education has been generally 
 encouraged, and gradually extending among the laity, and 
 a spirit of liberty is gaining ground. Instances could be 
 mentioned when the efforts of the writer to distribute Bibles 
 and tracts having been impeded by the ecclesiastics, the 
 aid of t^io civil authorities turned the scale in his favour." 
 
 Thirdly — As to the English population. — In his last 
 letter to his son, Captain Gardiner suggested to him em- 
 ployment in South America, both ministerial and mis- 
 sionary, in the following order : — 
 
PREFACE. lY 
 
 1. The Chilidugu Mission. 
 
 2. Our own fellow-countrymen in the Buenos Ayrean 
 provinces, and in the Banda Oriental. 
 
 3. The distribution of Bibles and tracts. 
 
 Such were the enlarged views of Captain Gardiner, 
 after a careful review of his past efforts. The last words 
 were written as he felt the approach of death. 
 
 There are now three stations for missionary effort among 
 the Indians — 
 
 Keppel, for Tierra del Fuego. 
 
 Ei Carmen, for Patagonia. 
 
 Lota, for Araucania, (called by Captain Gardiner the 
 Chilidugu Mission.) 
 
 The Buenos Ayrean and the Chilian governments are 
 favourable to the work of the South American Mission. 
 
 Missionary chaplaincies for the benefit of our own 
 countrymen have been established at Panama, Callao in 
 Peru, the Chincha Islands, where the guano vessels 
 assemble in such numbers ; Coquimbo in Chili, and Pay- 
 sandii in Uruguay. 
 
 The promoters of the Mission are thankful for the pro- 
 gress which has been made. They are not discouraged 
 because the work is slow, believing that the healthy 
 growth of a mission is no more to be hurried than the 
 healthy growth of a tree. While these pages are issuing 
 from the press, the Allen Gardiner is returning to her 
 work in the Antarctic Ocean. The four natives of Tierra 
 del Fuego, who have been in England since August 1865, 
 are on board. On the eve of her sailing from the port of 
 
X PKEFACE. 
 
 Bristol, Bishop Anderson, accompanied by other friends 
 of the Mission, both lay and clerical, visited the little 
 vessel, and held a farewell service on board. 
 
 God speed the Allen Gardiner ! Be this our prayer ! 
 May she be a messenger of peace and life to men long 
 sittiiiof in darkness and in the shadow of death. 
 
PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION. 
 
 TflE issue of a third edition of this volume presents 
 an opportunity for acknowledging the hand of God in 
 the past events of the South American Mission. 
 
 The Allen Gardiner has seen twenty years of ser- 
 vice since she first sailed, in the year 1854, on her 
 sacred mission. She has carried the first missionaries 
 to their home in the Falklands, and on pioneer voy- 
 ages to Tierra del Fuego. She has brought Fuegians 
 to the Falkland Mission Station and to England, and 
 has again carried them back to be messengers of 
 peace to their countrymen. She has had her perils, 
 from collision at sea, from the intricate navigation of 
 the Fuegian archipelago in stormy seasons ; and on 
 one occasion an attempt was made by fierce savages 
 to set her on fire ; but, by the blessing of God, she 
 has been preserved through all these dangers, and is 
 still employed in the same work. 
 
 Keppel Island was our first missionary settlement. 
 Thither natives were brought for instruction, but 
 this was only a temporary expedient, and now it has 
 proved a stepping-stone to a station in the heart of 
 Tierra del Fuego. Many of the natives have thank- 
 fully accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ, and thirty- 
 seven of them have been baptized. For this great 
 success we give thanks to God. 
 
Xil PREFACE. 
 
 The details of this work are partly related in the 
 sixth and seventh chapters of- this volume, and the 
 rest in a little book, recently published, and entitled, 
 *' First Fruits of the South American Mission." 
 
 The establishment of chaplaincies for English 
 communities in South America was effected on a 
 definite plan only ten years ago, as shewn in the 
 last chapter of this book, a chapter which has been 
 re-written for the present edition. As a movement, 
 therefore, it is too recent to be tested by its results. 
 The difiiculties have been too many to be enumerated 
 here, but a few may be mentioned. There is, in the 
 first place, the permanent difiiculty of providing 
 efficiently both for ministerial and educational work, 
 in a country or mining district, without exhausting 
 the chaplain's health or energy on the one hand, and 
 on the other without crippling the resources of those 
 among whom he labours, liable as they are in some 
 places to sudden fluctuations of trade. There is also 
 the difficulty of language, for he who takes the office of 
 chaplain to an English community in South America 
 should be perfectly acquainted with the language 
 generally spoken in the neighbourhood, whether it be 
 Spanish, Portuguese, or German. Still, although so 
 short a time has elapsed, we have to record with 
 thankfulness the establishment of five chaplaincies on 
 the East and five on the West Coast. Now, although 
 these chaplaincies are at considerable distances from 
 each other, yet the appointment of a Bishop of the 
 Falklands, whose licence all the Society's chaplains 
 are required to hold, has had the effect of welding 
 the separate links into one chain. 
 
PREFACE. xiii 
 
 We have referred to the year 1854 as the date of 
 the foundation of the Mission, and to the year 1864 
 as that in which the chaplaincy work on a large scale 
 was inaugurated. 
 
 The year 1874 marks the commencement of the 
 Amazon Mission. Mr Clough had previously ascended 
 the Amazon for considerably more than 2000 miles, 
 and had fixed on Santarem as a suitable basis for 
 the work. Santarem is situated at the confluence of 
 the river Tapajoz with the main stream of the 
 Amazon, about 500 miles from Para. The journal, 
 which Mr Clough wrote during the preliminary ex- 
 pedition, is being published monthly in the South 
 American Magazine. In September last, accompanied 
 by Mr Resyek of the Southern Mission in Tierra del 
 Fuego, Mr Clough sailed for Santarem. Our readers 
 must bear in mind that the Amazon Mission is a 
 gigantic enterprise, and that, being undertaken, it 
 must be prosecuted with vigour. Instead of two mis- 
 sionaries fifty are required. The Amazon is the 
 highroad to a new Indian world, into which the 
 gospel has not yet penetrated. We trust that every 
 Englishman in South America will help the enterprise. 
 We trust that every member of the South American 
 Mission, at home and abroad, will work for it, and 
 pray for a blessing on it. We ask of Him, '^ who 
 had compassion on the multitude," to stir the hearts 
 of all Christian people to come forward and give 
 efficient help. J. W. M. 
 
 January 1S74. 
 
x= 
 
 ^ 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. PAOK 
 
 I. ^LLEN FBANCIS GARDINER, £^ . . . ' . 1 
 
 ir. MISSIONAET RESEARCHES IN CHILI AND PATAGONIA, <-' . 9 
 
 III. MISSIONARY RESEARCHES IN BOLIVIA AND TIERKA DEL k^ 
 
 FUEGO, ....... 31 
 
 IV. THE LAST VOYAGE, l^ . . . . . 49 
 V. BANNER COVE AND SPANIARD HAKBODR, .^ . , 58 
 
 VI. THE MISSIONARY SCHOONER " ALLEN GARDINER," AND THE 
 
 FALKLAND MISSIONARY STATION, . . . 88 
 
 VII. MISSIONARY WORK IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO, . . . 104 
 
 VIIL MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA, ... 136 
 IX. The ESTABLISHMENT OF MISSIONARY CHAPLAINCIES IN 
 
 SOUTH AMERICA, . . . , .165 
 
 MAPS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 SOUTH AMERICA, {to fact the Title Page) 
 
 TIERRA DEL FUEGO, 58 
 
 PATAGONIA, 136 
 
 CHILI, 165 
 
THE STORY 
 
 OP 
 
 COMMANDER ALLEN GARDINER, R.N. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ALLEN FRANCIS GAEDINER. 
 
 Allen Francis Gardiner was the fifth son of Samuel 
 Gardiner, Esq., of Coombe Lodge, in the county of Oxford. 
 He was born on the 28th of June 1794, at Basildon, Berks, 
 where his parents were residing, while building Coombe 
 Lodge. 
 
 There are few traditions of his boyhood left to us, but it 
 is known that he was carefully trained in the principles ot I 
 religion, and in after-life he was deeply sensible of the bless- 
 ing afforded him in having God-fearing parents. He very 
 early chose the navy as his profession, and, while a mere 
 child, exercised his ingenuity in drawing plans for cutting 
 the French fleet out of Rochelle harbour. He copied a small 
 vocabulary out of Mungo Park's Travels, which he imagiued 
 might be turned to account in view of future explorations, and 
 
 A 
 
 ^'5 
 
2 ALLEN FRANCIS GARDINER. 
 
 on one occasion was found asleep on the floor, when he ought 
 to have been in bed, giving as his reason when aroused, that 
 it was his intention to travel all over the world, and that he 
 therefore wished to accustom himself to hardships . all which 
 incidents, though trifling, show how decided was the bent of 
 his mind for travel and adventure. 
 - He entered the Naval College at Portsmouth on the 13th 
 of February 1808, and remained' there two years, during 
 which time he received much kindness from the Commissioner 
 of the Dockyard, Sir George Grey, and from Lady Grey, 
 whom he regarded throughout life as a second mother. Her 
 letters and advice at a later period were of much use to him. 
 
 He first went to sea as a volunteer in the Fortune, Captain 
 Vansittart, on the 20th of June 1810, at Plymouth, and 
 removed to the Phoebe, Captain Hillyar, at the Isle of France, 
 in March of the following year. He served in this ship as 
 midshipman till August 1814, when, having distinguished 
 himself in the action between the Phoehe and the Ussex, off 
 Valparaiso, he was one of the officers selected to be put in 
 charge of the prize, and was sent home in the JEssex, as acting 
 lieutenant. 
 
 In 1815 we find him serving as lieutenant in the Gany- 
 mede, then cruising in the Channel; and in 1819 he joined 
 the Leander, carrying the flag of Rear- Admiral Sir Henry 
 Blackwood, and sailed to the Cape of Good Hope, and thence 
 to Trincomalee. The following year he exchanged into the 
 Dauntless, Captain the Hon. Valentyn Gardner, and sailed to 
 Madras, Penang, Malacca, Singapore, Manilla, and Maca.o. 
 Here some of the merchants having apphed to the admiral to 
 allow a ship of war to fetch a cargo of specie from the Pacific, 
 the Dauntless was detached for that service, and returned to 
 Trincomalee. There she was refitted, and her captain having 
 retired in ill-health. Captain Gambler took the command, and 
 sailed to Port Jackson, and thence to Chili and Peru. Re- 
 
ALLEN FRANCIS GARDINER. 3 
 
 turning to China, they touched at the Marquesas and at 
 Tahiti. On arriving at Sydney, Allen Gardiner invalided 
 from the ship, and took passage to the Cape of Good Hope ; 
 from whence, after a short delay, he sailed to England, and 
 landed at Portsmouth on the 31st of October 1822. 
 ( His sketch-books and journals give ample and' interesting 
 accounts of his rambles and adventures in the various coun- 
 tries above enumerated, for he was always able to obtain leave 
 of absence for some excursion, and his pen was equally ready 
 for description or for sketching. 
 
 / His connexion with the Dauntless marks a memorable era 
 in his life, for it includes the time in which he steadily set 
 his face toward the service of God, and in which he begah 
 to take that deep interest in favour of ' the aborigines of South 
 America, and especially of Chili, which never afterwards left 
 him. It was on this voyage, moreover, that he made his first 
 acquaintance with missionaries/and had an opportunity of. 
 acquainting himself with the effect of their labours at Singa? 
 pore, and again at Tahiti. 
 
 From this time we have, in addition to the journals before 
 mentioned, a series of sacred meditations, Avritten at intervals, 
 chiefly on Sundays, and extending over a period of nearly 
 thirty years. A few extracts shall be given, but only so far 
 as is deemed necessary to illustrate the character, and show 
 the actuating motives of a man whose conduct was before the 
 world : — 
 
 ^' Cape Town, August 1822. — The last time I visited this 
 colony, I was walking in the broad way, and hastening by 
 rapid strides to the brink of eternal ruin. /Blessed be His 
 name who loved us, and gave Himself for us ; a great change 
 has been wrought in my- heart, and I am now enabled to 
 derive pleasure and satisfaction in hearing and reading the 
 Word of God, and in attending the means of grace. I trust 
 that this alteration has, indeed, been effected by the Spirit of 
 
4 ALLEN FRANCIS GARDINER. 
 
 God ; yet 'I would not pause a moment to draw the contrast, 
 except to give praise and gratitude to its merciful Author, 
 lest I should be drawn into the fatal snare of presumptuous 
 self-confidence ; but, adoring my God for His goodness in not 
 having consigned my soul long ago to the terrors of His 
 indignation, I would carefully examine my heart as to the 
 sincerity of its professions, and humbly implore at the throne 
 of grace pardon for all that is past, and assistance to guide 
 and strengthen ime for the time to come." 
 '^y^ " At Sea, September 1822. — If Christians are in the main 
 more culpable than Jews, how much must they have to 
 answer for who ^have, like Timothy, been taught the Holy 
 I Scriptures from their childhood, and yet have despised their 
 contents? Such are the aggravated sins which, if unpar- 
 doned, must weigh my guilty souLto the lowest hell. "VVliat 
 j return shall I make to the Lord for .so early, so unmerited a 
 display of His goodness. Alas, how slaw, how reluctant 
 have I been to admit the heavenly Guest, who stood knock- 
 ing without! Nor had He ever been admitted, had He not 
 Himself prepared the way. And how is He now enter- 
 tained? Too frequently am I ashamed to acknowledge 
 the Hand that was stretched out for my rehef, to own 
 the Word that warned me on the brink of ruin, or to be seen 
 I supplicating that assistance by which alone I ^can be pre- 
 j '.vented from stumbling over the dreadful abyss. Is this 
 1 .religion? Is this love to God? Is such my usual conduct 
 when warned of any temporal danger ?" 
 
 About this time he had seriously in mind to change his 
 profession, and had some communication .with the Bishop of 
 Gloucester on the subject of taking holy orders, but his 
 ; ultimate decision was founded on the words of St Paul, 
 " Let every man wherein he is called therein abide with 
 God." 
 
 On July 1, 1823, he was married to Julia Susanna, daugh- 
 
ALLEN FRANCIS GARDINER. 5 
 
 ter of John Reade, Esq., of Ipsden House, Oxfordshiiv, and 
 in the following year was again called to active service in 
 his profession, as second Heutenant to H.M.S. Jupiter in 
 January 1824, and a few months later sailed for Newfound- 
 land. On May 30, 1825, he was put in charge of H.M.B. ' 
 Clinker^ and remained in command of that vessel till he re- 
 ceived orders to bring her to England, when he obtained his 
 promotion as commander, September 13j 1826 ; but though 
 he retained his early fondness for the service, and often . 
 applied for employment, he was never after this period ac- ^^^^ 
 tively engaged in it. 
 
 Captain and Mrs Gardiner lived successively at Maiden- 
 head, Clifton, Southsea, Reading, and; at Swanmore House, 
 near Droxford, removing from place to place as his roving ■ 
 disposition and her delicate health gave occasion. Five 
 
 children were given them, two of whom survive their parents. 
 
 Wherever they went, the welfare of the poor was an object of > 
 interest to them both, and their memory is stiU dear to many 
 persons. The various religious societies found an advocate ^ 
 in Captain Grardiner, and he once or twice accompanied his 
 brother-in-law, the Rev. T. Wbodrooffe, Canon of Winchester, 
 in a tour for the Church Missionary Society. At lengi;h, Mrs 
 Gardiner's increasing illness induced them in the year 1833 
 to remove to the Isle of Wight, in the hope of arresting con- 
 sumption ; but she gradually declined, and died full of hope 
 and peace on May 23, 1834,: — a day the anniversary of which _ 
 was devoted by her husband to fasting and. humihation to the w 
 end of his life. He writes v — _ ^ . 
 
 " Ramsgate, June 29,- 1834. — Within the last twelvefj; / 
 months the Lord in His wisdom has- seen fit to take from 
 me a beloved child and' a tender and affectionate wife. 
 My earthly comforts have been ifemoved, and I pass my 
 
 days in sorrow. Blessed be God ! He remembers that. . 
 
 we are but dust. ,/ In my deep affliction. He has not left 
 
6 ALLEN FRANCIS GARDINER. * 
 
 me without mercy and great sources of comfort. The chief 
 of these is drawn from a review of the manifold grace 
 and love which He vouchsafed to my dearest wife, mak- 
 ing her last days the brightest and happiest of her Hfe. 
 Oh, what assurance of pardon, what joy, and peace, and 
 heavenly tranquillity, and ardent desire to be with her 
 Saviour, did He infuse into her soul ! He has prepared her 
 for the enjoyment of His love, and is now filling her happy 
 spirit with all the fulness of His grace and glory. Tasting, 
 as I do, that the Lord is gracious, and feehng somewhat of 
 His redeeming love to my soul, my spirit exults in her bless- 
 edness. It is only my earthly affections that weep, and 
 w^ould call her back. Such hope have I likewise, blessed be 
 the Lord our Eighteousness, in the departure of my dear 
 child, who is now, I doubt not, with her sainted parent. I 
 sorrow not as those who have no hope, but have every en- 
 couragement to make my calhng and election sure, that I hke 
 Jhem may enter into rest." 
 
 From. this time he devoted himself afresh to the service of 
 God, and with all the force of his strong character, set him- 
 self upon a new course. As a work into which he might 
 throw his whole energy, and might hope, under the divine 
 blessing, to be of some use in the world, he chose that of a 
 missionary .pioneer. With this view he went to Africa, and 
 explored the Zulu^ country, and started the first missionary 
 station at Port Natal. A few years later, he devoted many 
 months to an attempt to obtain entrance into New Guinea. 
 He went from island to island of the Indian Archipelago, and 
 from governor to magistrate, and from magistrate to gover- 
 nor, but all his efforts were baffled. Our hmits will not 
 allow us to follow him into any of these countries, but we 
 shall proceed to trace out his various explorations in the con- 
 tinent of South America, and to record the tri\imph of faith 
 on the shore of Tierra del Fuego, prefacing the narrative with 
 
/ * ALLEN FRANCIS GARDINER. ^ 7 
 
 me following solemn words of self-dedication and prayer, at 
 the beginning of his missionary work : — 
 
 " Barque Wellington, at Sea, Nov. 11, 1834. — We are now,' 
 by the good hand of our God upon us, within one day's sail 
 of our destination ; and as it is my earnest desire to take 
 nothing in hand without seeking the aid and guidance of 
 the Holy Spirit, I purpose to set this day solemnly apart for 
 fasting and prayer, in the full expectation that the Lord will 
 graciously attend to my cry, and make my path clear be- 
 fore me. 
 
 " most holy and merciful Lord God, I beseech Thee to 
 prepare my heart now for solemn prayer. Make me to feel 
 abased in Thy sight for all my sins and provocations against 
 Thee. No longer would I regard myself as my own, but 
 bought with a price. Lord, make me cheerfully to give up 
 all, and to follow Thee. Thou, Lord, hast put it into my 
 heart to devote myself to the service of the heathen.: oh 
 that, if it be Thy will, I may be a humble instrument in Thy 
 hand for good to their souls ! But I am as unequal as I am 
 unworthy to do Thee any service. I know, Lord, tha' 
 without Thee I can do nothing that is pleasing in Thy sight, 
 but at the same time, I thankfully beheve that with Thee all 
 things are possible. As a Httle child, I would therefore come 
 to Thee. Lord, undertake for me, prepare my way, inchne 
 the hearts of Thy people to further my errand. Show me 
 clearly the path of duty. Lord, if it be not Thy will that I 
 should go to the heathen, permit me not to deceive myself ; 
 but if otherwise, oh be Thou my Light, my Way, my Refuge. 
 Direct me, Lord, what I should do, to whom I should 
 i^pply, and where I should go. If it is not from Thee, I 
 iesire not to go one s'ep further. And I would plead before 
 'Ehee Thy gracious promise, ' Come unto Me, all ye that are 
 ^-veary and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' Lord, 
 I am laden with pride and selfishness. This is the sin which 
 
8 ALLEN FRANCIS GARDINER. 
 
 (Thou knowest) doth most easily beset me. It is my burden. 
 Save me from its galling yoke, and bring me wholly to sub- 
 mit myseK cheerfully to Thy yoke, which i^u^ga^ easy. 
 Having put my hand to the plough, ma/rt^^^ffii back ! 
 May Thy strength be made perfect in my weakness I" 
 
 Having devoted his time and fortune for three years and 
 more to the cause of the gospel at Port Natal, and in the 
 Zulu country, he left South Africa on the breaking out of 
 war between the Zulus and the emigrant Boers ; but in 
 doing so, it was his opinion that there were missionaries 
 enough in the field to carry on the work, as soon as the 
 restoration of peace should make it possible.^ 
 
 His mind naturally reverted to the Indiais of the Pampas 
 and of Chili, whose heroic maintenance of their own inde- 
 pendence had, years before, excited his admiration, while 
 their continued Paganism was in his view a standing reproach 
 to the supineness of the Christian world. 
 
 Captain Gardiner married again in the molKth of October 
 1836. His second wife was the eldest daught6r of the Eev, 
 Edward Garrard Marsh, then of Hampstead, and afterwarc's 
 vicar of Aylesford, Kent. For the next six y^^^, she an.l 
 his children were the companions of his wanderi»gk, though 
 he frequently left them for a time in some froi 
 while he extended his researches alone into the 
 the country. This kind of life involved, of c( 
 privations, but no one would pity the travellers ;^ho^ could 
 have witnessed the happiness that was experiendea in tent 
 and waggon, the merry play that went on in pannier i?nd 
 palanquin, the health that was secured in tli6 long soa 
 voyages, or the thankfulness that was nurtured by the uri • 
 failing mercy and goodness which shielded them fi'om ever\ 
 danfjey. 
 
CHAPTER n. 
 
 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES IN CHILI AND PATAGONIA. 
 
 / Chili is a long narrow strip of picturesque and beautiful 
 country, between the Cordillera and the Pacific, extending 
 from the 25th to the 4.3d degree of south latitude. This great 
 difference of latitude occasions a remarkable difference of 
 cHmate. The northern provinces are hot and dry, being 
 almost destitute bf rain; but their mineral wealth is very great. 
 In the southern provinces of Yaldivia and Chiloe the rain 
 pours ini torrents for ten months in the year. The central 
 provinces, from Valparaiso to Valdivia, enjoy a delicious 
 chmate, while the country is watered by countless rivers 
 which run from the Cordillera to the Pacific. It is very fer- 
 tile, and abounds in orchards, and produces large crops of 
 grain. But the country, tliroughout its whole extent, suffers 
 periodically from earthquakes. 
 
 The aboriginal tribes have been for the most part subdued, 
 and are now mixed with their conquerors ; but the warlike \ 
 Araucanian tribes who inhabit the country which lies be- 1 
 tween the Biobio at Concepcion and the Calle-calle or Val- | 
 divia, still in great measure maintain then* independence. ' 
 
 This was the people among whom Captain Gardiner made 
 his first missionary researches in South America. He left' 
 Table Bay in South Africa on the 15th of May 1838, and 
 conducted his family to Rio Janeiro, thence to Buenos Ayre??. 
 and across the Pampas to Mendoza. As soon as the season 
 
MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 sufficiently advanced, they crossed the Cordillera into 
 >nili. 
 
 Arrived within sight of the river Biobio, he writes, in Dec. 
 1838:— 
 
 " Being now within a short distance of what is generally 
 reported as the territory of the Araucanian Indians, it was 
 with much interest that we viewed the beautiful wooded hills 
 on the opposite side of the Biobio ; and in the hope that it 
 might not be long before we were located among them, I 
 hastened to make the necessary preparations for a journey of 
 inspection, in order to acquire that information for our guid- 
 ance which could not otherwise be obtained. 
 
 "Had the Biobio been the real frontier, as I had been led 
 to suppose, between this part of Chih and the independent 
 Indians, a few hours would have been sufficient for my first 
 journey; but such is not the case. From time to time, either 
 by capture or purchase, a considerable tract of country on the 
 left bank of the river, in which are some of the best farms and 
 grazing grounds, has come to be occupied and claimed by 
 Chilians, In proportion to the distance from the coast, the 
 width of this acquired territory is diminished, until the Biobio 
 itself becomes the actual boundary. I resolved to make my 
 way by the nearest route to Los Angeles, the principal mili- 
 tary post on this frontier, and thence to cross into the Indian 
 territory at the most convenient point. 
 
 "At Los Angeles I waited on the commandant of the 
 frontier, Major Barga, who, on receiving the passport which 
 I had brought from the Intendente at Concepcion, kindly 
 promised to furnish me with a letter to the officer command- 
 ing at the advanced post of San Carlos From the 
 
 ©conversation which I afterwards had with Captain Sinega, 
 the commandant at San Carlos, it appeared that the nearest 
 independent native chief of any note resided at a place called 
 Pilij^en ; and as this was not above twenty-four miles distant, 
 
IN CHILI AND PATAGONIA. 
 
 it was agreed that I should set out at once, accompanied by 
 the government interpreter. 
 
 " But there was an impediment to the speedy accompUsh- 
 ment of this plan. The Biobio, still a respectable stream, and 
 in this part exceedingly rapid, had to be crossed, and the raft, 
 by which alone it was fordable, was adrift, and a new one had 
 to be prepared. It consisted merely of four trunks of trees 
 about eighteen feet long, closely lashed together by hide- 
 thongs to two transverse poles, one at each extremity, and 
 when laden with ourselves and our saddles, it was scarcely 
 an inch, in the highest part, above the surface of the water. 
 As a matter of precaution, I not only took off my shoes and 
 stockings, but also my coat and waistcoat, a measure which 
 seemed to be regarded by the rest of the party as by no moans 
 unnecessary; for I had scarcely stepped upon the yielding 
 raft when an inquiry was made whether I could swim or not. 
 But the real novelty was the method of navigation. One of 
 my horses, which was noted as an excellent swimmer, had 
 not escaped observation by the way, and his powers were 
 now to be tried in a most ludicrous manner. His tail was 
 first smoothed out, and, the hair being doubled back, was 
 firmly knotted to the end of -the tow-rope : a naked lad then 
 I prang upon his back, and in plunged the horse and his rider. 
 I 3y a simultaneous effort of those on the shore, the raft he 
 'Wa^ destined to tow was at the same instant pushed off into 
 deep waper. Partly by swimming, partly by riding, now on one 
 side ncf^v on the other of the horse, firmly grasping through- 
 ou a lock of long hair always left for this purpose, the boy 
 ceeded, by the aid of his heels, his hand, and his voice, in 
 I! ^'nc on the snorting and haff-affrighted animal until he 
 d us to the opposite bank, where he was immediately 
 
 figed, and the raft secured by the rope until we landed, 
 f-past two we were again mounted, and in three hours 
 ached PiUgen, crossing in our way the rivers Burau 
 

 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 and Mulchaya.; The first person whom we met was Corbalan 
 himself, the chief of this district, who was galloping his horse 
 in another direction, but on perceiving us, cut across, and 
 escorted us to his house. 
 
 " These people, who are excellent horsemen, always appear 
 to best advantage when mounted. Corbalan was attired in 
 a dark-coloured poncho, and seated with bare legs upon a 
 rude kind of saddle-tree, above and beneath which a couple 
 of sheep-skins were strapped, his great toes alone being 
 thrust into the tiny wooden stirrups. A red band tied back 
 from the forehead his long black hair, which flowed loosely 
 on his shoulders, and concealed more than half his face, 
 the expression of which was remarkably mild and intelli- 
 gent. 
 
 " He received me with much hospitaUty, and before even a 
 hint was given of any intended present, a sheep was ordered 
 to be killed and dressed for our supper. The housB, which 
 is of an oval form, about thirty-five feet long, wiii> alrtiigh 
 pitched roof, supported by a row of interior posts, formed 
 but one apartment. The wattled sides, which were about 
 five feet high, as also the roof, which projected conBiderably 
 over them, were neatly thatched with grass. The floor was 
 of mud ; there were no windows, but the door wat^ of convt 
 nient height and width. No excavation is made i^ thfi« fire 
 place, which is always in the centre, where all the 'eooldng is 
 performed; but notwithstanding this, little inconvenience 
 experienced from the smoke, which passes through two ^ni 
 ings left for the purpose in the roof, at each exti^eiiiiiW n 
 a high ridge-coping. Much cleanliness was observed in, t^ 
 preparation of their food ; the meat was washed and skei 
 upon a bamboo, by which it was held slantingly over thti 
 until it was thoroughly grilled. It was then presented ;t( 
 us in wooden bowls. They had no milk, but gaveBjM tht 
 usual beverage of parched meal and water, togeth^lvitb 
 
 b. 
 
IN CHILI AND PATAGONIA. 13 
 
 some pinones, the seed of tlie Cordillera pine, which is nu- 
 tritious, and ill flavour resembles a roasted chestnut. 
 
 *• Before we retired to rest, for which purpose Corbalan 
 ordered a smooth bullock s hide to be spread for me on the 
 floor, much conversation took place around the fire ; for be- 
 sides his two wives, and other members of his family, some 
 men from the neighbourhood had joined the party. They 
 appeared to speak with great volubility, but the tone and 
 manner of the address — now a rapid and monotonous intona- 
 tion, now a single word, dwelt upon with a lengthened drawl, 
 and immediately succeeded by as rapid a sentence — had a 
 very ludicrous effect. 
 
 " During this conversation, some little progress appeared to 
 have been made towards the accomphshment of my object in 
 visiting this tribe. Corbalan was informed of my desire to 
 acquire his language, in order "that I might impart to hia 
 people the knowledge oi the itrue God, as also of my wish 
 to obtain his consent to oring my family, and reside in his 
 immediate neighbourhood. Such a purpose seemed to be 
 altogether strange to his ear ; still he made no objection, and 
 after a little furthei e'Xplanation, he seemed to enter cordially 
 into it. On being asked whether he should Hke to see the 
 Book in which God had taught us respecting Himself and 
 the w^ay to heaven, he said yes, that it was good, and he 
 should be glad. _ 
 
 " An order had been given overnight to the neighbouring 
 cliiefs to assemble as many ot their people as were on the 
 spot, i^ order to welcome my arrival, and as soon as we were 
 mounted in the morning, Corbalan led us to the group, which 
 were collected under the tree at a short distance from his 
 house. As we approached, they mounted their horses, and 
 advanced towards us. Some few were on foot, but all in 
 their turn came up and took our hands. Corbalan apologised 
 for the smallness of the party, which amounted to forty- 
 
14 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 five men, saying that the greater part of his people were ab- 
 sent in the mountains, collecting pinones. Among these, 
 however, were five inferior chiefs, two of whom in passing 
 presented me with a boiled fowl, which tiU then had been 
 concealed under their ponchos. Wliere to bestow this unex- 
 pected token of friendship in my case was rather puzzling; 
 the interpreter, however, at once relieved me of my dilemma 
 by depositing them in his saddle-bags. A small present of 
 indigo, beads, buttons, and handkerchiefs was distributed 
 among the chiefs — indigo, in particular, being much valued by 
 them for dyeing their home-spun wool. 
 
 "We then took our leave, Corbalan having previously agreed 
 to show me some of the inhabited spots in the neighbour- 
 hood, as I was anxious to obtain some idea of the amount of 
 population in this district, as also to select a spot for my 
 future residence. In every direction the country was beauti- 
 ful, but without possessing any bold or romantic features, 
 excepting now and then, from some of the highest points, a 
 distant peep of the snowy Cordillera. But the grass was 
 rich, the surface undulating, and the trees in clumps and 
 groves were so ornamentally scattered, and discovered through 
 their openings so many park-like vistas, that I felt myself no 
 longer a stranger, the whole scenery being so similar to many 
 parts of England, that it was only when I recognised the 
 flowing ponchos and long, streaming hair of my companions, 
 that the illusion was broken. Two clusters of houses, in all, 
 not exceeding ten or eleven, were visited in this ride, all 
 apparently as neat, though not quite as large, as that of the 
 chief. Around' all were little patches of cultivation, consist- 
 ing chiefly of barley, wheat, and beans. On our return, I 
 selected a spot within a short distance of the chief's residence ; 
 but I had no sooner pointed it out to him, than it became 
 evident his mind on this point had undergone a considerable 
 change ; nor did he long disguise his sentiments, but plainly 
 
IN CHILI AND PATAGONIA. 15 
 
 acknowledged that, notwithstanding what he had before said, 
 he must withdraw his consent. The reason which he assigned 
 for this unexpected refusal was in all probabiUty the result 
 of a conference with the chiefs this morning, and appeared 
 sufficiently weighty. Although still desirous that I should 
 remain, he said it would not be safe: the Huilliches, his 
 neighbours, a large and warlike tribe, would be offended; 
 they would not permit a foreigner to live so near them ; as 
 soon as they heard it, they would attack him, and he should 
 not be able to resist them. The result would be that both 
 himself and his tribe, which could not muster more than a 
 hundred jBghting men, would be destroyed. I therefore took 
 my leave of Cbrbalan, and soon lost sight of a spot which I 
 shall ever remember with deep interest, and not without an 
 earnest desire that the time may not be far distant when the 
 dayspring from on high may visit this people, and the scat- 
 tered hamlets of those secluded woodlands shall resound with 
 grateful songs for redeeming love. 
 
 " My subsequent journey to Concepcion, where I arrived on 
 the evening of the 13th, was a most unpleasant one, on 
 account of the rain, which continued with Uttle intermission 
 throughout ; and the roads, never good, had become so slip- 
 pery, that it? was with the greatest difficulty the horses could 
 be kept upon their legs." 
 
 We pass over, for brevity's sake, a journey which was made 
 to Arauco, near which Mr A. W. Gardiner now Hves, a sub- 
 sequent voyage to Valdivia, and the passage up the river 
 Calle-calle to Quinchilca, and proceed to the narrative of a 
 visit to the Indians on the Lake Eanco* There was some 
 difficulty in procuring an interpreter ; at length a man was 
 found, and Captain Gardiner writes : — 
 
 " With this manj whose name was Pacheco, I set out on 
 the 2 2d of February, and obtained shelter for the night at 
 an Indian cottage. Within the short space of about two 
 
16 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 hours after leaving Quinchilca, the river Calle-calle is crossed 
 no less than six times. The right hank exhibits in some 
 places walls of gravel, large fragments having been detached 
 by the late earthquake, carrying with them entire trees, many 
 of which have taken root below, while others are gtill growing 
 upon the projections which obstructed their further descent. 
 Our route lay through a forest of bamboo. The stems, 
 which are of a bright glossy yellow colour, and from two to 
 three inches in diameter, are not tuberous, but sohd, and so 
 extremely hard, though hght and elastic, that the Indians 
 make use of them almost exclusively for their spears. So 
 impervious a jungle is formed by these trees, that until a 
 passage is cut, it is impossible to penetrate even on foot ; and 
 when riding, much caution is necessary, to avoid the sharp 
 points of the broken stem, which often impede the narrow 
 path. When once entered, the effect is striking — :a wall of 
 yellow leafless stems, inehning as they rise, until they unite 
 in a sharp angle overhead, hke the cloistered aisles of some 
 Gothic building. 
 
 " We continued our rooite early in the morning, until we 
 reached a cluster of houses, among which was that of the 
 chief, — whence I hastened forward to the brow of a rising 
 ground, in order to enjoy a full view of the lake, of which I 
 had only hitherto caught detached ghmpses. 
 
 " An extensive sheet of water lay before us, probably about 
 fifty miles in circumference. To the southward, by which its 
 waters are conveyed to the Pacific, the land is comparatively 
 low, and bare of trees, but to the northward it is hemmed in 
 with bold ridges of wooded mountains, while the majestic 
 Cordillera, clothed with snow, appeared to skirt its eastern 
 hmit. Eight islands, of different sizes, (some mere rocks,) 
 appeared in the centre ; one of them, which gives name to 
 the lake, is inhabited, and about two miles in length. From 
 the same spot, the scattered houses of Vutronway, (the name 
 
IN CHILI AND PATAGONU. 17 
 
 Ci this Indian village,) with their several patches of culti- 
 vation, although half embosomed in apple groves, were visible.^^ 
 Every object which met the eye seemed to speak its great*"^ j 
 Creator's praise ; but he for whose enjoyment all these beauties /y 
 were arranged had not yet learned to raise one song of thanks- 
 giving to Him, who crowneth the year with His goodness ! 
 In the earnest hope that it might please the Lord to permit 
 us to enter upon some work for His glory in this place, I 
 entered into a conditional agreement with a native to let his 
 house to me, until a more suitable one could be erected. 
 Then, as Neggiman, the chief, had gone on a visit to Arique, 
 I returned the same day to Quinchilca, and on the following 
 day, the 24th, set out for Arique. On my way tliither I met 
 Neggiman, and from his lofty bearing at once recognised him 
 as the chief I was in search of. As he could only speak a 
 few words of Spanish, and I was alone, we all paused a while, 
 and the wood was made to echo with shouts and whistling, 
 until one of the party who was behind galloped up, and per- 
 formed the office of interpreter. My object in wishing to 
 reside at Vutronway was then plainly stated to him, to which 
 he made no objection ; but on hearing of my recent visit to 
 his village, he expressed some surprise that I should have 
 gone unaccompanied by any person deputed by Don Fran- 
 cisco Abierto, the commissary. After some further con- 
 versation, he said that, although he had never permitted a 
 stranger to reside among his people, still he would not with- 
 hold his consent, provided I made him a present, which he 
 specified, (one pound of indigo and a bar of salt,) and came 
 accompanied by a messenger from the commissary, with an 
 aFsurance of his concurrence in the arrangement. Thankful 
 for this apparent success, I proceeded to Arique, where the 
 commissary resided, and obtained from him a promise that a 
 guide should be in readiness to accompany me from Quin- 
 chilca the foUowing ^londay." 
 
 B 
 
18 MISSIONARY KESEARCHES 
 
 The next interview with Neggiman was at Yutronway. 
 
 '■' My new abode being cleaned out, I occupied it for the 
 night, and early on the next morning, the 30th, the pack- 
 horses arrived, and all were busily occupied in unlading and 
 bringing in the baggage. I had just arranged everything, 
 when Neggiman, followed by one attendant, was observed 
 slowly approaching the house. 
 
 " Although it was a drizzling rain, he took his seat out- 
 side, and inquired how long I thought of remaining at Yut- 
 ronway. As no Hmit had been hinted at before,, and I was 
 unwilling to name one, I replied that I could not say — that 
 It might be twelve moons, or two or three times that period, 
 as I wished to become acquainted with his people, and to 
 learn their language^ It was evident from his manner that 
 he had begun to waver in his determination, and he^ shortly 
 informed me that he should Hmit my stay to one moon. 
 Imagining that some lurking suspicion of my ulterior inten- 
 tion might have prompted this sudden curtailment of his 
 previous sanction, I gave him plainly to understand that I 
 had not the shghtest wish to purchase land, that I should 
 always be prepared to leave whenever he saw fit,, but at the 
 same time that it would not be worth my while to bring up 
 my family, with the understanding that on the following 
 moon we were to return. He then again adverted to his 
 determination not to permit Spaniards to reside among his 
 people, adding that I was, moreover, a stranger from another 
 country, and that he must therefore withhold his con- 
 sent. 
 
 " Finding at length that his determination could not be 
 shaken, I again felt the necessity of altogether abandoning 
 what I could not regard as a legitimate opening, and of en- 
 deavouring to approach the independent Indians from an- 
 other quarter. Nothing now remained but to repack the 
 'liirniture,, a charge which I consigned to- the arriero and the 
 
IN CHILI AND PATAGONIA. 10 
 
 interpreter ; and dejected, I own, but not in despair, I re- 
 traced my steps to Quinchilca." 
 
 The next journey was from Antilque to Cruces, and 
 from Cruces to Queule. It was fatiguing and "tedious, 
 not so much on account of the irregularity of the ground,, 
 and the number of fallen trees- and logs, as from the thick 
 jungle of bamboo which overhung the path. At length 
 we entered a retired valley, skirted by the sea, into which the 
 river Queule was running. The neat cottages of the Indians, 
 scattered without order, the patches of barley, potatoes, &c., 
 which now appeared, the windings of the river, and the dis- 
 tant roar of the surf, at once broke the monotony, and gave 
 a new interest to the scene. A native from one of the near- 
 est houses conducted us to that of the chief, who soon made 
 his appearance, having just been bathing in the river. Two 
 low wooden stools, over which some skins were spread, were 
 brought by the women, and on one of these the chief, Wyke- 
 pang, seated himself, after the customary greeting. He was 
 an elderly man, rather short in stature, of a stout muscular 
 frame, with coarse features, and of a somewhat blunt address. 
 His first inquiries were as to whence I came, and where I 
 was going, and he quite laughed at my design of going for- 
 w^ard to visit some of the chiefs beyond. * No Spaniards,' he 
 said, ' were living in those parts ; they were not permitted to 
 remain/ By the help of a native who understood Spanish^ 
 [ endeavoured to obtain his sentiments regarding the par- 
 ticular object which I had in view, inquiring whether he had 
 ever heard of God's Book. He expressed his surprise that I 
 should possess it, but seemed quite indifferent as to its con- 
 tents. Being asked if he would permit a missionary, who 
 would instruct him and his people in that Book, to remain 
 with him, he quickly replied that he did not want one. I 
 X^roposed that he should allow me to visit him again, and 
 remain ^vith him a sufficient time to acquire their language 
 
20 IMJSSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 To this proposition lie seemed quite averse, and informed me 
 that I must return, that he would permit me to stay one 
 night, but that it would not be safe to remain longer, as the 
 other chiefs would be angry, and make war upon him, if he 
 allowed me to go farther. Our supper consisted of cold peas 
 and hot potatoes. A skin was spread on the floor for my 
 J^ed ; and though much disappointed at the feeble prospect of 
 gaining admittance among these suspicious people, I was en- 
 abled to sleep soundly, with my saddle for my pillow. 
 
 ■" Unwilling to take my leave without making one further 
 effort^ I again inquired what reception he would give me, 
 supposing, on my next visit, it should be found that I had 
 acquired his language. 'Then,' he said, 'you may come 
 without fear ; * and although he would not guarantee an 
 equally favourable treatment from the chiefs who resided in 
 the interior, yet from his manner, and the probabihty which 
 he expressed of their relaxing from their usual restraints 
 upon strangers under such circumstances, I felt that this was 
 (humanly speaking) the hinge and turning-point of the whole 
 matter in question. Taking my leave of Wykepang, we re- 
 traced our steps by the same tangled and tedious passes to 
 Cruces, and arrived at Quinchilca the following day." 
 
 A few words of explanation shall now be given, to account 
 in some degree for the difficulties which beset Captain Gar- 
 diner's every effort to settle among the Indians of Chili. 
 
 Throughout the whole tract of country, from Concepcion 
 to Valdivia, a chain of forts had formerly tended to keep the 
 natives in check, and in every fort Romish missionaries were 
 stationed. There were at one time twenty-five of these sta- 
 tions ; but the Indians eyed them with jealousy, and hated 
 .--j^he soldier without loving the priest. The War of Indepen- 
 dence, which began in 1810, relaxed the discipline of the 
 frontier, and left the Indians in some degree their own 
 
IN CHILI AND PATAGONIA. 21 
 
 masters. Tucapel and other forts were taken and dis- 
 mantled by the Indians, and certain monasteries destroyed. 
 After the estabhshment of the republic of Chili, a new 
 policy was adopted. Friendly relations were established with 
 many of the frontier chiefs ; the rank and pay of a major 
 was given to some, annual presents were made to others, and 
 commissaries were stationed, to reside with the friendly chiefs. 
 Thus those frontier tribes, whose chiefs were not above receiv- 
 ing Chihan pay, formed a barrier between Chili and the 
 more remote and more powerful tribes. 
 
 Two attempts were made by Captain Gardiner, in the 
 year 1841, to communicate with certain Indian tribes re- 
 siding near the Cordillera. He relates the account as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
 "(7A^7oe, July 31, 1841. — To cross the Cordillera, in order 
 to communicate with the natives residing on the eastern side, 
 has been my object ever since our return to Valparaiso. 
 With this view, a joui-ney to Talca was made, in the hope of 
 reaching the Pehuenche tribe by way of the Planchon Pass. 
 The result was unsatisfactory. Interpreters could not be pro- 
 cured in that neighbourhood — -the location of the tribe was 
 not even known, and it was supposed to have removed for 
 some years back considerably to the southward. We accord- 
 ingly came here, having understood that there was no lack 
 of Indians on the opposite side of the Cordillera, fronting 
 Osorno and Chiloe. My information, as far as it could be 
 available, was complete, and I had made all the preliminary 
 arrangements, purposing, if it were the Lord's will, on the 
 1st of September to have crossed to the opposite coast, and 
 by one of the most practicable passes which could be found, 
 to have struck directly eastward, until some traces of the 
 Indians Avere found. Since 1745 no one has crossed the Cor- 
 dillera in this part of Chili, and as the route then taken waa 
 
22 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 much more northerly than that I should have attempted, 
 considering the natural obstacles which were there encoun- 
 tered, we should necessarily have had to work our way by 
 compass. But I will now explain why the execution of this 
 plan has been given up. It appears a remarkable coinci- 
 dence that the same padre who was at Arique at the time w^e 
 were at Quinchilca was a fellow-passenger with us in the 
 brig which conveyed us to this island. No sooner had he 
 landed here than he deliberately circulated all sorts of absurd 
 reports concerning me. I was come to disturb the minds of 
 theiaithful, to make proselytes, &c., &c. It was gravely be- 
 lieved that I w^as a clergyman, some even affirmed 'that I was 
 a bishop in disguise. But of all this I heard nothing except 
 the exclamation, 'Padre,' as I passed, whispered by thr 
 peasantry, nor should have alluded to such mere -tattle but to 
 introduce a graver subject. In the course of a few weeks, 
 Mr Lawson, whom we had known before at Valdivia, arrived 
 here in command of a trading sloop, and called me aside to 
 inform me that Manuel, the friar above alluded to, was no-vi^ 
 here, and that after we had left Valdivia, he had openly de - 
 clared that it was entirely in consequence -ef his influenc<^ 
 with Don Francisco Abierto, the commissary for the Indians 
 in that province, that 1 had been thwarted in my plans of 
 residing at Ranco. Notwithstanding this, as it was not yet 
 the season for travelling, I was still in hopes of outliving, by 
 a quiet residence here, every sinister attempt to prejudice me 
 in the minds of the Chilotes, fully expecting that these foolish 
 reports would gradually subside. In this, however, I was 
 too sanguine ; for no sooner did I commence to search in 
 earnest for the men who were to accompany me across the 
 mountains, than it was found to be altogether impracticable. 
 A North American seaman, who was the only individual 
 whom I engaged, and who, from some length of residence in 
 the country, was well acquainted with the people, assured me 
 
IN CHILI AND PATAGONIA. 23 d 
 
 that he found it quite impossible to get up the party required. 
 Further inquiry fully bore out his statement, and made it still 
 more evident that Friar Manuel had not laid aside any of his 
 opposition. In order still further to prejudice me in the 
 minds of this people, it was insinuated that I had, by some 
 means or other, occasioned the loss of the consecrated \vafer> 
 which a few nights before had been missed ! ""V, 
 
 " . . . . Having at last abandoned, with great reluctance, j' 
 
 ' Vail hope of reaching the Indian population in the part where I 
 they are most civilised and least migratory, my thoughts are \ 
 
 ,/^ecessarily turned towards the south. Happily for us, ai^^ir^ 
 I trust, eventually for the poor Indians, the Falkland Islands y 
 are now under the British flag; and although the settlement 
 is poor, and may never be much improved from its present 
 condition, still it is the rendezvous of numbers of whalers, 
 and the head-quarters of the small sealing vessels which 
 
 frequent the straits of Magelhaen Making this our ^**^ 
 
 headquarters, I purpose crossing over in a sealer, and, if pos- 
 sible, bringing back with me two or three Patagonian lads 
 in order to teach them Enghsh, and thus prepare them to be- 
 come interpreters to the missionaries who, we trust, may 
 eventually settle amongst them. Who can tell but that the 
 Falkland Islands, so admirably situated for the purpose, may 
 become the key to the aborigines both of Tierra del Fuego and 
 of Patagonia ? " .-,— 
 
 After this decision, the earliest opportunity was seized 
 for the return of the family to Valparaiso, whence they sailed 
 for the Falkland Islands in the following November, and 
 anchored in Berkeley Sound on the 23d of December. This 
 group of islands numbers about two hundred, but most of them ^ 
 are very small — the two largest are called East and West Falk- 
 land. The seat of government was at that time at Port 
 Louis, in Berkeley Sound, but was afterwards transferred to 
 Port Wilham, where the town of Stanley has been built. 
 
MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 In December 1841, Port Louis presented a very dreary 
 aspect. It was simply a naval station, under the command 
 of Lieutenant Tyssen, of H.M. ketch Arrow, and he was 
 absent surveying another harbour. A few scattered cot- 
 tages formed the settlement, and one a little better than the 
 rest was called the Government House. No cultivation varied 
 the monotony of the treeless landscape, but the undulating 
 plains were healthy, and abounded with wild fowl : there 
 were also herds of wild cattle, which had multiplied from a 
 few imported when the Spaniards held possession of the island, 
 and the numerous bays abounded with fish. The residents 
 on the island numbered only about twenty men and three or 
 four women ; and the new-comers were much indebted to 
 Lieutenant Cox, of H.M. ketch Sparrow, who rendered them 
 every friendly help, including the services of a boat's crew to 
 erect a small wooden house which they had brought with 
 them. 
 
 A few months later, Lieutenant Moody, R.E., came as 
 governor with a company of sappers and miners ; and in the 
 month of April the society of the island received a great ac- 
 cession by the arrival of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror, under 
 Captain J. C. Ross and Captain F. Crozier, who were on a 
 voyage of magnetic observation and put in for the winter. 
 
 Captoain Gardiner found it much less easy than he had 
 anticipated to obtain a passage to Patagonia from the Falk- 
 ' land Islands, and was at last induced to charter a small sail- 
 ing schooner to take him there. We give his own account of 
 the trip : — 
 -p" " The schooner which had been engaged for the purpose 
 entered the straits of Magelhaen, March 22. 1842, and after 
 a fruitless attempt to obtain the confidence of the natives, on , 
 the north coast of Tierra del Fuego, we anchored in Gregory 
 — - Bay. Although this is one of the principal resorts of the 
 natives, none were seen on this occasion ; the country for a 
 
IN CHILI AND PATAGONIA. 25 
 
 considerable distance was examined, and at a spot, about eight 
 miles inland, traces of a recent encampment were observed ; 
 but as no eligible site was found for a missionary station, we 
 proceeded to Oazy harbour, about twenty miles to the west- 
 ward, where a party of Indians, who were not far distant, 
 soon made their appearance, and shortly afterwards formed 
 an encampment near the anchorage. 
 
 " By means of an individual named San Leon, (a native of 
 Monte Video, who had resided twelve years in the country,) 
 they were made distinctly to understand that I came in the 
 character of a missionary, and that my only object in visiting 
 them was to prepare the way for their being instructed in the 
 knowledge of the true God. They replied that I was at 
 hberty to remain as long as I pleased, and to build where I 
 thought proper : they also entered into an agreement, at my 
 request, that none of my property should be stolen or injured. 
 This I deemed expedient, from the number of Fuegians who 
 were residing amongst them, and who have the character of 
 being notorious thieves. i)uring the time that the schooner 
 was absent, procuring a cargo of timber in Port Famine, I 
 had an opportunity of putting these fair promises to the test, 
 and must acknowledge that they gave me as httle trouble as 
 any natives whom I have seen. 
 
 Shortly before I left the encampment at Oazy harbour, 
 which consisted of about a hundred individuals, the prin- 
 cipal chief, Wissale, arrived with about an equal number from 
 the interior, having been absent eight months on a trading 
 expedition to El Carmen, the Buenos Ayrean settlement on 
 the Eio Negro, whence he had brought one hundred and 
 twenty newly -purchased horses. With this party was a 
 North American coloured man, named Isaac, who had left a 
 whaler on the coast, and for the last three years had been 
 living with the Patagonians. He has in a great measure 
 mastered the language, and can make himself perfectly under- 
 
26 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 stood, which is not the case with San Leon, although he has 
 been so many years in the country. Avaihng myself of this 
 favourable circumstance, my objects were again fully ex- 
 plained, and Wissale was informed on every point. The 
 result was perfectly satisfactory, and from the Ingh character 
 which Isaac gave of him, and from the open and friendly 
 manner in which he received me, I felt assured that he was 
 sincere." 
 
 In consequence of the peaceable and friendly demeanour of 
 the Patagonians, Captain Gardiner was encouraged to believe 
 that a good work might be carried on among them, with every 
 hope for a blessing. It had been his plan ta remove his 
 family there, and himself hold the grooind, (as he termed it,) 
 till the CL.urch Missionary Society could send out a »taff of 
 missionaries, to carry on the work more effectually than he 
 could do. Circumstances afterwards induced him to conduct 
 his family to England, and follow up, by his personal exer- 
 tions, the letters that he had written from the Falklands. 
 But his efforts were unavailing. The subject was considered 
 by the committee of the Church Missionary Society; but 
 Captain Gardiner was informed that the missions already 
 established demanded more than the means at their com- 
 mand ; and any attempt to form a mission in Patagonia was 
 declined, though it was pressed upon them with the offer, 
 that if they would select and appoint the agents, the whole 
 expenses of the undertaking should be guaranteed for three 
 years, and £100 a year afterwards. 
 
 ' At length, in 1844, a special Society was formed for South 
 America alone, and it took its name from the country des- 
 tined to be the scene of its earhest effort. The head-quarters 
 of the Society were at the outset at Brighton ; and very soon 
 Mr Robert Hunt, the master of an endowed school in Kendal, 
 was engaged as their first catechist to go to Patagonia. The 
 committee very much wished to send out a clergvman^, in iho 
 
IN CHILI AND PATAGONIA. 27 
 
 first instance, for obvious reasons : but four years had now 
 passed since Captain Gardiner's interview with Wissale, and 
 fears were entertained that a Chilian settlement, just formed 
 at Port Famine, might exert an unfavourable influence over 
 Wissale and his people, if further delay ensued. Consent 
 was, therefore, given to the proposal, that Mr Hunt* should 
 immediately go out. Captain Gardiner offering to accompany 
 him, and to remain with him, till he should be joined by a 
 clergyman. 
 
 The two Christian adventurers were landed by the brig 
 Rosalie, at Oazy harbour, in the strait of Magelhaen, with 
 three small huts, one for stores, one for cooking, and the 
 other for sleeping, and every necessary provision for their 
 support for some months. The wandering tribe, w^^om they 
 came to benefit, were inland at the time of their arrival, and 
 the Rosalie pursued her voyage to the Pacific, leaving them 
 alone. This was in the month of February 1845. - 
 
 They found, on landing, the hut of a Fuegian, who, with 
 his family, seemed inoffensive and readily pomted out the 
 place where fresh water could be procured, always the first 
 consideration to settlers. 
 
 " A few days afterwards two Patagonians arrived, giving 
 us to understand that they belonged to Wissale s party ; each 
 of them carried a bow and arrow, and was on foot. Towards 
 the afternoon the chief arrived, the only mounted man of the 
 party His attendants were eight men, from six feet two 
 inches to six feet seven inches in stature, and two women, 
 one of them his grandmother, and the other one of his wives. 
 They had brought with them a store of guanaco and ostrich 
 meat, but this was deposited in our kitchen ; while at 
 Wissale's request, biscuit was served out to them. The next 
 day we did not expect them to dine with us, as some of their 
 
 * Now an ordained missionary of the Clmrcli Missionary Society iii 
 Prince Rupert's Land. 
 
28 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 tents had arrived. Wissale, however, hung about the place, 
 and when dinner was ready, I invited him to partake of it. 
 Instead of accepting our hospitality, he sat sullenly in the 
 midst of a small group of natives at a short distance from the 
 house, with his mantle closely wrapped round him, and his 
 upper lip covered — a sure sign of anger, among all the natives 
 whom I have met with, whether in Africa or America. 
 
 " A pretext for his displeasure was indeed set up, but of so 
 trivial a nature that only a determination to create a misun- 
 derstanding could have made it a subject of remonstrance. 
 He soon afterwards mounted his horse, saying that to-morrow 
 liis people would arrive, intimating not very unequivocally 
 that then he would avenge himseK upon us. I followed him 
 as he was walldng his horse, and pressed him to receive a 
 present of biscuit. Every argument I could think of was 
 employed, still he proceeded, still I continued at his side, 
 teUing him I should not leave him till he gave me his hand. 
 At length he relaxed a little, but the biscuit was a second 
 time refused. 
 
 " On the 16th, more Patagonians arrived — men, women, 
 and children — about seventy in all. Wissale and his son 
 breakfasted with us. He had said : — ' Whenever you partake 
 of food, I and one of my children must eat with you.' There 
 was room neither for remonstrance nor modification ; it was 
 not a request, but a demand, and there was no alternative 
 but to submit. That same day the Commodore, from Val- 
 paraiso, bound for Liverpool, put into the bay, and the 
 captain and a passenger came on shore. While they were 
 with us, I took the opportunity of recapitulating what had 
 been said before to Wissale, requesting him in their presence 
 either to retract or ratify the permission he had given, adding 
 that, as an English vessel had now arrived, it remained with 
 him to decide whether we should go home by her, or remain 
 and endeavour to instruct his people, giving him to under- 
 
IN CHILI AND PATAGONIA. 2D 
 
 staiiu that, unless lie promised to protect us, we could not 
 possibly stay. He replied that we were brothers, and that he 
 would protect us, adding that, after a short visit to Port 
 Famine, it was his intention to return to Gregory Bay, and 
 remain there with his people during the winter." 
 
 Nevertheless, on the very day of the Commodore saihng, 
 Wissale returned to his sullen attitude within his ample 
 cloak, demanding food on all occasions, as well as spirits and 
 tobacco. His gusts of ill-temper were sudden and violent, 
 and his whole bearing was so hostile that the lives of our 
 friends seemed to hang by a very slender thread. 
 
 The Commodore was soon followed by the Ancud schooner 
 from Port Famine, having on board Padre Domingo, a South 
 American Indian, who had been trained up and sent, on the 
 principle of the Propaganda, to be a teacher among his 
 countrymen. He was civil, and so was the captain, even 
 offering the Englishmen a passage to Port Famine. This 
 was declined ; but the growing influence of the Chilian settle- 
 ment was so apparent that this consideration, added to the 
 . liostility of Wissale, led to the decision that it was necessary 
 to abandon Patagonia for the present. 
 
 Captain Gardiner ^vrites : — " My own observations have 
 led me to conclude that a very great change had taken place 
 in the character and condition of Wissale and the people 
 about him. They are now a mere \\Teck of what they were 
 in 1842. Instead of possessmg 120 horses, they had now 
 scarcely a dozen, and even those only fit to carry their tents 
 from place to place at a foot's pace. The same men who 
 formerly rode off at a gallop on their hunting expeditions 
 are now compelled to proceed on foot, and employ bows and 
 arrows, like the Fuegians. This tribe is now divided ; the 
 majority of the men and horses were with San Leon. Wissale 
 is evidently jealous of him. For some time we were in hope 
 that this circumstance might have operated in our favour, by 
 
30 JIISSIONARY EESEASCHES IN CHILI AND PATAGONIA. 
 
 causing Wissale gradually to absent himself from Poil, 
 Famine, and make Gregory Bay his more permanent resi- 
 dence. But we have seen too much of his character to place 
 any confidence in his conduct or his professions. ^ 
 
 *• ,~l-_ " ' . . . We can never do wrong in casting the gospel 
 JJ^ I net on any side, or in any place. During many a dark and 
 wearisome night we may appear to have toiled in vain, but it 
 will not always be so ; the promise, though long delayed, will 
 assuredly come to pass. We can know, no more than St 
 
 / i Peter did, at what time or on what side of the vessel we are 
 most likely to meet with success ; but this one word I will 
 add, ' Having cast the net on one side, let us not slothfully 
 
 1 or unbelievingly relinquish the work, but, committmg our- 
 selves and the heathen, whose souls we seek, afresh to the 
 direction and tender mercy of our God, let us now cast it in 
 
 •^i^^aumble confidence on the other side ; and who can tell but 
 the same gracious Saviour who commanded success to the 
 disciples on the sea of Tiberias, will vouchsafe to ordain 
 strength out of our weakness, so that we shall have cause to 
 admire the riches of His grace ? ' " 
 
 No sooner had the resolution been taken of returning to 
 England than an opportunity of doing so was afforded. The 
 . English barque Ganges^ from Valparaiso, made her appear- 
 ance, and anchored in the Bay. In this vessel Captain 
 Gardiner and Mr Hunt embarked for England on the 20th 
 of Mai-ch. ■ 
 
1/ 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES IN BOLIVIA AND TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 
 
 When Captain Gardiner and Mr Hunt returned from their 
 unsuccessful attempt to commence a mission in Patagonia, 
 great was the disappointment felt by the supporters of the 
 mission. They were unprepared for so great a change as had 
 taken place in the position of the tribe and character ol the 
 chief. If the missionaries had been able to remain in Pata- 
 gonia, they would have supported them tinder every discour- 
 agement, but felt that an attempt in another part of the 
 continent would be a doubtful experiment, possibly only an 
 exploring JQumey, on which they could not venture to ex- 
 pend money subscribed for the preaching of the gospel. 
 
 Such was the opinion which prevailed among the members 
 of the committee, when Captain Gardiner came forward once 
 more, with unshaken resolution, and said : — ^/. 
 
 " Whatever course you may determine upon, I have made i jy 
 up my mind to go back again to South America, and leave 
 no stone unturned, no effort untried, to establish a mission A, 
 
 among the aboriginal tribes. They have a right to be in- 
 structed in the gospel of Christ. While God gives me 
 strength, failure shall not daunt me". This, then, is my firm 
 resolve : to go back, and make further researches among the 
 natives of the interior, whether any possible opening may be 
 ■■ 'ound which has hitherto escaped me,, through the Spanish 
 "* Americans ;. or whether Tierra del Fuego is the only ground 
 
MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 left us for our last attempt. This I intend to do at my own 
 risk, whether the Society is broken up or not. I therefore 
 beg of you to pause, fund the money which belongs to the 
 Society, and wait to see the result of the researches now about 
 to be made. ' Our Saviour has given a command to preach 
 the gospel even to the ends of the earth. He will provide 
 for the fulfilment of His own purpose. Let us only obey." 
 
 This suggestion was adopted, and the funds of the Society 
 invested in safe securities. 
 
 Federico Gonzales, a young Spanish Protestant, had been 
 ^ engaged by the committee to go to Patagonia. As this 
 arrangement was now given up. Captain Gardiner offered to 
 pay the expenses of Mr Gonzales, if he were willing to accom- 
 pany him on his present enterprise. To this he agreed, and 
 the committee presented him with £50 towards the necessary 
 outlay. They sailed from Liverpool in the Plata for Monte y 
 Video, on September 23, 1845. V 
 
 The " Gran Chaco" now became the scene of their researches. 
 It is a large tract of country, inhabited by powerful tribes, 
 bounded on the east by the rivers Paraguay and Parana, and 
 crossed by the Pilcomayo and the Vermijo, which have their 
 source in the high land of Bolivia, aiad fall into the Paraguay 
 before its junction with the Paraaiu The most direct method 
 of entering the Chaco is to ascend the Parana to Corrientes, 
 . or the Paraguay to Asuncion j but in 1845 the province of 
 Santa Fe was in a disturbed state, and the Parana was not 
 open to traffic. Qui friends therefore set sail again for 
 Valparaiso in the hi'ig Alcio2)e, proceeding thence to Cobija, 
 in BoKvia. They arrived at Cobija on the 5th of February, 
 and started on the inland journey on the 7th. One month 
 afterwards, Captam Gardiner WTites from Tarija : — 
 
 " With a very few exceptions, the whole country between 
 Cobija and tliis place is Kterally a desert. Nothing in Arabia 
 could be more sterile than that part of the road which crosses 
 
IN BOLIVIA AND TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 33 
 
 the Atacama desert; aad even after passing the Cordillera 
 from Atacama to Einconada, the whole route is unpeopled 
 and desolate, without a single tree, and scarcely any herbage, 
 ifrom thence to Sococha, is a defile with high precipitous 
 rocks on each side ; at the base, strips of cultivation, Indian 
 corn, figs, peaches, &c., in abundance. The road through 
 this long and highly picturesque defile is in the bed of a 
 water-course, which sometimes in heavy rains disputes the 
 passage with the inhabitants ,- once the rocks on each side 
 were too narrow to admit a laden mule, and consequently the 
 trunks were taken off, and replaced on the other side. A 
 road I can scarcely call it , nothing have I ever seen so bad, 
 in fact, there is scarcely a road in aU Bolivia, excepting that 
 which goes to Potosi. At Einconada we came in for the car- 
 nival, and were delayed five days. In all the way very kind 
 friends have been raised up for us, especially at Calama, at 
 Einconada, at Sococha, and here at Tarija. At three of these 
 places we have been lodged and boarded in the kindest 
 manner, Avithout charge. We are here next door to the 
 Matriz, which was a college of the Jesuits. They had no less 
 than twenty-two missions between Carapari and Santa Cruz 
 de la Frontiera, all which, within about fifty years, have been 
 suppressed. . 
 
 '* CarajKiri, April 22, 1846. — Last night only I returned 
 from a visit of inspection among the Indians, and am now 
 sending an express to Tarija, for medicines for !Mr Gonzales, 
 who for some days has been very iU with fever and ague. 
 God has been very merciful to me here ; I am in perfect 
 health. What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits ? 
 
 " We arrived at the Pilcomayo on the 21st of March. The 
 river was too high to be forded, and, wishing to cut the mat- 
 ter short, I engaged an Indian on the 23d, to swim across ' 
 with me, and away we went, leaning together on a bundle of 
 reeds. The current was full four and a half or five Ivnots, but 
 
 c 
 
34 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 we gained the opposite side in good style, the Indians aU 
 aghast to see that a white man could swim as well as them- 
 selves. The country, on the opposite side, is entirely in the 
 hands of the natives, who received me kindly ; but I am sorry 
 to say, all my efforts were unsuccessful to obtain permission to 
 reside amongst them. There is a village, consisting of about 
 twenty houses on this side of the river, where we might have 
 stayed, but for the host of flies, mosquitoes, wasps, &c. It 
 was perfect torture ; and on the very next day, the 24th, we 
 were obliged to fly before them, and set off to return to San 
 Louis. When we reached Carapari, Mr Gonzales was too ill 
 to proceed further. I therefore hired a servant to attend upon 
 him, and the mistress of the house where we are lodging 
 being very kind, I had no hesitation in leaving him. I set 
 out, therefore, on Thursday the 16th of April, and returned 
 yesterday, having spent three nights among the Chenese 
 Indians, and visited four villages of the Matacos. The house 
 of one of the chiefs, named Maiki, where I slept on Saturday 
 and Sunday nights, is fifty feet long, and about thirty wide : 
 nine cotton hammocks were hung from the roof and posts, 
 and I slept on a sort of rude stretcher. They are quite inde- 
 pendent, will allow you to visit them, and supply you with -> 
 food, but not to build or remain among them. I was inv 
 hopes of making one of these interesting villages our head- 
 quarters, but this may not be. The Mataco chief, Marrachi, 
 would have given me leave, but that he was bound, he said, 
 by his relations with his neighbours, the Cheneses, to act as 
 they did on the subject. These Matacos are a wild people. 
 Their houses are similar to those of the Zulus, but built care- 
 lessly, and the thatch merely thrown on. They cultivate the 
 ground, but not to the extent that the Cheneses and the Cliiri- 
 guanos do. Before I returned here, I visited some villages 
 "i within the Bolivian frontier: at one of them, called Timboi, our 
 farm is to be ; we cannot occupy it at present on account of 
 
IN BOLIVIA AND TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 36 
 
 Mr Gonzales' illness, but all things are arranged for our 
 going there as soon as it shall please God to enable us. The 
 Cheneses and Chiriguanos both speak the Guai'ani language, 
 Let this language be acquired, and we may itinerate on all 
 sides." 
 
 While spending a Sunday alone among the Indians, he 
 records his thoughts and prayers as follows : — 
 
 " By the goodness of my God, I am brought to another 
 Sabbath, and am now in the midst of the Indians, to whom 
 I desire to convey the knowledge of salvation by Jesus Christ. , 
 Here is a suitable time to pause, and seek fresh strength and 
 guidance of my God. What mercies have attended me in all 
 these long journeys ! Why am I in health, and my com- 
 panion in sickness ? Lord, graciously raise up Thy ser- 
 vant whom Thou has seen fit to afflict with sickness : restore 
 him again to health, and enable him to go forward in the 
 work to which Thou hast called him. And, Lord, vouchsafe 
 to me the light of Thy Holy Spirit, to guide me in Thy way. 
 Purify me from pride, engraft Thy love in my heart, and en- 
 able me to set Thee ever before my face. Graciously direct 
 
 njie in my present perplexing circumstances To Thee^T/ 
 
 li thankfully commit every circumstance and event, well ' 
 knowing that without Thee I can do nothing ; and what I 
 may seem to do, without Thy blessing, will assuredly come to 
 nought. Give me faith to take courage,, in the midst of 
 apparent discouragements, to confide in Thy, promise, even 
 w^hen all things seem to be against me. I know, Lord, 
 thrat Thy word can never return unto Thee void, and that 
 no.ne of Thy promises shall fail, and that to every specific j 
 dvrty a promise is annexed. What should I fear, disappoint- ' 
 ments, confusion of face ? It cannot be that Thou, who aft 
 ho>ly, just, and good, shouldst set Thy servants upon a work, 
 an-.d that on the faith of Thy specific promises, and then 
 abandon them to the ridicule and scoffs of an ungodly world.! _ 
 
/ 
 
 / 
 
 d6 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 All, no, Lord it cannot be : if ever I meet witli shame and 
 confusion of face in any work which Thou hast ordained, it 
 will not be because of the failure of Thy promise, but the 
 failure of my faith. Lord, increase my faith : I beheve, help 
 •Thou mine unbehef. To Thee, my God, I thankfully 
 commit all, beseeching Thee to guide me in what I shall say; 
 to influence the hearts of the chiefs to whom I purpose to 
 apply; and, if it be Thy will, at this time to open a door in thisi, 
 part of the country for the entrance of Thy glorious gospel. ' 
 ' And, Lord, should I be hindered, as Thy disciples were, both 
 m Asia and Bithynia, may I not be cast down ; but show 
 me, as Thou didst thy servants, Paul and Silas, in some way 
 which I cannot mistake, where Thou wouldst have me go. 
 Vouchsafe, Lord, to hear my supplication, and show me 
 clearly the path of duty. Let the light of Thy truth shine 
 on these poor blind Indians, for Jesus Christ's sake." 
 
 The sickly season had now set in at Carapari. Many 
 persons had left in consequence. Mr GonzaJes continued to 
 have periodical attacks of fever and ague ; and at length even 
 the captain's robust frame was prostrated by a similar seizure. 
 They decided, therefore, on retiring to San Luis. This proved 
 a most painful journey, and is thus described : — 
 
 " I was well in the morning, but no sooner had we com- 
 menced our journey, than a strong fever came on. Several 
 times I was obliged to lie down, unable to proceed. At last, 
 I lay exhausted under a tree, perfectly helpless, unable eitlier 
 to return or to go forward. There I thought I must have 
 perished, but providentially there was a shed near, and though 
 nothing but water could be procured, I was thankful for such 
 an asylum in my state of helplessness. Mr Gonzales, at n:y 
 request, proceeded with the baggage, as it was necessary that 
 he should reach the village of Sapatera, before his expected 
 ague fit came on. Two men passed the night at the spot 
 where I was, and kindly supphed me with water, and on the 
 
^ 
 
 IN BOLIVIA AND TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 37 
 
 following morning_I_was able to mount my horse and pro- 
 ceed to Sapatera. ^ But I will not go through all the circum- 
 stances of our distressing journey to San Luis : suffice it to 
 say that though we were only fit for our beds, we traversed 
 steep mountains, by-paths strewed with rocks, and were often 
 obliged to walk, as it was either so slippery or so steep, that 
 the horses could not stand, and our saddles were continually 
 slipping forward upon their necks. Often and often we both 
 lay down exhausted ; and when I look back upon what w^e 
 endured, and what, by the good hand of our God upon us, 
 we were able to accomplish in those three most trying days, 
 I wonder that we could ever have reached San Luis. Never 
 was that gracious promise more fully verified, *As thy day,, 
 so shall thy strength be/ On the day after our arrival, I was 
 attacked with dysentery, which continued for eight days, and 
 brought me so low that I was obliged to keep my bed for a 
 considerable time afterwards." 
 ^ *' San Luis^ May 20. — I now resume my journal, which I 
 have hitherto been unable to do. ' The Lord has laid His |-'f^ 
 chastening hand upon me, and I have been reduced to a great \\ 
 state of weakness. I accept it at His hand, as a token of His ' 
 fatherly care over me.'// During my illness, the governor oT 
 the frontier, Don Sebasiiano Estensoro, showed us very great 
 kindness. Mr Gonzales has had three or four fresh attacks 
 of ague, but has now nearly recovered, Avhich is a great mercy. 
 Most kind and attentive has he been to me. 
 
 " June 15. — The governor paid me a long visit ; his man- 
 ner was most friendly, and a conversation took place, which, 
 by the blessing of God, may conduce to very important 
 re?ults. I had previously understood that it was the wish 
 of the Government to promote the introduction of Enghsh 
 settlers into Bolivia, and asked him what he thought would 
 be the feeling of the Government, supposing an individual 
 were willing to collect together some of the Indians, and in- 
 
33 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 struct tliem in the Protestant religion, in the hope of recover- 
 ing them from their present abject condition? He said he 
 thought the Government could not but approve of such a 
 plan ; and that in all probabihty they would give a tract of 
 land for the Indians to live upon. After some further con- 
 versation, I explained fully our wish to translate the Bible 
 into the Indian language, and to teach the natives to read, 
 and instruct them in the religion of the Bible. He recom- 
 mended that a petition should be drawn up, stating our 
 object, and requesting permission of the President to carry it 
 into effect." 
 
 Shortly after this conversation, our friends left San Luis, 
 and went to Tarija, where they were hospitably received by 
 Dr Cainzo, the attorney-general. 
 
 " Tarija, July 2b. — The Lord has been very gracious to 
 me, having raised me up again from my state of weak- 
 ness, so that I can walk and ride nearly as usual, and feel 
 quite restored, being only much thinner than I was. We 
 have every prospect of good success, and are in favour with 
 some individuals here, who are likely to forward the work in 
 which we are engaged. But I look above these second causes, 
 and desire to have my eyes fixed on Him who is the Author 
 and Giver of every good and perfect gift, and who will not 
 permit those who trust in His name to be ashamed of their 
 confidence. Our winter here is delightful — almost cloud- 
 less skies, no rain, and the temperature about what it is in 
 England in June. Dr Cainzo left on the 21st, to attend a 
 session of the Congress in Chuquisaca, taking with him a 
 letter to the British consul, and our petition to Government. 
 We had arranged to go into lodgings, but he most kindly 
 offered us his house, and pressed us not to move during his 
 absence. We are therefore comfortably housed, and cater 
 for ourselves. We have, since leaving Cobija, travelled 1061 
 
IN BOLIVIA AND TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 39 
 
 miles, over, perhaps, the worst roads in the world. We can- 
 not fly about here, as in Chili." 
 
 The consul's reply was a very friendly letter of strong re- 4 
 monstrance, in which he expressed his decided opinion that, 
 though the Government was tolerably enlightened, the igno- 
 rance, intolerance, and vices of the clergy were incredible, 
 and their influence sufficient to frustrate any attempt of so- 
 called heretics to enlighten the Indians. 
 
 Becoming anxious about the fate of his petition, Captain —^ 
 Gardiner left Tarija for Chuquisaca on the 22d of September, 
 trusting by a personal interview with the President to obviate 
 any objections which had arisen. He was so far successful 
 that, whereas the first petition was negatived, he was per- 
 mitted to modify it, and the formal sanction of Government 
 was given to his proposal, to endeavour to instruct the In- 
 dians who hve beyond the limits of Bolivia proper in the 
 knowledge of God. He conversed with several members of the 
 Government, the President, and the Minister of the Interior, 
 as well as his former friends, JXc Cainzo and Don Sebastiano, 
 and was so well convinced of the sincerity of their support, / 
 that he considered the way was now open for missionary 
 work am.ong the Indians, and that it was necessary he should 
 either remain in the country, to secure the step he had gained, 
 or return to England, for the purpose of urging on Christian 
 friends the importance of sending a missionary without delay 
 to assist Mr Gonzales. He adopted the latter course, and on 
 the 12th of October left Chuquisaca for Potosi, where he re- 
 mained till he had seen Mr Gonzales comfortably settled. He 
 was much struck with the decayed appearance of this city ; 
 deserted and ruined houses were seen in aU directions. In 
 the days of Spanish greatness it had numbered 160,000 in- 
 habitants, now reduced to 14,000. 
 
 The Quichua, one of the a])original languages of the coun- 
 
40 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 try, is spoken by the Indians witliin the confines of BoHvia, 
 and to this language Mr Gonzales now devoted his attention, 
 so as to be ready, when joined by another missionary, to pro- 
 ceed to the frontier^ There, it was hoped, they might remain, 
 within Bolivian territory* protected by the laws of the country, 
 and tolerated by a liberal Government, while patiently at- 
 tempting to open a friendly intercourse with the natives be- 
 yond the boundary. 
 
 Cheered by this prospect. Captain Gardiner hastened to 
 England. Under date of Southampton, February 8, 1846 
 he writes : — ** Having once more returned to my native land, 
 after an absence of rather more than sixteen months, 1 
 desire to offer thanksgiving to my gracious God. In jour- 
 neys, In sickness, and throughout my voyages out and home, 
 He has mercifully watched ovei me for good, and preserved 
 me from harm. Lord, give me a grateful heart for all Thy 
 goodness ; may it be to me Christ to live, and then it will be 
 gain to die." 
 
 It will be remembered thasu e Society's funds were in re- 
 serve, waiting for the result of this journey of observation. 
 Unhappily, now that the time for action was come, they were 
 deprived of the valuable services of Sir Thomas Blomefield, 
 who was compelled by illness to resign the office of treasurer 
 and secretary. As the committee had also been weakened by 
 the removal of some of its members from Brighton, the rest 
 were unwilling to take the responsibility of a new mission, 
 without first applying to the Church Missionary Society. 
 Had the application been successful, the money in hand 
 would have been transferred to the elder Society. The 
 Church Missionary Society having again refused the under- 
 taking, it was then deemed advisable for the committee to 
 meet in London, thus securing the addition of several new 
 members to their body, and the kind assistance of A. T. 
 Ititchie, Esq., as honorary secretary. 
 
IN BOLIVIA AND TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 41 
 
 Their first object was to send out a coadjutor to Mr Gon- 
 zales, and they were happy in meeting with another Spanish 
 Protestant, Mr Miguel Robles, by whose aid they trusted that 
 the preliminary work of the mission might be commenced, 
 while time was given for increasing the Society's funds, and 
 selecting a clergyman to follow. 
 
 But at the very time when Mr Robles was on his way to 
 Bolivia, a revolutionary movement took place in that country, 
 which ended in the deposition of the friendly Bolivian Pre- 
 sident. The difficulties w^hich had been removed from the 
 path of Gonzales and Robles were thus renewed. When 
 the governing power was withdrawn, the influence of the 
 priests was in the ascendant, and the society at home, not 
 feeling able to cope with a hostile power of unknown extent, 
 and to maintain an infant mission in the midst of the con- 
 fusion which attends on civil troubles, reluctantly gave the 
 order to their two agents to withdraw. 
 
 From the time that Captain Gardiner and Mr Hunt failed 
 /fin the a.ttempt to form a mission station in Patagonia, the 
 
 I former entertained the idea of an expedition to Tierra del 
 Fuego. He knew that there, at least, he was beyond the 
 
 i reach of any antagonistic Papal influence, the' most southern 
 Spanish settlement being at Port Famine. 
 
 He never forgot this half-formed plan, even while engaged 
 in his Bohvian journeys ; and when his first petition to the 
 Bolivian Government was negatived, though he modified the 
 petition, and made every possible effort to get it passed, yet 
 his mind reverted at once, in case of failure, to his original 
 plan of visiting Tierra del Fuego, as if the expedition to Bo- 
 livia were but an episode between the design and execution 
 of the projected mission. Having succeeded beyond his 
 hopes in making an opening for usefulness in Bolivia, he 
 pressed on the committee of the new Society for missions to 
 Patagonia and South America the importance not only of 
 
42 MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 supporting and encouraging their agents in Bolivia, but of 
 commencing a mission to Tierra del Fuego. 
 
 If he found it difficult to urge the committee forward, they 
 found it impossible to keep him back ; nothing could stop 
 him. He travelled over England and Scotland to make 
 known his plans, and invite co-operation. But amidst the 
 conflicting claims which come before all who look upon mis« 
 sions to the heathen as a duty, it is not surprising that the 
 pecuniary result of all his lectures and meetings was very 
 small; and finding that all his exertions were insufficient to 
 procure for the Society such an income as might provide for 
 a well-appointed expedition, he urged upon the committee 
 to make an attempt on a smaller scale, which would at 
 least be a step in the right direction, and would result in 
 improved information. 
 
 He proposed to take four sailors and one ship-carpenter, 
 with one decked boat, a dingey, a whaleboat, two wigwam 
 huts, and supplies for six months. He hoped by God's 
 blessing to establish a station on one of the adjacent islands, 
 where plentiful stores might be kept, while yet the mission- 
 aries might be near enough to the mainland for the purpose 
 of holding a cautious intercourse with the natives. Staten 
 Island, which hes due east of the most easterly point of 
 Tierra del Fuego was selected for the scene of the experi- 
 ment. This plan was finally agreed to. The prepara- 
 tions were made, and the men engaged. A passage was 
 secured in the barque Glymene, bound for Payta, in Peru, 
 and they sailed from Cardiff on the 7th of January 1848. 
 
 A very little experience in a very short time showed that 
 this scheme was quite inadequate to the requirements of so 
 hazardous an enterprise in so stormy a latitude. On the 15th 
 of March, they sighted Staten Island, and stood off Port 
 Vancouver on the 17th ; but the wind being contrary, and in- 
 creasing to a gale, they found it impossible to enter the liar- 
 
IN BOLIVIA AND TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 43 
 
 .hour, and proceeded through the straits of Le Mahe to Lennox 
 suirbour, where they anchored on the 23d. The next morn- 
 hng, the Httle reconnoitring party explored the shore of 
 Plcton island in their whaleboat. BaimerJ^ove was selected'^T~ 
 •^or the projected mission station, and they returned to the 
 ship. But even this Httle trip was not accomplished with- 
 out misadventure. Two nights and three days were spent 
 upon it. The first night was spent comfortably on shore m 
 their tent, and the next morning, after worship and break- 
 fast and an exploring walk, baffling winds and squalls so 
 obstructed their progress that night surprised them on their 
 way back, and they were reduced to run their boat on the 
 north shore of Lennox Island, and go supperless to rest on a 
 sandy bed, covered by the canvas of the tent, which they were 
 too wearied to erect. Next morning the surf was so high 
 as to prevent them from launching their boat ; and a scram- 
 bling walk by compass, over hill and dale, through forest 
 and bog, was resorted to as the most hopeful way of getting 
 food and shelter that day. When at last they were cheered 
 by the sight of the Clymene, their troubles were not over ; 
 for, as they were expected by sea, and not by land, it was long 
 before theu' signals attracted attention, and hours had passed, 
 a sheltering wall had been erected, and a fire lighted, before 
 the welcome boat's crew from the barque came to their 
 rescue. 
 
 The boat was subsequently recovered without injury, and 
 the Clymene sailed to Banner Cove. The storehouse was 
 '^erected, and some of the goods landed ; but the first visit of 
 the natives made the fact apparent, that, without a place of • 
 security on shore, or a vessel large enough to hold their pro- 
 visions and property, nothing could be preserved from the 
 pilfering hands of their unscrupulous visitors. Reluctantly, 
 therefore, but of necessity, the attempt to form a station on 
 shore was abandoned, the tents were struck, and everything 
 
 I 
 
44 JIISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 was re-embarked in a few hours; and on Saturday, the Is*' 
 of April 1848, the whole party sailed in the Clymene f 
 Payta. 
 
 The considerations which led to the above decision are 
 thus stated : — 
 
 " The few natives who are now with us, even should no 
 more arrive, will oblige us to be constantly on the watch 
 to prevent them from pilfering. While occupied in guard- 
 I ing our houses, our boats would be at their mercy ; and, 
 : deprived of them, the only means of escaping from the 
 / difficulties with which we might be surrounded would be 
 »H irrevocably cut off. From what I have now seen, it is my 
 I decided opinion that until the character of the natives has 
 * undergone some considerable change, a Fuegian mission must 
 of necessity be afloat — in other words, a mission vessel,v 
 "^ moored in the stream, must be substituted for a mission- 
 house erected on the shore. 
 
 " A large vessel would not be required. I should recom- 
 mend a ketch or brigantine of about 120 tons, with a master 
 and seven hands. Provisions for twelve months should be 
 taken out, but three-quarters should be deposited on the 
 Falkland islands, when, as opportunity offered, suppUes 
 should afterwards be forwarded. 
 
 '^ There is no lack of wild ducks and other birds that would 
 be good for the table ; but, strange to say, they were found 
 to be exceedingly shy, and difficult to approach. Howeve^i*, 
 on the lagoon we saw many, and by going at the proper 
 times, early and late, when the principal haunts are known, 
 there is little doubt that any two individuals, who were toler- 
 able shots, would bring in a sufficient supply, which, together 
 with fish, would almost provide for the crew of a small vessel. 
 The wastes of all these islands abound with seal, penginn, - 
 shag, loggerhead, and steamer ducks ; and on the land brent 
 ducks, upland geese, snipe, and other birds, are to be met 
 
IX BOLIVIA AND TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 45 
 
 witli. One evening a man employed himself in fishing most 
 successfully; the hook and line were scarcely down, when the 
 bait was nibbled at, and many fish were caught in a very 
 short time. While the crew were preparing for sea, I landed 
 with our fellow-passenger, in Tent Ceve, taking the goats, 
 and some cuttings of raspberry, currant, and gooseberry, with 
 a few garden bulbs, which I had brought from England, 
 We then s^t to work with our spades, and, having cleared a 
 patch of ground on the Isthmus, set the cuttings, and de- 
 posited some of the bulbs. 
 
 " The anchorage off Banner Cove was found to be far 
 superior to that in Lennox Roads, and the cove itself affords 
 shelter from all winds for small vessels. There is no danger 
 in approaching Picton Island from seaward, and both wood 
 and water are abundant. 
 
 " The only obstacle which I can anticipate to the prose- 
 cution of our missionary objects in Tierra del Fuego, is one 
 which I am almost ashamed to mention, i.e., the expense. 
 But ' let us not be weary in well-doing ; for in due season we 
 shall reap, if we faint not.' " 
 
 In this narrative, an attempt has been made to delineate 
 the personal history of Captain Gardiner, without intruding 
 into the privacy of family life. Yet it is due to his memory 
 to state that, notwithstanding his frequent absence from home, 
 there are few persons whose individual influence has been more 
 lastingly felt in their own household than his. He was a 
 strict disciplinarian, and regarded God's approval of Abraham, 
 expressed in Gen. xviii. 19, as a lesson to aU parents and 
 masters ; but the exercise of authority never lost him the 
 confidence of his children. Their first impulse, on devising 
 any httle scheme of pleasure, was to consult their father, 
 being certain that he would enter heartily into it, and share 
 their enjoyment. He took great pains with their religious 
 instruction ; and while traveUing with them in foreign coun- 
 
46 ^ MISSIONARY RESEARCHES 
 
 tries, adopted some ingenious expedients for adding to theii 
 little stores of knowledge in an entertaining way. At tliosi 
 times also, liis inventive powers were unceasingly exerciset 
 for insuring the comfort of his wife and children, while en 
 countering the petty inconveniences of travelling. 
 
 The vigour with which he followed out his convictions is 
 worthy of remark. With a frame of iron, and nerves whicl 
 never flinched from fatigue or danger, he broke, with daunt 
 less vehemence, through every difficulty which beset his path 
 He was always ready to meet the attacks of friends or foes 
 listening and replying to opposing arguments; but he was in- 
 variably steadfast to his own purpose. ) 1 He never entered on 
 a new enterprise without very much and earnest prayer for 
 divine guidance. When visiting any of his friends, he gener- 
 ally found some path in the garden, which he paced like a 
 quarter-deck, for hours each day, in the deepest study of God's 
 holy Word. Whatever might be the breakfast hour, he was 
 always up an hour before, for prayer and the study of the 
 Bible. Such a man was not likely to be turned from his 
 point.~f| At one time, when the obstructions to his getting at 
 the heathen population of South America seemed insuper- 
 able, it w^as suggested to him that there was another large 
 unoccupied field open to him. The Bible and the Tract 
 Societies had not then any agent in the whole continent of 
 South America; but they would willingly give him a grant of 
 books, and he might act for both. The idea stmck him, and 
 he paused to consider, but his decision was soon made. " No," 
 Le said ; " I have devoted myself to God for the heathen, and 
 I cannot go back, or modify my vow." From this resolution 
 he never swerved, and he was constant unto death. There 
 were intervals of compelled leisure, when he could not carry 
 on the great work to which he had given himself. At such 
 times he took up any 'work of usefulness that presented itself. 
 
 Wlien in Brighton, he visited the poor regularly in ono 
 
IN BOLmA AND TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 47 
 
 Bmall district, where his memory was fondly chcrisVied, and 
 many tears shed at his death. He also made a practice ot 
 going to some of the low lodging-houses on a Sunday after- 
 noon, to read the Scriptures to any Httle group that he found 
 willing to listen. -: 
 
 "When in South America, many were the Bibles and tracts J 
 which he scattered. At Mendoza there was no sale for them ; 
 but the books were gladly received as gifts, and eagerly sought 
 after, and a kind letter of thanks was received from a reverend 
 preceptor of the college of that town, for some which his pupils 
 had applied for and received. He made a special journey into 
 the Argentine provinces, and found a ready sale at Cordova, 
 Tucuman, and Santiago del Estero. There was a dij6ferenc« 
 of opinion among the padres, some making purchases them« 
 selves, and encouraging their flocks to do the same, while now 
 and then a friar would be found to warn his hearers from the 
 pulpit against the danger of buying heretical books. Still 
 the Bible was nowhere proscribed by law. The pohce authori- 
 ties, when appealed to, invariably favoured the sale. In ChiH, 
 also, which was generally considered a much more bigoted 
 country than Buenos Ayres, or other eastern provinces, a 
 formal permission was received from Santiago to admit two 
 cases of "Bibles and religious books;" and though they 
 were less sought after in that country than in some others, 
 they were gladly received at San Carlos, in Chiloe. After 
 every copy had been disposed of, there were some touching 
 instances of people coming from a distance, and in vain offer- ' 
 ing high prices for copies of the Holy Book. The success 
 met with by Captain Gardiner was undoubted. And it was 
 the more to be regretted that no one since the year 1826 had 
 been accredited to carry the Word of God to a people able to 
 read it, and willing to receive it. The few English chaplains 
 who were stationed at some of the seaports, were so fully 
 occupied with the thousands who were their immediate charge, 
 
4S MISSIONARY RESEARCHES IN BOLIVIA, ETC. 
 
 that they could not carry out such a work as this for th^ 
 Spanish-speaking population on a large scale. There were no 
 ' authorised agents to go into the country towns, no colporteurs, 
 no chance travellers, as in Europe, to give their gratuitous- 
 service. Our countrymen came year by year, in increasing 
 numbers, to the principal trading ports ; but we know of no 
 ■ man who at that time cared to compromise himself by doing 
 1 anything which might be construed into an interference with 
 1 the religion of the country. Better days have now dawned. 
 Chili has followed the example of Buenos Ayres, and passed 
 an act of toleration ; and our great merchants have shown such 
 an interest in the religious weKare of their own countrymen 
 in the Spanish towns, as, we trust, may result in much bless- 
 ing to South America. And since the year 1856, Mr Corfield 
 has been the active and successful agent of the Bible Society 
 ni Brazil and the Argentine republics. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE LAST VOYAGE. 
 
 We must now turn to the final effort which ended Captain 
 Gardiner's exertions for the benefit of the South American 
 Indians. He had returned from Tierra del Fuego ardently 
 desirous to induce his countrymen to send out another mission 
 more efficiently provided than the last, with a brigantine or 
 schooner in which they might keep their provisions-, retire in 
 case of difficulty, and maintain communication with the 
 British colony on the East Falkland. He did not regard his 
 recent attempt as a failure^ but as a voyage of observation, 
 showing what further means were requked. He found few 
 prepared to take the same view with himself^ even among his 
 stanchest supporters * but impressed as he was-, with the 
 firm conviction that it was his Master's Will that he should 
 exert all his powers to carry on that Master's work in South 
 America, neither disappointment nor remonstrance had any 
 power to withdraw him from it. 
 
 The question was submitted to the Moravian Church at 
 Herrnhuth in Silesia, whether they Would undertake a mis- 
 sion, for which their experience in Greenland seemed to pre- 
 pare them. Captain Gardiner went to Herrnhuth as the repre- 
 sentative of the committee j he was much gratified at meeting 
 there some of the Moravian bishops and clergy from Africa, the 
 West Indies, and other parts of the world, who had come to 
 the i-ynod, which it is their custom to hold once in ten years. 
 
 D 
 
50 THE LAST VOYAGE. 
 
 The proposal was fully discussed, and excited a deep interest, 
 but tke final reply was given a year and a half afterwards de- 
 clining the undertaking. And now, two applications having 
 been made in vain to the Church Missionary Society to take 
 up, the cause of missions to South America, and one to the 
 Moravian Church, a similar appUcation was made to the com- 
 mittee for Foreign Missions of the Church of Scotland ; but 
 equally in vain. 
 
 It was now clear that the committee of the Patagonian 
 Missionary Society must eitheij abandon all hope of a mission 
 to, Tierra del Fuego, or adopt the plans of the ardent and 
 disinterested man who pressed them upon their notice.. They 
 therefore authorised him to collect the necessary funds as a 
 first step towards such a mission. In the course of his jour- 
 neys as a lecturer. Captain Gardiner became acquainted with 
 the Bev. George Pakenham Despard, of Redlands,, Bristol, a 
 man of courage, energy, and piety, and a warm friendship 
 sprang up between them. When,, therefore, difficulties 
 thickened round the infant society-r-when money for the pro- 
 jected mission came slowly in — when Mr Pitchie, who had 
 been indefatigable in discharging the duties oi honorary sec- 
 retary left London for Liverpool, and no one of the existing 
 members of committee was able or willing to succeed him — Mr 
 Despard was persuaded by Captain Gardiner to come to the 
 rescue. In March 1850 the committee met once more in 
 London, and elected, aa members of their body, Mr Despard 
 and those of his friends who had consented to aid them with 
 their counsels. It was resolved, at the same time, that the 
 committee should meet in future at Bristol instead of London, 
 for the purpose of enabling Mr Despard to undertake the 
 laborious office of honorary secretary. 
 
 As it seemed impossible to raise money enough for the execu- 
 tion of his original scheme, Captain Gardiner endeavoured to 
 modify his plan, so as to combine sufficient security with less 
 
THE LAST VOYAGE. 51 
 
 expense. He proposed, instead of a brigantine, to take two 
 launches, 26 feet by 8c^, in which provisions for six months 
 might be stowed, and two smaller boats to act as tenders to 
 them. Believing that launches of that size would be quite 
 sufficient to navigate the intricate channels of the straits, he 
 spoke confidently to the committee on the subject, and was 
 heard with the deference which his practical experience de- 
 manded. They knew that he was sanguine, but they knew 
 also that he was not asking others to undertake toils or 
 dangers which he was unwilling to share with them, or of 
 which he knew nothing. They felt apprehensive when they 
 compared his original plan with the one now presented to 
 them, but he was so clear in his reasoning, and' so confident 
 of his facts, that a majority agreed to assist him in carrying 
 it out. Besides, it is apparent to all, that about the stormy 
 coasts of England and Scotland there are hundreds of fishing 
 boats which are safely navigated by bold and skilful seamen. 
 The launches proposed for the mission were to be of the best 
 character, of good size, and provided with decks; while, for 
 a crew, he proposed to obtain experienced Cornish fishermen, 
 accustomed to navigate the Irish sea. 
 
 Again with patient pertinacity the unwearied man travelled 
 over England and Scotland, but httle progress w^as made in 
 raising the necessary funds, till a lady at Cheltenham, being 
 assured that the want of money alone hindered the enterprise, 
 generously gave £7.00 at one time, and afterwards £300 more 
 that it might be immediately prosecuted. 
 
 The party was soon collected. Mr Richard Williams, a 
 gentleman practising as a surgeon at Burslem in Stafford- 
 shire, resigned his professional prospects to share i^s hard- 
 ships. Mr John Maidment was pointed out by the secretary 
 of the Young Men's Christian Association in London as the 
 one man of his acquaintance whose piety, trustworthiness, 
 humility, faith, and hardihood, rendered him fit for such a 
 
,52 THE LAST VOYAGE. 
 
 work, if lie should be disposed to engage in it. Joseph 
 Erwin the ship carpenter, who was one of the former party, 
 volunteered to go again, saying, that " being with Captain 
 'Gardiner was hke a heaven on earth, he was such a man of 
 prayer." Three Cornish fishermen, John Pearce, John 
 Badcock, and John Bryant, completed the party. They were 
 men of high character and simple piety, who had worked to- 
 gether as fishermen, and Hved together as Christians. 
 
 This Httle company sailed from Liverpool in the Ocean 
 Queen, a fine harque, bound for San Francisco, on the 7th of 
 September 1850, and two months after, letters were received' 
 from them, one of which gives the following account : — " As 
 ?or our httle mission party, you will be glad to hear that 
 everything goes on most harmoniously, — not a jarring word 
 has been uttered, and, as far as I can judge, but one spirit 
 prevails, — a desire to serve the good Master in whose name 
 we go forth, counting it all joy to endure hardship for His 
 sake. May we have aU grace to persevere unto the end. 
 The mission boats, Pioneer and Speedwell, are highly approved, 
 and cared for as if they belonged to the ship." 
 
 Soon after the arrival of this letter, the committee prepared 
 to send out a second six months' supply of provisions, and 
 every effort was used to find a vessel to take it. But though 
 they had been successful in prevailing on the Ocean Queen to 
 land the missionary party at Picton Island, they were now 
 unable to find a vessel which would take the stores to that 
 island. They therefore fell back upon the other suggestion 
 made by Captain Gardiner, i.e., to send stores to the East 
 Falkland, thence to be forwarded by a vessel which, he had 
 reason to believe, was sent monthly by Government for wo(k1 
 to Tierra del Fuego. This information was confirmed from 
 what appeared to be authentic sources, and the stores were 
 put on board the brig Pearl, which was advertised to sail for 
 that colony in April, 
 
 1 
 
THE LAST VOYAGE. 63 
 
 In due course of time letters were received from the voy- " 
 agers, announcing their arrival at Picton Island on Decern- > 
 ber 5, 1850, after a long voyage. The incidents of the first '^ 
 few days are thus narrated : — 
 
 " Before we anchored, three canoes, with natives, were seen 
 occupied in chasing porpoises ; and as we approached Banner 
 Cove, to my no little satisfaction, five goats were observed 
 perched up among the rocks. The crew of this vessel went 
 on shore, and caught two of them, and I have given them to 
 the captain as some little return for his constant kindness. 
 On Friday the 6th we erected our tents, and slept on shore. 
 On the 7th, we constructed a strong fence of trunks of trees, 
 &c., round our position, leaving only one small opening. 
 This night, and during Sunday, the number of natives in- 
 creased. The party which we found here on our first land- • 
 ing were quiet and' peaceable, but not so the people who 
 joined them. Their rudeness, and pertinacious endeavour to 
 force a way into the tents, and to purloin our things, at 
 length became so systematic and resolute, that it was not 
 possible to retain our position without resorting to force, from 
 w'hich, of course, we refrained. For the present we must 
 keep the stores and everything in the boats. As soon as the 
 Ocean Queen leaves us, I purpose going to Button Island, 
 and endeavouring to find out Jemmy, in the hope of per- 
 suading either himself or some of his relations to locate here; 
 secondly, should we be unsuccessful in this endeavour, I in- 
 tend to go still farther to the w^est, in order to obtain two 
 or three boys from a different tribe, and to retain them 
 fcr the purpose of learning their language. As a last resort, 
 should we find the difficulties too great, we could easily take 
 three or four lads to Staten Island, or to East Falkland, and 
 after their language had been acquired, resume our position 
 here under more favourable circumstances. 
 
 *^ December 18. — The Ocean Queen will probably sail to- 
 
64: THE LAST VOYAGE. 
 
 morrow morning. . . . Our boats are not too deeply iaden, but 
 sadly encumbered, besides wbich, the leak in the Pioneer is not 
 remedied, as I had expected ; nothing remains but to lighten 
 her, and get quite to the keel. We know where the leak is, 
 and only require a proper place to unlade in. Nothing can 
 exceed the cheerful endurance and unanimity of the whole 
 party. I feel that the Lord is with us, and cannot doubt 
 that He will own and bless the work which He has permitted 
 us to begin." 
 
 Such cheerful communications were calculated to allay the 
 anxiety of friends in England. They knew that the stores 
 which the missionary pioneers had taken with them were 
 sufficient to last till June, and that they had also guns and 
 powder, besides nets for fishing. They knew that Captain 
 Gardiner had written to Mr Lafone of Monte Yideo, who 
 /lad extensive property in the Falklands, telling him of the 
 present effort, and requesting him to provide that a vessel 
 should ply periodically between the Falkland Islands and 
 Tierra del Fuego, bringing provisions for the mission, and 
 xjarrying back a supply of wood. A letter was addressed to 
 'Captain B. J. Sulivan, R.N., at that time residing at East 
 Falkland, asking his co-operation, but this unhappily did 
 not reach the islands till he had quitted them. It was also 
 believed that the mission boats made a retreat to the colony 
 possible in case of necessity. 
 
 But as time passed, and no further intelhgence was received, 
 upphcation was made to the Admiralty for assistance, which 
 was promptly rendered. Captain Morshead, of H.M.S. Dido^ 
 received directions to touch at Picton Island, on his way to 
 the Pacific, and left England in October 1851. 
 
 We must now follow the eventful course of the mission 
 party. The Ocean Queen left them on December 19; and, 
 according to the plan stated in the letter which he had just 
 sent to England, Captain Gardiner prepared for a voyage to 
 
THE LAST VOYAGE. 55 
 
 Button Island. But first it was necessary to disencumber 
 the boats by depositing a part of the stores in some place of 
 security, and to stop the leak of the Pioneer. On the very 
 same day they began their search for a secure harbour on the 
 north shores of the Beagle Channel. The one selected Cap- 
 tain Gardiner called Blomefield Harbour, as a " testimony of 
 respect to his valued frietod, Sir T. W. Blomefield." Sad 
 experience too soon showed how imperfectly they were pro- 
 vided for the necessities of their position. The dingeys 
 (which in a brig would have been carried on board) were 
 towed by the Picnieer, and broke adrift the first day. The 
 Speedwell, meantime, was in a s-till worse plight, and the 
 spare plank which she was towing having got entangled in 
 some kelp, she narrowly escaped getting on shore, and was 
 saved only by the loss of her anchor and the timber. Two 
 attempts were made to get into Blomefield Harbour ; the 
 first time, the Pioneer got there ; the second time, the Speed' 
 well got safe out to sea. On each occasion the successful 
 boat had to return for her consort, not knowing what evils 
 might have befallen her. The third time of leaving Banner 
 Cove the weather became so stormy, and the wind so con- 
 trary, that they were driven for refuge to Lennox Harbour, 
 and beached the boats there on the 6th of January. The 
 repairs were completed, and the boats floated again on the 
 18th ; but as Lennox Harbour was too exposed for the boats 
 to ride safely at anchor, they proceeded eastward to Spaniard 
 Harbour. Here they found a beautiful cove for shelter, 
 which they called Earnest Cove, and a river which they 
 named Cook's River, within a fine harbour. But on the 1st 
 of February a severe gale blew with violence into the harbour, 
 the Pioneer was dashed upon a rock, and her bows driven in 
 by the jagged root of a large tree which lay prostrate upon 
 the beach. One section of the Pioneer was hauled up higher 
 on the beach, and with the help of the tent converted into a 
 
50 THE LAST VOYAGE. 
 
 sleeping apartment. It might now have been possible, had 
 the weather been mild, to proceed to Woollya in the Speed- 
 well, with seven hands on board, five of whom were men bred 
 to the sea, taking with them part of then' provisions ; but 
 having in one violent gale lost their landing boats, and the 
 Pioneer itself in another, they felt that it would be useless to 
 make any further attempt with their present means. Not 
 being able to go to Button Island, where there was some hope 
 of finding a friendly, Enghsh-rspeaking native, still less could 
 they remain, at Banner Cove, where the natives were hable 
 to come in large force, and were hostile to their movements. 
 They determined, therefore, to wait in Spaniard Harbour till 
 the arrival of the reheving vessel,, which they had reason to 
 expect from England or from the Falklands. The possibihty 
 of a vessel not arriving did not occur apparently to any of 
 the party. The result of their consultation is thus stated 
 by Mr WilHams : — = 
 
 " Feb. 2, 1851. — How evident that we were not in a posi- 
 tion to commence with such slight means so arduous an un- 
 dertaking ! But all this is well ;, the mission has been there- 
 by begun, whereas, had we waited for more efficient means, 
 it never probably would have been. We are now all agreed 
 that nothing short of a brigantine or schooner of eighty or 
 a hundred tons burden can answer our ends, and to procure 
 this ultimately the captain has fully determined to use every 
 eflfort.. Our plan of action now is to ' rough it ' through all 
 the circumstances which it shall please God to permit to 
 happen to us until the arrival of a vessel, and then to take 
 with us some Fuegians, and go to the Falkland Islands, there 
 to learn their language ; and when we have acquired it, and 
 got the necessary vessel, to come out again, and go amongst 
 them. 
 
 " A short acquaintance with the natives confirmed the 
 nnfavourable report which such writers as Fitz Koy, King, 
 
THE LAST VOYAGE. 67 
 
 and Darwin had given ; and in the forefront of all their 
 actions it was visible that when they were the weaker party, 
 they were mild and submissive, but the instant they had the 
 prospect of taking us at unawares, they became presuming 
 and full of mischief." 
 
 It Boon became impossible to alter this decision, for within 
 a few days sickness commenced. Mr Williams was the first 
 who was seized. Ris disorder began with a severe chill ; 
 but early in March symptoms of scurvy showed themselves, 
 the_res ult^f Jh ^van t of animal food, which was occasioned 
 by the loss of their powder. John Badcock Avas the next 
 who sickened. 
 
 One more voyage, only they made to Banner Cove to fetch 
 away some provisions which they had concealed there, and to 
 put up notices to show where they were gone. Then having 
 taken all the measurea needful to insure their being found in 
 Spaniard Harbour by any vessel searching for them in Ban- 
 ner Cove, they returned to their retreat on Saturday the 29th \ 
 of March; from this time watching for the vessel which 1 
 never came, with that hope deferred which would have made ; 
 the heart sick, if it had not been that their faith was made 
 to grow exceedingly, and that they were filled with comfort ^ 
 in all their tribulations, 
 
CHAPTER y. 
 
 BANNER COVE AND SPANIARD HARBOUR. 
 
 We now give such extracts from Captain Gardiner's journal 
 as our space will admit, to show what intercourse they had 
 with the natives, the means used to procure food, and lastly 
 that wonderful testimony to the power of Divine grace which 
 the concluding portion gives. 
 
 The first notice of the natives after the Ocean Queen left 
 is on 
 
 "i>ec. 23, 1850. — During the whole of Saturday, we had 
 been at sea, and did not reach our anchorage till one o'clock 
 on Sunday morning the 22d. At daylight we were awoke 
 by the voices of the natives, two of whom were preparing to 
 enter the boat, which to our great concern we found im- 
 movable, the tide having left her aground. We united in 
 prayer. The two natives observed us, and as we proceeded 
 they became more quiet, and at length seemed in some 
 degree awed. 
 
 " Mr Maidment espied the Speedwell, standing out. No 
 time was lost in putting her about ; but before she could ap- 
 proach, five more men made their appearance, approaching 
 us by the beach. Taking it for granted that their intentions 
 were hostile, considering the overbearing conduct of the two 
 who had been with us since daylight, we landed with our 
 guns and walked towards them, and when within a few paces, 
 we knelt down upon the beach, and committed ourselves to 
 the mercy and protection of our heavenly Father. They 
 
 J 
 
=>^ .y- 
 
 ^i. '^ 
 
 
BANNER COVE AND SPANIARD HARBOUR. 59 
 
 stood still, without uttering a word, while we were in prayer, 
 and seemed to be held under some degree of restraint. Find- 
 ing that they were peaceably incHned, some presents, such as 
 knives and buttons, were distributed among them ; but in 
 order to be prepared, as our situation was still favourable 
 for an attack, I wall<:ed round to a spot opposite to the 
 Speedwell, -and directed Erwin to prepare a raft, in order that 
 as a last resource we might, if attacked, take refuge on board 
 of her. On my return, we commenced our usual Sunday 
 service. The natives were still standing close to the boat, 
 and it was again remarked that, as we proceeded, they gra- 
 dually became quiet, and their whole demeanour was greatly 
 subdued. As soon as we were afloat again, both boats re- 
 turned to their former anchorage in Banner Cove." 
 
 Mr WiUiams ^vrite3 under date — ''Dec. 31, 1850.^Two 
 things have happened of a disappointing nature, which it has 
 rather puzzled us to make up for. One is that whereas 
 Cap^"r6cks, scdiner was in expectation of there being abun- 
 dance carceri here, we find Hterally none, saving the small 
 ones caught by the natives, but we do not know where they 
 obtained them. The other disappointment arises from our 
 having left our stock of powder on board, so that we can no 
 longer supply ourselves with ducks and geese, of which there 
 jire plenty here. Anticipating neither of these failures, no 
 large provision of animal food was made — only two casks of 
 preserved meat and one of pork, the latter purchased from 
 the Ocean Queen — consequently, our diet consists chiefly of 
 wheatmeal and oatmeal, with rice and biscuit, cheese, butter, 
 and molasses." 
 
 We resume our extracts from Captain Gardiner's jour- 
 nal : — 
 
 " January 6, 1851. — After a lapse of nine days, the longest 
 period during which the natives had been away from us, they 
 returned about seven o'clock on Saturday morning, January 4. 
 
CO BANNER COVE 
 
 They entered by Cook's Passage in differ.ent parties; first 
 three, then two, and afterwards three more canoes came. 
 As they approached, they divided, three going alongside each 
 of the boats, while the other two remained near the wigwam, 
 nearly opposite to us. On perceiving the three last canoes 
 rounding the point, I gave directions for leaving the Cove, 
 as there was every reason to apprehend that so large an 
 assemblage of natives was for some hostile purpose, and not 
 for friendly traffic, as the people alongside in the canoes were 
 evidently desirous that we should regard it. They com- 
 menced by offering us fish for barter, which of cc .rse we 
 accepted, giving them some articles in return. On per- 
 ceiving a bundle of long war-spears in the stern of the 
 two canoes which were near the wigwam, and the men in 
 them deliberately handing to each other baskets of stones 
 from the beach, there was no room for doubt or deliberation. 
 The order to cut the cable was instantly given ard as readily 
 obeyed ; our stern anchor was soon hove up, a /ere 
 
 shortly afterwards under sail. As soon as we •" lairly 
 out, and under the lee of the land, we closed in order to ex- 
 change some provisions, in the event of our being separated, 
 and offered up our praises and thanksgivings to our gracious 
 God, who had shielded us in the hour of peril, and so merci- 
 fully restrained the natives from carrying their design into 
 effect. Had the wind permitted, we should have gone to 
 Blomefield Harbour, but Lennox Harbour was the only one 
 to which we could with safety steer. 
 
 " Tuesday, March 25 — Tent Cove. — Went round Garden 
 Island in quest of goats. Saw none, but found the skin of a 
 kid which had been killed. It is therefore to be feared that 
 the natives have killed them all. This is a sad disappoint- 
 ment, as fresh meat is now so essential for those who are 
 sick. Yesterday, for a few nails, seventy fish were purchased 
 from the natives. This afternoon we took on board the three 
 
Am) SPANIARD HARBOUR. 61 
 
 casks of biscuit which had been deposited here, with the 
 pork, a timely supply. 
 
 ** Wednesday/ 26. — Moved this morning into Banner Cove. 
 In the afternoon buried three bottles with notes in them, 
 signifying where we were to be found should we leave this 
 cove ; also painted a notification to the same effect on the 
 rocks in two places. The bottles contain the following noti- 
 fication : — ^We are gone to Spaniard Harbour, which is on the 
 main island, not far from Cape Kinnaird. We have sickness 
 on board ; our supplies are nearly out ; and if not soon re- 
 lieved w«. shall be starved. We do not intend to go to Staten 
 Island, but shall remain in a cove on the west side of Span- 
 iard Harbour, until a vessel comes to our assistance. 
 
 " N.B. — We have already been two months in Spaniard 
 Harbour, finding the natives hostile here. (Signed and 
 dated March 26, 1851.) 
 
 " March 27. — Went on shore to complete the paintings on 
 the rocks, and othenvise notify the place of our destination. 
 Had scarcely finished when some canoes appeared near Cook's 
 Passage, and the voices of the natives were heard. Eeturned 
 on board with John Pearce, who had accompanied me. Four 
 canoes came alongside, very noisy and turbulent. Obtained 
 a few fish for pieces of iron hoop. But notwithstanding all 
 our vigilance, they contrived to cut our raft adrift ; happily 
 it was recovered by means of our long boat-hook, on which 
 they all, to our great relief, took their departure. They have 
 taken up their quarters in the wigwam left by the party 
 which went away on Monday. 
 
 " Friday 28. — Kept a short watch during the night, Mr 
 Maidment and I taking four hours each. The natives were 
 moving about at one o'clock, striking wood, as we suppose, 
 for signals, &c. At four called the people to get under 
 way, and by half-past four we were leaving Banner Cove, 
 with a light air, and three oars pulling. The natives seemed 
 
62 BANNER COVE 
 
 in a bustle, fires had already been placed in their canoes, and 
 they followed us a little way in them. In all probability 
 there was a reinforcement near. 
 
 " March 29 — Earnest Cove. — This afternoon we anchored 
 in our old berth in Earnest Cove ; the passage was an 
 anxious one, and fatiguing to the men. Mr Williams has 
 borne the passage better than I could have expected. We 
 have experienced the good hand of our God upon us in carry- 
 ing us out and bringing us back in safety, and enabling us to 
 do in Banner Cove alt that was necessary for insuring, as far 
 as instrumentality is concerned, the due arrival of the vessel 
 which is expected to bring our supplies. 
 
 ^'Monday 31.— E-igged up our sleeping boat; sent the 
 beds, &c., on shore ; and Mr Maidment and I took up our 
 quarters as before. I have directed John Pearce to sleep in 
 the boat, so that there will be four on board, and three on 
 shore at night, which will be a great rehef to all. 
 
 " April 12. — Last night it blew in gusts harder than it 
 has done since we have been in Tierra del Fuego. It is my 
 intention to move the Speedwell on Monday, if practicable, 
 into Cook's River, as it is too great a risk, especially with 
 invahds on board, to lie- here. Had the wind veered to the 
 S.E., I fear the boat would have been driven on shore. Last 
 night Mr Maidment, Pearce, and I, engaged in prayer for 
 the safety of our companions, and our petition has been 
 graciously granted. The Lord has been very merciful to 
 us in preserving us all from harm during such inclement 
 weather. 
 
 " April 14. — This afternoon moved the Speedwell to Cook's 
 River. Mr Williams got up, and sat in the stern sheets for 
 some little time enjoying the scenery. 
 
 " April 23. — Yesterday I went on board the Speedwell to 
 Btir them up to devise plans for catching fish and fowl ; re- 
 commended the net to be set up, with a tripping line, near 
 
AND SPANIARD HARBOUR. 63 
 
 the place where sea fowl roost, to draw the net and to use 
 the balls,, as the Indians of the Pampas do ; a set of these 
 balls are making. We have provisions of all kinds to last 
 us two months, but some are very low. I have directed that 
 the pork should be used three times a week. 
 
 " A2yril 25. — Our guntrap has at last succeeded ; the 
 fox has paid the cavern nightly visits for some time. We 
 found him this morning shot through the heart, in the en- 
 deavour to take the bait, which was placed at the muzzle of 
 the gun with a string from it attached to the trigger. 
 
 " April 30. — ^Ate a small portion of the fox for dinner to- 
 day ; his flesh had rather a fishy flavour. 
 
 " i/ay 3. — Yesterday we dined on the remnant of a shag 
 found by Mr Maidment on the beach, and to-day we had a 
 fine fish for dinner. Five were caught yesterday by the net 
 at the entrance of Cook's Riv^r. This is very seasonable for 
 the sick, and we have reason to be thankful to the God of all 
 our mercies. 
 
 " Pioneer Cavern, May 8, 1851. — 'Though I walk in the 
 midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me. Mine eyes are unto 
 Thee, God the Lord., In Thee is my trust, leave not my 
 soul destitute,' (Ps. cxxxviii. 7, and cxH. 8.) 
 
 *' ' Sweet peace have they whose minds are stay'd, , 
 Firm on the Rock in Zion laid ; 
 
 No anxious cares disturb their rest ; 
 Whatever of earthly ills betide 
 Amid the storm, secure they ride, 
 
 Their souls in patience are possess'd, 
 
 *•*■ * Children of Him whose watchful eye 
 Regards the ravens when they cry, 
 
 What need they fear or bode of ill ? 
 They know their hairs are numbered all ; 
 Kor can the smallest sparrow fall 
 
 Without their Father's sovereign will, 
 
 ••* * Though all around is dark and drear, 
 Nor sun, nor moou, uor stars appear, 
 
64 BANNER COVE 
 
 And every earthly Cherith dries ; 
 Faith bears the drooping spirit up, 
 And sweetens every bitter cup — 
 
 A bow in every cloud descries. 
 
 ** ' The Lord who gave may surely take, 
 The bruised reed He will not break ; 
 
 He knows we are but dust. 
 The oil and meal alike may fail, 
 The whelming storm may long prevail. 
 
 Yet on His promise we will trust. 
 
 *' ' Whate'er in wisdom He denies, 
 A richer boon His grace supplies, 
 
 A peace the world can ne'er bestow ; 
 Though nought remain, we 're not bereft. 
 What most we value still is left, 
 
 The Rock, whence living waters flow. 
 
 " * Then come what may, we 'II humbly wait. 
 His arm was never bared too late, 
 
 The promise will not, cannot fail, 
 Though dark the night, the morn will break, 
 His OAvn the Lord will not forsake ; 
 
 The prayer of faith shall yet prevail ; 
 And we shall deem the trial sweet 
 That laid us waiting at His feet.' 
 
 " May 12. — Three fish caught in Cook's River. As the bis- 
 cuit was getting low, and we may not altogether have sup- 
 pHes for more than three weeks longer, those who were in 
 health were to-day put upon short allowance. 
 
 " May 20. — ^When I was at Cook's River this afternoon, 
 I found Mr Wilhams engaged in prayer with the two who were 
 left on board It is delightful to see him so heavenly- 
 minded, and so anxious to draw all around him to the fountain 
 of grace, from whence he derives such inward comfort in the 
 midst of his afflictions. 
 
 " May 22. — Yesterday was set apart for special prayer on 
 account of the sick, and for supplies of food, and the expected 
 vessel. It was in the following order — General Confession ; 
 
AND SPANIARD HARBOUR. 65 
 
 Communion Service, Ps. Ixxvii. and xxxiv. ; 1 Kings xvii. ; 
 Ps. xxiii, : Acts xxvii. Collects 1, 5, 2, at the end of the 
 Communion Service, and last two prayers of the Litany. 
 Prayer for all conditions of men. General thanksgiving. 
 Last Communion Collect. One of Eoberts's sermons on 
 Prov. iii. 11,12. Prayer for reUef under our present circum- 
 stances, &c. 
 
 " May 28. — The net was broken by the strength of the 
 tide on Monday night, but has not yet been hauled up, as 
 there is too much ice on the river. Snow fell yesterday, and 
 also in the night. 
 
 " Pioneer Cavern, June 4. — ' Until the time that His word 
 came : the word of the Lord tried him.' ' Wait on the Lord ; 
 be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; 
 wait, I say, on the Lord,' (Ps. xxvii. 14.) 
 
 " 'In heaven the Christian Pilgrims rest, 
 Where all are holy, all are blest ; 
 
 There is no night, 
 No sun, no moon could add one ray 
 To that effulgent, endless day, 
 
 Where all is bright. 
 And saints behold with open face 
 The glories of redeeming grace. 
 
 ** 'And why shofuld there be night below. 
 E'en in this world of sin and woe, 
 
 Where Christians dwell ? 
 When Egypt felt that darksome night. 
 In Goshen all was clear and bright. 
 
 And joy could swell 
 From grateful hearts, serenely kept, 
 While judgments aU around them swept. 
 
 •* *Let that sweet Word our spirits cheer 
 Which quelled the toss'd disciples' fear — 
 
 Be not afraid : 
 He who would bid the tempest cease 
 Can keep our souls in perfect peace, 
 
 If on Him stay'd, 
 
66 BANNER COVE 
 
 And we shall own 'twas good to wait — 
 No blessing ever came too late.' 
 
 ^^ June 10.- — TJie net was recovered and repaired, and on 
 Saturday night, the 7th, was put out; but so much ice 
 floated down the river during that night, and on Sunday, 
 that it was again torn, and indeed has been almost entirely 
 carried away, so that repair is impossible. Thus the Lord 
 has seen fit to render another means abortive, and doubtless 
 to make His power more apparent, . and to show that all our 
 help is to come immediately from Him. 
 
 ^^ June 12.— Mr Williams writes, 'Ah, I am happy day 
 and night, hour by hour. Asleep , or, awake, I am happy 
 beyond the poor compass of language to tell. We have long 
 been without animal food of any kind. Our diet consists of 
 oatmeal and pease, with rice occasionally; but even of this 
 we have only a stock sufficient to last out the present 
 month, or a very short period beyond this. The weather is 
 very severe, with a deep fall of. snow upon the ground. But 
 this, is not the worst feature of, our case. AH hands are now 
 sadly afi'eoted. Captain Gardiner, a miracle of constitutional 
 vigour, has suffered the least, and, if I listened to his own 
 words, he is still none the worse ; but his countenance be- 
 speaks the contrary. Would it were not so ! Mr Maid- 
 raent likewise has sustained the shock of our circumstances 
 very well,. but yet great debility is now manifesting itself.' 
 
 ^^ June 14, Saturday.- — Five fine ducks were shot yester- 
 day near the boat, in Cook's River. They were evidently 
 driven from the interior by the late snow, and were seen in 
 a large flock. This is a merciful supply. Mr Williams and 
 Badcock are very weak, the disease having gr.eatly in- 
 creased, 
 
 " June 1.6, Monday. — Again we have had a merciful sup- 
 ply, five more ducks having been killed on Saturday even- 
 ing. One shot only was fired on Friday and; on Satur- 
 
AND SPANIARD HARBOUR. 67 
 
 day, so thick were the fowl settled on the water near tlie 
 boat. 
 
 ^^ June 21, 1851. — ' Be merciful unto me, God, be mer- 
 ciful unto me; for my soul trusteth in Thee: yea, in the 
 shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these 
 calamities be overpast,' (Ps. Ivii. 1.) 
 
 " ♦ Lord, at Thy feet I humbly fall, ^ 
 And all I have to Thee resign ; 
 Whate'er Thou mayst in love recall, 
 'Tis best to lack^ for all is Thine. 
 
 ** ' Firm on the Rock of ages fix'd, 
 
 I shall but hear the tempest beat ; 
 The cup my heavenly Father mix'd, 
 Though bitter now, -wilL soon be sweet.. 
 
 ** * But should Thy billows o'er me break, 
 When call'd to suffering, want, or pain, 
 This our petition would I make — 
 
 *' Let faith burn bright, and love remain." 
 
 ** ' Uphold me in the trying hour. 
 
 Permit no murmuring thought to rise ; 
 Let me but feel Thy quickening power. 
 And crosses I shall learn to prize.' 
 
 " June 28, Saturday, my Birthday. — 'Who am I, Lord 
 God, that thou hast brought me hitherto ?' (2 Sam. vii. 18.) 
 We are now, by the providence of God, brought into cir- •' 
 
 cumstances which to the flesh are trying But I 
 
 will not be anxious on that account ; we are in the Lord's 
 service, and He is merciful, and full of compassion. Though 
 He cause grief. He will have compassion according to the 
 multitude of His mercies. I know that it is written, * They "Y 
 that seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is 
 good ; ' and again, ' Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He 
 shall sustain thee.' Whatever the Lord may in His provi- 
 dence see fit to take away, it is that which He himself has 
 
68 BANNER COVE 
 
 . / bestowed. .... Still I pray, that if it is consistent with 
 
 I' Thy righteous will, my heavenly Father, Thou wouldst look 
 down with compassion upon me and my companions, who are 
 
 ; . straitened for lack of food, and vouchsafe to provide that which 
 
 ' -.^ is needful, .... but if otherwise. Thy will be done 
 
 ' j May I learn entire submission of my will to Thine ; may 
 
 every high place of pride be abased in my heart 
 
 T^Tord, I pray that Thou mayst be honoured in me, whether 
 by life or by death, and that I may never depart from Thee. 
 Uphold me by Thy grace, and keep me from anxious care, 
 from murmuring and unbelief ; and may the sincere language 
 of my heart be under every circumstance, * The Lord gave,' 
 and should the Lord my God see fit to recall any of His gifts, 
 and even to take away all, still ' Blessed be the name of the 
 ,— Lord;' He hath done all things well. One more petition I 
 would offer to Thy throne of grace, merciful Lord : I 
 
 - 2)ray that Thou wouldst graciously prepare a way for the 
 
 ! entrance of Thy servants among the poor heathen of these 
 slands. .... | Grant, Lord, that we may be instru- 
 
 ; mental in commencing this great and blessed work ; but 
 shouldst thou see fit in Thy providence to hedge up our way, 
 
 '. and that we should even languish and die here, I beseech 
 Thee to raise up others, and to send forth labourers into this 
 harvest. Let it be seen, for the manifestation of Thy glory 
 and grace, that nothing is too hard for Thee ; . . , . and 
 hasten the day when the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ 
 shall be manifested, not here only, but throughout every 
 nation, and people, and tribe, and prayers and praise shaU 
 ascend, and a pure offering from the hearts of multitudes 
 who are now sitting in darkness. 
 
 " July 3. — During the last few days we have had many 
 trials, but our mercies have abounded. On Sunday morning, 
 June 29 Erwin arrived before Mr Maidment and I were up, 
 with the not unexpected intelligence of John Badcock's 
 
 -t 
 
V 
 
 AND SPANIARD HAKBOUR. (W 
 
 v' 
 
 depa:.i;ure, which took place at ahout eleven o'clock on Satui - 
 day night. For some days previously he had suffered much 
 from a difficulty in respiring, and had become so extremely 
 weak that I had little expectation when I saw him on the 
 afternoon of the day on w^hich he died that he would live 
 over Sunday. His illness commenced about the middle oi' 
 March. He has been a great sufferer, but throughout has 
 exhibited the patience and resignation of a true Christian. 
 During some portion of his illness, he was distressed with 
 doubts as to his acceptance before God, but these were 
 entirely removed towards the close, and he entered into his 
 eternal rest in a most triumphant manner. Shortly before 
 he expired, he requested Mr "Williams, who was lying near 
 him, to join him in singing a hymn. He then repeated — 
 
 ** ' Arise, my soul, arise, 
 
 Shake off thy guilty fears ; 
 The bleeding sacrifice 
 In my behalf appears. 
 Before the throne my Surety stands, 
 My name is written on His hands.' 
 
 And sang it through with a loud voice. In a few minutes 
 afterwards he ceased to breathe, and his emancipated spirit 
 doubtless arose from a bed of languishing and pain, a world 
 of sin and sorrow, to those bhssful mansions which the Lord, 
 on whom alone he leant for pardon and justification, has pre- 
 pared for all those who believe in His name. As it was 
 quite necessary that the body should be removed from the 
 compartment of the boat which Mr Williams occupied, I gave 
 directions that the interment should take place. The grave 
 was dug among some trees on a bank opposite to the boat 
 After performing the last offices over the remains of our 
 departed brother, we retired to the forepart of the boat, and 
 as the day was bad, and we were all fatigued, we had na 
 
70 BANNER COVE 
 
 regular service, but I read the 4th chapter of 1 Thessaloiiiana 
 and then engaged in prayer. 
 
 " On my return from Cook's Eiver on the 30th, the tide 
 having risen to an unusual height, I met Mr Maidment in 
 the act of making his escape from the cavern. He had been 
 working hard, taking to the upper end all that it was mate- 
 rial to save, and had just completed th« work. We went 
 first to our sleeping boat; but, considering that she was in 
 danger of being swept away or filled, as the tide was still 
 rising, we proceeded to the Hermitage Rock, and there, being 
 a little sheltered, we knelt down and returned thanks to our 
 heavenly Father for the mercies which we had experienced. 
 Soon, however, we were driven from this place of refuge, the 
 tide threatening to hem us. in. We then removed to the 
 w^ood, but the drippings from the trees were worse than the 
 rain which was falling. We were wet, cold, and hungry, 
 and could not venture to sit down. When, at length, we 
 .returned to the cavern, we found it a complete wreck. The 
 ^barriers of stones which had been raised by Mr Maidment 
 with much labour was entirely swept away. We kindled a 
 tire, and endeavoured to sleep, but were too wet and incom- 
 moded by smoke to rest. It was not till eleven on Tuesday 
 that we could again leave our cavern, when, as the surf was 
 still setting in, and the tide appeared likely to rise as high as 
 it had done on the previous day, we agreed to make the best 
 of our way over the heights to the Speedwell. The distance 
 by the beach is about a mile and three quarters, and perhaps 
 not more by the woods, but it was a -very trying walk, and it 
 was dark before we reached the Speedwell. What could be 
 done to make us comfortable was done most readily and 
 kindly. The next morning, July 2, we returned to Earnest 
 Cove by way of the beach, as the tide admitted of it. 
 j " Julj/ 4. — We have now been more than seven weeks on 
 ahort allowance, and latterly even this has of necessity been 
 
AND SPANURD HARBOUR. ^ 71 
 
 curtailed In noting down our events and difficul- 
 ties, I would not conclude without expressing my thanks to 
 the God of all mercies for the grace which He has bestowed 
 upon each of my suffering companions, who, with the utmost 
 cheerfulness, endure all without a murmur, patiently waiting 
 the Lord's time to deliver them, and ready, should it be His 
 will, to languish and die here, knowing that whatever He 
 shall appoint will be well. My prayer is, that the Lord my 
 God may be glorified in me, whether it be by life or by death, 
 and that He will, should we fall, vouchsafe to raise up and 
 send forth other labourers into this harvest, that His name 
 may be magnified, and His kingdom enlarged, in the salva- 
 tion of multitudes from among the inhabitants of this pagan 
 land, who, by the instrumentality of His servants, may, 
 under the divine blessing upon their labours, be translated 
 from the power of darkness into the glorious liberty of the 
 children of God." '^ 
 
 About this time it would appear that a hand was painted 
 on a rock pointing to the cavern, with Ps. Ixii. 5-8 under it. 
 The following are the words referred to, — " My soul, wait 
 thou only upon God ; for my expectation is from Him. He 
 only is my rock, and my salvation ; He is my defence ; T 
 shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory ; 
 the rock of my strength and my refuge is in God. Trust in 
 Him at all times ; ye people, pour out your heart before Him 
 God is a refuge for us." 
 
 There is no record of this in the journal, but Captain 
 Gardiner's Bible has these verses ma;rked July 5, 1851, and 
 at the end of the Bible there is a reference to the same pas- 
 sage on a blank leaf, with these words appended — " Pioneer 
 Cavern, July 5, 1851." 
 
 " July 22. — For six days we have had no intercourse with 
 Cook's River on account of the weather. I was there this 
 afternoon. Mr Wilhams is wonderfully supported in body 
 
72 BANNER COVE 
 
 and mind. Mr Maidment is indefatigable in his endeavour 
 to obtain all that can be scraped up to furnisli a meal, and 
 endures the cold necessary in procuring mussels and limpets, 
 and wild celery, in addition to supplying fuel and water, 
 with the greatest cheerfulness. 
 
 '^ July 28.^ — Went to-day to Cook's River. Mr Williams 
 still as much supported as wh§n I saw him on the 22d. 
 Erwin was in bed suffering from eating the mussels. He has 
 now left them off. They had all partaken of celery, which 
 was now in better esteem with them. I had strongly recom- 
 mended it when, last there, and the beneficial results have 
 already appeared'. They all evince a true Christian spirit, 
 and I feel assured that this present dispensation has been 
 beneficial,, and is working for our mutual good in the highest 
 sense of the word. May I be more earnest in prayer for the 
 fulness of the blessing which my heavenly Father designs in 
 His present dealings with us. 
 
 " July 30. — Went to Cook's River.. All better except Mr 
 Williams. Yesterday we hung up a tablecloth suspended to 
 the branch of a tree near our sleeping boat as a signal to any 
 vessel that might come.. 
 
 "August 7, 1851, Pioneer Gavern. — On this day eleven 
 months we left England for this country, and have been 
 graciously preserved through many dangers and troubles. 
 The Lord in His providence has seen fit to bring us very low, 
 and to remove many of the blessings which we have so long 
 been partakers of ; but all is in infinite wisdom, mercy, and 
 love. These seasons of affliction are all appointed, are mea- 
 sured, and limited by a God of mercy, who doth not afflict 
 willingly, but for our good. He knoweth our frame, that we 
 are but dust, and will with every trial impart to those who 
 commit the keeping of their souls unto Him strength suffi- 
 cient for their day. How have I abused the manifold gifts 
 of God. How unmindful of the daily comforts which I have 
 
AND SPANIARD HARBOUR. 73 
 
 BO unremittingly experienced, although unworthy of the very 
 least of them ! j Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner. Grant 
 that I may be humbled under Thy mighty hand, deeply 
 sensible of my need of chastisement ; that I may not be 
 tempted of Satan to repine, neither to despise, nor to faint, 
 but to wait upon Thee, in the posture of a suppliant for grace 
 to profit by this and every other dispensation of Thy provi- 
 dence. I know, Lord, that there is a deep necessity for 
 this trial, or Thou wouldst not have sent it ; and I humbly 
 beseech Thee to vouchsafe to me the full benefit Avhich Thou 
 dost design in it. Make me to see myself in the light of Thy : 
 holy word, to search and try my heart by it, and may Thy / 
 Holy Spirit work in me the grace of true contrition, and renew' 
 in me the graces of love, faith, and obedience. . . . I J Let 
 not this mission fail, though we should not be permitted to 
 labour in it, but graciously raise up other labourers, who may 
 convey the saving truths of Thy gospel to the poor blind » 
 heathen around us. .... Hasten the time when it shall 
 be said of them that they are a people prepared for the Lord, 
 and when Thou dost make up Thy jewels in the last day, * 
 may there be many of them shining like the stars in the 
 kingdom of heaven, arrayed in white robes, and with palms 
 in their hands, ascribing praise, and honour, and glory, and 
 power unto Him who loved them and gave Himself for them. 
 Grant these my humble petitions, I beseech Thee, Lord, 
 for the sake of my Saviour Jesus Christ. AmenT^ 
 
 '' Arigust 14, Thursday. — On Sunday last, the 10th, I fell:, 
 so weak that I kept my bed during the day ; but anxious to 
 keep up as long as possible, especially on account of Mr 
 Maidment, I went to the cavern on the three following days, 
 but yesterday I found that the exertion of getting in and out 
 of the boat, and walking even that short distance twice in 
 the day was too much for me, and only tended to reduce the 
 little remaining strength which I had. To-day I am from 
 
74 BANNER COVF. 
 
 necessity obliged to keep my bed, with little expectation of 
 again leaving it, unless it shall please the Lord in His mercy 
 and compassion to relieve us, and vouchsafe the food which 
 we so much stand in need of. I grieve for this, not on my 
 own account, but because it lays an additional burden upon 
 my kind and truly brotherly companion, who often beyond 
 his strength labours most indefatigably in procuring what is 
 necessary for our subsistence and comfort. To him, as the 
 human instrument, I must now look for those things, as I 
 am laid by, and comparatively helpless, and in his weak 
 state it will be a severe trial and burden. But the Lord has 
 been very gracious to us ; we have been provided with food 
 and fuel, and are in the enjoyment of many blessings, mora 
 especially in the ability which has been given to my com- 
 panion to assist, and to provide for our maintenance, which 
 he does often with great discomfort to himself, but most 
 
 -J— willingly. In all this I would desire to trace the hand of 
 my gracious heavenly Father, who knows what I need, and 
 has in wisdom and mercy seen fit t© bring me very low. He 
 doth not afflict willingly ; there is a ' needs be ' in it all, 
 and I pray for grace to receive it as a merciful means of 
 calling me to remembrance, pulling down pride, and causing 
 me to wait more implicitly upon my God. My prayer to 
 Him is, that should He, in His abounding compassion, see 
 fit to raise me up again to strength, and to prolong my days, 
 I may have grace to devote them entirely to His service ; 
 that I may be more grateful for His bounties, and a faithful 
 steward of all that He may vouchsafe to commit to my 
 charge regarding myself, and all that I possess as not mine 
 
 --^ but His, for which 1 must give an account. 
 
 " August 25. — On Saturday afternoon Pearce came over, 
 bringing heavy tidings. Joseph Erwin was fast failing, and 
 had not spoken since the previous day. Mr Wilhams con- 
 
AND SPANIARD HARBOUR. 75 
 
 sidered him beyond the power of human aid. Yesterday Mr 
 Maidment went to Cook's Eiver, and found that he had been 
 removed from us, and entered his eternal rest at six o'clock 
 on Saturday evening. Thus one and another of our little . '^ • 
 missionary band are gathered by the Good Shepherd to a 
 better inheritance, and higher and more glorious employ- 
 ments. Our times are in His hands, and He can raise up 
 others far better qualified than we are to enter into our 
 labours. There could not be a more active, conscientious, 
 and truly efficient agent than our departed and deeply- 
 lamented carpenter. Twice has he accompanied me to 
 Tierra delFuego, and on all occasions proved himself worthy 
 of my highest confidence and esteem, 
 
 < " August 27. — Another breach has in the providence of 
 God been made amongst us. John Bryant, who had for a 
 length of time been faiHng. died yesterday. No one was 
 with him at the time. He was in bed, and there found 
 about the middle of the day, having quitted his earthly taber- 
 nacle, and we doubt not is enjoying, together with our other 
 lamented and departed fellow-servants in the mission, the 
 fruition of bliss in his Redeemer's presence. John Pearce 
 was very weak. We are now almost entirely separated, as 
 there is but one individual here and at Cook's River to pro- 
 cure firing, cook, and supply the two who are unable to leave 
 their respective boats; and both should rather be in their 
 beds, than bear the toil and burden of such exhausting 
 labours. But the Lord is very pitiful and of tender com- 
 passion. He knows our frames. He appoints and measures 
 all His afflictive dispensations, and when His set time is fully 
 come, He will either remove us to His eternal and glorious 
 kingdom, or supply our languishing bodies with food con- 
 venient for us. I pray that in whatsoever estate, by His 
 wise and gracious providence, I may be placed, I iray there- 
 
V 
 
 76 BANNER COVE 
 
 with be content, and patiently await the development of His 
 righteous will concerning me, knowing that He doeth all 
 things well." 
 
 Pearce was so overwhelmed with affliction at the loss 
 of the brothers of his adoption, that he could offer little as- 
 sistance. The energy and consideration of Maidment only 
 ended with life. On two successive days he walked to Cook's 
 River, and performed the last offices for Erwin and Bryant. 
 He then returned to Earnest Cove, and attended on his 
 dying friend for four more days. On September 2d he left 
 the boat, but was unable to return, and his remains were 
 found in Pioneer Cavern. The following lines show his un- 
 failing faith and patient endurance : — 
 
 I *" Come, O my soul, arise and dwell 
 
 On everlasting love ; 
 Forsake this transitory scene, 
 
 And soar to realms above. 
 Though the dark cloud has hid my joy 
 
 By His almighty will, 
 His mercies cannot fail to flow ; 
 
 My God is gracious still. 
 
 ** * Although my daily bread hath fail'd, 
 
 I know from whom it came, 
 And still His faithful promises • 
 
 Are every day the same. 
 His words the same for evermore 
 
 As when they first were given ; 
 Yes, blessed thought ! they cannot fail 
 
 Though earth dissolve, or heaven.' " 
 
 Feeling his end approaching, Gardiner wrote a farewell 
 letter to his son, of which some extracts are given by permis- 
 sion. It is dated ^^ Earnest Cove, Tierra del Fuego, Augtcst 
 27, 1851," and begins : — 
 
 " The Lord in His providence is taking one and another 
 of our little missionary band unto Himself, and I know not 
 
AND SPANIARD HARBOUR. 77 
 
 how soon He may call me, through His abounding grace and 
 redeeming love, to join the company of the saints above, 
 where there are pleasures for evermore. It is my desire, 
 therefore, to prepare this letter for you, that you may have 
 the latest proof of my affection for you, and earnest desire 
 
 for your temporal and spiritual welfare The next 
 
 point is your profession, and the time is now arrived when 
 this should be determined. It is of too great moment to be 
 decided upon hastily : it will be the turning point of your 
 life, and your future happiness will mainly depend upon the 
 
 selection which you make There is but one method 
 
 of coming to a satisfactory conclusion. Spread the whole 
 matter, like Hezekiah, before the Lord ; ask counsel of Him, 
 
 and lean not to your own understanding But I would 
 
 affectionately give you this caution. ' Do not think of enter- • 
 ing the gospel ministry unless you conscientiously feel that i 
 you are constrained by the love of Christ, and the sincere ^' 
 
 desire of winning souls to Him I refrain from giving' 
 
 you any advice on so weighty a subject, but will just place 
 before you, in the event of your entering the ministry, two 
 or three spheres of usefulness in the Lord's vineyard abroad, 
 should you feel inclined to take the missionary department, 
 which is indeed a delightful one. 1. The Chilidugu Mission. 
 2. The care of those poor scattered sheep (pur own felloiv- 
 countrymen) in the Buenos Ayrian provinces. 3. The dis- 
 tribution of Bibles and tracts in South Ainerica Your 
 
 grandfather gave me this advice, and I repeat it to you. Lead 
 a useful life, and, I will add, take the Word of God as your % 
 guide, and consult it diUgently, with prayer to the Holy 
 Spirit to open your understanding; for it is not the mere 
 knowledge of its conteiit^^however enlarged, critical, or 
 clear, that will carry you safely through the snares and 
 temptations of this evil world, but when it is received as the 
 sincere milk of the word, by ndiich our souls are dai]y 
 
78 BANNER COVE 
 
 nourished and strengthened: then and then only we gi'ow 
 thereby, and are prepared for the cares and trials of life, and 
 are renewed in the inward man : thus we are enabled to 
 adorn the doctrine we profess, and become- gradually meet 
 for that incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that fadeth 
 not away, reserved for all those who live by faith in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ." 
 
 On the 28th he took a tender farewell of his daughter by a 
 parting letter, full of the most fatherly counsel, and on the 
 29th he wrote his last letter to his wife, from which the fol- 
 lowing extract is presented: — "I am passing through the 
 furnace, but, blessed be my heavenly Shepherd, He is with 
 me, and I shall not want. He has kept me in perfect peace, 
 
 and my soul rests and waits only upon Him All I 
 
 pray for is that I may patiently await His good pleasure, 
 whether it be for life or for death, and that, whether I live 
 or die, it may be for His glory. / I trust poor Fuegia and 
 South America will not be abandoned. Missionary seed has 
 been sown here, and the gospel message ought to follow. If 
 I have a wish for the good of my fellow-men, it is that the 
 Tierra del Fuego mission might he prosecuted ivith vigour, 
 and the work in South America commenced, more especially 
 the Chilidugu hr^anch. But the Lord will direct and do all, 
 for the times and the seasons are His, and the hearts of all 
 men are in His hands." 
 
 On the 30th he made an ineffectual attempt to join the 
 reduced party at Cook's Eiver. There is no account of Sun- 
 day, August 31, but there are paper marks still remaining in 
 his prayer-book, which point to the collect and psalms of 
 that day. The diary also makes no mention of Monday, the 
 1st of September, but we know that on Tuesday, the 2d, the\ 
 last words were written of the "Missionary Memoranda,"/ 
 which were printed entire in " Hope Deferred ; not Lost." 
 It is probable, therefore, that those two days were devoted to 
 
.-LND SPANIARD HARBOUR. 79 
 
 a revision of the Memoranda, which contains an "Outline of 
 a Plan for Conducting the Future Operations of the Mission 
 to Tierra del Fuego," "Fragments of an Appeal to Britisli 
 Christians, in Behalf of South America," and a " Fragment 
 of an Appeal to Government for aid to the Mission." The 
 principle contained in the plan is what has been aheady 
 named — " To convey a few of the natives to the Falklands, to 
 teach them English^ and learn their language, and to provide a 
 hrigantine or schooner of a hundred tons' burden as a mission 
 vessel." The whole memoranda bear this heading: — "Mis- 
 sionary Memoranda, 1851. Written partly in Pioneer 
 Cavern, and partly in our Boat Dormitory. Concluded 
 Sept. 2." The last part of the diary is written in pencil, and 
 is given verbatim : — 
 
 ^^ Sept. Z, Wednesday. — J. P6arce was too much overcome 
 with the loss of his companions to render Mr Maidment any 
 efficient help on Wednesday last. Mr M. went over again 
 on the 28th. Pearce still much cast down, and could assist 
 but little. Mr M. prepared the grave, a wide one, in wliich 
 both the remains of our fellow-labourers were laid side by 
 side. Mr Williams somewhat better, but the unexpected 
 death of John Bryant was a great shock to him, and he had 
 been wandering in mind during the previous night. Mr M. 
 returned perfectly exhausted; the day also was bad, snow, 
 sleet, and rain. He has never since recruited, from that day's 
 bodily and mental exertion. Wishing, if possible, to spare 
 him the trouble of attending upon me, and for the comfort of 
 aU, I purposed, if practicable, to go to the River, and take up 
 my quarters in the boat. This was attempted on Saturday 
 last. Feeling that without crutches I could not possibly 
 effect it, Mr Maidment most kindly cut me a pair, (two 
 forked sticks ;) but it was with no slight exertion and fatigue 
 in his weak state. We set out together, but I soon found 
 that; I had not strength to proceed, and was- obliged to return 
 
/ 
 
 80 \/ BANNER COVE 
 
 before reaching the brook on our own beach. Mr Maidinent 
 was so exhausted yesterday that he did not rise from his bed 
 till noon, and I have not seen him since: consequently I 
 tasted nothing yesterday. I cannot leave the place where I 
 am, and know not whether he is in the body, or enjoying the 
 presence of the gracious God whom he has served so faith- 
 I fully. I am writing this at ten o'clock in the forenoon. 
 Blessed be my heavenly Father for the many mercies which 
 I enjoy : a comfortable bed, no pain, or even cravings of 
 hunger, though excessively weak, scarcely able to turn in my 
 bed — at least, it is a very great exertion ; but I am by His 
 abounding grace kept in perfect peace, refreshed with a sense 
 of my Saviour's love, and an assurance that all is wisely and 
 mercifully appointed, and pray that I may receive the full 
 blessing, which it is doubtless designed to bestow. L^y care 
 is all cast upon God, and I am only awaiting His time and 
 His good pleasure, to dispose of me as He shall see fit. 
 Whether I live or die, may it be in Him. I commend my body 
 and my soul into His care and keeping, and earnestly pray 
 that He will mercifully take my dear wife and children under 
 the shadow of His wings, comfort, guide, strengthen, and 
 sanctify them wholly, that we may together, in a brighter 
 and eternal world, praise and adore His goodness and grace 
 in redeeming us with His precious blood, and plucking us as 
 brands from the burning, to bestow upon us the adoption o 
 children, and make us inheritors of His heavenly kingdomTj 
 Amen. 
 
 " Wednesday, 4. — There is now no room to doubt that my 
 dear fellow-labourer has ceased from his earthly toils, and 
 joined the company of the redeemed in the presence of the 
 Lord, whom he served so faithfully. Under these circum- 
 stances, it was a merciful providence that he left the boat, 
 as I could not have removed the body. He left a little 
 peppermint water which he had mixed, and it has been a 
 
AND SPANUBD HARBOUR. 81 
 
 great comfort to me ; but there was no other to drink / 
 Fearing that I might suffer from thirst, I prayed that the| 
 Lord would strengthen me to procure some. He graciously 
 answered my petition, and yesterday I was enabled to get 
 out and scoop up a sufficient supply from some that trickled 
 down at the stern of the boat, by means of one of my india- 
 rubber overshoes. What continued mercies am I receiving 
 at the hands of my heavenly Father ! Blessed be His holy 
 name ! 
 
 "5. Friday. — Great and marvellous are the lovingkind- « ( 
 nesses of my gracious God unto me. He has preserved me 
 hitherto, and for four days, although without bodily food, 
 without any feeling of hunger or thirst." 
 
 Here ends the journal. The following letter contains the 
 last words of Allen Gardiner. It is discoloured by exposure, 
 and torn, but for the most part legible. The following is 
 thought to be the correct reading : — 
 
 " My dear Mr Williams, — The Lord has seen fit to cair\ * 
 home another of our little company. Our dear departed 
 brother left the boat on Tuesday at noon, and has not since 
 returned : doubtless he is in the presence of his Redeemer^ 
 whom he served so faithfully. Yet a little while, and 
 through grace we may join that blessed throng to sing the 
 praises of Christ throughout eternity. I neither hunger nor 
 thhst, though five days without food! Marvellous loving- 
 kindness to me a sinner! — Your affectionate brother in 
 Christ, Allen F Gardiner. 
 
 ''Sept. 6, 185L" — 
 
 " Here is the patience of the saints : here are they that keep 
 the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus Christ. 
 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me. Write, 
 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord : Yea, saith the 
 
 F 
 
 .i/t 
 
82 BANNER COVE 
 
 Spirit, ihid they may rest from their labours, and their works 
 do follow them. They hunger no more, neither thirst any 
 more, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall 
 feed them," (Rev. xiv. 12, 13, vii. 16, 17.) 
 
 y^ Twenty days after the death of Captain Gardiner, a 
 schooner, the John Davison, sailed from Monte Video by 
 order of Mr Lafone, to inquire after and^ assist the mis- 
 sion party. Three times before he had given directions for 
 vessels to touch at Picton Island, and if his orders had 
 been complied: with, the subsequent catastrophe might never 
 have occurred. But his agents had failed to carry out 
 his injunctions, and at last Mr Lafone, in considerable 
 anxiety, sent the John Davison, under Captain Smyley, 
 on a special voyage. On the 21st of October she anchored 
 in Banner Cove. The directions painted on the rocks 
 were plain — "Gone to Spaniard Harbour." The bottles 
 were dug up and the letters read. Captain Smyley then 
 writes : — 
 
 " Oct. 22. — Ran to Spaniard Harbour. Blowing a severe 
 gale. Went on shore and found the boat with one person 
 dead inside, another we found on the beach, another buried. 
 These, we have every reason to believe, are Pearce, WilHams, 
 and Badcock. The sight was awful in the extreme. The 
 two captains who went with me in the boat cried like chil- 
 dren. Books, papers, medicine, clothing, and tools were 
 strewed along the beach and on the boat's deck and cuddy. 
 
 ,^ .... But we had no time to make further search as the 
 gale came on sa hard. It gave us barely time to bury the 
 corpse on the beach and get on board. The gale continued 
 to increase, so that it drove us from our anchorage and out 
 to sea. . . I have never found in my life such Christian 
 fortitude, such patience, and bearing, as in these unfortu- 
 nate men. They have never murmured, and Mr WilHams 
 says, ' Even in his worst distress, he is happy beyond expres- 
 
AND SPANIARD HARBOUR. 83 
 
 sion.' "* Captain Smyley adds : — " It is the opinion of myself 
 and also of Captain Nicholls that with proper management 
 they might have gone with safety to the Falkland Islands, 
 Port Famine, or the coast of Patagonia. I have even done 
 more than this in a whaleboat at different times." But he 
 acknowledges, in another place, that their doing so had been 
 rendered impracticable by illness and want. 
 
 While this terrible news was on its way to England, H.M.S. 
 Dido, under Captain Morshead, left the FalkUmds on Janu- 
 ary 6, 1852, and arrived at Banner Cove on. the 19th. They 
 sought in vain for the bottles under the direction posts, these 
 having been removed by Captain Smyley. But the sentences 
 painted on the rocks remained, and induced them to go to 
 Spaniard Harbour. Captain Morshead writes : — •" Our notice 
 was first attracted by a boat lying upon the beach about a 
 mile and a half inside of Cape Kinnaird : it was blowing very 
 fresh from the south, and the ship rode uneasily at her 
 anchor. I instantly sent Lieutenant Pigott and Mr Roberts 
 to reconnoitre and return immediately, as I was anxious to 
 get the ship to sea again in safety for the night : they re- 
 turned shortly, bringing some books and papers, having dis- 
 covered the bodies of Captain Gardiner and Mr Maidment 
 unburied. ... On one of the papers was written legibly, 
 but without a date, ' If you will walk along the beach for a 
 mile and a half you will find us in the other boat hauled up 
 in the mouth of a river at the head of the harbour on the 
 south side. Delay not, we are starving.' At this sad intel- 
 Hgence it was impossible to leave that night, though the 
 w^eather looked very threatening. ... I landed early next 
 morning, January 22, and visited the spot where Captain 
 Gardiner and his comrade were lying, and then went to the 
 head of the harbour with Lieutenant Gaussen, Mr Roberts^ 
 
 * The journal of Mr WilHams has been embodied in a memoir by the 
 skilful Den of Dr James Hamilton, and published by Nisbet & Co, 
 
84 BANKER COVE 
 
 and Mr Evans. We found there the wreck of a boat, with 
 part of her gear and stores, with quantities of clothing, with 
 the remains of two bodies, which I conchide to be Mr Wil- 
 Hams, (surgeon,) and John Pearce, (Cornish fisherman,) as 
 the papers clearly show the death and burial of all the rest 
 of the mission party. The two boats were thus about a mile 
 and a half apart. Near the one where Captain Gardiner was 
 lying was a large cavern, called by him Pioneer Cavern, where 
 jthey kept their stores and occasionally slept, and in that 
 .cavern Mr Maidment's body was found. . . . Captain Gar- 
 / • diner's body was lying beside the boat, which apparently he 
 v.- had left, and being too weak to climb into it again, had died, 
 ) by the side of it. We were directed to the cavern by a hand] 
 \ painted on the rocks, with Ps. Ixii. 5-8 under it. _^ . ' 
 V " Their remains were collected together and buried close to 
 the spot, and the funeral service read by Lieutenant Under- 
 wood ; a small inscription was placed on the rock near his 
 own text ; the colours of boats and ships struck half-mast, 
 and three volleys of musketry were the only tribute of respect 
 I could pay to this lofty-minded man and his devoted com- 
 panions, who have perished in the cause of the gospel for the 
 want of timely supplies, and before noon the Dido was pro- 
 ceeding safely on her voyage. ... I will offer no opinion 
 upon the missionary labour of Captain Gardiner and the 
 party, beyond its being marked by an earnestness and devo- 
 . I tion to the cause. But, as a brother officer, I beg to record 
 my admiration of his conduct in the moment of peril and 
 danger, and his energy and resources entitle him to high pro- 
 fessional credit. At one time I find him surrounded by hos 
 tile natives and dreading an attack, yet forbearing to fire 
 and the savages awed and subdued by the solemnity of his 
 party kneeling down in prayer. At another, having failed to 
 heave off his boat when on the rocks, he digs a channel under 
 her, and diverts a fresh water stream mto it ; and I find him 
 
AND SPANIARD HARBOUR. 85 
 
 making an anchor, by filling an old bread cask with stones, 
 heading it np, and securing wooden crosses over the heads 
 with chains." . . . 
 
 In reading this affecting narrative, the emotions which 
 crowd on the heart and mind are various. We grieve over 
 the disasters, the privations, the dangers, the loss of the gun- 
 powder, of the boats,, of the net, the unfriendliness of the 
 natives, the trials of sickness. We regret the decision to go 
 to Spaniard Harbour, instead of Port Famine, or any place in 
 the straits, where ships are liable to pass ; or even to the 
 Falkland Islands, before sickness and exhaustion rendered 
 such a voyage impracticable. Most of all do we lament that 
 such heroic spirits should have been suffered to encounter 
 such hazards, without, at least, a vessel large enough to carry 
 their provisions, and protect them from insult. But as we 
 approach the end of the story, all these regretful thoughts 
 give place to wonder and admiration, and thankfulness for 
 the grace of God, which was so strikingly displayed in not 
 one alone, but all, so that they were examples to each other 
 of patient endurance, and unfailing faith. They endured as 
 seeing Him who is invisible. They suffered the loss of all 
 things in this world without repining, for their treasure was 
 above; and though the outward man perished, the inward 
 man was renewed day by day, till the earthly tabernacle was 
 left, for a home not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 
 Moreover, through the marvellous peace and calmness and 
 steadfast resolution evinced by the subject of this memoir, 
 and the wonderful preservation of the manuscripts, when no 
 one of the party survived to guard them, it is our privilege to 
 know more of theii* dying thoughts and last words than can 
 often be attained when one is in close attendance in a death 
 chamber. 
 
 It would seem as if nothing short of so startling an event 
 
86 BANNER COVE 
 
 could rouse the Christian world into an interest for the 
 heathen tribes of South America.* 
 
 No one knew better than Captain Gardiner himself that 
 the means which were provided for the enterprise, and which 
 he flattered himself would have sufficed for the purpose, wt^re 
 not what the service required. More than once he had dis- 
 tinctly recorded his views. But the plans which he himself 
 had devised were reduced to the lowest estimate, under the 
 delusive hope that, at the cost of a little more hardship to 
 himself and his comrades, the work might, at least, be begun. 
 Any spirit less ardent than his own would have been chilled 
 by the ill-success which attended his unwearied and un- 
 rewarded efforts. But the apathxPl his. country m did not 
 remove the sense of responsibility from his own conscience. 
 The spiritual destitution of South America was to him a 
 living reaUty, and the duty of relieving it was, in his eyes, a 
 pressing necessity, not to be evaded, not to he put off to a 
 more convenient season, nor left to another man's sense of 
 duty, but to be done with the best means, if possible, and in 
 no cajse to be left undone. 
 X There is, perhaps, no nation in which is more fully de- 
 
 * In connexion with the dbove remarks, the following letter from 
 Admiral Sulivan, Which gives an account of the lost letter, referred to in 
 page 54, will interest some of our readers : — 
 
 " March 13, 1865. — You will be surprised when I tell you that a letter 
 from Mrs Gardiner, written in 1851 to me at the Falklands, and asking 
 me to send provisions to Captain Gardiner, reached me last week. It was 
 in a parcel with other letters that reached the Falklands, just after I left 
 to return home in June 1851. They were sent back to me in England, 
 jind have lain in an office for thirteen years. I have often expressed 
 Astonishment that no one wrote to me about it. The letters were delayed 
 move than a month by the ship not sailing as intended, or they would 
 Uave reached me before I left ; and they would have been rescued, and 
 ^consequently the mission would have ended. Is it not another proof that 
 their deaths were the appointed means for carrying on the mission ? " 
 
AND SPANIARD HARBOUR. 87 
 
 veloped than in our own the desire to receive a return for . 
 labour bestowed, or capital invested, and certainly none which j \ 
 has more largely profited by its exercise. Was it an abuse of \ 
 this principle which made Christians so slow to see that there 
 was a work to be done in South America, because the labour 
 required was great, and the prospects of success remote ? 
 
 There is another principle, the very opposite to this, of 
 which happily the history of our country furnishes us with 
 not a few examples, i.e., a self-sacrificing heroism, which risks 
 everything for the sake of a noble object, which does not 
 calculate cost or demand return, but gives freely that others 
 may reap the benefit. 
 
 Our Divine Master has taught us in one of His parables 
 that there is a Christian duty involved in the trading prin- 
 ciple, and a Christian way of exercising it, but His own holy 
 example was the self-sacrificing one, for though He was rich, 
 for our sakes He became poor, that we, through His poverty, 
 might be rich. 
 
 If we acknowledge that the heathen of South America, as 
 well as of the rest of the world, are committed to the charity 
 of the Christian Church, can we abandon the work thus 
 heroically begun, and be blameless ? 
 
 Shall the fortress be left in the enemy's hands becanBe the 
 Forlorn Hodc has fallen in tke breach ? 
 
vX 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE MISSIONARY SCHOONER " ALLEN GARDINER," AND THE 
 FALKLAND MISSIONARY STATION. 
 
 When the news of this calamity reached England the sen- 
 sation it produced was very great. Much blapie was cast on 
 all who were in any way supposed to have occasioned it ; 
 some sarcasm was expended on the system of Christian mis- 
 sions; but great and general reverence was felt for the 
 heroic courage and patient endurance manifested by the 
 sufferers. 
 
 The mission now seemed to be at an end, and its supporters 
 were crushed and dispirited, when Mr Despard pubhshed far 
 and wide his prayerful, unflinching determination, " With 
 God's help, the Mission shall be maintained ; " and this re- 
 solve was followed up by much vigorous exertion. It was 
 not long before some friends of missions w^ere roused to a 
 renewal of the work. In 1854 a schooner, called the Allen 
 Gardiner, was launched at Dartmouth, and sailed from Bris- 
 -tol with a staff of missionaries for the purpose. It was just 
 such a vessel as Captain Gardiner had often wished for ; and 
 the plan now attempted was what he had left in writing as 
 consistent with his latest experience and advice.) It was also 
 identical with the advice tendered by the Admirals Fitz-Roy 
 and Sulivan, who had had much acquaintance with the 
 islands and their inhabitants — viz., to form a station on one 
 of the Falkland Islands, and to bring thither some Fuegian 
 
THE,;p^ SSIONARY SCHOONER " ALLEN GARDINER," ETC. 89 
 
 lads, to teach them English, and to learn their language, 
 and, till that preliminary work should be completed, to form 
 no station on Tierra del Fuego. 
 
 The Yesi;e\ was placed under the command of Captain 
 Parker Snow, and sailed from Bristol on the 24th of October 
 1854, with Mr Garland Phillips as catechist, and Mr Ellis, sur- 
 geon, in charge of the projected station ; and it was intended 
 that a clergyman should speedily follow as general superin- 
 tendent. Keppel Island, near the West Falkland, was se- 
 lected for the mission station, and, by permission of the local 
 government, taken possession of in the name of the Society 
 on the 5 th of February 1855. 
 
 A voyage was shortly afterwards made to Tierra del Fuego, 
 and, to the delighted surprise of all on board, the same James 
 Button, who came to England with Captain Fitz-Roy in 1830, 
 was found living with his family on his native island. He had 
 not lost his acquaintance with the Enghsh language, and was 
 disposed to be very friendly; but Captain Snow did not 
 think well at this time to in\ite any of the natives to Keppel, 
 and after making them a few presents returned to the 
 Falklands. v , 
 
 In the following year, the Eev. G. Pakenham Despard, hon- I j 
 orary secretary of the Society, offered his services as superin- 1 \ 
 tendent of the Mission. He had a flourishing school at 
 Bristol, which was the support of his large family. This he 
 relinquished to content himself with the narrow income of a 
 missionary, and the straitened circumstances of a settler in 
 a new colony, who is dependent on the stores he brings with 
 him for every comfort, beyond those which may be procured 
 by the labour of his hands. 
 
 He sailed with his family and two adopted boys, in the 
 Hydaspes, from Plymouth, on June 2, 1856, and was accom- 
 panied by the Rev. John Furniss Ogle, M.A., vicar of Flam- 
 borough, Yorkshire, who had already been a munificent • 
 
00 THE MISSIONARY SCHOONER " ALLEN GARDINiM," 
 
 benefactor to the Society,* by Mr Allen W. Gardiner, demy 
 of Magdalen College, Oxford, the only son of the founder ; 
 and by Mr Charles Turpin, as missionaries ; and by Mr W. 
 Bartlett as manager of the Mission farm at Keppel. They ar- 
 rived safely at Stanley, on the East Falkland, on the 30th of 
 August, but a serious disappointment awaited them. Cap- 
 tain Snow, who was in harbour with the Society's schooner, 
 refused to convey the goods and stock to the Mission station, 
 and Mr Despard was therefore obliged to charter the Victoria 
 sloop for the purpose ; and on his return from that trip, as 
 the captain still refused to acknowledge the superintendent's 
 authority, and protested against his plans, Mr Despard dis- 
 missed him from the command, and took possession of the 
 vessel. Meantime, Messrs Ellis and Phillips, wdio had spent 
 a solitary eight months at Keppel, while Captain Snow was 
 at Stanley and elsewhere, were much cheered by the arrival 
 of their brethren, and all set to work with renewed vigour to 
 build houses, make fences, dig peat for winter fuel, and con- 
 tribute to their own support by catching fish and birds for 
 food, and seal for oil. 
 
 \ The following year and a half was spent by Mr Despard in 
 a succession of necessary voyages, during which time he left 
 his family at Stanley. He first sailed to Monte Video, to 
 engage a new captain and crew, and spent Christmas at 
 Keppel, and gives the following testimony to the young mis- 
 sionaries who were under his superintendence : — 
 
 * Mr Ogle, after promoting tlie establishment of the mission by the 
 donation of £500, and by his personal exertions, devoted his self-denying 
 energies at a later period to the promotion of evangelical truth in Spain 
 and Algeria, making his home at Oran. He was returning thither in the 
 French steamer Borysthene, when it was wrecked on the 15th of Decem- 
 ber 1865. Pastor Laune of Oran, in announcing the sad intelligence 
 of his death, bears this testimony to his character : — " He had neither 
 the spu-it, nor the heart, nor the tastes, nor the manners of this world. 
 He was a Christian of whom we were not worthy. He possessed the affoc« 
 iion and the esteem of all who knew him at Oran." 
 
AND THE FALKLAND MISSIONARY STATION. 91 
 
 ^^ Keppel Island^ Dec. 25, 1856. — Away for tlie first time 
 on a Cliristmas Day from my dear family, but, I would say, 
 not from my dearer Lord. Went ashore with captain, offi- 
 cers, and crew. We had service and sermon on Luke ii. 10, 
 11, and afterwards the communion. I was invited to dine 
 with the brethren, and did so gladly. No regrets were felt — 
 at least none were expressed — that we had not such variety 
 and delicacy of viands, or such domestic comforts, as were 
 being enjoyed by our friends at home ; and if we were not 
 hilarious, we were contentedly cheerful. I think we may 
 augur well from this, and from the fact, that men unused to 
 bodily hard labour are out at 6.30 every morning digging 
 peat till breakfast time. Common labourers might be em- 
 ployed to do it. Yes ; but when the work was done com- 
 mon labourers would not avail for missionaries, and their 
 cost is nearly equal to these uncommon ones. It should be 
 understood also, that the little evening spare time our bre- 
 thren out here have is spent in reading Spanish, Hebrew, 
 Greek, Latin," &c. 
 
 Another time he writes — "Cheered by an acknowledgment 
 on the part of a workman of the sin of his past life, and of 
 an earnest desire henceforth to live to Christ. Mr Gardiner 
 has been the honoured instrument of bringing him to this 
 hopeful state. J. E., the Basco, reads his Spanish Bible 
 with Mr Gardiner, and the latter makes use of his recently- 
 acquired knowledge of Spanish to reason with him, and open 
 to him the Scriptures. This is certainly the only oppor- 
 tunity the poor man ever enjoyed of hearing God speak for 
 Himself in His Word. The good God take note of this stray 
 one. It is much for Mr Gardiner, in his efforts for these 
 men, that his unvarying kindness and affability have won 
 the good opinion of them all." 
 
 We pass over, for the sake of brevity, the account of Mr 
 Despard's first voyage to Patagonia, of which he speaks under 
 
92 THE MISSIONARY SCHOONER " ALLEN GARDINER, 
 
 date Feb. 4, 1857, as "this land, whicli has so long been in 
 my mind, and certainly in my prayers." Of his first voyage 
 to Tierra del Fuego he says, — " I have lived to realise a long- 
 cherished wish. I have seen the last resting-place of our 
 seven brethren, who died in faith and hope of a heavenly 
 home, and have felt my spirit stirred in me to desire and to 
 pray for similar devotedness and uncomplaining patience." 
 
 Some particulars of this visit are supplied by Mr Gar- 
 diner. 
 
 ''Spaniard Harbour, April 16. — About 5 p.m. we ran 
 into this harbour. We put off in the boat, the first mate 
 and I taking two of the oars. The captain steered straight 
 for the mouth of the cave. The waves break into it at high 
 M'ater, and the surf on the rock in a gale of wind must be 
 truly awful. We landed a few yards off on the beach. With 
 a lighted candle we walked on and on till we ascended into a 
 gloomy chamber. There is the fireplace where poor Maid- 
 ment's bones were found ; beyond is a gloomy cavern ; while 
 in front is the breakwater, which the waves have brol^en in 
 upon. I left the cavern to search for the painted words. 
 Psalm Ixii. h-^. Yes ; there they were still, just outside 
 the entrance, quite distinct and legible. Some pieces of the 
 Pioneer mark the spot where she w^as stranded. The big 
 tree, against which she was dashed, was there still, and the 
 flagstaff, which has tumbled down. 
 
 "April 17. — We rowed to Cook's River, saw the remains 
 of the Speedwell, and Mr Despard held our morning worship 
 by the group of trees where we suppose Badcock to have 
 been buried. 
 
 ''April 19, Sunday. — Asked the captain for the gig, and 
 landed alone to take a last look at Pioneer Cavern, and my 
 father's grave. On the headstone is painted ' Captain Gar- 
 diner;' on a smaller one at the foot, 'H.M.S. Dido* 
 
 "April 23. — Very heavy gale from the S.W. last night. 
 
AND THE FALKLAND MISSIONARY STATION. 93 
 
 It is still blowing hard, and the snow is settUng deeper on 
 the hills. When the hurricane squalls come down, they 
 make the schooner dance Uke a child in a passion. 
 
 " ApHl 25, Saturday. — Thank God, this truly awful gale 
 is at length breaking up. It must have been a similar gale 
 to this which poor Mr Williams so feelingly describes. The 
 same hand which kept the Speedwell from dragging her 
 anchors on that night was also present with us. 
 
 ^^ April 27. — The storm came on again on Saturday even- 
 ing in all its vehemence, and the night was indeed a fearful 
 one. This harbour is unsheltered, and exposed to the whole 
 drift of the ocean from S.E. and E. Our situation on Sun- 
 day morning was a very anxious one. A heavy sea came 
 rolling into the harbour, the wind hauhng more to the east- 
 ward. But we were not forsaken. A sudden break in the 
 threatening clouds was followed by a perceptible improve- 
 ment in the weather : so mercifully did the Lord ' stay His 
 rough wind in the day of His east wind.' In a few hours 
 the gale was entirely over. 
 
 ^^ Banner Gove. — We got undec way from Spaniard Har- 
 bour at seven o'clock on Monday morning, and anchored 
 here at one on Wednesday morning, having accomplished 
 thirty-two miles in forty hours. I went below, extremely 
 thankful for such a snug berth as Banner Cove. After din- 
 ner, the captain and I pushed off in the gig, and rowed to 
 the rock at the entrance, on which is painted quite legibly, 
 ' Gone to Spaniard Harbour.' The other distressing words 
 are now hardly traceable. The scenery of Banner Cove is 
 beautiful. Every one on board is charmed with it." 
 
 After loading the schooner with poles from the woods, and 
 visiting Blomefield and Lennox Harbours, where they had 
 friendly interviews with the natives, they returned to the 
 Falklands on the 16th of May. 
 
 Mr Despard still had to take two more voyages, one to RId 
 
94 THE MISSIONARY SCHOONER 
 
 Janeiro, for building materials, &c., and another to Monte 
 Video for a crew, the former crew having been unwilHng to 
 engage themselves for more than a single year. On this 
 occasion he speaks most gratefully of the considerate kindness 
 of the British consul, by whose means the usual fees were 
 remitted, and every help given him in consideration of the 
 benevolent object to which the ship was devoted. 
 
 At last, in January 1858, he settled his family in Keppel 
 Island, and remained with, them a few months ; the next voy- 
 ages to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego being undertaken by 
 Mr Gardiner and Mr Turpin. The voyage to Tierra del 
 Fuego proved very interesting, though a succession of con- 
 trary winds and gales delayed them much, and it was mid- 
 winter before they approached Woollya, in Navarin Island, 
 where they hoped to find James Button. On the 6th, Mr 
 Gardiner writes : — " Our time is up on Wednesday, and we 
 have had no fair wind. ' Lord undertake for me, and send 
 us prosperity at the last.' 
 
 " June 9, Woollya. — It was a regular winter morning, 
 snow lying on the deck, and drifting into the sails and rig- 
 ging, the wind fitful, howling, and gusty. About 8 a.m. it 
 cleared a little, and we were soon running before a stiff 
 southerly breeze for Woollya. The snow squalls were very 
 frequent, and at times completely hid the land. About 2 P.M. 
 we were abreast of Button Island, and ran for the cove at 
 Woollya, where Captain Fitz-Roy landed Matthews. There 
 were two canoes in the cove. One of the natives sang out as 
 we came in, ' Hillo, hoy, hoy.' I asked him for Jemmy Button, 
 and he pointed to the island. 
 
 *' June 10. — One of the canoes left about 5 A.M. this 
 morning, and returned about 1 1 A.M., with four more canoes 
 from Button Island. They soon came alongside, and made 
 us understand that Jemmy's daughter was there, but he 
 was over at the island. I gave them all some presents, and 
 
AND THE FALKLAND MISSIONARY STATION. 95 
 
 showed them the things for Jemmy, -which excited their 
 curiosity, and very soon his daughter started away in quest 
 of her father. 
 
 ^^ June 11. — A lovely winter morning, the sun shining 
 brightly upon the frosty ground, and the surrounding high 
 land dazzling white with snow. About a.m. four canoes 
 were seen rounding the north point of Button Island, and 
 coming across the sound. As soon as they were within hail- 
 ing distance, I sang out, 'Jemmy Button,' when a man stood 
 up in the foremost canoe, and answered, ' Yes, sir.' In a 
 few minutes the identical man came up the ladder and shook 
 hands with me ; he said his girl, as he called his daughter, 
 had been paddling half the night to find him, as he Avas 
 ' long, long, way.' She looked quite exhausted, but appeared 
 pleased with the presents I gave her, as a reward for her 
 exertions. Jemmy came down into the cabin and partook of 
 some coffee and bread and butter. He remembered Captain 
 Fitz-Roy perfectly, seemed: much pleased at Mr Bynoe's 
 remembrance, and the useful carpenter's tools he had sent him. 
 I went ashore with Jemmy, and helped him to cut some poles 
 to repair his wigwam. There were two other natives cutting 
 at the same place, and I w^as surprised at their dexterity with 
 the very rude tools they had. It was a picturesque scene, 
 eleven canoes at the edge of the beach, and the natives cutting 
 wood, some repairing their w^igwams with green branches, and 
 others Hghting their fires. Jemmy gave his own people a 
 very good character. He gave me an account of a tragedy 
 that happened, he says, not long since. A ship, with Eng- 
 lish, fell among the natives of another tribe, and were all 
 killed. This was probably a shipwrecked crew in a boat, 
 and, perhaps, may help to explain why shipwrecked sailors 
 are so often picked up on the Falklands, and sometimes on 
 Staten Island, but never from the islands of Tierra del 
 Fuego. 
 
96 THE MISSIONARY SCHOONER '' ALLEN Gi^RDINER," 
 
 ** Jane 12. — A perfectly calm day. Jemmy came off about 
 nine o'clock with his little boy. Both attended our prayers. 
 He said he would come with us, and bring his wife and twc 
 children. To try if he wero serious, I proposed to send his 
 canoe on board this afternoon, to which he agreed. Accord- 
 ingly, after dinner, he told those who were in his canoe to get 
 out, and I took them on shore in the boat. When the canoe 
 was hoisted up, without being injured, Jemmy said, 'I go 'way, 
 wigwam sleep to-night, to-morrow bring wife, go 'way.* He 
 leaves his presents on board. All his tribe are here, and are 
 very civil, both on shore and alongside. The men appear to 
 make the wigwams and the canoes, to cut wood for firing, and 
 to go after seal or porpoises. The women paddle the canoes, 
 do the fishing, and make the bark cups and baskets. 
 
 " June 13, Sunday. — Jemmy came off this morning, and 
 fifteen canoes with him, probably thinking he was going to 
 leave them. Before service, I told Jemmy to tell his people 
 it was Sunday, and ask them to leave the vessel's side. He 
 went to the gangway, and instead of reasoning with them in 
 their own language, as I expected, said abruptly, * You go 
 'way, church, by and by, no go to-day.* This had the de- 
 sired effect, however, for they all went away. What a change 
 of events the last week has brought about ! It seems Hke a 
 dream, to watch the Indian fires, shining like stars in the 
 . water, in the dark night, and to hear the occasional barking 
 of the dogs, reminding us we are in the centre of an Indian 
 village. 
 
 ^^ June 15. — Got under way this morning with a light 
 breeze. Jemmy's relations were all alongside to see him off. 
 After a time the wind died away, and very reluctantly the 
 captain had to return to our anchorage at 2 P.M. Two canoes 
 of ' bad men,' as Jemmy called them, came across this even- 
 ing, and tried to get things from the rest. Jemmy said, 
 ' Bad men fight,* and it really looked very like it. However, 
 
AND THE FALKLAND MISSIONARY STATION. 97 
 
 after a time the hostile party went away, but both sides yelled 
 for ever so long. 
 
 ^^ June 16. — I am rather glad we had to put back to 
 Woollya yesterday, as it gave Jemmy an opportunity of re- 
 turning to his wigwam if his resolution were shaken. But 
 they all stepped on board very contentedly. This morning 
 we left for good." 
 
 Eight days after this they were at anchor ofif Keppel Island, 
 and were warmly greeted by their friends. 
 
 On the arrival of the Fuegians Mr Despard writes : — " June 
 26, 1858. — Mr Gardiner will be in England as soon as this 
 letter, and will give you a full account of his voyages. The 
 last is, indeed, by far the most interesting ; and the result 
 of it made my heart sing for joy and hope — James Button, 
 his wife and three children, living here ! You wiU hear that 
 others would have come if allowed. We shall set every ear 
 and tongue to catch the Fuegian language in these six months, 
 so that when Jemmy returns we may be able to say something 
 in it, and I pray God fervently to open their hearts and give 
 entrance to His truth." 
 
 Mrs Despard WTites on the same occasion : — " June 28th. \ 
 — Rejoice with me, for the Lord has seen fit to give an answer ! ^ 
 to the daily prayers addressed to Him, the Sovereign Disposer i 
 of all hearts, that He would be pleased to put it into the 
 mind of some of those poor benighted Fuegians to trust them- 
 selves to our hands and come over to us here. This import- 
 ant event in our missionary life has just taken place. On 
 Thursday last, soon after breakfast, the delightful cry re- 
 sounded through the house, ^TW^ Allen Gardiner is coming 
 in.' I ran quickly to the house door, from which we com- 
 mand a fine sea view, and there, truly, was the stout little 
 craft, which has so bravely stood many a severe and stormy 
 gale, rapidly scudding before the wind. Soon after. Captain 
 Bunt and Mr Turpin came to Sulivan House, with the joyful 
 
 o 
 
98 THE MISSIONARY SCHOONER ^' ALLEN GARDINER,' 
 
 news that James Button with his wife and three children 
 were on board. Then arose a shout of joy and praise among 
 us. It is wonderful how well James Button remembers his 
 English. He seems quite at home with us all, and came up 
 with his eldest child, a boy of eight or nine. I asked him 
 his name, he answered ^Threeboys,' for what reason we can- 
 not yet find out. This boy is apparently very quick, and has 
 picked up many English words. We long to make them un- 
 derstand something of God, and of that Saviour who came 
 down to save their souls ; but it will be, of course, some time 
 ere they can be made to understand it. We are doing our 
 best to learn as many Fuegian words as we can, but this is 
 difficult to accomplish, as these people do not like to speak 
 their language before us, and converse with each other in a 
 whisper." 
 
 The Fuegian family remained at the station till the 
 month of November, when, according to promise, Mr Des- 
 pard conducted them back to their own country in the 
 Allen Gardiner, under Mr Fell, the new captain. Mrs Des- 
 pard writes, — " My husband left us on the 16th, accompanied 
 by Messrs Phillips and Turpin, and the Button family for 
 Tierra del Fuego. I cannot tell you how we miss our late 
 guests, now they are gone. During their stay here they be- 
 haved extremely well, never doing anything to offend or an- 
 noy us. As to Jemmy, his politeness was extreme, and I 
 ever found him most grateful. For any httle trifle I gave 
 him, he would go and pick me a beautiful bouquet of wild 
 flowers, or spear me some fish. He was always clean. He 
 quickly recovered his English, and understood us better than 
 we understood him. He knows that there is a God who has 
 created all things. He also knows about our blessed Saviour. 
 I said, ' Jemmy, will you come back to us ? ' He would not 
 promise, but replied, 'Perhaps, by and by, me no tell now!;' 
 The Fuegians are very curious, and' watch all we do j they 
 
AND THE FALKLAND MISSIONARY STATION. 99 
 
 are also very idle. When the Buttons first came here they 
 would not even fetch wood for their fire, although it was 
 placed a few yards from their door. One day I said, ' James, 
 God loves good men — good men no idle. God no love idle 
 men.' He nodded in his peculiar way to show me he under- 
 stood. A short time after he was hard at work." 
 
 Mr Despard returned to the mission station in due course, 
 bringing with him three men and their wives, two boys, and 
 a little child. He writes, under date of Jan. 23, 1859 : — 
 
 " James Button and his family spent the winter and spring 
 with us, and gained much in our esteem, and we secured his 
 confidence. I took him back to his home, and with two 
 catechists remained a month at the place. We constructed a 
 house in the English fashion in their' country, and had not 
 the shghtest difficulty in persuading three men, with their 
 wives and two youths, to come hither with us. 
 
 ** Oct. 4. — You see how long my letter has been on the 
 stocks, nearly nine months. One matter of urgent business 
 or another has prevented its launch till now. Those same 
 Fuegians are now just returning to their own home. They 
 will leave us, we hope, to-morrow, and are greatly changed 
 in manners. The two lads, Lucca-enges and Okokko-enges, 
 are quite pohte. ' If you please,' ' Thank you/ ' Good 
 morning,' are ever heard in the right time and place. They 
 give thanks at their meals, and pray at their bedside. Lucca 
 is improving fast in writing. I could not but feel well- 
 pleased to see the little brown boy under the instruction of 
 my children. The carpenter tells me Lucca sawed some 
 wood very well, and was much pleased- with his hard work. 
 Like a child, he thinks himself already a proficient, and says 
 he is going to make a table and chair for his father. Bartlett 
 is loud in his praises of Okokko. The men are also mucli 
 improved. They have behaved in a very orderly manner , 
 very seldom missed coming to daily worship, and generally 
 
 V 
 
100 THE MISSIONARY SCHOONER " ALLEN GARDINER,** 
 
 twice on Sunday. They are now decent in their habits, tidily 
 dressed, and as far as our imperfect medium of communica- 
 tion goes, they have been taught the knowledge of God. I 
 have got nearly a thousand words of Tekenica, but am still a 
 long way from abihty to make a grammar of it. I have dis- 
 covered neither conjunction, preposition, mood, nor tense in 
 it. No word has appeared for God, or Creator, or pray. 
 They have a word for Spirit, and they are very uneasy at 
 hearing it, for they say they shall see it if named. What a 
 comfort do we enjoy in knowing that God is the author of 
 language, and has appointed that all tongues shall declare 
 His glory." 
 
 It was the 6th of October 1859 when Mr Phillips went 
 on board with his charges, and sailed for Stanley, where 
 they stayed a few days, and set sail for WooUya on the 11th. 
 Mr Despard's written instructions were as follows : — 
 
 " My DEAR Mr Phillips, — I hereby intrust you with the 
 entire direction of the missionary part of the expedition to 
 Fuegia just commencing, and I pray God may give you wis- 
 dom, kindness, and courage from Jesus Christ for your work. 
 I think it advisable you should proceed as rapidly as possible 
 to Woollya, and stay there as much time as can be allowed, 
 consistently with the return of the schooner to Stanley in 
 time for the next mail. Should there be a very friendly 
 spirit in Woollya I would try and spend two or three days 
 I" here on shore in the house erected during my last visit there, 
 and get a hand from the vessel to stop with you. The 
 captain will furnish you with biscuits, &c., for encourage- 
 ment to the natives, and I recommend you to cause a garden 
 to be dug, and seeds to be sown, &c. 
 
 " Spend every day with the natives. Keep your note- 
 book and pencil going I look to you to undertake 
 
 the services in the J lien Gardiner, and would advise, when 
 
AND THE FALKLAND MISSIONARY STATION. 101 
 
 the weather allows, that you should have Sabbath morning 
 and evening service on shore, that the natives may attend 
 and be roused to inquiry. 
 
 " I have no doubt but that you and Captain Fell will, 
 with the blessing of God, agree well together, and that he 
 will render you every assistance you may reasonably require 
 of him. May our Lord Jesus Christ be your strength and 
 your shield, and bless your efforts with ample success. — 
 Yours, &c. G. P. D." 
 
 After full time had been allowed for the visit, and n-j 
 signs of the returning vessel were seen from day to day, Mr 
 Despard became anxious for the safety of his friends, and 
 went to Stanley as soon as possible to take measures for 
 ascertaining the cause of their detention. The result was 
 that Captain Smyley was despatched in the schooner N'cmct/ 
 to WooUya. The melancholy intelligence which he brought 
 back is thus stated by Mr Despard : — • 
 
 ^_ " Mr Phillips, Captain Fell, and the four seamen and two|r[^ 
 mates of the schooner have been massacred by the natives in \ 
 Woollya. Let me pause, and weep, and pray, now that I 
 have written these terrible words. Pray ye to the Lord not . 
 to lay this sin to their charge. Weep not for the dead, weep ; ^ 
 for the living. Weep not for the dead in Christ ; weep for j "xJX 
 the mourning widows ; weep for the mothers deprived of \ 
 their sons, their support. God has tried us in the furnace of 
 affliction. May His work be perfected ! May the Lord of 
 the harvest send out others to supply the room of those He 
 has taken, and bow to contrition these poor sinners of the 
 Gentiles that they may be prepared for His word.^ t::^^ 
 
 A former mate of the Allen Gardiner wrote to the secretary^ 
 on this occasion : — " God, for some wise purpose, permitted 
 me to leave the Allen Gardiner at the close of her last voyage, 
 yet I almost envy those who have been found worthy to bear 
 
J 
 
 102 THE MISSIO.' ARY SCHOONER " ALLEN GARDINER, 
 
 a martyr's cross, and to wear a martyr's crown. Having 
 witnessed in the walk of Captain Fell and Mr Phillips the 
 fruit of the Spirit, I have a confident hope that the Lord, the 
 righteous Judge, will place the crown upon their heads." 
 
 The following is a short account of the facts. The party 
 reached Woollya on the 1st of November, utterly unsuspi- 
 cious of the catastrophe which awaited them. The opinion 
 r had gained possession. of the missionary party that, degraded 
 and ignorant as the islanders were, they were not bloodthirsty. 
 The missionaries continued in friendly intercourse with them 
 for several days, during which time many canoes arrived 
 from neighbouring islands, but still nothing that occurred 
 appears to have caused alarm, so that on Sunday the 6th, the 
 whole ship's company, with one exception, went on shore for 
 public worship. This was the moment chosen for an attack ; 
 a rush was made upon them, and all were barbarously mur- 
 dered ; not a hand was raised for their defence, but Okokko 
 was observed by the cook, who was left on board, running up 
 and down the beach in great distress. It seems plain that a 
 spirit of covetousness possessed the whole multitude, and that 
 the presence of men of another and fiercer tribe gave occasion 
 to this sudden a^ttaek. The survivor, seeing from the deck 
 what was going forward, escaped in a boat to the shore, hid 
 himself in the woods till hunger and cold drove him to the 
 natives, by the first party of whom he was stripped and 
 plundered ; but subsequently, on his return to Woollya, he 
 was treated with uniform kindness by the Button family till 
 the arrival of Captain Smyley in the Nancy. The missionary 
 schooner had been entirely ransacked and plundered, but it 
 v/as not burnt or otherwise destroyed, and was eventually 
 conveyed, by Captain Smyley, back to the Falkland Islands 
 and refitted. 
 
 When Captain Smyley went a second time to Woollya, for 
 the purpose of bringing away the wreck, Okokko was so 
 
AND THE FALKLAND MISSIONARY STATION. 103 
 
 earnest in his entreaties to be taken back to his friends at Kep- 
 pel, that Smyley was induced to accede to his request ; and 
 for a long time this young man and his wife Camilenna were 
 the only Fuegian residents at the station. They proved to be 
 most tractable and affectionate. Okokko made progress in 
 reading and writing, besides working in the garden, and dig- 
 ging peat, and returned from work to find his table neatly laid 
 and dinner prepared by Camilenna, who received daily in- 
 struction from IVIrs Despard and her daughters in all sorts of 
 housewifery, as well as reading and writing. Okokko said 
 that Lucca and Pinoiensee wanted to come back, and that 
 the women who had been at Keppel cried bitterly at the 
 massacre.* 
 
 About this time Mr Despard decided on bringing his 
 family to England: the missionary farm and property were left 
 under the care of Wilham Bartlett, the natives being under 
 the charge of Mr Bridges, a young man who had been adopted 
 and brought up by Mr Despard, and who has proved himself 
 in every way worthy of the trust reposed in him. His duty 
 was to continue the instruction of Okokko and Camilenna, 
 and, in the absence of a clergyman, to conduct daily and Sun- 
 day worship. 
 
 Mr and Mrs Despard and their family arrived in England 
 early in 1862. 
 
 * A memoir of Mr Phillips has since been .published by Wertheim and 
 Mackintosh. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 MISSIONARY WORK IN TIERRA DEL FUEQO. 
 
 On; tlie return of the Alleii Gardiner to England, in January 
 1862, it was. determined to add to her length, and thereby 
 increase hei: efficiency as a sea boat, and the accommodation 
 for those on board. This was accomphshed ; and in August 
 of that year, with a fresh missionary party, she left Bristol 
 for her work in the Antarctic Ocean. A favourable passage 
 was made to the Riyer Plate, where for three weeks the vessel 
 remained, -vyhile Mr StirHng, the new Superintendent, visited 
 Monte Video and Buenos Ayres in the interests of the Mis- 
 sion* In both these places committees were formed, and 
 pecuniary aid was given towards the work in the south. But 
 while attention was drawn to the special sphere of operations 
 for which the Allen Gardiner was designed, and to occupy 
 which the Mission party on board had come out, a strong 
 and earnest desire was expressed by several persons of in- 
 fluence that a wider development should be given to the So- 
 ciety's agencies. Opportunities of Christian usefulness were 
 pointed out on all sides, and the value of the Society as a 
 means of turning these to good account was thoroughly re- 
 cognised. 
 
 Leaving the River Plate, the Allen Gardiner proceeded on 
 her voyage to the Rio Negro, which is the northern boundary 
 of Patagonia. The visit to this place, and also to the river 
 Santa Cruz, and the missionary work in those parts, will be 
 
MISSIONARY WORK IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 105 
 
 referred to in another chapter ; and we mention it in passing 
 now, merely to account for the fact that the Allen Gardintr 
 did not reach Keppel Island in the Falklands till January 
 30, 1863. There were at the mission station at this time but 
 two adult natives of Tierra del Fuego, and their two little chil- 
 dren. The prescribed course of work had been, in fact, in- 
 terrupted by the massacre already spoken of, and the subse- 
 quent return to England of Mr Despard and his family. 
 Yet the interval had not been wholly lost time. On the con- 
 trary, Mr Bridges had diligently applied himself, under 
 favourable circumstances, to the acquisition of the Fuegian | 
 language, and the moral effeci on Okokko and his wife of their 
 sojourn at the mission station was very marked. An extract 
 from Mr Stirling's journal, referring to his arrival at Keppel 
 Island, will not be out of place here : — 
 
 " From the water the station does not bear a very prepos- 
 sessing look — the houses are not grouped for effect; and, 
 architecturally, are not imposing. The views from the land, 
 on the contrary, are full of interest. The high lands of 
 the Falklands and the islands so thickly scattered, and so 
 richly occupied with beetling rock and pinnacle, now glow 
 with purple in the hazy prospect, or stand out sharp and 
 clear under a cloudless sky, the ever-changing sea rolling 
 grandly between. On landing, we were met on the jetty by 
 William Bartlett and Okokko. The latter's wife and two 
 children were watching us from a little distance. The letters 
 announcing our approach had never reached the station, but 
 the possibihty of such a thing did not occur to me, and I failed 
 to introduce myself by name until Bartlett's difficulty was 
 manifest on attempting to introduce me to his wife. Okokko 
 surprised me by his good English, pleasant manners, and joyous 
 laugh. He and his family have had many advantages since 
 1859 ; but if ia less than four years the result of education 
 and kind treatment are so conspicuously good in their case 
 
106 MISSIONARY WORK 
 
 tliose who labour for the future benefit of these people have 
 the utmost encouragement and rewards in store. I cannot 
 fail to hope, moreover, that though at the present time there 
 is much need of a deeper insight into the faith of Christ on 
 Okokko's part than he can be said to have, (such in fact as 
 would justify me in baptizing him,) he is, nevertheless, very 
 capable as well as desirous of teaching his countrymen many of 
 the lessons that he has learned, both from the word of God and 
 the practices of Christian family life. Okokko foretells the 
 time when, he being old and his children grown up, the whole 
 people of Tierra del Fuego shall be taught to know God, and 
 enjoy in peaceable habitations the fruits of Christian civilisa- 
 tion. This is his own picture, and the time of the prophecy 
 his own. 
 
 ^ " Perhaps I ought to have given an earlier place in my letter 
 to the mention of Mr Bridges. I am satisfied that he holds 
 in his hand, and can use far better than any one else, the 
 key of the Fuegian language. He has caught the verbal 
 formations, and traced them through all their intricacies. 
 He accompanies me in the Allen Gardiner to Tierra del 
 Fuego, where Okokko and his family will also go, but our 
 stay must be short, as the season is already far advanced." 
 
 An anecdote may nelp to give an impression of the action 
 UDon Okokko's mind at this time of what he had been taught. 
 In reply to a question by Mr Stirling, William Bartlett said — 
 " I would rather have Okokko to work with me than half the 
 English lads , " and added — " He is very much changed, that 
 he is, from what he was when he first came. Any person 
 can see it. But he has got a quick temper." " How has he 
 shown it ? Has he done any act of violence ? " " No, sir ; 
 he has done no act of violence ; but the other day I went 
 down to Mr Bridges' house, and found Okokko there in a 
 great passion with Mr Bridges, who could do nothing with 
 him." "And what did you do?" "Why, sir, I told 
 
IX TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 107 
 
 him lie had better come out with me in the garden, and work 
 a bit." "And did he come?" " He came, sir; and when 
 he was working, I talked to him about his temper, and 
 told him it was very wrong to be so quick angry ; that Mr 
 Bridges was his very good friend ; and that God would be 
 angry with him if he gave way to such violent temper." "What 
 reply did he make ? " " He said, in his way of speaking, 
 ' God does not answer prayer now as He used to. Mr 
 Bridges tells me, if I pray, God will give me a new heart, 
 and He hasn't done it.' " 
 
 It was thus made plain to the missionary party just ar- 
 rived, that they were entering upon other men's labours. 
 Not only had a station, with all its details of farming and 
 gardening, been formed in Keppel Island ; not only had the 
 way been pioneered ; not only had the language of a Fuegian 
 tribe been in great measure acquired ; but a breaking in of 
 light upon the mind of one at least of these natives was per- 
 ceptible. It was encouraging to the new comers to find that 
 Okokko had earned a reputation for industry, and that he 
 had learned to pray. 
 
 Before proceeding further, it may be well to give some ac- 
 count of the people and country of Tierra del Fuego. We 
 are indebted to Darwin for the following summary of its physi- 
 cal features and zoology : — " The country may be described 
 as a mountainous land, partly submerged in the sea, so that 
 deep inlets and bays occupy the place where valleys should 
 exist. The mountain sides, except on the exposed western 
 coast, are covered from the water's edge upwards by one great 
 forest. The trees reach to an elevation of between 1000 and 
 1500 feet, and are succeeded by a band of peat, with minute 
 Alpine plants, and this again is succeeded by the line of per- 
 petual snow. Level land is scarcely to be found. The 
 zoology of Tierra del Fuego is very poor. Of mammaha, be- 
 sides whales and seals, there are one bat, a kind of mouse, 
 
108 MISSIONARY WORK 
 
 two true mice, two foxes, a sea-otter, the guanaco, and a deer. 
 Most of these animals inhabit only the drier eastern parts of 
 the country. The gloomy woods are inhabited by few birds. 
 No reptiles are found throughout the country." 
 
 To compensate for this dearth of animal life on land, the 
 waters of the sea are abundantly stocked with living creatures. 
 Darwin thus speaks of them : — 
 
 " In all parts of the world, a rocky and partially protected 
 shore perhaps supports in a given space a greater number of 
 individual animals than any other station. There is one 
 marine production, which, from its importance, is worthy of 
 a particular history. It is the kelp, or macrocystis pyrifera. 
 This plant grows on every rock, from low-water mark to a 
 great depth, both on the outer coast and within the channels. 
 The number of living creatures of all orders whose existence 
 intimately depends on the kelp is wonderful. A great volume 
 might be written describing the inhabitants of one of these 
 beds of sea-weed. I can only compare these great aquatic 
 forests of the southern hemisphere with the terrestrial ones in 
 the inter-tropical regions. Yet, if in any country a forest was 
 destroyed, I do not believe that nearly so many species of 
 animals would perish as would here from the destruction of 
 the kelp. Amidst the leaves of this plant, numerous species 
 of fish live, which nowhere else could find food or shelter. 
 With their destruction, the many cormorants and other fish- 
 ing birds, the otters, seals, and porpoises, would soon perish 
 also; and lastly the Fuegian savage, the miserable lord of 
 this miserable land, would redouble his cannibal feasts, de- 
 crease in numbers, and perhaps cease to exist." 
 
 Further acquaintance with the Fuegians leads us to doubt 
 whether cannibalism exists at all among them. The Fuegians 
 may be roughly divided into canoe Indians and foot Indians, 
 the latter occupying the main island. The foot Indians are 
 a superior race to the canoe Indians, more akin to those 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. lOD 
 
 of Patagonia. They rarely use canoes, but live on the spoils 
 of the chase. 
 
 The Fuegian climate is damp and windy, but equable. 
 The mean temperature in winter and summer is about 33'^. 
 It is doubtful whether corn will ripen there ; yet evergreen 
 trees flourish, and humming-birds may be seen sucking the 
 flowers, and parrots feeding on the seeds of the winterbark, 
 in lat. 55 S. The southern hemisphere is occupied to a far 
 larger extent than the northern by water, which accounts 
 for the equable climate. The snow-line descends to 4000 or 
 3500 feet above the level of the sea, In the northern hemi- 
 sphere, to meet with perpetual snow at this low level, we must 
 travel to Norway between lat. 67° and 70°. 
 
 On the east coast the natives use a guanaco skin as a cloak ; 
 on the west, seal skins are used. Among the central tribes the 
 men for the most part have either an otter skin or a seal 
 skin as a partial protection for the body. But some are to be 
 found entirely destitute of clothing. Their condition is 
 miserable indeed. Polygamy exists certainly among some of 
 the tribes, and probably among all. Among the different 
 tribes there seems to be no government or chief. Each tribe 
 is surrounded more or less remotely by hostile tribes, who 
 speak different dialects ; and jealousies arise and are ren- 
 dered permanent by disputes about the means of subsist- 
 ence. They are a thriftless people, with no domestic ani- 
 mals excepting dogs ; not given to tilling the ground, and \ 
 dependent, in the case of the canoe Indians, on fish and 
 fungus ; in that of the foot Indians, on the skilful use of the 
 bow and arrow. The whale is a great boon to them, for they 
 feed on the blubber, and manufacture the bones into spear- 
 heads and other instruments of hunting, and make fishing 
 lines of plaited sinews; yet these natives could not procure a 
 whale for themselves, but are indebted to the swordfish for 
 harassing and driving ashore these monsters of the deep. 
 
 t 
 
no MISSIONARY WORK 
 
 The kelp and the swordfish are the mainstay of Fuegian life. 
 
 * The Fuegian language has no written character, and the mis- 
 sionary, in order to be able to instruct them has in fact to 
 become the pupil of a savage, who inadequately fulfils the 
 duties of his new office of teacher. Few abstract terms are 
 found in their language. No one word, so far as we know, 
 represents /67i. Yet the names of all the various kinds of 
 fish existing in those waters are in common use. More than 
 one name is used for the same thing, according as it is re- 
 garded from this or that point of view. The accidents, rather 
 than the essence, of a thing are seized upon ; and a stranger, 
 while endeavouring to pick up the language, is often thereby 
 
 ^ perplexed. They count no higher than three. They are, 
 moreover, without any form of worship, have no idols, and 
 
 Nj no knowledge of God. Their language is, so far as our in- 
 formation extends, without a word to represent the Divine 
 Being. 
 
 It is with the fisher or canoe Indians that the missionaries 
 hitherto have had to do, and it is plain that, in order to give 
 scope among them for the development of Christian principles, 
 there must be introduced along with the precepts of the 
 gospel the elements of civilisation. This has been borne in 
 mind in the attempts which have been made to establish a 
 Christian mission among them, and it has been very interest- 
 ing to watch the effect of these efforts in the case of Okokko's 
 family. We now resume our narrative. 
 
 It was the duty of Mr Stirling to re-open communica- 
 tions with the Fuegians, for all communication between the 
 mission station and Tierra del Fuego had ceased after the 
 massacre in 1859. It was important that a good understand- 
 ing should be estabhshed between the missionaries and the 
 natives. On the influence of Okokko, and his efficiency as 
 an interpreter very much depended. 
 
 The Allen Gardiner sailed for Tierra del Fuego in March 
 
IN TIERKA DEL FUEGO. Ill 
 
 18G3, touehing at Banner Cove, Packsaddle Bay, and 
 Woollya. 
 
 Araong those on board was Okokko. How he acquitted 
 himself as a friend and as an interpreter will be seen by re- 
 ference to extracts from Mr Stirling's journal. At Pack- 
 saddle Bay a footing of confidence was speedily established 
 through the friendly explanations of Okokko with the family 
 of a man named Chlngaline, whose son is now in England. 
 
 " Having overheard us singing at our morning prayer, they 
 wished us to sing again, which we did, Okokko once leading, 
 and then Mr Bridges ; and subsequently, on the shore when 
 we landed, the man and his eldest son sat and hstened with 
 the most evident pleasure while we sang 'Praise God from 
 whom all blessings flow,' and ' From Greenland's Icy Moun- 
 tains.' I desired Okokko and Mr Bridges to make plain to 
 this man the nature of our work, and our desire to teach and 
 benefit his people. To this he attentively listened, and when 
 we asked him if he would hke his son to visit Keppel Island 
 to be instructed, he was not long in talking to his boy about 
 it before he gave his consent. The boy, too,.w^a3 v/ell pleased. 
 And now a word about the lad, whose age is perhaps fourteen, 
 and his name Uroopatoosaloom. In height he is just over 
 five feet, with black hair and full laughing eyes, a very plea- 
 sant expression, good features, and a mouth just large enough 
 to display an enviable set of white teeth. Full of gentleneas 
 and good nature is this Fuegian lad, as far removed from a 
 savage as I am. Not a man in the Alle7i Gardiner but lilves 
 him, not a man but has expressed surprise at his good quali- 
 ties, his docility, his willingness to oblige^ his quick accommo- 
 dation to his new circumstances, his good looks, and cleanly 
 habits. The fact is, I went to Tierra del Fuego screwed tight 
 up in my prejudices, and desiring to exercise a very large 
 charity towards a people belonging to the lowest portion of 
 the human race-. To- my surprise I found myself wonderin^ 
 
112 MISSIONARY WORK 
 
 at the evident resemblance to myself which these savages 
 presented, and then unconsciously striving to convince my- 
 self that they must be worse than they seemed to be. But 1 
 think I have learnt that it is more becoming to think and 
 .speak of these people respectfully, and to observe the aposto- 
 lic precept, ' Honour all men.' 
 
 " The father's last words to his son were an exhortation 
 that he should not go ashore at WooUya, but remain in the 
 vessel, as the natives there were not friendly with his people." 
 
 No more satisfactory evidence of confidence could be given 
 than this. The father would trust his son to strangers, 
 whose motives and purposes he recognised to be good, to 
 be taken to the Falkland Islands, while yet he mistrusted 
 his own countrymen, belonging to a neighbouring clan, dis^ 
 tant but twenty miles. Thus was the way smoothed for a 
 development of the plans of the Mission. The lad here 
 referred to is one of the four who arrived in England in 
 August 1865. We resume the journal : — 
 
 " Woollya, March 2S. — It was very interesting to watch 
 Okokko as he sought to impress his people with our desire 
 to benefit them, to raise them out of their present poverty, 
 and to teach them about God and Jesus Christ. The 
 tone of his voice, as he addressed them, was unaffectedly 
 earnest ; and many attentive eyes and ears were fixed upon 
 him and occupied with his words, as he spoke with an 
 energy and animation congenial to the Fuegian mind, from 
 the deck of the Allen Gardiner, to the assembled natives in 
 the canoes about the ship. This was the first time that 
 cLnything like preaching in their own tongue, and in their 
 own land, had been addressed to these neglected people, and 
 it seemed like the beginning of better things. It is certainly 
 significant of a blessing on the past labours of the Mission, 
 and prophetic, I trust, of greater blessings to come. 
 
 ** Sunday y March 29. — He went on shore with his wife 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 113 
 
 and family, and spent the day, as he assures me, and I 
 have no doubt of it, in seeking to make his countrymen un- 
 derstand our real object, and to secure their friendly dis- 
 position towards us ; telling them that the ship was built and 
 sent out expressly for them that they might be made ac- 
 quainted with God, and know about Jesus Christ who died 
 for them ; and that good men go to heaven, and bad men go 
 to hell ; that if they were good we would come and teach /, 
 them many things that would profit them now, and that by/ ' 
 and by they should have goats, and sheep, and gardens, the j 
 same as at Keppel Island. This is a faithful summary of 
 what he stated that he said to his people, as he visited them 
 in their wigwams ; and if I may judge of the effect of his 
 words by the subsequent quiet and exemplary conduct of the 
 natives, I should say it was eminently beneficial." 
 
 Our readers will not misunderstand, or give an exaggerated 
 force to the word "preaching," in the foregoing extract. 1 
 Qrhey will bear in mind the very imperfectly informed state I 
 of mind of the native who addressed his people, and the in- 
 capability of the people at this time of taking in the mean- 
 ing of such words as God and Jesus Christ, as heaven and 
 hell ; and the chief effect, therefore, of Okokko's address to; 
 his countrymen must have been derived from the earnestness 
 of his manner, and the assurance which he gave of a friendly 
 spirit on the part of the missionaries. They had come "not 
 to destroy men's lives, but to save them." " 
 
 " During the remainder of our stay at Woolly a we con- 
 tinued on the most friendly terms with the natives. Mr 
 Bridges gained much ^clat by his acquaintance with their 
 language, and there can be no doubt that his whole heart is 
 in his worlc" 
 
 The number of Fuegians who were desirous of visiting the 
 mission station were more than could be accommodated there. 
 But on the return of the Allen Gardiner to Keppel, Mr Stir- 
 
 H 
 
114 MISSIONARY WORK 
 
 •ling writes : — " We have now, with Okokko and his family, 
 eleven natives of Tierra del Fuego under our training and 
 care." 
 
 Shortly afterwards three Patagonians, from Santa Cruz, 
 came in the A lien Gardiner to the mission station on Keppel 
 Island. The trio were composed of a man aged about sixty, 
 his daughter and son. In appearance they far excelled the 
 natives of the Fuegian Archipelago, and although good-hu- 
 moured and civil, they did not affect to disguise the superiority 
 of which they were conscious. The orderly arrangements of 
 everything at the station did not fail to strike the new comers. 
 Nothing could be more different from all they had been ac- 
 customed to than the circumstances of their new position. 
 The regularity of the hours of labour, of meals, and of the 
 issuing of stores; the morning and evening services of re- 
 ligion to which they were summoned by the sound of the 
 bell ; the appointed periods of instruction ; the attention be- 
 stowed upon the gardens and the farm ; the tameness of the 
 animals about the station ; the novelties of diet, and the large 
 use of vegetables; the contrasts between the toldo, or the 
 wigwam, and the snug cottage ; the differences of clothing, 
 and the importance attached to cleanliness in every particu- 
 lar ; these, and a hundred other matters utterly beyond the 
 range of their past experience — in themselves so small as 
 almost to escape our notice — immediately arrested the obser- 
 vation of these strangers, and exercised a wonderful influence 
 upon their imaginations. The new hfe was a series of sur- 
 prises to them. Yet they fell in with its requirements easily; 
 and the occasions on which it was necessary to enforce a rule, 
 when once understood, were remarkably rare. 
 
 But with all its novelties and restrictions, Keppel Island 
 was well adapted as a place of training for the natives. The 
 climate is healthy and invigorating, rendering bodily exer- 
 cise pleasant. The daily necessities of supplying food and 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 115 
 
 fuel by steady industry in the extensive mission gardens and 
 the peat valley, or by the more exciting pursuit of the cattle, 
 now running wild in the camp, harmonised at once the aim)? 
 of the missionaries with the instincts of the natives. In the 
 gardens were laid the foundation of orderly habits of labour, 
 while expeditions into the camp for beef, relieved the insular 
 life of its monotony, by satisfying that innate love of the 
 chase, which is so strong a passion in the South American 
 races. As a consequence, the natives were generally healthy ; 
 and, not being afflicted with "long thinking," accepted with 
 great readiness the new conditions of life in which they were 
 placed. In the morning they regularly attended the services, 
 which commenced the day ; attentive and reverent in their 
 manner, not indeed at first understanding all that took, 
 place, but imbued with the solemnity of the proceedings, and 
 carrying away with them convictions of a worship due to the 
 unseen Spirit. The morning service over, lessons commenced. 
 In one class are the little boys — it may be, just arrived from 
 their own country. They know but a few stray words of 
 EngUsh, and their own language offers no means of telling 
 them about God, and of the gift of His Son, and of His king- 
 dom. Words to express these things, even in a mutilated 
 form, are wanting in their tongue. The basis of Christian 
 instruction must be the English language. Accordingly, by 
 line upon hne, precept upon precept, here a little and there 
 a little, the young lads are familiarised with Christian truths 
 in English, and their memories are exercised by verses of 
 Scripture, or hymns, which they are taught to repeat. At 
 first, the process of instruction is to them an amusing puzzle, 
 and there are frequent smiles on the part of some who 
 possess a more facile utterance than their companions, at 
 false pronunciations made by them. One remarks, to the 
 evident satisfaction of the majority, that so and so, in his 
 attempts at English, " hrays like a penguin," The allusion is 
 
116 MISSIONARY WORK 
 
 not polite, but exceedingly good-humoured, and nobody is 
 offended. A laugh of approval is the only consequence. By 
 degrees the bearing upon their daily life of what they have 
 been committing to memory begins to strike them. The 
 God about whom they have lately heard for the first time is 
 He, in obedience to whose commands the missionaries are 
 there to teach them, is the One whose law Enghshmen 
 acknowledge, is a God of mercy, desirous of doing good, not 
 evil .to men — is the Maker of all things, knows all things, 
 sees all things, governs all things. Thus far, it may be said, 
 the natives, (Under regular instruction, show a readiness to 
 Njraccept what is taught. They listen, too, with satisfaction 
 to the evidence of God's love in the gift of His Son ; but 
 \the Atonement has its manifest difficulties to their minds, 
 and it may be questioned whether this fundamental truth 
 has hitherto been truly received in its fulness by any of 
 the natives. As a statement of fact, they beheve it; but, 
 from the absence of deep sin-eonviction, they have not yet 
 learned the value of that blood shed for the forgiveness of 
 sin. Their outward conduct, however, answers rapidly to the 
 new principle of action which the gospel enforces ; and lads 
 from Tierra del Fuego, belonging to the degraded tribes of 
 that benighted land, show, in their general demeanour and 
 docility, how capable they are of profiting by the instruction 
 given. 
 
 The more advanced youths are meanwhile pursuing their 
 studies, slowly indeed, but satisfactorily, — here engaged in 
 learning to write and there in reading, while all are taught 
 some text of Scripture, on which they will be presently ques- 
 tioned. The hours of morning school are not long. At 11 
 A.M. they are expected to be at tlieir outdoor work, and 
 not till the evening will they again be in the presence of the 
 black-board and their primers, or storing their minds with 
 some lines of a hymn, which on the morrow they will sing 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 117 
 
 together. It is a happy thing that these natives are musical, 
 for the hymns and chants in the Church services delight 
 them, and very pleasant it is to hear their young voices sing- 
 ing, in sweet accord, words and tunes familiar to our English 
 ears. 
 
 We have spoken of our male pupils. Girls are not visitors 
 at our station. Only married women are invited ; nor 
 would others be permitted by the natives of Tierra del 
 Fuego to come under our care. These are few in number, 
 and have scarcely received such regular instruction as their 
 husbands and the boys have enjoyed. Still they have pro- 
 fited to a considerable degree by their sojourn on Keppel 
 Island, and have, in acquiring the habits of civihsed Kfe, pre- 
 pared themselves for future usefulness. The wife of Okokko, 
 owing to the early training received from Mr Despard's family, 
 and followed up by others,, is as capable of keeping house 
 and looking after her children,, their clothes, &c., and making 
 a home for her husband, as most English labourers' wives. 
 Her knowledge of EngUsh, and facility of reading and writ- 
 ing,, are at least on a par with Okokko's ; and all that we can 
 desire for her is the fulness of the Divine grace, wliich alone 
 sanctifies and transforms the human heart. Of the other 
 women we can speak hopefully.. They interest and encour- 
 age in many ways those who seek their good, but it would be 
 wrong to say more than this, and allow mere wishes to out- 
 strip one's judgment. 
 
 It may be suggested that the comforts and regularity of 
 life on Keppel Island unfit, to some extent,, those who have 
 enjoyed them, for the ruder state of things in their own home, 
 and that the natives thus trained are thereby more or less sepa- 
 rated, in feeling and interest, from their fellow-countrymen. 
 Without denying that there is some truth in this, it is yet 
 satisfactory to know that the natural afi'ection of these 
 natives for their people is a pretty safe counteracting influence 
 
 J 
 
113 MISSIONARY WORK. 
 
 to danger of this kind. We find, for instance, Okokko, after 
 a protracted stay at tlie mission station, expressing his desire 
 to settle amongst his people, lest by a too long separa- 
 tion he should lose his influence for good over them. At a 
 time when this man and his family were the only ones pro- 
 perly prepared to fiet an example of Christian civihsation in 
 Tierra del Fuego, he courageously preferred settling there to 
 waiting till others might be more advanced, and ready to aid 
 him in his enterprise. It is true certain natives who had 
 been an Keppel Island belonged to his tribe, and were living 
 in his neighbourhood, and even promised to aid him ; but 
 they were young, and, as :it proved, without influence, and 
 only most imperfectly instructed. Tliis fact speaks much in 
 favour of the system adopted by the Society. We now revert 
 to Mr Stirling's journal, which gives an account of the voyage 
 to Tierra del Fuego, and the estabhshment at Woollya of 
 Okokko and his family. The date is Woollya : — 
 
 "On February 18, 1864, the Allen Gardiner left Keppel 
 for Woollya. Okokko was now about to settle in Tierra del 
 Fuego, and there to create a home. Camilenna, his wife, 
 tvas no longer to fish and wander in the canoe. Her position 
 for the future was to resemble that of an English wife ; she 
 was to stay at home, take care of the children, and present 
 to her people an example of domestic life. I give you 
 the idea of Okokko — not mine, or any one else's — respecting 
 his wife's future mode of life in her own country. As for 
 the other Fuegians, all was cheerfulness and mirth; one 
 might think they were returning to some cheerful, well- 
 appointed home, and not to the rude privileges of the wig- 
 wam and the bark canoe. But, in fact, it was the joyous- 
 ness of youth and health, the flush of pleasure which * pack- 
 ing-up and going away' produces in boys, or the love of 
 change so deep in young hearts, that caused such unwonted 
 animation in the Allen Gardiner, 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 119 
 
 " On the 27th the anchor was let go in Lennox Cove. We 
 had our first interview with the natives at Gretton Bay, Wol- 
 laston Island. On arriving at Packsaddle Bay, a gloom was 
 cast over the minds of the natives on board by rumours of a 
 fatal malady wbich, in the past summer, had carried off large 
 numbers of the people. Every one of our party was said to 
 have lost relations. T. Button had lost two brothers; Three- 
 boys his father, and other relations. All Camilenna's rela- 
 tions had died ; and Lucca, too, had lost uncles and cousins; 
 Uroopa's father had become a widower, &c. An unaffected 
 grief took possession of our lately happy company of natives: 
 the saddest of all, perhaps, was Threeboys, whose father, 
 James Button, was now reported to be dead. Poor Camil- 
 enna, too, had one long night of weeping, and Okokko's eyes 
 in the morning looked swollen and heavy. Tom Button 
 came to me more than once, saying, ' Mr Stirling, I very 
 unhappy ; by and by happy,' and his face bore traces of a 
 saddened spirit. We were requested not to allude to the 
 deceased by name, for the Fuegians, like the Patagonians, 
 and other Indians, bury in silence the names of the departed. 
 Our sympathy was expressed in words of kindness ; but I 
 longed for a larger utterance of the love and hfe which are in 
 Christ to cheer and quicken the mourners' hearts. A desire 
 to proceed quickly to Woollya was, of course, the result of the 
 above intelligence, and on Monday, the wind being fair, the 
 captain got the vessel under way. Uroopa's father, who be- 
 longs to this neighbourhood, w^as absent ; the weather had 
 been adverse to his coming; but, in fact, the canoe party, 
 who undertook to fetch him, never fulfilled their contract, 
 and Chingaline was not aware of the Allen Gardiner s pres- 
 ence witli his son on board. On March the 7th we reached 
 Woollya. On our passage thither we saw several canoes in 
 snug corners, some moored to the kelp, and the natives in 
 tliem fishing, some paddling along in shore, while one more 
 
120 MISSIONARY WORK 
 
 bold than the rest attempted to intercept us, and a voice, as we 
 hastened by — (the captain letting the ship go off a little, to 
 avoid running the canoe dovm) — remonstrated v^^ith us for not 
 taking the venturesome craft in tow. It was dark, and a drizzl- 
 ing rain falling, when we anchored in Woollya. The approach 
 of the vessel was the signal for a burst of mournful news ; and 
 loud and melancholy sounded the tidings of death. There had 
 been a malignant sickness,, and old and young, very many, 
 had been swept away by it. James Button was dead. 
 
 " On the following morning we were early visited by the 
 people, but their number was not large. As the day advanced, 
 however, canoes kept coming in, yet not numerously, as a 
 fresh breeze agitated the waters in the Sound too much to 
 allow canoes comfortably to cross it.. On the third, or fourth 
 day, the entire Woollya party had probably assembled, and 
 forty canoes were reckoned at one time in the harbour. 
 Poor Jamesina, as Mr Despard used to call James Button's 
 wife, visited the ship the day after its arrival, and in her 
 canoe were eleven persons, mostly young.. Her face was 
 full of sorrow ;, and,, pointing with her finger toward the sky, 
 she gave me to understand, by looks more than, words, the 
 cause of her grief, and how great it was.. A majority of the 
 natives had the hair cut short on the crown of the head, and 
 other evidences of mourning were frequent. Our presence 
 among them,, however, produced daily a more cheerful tone. 
 
 " We miss many once familiar faces. It is remarkable 
 that the sickness of which I have spoken should not have 
 occurred until after the return of the Allen Gardiner, subse- 
 quently to the massacre, and as a pledge of the forgiveness 
 of their enemies which Christians can show ; but there are 
 so many suggestive providences in the history of our Mission, 
 that to dwell on them would destroy the character of this 
 letter as a chronicle of facts. I therefore forbear. 
 
 " On March 7th, the boat is manned at 9.45 am., and. 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 121 
 
 ander the command of the captain, proceeds to Button 
 Island. Mr Bridges accompanies me in the boat. Okokko 
 and Pinoiensee guide us into a pleasant cove, which they con- 
 sider suitable for their future dwelling. A site for a station 
 is the object of our search. The water is deep up to the 
 landing-place ; in the kelp close by, an old sea-lion was 
 just now sleeping; a young fur-seal every now and then 
 poked his head above water, but took no pains to wake the 
 drowsy Hon. Startled by a bullet from our boat, the huge 
 creature has leaped bodily into the air, and with a fierce 
 plunge disappeared beneath the deep waters. That seal 
 would have been a prize for their people, but they still hope 
 that some fortunate canoe party may fall in with and secure 
 it. On landing, we cannot but admire the spot, and the 
 scarlet flower of the mugoo, (Fuegian name,) a beautiful 
 shrub, shines out vnth dazzling brilliancy. There is a nar- 
 row valley before us, but it looks as if winter floods chased 
 down it. The rocks rise precipitous to the right and left, 
 with a gorge here and there, up which the thin verdure 
 slopes in a feigned fertility. The soil is good beneath our 
 feet, and Okokko praises it highly. The grass grows luxu- 
 riantly, and the wild currant too : but the space available for 
 the purposes of a settlement admits of very narrow develop- 
 ment, and it is resolved that we examine another locality. 
 
 " A row of two miles or so brings us to a spot very superior 
 in every respect to the one just visited. There is abundance 
 of good ground, good wood, good water, good grass. A walk 
 on shore well repays us, by its frequent introduction to some- 
 thing new and interesting. Here is the funeral pyre on 
 which the body of one of Macooallan's brothers was recently 
 burned — here the wigwam or framework of branches, where 
 for a day the body lay in state. The body of James Button 
 has not yet been burned ; it is merely interred. The return 
 of his brother from Keppel Island has been waited for, and 
 
122 MISSIONARY WORK. 
 
 now the remains will be submitted to the flames. This in- 
 formation is given to us in a subdued voice by Okokko. 
 Half a mile from where we leave the boat there is a lake. It 
 is muffled round with woods, through which we have ap- 
 proached it. From the trees the boys have gathered two kinds 
 of fungus, which we taste, and while tasting, think the natives 
 not so badly off after all. I may here say that there are 
 some twenty different sorts of fungus, and these come in dis- 
 tinct seasons, so that for several months in the year at 
 least food of that kind is plentiful. Berries, too, in summer 
 are abundant, and of various kinds. In fact, whilst stay- 
 ing at WooUya, it is an almost daily matter to see files of 
 men and boys returning from the woods, laden with these 
 fruits of the season. We retrace our steps to the landing- 
 place, thinking we can do no better than determine on this 
 place for the establishment of Okokko. But down that 
 i rugged steep, the captain says, comes the fitful hurri- 
 cane, the ' WiUiwaw ; ' and he dislikes the place for an- 
 chorage, with its deep waters and possible blasts. We be- 
 gin to fear lest the proper safeguards for the ship may be 
 compromised if we cling to our land projects ; for to anchor 
 for a night or two is one thing — to anchor off the place, while 
 a station is being laid out on shore, is altogether another. 
 However, here is a breeze, and the boat-sail is hoisted, and we 
 are hastening back to our little vessel at Woollya, thinking a 
 decked-boat would be much safer in these windy channels, 
 and putting off a decision as to the place of Okokko's settle- 
 ment. The ship is reached by 3.30 p.m., and the chief officer 
 reports favourably of the conduct of the natives during the 
 day. In the evening, Mr Rau tells me that Lucca has pointed 
 out the exact spot where were placed the dead bodies of our 
 friends who fell in Nov. 1859. It is not two hundred yards 
 from where the Allen Gardiner lies at anchor. The next 
 morning I question Lucca about it, and he speaks confi- 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 123 
 
 dently on the subject. He helped to convey one body to the 
 spot in question, and he and Okokko covered the bodies with 
 large stones, lest the foxes should devour them. Okokko cor- 
 roborates all this. At once the boat is lowered, and we 
 proceed to the place. Great fragments of rock lie here 
 one upon another, the lowest washed by the waters of the 
 bay, the highest about eighteen feet above them. Overhang- 
 ing all is the solid rock, rising with a bold front some thirty 
 feet, and then falling back under cover of the descending forest. 
 We scramble over the broken rocks, and presently traces 
 of the deceased come to light. The remains of Mr Phillips 
 and Captain Fell are unmistakable, and I have no doubt that 
 six of the bodies of our beloved friends were placed entire 
 where we sought them, that they w^ere placed there in their 
 clothes, and that not even theii- pockets were riiled. 
 
 "In the afternoon of the 11th of March I read the 
 funeral service, partly in the ship, and partly by the grave. 
 For the Collect immediately succeeding the Lord's Prayer, I 
 substituted that for St Stephen's Day ; otherwise, I adhered 
 to the accustomed English service. The flag hung half- 
 mast high, and every token of reverent feeUng was unaffect 
 edly offered. The hymn beginning 
 
 *' ' When our heads are bow'd with woe, 
 When our bitter tears o'erflow, 
 When we mourn the lost, the dear, 
 Jesu, bom of woman, hear,' 
 
 concluded the solemn service, and the booming of the 
 ship's two signal guns announced aloud that it was over." 
 
 It was a coincidence not overlooked that, on the very day 
 on which the remains of the party massacred were discovered, 
 the chapter read at the evening service on board the Allen, 
 Gardiner, and coming in the ordinary course, was Isaiah xxv. 
 Those present had their attention directed to the remarkablo 
 promise,—" And He will destroy in this mountain the face 
 
124 MISSIONARY WOllK. 
 
 of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is 
 spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory, 
 and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces ; 
 and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all 
 the earth, for the Lord hath spoken it." 
 
 The physical aspects of the place corresponded with the 
 language of the prophet, and the taking away of the veil cast 
 over all people, and the victory over death, and the wiping 
 away of tears, foretold and secured by the mouth of the Lord, 
 seemed to fit in and harmonise with the circumstances of the 
 work, and the earnest longings of those engaged in it. 
 
 " On the 11th of March, Macooallan (i.e., T. Button) ven- 
 tured to resume life in the wigwam. His wife and two 
 children accompanied him, also Pinoiensee. We gave him 
 some biscuit, and rice, and beans, with about six lbs. of sugar. 
 He expressed himself as pleased with our kindness. Now, I 
 should like to say something of this man, but how to do so 
 without danger of saying too much, or too little, I do not 
 know. You will, however, understand that he is in a very 
 inferior degree, so far as I can see, inwardly acquainted with 
 Christian truth. His mind is, I fear, very dark Sometimes 
 I am told he gives vent to the expression, ' ^\ hat will be- 
 come of me ? ' in a tone suggestive of earnest, though per- 
 plexed inquiry. His manner, too, is reverent, and has a 
 semblance of intelHgence in our public worship. Privately 
 he listens with apparent interest to a chapter of the Bible, or 
 some oral statement of truth ; but he cannot read, and when 
 not actually within the living zone of Christian influence, 
 and left to stand alone without the direct guidance of Chris- 
 tian teachers, there is, perhaps, httle reason to expect from 
 him more thaa a general improvement in manners. Mr 
 Rau, however, and I rejoice to say it, cherishes a far more 
 hopeful view of Macooallan's state of mind. At Keppel 
 Island he formed no steady habit of industry, although he 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 125 
 
 was ever ready to serve me, and at times gave voluntary 
 assistance in the gardens, &r,. His age cannot be less than 
 fifty, I think; and at that time of life old habits are dif- 
 ficult to be broken up. Yet I look for some positive advan- 
 tages to the Mission work from his influence amongst his 
 country people, and from the gentle temper and grateful 
 spirit of his wife. 
 
 "It is finally determined, after examination of several 
 neighbouring islets, to erect a dwelling and goat-house for 
 Okokko, at Woollya, close to the spot where the dilapidated 
 but stands. 
 
 " On Monday morning, the 14th inst., Chingaline arrived 
 at Woollya. He has heard of our recent visit in Packsaddle 
 Bay, and of our present whereabouts, so he has come to see 
 his son. In the canoe with him are two young women, 
 sisters, (one married, the other single,) a strong and active 
 looking young man, (the husband of the married woman,) 
 and a brother of Uroopa, aged, perhaps, nine years. Not 
 one of the new comers ventures to land; for friendly relations 
 between the people of Packsaddle Bay and Woollya are not 
 rehable. But the deck of the Allen Gardiner is neutral 
 ground, and there Chingaline and his nephew, the man just 
 spoken of, delight to stand. We give them a hospitable 
 reception, and beyond all doubt a good measure of satisfaction 
 is experienced by our visitors, by ChingaUne most particu- 
 larly, who finds his son so strong and weU, and contented 
 with his lot. The father wishes Uroopa to go with him in 
 the canoe, to which we immediately agree, and presently — 
 his box being brought up, and all his Httle property handed 
 down into the canoe — we say good-bye to, and follow Avith 
 many good wishes, a lad who has won, and kept to the last, 
 the affection of us all. Threeboys came to me, and in a tone, 
 of real sorrow inquired if Uroopa was not coming back. 
 * Uroopa, a nice boy, I plenty like Uroopa. He not come 
 
126 MISSIONARY WORK 
 
 back ? ' and then he added, ' perhaps ship go again to 
 Packsaddle ? ' Lucca no less earnestly expressed his regret 
 at Uroopa's departure, and declared his hearty friendship 
 towards him. But all that day somebody was missed on 
 board the A lien Gardiner. 
 
 " Lucca's determination is to return to Keppel Island. 
 Threeboys also, who contemplated residence in Tierra del 
 Fuego, has requested leave to remain with us since the death 
 of his father has been ascertained. Petitions to go to Keppel 
 Island are daily urged. The Alle7i Gardiner could never 
 carry all who would like to come. The difficulty is to make 
 a selection. But I am desirous to take to our station foi 
 instruction one little fellow, a cousin of Threeboys, whose 
 small confidences reposed in me have quite won my heart. 
 He seems to pick up English by instinct ; he has a twink- 
 ling eye and knowing look, but, above all, he is of a gentle 
 and confiding nature, and most pliable age. When I am on 
 shore, he is seldom far from me, and evidences his attach- 
 ment by inviting me to sit down to a fungus repast with him. 
 He is an orphan. In the late sickly season his father suc- 
 cumbed to the prevailing epidemic ; the little boy, too, suf- 
 fered from the sickness, as his attenuated Hmbs testify, but 
 God has raised him up to be a monument perhaps of His 
 highest mercies. To come to Keppel Island is his great 
 desire. The people generally hold him in much affection, 
 and will not let him go without the boy making plain his 
 own wish on the subject. I go on one occasion into the 
 woods, seeking a quiet place, apart from the crowd, to read 
 for a short time. My young ally soon finds me out, and then 
 seating himself as close as possible by my side, begins to 
 talk. Looking into my face with a look that would fain 
 penetrate my inmost thoughts, he asks if I will be his good 
 friend ? I assure him I will, and he with evident pleasure 
 states that he will ' be with ' me, (The ' be with ' is, Mr 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 127 
 
 Bridges tells me, equivalent to the same term, when we say 
 that we throw in our lot with any one.) So I find there is 
 at least one young heart in Tierra del Fuego, which confides 
 in me, and wishes to join its lot to mine. Keppel Island 
 then became a subject of conversation, and I soon found out 
 what a diligent gleaner of news my companion was. He had 
 stored his mind with the whole vocabulary of civilisation at 
 our station. ' Keppel Island, horse, cow, sheep, goat, spoon, 
 pannikin, pig, towel, soap, potatoes, turnips, &c.' When he 
 came to the pig I was greatly amused, for I had not seen one 
 for a long time, and it seemed to me to be a new piece of 
 information that I was picking up ; but on the island, of 
 course, there are pigs, and my intelligent friend was quite 
 right. As he thoughtfully, and without the remotest sug- 
 gestion from me, enumerated the various things belonging to 
 the station, I was not a little surprised ; for the boy is small 
 enough to be seven years old only, although he may be more. 
 I wish to take him to Keppel Island. The children generally 
 I encourage to approach me ; and with the help of Three- 
 boys as interpreter, who has marched at the head of a file of 
 children to the old hut, which I had appointed as a school- 
 room for the occasion, I form a class of scholars. 
 
 " On Friday, March 18, our visitors to Keppel Island were 
 finally assorted. An assembly had the day before been made 
 of those most desirous of going with us, and out of these I 
 selected eight. Lucca and Threeboys are exclusive of this 
 number. Okokko is now in possession of a house built for 
 him. 
 
 " On Saturday nothing worthy of notice occurred. We 
 visit Okokko in his new dwelling, and find him occupied in 
 cooking fish for the family breakfast. He seemed in good 
 spirits. Stores were left by us for his use during the next 
 seven months, at the end of which period I expect to be with 
 him again. Without some such supplies, both Okokko and 
 
128 MISSIONARY WORK 
 
 his wife would be thrown back upon canoe hfe, to the neglect 
 of the children, of the projected gardens, and all that concerns 
 the future introduction of civilised manners. As it is, they 
 will now have sufficient stores to enable them with care to 
 pass the coming winter without suffering, while Okokko's 
 time can be principally devoted to the preparation of ground 
 for a garden, fencing it in, attending to his goats, improving 
 his house, and covering it with bark, when the season for 
 procuring bark arrives. Nevertheless, it will be quite neces- 
 sary for him to depend to a large extent on fish, and mussels, 
 and the edible fungi, to which the stores left with him are 
 after all but supplementary. 
 
 " Sunday, the 20th, is a quiet day with us, the natives 
 paying marked regard to our observance of it. In the after- 
 noon many canoes leave the bay, and I go ashore to visit 
 Okokko, who has not been present at our service in the ship. 
 He could not well leave his house, he said, but he had had 
 prayer at home. His prayer-book he took immediately from 
 his pocket, and when he had sung, * I will arise and go to 
 my father,' I asked him to read the Collect for the day, 
 which he did, and which formed a basis of my parting ex- 
 hortation to him. As I was saying good-bye he asked me, 
 in a simple, earnest manner, to pray for him when I was 
 away. -^-^- 
 
 " Our visit at WooUya closed on the morning of the 21st. 
 We have been remarkably favoured by the weather ; the 
 natives, too, have been quiet and friendly in their conduct to 
 us. We have had the satisfaction of interring the long-lost 
 remains of our predecessors in the missionary work ; we 
 have, by word and act, endeavoured to set forth the mercies 
 of God and the grace of Jesus Christ ; we have been per- 
 mitted to lay the foundations, as we hope, of a Christian 
 civilisation in these hitherto savage parts ; and, notwith- 
 standing the apparently small beginning, we have, as our 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 129 
 
 knowledge of the work to be done increases, an increasing 
 hopefulness of its ultimate success." 
 
 It was a matter of encouragement that Okokko was not 
 only in possession of a prayer-book in the phonetic character, 
 but able to use it, and aware of its value. " Mr vStirling, will 
 you pray for me ? " were likewise encouraging words at this 
 time, especially coming from the lips of one who, a few 
 months before, had said, " God does not answer prayer 
 now." The ship sailed with her party of natives for the 
 mission station, and Okokko was left to stand his ground 
 almost alone. How did he conduct himself? and did he 
 seek at all to instruct his people ? We give the fol- 
 lowing testimony. " Okokko," said one of the natives of 
 Woollya, referring subsequently to this subject, " had often 
 spoken to the people of God, of heaven, and hell, and what 
 sort of people should live in them. His people being very 
 proud, and bad, would not Hsten, and were sometimes vcisy 
 angry, and said Okokko told lies; that as they had never 
 seen nor heard God, they would not believe him, and that 
 man, and all things had ever been as they are, without be- 
 ginning, and therefore without a Maker. One man pre- 
 tended to be Jesus Christ. Some were afraid to be in hell, 
 and washed to become quiet, as a requisite preparation for 
 heaven : some thi-eatened to kill Okokko, but were afraid to 
 do so." During Okokko's stay on this occasion, and in his 
 new circumstances, at Woollya, gardens were laid out and 
 fenced in, and sown with potatoes and turnips. A serviceable 
 bridge, across a neighbouring stream, indicated a desire to ' 
 extend improvement, and the goats were carefully tended. 
 The original flock of seven had increased to upwards of twenty. > 
 A commencement had been made of civilisation ; a witness for ' 
 the truth had been planted in Tierra del Fuego. It was but 
 a feeble beginning, what was to be its issue ? \ 
 
 When the Allen Gardiner VisMqA Woollya, in Llarch 1865,1 
 
130 MISSIONARY WOItK 
 
 it was found, to the great regret of all, that Okokko's house, 
 and goats, and property, had been destroyed by fire. A fit 
 of jealousy, and some pretence of the invasion of tribal rights 
 in occupying the particular spot where the house and garden 
 were estabhshed, had caused three natives, when Okokko and 
 his friends were absent on a fishing expedition, to destroy all 
 his property. 
 
 When Okokko came on board the Mission schooner he 
 showed signs of great distress at what had happened, and 
 especially lamented that in the conflagration he had lost his 
 Bible and prayer-book. The genuineness of this regret there 
 is no reason to doubt. He knew the difficulty of replacing 
 them, as they were printed in the phonetic character, which 
 alone he could read, and there were no similar copies at the 
 station. The ordinary Roman type was to him utterly strange. 
 
 In consequence of this untoward event, it was determined 
 that Okokko and his family should return once more to the 
 mission station on Keppel Island, along with other natives, 
 for further instruction, and with a view to prepare a better 
 organised party for location in Tierra del Fuego. This w^as 
 the more expedient, as the Allen Gardiner ysdjs, about to return 
 to England, with Mr Stirling on board, and it would, in all 
 probability, be a considerable time before another visit to 
 Woollya could be paid. To have left Okokko there with 
 impoverished resources, and for a longer time than usual, 
 would have been unwise. His determination to follow up a 
 course of Christian civilisation, in his own country, was in no 
 degree weakened by what had occurred. All he desired were 
 the means to do it. 
 
 The Allen Gardiner returned to the Falklands with the 
 Fuegians on board in April, and, besides Okokko and his 
 family, Lucca and Pinoiensee and their wives, and two other 
 lads, Tirshof and Yesefwaenges were left at the mission 
 station, under the care and instruction of Mr Bridges. Four 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 131 
 
 others accompanied Mr Stirling to England, where they 
 arrived in August 1865. Their names are Threeboys, 
 IJroopa, Jack, and Sisoy or Sisoyenges. Of these the first 
 was for some months under the instruction of Mr Despard 
 and Mr Phillips, having gone to Keppel with his father and 
 Mr Allen Gardiner in 1858. Uroopawent there for the first 
 time in 1863; and the other two boys first came under in- 
 struction in 1864. 
 
 On their arrival in England these four boys remained for 
 a short time at Bristol, under careful superintendence ; but 
 during the present year they have been placed under the care 
 of Mr Heather, at Clarborough, near Eetford. They can read 
 the English Testament tolerably, can write fairly in a copy- 
 book, can mend their clothes, can attend to cattle, and can 
 farm and garden in a small way. They are very attentive 
 and orderly in the family with whom they reside. They give 
 indications of considerable moral power. They never pass a 
 day without private prayer; and instances have occurred of 
 their turning to prayer as their only resource when conscious 
 of a fault. They have attended a Bible class, without show- 
 ing any inferiority to the Enghsh boys who belong to the 
 same class : but when clergymen, who are not constantly 
 with them, question them on scriptural subjects the Fuegians 
 do not readily understand the drift of the questions. The 
 reason is obvious, and if the questioner were himself ques- 
 tioned in a language of which he had as imperfect a know- 
 ledge as the Fuegian boys have of English, he would at once 
 appreciate the difficulty in which they are placed. It could 
 easily, however, be shown that they understand more of what 
 is said to them, or in their presence, than they can express in 
 English. Our knowledge of their language being less than 
 their knowledge of ours, it is difficult to say more with 
 accuracy. But we insert the testimony of the Bishop of 
 Cork, with respect to one of them, who was present at a 
 
132 MISSIONARY WORK 
 
 puLlic meeting in Cork, at which the bishop presided. The 
 lad was asked to speak a few words in his own tongue, to 
 sing a portion of a hymn, and to repeat the Lord's Prayer. 
 .It was i,n reference to this that the bishop closed the meeting 
 [ ,\with the following remarks : — " My own conviction and per- 
 \^-^ . suasion is, that the most convincing address which I have 
 heard, and the most persuasive address, and the address I 
 sha^l longest remember, and the address I shall longest appre- 
 ciate, was the address written upon the form and the face of 
 the youth, and expressed in the tone of his voice; there was a 
 softness and a sweetness in it, and a ring in it of the same 
 (pality as our own, and indicating that he is capable of at- 
 taining to our intellectuality, to our morality, our virtue. 
 "He can become, and such as he will become, an heir of God 
 and joint-heir with Christ. I hope we shall take a deep in- 
 terest in that country." 
 
 ;lf we can thus look with satisfaction upon these youths 
 . now in England, there is likewise much to encourage us, if 
 we look to what is going on, quietly and unobtrusively, on 
 Keppel Island. The accounts from thence are, we think, very 
 satisfactory, and the following portion of Mr Bridges' journal 
 cannot fail to be read with great interest : — • 
 
 "Evening prayers and Sunday afternoon instruction (in 
 Fuegian) are regularly conducted and attended. I have 
 gone through, since the ship's departure, the Gospels of St 
 Matthew and St Mark, and have begun St Luke's. They 
 were much interested in the miracles of Jesus, and in His 
 death, resurrection, and ascension; and I have every reason 
 to think that the lessons derived from these truths were not 
 'seed by the, wayside' to these people. Okokko has asked 
 many questions, and has shown great concern to be satisfied of 
 the truth of the facts he hears stated, as though he felt their 
 consequences. He should be particularly remembered at the 
 Throne of Grace. This morning, after prayers, he asked ma 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 133 
 
 many questions, which show he takes a personal interest in 
 what he hears. With an evident desire to do what is right, 
 he asks me how he shouki act under such and such circum- 
 stances. He asked whether I were certain that Jesus rose 
 from the dead, evidently considering this point, if establislied, 
 a seal to the truth of all the rest that he had heard. He 
 asked whether I was certain Jesus would return to the earth 
 to make the good happy, and the wicked miserable. I un- 
 hesitatingly answered, ' Yes. He rose from the dead, on the 
 third day of his death, and as He has said. He will most cer- 
 tainly return to judge the world.' He then asked whether if 
 he repented, and asked Jesus to forgive him, and to be his 
 friend, and save him, I was sure He would hear and grant 
 it. I answered, 'Yes, certainly He will; that since He came 
 into the world to die for us, and has pleased God in our stead 
 by keeping His commandments, if we ask Him, He will most 
 willingly grant us all we ask.' He appeared to receive heartily 
 all I said, as of the greatest importance. He then asked me, 
 if he should ask God to make him good, peaceable, and wise, 
 whether He would surely hear him; and if a person should 
 quarrel with him, how he should act. If his brother should 
 be killed by a man how he should act. I answered these 
 questions as I best could. He then asked me to tell Lucca. 
 Pinoiensee, Threeboys, and Uroopa, to help him to teach hi? 
 people, who, if only he taught them the truths he has learnt, 
 would despise what he said, and despise him, as they did 
 before. . ^ 
 
 " Friday, Jan. 12, 1866.— He frankly acknowledged he *! 
 had a bad temper, being passionate, and he lamented that he : 
 quarrelled so much with the other natives, and he wished to be j 
 reconciled to Tirshof, and asked him to forgive him for some | 
 quarrel he had needlessly with him some time since. This 
 may give you some idea of his state, and doubtless with me , 
 you will say, and rejoice, that this man is not far from the 
 
134 MISSIONARY WORK 
 
 kingdom of heaven. He asked me to write out some prayers 
 for him in his own language, that he might use them. He 
 prays to God generally every evening, and often of mornings. 
 I am much more satisfied with his character than I was, and 
 think him much more capable to hold his ground among his 
 people than he was. 
 
 " Thursday, Jan. 25. — After evening prayers I spoke to 
 the natives, to induce them to live in love with one another. 
 I told them plainly that if we forgive not men their tres- 
 passes neither will our heavenly Father forgive us our tres- 
 passes. I showed them that heaven was a place where all is 
 love, and we must here become fit by the renewing of our 
 hearts by the Holy Spirit, else we could never enter therein. 
 Okokko and Lucca being at variance, I asked Okokko to tell 
 us what he had said or done to raise this quarrel ? He then 
 frankly told us. He said he was made angry in the morning 
 by finding ashes emptied on the path, and he spoke loudly to 
 his wife, (with intention for his next door neighbour to hear,) 
 asking her who had done it. He then accosted Lucca. 
 Lucca explained how it happened, but did not offer to take 
 them up again. They then had angry words together. I 
 told them how sad it was to me, and to all who loved them, 
 to see and hear how ready they are to dispute. I showed 
 them that they never could be happy, good, and prosperous, 
 if they did not learn to forgive and love one another. We 
 ^^ then prayed together." 
 
 I //i/ Let us sum up the results of the work in Tierra del Fuego. 
 
 I First, a wholly new, difficult, and barbarous language has been 
 
 ■; to a great extent acquired and reduced to writing, and inlaid 
 
 ; with words containing Christian truth. It is thus rendered 
 
 n i capable of use as a means of daily instruction at the mission 
 station for the natives who speak it. Secondly, the minds and 
 hearts of several of these natives have been brought under 
 the infiuence of Christian doctrine and practice. Thirdly, 
 
IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 135 
 
 they have acquired habits of industry, and learned the value , 
 of agriculture. Fourthly, there are natives anxious to repro- ' \ 
 duce what they have learned amongst their countrymen in •/ 
 their own land. , In these things surely we may find great_ )„__ 
 encouragement. We look forward hopefully and confidently 
 to a Christian Church being formed in Tierra del Fuego 
 itself. That the Lord will bless the work of His servants we 
 cannot doubt. There will be a monument of grace in those 1 
 far-off islands of the sea, and a glorious memorial of the faith \ 
 and patience, the fortitude and peace, which distinguished 
 the noble Gardiner and his companions who perished there. ' 
 
 While this book is passing through the press, the Allen 
 Gardiner is again advertised to sail for the Falklands. The 
 four Fuegian youths, who have, we think, benefited much 
 during their stay in England, and have gained many friends 
 through their consistent conduct, return in her to the mission 
 station on Keppel Island. 
 
CHAPTER YIII. 
 
 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 WniliE the station on Keppel Island was being formed, with 
 a view to sustained missionary effort among the islands of 
 Tierra del Fuego, voyages were also made to the coast of 
 Patagonia every year. The wandering habits of the Pata- 
 gonian tribes, however, rendered visits to their coast very 
 unsatisfactory. Plans were suggested for forming a station 
 on the Rio Negro, and for acting from that station as 
 a basis ; but, as it was clear that means were not at the time 
 forthcoming for carrying this out, Mr Schmid volunteered to 
 go alone, and travel with some one of the Patagonian tribes, 
 hoping that in this way something might be done '^towards 
 acquiring the Patagonian language, or at least that a begin- 
 ning of friendly communications might be made. 
 
 With this end in view^ Mr Despard and Mr Schmid, in 
 the Allen Gardiner, visited the Chilian settlement of Sandy 
 Point, in March 1859. On their arrival, leave was obtained 
 from the Chilian governor for Mr Schmid to reside there 
 till an opportunity should present itself for carrying out the 
 plan which he had made. He accordingly remained there, 
 receiving much kindness from every one, till the Indians 
 came on a trading visit. Mr Schmid's account of the result 
 of his interview with them is as follows : — 
 
 " The chief and other Indians declaring themselves will- 
 ing and glad to let me go with them, I promised the chief 
 
MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 137 
 
 that if he would protect my person and property, supply me 
 \\ith sufficient food, and otherwise treat me well, I should 
 pay him, on the return of the Allen Gardiner, one barrel of 
 bread, one of flour, half a barrel of sugar, and tobacco ; and 
 that the vessel would bring presents to all the Indians. I 
 wrote out the contract, read it to the Indians, and then de- 
 livered it to the governor, according to his request. 
 
 " It was Saturday, April 23, the sun shone brightly after 
 two days' heavy rain, when I bade farewell to my friends, 
 who had shown me so much kindness during my stay here, 
 and then to the governor, who took much trouble to in- 
 sure my safety and welfare during my wanderings with these 
 Indians. This done, I left the colony, riding between my new 
 companions, and talking to those who knew a little Spanish. 
 Trusting in the omnipresence of Him whom the heavens can- 
 not contain, I went on. Little, however, did I think I should 
 have to travel such a distance that day, and several hours of 
 the night. From the colony, our road was along the beach, 
 at the edge of the wood, and a horrible road it was ; trunks 
 of trees lay in the way, and it was necessary to go over 
 large slippery stones. So we went on till we came towards 
 Laredo Bay, then through swamps and water for many 
 miles. When I was standing before the tent which was now 
 my shelter, many Indians were sitting or standing round the 
 lire, ready to look upon the unexpected stranger that had so 
 suddenly come to them. When they had satisfied their curio- 
 sity they dispersed each to his tent. Weary, I laid myself 
 down, but I rose refreshed, having slept well. 
 
 '' The chief, Ascaik, with whom I live, has a son about 
 twenty-four years old, called Gemoki; it is with him that 
 I go when we move from place to place, but when we 
 are in the encampment I live in Ascaik's tent. He calls 
 me his son, and his children call me their brother. 
 
 "During the first three months our encampments were 
 
138 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 in the neighbourhood of Gregory Eange, because in winter 
 the guanacoes frequent that place, and we should most likely 
 have remained there all the winter, had it not been for the in- 
 telligence that was brought to Ascaik, that many ostriches 
 were seen about the east end of Gregory Range ; so next 
 day we left to travel northward. We wandered several suc- 
 cessive days, until we arrived off the entrance to the straits, 
 where the Indians found a wreck, a fine barque of iron, 
 called the Anne Baker, of Liverpool. It was already late 
 and dark when Gemoki and I came to our new encamp- 
 ment, which was about half a mile from where the wreck was. 
 Most of the Indians had arrived, had gone to the wreck, 
 found wine, and were terribly intoxicated. It was a terrible 
 night ; few of the Indians went to bed. It was said that 
 two men were killed, and others wounded, in drunken brawls. 
 
 Travelling northward again, we met two chiefs, Kaili and 
 Watchi, with some other Indians coming from the neighbour- 
 hood of Rio Negro. Casimiro * arrived a few days after. The 
 Indians prepared themselves to give him a distinguished re- 
 ception. They saddled their best and finest horses, and 
 arrayed themselves in their gayest dresses, and those who had 
 lances set them up ; others armed themselves with muskets 
 or fowling-pieces, which they fired when they met Casimiro. 
 As soon as Casimiro saw me he called me, and invited me to 
 his house, where he entertained me with guanaco meat, which 
 he cooked and prepared with his own hands. He showed 
 me two papers which the captains of two men-of-war had 
 given him, one in English by Captain Rowan, and the other 
 in French by Captain Gros. Both speak well of him, and 
 recommend him to other captains for his dealing honestly 
 in tha sale of guanaco flesh. Owing to his knowledge of 
 Spanish, and his visits to Chili, he is a man of some influ- 
 ence with these Patagonians, but he is not considered a chief, 
 
 * This man had said that he would welcome a teacher for his iJeople. 
 
MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 139 
 
 although he is inchned to give himself out as one. Kaili 
 and Watchi are chiefs, acknowledged as such, hke Ascaik, 
 and related to him. These men told us that many of their 
 children had died on the way, which news made the encamp- 
 ment a scene of lamentations among the women. 
 
 " Next day we were again on the move towards the wreck, 
 where, after six days walking, we arrived. Then scenes of 
 drunkenness were again renewed till we left the place. 
 
 " You will, no doubt, be anxious to know what progress I 
 have made in the acquisition of the Patagonian language. I ^ 
 have progressed so far that I can ask many little things and 
 speak a little, but to converse is not in my power yet. I am 
 obliged to learn by listening to others, for those who speak 
 Spanish know it so imperfectly that they do not understand 
 what I ask. There is one man who is very ready to tell me 
 the Indian for Spanish if he knows it, and understands the 
 latter, but I cannot persuade him to teach me every day. If 
 I wish to know the name of a thing or action, I ask those 
 who do not know Spanish at all by saying, Kete ama win ? 
 what do you call this ? 
 
 " In regard to religion, their minds and understandings are 
 dark. God, the living God, and Maker of all things, is not v 
 known to them. Nor do they worship any other object, or 
 acknowledge a Supreme Being. Their lamentations over the 
 dead are generally very affecting, and their demonstrations 
 of grief so loud that they can be heard at a distance." 
 
 Mr Schmid gives the following anecdote of Ascaik : — 
 
 " On one occasion some seamen belonging to the ChiHan 
 colony were returning home from a wreck. They were with- 
 out food for some time, and their way to the colony was yet 
 a long one. Ascaik, as soon as he heard of their being in the 
 neighbourhood, brought the case before me. He proposed 
 that two or three should go with him, each Avith a spare 
 horse, on which to bring the sailors over. Accordingly, 
 
140 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 Ascaik, Kaili, and two other men went, and in the mean- 
 time some of the women made up the fires, and set about 
 preparing a pot of rice, with which to regale their expected 
 hungry guests. The fact of my having Hved among them for 
 60 many months, and this anecdote of Ascaik, are very en- 
 couraging." 
 
 Mr Schmid arrived at Sandy Point in February 1859. 
 When the year came round, and the schooner had not arrived 
 witli the necessary suppUes for himself, and the promised pre- 
 sents for the Indians, he felt his position to be no longer tenable, 
 especially as the noble-minded chief Ascaik had died suddenly. 
 Mr Schmid did not know how sad and sufficient a cause 
 withheld the vessel from coming as expected, and as he had 
 no means of going to the Falklands to inquire, and to confer 
 with Mr Despard, he gladly accepted the offer of a passage to 
 Valparaiso. Here he received much kindness and hospitality 
 from Mr Dennett, the chaplain, and went thence to England. 
 
 The following year he went out again, joined his fellow- 
 labourer, Mr Hunziker, at Keppel Island, and with him 
 arrived at Sandy Point on the 10th of June 1861. They 
 were kindly welcomed by the governor, and by Mr Schmid's 
 former friends in the colony. On the 27th of July they left 
 Sandy Point, in company with Casimiro and a few other 
 Patagonians, and arrived at the encampment of the main 
 body on the banks of the river Gallegos on the 18th of 
 August. The chiefs were much pleased with the presents 
 brought them, and behaved in a very friendly manner, 
 Gemoki in particular never omitting to give them some 
 ostrich meat when he came in from hunting. Casimiro in- 
 trusted his two sons to the missionaries for instruction, and 
 Galbez, the eldest, behaved very well, but the other appeared 
 to be slow and indolent. On September 14 Mr Schmid writes: 
 ■ — " I am given to understand that the Indians feel great 
 eympathy with Casimiro's younger boy, because they think 
 
MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 141 
 
 that his father sold him to us, and that he is now our slave. 
 Now, let me descrihe the slavery to which these two boys are 
 subjected. They sleep on a better bed, and in a warmer 
 tent than they were used to. They live with us, and share 
 everything we have. We supply them with decent clothes ; 
 they receive instruction in reading, writing, and speaking 
 English ; they fetch two or three kettles of water. These In- 
 dians are an ignorant, and yet withal a mischievous set." 
 
 The missionaries continued to move from place to place 
 with the Indians till the 9th of November, when, stiff and 
 weary from a long day's ride, they again arrived at the 
 Chilian colony. On the 12th, Mr Schmid distributed the 
 rest of the things which, by agreement, were to be given to 
 the natives for their former kind treatment of him ; and he 
 writes on the 13th : — 
 
 " This evening came Gemoki's mother, and brought no less 
 than five bags, expecting that I would fill them with provi- 
 sions. In consideration of past kindness I gave her some 
 biscuit and some rice, but not enough to fill even two bags — 
 far from it. The more one gives this people the more they 
 ask. 
 
 ."Let me now tell you our daily routine. On getting up, 
 we had morning worship ; and, that the Indians might see 
 what we were doing, we opened the tent : this was not neces- 
 sary, because they came often before we were ready, creeping 
 in underneath. Whilst we were at prayer, we were often 
 watched by men, women, and children ; some were silent, 
 others talked or made some noise, some wanted to talk 
 with us, to borrow some tool, or call our attention to some- 
 thing else. We told them repeatedly not to disturb us, but 
 scarcely a day passed without some unpleasantness of this 
 kind whilst we read a portion of God's Word, and offered up 
 prayers. Casimiro's two boys, who were with us, joined us 
 in our worship, and knelt. We neither have, nor can have, 
 
142 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 a fixed hour for meals as long as we live this disagreeably 
 unsteady life. We dressed the boys in shirt, trousers, and a 
 blouse. We taught them to be clean and orderly, and so far 
 they made satisfactory progress. When we were not en- 
 gaged in teaching the boys, I collected words, arranged them, 
 and tried if I could not discover some grammatical construc- 
 tion. I am now in possession of 1050 words.f]\ 
 
 After so much experience of Indian life, the missionaries 
 took passage to the Falkland Islands for Christian inter- 
 course and advice. Having now made some progress in the 
 language, it was thought better to have a fixed place of 
 residence in one of those places which the Patagonians are 
 in the habit of frequenting on their hunting excursions, in 
 the hope that some others might be induced to follow the 
 example of Casimiro, and entrust their sons to the mission- 
 aries for instruction. 
 
 Captain Gardiner and Mr Schmid had, at different times, 
 with the same object, entered Patagonia from the extreme 
 south. Both found reason to doubt the expediency of work- 
 ing from thence. The net was to be cast on the other side. 
 The north seemed to present wider and more reliable oppor- 
 tunities of access to the Indians. But before moving the 
 basis of operations entirely from the Straits of Magelhaen to 
 the Eio Negro, a preliminary attempt was made to form a 
 station at Santa Cruz. 
 
 The river Santa Cruz is in latitude 50° S., and flows from 
 the Andes to the Atlantic, a distance of about 200 miles. 
 The valley of the river, flanked by step-formed terraces, is 
 supposed to have been formerly a strait of the sea, like that 
 of Magelhaen, joining the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The 
 current of the river is strong. In 1834, when the late 
 Admiral, then Captain, Fitz-Roy, explored the river, it took 
 seventeen days of hard towing to ascend 140 miles, while four 
 days sufficed to bring the explorers back to the point of 
 
MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 143 
 
 departure. The country is barren, and, except in the valleys, 
 where streams of fresh water are found, wears an arid and 
 bronzed complexion. Guanacoes and ostriches are frequently 
 seen in large numbers, yet on the whole the Indians consider 
 game scarce in that district, and do not consequently resort 
 much to it. Pasturage, too, for their horses is not abundant. 
 The puma is very common, and a small fox; geese, swans, 
 and ducks of many kinds, swarm on some of the lakes, a 
 few leagues from the coast. 
 
 The climate is undoubtedly healthy. The prevaiUng winds 
 are, more or less, westerly. The rain-fall is slight. On the 
 western coast of Patagonia, on the slopes of the Cordilleras, 
 the rain-fall is very great, and there is in consequence a 
 plentiful vegetation. Throughout the vast territory of Pata- 
 gonia, however, eastward of the Cordilleras, the case is very 
 different. Here, if we except the valleys of a few rivers, 
 the appearance of the country is hopelessly barren. The 
 rain-bearing clouds formed in the Antarctic circle are at 
 tracted by the mountains of Tierra del Fuego, and Western 
 Patagonia, and on them empty out all the moisture with 
 which they are so heavily charged ; hence the wooded aspects 
 of these liigh lands. The intumescence of the atmosphere, 
 consequent upon the discharge of moisture from the air, is 
 constant and great, and causes, probably, those heavy gales 
 which make Cape Horn so formidable. But, dried in their 
 passage over the mountains referred to, the prevailing south- 
 west winds descend upon the plains of Patagonia with no 
 fertilising power, only to revel over their parched surface, 
 and create the blinding dust-storms so common in that land. 
 
 The attempt to form a mission station in the neighbourhood 
 of the Santa Cruz river was experimental. It had alread}' 
 been proved, by the experience of Messrs Schmid and Hun- 
 ziker, that no permanently good effect could be looked for 
 from the necessarily irregular efforts to instruct the Indians, 
 
144 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 made during their wild life in the plains. A place, and a 
 plan, where and by which an orderly course of instruction 
 could be carried on, seemed to be primary conditions of 
 success. Accordingly, in May 1862, the rudiments of a 
 station were formed at Weddell's Bluff. The hope was 
 cherished that Indians might be attracted to the spot, and 
 the nucleus formed of a future settlement. 
 
 On June 1, 1862, Mr Schmid thus reports his arrival in 
 those parts : — " After a stormy passage of ten days from 
 Keppel Island, we anchored in Santa Cruz river-mouth. 
 The point of the southern bank presented no favourable 
 locality for a station, there being neither water nor grass, and 
 it having other disadvantageous characteristics. "We moved, 
 therefore, ten miles up the estuary, and anchored off Wed- 
 dell's Bluff. Here, on examination, we found a fine sheltered 
 valley, with a running stream of good water, good and abun- 
 dant grass, and plenty of fuel To-morrow we shall 
 
 begin to erect our cottage." 
 
 On August 1 1 Mr Schmid speaks of the first visit received 
 from the Indians : — " I have the plea.^ure of informing you 
 that the Indians are in the neighbourhood. They have sup- 
 plied two vessels which happened to be lying in the rivel 
 with guanaco meat. One of the captains came up here yes- 
 terday with an Indian, about 8.30 P.M. They remained over 
 night, and returned this morning to the vessel. The Indian 
 was a stranger to me, having never been south of Santa Cruz 
 before. He asked me my name, and when I told him he 
 remembered it, having heard it from others who came from 
 the south two years ago. There is an encampment of them 
 ou the north shore, and there are some among them who 
 know me, having been down south when I was first amongst 
 
 them I do not think we have anything to fear 
 
 from these Indians. They speak the language, a great part 
 of which I have learned." 
 
MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 145 
 
 The visits of vessels to Santa Cruz are few and far between, 
 but an opportunity of sending a letter occurred some two 
 months after the above was written, and from it we gather 
 that Mr Schmid had determined to travel with his new 
 Indian acquaintances to the southward, in order to induce, if 
 possible, some of his southern friends to visit Santa Cruz, 
 and place their children under the instruction of himself and 
 Mr Hunziker. 
 
 The journey of Mr Schmid was long and wearisome, lasting 
 sixteen days. The effect of the solitude on IVIr Hunziker in 
 his absence was painful. They had, however, been content 
 to submit to loneHness and Avanderings in order to prepare 
 the way for the entrance of the gospel of Christ amongst the 
 heathen. Not till the first week in December did Mr Schmid 
 return to Weddell's Bluff, accompanied by Casimiro, and hav- 
 ing a promise from the tribe whom he had been visiting that 
 in some two months they would reach the mission station. 
 
 On New- Year's Day 1863 the Allen Gardiner, on her 
 voyage from England to the Falklands, entered the Santa 
 Cruz river to visit the missionaries. " That day was to us a 
 day of joy," writes Mr Schmid. Eleven months had elapsed 
 since any letter from their friends, or relations, or from the 
 committee, had reached them.. The isolation of their posi- 
 tion, the delay in the approach of the mission schooner, 
 which had been looked for since October, and the disappoint- 
 ment consequent on the non-arrival of the Indians, had 
 proved very trying to the faith and patience of the brethren 
 at Santa Cruz. 
 
 Our readers can scarcely have failed to observe the peculiar \ 
 difficulties of missionary work in Patagonia. The natives \\/ 
 have no fixed abodes, and move over the vast ranges of the I ■ 
 wilderness according to the requirements of the chase, or of | 
 pasture, or it may be of trade. For in the extreme north of ! 
 Patagonia, on the Rio Negro, and in the extreme south, at 
 
1-JG MISSIONARY WOllK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 Sandy Point, these Indians seek an opportunity for disposing 
 of the spoils of the chase, bartering their splendid ostrich 
 robes and feathers, and guanaco mantles, &c., for spirits, and 
 rice, and sugar, and cutlery, and tobacco. In order to draw 
 them with any certainty to a particular locality, it seems 
 necessary to afford this nomad race an opening for barter. 
 No arrangement of this kind was made in connexion with 
 the experimental mission station on the Santa Cruz ; and the 
 difficulty of making it a centre of attraction for the Indians 
 was in proportion to their inability to comprehend the pros- 
 pective advantages of the instruction offered. On the arrival 
 of the Allen Gardiner with the superintendent missionary on 
 board, this matter necessarily received his attention, and by 
 him was submitted to the committee in England for their 
 serious consideration. It was suggested that, without tres- 
 passing upon the duties assigned to the missionaries, collateral 
 arrangements might be made for a regulated system of barter, 
 whereby, with great advantage to the Indians, and the cer- 
 tainty of drawing them into the neighbourhood of the station, 
 the hands of the missionaries might be strengthened, and the 
 objects for which they had come be greatly furthered. Such 
 a plan was not of course free from theoretical objections, and 
 would have demanded great caution in its execution, but it 
 was, perhaps, worth a trial, being almost essential to success 
 under the circumstances of the projected work on the Santa 
 Cruz. With these preliminary remarks, we give portions of 
 Mr Stirling's journal on the occasion of his visit in January 
 1863 :— 
 
 " The estuary of the Santa Cruz was entered on the even- 
 ing of January 1, 1863, and on the following morning ] 
 landed at Weddell's Bluff, and received a most cordial wel- 
 come from our fellow- workers there located. It removed a 
 weight of anxiety to find them well, for it had not been with- 
 out many anxious thoughts that my mind contemplated the 
 
\/ 
 
 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 147 
 
 possible inconvenience imposed on them by the tardy ap- 
 proach of the A lien Gardiner, yet we had lost no time that it 
 was in our power to save If energetically sup- 
 ported, the mission at Santa Cruz is, in my opinion, likely to 
 lead to important results. The work of your missionaries is i 
 a Hfe-labour ; there is no hurrying it on. The sphere of ^ 
 action is too quiet to gratify those who yearn after stirring I 
 dramatic movement, but it has all the richness and fulness of / 
 the life of faith, and has a heroism of its own. The site of 
 the station is good, within a few yards of high-w^ater mark, 
 and at the mouth of a valley which retreats towards the south- 
 west for a considerable distance inland. A stream of pure 
 water flows perennially through the valley, and a broad belt 
 of grass, offering fine pasture for cattle, gives a cheerful and 
 fertile aspect to the low land. The hills on either side are 
 intersected with ravines, or Jift up their bronzed faces out of 
 some intervening dale, and refresh the air with the aroma of 
 shrubs and plants growing everywhere about them. .... 
 Messrs Schmid and Hunziker occupy what was formerly Mr 
 Gardiner's hut on Keppel Island. It is very small, but two 
 compartments have been added, one for sleeping, the other 
 for cooking purposes. The tent was pitched, and used as a 
 kind of store for such goods as would not excite cupidity in 
 the Indians, or suffer from comparative exposure. The white 
 canvas of the tent, and the English ensign waving its welcome 
 from the flag-staff ; a neatly-thatched goat-house, whose 
 sleek tenants were picturesquely browsing on the hill-side by 
 the water ; and a fine stock of firewood, industriously pro- 
 vided for the coming winter, gave an air of cheerfulness and 
 comfort to the scene of the first Protestant Christian mission 
 in Patagonia. The meeting with these brethren in Christ 
 was a most happy one to us all." 
 
 During the stay of the Allen Gardiner in the river, na 
 Indians made their appearance, much to the disappointn:ient 
 
148 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 of everybody. Nevertheless, it had been a period of refresh- 
 ment to all. On January the 28th the vessel sailed for Keppel 
 Island. " On the Sunday before our departure," writes the 
 superintendent, "we celebrated the Lord's Supper in the 
 cabin of ih.e Allen Gardiner, having many times before joined 
 together in prayer for the Divine guidance and blessing." 
 It was not till the middle of May that the Allen Gardiner was 
 again off Weddell's Bluff, and still the Indians were away 
 hunting. In consequence, the disappointment and depression 
 of spirit on the part of the missionaries there located were 
 very great. On the following morning, however, the long- 
 expected Indians made their appearance, an account of 
 which, and the subsequent interviews with them, are found 
 in the subjoined portions of the journals of the superin- 
 tendent. It will be seen that Mr StirHng deemed it expe- 
 dient to provide refreshment and change for the missionaries, 
 and that they were accompanied to Keppel Island by three 
 members of the southern tribe of Patagonians : — 
 
 "On Tuesday morning the captain announced from the 
 deck the signal fires of the Indians, distant some three 
 miles along the beach. There were two men, two lads, 
 a woman, and an interesting little girl four years old. They 
 promised the arrival in a few days of a numerous body 
 of Indians, some 800 of whom were encamped not many 
 miles off. The new-comers were soon entertained at the 
 little station with coffee and biscuit, and the most friendly 
 sentiments were exchanged. Like all Indians who are 
 brought in contact with Europeans in these parts, one of 
 them asked for brandy, and I scarcely think he believed me 
 when we assured him that we had none ; but some lime juice 
 he greatly relished. His son came on board with him, a 
 nice, well-conducted, good-looking lad. To my surprise, he 
 expressed a wish to visit the Falklands, to see the governor, 
 and so on.; ,this wish he again and again expressed, as also 
 
MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 149 
 
 that his (laughter and son should accompany him. Mr 
 Schmid carefully explained to him that the governor of the 
 Falklands gave no brandy to the Indians, and that our 
 mission station was very far away from where the governor 
 lived; with these explanations he was quite content, but 
 still wished to go in the ship. This posture of affairs sug- 
 gested to my mind a release from the difficulties affecting 
 the conduct of the mission in Patagonia. 
 
 " On Wednesday morning some Indians appeared on the 
 heights overlooking the station, and then in picturesque 
 groups descended to the position which we occupied. On 
 Thursday the number of arrivals rapidly increased, so that 
 some four hundred must have been present by night-fall. 
 The leading chief of the southern Indians is Gemoki, son of 
 Ascaik, the faithful ally of Mr Schmid during his first so- 
 journ amongst the Patagonian Indians. I slept on shore 
 that night, in order to form some estimate of the probable 
 conduct of the Indians now bivouacked around the Crimean 
 hut of our missionary brethren. Once I wTnt out and took 
 a view of the scene in the moonhght. The camp fires, 
 still burning at uncertain intervals, and the baying of the 
 dogs, alive to every strange footfall, contrasted strangely with 
 the gloom of night, and the slumbering forms of many men 
 crouched around the gray embers of the burnt-out wood. A 
 hard frost had set in, and no unfrequent coughing showed that 
 the effects of exposure were not to be disguised even amongst 
 this hardy people. They had in fact come in most instances 
 without their tents, a report of the presence of the Allen Gar- 
 diner at Santa Cruz having reached them somewhat unex- 
 pectedly, and drawn them to our station in iiTegular groups, 
 according to the time and place at which they received the 
 news, and the temper of the individuals interested in the 
 matter. The neighbourhood of Weddell's Bluff was occupied 
 bv the advance guard of the Indians, whose main camp was 
 
150 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 pitched some fifteen miles to the south-west. Mr Schmid 
 ■ acted for me as interpreter, and most efficiently : through 
 him I communicated to the chiefs and influential persons 
 of the tribe the great objects of our coming to them, and in 
 particular our desire to form a school for their children, and 
 to have some of their families resident, or at an^ rate fre- 
 quent visitors, at the station. Our wishes were to be made 
 known throughout the camp, and on Friday morning a 
 reply was to be given. The time arrived and I took my seat 
 outside the house, Mr Schmid being on my right hand, 
 Gemoki on my left. Casimiro was placed immediately before 
 me, and all about him in a semicircle were seated on the 
 ground some fifty meL. Here and there were groups of 
 Indians engaged in conversation, or watching us from a dis- 
 tance. 
 
 *' After presents had been given and received, the question 
 of forming a school for the Indian children was formally 
 opened, and many pros and cons were stated. It was my 
 endeavour to dispel from the minds of this people any sus- 
 picions of sinister dealing on our part, and to persuade them 
 of the simplicity of our object in coming to teach them about 
 the 'true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He had sent ;' not to 
 occupy their territory; not to display the power of foreigners- 
 not even to trade, was our great purpose; but to instruct them 
 about another life, and a better world which lies beyond the 
 grave. "We wished to see the Indians nnmerous and happy, 
 becoming, as Mr Schmid translated my meaning, a great 
 nation. We were Christians, English Christians, not Spanish, 
 not Chilian ; and our single object was their good. In reply, 
 Casimiro, who acted as spokesman, said, ' the neighbourhood 
 was not good for hunting ; that it was the intention of the 
 people to go northward in the winter ; that for himself he 
 should like his own children to be instructed, but that others 
 would not promise. When would the ship be back again ? ' 
 
MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 151 
 
 We answered, in about two months, wind and weather per- 
 mitting. They then said they intended to remain in the 
 district about that time, and expressed frequently and 
 anxiously their desire that the Allen Gardiner would be 
 again at Santa Cruz before their departure- 
 
 " You thus see a summary of our first formal palaver ; 
 other palavers took place, but in the main the results were 
 the same. The Indians would make no promises, especially 
 Casimiro, who in fact was rather jealous, Mr Schmid told 
 me, of instruction being offered to any but his own children. 
 He wished to augment a waning influence at our expense. 
 The issue did not disappoint me. I should have been less 
 satisfied if the Indians had made full and free promises of 
 agreeing to our proposals. They do not understand now the 
 nature of those benefits which we seek to confer upon them : 
 and they have had too much experience of the duplicity of 
 so-called Christians to place themselves unhesitatingly under 
 their control. It is not therefore surprising that they should 
 be cautious in accepting our novel and disinterested propo- 
 sals, the aim and scope of which glimmer doubtfully on the 
 horizon of their mmds. My own view of the matter is, 
 however, far from gloomy. I see a people presenting maify' 
 most interesting features of character, a fine race, barbarous 
 indeed, and superstitious, but practising no cruel rites, and 
 shut out of the pale of the Church of Christ, not from hos- 
 tility to its truths, but by the perverse example of a conquery 
 ing race too little amenable to the precepts of the gospel. The 
 language of the people is now familiar to our missionaries, 
 who have gained their confidence by the blameless character 
 of their lives while wandering with them for months together, 
 away from all European presence, over the hunting grounds 
 of the south. I see, too, the children of this people capable 
 of instruction, giving every indication of intelligence, and 
 offering a most inviting field for sowing the seed of the 
 
152 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 Word of God. No heart that ever loved a child could fail to 
 acknowledge the appeal vi^hich the little bright-faced Pata- 
 gouian children make for a share in one's interest and natural 
 affection ; and to^ us,, as Christians, what does not this appeal 
 mean? .... Our friends, Mr Schmid and Mr Hunai- 
 ker, were quite at home with this people. Evidently in 
 possession of their good will, and recognised as honorary 
 members of the southern tribe, * Ophilo,' (Mr Schmid) and 
 ' Fred-rik,' (Mr Hunziker) were introduced to a northern 
 chief as attached to the Tsonica of the south. We reached 
 Keppel Island on May 29. The three natives were rather 
 sick, but behaved very well." 
 
 Two persons were left in charge of the mission property at 
 Santa Cruz in the absence of the missionaries ; and the hope 
 was entertained that, the Indians having now been attracted to 
 the spot, and put in possession of their wishes and intentions, 
 the work might be resumed, and expanded in accordance 
 with the experience gained. 
 
 Respecting the sojourn of the three Patagonians on Keppel 
 Island^ Mr Schmid thus writes : — " My last letter informed 
 you of our arrival at Keppel Island, whither we had gone 
 from Santa Cruz for a little refreshment, by intercourse with 
 our friends residing there. Platero, who is an old friend of 
 mine, had asked to come with his daughter Mariquita and 
 his son Belokon. The Fuegians, already there, were not a 
 little surprised to see Patagonians come to Keppel. No in- 
 tercourse took place between them, for they could not under- 
 stand each other except by signs, and our Patagonians rather 
 looked down upon their Fuegian neighbours. Platero, the 
 father, was anxious that his son should learn to read and 
 write, and be instructed generally ; and when the lad was 
 receiving his lessons would often stand beside him and en- 
 courage him kindly to apply himself to the task before him. 
 I explained to them the origin of our Sabbath ; why we set 
 
MISSIONARY WOllK IN PATAGONIA. 153 
 
 apart one clay in seven for the especial worship of God, and 
 do no work on that day. They attended divine service regu- 
 larly every Sunday during their stay at Keppel." 
 
 With regard to the Patagonian language, Mr Schmid 
 writes: — "I have prepared a vocabulary, arranging the 
 words in alphabetical order, and an outline of grammar ; a 
 considerable enlargement of that which was printed in 1860. 
 It is all written in the usual alphabet ; for, as the inventors 
 of the phonetic system are always changing their alphabet, 
 I thought it best to do without it, and I should therefore 
 not like to return to phonetic. The words which I have 
 collected have been subjected to several tests, and they have 
 come out true and genuine ; but as for abstract words, I 
 am getting more and more convinced that there is nothing 
 which could enable us to set before the Indians the truths of 
 our holy religion." 
 
 On the 1st of July the Allen Gardiner, with the superinten- 
 dent on board, left Keppel Island for the Rio Negro, in the 
 north of Patagonia. Ten days after, Mariquita was taken ill, 
 and died suddenly. This caused deep regret to every one at 
 the station. " When the old father," says Mr Schmid, " saw 
 that his daughter had actually ceased to exist, he gave vent 
 to his grief in wailing, and singing doleful strains, as their 
 manner is. Belokon also cried bitterly for his sister, for they 
 were greatly attached to each other. The bereaved father 
 laid the blame on some Indian whose name he mentioned to 
 me, saying that he had killed her by witchcraft. This idea 
 is deeply rooted in their minds. Many Indians regard each 
 other with suspicion, and are very much afraid of being 
 killed by witchcraft. It is not mere talking that will con- 
 vince them of the error and folly of their belief. Mariquita 
 died on Saturday evening, and was buried on Monday at 
 noon. That morning and the day following Platero went up 
 and do\vn araonij the hills siniiincr a dir^re. I went and 
 
 \ 
 
 ^^ 
 
154 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 fetched him, and tried to soothe his grief by assuring him of 
 our deepest sympathies with him in his affliction. In the 
 evening we had a prayer-meeting, at which we supphcated 
 our heavenly Father that He would in His own wise provi- 
 dence overrule this sad event to the furtherance of the cause, 
 
 and to the glory of His name Platero was present 
 
 listening, or rather watching our proceedings. He assured 
 us of his friendship. Mariquita was not ill, he said, but be- 
 witched by the Indians, and killed by them. They had 
 killed his wife, and would kill him too." 
 
 But it is time to direct the reader's attention to another 
 point of interest in connexion with the work of the mission. 
 This is Patagones, or El Carmen, on the Kio Negro, in the 
 north of Patagonia. In December 1862, on her voyage out 
 from England to the Falklands, the Allen Gardiner visited this 
 river, and two young men were located there with the view 
 of acquiring first the Spanish, and next the Indian language. 
 In Tierra del Fuego, and in the south of Patagonia, the 
 Protestant missionary has Httle to fear from Koman Cathohc 
 influence. But in the north he comes into contact not only 
 with an Indian, but a Spanish-speaking and Eoman Cathohc 
 population. Accordingly, some of the early difficulties at 
 Patagones arose from the opposition of the padre, and the 
 suspicions of the Indians aroused by this man's jealousy, and 
 active interference. 
 
 Some few years short of a century ago, certain colonists 
 from old Spain formed a settlement on the Rio Negro ; but it 
 is now included in the Argentine Confederation, and, if we 
 except the projected Welsh colony on the River Chupat, 
 some 200 miles farther south, is its last outlying post of 
 civilisation in that direction. The settlement is intersected 
 by the river Negro. The name Patagones includes both 
 divisions of the settlement ; that on the north side is 
 called El Carmen ; that on the south. El Merced, The in- 
 
MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 155 
 
 habitants are much knit together by family ties ; but here, 
 as in other parts of the Confederacy, an immigrant class is 
 being introduced, and the genius of the place begins to be 
 disturbed. 
 
 During five months of the year Indians from all parts 
 come in to trade. Here they bring for sale their manufac- 
 tured woollen goods, ponchos, and cloths, and robes of vari- 
 ous kinds, patterns, and colours. Here, too, they supply 
 themselves with spirits, and yerba, and sugar, and other 
 things. They, as a matter of course, are relentlessly cheated 
 and spoiled. A resident in a neighbouring town to the 
 north-east, who had been seriously injured by a foray of the 
 Indians, in which they had swept off some 10,000 sheep, 
 opened a store in the town in order to compensate himself 
 by " trading " with them. The feeling towards the Indians, 
 on the part of the Spanish-speaking population, is generally 
 one of mingled hatred, fear, and contempt. That mission- 
 aries should come from England to instruct them seemed at 
 first hardly conceivable, and many sagacious explanations 
 were ventured on which could scarcely be brought into accord 
 with the integrity of the missionaries' profession. 
 
 A few leacrues from Patao-ones is an Indian tolderia, or 
 village of tents. The inhabitants are rather more than 200. 
 The men are in the pay of the government, being what are 
 termed " mansos," or tame, and watch the frontier along 
 with the regular troops against the independent tribes. 
 Several of these " Indios mansos " have been baptized, but 
 no instruction in the Christian faith has been seriously 
 given, and they mingle a few popish ceremonies with their 
 own superstitious rites at their religious festivals. 
 
 All these Indians are famous for their horsemanship, and 
 present a strong contrast to the canoe Indians of Tierra del 
 Fuego ; but there are affinities of race, and persons ac- 
 quainted with the former have, when introduced to the 
 
156 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 Fuegian lads who visited England in 1865, supposed that 
 they belonged to them. In stature the fisher Indians of the 
 south are dwarfish; in Chili the Indian race is below our 
 average stature. In the north of Patagonia the aborigines 
 are not tall ; yet in the south of that country, next neigh- 
 bour to the Fuegian, inserted and wedged in between men 
 physically smaller than himself, is the so-called Patagonian 
 giant. The representative of a mere fragment of people, he 
 there stands out with a grand average height of five feet ten 
 — a physical anomaly — a fault in the physiological strata of 
 South American races. 
 
 In ascending from the southern Archipelago through the 
 plains of Patagonia to the Pampas beyond, there are rehgious 
 as well as physical contrasts to be observed. The Fuegian 
 has no name for God, and no worship ; all is blank in this 
 respect. The Patagonian proper betrays ini his funereal rites 
 a belief in a future state, and presents in his traditions, 
 although too languidly for practical expression, traces of the 
 old sun-worship. Higher up, the Indian of the Pampas holds 
 strongly his faith in the good and evil spirit, and seeks to 
 propitiate both by gifts and sacrifices. In his journeyings 
 over the lonely plains, as often as he sights the Ombu tree 
 he greets it with shoutings, and, ere he passes, leaves upon 
 the altar of the Unseen — for so he regards it — some tribute 
 of respect. Is he well to do ? he sacrifices a horse, or pours 
 spirits as a libation about the roots. Is he poor ? a cigar, 
 it may be, or a thread drawn from his poncho, indicates his 
 reverential awe. Once a year, however, a great rehgious 
 festival takes place — a festival which is probably the only 
 bond that now preserves these thinned and scattered tribes 
 from losing even the semblance of national life. It occurs 
 about midsummer, and is preceded by preliminary cere- 
 monials of three days' duration. A solemn parliament is 
 held, and questions affecting the Indian commonwealth are 
 
MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 157 
 
 discussed — questions of peace and war, of supply and demand, 
 of health and sickness, of the favour and disfavour of the y 
 Supreme Being, of sacrifice to Him, and sacrifice to the devil, 
 (Wallechu.) These things being settled, dancing follows — 
 dancing for three days ; no intoxicating drinks are allowed at 
 this period. The excitement which follows arises from re- 
 hgious fervour. The lances of the Indians are planted in the 
 ground, forming a long file of glittering steel, midway in 
 which are two lances, distinguished the one by its white, the 
 other by its black flag floating in the air. If you see three 
 flags, the third being red, the Parliament has decided on war, 
 and the Deity is invoked to give a blessing on the projected 
 enterprise. Two young girls stand constantly in front of the 
 banner-bearing lances, having in their hands vessels contain- 
 ing spirits, which ever and anon they sprinkle reverently to- 
 wards the symbohc standards. Headed by two women play- 
 ing tambourines, the whole company of Indian females dance 
 round the file of lances ; the men, again, in an outer column, 
 move likewise in the dance, but in a direction the reverse 
 of the women. Thus, if the females pass from right to 
 left, the men move from left to right, so that in two or- 
 bits, and separately directed, the dance revolves about the 
 lance-Hne as an axis. The voice of the entire multitude is 
 meanwhile lifted up in prayer and singing, and the air 
 rings strangely "with outbursts of reUgious fervour, and ' 
 a rude chorus of superstitious sentiment. These things 
 having lasted three days, the sacrifice is appointed for 
 the next dawn, when a prayer is ofi'ered by the priest for 
 special blessings. 
 
 They offer in sacrifice two young animals, always males, 
 either two colts or foals, two calves, or two lambs. The liv- 
 ing animal is cut open, and the heart is taken out and held 
 up to the sun by the appointed priest, words being uttered 
 significant of the hearts of the people being God's, and offered 
 
168 MISSIONARY WOllK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 to Him accordingly. The sacrifice takes place always at 
 daybreak. 
 
 During the three days when dancing prevails, and the 
 women stop to rest, the men mount their horses, and ride 
 round in a large circle, beating all kinds of noisy instruments, 
 to frighten away the evil spirit. This mounted corps is pre- 
 ceded by two horses, one white, the other black, (the black 
 horse having a ring of white paint round his eyes, and the 
 white having a ring of black,) and both being covered wdth 
 such things as when shaken produce a jargon of sounds. In 
 this rude fashion do these Indian tribes express their depend- 
 ence on the Most High, and worship the Invisible as He is 
 represented by the sun and moon. The white and black 
 flags, and the white and black horses, have doubtless a sym- 
 bolic meaning ; and the dance, too, represents probably the 
 apparent motions of the heavenly bodies, and the great circles 
 in which they move. 
 
 The Indians south of the Rio Negro are called Tchuelche, 
 and their language it is of which Mr Schmid has made a 
 dictionary and grammar, and to print which in the Spanish 
 form the government of Buenos Ayres expressed a desire 
 This government, we may here state, is not only tolerant, but 
 liberal in opinion ; and in 1863, when appealed to in con- 
 nexion with the mission work on the Rio Negro, promised, 
 through the Minister of the Interior, " all the moral support 
 in its power " to the then superintendent of the mission. 
 
 The Pampas Indians to the north of Patagonia are prin- 
 cipally under two chiefs — one Cafalcura, the other Rowke. 
 The former has 600 spears at his immediate command, and 
 can on great occasions rally 2000 to his standard. The In- 
 dians on the banks of the Negro chiefly occupy districts near 
 the Cordilleras. They are called " Chilenos " by the people 
 of Patagones, and speak the Chilidugu language, and are 
 Baid to be more numerous than the other tribes east of the 
 
MISr.IONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 159 
 
 Andes. Las Marsanas — so called from the apple-trees there 
 abounding near the sources of the Rio Negro — appear to be 
 their head-quartei'S. The government is pursuing a con- 
 ciliatory policy with respect to these various tribes, seekin;^ 
 by treaties and bounties to keep them from disturbing the 
 country. The purpose of the government is to encourage 
 immigration to the utmost, and tranquillity is essential to 
 secure this. It is natural, therefore, that the pacificatory 
 work of a Christian mission should be regarded with favour 
 by the rulers of the country. As the civiHsed population in- 
 creases, the aboriginal will be pressed more and more back 
 towards the Cordilleras, and towards the south ; and the 
 government will probably offer inducements to the Indians, 
 as their territory contracts about them, to adopt fixed sta- 
 tions, and pastoral pursuits. It w^as then for the benefit of 
 these interesting races that a basis of missionary work was 
 formed at Patagones. The first efforts of the missionaries 
 were to master the Spanish language ; and this done, to 
 attempt to get hold of the Indian dialects. Again, we must 
 impress upon our readers the necessity of patience. 
 
 We spoke in an early part of this chapter of the opposi- 
 tion of the padre. The poor man is no longer li\T[ng. In 
 his last illness, he was attended by the Rev. George Humble, 
 M.D., a medical missionary, who, in October 1864, undertook 
 the work at Patagones. But we are glad to record that for l\ 
 many months before the padre's decease there was a softening 
 down of his hostility to the Protestant missionaries. In the 
 first instance, he denounced the circulation of the Scriptures in */ 
 Spanish, and visited houses even some leagues from the town, 
 forbidding the people to read the Bible, or to receive the dis- 
 tributors of it. Either because this course did not answer, 
 or because his own mind underwent a change, he ceased his 
 opposition, and granted permission to his flock to read the 
 ono» forbidden book. His early attempts to set the Indiana 
 
160 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 against the missionaries did not, in the long run, succeed, 
 although, for a while, they retarded the work ; for the local 
 authorities were required, in consequence, by the central 
 government, to re-assure the Indians of the friendly purposes 
 of the missionaries. 
 
 Encouraged by these circumstances, a plan was formed for 
 a mission-house, and school, and dormitory, and an appeal 
 for funds was made to friends in Buenos Ayres. Upwards 
 of £100 were at once provided for this special purpose in 
 that quarter ; and with a grant from home the work was 
 proceeded with. In those out-of-the-world parts everything 
 moves slowly. The ox-cart, with its huge wheels, is there 
 the most progressive thing. If, however, adobes and roof- 
 beams, and window-frames, take long in coming into shape, 
 and the school is but a thing of the future, the Indians could 
 nevertheless be visited in their own dweUings, and if not in- 
 structed much at least be impressed with the objects of their 
 would-be teachers. And so we find one of the missionaries 
 writing : — " Mr Andres and I visited th« tolderia, and read 
 and explained passages of God's Word to the Indians. The 
 parable of the Prodigal Son seemed to arrest much attention, 
 and the Beatitudes were likewise listened to eagerly. When, 
 borrowing our illustrations from things about us, we spoke of 
 the sword of God being love, and the house of God being 
 love, and the lance of God being love, and that Christ came 
 not to destroy men's lives, but to save them, the ghmmer of a 
 new light seemed to pass over the minds of the listening 
 group, and an expression of satisfaction found its way from 
 more than one mouth." The presence of the missionaries 
 excitf^.d curiosity and surprise everywhere, but there were not 
 wanting signs that among some a thoughtful and earnest 
 spirit lent its sanction and sympathy to their work. " I 
 have had," writes Mr Stirhng, " deeply interesting and pro- 
 longed conversations with an Indian who belongs to Osorno 
 
MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. ICl 
 
 in Ai-aucania, but who is connected with, and much in the 
 confidence of, the Indians of the Andes. He is a man of 
 small stature, but keen and intelligent, a man of prudent 
 counsels, and in favour of peace, if it can be honourably 
 secured. The threatening of war arose out of a massacre 
 of certain Indians in 1862 by the people of El Carmen. This 
 man is most earnest in his entreaties for the location of a 
 missionary among his ovm. people. He would ' receive us 
 with open arms.' ' Many sleepless nights,' he said, ' he spent 
 thinking of the woes of his country.' As we talked together 
 far into the night on the subject of our work and its special 
 features, he expressed a desire that the conversation might 
 continue all night, for we ' might not meet again,' and he 
 longed to see his wishes fulfilled. Having slept on board the 
 Allen Gardiner, Qying at anchor in the Rio Negro,) he was 
 up before myself, ready to depart ; but asking permission to 
 come into my berth, he most touchingly bade me good-bye, 
 kissing my hand, and saying he regarded me henceforth as a 
 brother." 
 
 Thus were the missionaries engaged in opening the way 
 for the furtherance of the gospel in this portion of South 
 America. But we must, while the. preparations for a mis- 
 sion-house and school, &c., are still slowly progressing, with- 
 draw the reader for a moment from the Rio Negro to the 
 Santa Cruz River, in order that with renewed and concen- 
 trated attention he may return to the work at Patagones. 
 
 We have spoken of the station on the Santa Cruz as 
 experimental. The time was at hand when the experiment 
 could no longer be supported, and the missionaries retired 
 from the scene. Messrs Schmid and Hurlziker, as we have 
 seen, had suffered from their stay in Patagonia, and sought 
 rest and refreshment of body and mind at the Society's station 
 on Keppel Island in the Falklands. They were now, how- 
 ever, ready to return to the scene of their labours, accom- 
 
162 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 
 
 panied by the natives, who belonged to that part. The 
 A lien Gardiner arrived at the Santa Cruz in due course, with 
 the mission party on board. Great, however, was their 
 sorrow on reaching the station to find that a vessel from 
 Stanley, in the Falklands, had been in the river for some 
 time, the captain of which, under a plea of trade, had de- 
 bauched with rum and other spirits the Indians gathered 
 in the neighbourhood by the influence of the missionaries ; 
 and that, having set them in a state of restlessness and excite- 
 ment, he had persuaded them to meet him in a few weeks at 
 another spot for a similar process of trade. The ship, in con- 
 sequence, was well freighted with ostrich robes and feathers, 
 guanaco mantles, &c. The Indians were in no state of mind 
 to profit by the counsels of their true friends, and their true 
 friends were again filled with discouragement. Simultane- 
 ously letters from the committee reached the superintendent 
 discountenancing his proposition and plan for giving an out- 
 let, by a fair and regulated process of exchange, for the goods 
 the Indians desired to part with; and as without some ar- 
 rangement of this kind they could not be expected to visit 
 the district regularly — in fact could not afford to do so — it 
 became almost a necessity to abandon Santa Cruz as a basis 
 of operation. This accordingly was done, and the Allen Gar- 
 diner having again reached the Eio Negro, bearing the 
 missionary staff and property from Santa Cruz, the deter- 
 naination of the superintendent was to concentrate and direct 
 fch'i efforts of the Mission at and from Patagones. 
 
 Mr Schmid now visited England and Germany ; was or- 
 dained deacon by the Bishop of London ; married, and then 
 returned in company with the Rev. G. Humble, M.D., to re- 
 new the work. A position was assigned to him at Bahia 
 Blanca, where an opening for usefulness presented itself; 
 but, we regret to say, his health, never robust, having given 
 way with dangerous symptoms, has compelled him recently 
 
MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA. 163 
 
 to retire from that place. Mr Hunziker, having married, 
 was stationed with Dr Humble at Patagones, and under their 
 joint care the work has proceeded. The following extracts 
 from the letters of Dr Humble indicate the progress of 
 events. It will be seen that, bringing his medical abihties to 
 bear, he has opened a dispensary in addition to the church, 
 school, &c. 
 
 Under date oi June 12, 1865, Dr Humble thus writes : — 
 " The schools and church ought to have been opened by this 
 time, but are not, owing to the slow progress of the work, 
 and the difficulty of getting labourers. There is, however, 
 but Httle more to be done to the building, and two or three 
 weeks ought to see their completion. The mission-house, 
 when finished, will be a solid, substantial, and by no means 
 unsightly building; it will give this mission a permanent 
 basis, and be a centre of operations from which branch mis- 
 sions may afterwards spring. 
 
 " My position as a medical man gives me opportunities of # 
 getting at the Indians which I should not otherwise possess. 
 I trust I may have grace and wisdom given me so as to turn 
 their minds from the earthly physician to the good Physician 
 himself, who is able and willing to cure their souls with the 
 healing balm of His own^recious blood. I hope, too, that 
 the friendly offices I a^-able to render to the Indians will 
 give them confidence in our good intentions, and induce 
 them to intrust some of their children to our care as soon as 
 the schools are opened." The opening of the mission church 
 is announced under date of August 17, 1865, and matters of y 
 faith are being thus gradually translated, as Mr Gardiner 
 would say, into matters of fact. " The mission church on 1/^ 
 the south side of the river was opened last Sunday, August 
 13. Although the morning was wet and windy, the church 
 was tuil ; had it been fine, I believe it would have been over- 
 crowded. I read prayers and preached, Mr Hunziker read 
 
4" 
 
 1G4 MISSIONARY WORK IN PATAGONIA* 
 
 ing the lessons. We chanted the Yenite, Jubilate, Gloria 
 Patri, and the responses between the Commandments, and 
 sang hymns appropriate to the occasion. Could the friends 
 of our society at home have seen the church and congrega- 
 tion, it would have cheered their hearts, and they would have 
 
 felt that a real work was going on in Patagones 1 
 
 purpose opening the boy's school in a week or two, and am 
 only waiting the completion of the building. I am not quite 
 decided about a girl's school. I fear it will be impossible to 
 get a Protestant teacher in this, place. For some months 
 past the measles have been raging here, both among adults 
 and children. Being the only doctor in the place, you may 
 fancy how important have been the demands made upon me. 
 I have often hardly time to take my meals." More recently, 
 Dr Humble thus gives a view of his congregation : — " A 
 few Sundays ago we had the church almost full of Indians in 
 their quaint costumes and painted faces — Tchuelche-Indians 
 come for trade. I begin to find the Indian work very inter- 
 esting ; and as very many speak Spanish, I am able to con- 
 verse with them, though not, of course, with proficiency." 
 
 In this way the work is being carried on, and we trust that 
 our readers wiU not fail to suppHcate the Divine blessing upon 
 it. The work they have seen in its weaknesses and in its 
 trials. But encouragements by the way have not been 
 wanting. The labours of Captain Gardiner wiU not be in 
 vain — nay, more, have not been in vain. Heaven, it has 
 been said, is for those who fail on earth. Such failures as 
 those of Gardiner and his companions do indeed point 
 heavenwards. They are prophetic, too — the preludes of great 
 triumphs ; for the cross and the crown are in the counsels of 
 Heaven intimately related. '' Be thou faithful unto death, 
 and I will give thee a crown of life." 
 
>ValT>ai;us(> W^ 
 
 
 S.Carlos 
 
 w ^ 
 
 Flat: fa or IntrJtisf. in r/>nnercurn with the 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE ESTABLISHMENT OP MISSIONARY CHAPLAINCIES IN 
 SOUTH AMERICA. 
 
 It was in the year 1860, after the mission to Tierra del 
 Fuego had been put into working order, while Mr Despard 
 was residing at Keppel with several Fuegians under instruc- 
 tion, and the missionary schooner at his disposal, for further 
 visits to the coasts of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, that 
 an attempt was made to establish a mission among the 
 Indians of Chili, and ]\Ir Allen W. Gardiner was appointed 
 by the committee as their first missionary to that country. 
 He had now been more than a year and a half in England, 
 had been admitted to holy orders by the Bishop of Glouces- 
 ter and Bristol, had married, and had devoted several months 
 to the study of medicine. 
 
 He arrived at Valparaiso with his wife and child in July 
 1860, and intended, if possible, to settle at once in the Arau- 
 canian territory ; but being assured by those who knew the 
 country that such a step was quite impracticable, he was 
 induced to take up a position at Lota as chaplain to a Uttle 
 colony of our own countrymen, who were, for the most part, 
 engaged in working a coal mine. His object in availing 
 himself of this opening for ministerial work was not only the 
 6ore need which existed for its exercise, but the hope that 
 
1G6 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MISSIONAP.Y 
 
 ultimately it might lead to tlie formation of a missionary out- 
 post or station among the neighbouring Araucanian tribes, 
 when he should have won the confidence of Chilians and In- 
 dians, and dispelled the jealousy with which the latter regard 
 all foreigners, and which the former might be expected to feel 
 towards Protestant missionaries, seeing that the constitution 
 of Chili tolerated no religion but the Roman Catholic Apos- 
 tolic, and even at Valparaiso the Protestants held their wor- 
 ship under sufferance. 
 
 The following is Mr Gardiner's description of Lota : — 
 " October 1860. — We are on a hill, prettily wooded down 
 to the sea-shore. From our front windows we see the dark 
 blue waters of the PacifiCj and enjoy the magnificent sunsets. 
 The back of the house looks down upon a snug little valley, 
 with plenty of wood and water. Beyond is the hill of Villa 
 Grande, where Caupolican and his braves lie. He was, I be- 
 lieve, a native of Lota. The ruins of the old Spanish fort 
 are seen on the hill. The Indian road passes our house, but 
 the visits of the Indians are seldom made. It is a ride of 
 thirty miles to their grounds. This spot has been purchased 
 by a wealthy Chilian, who has built the largest mole which 
 exists in Chili. Ships of a thousand tons burden can load 
 alongside, and consequently ^his small, wild, picturesque place 
 is favoured with communications from England once a fort- 
 night, and from Valparaiso once a week." 
 
 The Gardiners had not time to settle themselves in their 
 new home before an alarm was given of an expected attack 
 from the distant Indians on the Indians of the neighbour- 
 hood. Arauco and Lota were thought to be in so much 
 danger that the authorities at Concepcion sent a ship to Val- 
 paraiso to report the critical state of affairs, and from thence 
 the telegraph conveyed a message to the Chilian government 
 at Santiago. In a very few days two steamers arrived at 
 Arauco Bay Avith troops, where they found the settlers and 
 
CHAPLAINCIES IN SOUTH AMEKICA. 167 
 
 friendly Indians making the best of their position in expecta- 
 tion of an attack, and so that danger was happily averted. 
 
 Two months after his arrival at Lota Mr Gardiner was 
 able to report, — " The Sunday services held in our sitting- 
 room are well attended, and about thirty children attend the 
 Sunday-school." A beginning was thus made of church 
 ministrations. 
 
 A school -room was built early in the following year 
 through the kind assistance of English friends in Valparaiso. 
 
 The day-school was opened on the first week in March 18G1 
 with eight pupils, and the numbers gradually increased till 
 every child of a suitable age attended. After this, a visit 
 from Mr Balfour, (of the firm of Balfour & Wilhamson, of 
 Liverpool,) who was then resident at Valparaiso, was very 
 encouraging and refreshing to Mr Gardiner. He has else- 
 where said, — " Without Mr Balfour's assistance the school 
 could not have been built." 
 
 The school and the church services under his sole charge 
 now occupied so much of his time that he wrote urgently to 
 the committee for help, in order that the study of the lan- 
 guages might not be retarded by the pressure of daily work. 
 This pressure was increased by the estabhshment of a dis- 
 pensary. Mr Coombe arrived in October, and thus in few- 
 words described his first impressions : — " I found ]Mr Gardi- 
 ner holding a sphere of usefulness far beyond anything I had 
 expected." Intelligence of the work at Lota had also reached 
 Santiago, where there are a considerable number of English, 
 one of whom visited Mr Gardiner, and tried to persuade him 
 to remove to Santiago, where he would find a welcome, a 
 sphere of ministerial work, and a competence. 
 
 The following year, 1862, a further advance was made. 
 Mr Coombe took charge of the boys' school. The services 
 were well attended. A preliminary visit was made to the 
 Indians. An infant school was established by Mrs Gardiner, 
 
168 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MISSIONARY 
 
 witli the aid of a pupil teacher, and a Christian work was 
 commenced at Puchoco, another mining village in Arauco 
 Bay, about five miles distant. 
 
 Mr Coombe thus wrote in 1863: — "Our scholars con- 
 tinue regular in their attendance, always giving marked 
 attention, and are making great progress. Two evenings of 
 the week were employed in teaching the young men who are 
 engaged in the mines by day, a third is devoted to a Bible- 
 class, and a fourth to a prayer-meeting, which, is always well 
 attended, and much enjoyed by the people. It is pleasant 
 to know that they all date their various changes of mind to 
 the effects 'of Mr Gardiner's ministry among them. He has 
 long Wished an agency to be started for carrying the gospel 
 to the sailoTs who visit this port ; but the multiplicity 
 of engagements %hich. we have hitherto had in the erection 
 of the station has prevented our doing anything in that 
 branch of missiotiary 'v^l'ork. Often there are as many as 
 twelve and more ships in the port, and many of them com- 
 manded by English-speaking German captains, with a good 
 percentage of English and German sailors among the crews. 
 We have frequently had three captains Of vessels at the Sun- 
 day service during the past "winter." 
 
 In the year 1864 an infant school was established at 
 Puchoco; Mr Keller arrived as a second catechist, to help 
 forward the Indian Work ; and Mr Gardiner, a second time, 
 declined to remove from Lota to Santiago. The terrible 
 catastrophe which had occurred in one of the churches on 
 the 8th of the pTevious l)ecember, causing the death of two 
 thousand persons, through the adcidental kindling of all the 
 festival decorations for the Feast of the Conception, called 
 attention to the melancholy ignorance of the gospel, which 
 existed among the Spanish-speaking population. A pres- 
 sure was put upon the committee of the South American 
 Missionary Society to send a clergyman at once to Santiago, 
 
CHAPLAINCIES IN SOUTH AMERICA. 109 
 
 and a suggestion was made that Mr Gardiner would be accept- 
 able there. He, however, felt that he could not entertain this 
 suggestion, because it would remove him from that Indian 
 work on which his heart was set, and for which he had already, 
 as he thought, secured a basis : accordingly he declined the 
 offer, and remained at his post. In the same year the 
 Roman Catholic bishop of Concepcion commenced proceed- 
 ings to stop the Lota work, especially the dissemination of 
 Protestant books and Bibles, contending that it was a viola- 
 tion of the national laws. It is not necessary to enter here 
 into the controversy, which was settled in 1865 by the erasure "~^ 
 of that clause in the constitution which tolerated no religion 
 but the Roman Catholic. 
 
 ;Mr Gardiner thus writes on the subject : — " As it is often , 
 darkest just before sunrise, owing to the collection of mists and 
 vapours in the lower air, so my half-year of greatest difficulty 
 and opposition "^as from January to June of this year, (1865.) ' 
 
 ^^ July 11. — Early in the morning a courier galloped into . y 
 the courtyard of Sr. Saavedra's house, in which I was, with an 
 express from Santiago, and it proved to be the news of religious 
 toleration in ChiU. As I returned home with the news, and saw 
 the sun shining on the Pacific Ocean, I felt that the darkness 
 had now passed, and that the true light might now shine 
 in Chili. I remembered that on July the 11th, eleven years 
 ago, I had stood by the banks of an Enghsh river to see an 
 Enghsh schooner launched to carry the gospel-flag to South 
 America, and such a victory, coming with the dawn of the 
 same morning, seemed to speak of a hght in the dark valley, 
 a hope on the stormy sea, and a future race yet to be run 
 and won by the South American Society. We are now the 
 ministers of a district, and no longer only the masters of a 
 village school." 
 
 Later in the same year he writes : — " The change in the 
 Constitution of Chili, which enables us to read and write and ^ 
 
170 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MISSIONARY 
 
 speak freely on Protestant subjects, had hardly time to be 
 perceptibly felt before the cause of civilisation, and with it 
 the cause of evangelisation, has been temporarily embarrassed 
 by the blockade of the Spaniards/* 
 
 This embarrassment has now happily passed away ; and 
 the year, which began with a season of great sickness, and a 
 controversial attack of unusual severity, called attention to 
 the importance and efficiency of the Mission dispensary, and 
 the great blessing which had attended the services and preach- 
 ing in the Mission church, and the working of the Mission 
 schools. But, while the church, school, and dispensary work 
 at Lota made such gratifying progress, it was found that Lota 
 was too distant from the Indian territory to form a suitable 
 basis for a mission to the Araucanians. Mr Gardiner had 
 again and again undertaken missionary journeys, and he had 
 exchanged friendly visits with a powerful chief beyond the 
 river Lebu, and this led to the formation of a station at Lebu 
 for the more distant missionary work. But the enterprise 
 required a scale of expenditure too great for the Society at 
 that time to undertake. For the present, therefore, it has 
 been abandoned, but not, we hope, for ever. There seems to 
 be good reason for believing that the way is open for a 
 mission to the interior, fyom Valdivia on the west, and from 
 El Carmen on the east. 
 
 If we now turn to the ministerial side of the Lota 
 station, we have before us the germ which, in 1864, de- 
 veloped into the larger proportions of a grand scheme for 
 the supply of English chaplains to the various English 
 settlers on both the east and the west coasts. The want was 
 not supplied a day too soon. Thousands of our country- 
 men were scattered over the South American continent as 
 sheep having no shepherd, and there was an increasing 
 stream of immigration thither. It is true, that with the 
 exception of British Guiana, England has no territorial pos- 
 
CHAPLAINCIES IN SOUTH AMEEICA. 171 
 
 sessions in that country ; but her sons have gained, and 
 are gradually multiplying, their influence by dint of enter- 
 prise and skill, and capital invested there. The spiritual 
 destitution of the British immigra.it in Peru, or Chili, or 
 Brazil is not less worthy of attention than in British Guiana, 
 or the Cape of Good Hope; but the favourable considera- 
 tion of the Church at home is secured for the latter be- 
 cause the British flag waves over them, while the presence 
 of another flag in the former countries has induced the 
 Church, to withhold her charities. To correct this state of 
 things has been the aim of the South American Missionary 
 Society. The founder of the Mission, Captain A. Gardiner, 
 was alive to the duty of the Church in this respect, and he 
 bequeathed to the committee of the Society admirable sug- 
 gestions for meeting the necessities of the case. These sug- 
 gestions were not without effect ; and, during the time that 
 the head-quarters of the Society were at Clifton,* the directors 
 of the work resolved to act upon them as far as possible. In 
 1861 a resolution to this effect was carried, and the imme- 
 diate attention of the Rey. A. "W". Gardiner to the wants of 
 the British residents at Lota illustrated its force. Out of this 
 grew the missionary chapklncies of Panama and Callao, 
 funds for the establishment of which were furnished through 
 the liberality of British merchants, whose appreciation of 
 the benefit of the Society's agency had been learned at Lota. 
 In succession, chaplaincies have been established at the Chin- 
 cha Islands, off the Peruvian coast, at Arica and Tacna in 
 Peru ; and on the rivers Uruguay and Plate on the eastern 
 side. And surely it is not too much to hope that wherever 
 English chaplains and English congregations have a local 
 standing in South America, they will desire to extend the 
 knowledge of the gospel to the regions beyond their own 
 * They were removed to London at the close of the year 1865. 
 
172 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MISSIONARY 
 
 immediate neighbourhood. We look to them to link their 
 efforts together in a grand effort to preach Christ to the 
 heathens of the interior. We desire that the gospel may 
 come to them, " not in word only, but also in power and in 
 much assurance," and that from them may be " sounded out 
 the Word of the Lord" in all South America. 
 
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