59

(College (Ea&crt
ST. GEORGE STREET

TORONTO 5, ONT.
CANADA

PRESENTED BY

The Reverend John Me Nab, D.D.

Minister of
Pre sbyt e rIan C hurc h in C anad a
.

Oblivions would overwhelm

of the world,

all

the glory
for

had not God provided

mortals the remedies of books.

sv

1*290

FROM

THE NEW HEBRIDES.

FROM

THE NEW HEBRIDES

With Notices of
of the

REV.

JOHN

AUTHOR or

the Progress

Jllission

INGLIS, D.D., F.R.S.G.S.

"

IN

THE

NEW

HEBRIDES,"

ETC.

THOMAS NELSON AND SONS

London, Edinburgh, and

New

York

CAVFN LIBRARY

OCX

COLLEGE
TUKON Q
I

PREFACE.
THIS volume

is

totally distinct

from

my

former

Although on the same subject, and written

some extent on the same plan, it is never

one.
to

theless totally different from the

I

have not followed the

lating events,

order

While

other.

of time in

have endeavoured to keep up

the connection of subjects.

so that each chapter

have arranged these

may be complete

in

and that the whole book from beginning

may be
first

clearly

and

part of the

re

distinctly understood.

book the subject

fresh light from the

texts of Scripture all

New

is

Hebrides

more or

itself,

to

In the

entirely
is

end

new

shed upon

less obscure

then

follow sketches of natural history, manners and

customs of the natives, short native biographies,

heathen and Christian, and a statement of the

progress of the Mission.

I pray

and hope

that,

P.REFACE.

by the blessing of God, the book may be instru

mental in advancing the Divine
in interest
glory,

ing and instructing

its

the interests of the

New

and in advancing
Hebrides Mission.

readers,

LINCUAN COTTAGE, KIRKCOWAN, WIGTOWNSHIRE, N.B.

December

i^tt/,

1889.

CONTENTS.
I.

NAKEDNESS AND CLOTHING

21

II.

John

(Genesis

ii.

iii.

25;

7,

xxi. 7)

THE CURSE OF CANAAN

MESS

(Genesis

ix.

24-27)

...

III.

BENJAMIN

IV.

WITCHCRAFT FROM A MISSIONARY POINT OF VIEW

(Exodus
V.
VI.

VII.

GIDEON

(Genesis

xliii.

12

xxii. 18)

17

SOLDIERS LAPPING

32-34)

(Judges

SHIBBOLETH VERSUS SIBBOLETH

vii. 5, 6)

(Judges

xii. 5, 6)

SAMSON AND THE FOXES AND FIREBRANDS,

36

41

ETC.

(Judges xv. 1-6)

THE LEVITE AND

45

CONCUBINE

HIS

(Judges xx. 29,

30; xxi. 1-7)

SAUL AND THE YOKE OF OXEN

ABSALOM AND JOAB

VIII.
IX.

MICAH

(2

Samuel

MOTHER CURSING

SINGLE FLEA

(i

Samuel

(i

Samuel

xi. 5-8)

xiv. 28-33)

(Judges xvii.

2)

xxiv. 14; xxvi. 20)

i,

54
57

X. THE GOING IN THE Tors OF THE MULBERRY TREES

(2

Samuel

XI. MINISTERING
iv. 5,

6;

v.

22-25

ANGELS
Luke

iv.

Chronicles xiv. 13-16)

(Psalm
9-11)

xci.

11,12;

64

Matthew
70

CONTENTS
XII.
XIII.

THE HAMMER AND THE ROCK

THE FIG TREE
xxxii.

(Habakkuk

Mark

MODE
7

Paraphrase

(Matthew xxvi.

Peter

34, 74,

xiv. 30, 71, 72)

84

OF TREATING NATIVES
;

iii.

(Acts xxvii. 33-36)

(Acts xxvii. 3

94

CORAL

TREES: COCOA-NUT,

BREAD-FRUIT, ORANGE, SANDAL-WOOD

NATURAL HISTORY. PLANTS

TAINS,

120

ANIMALS

SERPENTS, SHELL

TURTLE

135

XX. MANNERS AND CUSTOMS

COOKING AND EATING

DRINKING KAVA

148

XXI. COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM

.162

XXII. DISEASES ON ANEITYUM AND THEIR REMEDIES

XXIII. CIVIL GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM

XXVI. NATIVE

204

ANEITYUMESE TEACHERS

AGENCY

RAROTONGAN AND

.219

SAMOAN

TEACHERS

234

XXVII. COMMENCEMENT OF THE MISSION ON ANEITYUM

XXVIII. THE FRENCH ON THE

XXIX. BISHOP

PATTESON

ANEITYUM

176

.188

XXIV. NUP-U-TONGA OR FOREIGNERS

XXV. NATIVE AGENCY

109

TARO, YAMS, PLAN

ARROWROOT

XIX. NATURAL HISTORY.

FISH,

90

xxviii.

8)

XVII. NATURAL HISTORY.

XVIII.

77

81

XV. FASTING AND TAKING NOTHING

XVI.

17;

i)

XIV. THE COCK CROWING TWICE

75;

xxiii. 29)

(Jeremiah
iii.

NEW

HEBRIDES, 1887-8

FIRST

...

IMPRESSIONS

243

254

OF
,

260

CONTENTS.

XI

XXX. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, HEATHEN AND CHRIS

TIAN

II

ANGI AND HIS SON THOMAS AMOS

XXXI. LASAKUS AND ESTKH

(with illustration)

.281

XXXII. INHALVATIMI AND THIGANUA

XXXIII. WILLIAM u

XXXIV. WILLIAMU

XXXV. CONCLUSION

LETTERS

....

268

291

304
.

320
35

BIBLE ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE

NEW

HEBRIDES.

CHAPTER

I.

NAKEDNESS AND CLOTHING.

man and his wife, and were not
GENESIS ii. 25.
"And the eyes of them both were
opened, and they knew that they
were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves
"And

they wore both naked, the

ashamed."

GENESIS
and

"Now

iii.

version],

also,

clothed

and

to his wife, did the

GENESIS

them."

when Simon Peter heard

unto him (for he was

fisher s coat

the

sea,"

NAKED

JOTIX

iii.

gird

about,

margin).

Lord God make coats

of

21.

it was the Lord, he

girt his
naked), and did cast himself into

that

xxi. 7.

"

savages

This

missionaries, travellers,

is

and

an expression often used both

by
Now, in one sense, it is

others.

quite correct, but in another sense

the most part

it is

natives of the

New

far as

to

(things

7.

Adam

"Unto

skins,

old

(breeches,

aprons"

misleading.

it

is

quite incorrect

In their heathen state

Hebrides, the

men

for

all

the

at least, are
naked, so

anything they wear can protect them from cold or heat,

But, on the other hand, there is no native who

vain or wind.

goes absolutely naked, or without any covering.

some clothing, some conventional

which secures decency.
all

dress,

They have
however scanty,

NAKEDNESS AND CLOTHING.

While

Adam

and-

Eve were

in a state of innocency they

But

were both naked, and were not ashamed.

conscious of shame, they took fig leaves and

And

girdles.

nearly as
dress is

fall,

made themselves

New

Hebrides retain, as

be, this primitive costume.

All the world over

the natives of the

may

after the

more or

less conventional.

A lady s

ball-room dress,

conventionally proper there, would not be considered proper

In like manner, scanty as the native costume

in a church.

is,

so scanty that it cannot be minutely described, the natives

feel quite
this, in

decent and proper while thus dressed

but without

a state of complete nudity, they would feel as

ashamed as we should

do,

if

in the

same

much

condition.

When God had revealed the first promise to Adam and

Eve, He covered them with skins, generally supposed to be
Now, our

the skins of the sheep or goats slain in sacrifice.

natives on Aneityum, while heathen, were not only content

with

their

girdles,

fig-leaf-like

of

European clothing

any kind, even had

But no sooner

for nothing.

but they would wear no

it

been given them

did they abandon heathenism and

mode

profess Christianity, than they adopted our

of clothing.

Without any special teaching from us, European clothing,

more or less full, became the badge of Christianity ; and when
once they put

it

on they never gave up

occasion, shortly after I

went

to

its use.

On

one

Aneityum, while I was sailing

round to the other mission station in

half a score of natives walking single

my
file

boat,

we saw about

along the beach

we

were too far from the shore to recognise them individually.

Six of
But, nevertheless, one of my native boatmen said,
"

these

him,

men

are heathen, and four are Christian

"How

you do not

do you

know

that,

know who they

when they

are?"

"Oh,"

"

I said to

are so far off that

said he,

"do

you

NAKEDNESS AND CLOTHING.

not see that four of them have on white lavalavas, while the
rest

have none

A lavalava

"

wrapped round the

loins,

is

and

a fathom of cloth, which

is

the

smallest

European clothing ever worn by a native man.

portion

On

occasion, in the first years of the mission, ISTahoat,

is

of

another

one of the

himself a Christian,
principal chiefs, then newly professing
was ill with a severe cold. Mr. Gecldie visited him, and offered

But as
his offer.
pray with him. Nohoat gladly accepted
he was lying with nothing on but his native dress, he said to
the missionary, "0, Misi, stop a little till I put on my lavato

He

lava."

evidently thought that European clothing was

essential to Christian worship.

doctrine

allowed

We

had never taught

but seeing the natives had taken up the

them

to retain it;

it

elevating influence on the

adorning

we

acted powerfully in promoting

community; they are an impor

tant factor in our Christian culture.

Peter

let it

idea,

Our Sabbath-day clothes have a marvellously

their civilization.

translation of

this

iii.

3,

is

No

doubt Campbell

the correct one,

"Whose

be not only that outward adorning of plaiting

the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on of

apparel

but

that which

and quiet
This

is

let it

is

be also the hidden

man

of the heart, in

not corruptible, even the ornament of a

spirit,

which

is

in the sight of

God

of great

meek

price."

our rendering in the Aneityumese, sanctioned by the

of the late Rev. Mr. Meller, Rector of Woodbridge,

authority

and Editorial Superintendent of the Foreign Versions

and Foreign Bible Society one of
published by the British
Suffolk,

the ablest and

most exact Biblical scholars of his day.

only those of us
training of

who have had

"naked

savages"

It is

personal experience in the

to the use of decent clothing,

that can fully appreciate the great breadth and exceeding

NAKEDNESS AND CLOTHING.

how important it is to
word with painstaking accuracy. The verbal in

minuteness of Bible teaching, and

translate every

spiration of Scripture

is

a doctrine of vastly greater importance

than shallow theologians and superficial critics, who talk and

write so confidently, would lead us to believe.
The Apostle
Peter emphasizes the inward adorning ; but, in accordance
with the whole tenor of Scripture, instead of condemning, he
sanctions and encourages elegant female dress, and valuable

female ornaments; and

his

words in our

we found our hands strengthened by

efforts to civilize the savage.

Adam
state,

and Eve, in what might be called their heathen

before the gospel of Christ was revealed to them, and

accepted by them, wore nothing but the fig-leaf girdle

became Christian,

after they

wore a

fuller

with skins.
history of

called themselves

disciples at Antioch.
tiller of

building,

the

soil,

to the

by the name

name

by

Christian given to the

Cain followed his father s profession as

city.

Abel fed his

flocks

Jabal originated the nomadic

cattle.

of the Lord,

but to that he added architecture or house

and builded a

the produce.

herds of

and

The Lord clothed them

True religion led the way in the civilization and

the human race. The Church became a separate

some name equivalent

a

so to speak, they accepted

and better costume.

Men

society.

but

Lamech

instruments of music.

cultivated poetry.

and lived on
and owned

life,

Jubal invented

Tubal-cain (called by the Greeks, with

a slight change of the letters from

Hebrew

to Greek, Vulcan,

and made him the god of the Hammer-men) smelted the ores
and produced the useful metals. While Noah brought ship
building to such perfection that, even in

ark became a model, in

its

modern

proportions, for the

other shipbuilding nations in Europe.

times, his

Dutch and

NAKEDNESS AND CLOTHING.

There

is

new under

nothing

the

sun.

History repeats

The

This same process was observed on Ancityum.

itself.

man

fall of

is

everywhere recognized.

I have seen

universal.

sense of shame

is

naked

naked children on the islands

boys and girls; but I never saw either a naked man

such may exist, but I never saw any of
or a naked woman
them, nor never heard of any such in any island of the South
little

The

Seas.

dress might be very scanty according to our ideas

of dress, but

it

tional standard

No

was always in accordance with some conven

by which decency and propriety were secured.

sooner was Christianity introduced into Aneityum than

the natives began to wear European clothing, as far as the

climate required
to obtain

it.

they took a

it,

and as far as their means enabled them

Like the human race after the

new departure both

The Sabbath was observed

was

private,

set

up

in religion

first

and

promise,

civilization.

the worship of God, public and

a higher standard of family

life

was

adopted; education became general, and the Bible was read;

a

uster

lished

and a gentler type

a steadier industry arose

property began

to be

more

government was estab

of civil
;

individual ownership of

fully recognized

of the socialistic principle disappeared,

of the

mechanical arts was acquired.

ships like Noah, or his son

Ham,

and

all traces

and a better knowledge

They could not

build

their great progenitor; but

they made

larger and better canoes, and before long they

were able to handle an oar, to steer a boat, or to harpoon

a whale, as skilfully as

if

they had hailed from Newbury-

port, Ilobart, or Peterhead, or

whale-fishing industry.
to take their place in

In

any

of the great centres of the

short, in a small way, they

began

the comity of Christian and civilized

NAKEDNESS AND CLOTHING.

communities, and year by year they continue to advance in

Christianity and culture.

Peter was naked, but not absolutely so

he had on some

In the
underclothing, but he threw on his upper garment.
Aneityumese New Testament we have rendered it, "he had
nothing on save a lavalava," which is the way a Christian
native would dress

man who

is

In Scotland we say

fishing.

working, that he

he has thrown

mean

when

is

off his vest as well as his coat.

of

when

stripped to the shirt,

But we do not

that he has nothing on but his shirt; and every one

understands what
be understood
sense that

is

meant, although out of Scotland

literally.

would

Peter was naked, simply in the

we say a savage

sufficient for decency but

it

is

naked, when his clothing

no more.

He

was not dressed

is

in

In every language there are brief elliptical

which
cannot
be taken literally, but which no one
expressions,
misunderstands who knows the idiom of the language ; and
his usual apparel.

this

word naked

is

one of these, both in the Scriptures and

ourselves.

among
At the

trial

Assembly

of 1638,

bore witness

daughter
could
coat

"

of

Bishop of Murray in the General

Mr. Andrew Cant, minister of Pitsligo,

the

that the Bishop was a pretty dancer

bridal he danced in his

mean no more than

and

vest.

shirt."

at his

Of course

this

that he had stripped off both his

CHAPTER

II.

THE CURSE OX CANAAN.

knew what his younger son
"And Noah awoke from his wine, and
servant of
had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan a
;

And be

servants shall he be unto bis brethren.

Lord God of Sbem and Canaan

dwell
enlarge Japheth, and he shall

shall be his

said, Blessed

servant.

be the

God

shall

shall be his

Tms

servant."

prophecy

is

amazingly

in being fulfilled.

seemed as
of

Ham.

GENESIS

At

ix.

and Canaan

24-27.

and yet

distinct,

and

first,

Shem

in the tents of

for

many

it

was very long

long centuries,

it

a blessing and not a curse rested upon the family

For nearly 2000 long years the dominant races

if

descendants
upon the earth were the

of

Ham.

It

those specially
900 years before the Canaanites,
All the
Joshua.
in the curse, were subdued by
in the
empires that arose

descendants of

was nearly
marked out
first

great

world were established by the

Noah s younger

son.

According to the mar

as the most

the Bible, generally recognised

ginal reading of

his eldest
grandson of Ham, by Gush,
And for
Nineveh.
builded
and
son, went out into Assyria,
which he built, and the empire which he
the

correct, Nirnrod, the

ages

city

founded, continued to overshadow

all

Western Asia.

When

Nineveh, and had

excavations in
Layard was carrying on his
a
monster
disinterred
statue, the natives, as soon as they
it,

all

shouted out, Nimroud

Nimroud

saAv

thus adding to the

of 4000 years continuance,

testimony of Scripture a tradition
second son
the
of
the
founder
as to who was
city. Mizraim, the

THE CUKSE ON CANAAN.

of

Ham, founded

the Egyptian
monarchy and the Philistian

commonwealth.
Palestine,

Canaan, the fourth son of Ham, settled in

and his descendants founded first the Canaanitish

kingdoms, then Tyre and Sidon, and subsequently Carthage.

Also the great empire of the Hittites
only now brought to
These
were
for
light.
many long centuries the

leading

nations of the world

and held

How

all

they possessed

but a monopoly of

its

its

highest civilization,

commerce.

God s threatenings in being inflicted how

slow are His promises in
And there can be
being fulfilled
no doubt that when Isaiah,
and others of
Jeremiah,
slow are

Kahum,

Hebrew prophets were

the

countrymen

respectively

of their
danger,

warning their fellow-

exhorting them to repent of

and be obedient to their God, and

fearlessly pre
dicting the judgments that were about to descend upon them,
and upon the guilty nations around the
of those
their sins

sceptics

men who had

days

the

and a

special providence

efficacy of
alists,

prayer

ceased to believe in a
personal

God

in the truth of
prophecy and in the

the agnostics, the materialists, the ration

the pantheists,

and the

atheists

all

the advanced

thinkers of those days ; the

and refined taste ; the

men of professedly high culture

men who had avowedly risen above the

superstitions of the times

these all would attempt to turn

aside the point and force of those

threatening predictions, by
of Noah.
referring with a sneer to the
It is
"

prophecy
now,"
they would say, "nearly 2000 years since Noah predicted
these judgments against the descendants of
Ham, and when
are they to be fulfilled

"

to ignore the conquest of

It would be convenient for them

Canaan by Joshua, and with great

assurance they would proceed to say,

still

occupied by the

five

"Is

not the sea coast

Lords of the Philistines

Are not

THE

CU11SE.

ON CANAAN.

the kings of the Hittites on the other side of Lebanon as

of the
Does not
as ever ?
sit, as of old, queen

Tyro

powerful
seas

Is not Egypt, as she has ever been, the chief

the nations

And

who, what people on the face

among

of the earth,

can stand before the great king, the king of Assyria 1 Is not
Nineveh the metropolis, the mother city, the mistress and
ruler of the whole world

and

"

So,

no doubt, spoke the

found

it

very

difficult to

God

covenant

answer his objections.

Abraham s

faith like that of

them

to enable

It required

to hold on

they had to endure as seeing

scoffer,

and Holy Scripture

the believer in prophecy, inspiration,

Him who

by
is

invisible.

But the Lord

is

His threatenings,
years are with

Him

Even

as one day.

then, the believer had

Nineveh, Egypt, Tyre, and other Ilainotic

But if difficult then, it would be easy now.

not long to wait

nations

not slack concerning either His promises or

as some men count slackness ; a thousand

fell.

till

New Zealand,

and then accompany

us in our mission vessel, the Dayspring, and we can show him
which was uttered more than 4000 years ago,
this
Let any one take a look at

prophecy,

fulfilled to

the very letter.

In the South Seas he

will find

and Japhetic,
portions of the three races, Shemetic, Hametic,
the three
were
as
another
one
from
off
marked
as
distinctly

when they took their leave of the ark among

the mountains of Ararat; or when a century later their speech
was confounded at Babel when the earth was divided, and
sons of Noah,

the three families, each according to their tongues, took pos

session of their respective portions,

"

The world was

all

And Providence

before

their

when

them where

guide."

to choose,

"

THE CUESE ON CANAAN.

10
But

let

Canaan

us take the prophecy verse by verse.

"

a servant of servants shall he be unto his

Cursed be
brethren."

Ham

was cursed in the person of his youngest, probably his

He was cursed in his descendants. Now in
favourite, son.
the

New

Hebrides we see this curse lying in

all its

The Papuans, the poor descendants

weight.

lying in the lowest state of degradation,

the iron heel of every oppressor.

"Blessed

be the Lord

God

of

crushing

Ham, are
trodden down by
of

Let us take the next verse,

Shem; and Canaan

shall be his

In the fulfilment of this blessing we find that the

servant."

whole of the Malay

race, descendants of Shem, in the South

had
abandoned
Seas,
heathenism, had embraced Christianity,
and had the Bible translated for them into the six principal

dialects of their language,

whole, of the

Papuan

lying in heathen

while the whole, or nearly the

race, the children of

And

darkness.

Ham, were

still

wherever these Malays,

these children of Shem, go in the South Seas, these

Papuans

Everywhere we see the

the
Canaan
Papuans serving
Malays,
being the servant of
Shem; but nowhere do we see the Malays serving the

are willing to be their servants.

Papuans, or Shem being the servant of Canaan.

us take the last verse

"

God

shall dwell in the tents of

servant.

"

called of

the

We,
God

world.

Now

shall enlarge Japheth,

Shem ; and Canaan

let

and he

shall be his

the descendants of Japheth, seem to be specially

at the present day to colonize

Our fellow-countrymen

example, are dwelling in the tents of

in

and evangelize

New

Shem

Zealand,

for

they are dwell

ing on the land long occupied by the Maories, a tribe of the

Malays

while the rowdyism of Sydney and of Brisbane are

and
reviving the slave-trade, kidnapping the poor Papuans,

and
carrying them into servitude in Queensland, Fiji,

New

TILE
Caledonia.

But

CUUSE ON CANAAN.

especially bas

the heritage of Shem, by

His

visible

God enlarged

us,

and given us

making us the representatives

Church, to dispense

its

of

blessings to the heathen

of
and these poor Gibeonites are willing to become hewers
wood and drawers of water to us for the house of the Lord.

Yes,

"Canaan

shall be his

servant."

CHAPTEE
BENJAMIN

III.

S MESS.

they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves,

which did eat with him by themselves because
the Egyptians might not eat with the Hebrews for that is an
abomina
tion unto the Egyptians. And he took and sent messes
unto
"And

and

for the Egyptians

them from

him
GENESIS

before

THERE

but Benjamin

mess was five times so

much

as

any of theirs."

xliii. 32, 34.

no

difficulty in understanding why there were threeone for Joseph, one for the
Egyptians, and one for the
Hebrews. Joseph, either from his
rank, or from his being a
foreigner, did not eat with the Egyptians ; and his brethren
is

tables

would eat by themselves, because to eat with the Hebrews

was
an abomination to the Egyptians. But that
should
Benjamin
have five times the quantity of food sent to him that was sent
to

any

feast,

of his brethren, who,

doubtless, after the

had abundance,

is

our ideas of table etiquette

Joseph

mode

manner

contrary to all our customs,

;

of procedure

and

of a

to all

but to a native of the South Seas

would cause no

quite in accordance with their own.

There

difficulty,
is

it

is

no religious

caste

among them, as in India but for nationality and rank

they make a difference in the quantity of food supplied at
meals.
At our feasts we have different courses, one
;

following

another

with the natives each guest receives his full share of

the food at once.
Our custom also is for each one to eat as

much

as he pleases,

and whatever

is

not eaten of each course

BENJAMIN
is

on the

left

MESS.

13

on the table, or in the house.

plate, or

But

Each

not the custom in the South Seas.

guest, having
this is
thinks
he
what
proper, and
received his share of the food, eats

whatever

he puts into his basket, or ties up in a leaf,

home with him, to eat next clay, or divide among

is left

and takes

it

friends.

his family or his

But perhaps

I cannot illustrate

than by giving an account of a little feast that we

had on Aneityum, in one of the first years of our mission, at
to be used
the opening of a new school- house, which was also

this better

as a place of worship.

was provided by Amosa, a Satnoan teacher, who

had charge of the station, and Nomet, the chief of the district.
There were four parties of us, composed of three nationalities ;
a teacher party, and two Aneityumese
a

The

feast

missionary party,

viz.,

There were the two mission families

parties.

Geddie and
also

Dr. and Mrs.

their children being with us at the time.

four Earotongan

children,

who had been

teachers
left

We

had

and their wives and some

with us for two months or so by the

till the vessel went up to Sydney

captain of the JuJin Williams,
of
Aneityumese also accompanied us.
for repairs.
party
and addresses in the
had a service of

We

new

singing, prayer,

building.

After that the oven, a very large one, was

divided into four parts.

opened, and the contents carefully
house
table was set for the missionary party in the teacher s

a mess like that

and, we being the most important strangers,
of two large
consisted
It
of Benjamin s was brought to us.
baskets of taro, steaming hot from the oven
in the

14

Ib.

same way

a large fish, in shape

salmon, cooked also in the oven;

beautiful bananas, fully ripe and yellow,

a Im-ge basket of fresh cocoa-nuts,

all

and

two

fowls, cooked

size like a

a large

all fit

goodly

bunch

for eating,

husked and ready

of

and
for

BENJAMIN

14

My

drinking.

MESS.

wife had provided tea and sugar, and other

accompaniments ; so that we sat down to what, in some places,

would be called a high tea, or a knife and fork tea, or a tea
with something, and that greatly beyond the ordinary, to it.

Mats were spread

outside,

for the other three

under banyan and bread-fruit

parties, as

Abraham

three celestial visitors under the oak at

trees,

provided for the

Mamre.

The next

largest portion was for the Rarotongan teachers, which,

though greatly less than ours, was yet twice as much as they

could possibly eat.

The third portion was for the Aneityumese

it was a full meal, but not much

who had accompanied us ;

And

more.

the fourth portion was for

Amosa and Nemet

and their friends who had provided the feast, and consisted
of the smallest of the taro, and the most diminutive of the
fishes

it

was a scanty meal, and barely allayed the cravings

After we had partaken to satisfaction of

of their hunger.

our sumptuous meal, our Aneityumese servants came and

gathered up

all

that was

left,

as the disciples did with the

remains of the loaves and the fishes, packed

and took

all

home;

it

into baskets,

to have left anything behind us

have been an insult to our entertainers.

Enough

would

of

what

was brought home was set apart to do for our breakfast next
morning, the rest was divided among the natives living on
our premises, and when they had all had a good meal, whatever

was

left, if

any, was carried forth as a kind of overflow meal

and neighbours outside of the mission household.

The Egyptians, like the Papuans, were descendants of Ham.
to their friends

Egypt was

Ham s

land.

We may

that the people would do in

therefore legitimately infer

Egypt then very much

as the

people do on Aneityum at the present time; and that Ben

jamin s servants, who would be waiting somewhere outside,

BENJAMIN

MESS.

in one of the courts of Joseph s palace, would

come

in

when

the feast was over, and gather up the remains of his mess,

put

it

into scrips, or bags, or baskets, and carry all

their lodgings

the servants of the others

and in that time

of

home

to

would do the same,

famine they, as well as their masters,

on those royal dainties till they were finished.

would
his brethren and the
Benjamin would have the honour, but
the benefit, and Joseph would be
servants would
feast

enjoy

On Aneityum, in
applauded for his princely hospitality.
heathen times, he was the great man who had the most food,
and he was the good

He

man who

was the poor man who had

dispensed

little food,

it

most

stingy with his food, and gave

man who was

Liberality in giving food

was the highest

virtue,

it

not conceive of Jacob

to

sons going

Egypt with a solitary

ass, or

the

grudgingly.

and stinginess

with respect to food was the greatest sin.

"We hear
nothing of servants in the narrative
all

liberally.

and he was the bad

but we can

way from Canaan

even more, each, to carry up

a supply of corn for their families,

amounting to upwards of
A few years
servants.

one hundred persons, exclusive of

he had a
before, when Jacob returned from Padan-Aram,
large

number

household.
large

and maid-servants, even a great

suppose that Jacob s sons had a

of men-servants

We may

number

safely

of retainers

and servants accompanying them,

that they formed a large caravan, although the historian

does not find

his narrative

it

their presence

studied
their

necessary to refer to them for the purpose of

the servants not doing anything that required

to

main subject

The more

Brevity being so carefully

be noticed.

by the sacred
is

writers,

everything not essential to

invariably excluded.

natural, beautiful,

and truth-like do the Scripture

BENJAMIN

S MESS.

narratives appear, in proportion as

we know the manners and

customs of the times and the places to which

they refer and
from the most remote and obscure corners of the earth, even
;

the tiny and distant isles of the

sea, come light and
ledge to illustrate

know

and confirm the truth of sacred history.

CHAPTER

IV.

WITCHCRAFT FI!OM A MISSIONAKY

"

Thou

shalt not suffer a witch to

OIXT OF VIEW.

live."

EXODUS

xxii. 18.

Tins text may receive some light from our

missionary experi
ence.

The Hebrew word

sorcerer, magician, &c.,

mecashepJia, translated witch, wizard,

comes from the verb

signifies to pray, to offer prayers or

to the worship of idols, hence

it

worship

casJtaph,

but

signifies to use

to use magical songs, to mutter.

is

which

restricted

enchantments,

was the connection

It

of

witchcraft with idolatry, and hence with the virtual renoun

cing of Jehovah, which rendered

and made

it

a sin so displeasing to God,

to be treason

under the Theocracy. For a century

and a half after the Reformation
burning for witchcraft was

common

it

in this
country.

this practice ceased.

as well as the clearer

society,

In the early part

banished superstition, and in

destroyed the belief in witchcraft.

the ignorant

of last
century

The scepticism that afterwards prevailed,

knowledge that was diffused throughout

The

but for a century and a

all

intelligent circles

belief lingered
O

half, if

any

amon o

of the laws

against witchcraft have remained in the statute-book, they

have been a dead letter.

That

evil spirits exist

men may

the Scriptures amply prove; that

hold communication with them is
possible; that

they did so in ancient times the Bible clearly affirms.

appeared to

Adam and Eve and

Satan

tempted them; he did the

WITCECEAFT FROM.

same

spirits

was common

in Old

spoke to the evil spirits

still

and

them

out.

hold intercourse with evil spirits

"

tator, says

As by

Our Saviour

Testament times.
cast

is

Thomas

But, as the eminently judicious

That men should

certainly possible.

Scott, the

commen

certain degrees of civilization wild beasts

are banished or extirpated,

the practice of witchcraft

in

so,
is

some stages

nearly

this country at the present time,

is

Dealing with familiar

to our Saviour in the wilderness.

of civilization,

excluded."

It is so in

and Satan acquiesces;

"nor

he any loser by exchanging the practice of witchcraft for

Witchcraft is generally under
scepticism."

the prevalence of
stood to

and

mean

"

a compact with evil spirits, by whose agency

by certain incantations, effects of

various kinds may be produced, by which malice, or covetousassistance, applied for

ness, or other corrupt passions

may

be

gratified."

A current

no such thing as witchcraft,

is,
and that there never was such a thing; that it never was
belief in

that there

our times

is

anything but pretence ; that in most cases men who were

cleverer than their neighbours, or who were better acquainted
with the laws of nature than others, either professed them
selves or allowed others to believe that certain things

were

accomplished by supernatural powers that were done simply

by superior
nature

skill or

through a better knowledge of the laws of

that sleight-of-hand was passed off for a compact with

the devil; and that those persons found

advantage

to allow such delusions to

Furthermore,

it is also

it

to be for their

pass uncontradicted.

a part of the popular belief

still,

that,

an old woman was only very poor and very

was quite sufficient to raise the suspicion that she was

in those times,

ugly,

it

if

a witch, irrespective of anything connected with her former

character or history.

We

are certain of this, that, whether

A MISSIONA11Y POINT OF VIEW.

19

any person in those remote times was in league with the devil
or not, and through the agency of evil and malignant spirits
inflicted injuries of various

the

community

and firm
on this

kinds on others, there was

among

whether rightly or wrongly, a fixed

the existence of witchcraft, and they acted

at large,

belief in

belief.

In reading such books as Sir Walter Scott s "Letters on

Denionology and Witchcraft," or the Rev. Walter Scott s
Lectures on the Existence and Agency of Evil Spirits," and
learning the history of witchcraft in England, Scotland, and
"

New

England,

nature

"

one

one

is

blood

is

led

to

exclaim,

"Oh,

poor

human

apt to boil at the cruelties exercised

by the witch-finders and witch-prickers of those times, and

we cannot be too thankful that we live in an age of Christian
light

there

and knowledge, when witchcraft has disappeared. Still

is another side to this
question ; and after living three

and thirty long years in lands where witchcraft was in the

so to speak;

air,

first article in

as

am

"

where

"I

believe in

the popular creed

witchcraft"

accepted as true as certainly

God the Father Almighty is among us

be much more charitable towards our forefathers

I believe in

led to

was the

"

their prosecutions for witchcraft, than

would be sanctioned

by the average of public opinion in the present day.

forefathers had doubtless as

much common

they were naturally as just and as

in

sense as

humane

as

Our

we have

we are

but

they lived under different circumstances, and they are not

to be blamed for doing what they did, as we should be

As opportunity makes
the thief, so ignorance and superstition produce the witch.
blamed were we to do the same.

Human

nature

is

the same in

all ages,

and men everywhere

and their environ-

are greatly influenced by their

surroundings

WITCHCRAFT FE.OM

2O
Our

ments.

forefathers were just emerging from the ignor

ance and superstition of the dark ages

and

it

was by slow

degrees that they emancipated themselves from the errors of

the times, from the belief in witchcraft and kindred opinions,

and attained

The

to

belief in the supernatural

countries

all

our present standing-ground on these questions.

and

belief

it is

human

ages and in

all

race.

Religious

feeling, or a belief in the supernatural, is as

an essential part
it

has prevailed in

co-existent with the

manifests

of

man s

nature as conscience or reason

itself either in

much
;

either in the worship of God, or the worship of the devil

it

be partly of both.

may

The existence

essential to the existence of witchcraft.

abounds the

belief

Hebrides there

there

is

or

of superstition is

Where

superstition

In the

in witchcraft will also abound.

New

and

true religion, or in superstition

the grossest ignorance, and hence

is

the most debasing superstition.

The

belief in witch

and unwavering. Witchcraft is accepted

as a thing about which there can be no doubt.

craft is universal

as a reality,

No
is

death, at least the death of no person of

any importance,

ever recognised as resulting from natural causes

of such persons is always ascribed to witchcraft

question to be

caused

Of course

On one
at

answered

occasion

my

it

is

is,

by whom

the death

and the

has the death been

always ascribed to some enemy.

fellow-missionary, Dr. Geddie, was over

Port Resolution on Tanna, and was urging Miaki, a

up heathenism and become a

Miaki said he wished to do so as soon as he had

principal chief there, to give

Christian.

avenged the death of five of his men of two who had been
killed in battle, and of three who had been killed by witch
craft.

Dr. Geddie, knowing that the killing by witchcraft

was pure imagination,

tried his best to reason

him out

of

A MISSIONARY POIXT OF VIEW.

his belief,

and to convince him that the sacred men had no

power whatever

God

that

But, alas

death.

only has the power of

and

life

Leviathan was not to be so easily tamed.

Miaki remained firm in the

belief,

men were

that the three

as certainly killed by witchcraft, as that the two were shot

in battle.

new

must be implanted before the

faith

can be eradicated.

beliefs

natives in witchcraft

assuming that

the

way

only before

The

affection."

much

is

of our forefathers three

in

It gives

new

expulsive power of a

belief

"

of

old

the

the

stronger than was the belief

We

centuries ago.

men

sacred

in

the

are quite safe

New

Hebrides

possess no more supernatural power than did the witches

two or three hundred years ago. These sacred

men, however, possess and exercise a tremendous power but
in Scotland

it is

exercised by working on the superstitious fears of their

fellow-countrymen.

exercised by those

who

similar

power

lay,

possessed

and

professed to deal in the black arts

in the days of our forefathers

of their

power was

and in

like

manner the

secret

not in any compact which they had made

with the Evil One, but in the strong superstitious fears of the
This

age.

is

undoubtedly the case in the

a native becomes unwell, and

If

bewitched, or

if

it is

known

if

New

Hebrides.

he fancies that he

that some sacred

man

is

has per

formed some incantation upon him, no European medicine,

or no treatment that we can give, will cure him ; he believes
that

but

it

may

mitigate the disease, or ward off death for a time,

the incantation

taken

off, either by the person who

by some other person equally powerful in spells,
the sick person believes that he cannot recover ; he has the
till

is

laid it on, or

sentence of death in himself, and he will as

certainly die as
if

he had been mortally wounded by a spear, or a

bullet, or

WITCHCRAFT FROM

22
any

weapon ; hence the sacred man who, by his incan

works in this way on the superstitious fears of any

lethal

tations,

of his countrymen, so as to cause his death, is as really a

murderer as the

man who

shoots

To prevent incantation the

him dead with

natives,

his musket.

on some islands at

least,

are scrupulously careful, after every meal, to collect every

particle of skin, or rind, or

them

crumb, and either burn them or

into the sea, lest

any enemy should get hold of

them, and form some incantation with them, and employ it
cast

to cause sickness or death.

As soon

as Christianity

was

generally professed on Aneityum, the native belief was, that

the sacred

how

men had no

longer any power.

It

was astonishing

rapidly the superstitious fears of the people were dis

pelled,

and their

belief in the natmasses or spirits

only shaken, but completely

lost.

The

effect

was not

was almost the

same as that which the Christian fathers attributed

to the

ascribes to the Saviour s

which Dr. Blair so eloquently

In that hour,
death, when he says,

the foundation of every

Pagan temple shook

birth of Christ, or as that

every

false

"

god tottered on its base

falling shrine

and the heathen oracles became dumb for

But by and by we learned

that the witchcraft of
there was

still

the statue of

the priest fled from the

ever."

that, while they sincerely believed

Aneityum was one

of the lost arts,

a partial belief that in the heathen islands

around the power of witchcraft remained. When some of our

adventurous young men went to Tanna or Eromanga, they
sometimes brought home material for witchcraft from those

and threatened or attempted, by such ingredients, to

Navalak and Paulo, two of our principal
practise witchcraft.
chiefs, came to me one day very angry with two of these
islands,

young men, who had returned from Tanna, and who were

A MISSIONARY POINT OF VIEW.

23

their death by this

threatening to bewitch them, and compass

punishment which they had

some offence of which they had been

means, in revenge for some

inflicted

upon them

for

They evidently believed that the young men pos

some power to do them mischief, and wished to have

guilty.

sessed

them punished

for their conduct, as being a species of treason-

I strongly

felony.

condemned the conduct

of the

young men,

but counselled forbearance, and comforted the chiefs with the

assurance that these threats, or attempts at witchcraft, were

utterly powerless

that the devil has no power as against

that the Lord has said,

Jacob, neither

Balaam

is

"There

is

God

no enchantment against

there any divination against Israel

"

that

to bewitch or curse the children

had no power
and Satan and his servants have as

of old

little power
two
were
good Christian
They
people.
men, and they believed my words, and went away pacified

of Israel;

now

to bewitch

and

satisfied.

Some ten
at

my

God

or twelve years ago a

young woman was married

happened on such occasions, one

greatly disappointed, and hence were

station, and, as often

or two

young men were

very angry.

One

of these

had been at Eromanga during the

him a quantity
whaling season, and had brought home with
of

the

material

used there for incantations, the chief in

With us
of black lead.
gredient of which was a species
were usually performed in the church at the

marriages

Wednesday prayer-meeting.

After the service was over the

missionary always shook hands with

groom, his wife followed

as

many

the bride and bride

and did the same, and afterwards

of the congregation as

occasion one of these disappointed

so.
On this
with
men
went
up
young

wished to do

the others, and shook hands with them, and left on the bride

WITCHCRAFT FROM

24
hand some

without her observing

of the incantation matter,

happened that on that day my wife and I were

the Dayspring, our mission vessel, to visit
on
board
going
some of the other islands, and to be absent for a month.
It so

it.

The

was lying in the

vessel

offing,

and we went on board

from the church, and knew nothing of what I am

about to relate till our return.
The young bride had hardly
direct

left

to

when one

the church,

went up

to her,

She

you?"

"and

see

how

and

said,

said,

black

of

"No."

her hand and looked, and

black pigment
shot.

She

felt

all

lo,

are

at your

if

She

she cried

she had been

way home, more than

cried all the

all night, cried all

the next day, and

the next night, would eat nothing, cried

till

she had

suffering from jaundice; she was

most certainly would have

incantation.

said he,

She opened
there were the marks of the

that she had been bewitched, and was certain

red and her face yellow,

could say to

hand,"

bewitched."

She stood transfixed, as

that she would die.

three miles

"Look

You

it is.

young man s companions

you see what So-and-so did

this

"Did

make her
But

it

till

her eyes were

the appearance of one

all

sure she would die, and

died, in spite of all that

her friends

was nothing in the

happened that there was a small party

believe that there

so

Tannese working to a white man, about eight miles distant,

and among these was a sacred man, who was held to be able
of

to

remove the

effects of witchcraft.

He

when he came, he took a small branch

sacred on Tanna, dipped

the head of the poor

unknown words.
the young

giil,

it in

was sent

water, and sprinkled

it

over

repeating at the same time some

The enchantment was held

woman s

and

for,

of a tree held to be

to be

taken

off,

superstitious fears were removed, and in

a short time she was herself again.

It has almost invariably

A MISSIONARY POINT OF VIEW.

25

that when any untoward event

happened in our mission
another of the same
occurred on the one side of the island,
on the other side. About three weeks after
took

kind

place

wards there was a marriage at the other

and a disap

station,

man practised the very same trick upon the

pointed young
the same results, which had to
young bride, with essentially
deal of trouble
be removed by similar means. We had a good
before

we

of foreign
eradicated the belief in this importation

The wife

witchcraft.

of

one of our principal chiefs was sup

as it was believed, narrowly

posed to be bewitched, and,
and many of our best and most
escaped with her life;
intelligent

about
"

it.

When

You know

Satan has

were greatly staggered in their belief

I spoke to them on the subject, they said,

natives

We

our hearts are weak and dark.

lost all

power to work

because we have ceased

to believe in

that

him and worship him

be able to w^ork by the black

but we thought he might

arts belonging to the heathen
still

know

by witchcraft on this island,

islands

where he

is

still

worshipped."

There are few subjects on which certain

of

the would-

wax more
be advanced thinkers of this nineteenth century
are denouncing our forefathers on
eloquent than when they
No terms are strong enough for
the subject of witchcraft.
the bigotry, and the fanaticism of
decrying the ignorance,
our ancestors, especially the clergy of those times, on this
subject;

so

much

so,

that the belief largely prevails, that

such was the fanaticism of the times, that

if

woman was

better
and
only poor, and old, and ugly,
informed than her neighbours, she was sure to be suspected

perhaps a

of being a witch,

bably be burned.

would most
It

may

likely be tried,

little

and very pro

frankly be admitted that the recog-

26

WITCHCRAFT FIIOM

nised witches and wizards of 200 or 300 years

ago had no

more supernatural power than the sacred men

Hebrides of the present day
like the savages of

in witchcraft

of the

New

but the people of those times,

our days, were superstitious, and believed

they believed that certain persons possessed

supernatural power to
or other calamities

inflict evil,

and

to cause sickness, death,

the ancient witchcraft, like the modern,

was always employed for evil, never for good ; the true worship
and service of God produces nothing but good, the worship
and service of the devil is always connected with malignant
Moreover, certain persons in those times professed

purposes.

to possess supernatural

power, and practised on the super

stitious fears of the people, just as the sacred

men on

the

New

Hebrides do at the present day, and no doubt they often

caused the death of superstitious people.
The two young men

on Aneityum who wrought on the superstitious fears of the

two young women, would as certainly have been murderers,

had those two young women died, as they evidently would

have done had the incantations not been, as they believed,
if they had shot
them; at all events they
would have been chargeable with culpable homicide, and on
the heathen islands such things are of frequent occurrence,

taken away, as

and would
fear

is

be more frequent, were

not that a salutary

inspired by the threats of the chief, the secret machina
still

tions of the avenger of blood,

that can be brought

Now

assuming, as we

and the counter incantations

by some other sacred man.

into play

may

safely do, that the witchcraft of 200

or 300 years ago was essentially the

the

New

same as the witchcraft

of

Hebrides at the present day, the witches of those

times were not as a class poor,

type of

it

Mause

in

Bamsay

"

old,

innocent women, of the

Gentle

Shepherd,"

they were

MISSIONARY TOIXT OF VIEW.

27

men and women,

practising on the

superstitious fears of the people for selfish

and wicked ends,

largely a wicked class of

and through the influence of those fears bringing on sickness,

or causing death and other evils, and extorting payments or
levying blackmail to avert those calamities
extinct even yet.
of

At

amid

the blazing light

all

century, with the schoolmaster abroad,

this nineteenth

science

this very hour,

and they are barely

the

popularised,

in

penny newspaper

every

man s

hand, knowledge, scriptural and secular, so universally dif

fused, that the light of the

sun

moon

yet just now, I happen to

woman, who

is

become as the

know

of

an

light of the

old, bold,

wicked

gives her neighbours to understand that her

wishes and her curses are not to be despised, as her words

seldom

fall

to the

ground

and hence she

levies

blackmail

over a good part of the district, and she tells her friends that

the highest lady in the parish never refuses her anything that
she asks from her ; and that, not because she loves her, but
because she fears her.

done 200 years ago

What would

this

Are we therefore

to

beldame not have

blame very severely

the authorities of those times for inflicting punishment, even

punishment, on persons guilty of such crimes, any

capital

more than we should blame the authorities

of

the present

day when they punish men for threatening to shoot the Queen
1
These witches or wizards were no doubt

or any other person

often murderers, or at least manslayers, just as the sacred

in the

New

men

Hebrides are at the present time, and deserved to

be punished as such

not because they were in league with

the devil, and possessed power derived from him, but by pro
fessing to possess such power,
exercise

it,

and threatening, or

they were culpable to the extent

likely to accrue.

affecting, to

of the mischief

Hence, in these circumstances, the burning

28

WITCHCRAFT FROM

of witches
that, tried

was not the absurd, outrageous, indefensible crime

by our light and in our circumstances, it would
It

be.

undoubtedly

was a rude kind

deal of the justice of those times.

itself

of justice, like a great

It

against a formidable and peculiar

was

society protecting

No

evil.

innocent persons suffered, but they did the same in

ways, as the laws were then administerd.

not

now

exist,

superstition, are

superstition prevailed

nearly as strong

among

many

other

it

grew,

viz.,

In those times

removed.

It was found to be

all classes.

among the upper

many

Witchcraft does

because the elements out of which

ignorance and

doubt

ten thousand, as

among

servant-maids, cottars wives, well-to-do tradesmen, and wealthy

farmers.
Persons of the highest rank were accused of witch

poor old women.

craft, as well as

Edward IV.
Shore,

of

England, his

became attached

partiality to the

the

On

Duke

Lord Hastings.
Their known
rendered
them
obnoxious to
young princes
to

who

of Gloucester,

this charge

to do penance in St.

through the public

Be

accused them of witchcraft.

Hastings was beheaded, and Jane Shore was

After a mock

committed to the Tower.

procession.

After the death of King

mistress, the beautiful Jane

it

Paul

s in

streets,

trial

she was ordered

a white sheet, and was paraded

the Bishop of London heading the

admitted that, while the ostensible charge

against them was one of witchcraft, the real charge sought to

be made out was one of treason.
Nevertheless, such was the
superstition

of

the time, that

it

was

easier

charge of witchcraft than a charge of treason,

easily proved charge

answered the purpose

to establish a

and the most

of the tyrant best

and the public mind recognised the charge as quite competent.

In Scotland, too, ladies of the highest rank were at times
accused of practising witchcraft, of seeking to compass the

A MISSIONARY POINT OF VIEW.

2Q

and pactions with

death of royal personages, by incantations
at times sought to accomplish
Satan; and, no doubt, traitors
by such means.
almost equal to
The superstition of 200 years ago was
the
present time.
in the South Seas at
anything existing

their ends

so many
that before the Revolution, when
History informs us
the
to
young
Holland, Colin,
of the Scottish nobility fled over
to be married to Maritia de
was
engaged
Earl of Balcarres,
Dutch lady, a relation of the Prince
Nassau, a charming young
bride
But when the marriage day came, and the
of Orange.
not
in the churdl the bride g room was

and henparty arrived

to seek him, they found
there ; and when his friends went

him

sitting

engagement.

in

As he went out

his writing-case,

of

morning gown quite oblivious

his

hastily,

his

he forgot the ring in

a friend in the company gave

at the
ceremony went on, and, without looking

him

ring,

When

one, the

he placed

the ceremony

of the fair young bride.

the ring, and, to her
bride
the
was over,
happened to look at
a
that it was a mourning one, with
horror, she discovered

it

on the finger

the belief then was,

death s-head and cross-bones on it; and
woman married with a mourning ring would die
that

any

within a year.

On

seeing tho ring the

young lady

fainted,

die within

with the belief that she would

being fully impressed
and in spite of all that could be said or done
a

twelvemonth;

to her, she pined

Imagination

kills,

away and

died before the year

and imagination

cures.

Now,

if

was

out.

such was

time in the most enlightened

the power of superstition at that
after the Reformation,
court in Europe, more than 150 years
What
?
must it have been among the people in general

what

witchcraft

have existed for producing.

ample material must
as a
Under the Mosaic Law witchcraft was regarded

sin

WITCHCRAFT FROM

30

was a worshipping of the

second and third commandments.

against God,
first,

it

devil,

It

a breaking of the

was idolatry

and

was so heinous, or so displeasing to God, or so severely

punished, as idolatry; it was, as I have said, treason under
no

sin

the Theocracy.

In the days of our forefathers

was as a crime

it

against man, rather than as a sin against God, that witchcraft

It was the crime of men in
was held to be punishable.
with
the
or
devil,
compact
using incantations for malignant
it
was
the use of the black arts for the perpetration
purposes ;
of black deeds, for destroying life

who

The persons

and property.

professed these arts, or claimed these powers, in those

much

times were regarded by the authorities very

present regard

men who

as

we

at

are found to have dynamite or other

dangerous substances in their possession, and for which they

cannot give a satisfactory account.

This

taken of witchcraft by the heathen in the

elsewhere at the present time

it is

is

the view that

New

is

Hebrides and

a crime imperilling the

safety of society.

There

is

forefathers

this

marked

difference between the views of our

and those held in modern times.

They looked

upon the danger as lying in the power possessed by those

had the knowledge

of secret incantations,

for evil purposes.

and exercised that

Modern theology and modern

knowledge
science have successfully proved that the danger
the superstitious fears of those against
practised.

If they

is

whom

lies

wholly in

these arts are

have no superstitious fears the incantations

are perfectly harmless.

fears,

who

If they are possessed with superstitious

like the natives of the

New

Hebrides, the likelihood

that the incantation will be injurious, probably

fatal.

In

cantations are like certain diseases, or certain states of the

atmosphere, that have no effect upon healthy constitutions,

A MISSIONARY POINT OF VIEW.

3!

but are injurious or fatal to those whose constitutions are

this important difference, that, in the case of

weak; with

those diseases, the state of the body

sole, cause of their taking effect or not

is

the chief, but not the

but in the case of witch

craft it is the imagination alone that kills or saves.

and

May

s safety

matches

will not ignite unless

you

Bryant

strike

them

against the prepared portion of the box; so those incantations

were powerless, except when they were practised upon people

filled

with superstitious fears

more or

but on such the results were

less fatal or injurious.

They are powerless with us

It is

because the superstitious fears are awanting.

and

May s

ignite.

matches without the prepared box

Our

Bryant

they will not

was a

forefathers believed that there

positive,

satanic power possessed by the sorcerer, and

supernatural,

him through

exercised by

his

that the case

reversed.

is

they acted ignorantly

in

they took no

incantations;

On

account of the superstitious fear.

know

we

the other hand

But, nevertheless, although

punishing those

practise witchcraft, in order that they

who

profess

might protect

to

society,

the punishments which they inflicted, no doubt, restrained the

evil to a great extent,

property.

it

ment
is

to the protection of life

But, in these completely altered times of ours,

as unjust to
as

and tended

blame our forefathers for the burning

would be to blame them for

for

twenty other crimes, for

now removed from

the criminal

list,

it is

of witches,

inflicting capital
all of

and

punish

which the penalty

and blotted out

of the

statute-book.

on all hands, that in the ancient systems of

whether
in Greece and Rome, in Egypt or in the
witchcraft,
It is admitted

far east, as well as

as superstition,

among our

came

forefathers, imposture, as well

largely into play.

It

is

so in the

New

32

WITCHCKAFT FROM

Hebrides and elsewhere.

The sacred men are cunning as

well as superstitious,
impostors as well as wizards.

Maori priest

in

New Zealand who

for medicine for a sick

till

man

this

the patient was nearly well

knew a

used to go to the missionary

he carefully administered

he then removed him to a

sacred enclosure, took a branch from a consecrated

in holy water,

it

dipped

tree,

and with the water sprinkled the

man s

He

head, pronouncing over him certain cabalistic words.

then declared him healed, and the man
brought him a

large present for the cure.

On some

islands in the

New

Hebrides when a native

attacked with acute rheumatic or other

pains,
that an evil spirit has entered into him, and

him.

sacred man, whose

On

sent

for.

him

to lie

office it is to

is

is

supposed

tormenting

exorcise spirits,

his arrival he examines the

down on a mat with

it is

is

man, and causes

his face to the

ground

he

performs various incantations over him, sings certain songs,

and repeats certain prayers. He then rubs him, and sham
poos him, and applies heated stones to the most painful
parts; then he takes a sacred leaf, gesticulates with it, and

upon the spirit to come out of the man ; then draws

hand across the man s shoulder, lifts it
it in
up,
calls

opens

sence of the assembled people, and there

form of a

live lizard,

is

his

pre

the spirit in the

which had been concealed in the

leaf

If the patient speedily

recovers, a large pig is sent as pay
ment for the cure; if no
takes
some

improvement

excuse

is

There

place,

easily invented to cover the failure.

is

one important difference between the witchcraft

of the Bible, the witchcraft of this

country in former times,

and the witchcraft

women,

as well as

of the

New

Hebrides.

In Bible times

men, practised sorcery and used enchant-

A MISSIONARY POINT OF VIEW.

ments.

In this country

poor old

women, who were

But

powers.

was

chiefly

women, and those

credited with these supernatural

New Hebrides these powers belong

When we went to Aneityum there

the

in

it

33

exclusively to the men.

was one young woman who was regarded as a kind of vestal

virgin, and who performed some ceremonies at feasts, but
she was not recognised as having any power to cause sickness
or

There was plenty

death.

of

dancing on Aneityum in

heathen times; they danced nine months in the year; but

a

"dance

was a thing that the wildest poetic

of.
Of no woman in the

witches"

fancy would never have dreamed

New

Hebrides could

Shanter

ever have been said, as of Tarn o

it

Nannie
For mony a beast to dead she shot,
And perished mony a bonnie boat,
And shook baith meikle corn and bere,

And
In the islands

who

kept the country-side in

it

is

fear."

the men, and the important

men

only,

are believed to possess supernatural power, and direct

supernatural operations
those only
diseases

who

and cause death

the pestilence

agitate the air

according to the popular belief

are in league with the devil

;

who

who shake
;

who

raise epidemics

it is

who bring on

and send forth

the earth, convulse the sea, and

cause the thunders to roar, and the

forked lightnings to issue from the clouds;

who

raise the

tempests, and command the hurricanes that spread desolation

Hence it is some man like Balaam, and
over sea and land.
not a woman like the Witch of Endor, who is consulted and
called
is

in to curse enemies, or tell the

some man

who

like

Manasseh, and not a

fate of battles;

woman

it

like Jezebel,

uses enchantments, practises witchcraft, and deals with

WITCHCRAFT FROM

34
familiar spirits

woman

it is

like the

some man

like

Simon Magus, and not

Pythoness of Philippi,

who

bewitches the

men

people and secures gain by soothsaying ; they are some

Jannes and Jambres, and not simply the wise women, who
withstand the missionaries and counteract their efforts ; it is
like

some men

Elymas the

like

Sorcerer,

and not some women

like

Herodias and Salome, who turn away the deputies or the

chiefs

from the

of the Lord.

faith,

and cease not

With them men

to pervert the right

ways

women are
to women in

are everything,

shows the position long assigned

are credited with the power of the
In
those
heathen isles they have no such
supernatural.
There is no woman in those
position assigned to them.
It

nothing.

this country,

whether young or

islands,

that

is

when they

old, rich or poor, beautiful

eligible to be a witch

With

or ugly,

a certain class of people

it

inhabitants of those islands, at least

was believed that the

when

the islands were

discovered, were living in a state of Arcadian simplicity

that

those children of nature were the happiest beings on earth

that their lives were innocent as those of childhood

wants, and those amply supplied by the bounties of providence

and that they were objects

of envy,

a very great mistake.

Our

become our greatest

curses.

blessing that

happiness

is

but not of

greatest blessings

True religion

pity.

with few

This

is

when perverted
is

the greatest

enjoyed by man, the source of his highest

but false religion

is

one of the greatest curses to

which he can be exposed, the source of his greatest misery.

Perhaps the worst element in the heathenism of the New
Hebrides

is

the system of witchcraft that exists

It is a fearful bondage.
like a reign of terror.

among them.

It keeps the people under something

According to the popular creed, earth,

A MISSIONARY POINT OF VIEW.

35

and

air,

men

are supposed to have full power over all the malignity of

and ocean, are teeming with spirits, all of them

malignant they have no beneficent deities, and the sacred
the unseen world, and can direct

it

against whomsoever they

Hence every one lives more or less in terror.

When Christianity was universally accepted on Aneityum, and

may

think

fit.

the power of the sacred

men had

ceased, as

it

cease, the change to the people was marvellous.

a different atmosphere.

They

all felt, if

certainly did

Men

breathed

not the highest form

of liberty, the truly spiritual, at least a foretaste of this liberty.

In a very palpable sense they were

into light

bondage
dren.

and from the power

of

all

brought out of darkness

Satan unto God

of corruption into the glorious liberty of

On

the Bible,

this account Christianity, as

is

drawn

from the

God

s chil

directly

from

the greatest gift that can be conferred upon them,

the choicest blessing they can possibly receive.

CHAPTER
GIDEON

V.

WATER AS A DOG

SOLDIERS LAPPING

LAPPETII.

So he brought down the people unto the water and the Lord said
unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a
dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself ; likewise every one that
"

boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that
lapped putting their hand to their mouth were three hundred men
but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink
:

JUDGES

water."

vii. 5, 6.

I NEVER understood these two verses

In this country we never lap water

till

I went to Aneityum.

dog ; and when we

like a

put our hand to our mouth, we make a cup of the palm of our
hand, and drink as if it were out of a small cup, in no way
but these men lapped not
with their tongue like a dog, but putting their hand to their
resembling the lapping of a dog

mouth.

However, shortly after I went to Aneityum I saw

what appeared to me to give a satisfactory solution of the

I was standing one day by the side of a stream
difficulty.
where

it

upon

his knees as

heartily,

a native came hurrying along,

he did not, however, bow down

was crossed by a path

but he stopped to drink

most people do among

nor did he

lift

the water to his

formed cup-like as we do

us,

who wish

mouth with

but he stooped

within eighteen inches or so of the water

till

his

I said at once to myself,

his

hand

head was

then he began to

throw up the water into his mouth with his hand as

dog could lap ; and he looked, as near as might
a dog lapping.

to drink

that

is

fast as a
be,

like

the

way

GIDEONS SOLDIERS.

37

had an opportunity scores of

times afterwards, of seeing the natives drink in the same
way ; and I observed that, as a general rule, it was the strong,
Gideon

soldiers

lapped.

the vigorous, and the energetic

who drank water

in this

way;

never the feeble, the lazy, or the easy-going; and the inference
that I drew respecting
his

army was

men

ance of Israel.

intentions towards Gideon and

The Lord wished

this.

in that army,

God s

and with them

to select the very best

to accomplish the deliver

Moreover, this selection was to be made in

such a way, that those not chosen could have no ground of

offence against Gideon,

The proclamation to depart before day of all

and afraid, relieved the army of 22,000

antagonism.

who were

fearful

faint-hearted

soldiers,

mighty men

of valour.

still

too

many

The men were

their

and hence could not be thrown into

mode

for

But the Lord

the basis of

men, presumably

all to

test

was named.

be taken to the water, and according to

at hand,

Mount

all

said that these were

His purpose, and another

of drinking they

of Harod was

10,000

leaving

"

were to be divided.

The Well

gushing from the rocks which form

Gilboa."

"It

supplies a pool of clear

water," says Canon Tristram,

fifty feet in diameter, and at
there
is
this pool
room for a large number to drink together."
"

Here, then, Gideon must have tested his men.

except 300 bowed down upon

300 lapped

like a dog, putting their

The Lord promised

deliver

Israel.

to

All the 10,000

But the

their knees to drink.

hand

to their

Gideon that by those 300

He

mouth.

would

And, judging from what I have seen on

Ancityum, I would infer that they were the very elite of the
whole army, for courage, strength, activity, coolness, and the

power of endurance ; men who knew not the meaning of fear,

and were totally ignorant of faint-heartedness ; men who

GIDEON

38

SOLDIERS.

possessed in the highest degree every soldier-like qualification

men

like the Gadites that joined

hold,

who

David when he was

in the

could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were

and were as swift as the roes upon the

whom it might be said, as David sung of

like the faces of lions,

mountains, and of

Saul and Jonathan,

were stronger than

"

they were swifter than eagles, they

lions."

While God was delivering Israel miraculously, the task He

had appointed for these 300 men required special qualifica
tions

hence there was nothing arbitrary in this apparently

mode

simple

of selecting the valiant

though never employed, so

since, that fully secured

selection,

which

of

David

By

was a means,

it

we know,

the end.

man would

the survival of the

far as

300

either before or

a principle of natural

never have thought

was only men

It

fittest.

of, it

secured

after the type

mighties that could have accomplished the work

When

they were called upon to perform.

panies surrounded

the

camp,

broke

their

their lamps, blew their trumpets, and cried,

the Lord and of

Gideon,"

pitchers,
"

held

The sword

of

was needful that their voices

it

should be like the voices of

the three com

lions, to

strike terror into the

; and when, hungry and

weary, they
went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents, on the coast
of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host of 15,000 men

hearts of their enemies

in

Karkor, when the host was secure,

it

was necessary

like Asahel, they should be light of foot as a wild roe

their

appearance was

unexpected

and

terrific,

that,

hence

and their

and when they tore the flesh of the princes

of Succoth with the thorns of the wilderness, and rased to
enemies

its

fled

foundation

the tower of Penuel, in which the nobles

trusted, they were found in

all

these cases to be

men

of such

LAPPING WATER AS A DOG LAPPETH.

39

could
to God s promise, live of them
powers, that, according
of them could put ten
chase a hundred, and a hundred

thousand to

His

flight,

for they were

God

elect,

and

filled

with

Spirit.

that Dr. Kitto, in his

Since writing the above I observe
has observed the
note on this passage in his Pictorial Bible,
His remarks are so much to the
in the East.

same practice

He says
cannot do better than quote them.
point that I
understood,
have been differently
"These two modes of action
:

and the

first

in particular has been the subject

(the lapping)

of various interpretations.

The dog drinks by shaping the

the form of a spoon, which

end of his long thin tongue into
the water,
introduces into, and withdraws from,
it
rapidly

of the fluid into his mouth.

throwing each time a spoonful
and it is physi
The tongue of man is not adapted to this use,
cally impossible

dog

laps.

instead of

for a

man,

as a
therefore, to lap, literally,

The true explanation, probably, is that these men,

a long draught, or successive
kneeling down to take

the water, employed their hands as the dog

draughts, from
that is, forming it into a hollow spoon,
its tongue

employs

We have often
stream.
and dipping water with it from the
the
to
lapping of a dog
seen it done, and the comparison
spontaneously
tact in this

occurred to our mind.

mode

of drinking,

Practice gives a peculiar

and the interchange

between the water and the mouth

is

so rapidly

of the

hand

managed

as

of the dog s tongue in similar circum

comparable to that
sucked out of the
Besides, the water is not usually
stances.

to be

hand into the mouth, but, by a peculiar knack,

close to
the mouth before the hand is brought

is
it,

jerked into
so that the

almost before the

hand is approaching with a fresh supply
resemblance
been swallowed ; this is another
preceding has

GIDEON

4
to the action of a

caravans,

He

dog

we have had

SOLDIERS.

tongue.

When

travelling with small

opportunities of seeing both

processes."

then shows that those knelt down to drink who had

plenty of time, but that those to

whom

time was an object

dog ; and concludes by saying, This explana

tion may help to show how the distinction
operated, and why
lapped like a

those

who

"

lapped, putting their

considered to evince

which peculiarly
was engaged."

fitted

hand to

their

mouth, were

an alacrity and readiness for action

them

for the service on

which Gideon

Thus both the Antipodes and the Orient supply testimony

minute accuracy of the Scripture narrative; so
that by the mouth of at least two witnesses every word of the
as to the

Bible

may

be established.

CHAPTER

VJ.

SHIBBOLETH VERSUS SIBBOLETH.

Gileaclitcs took the passages of

And the
ites

and

was

it

so,

that

when those

Jordan before the Ephraimwere

escaped
Ephrairnites which
of Gilead said unto him, Art thou

me go over that the men

unto him, Say now
an Ephraimite ? If he said, Nay then said they
he could not frame to pronounce
Shibboleth and he said, Sibboleth for
of Jordan.
Then they took him, and slew him at the passages
it

said Let

right.

JUDGES

THE

xii. 5, 6.

half-tribe of
Gileadites, * portion of the

Manasseh, had

the east side of the Jordan, and had

300 years on
sound of this word was concerned, the
retained, as far as the
Hebrew pronunciation but the Ephraimites, living

lived for

original
for the

same length

of

time on the west side of the river, had

lost entirely the old original sound,

smoother pronunciation.
this

In

and had adopted a

softer,

languages changes of
The Gileadites were a

all living

kind are continually going on.

a mountainous country, and living
people, inhabiting

pastoral

remote from
of Israel,

cities

hence their language would be the Doric

and they would retain the strong primitive pro

nunciation.

The Ephraimites

lived in the very centre of

were the leading tribe

Canaan, and, next to the tribe of Judah,
And up to this time the ark, the one central altar,
in Israel.

and the tabernacle were

tribe of Ephrairn.
priests

it

at Shiloh, within the boundaries of the

This city was the residence of the leading

was the leading centre

of religion, literature,

and

SHIBBOLETH VERSUS SIBBOLETII.

42
civilization
first

hence the Ephrairnites would naturally take a

and manners, and thus

place for refinement in speech

the stronger and rougher sound would become softer and more
sh

mellifluous

become samech.

would

become s;

the

This would be the

would

shin

letter

new and

fashionable

had become adopted by the whole

pronunciation ;
The word Shibboleth means, first, an ear of corn, and
tribe.
and

next, a river.

it

The crossing

of the river

would soon lead

to the

use of the word by the Ephraimites; the Gileadites would

soon

observe their

secure

an easy

pronunciation

test

for

the word,

of

discovering

and thus

The

enemies.

their

Ephraimites, not knowing the Gileadite pronunciation, and

not suspecting the use to be

easily fall

made

of their answer,

Sh

into the trap thus laid for them.

common sound with

us,

we have from 300

to

is

would
such a

400 words in

the English language commencing with sh, to say nothing

of its frequent occurrences in the middle

and with our organs

of speech the

sound

is

and end

of

words

so easily pronounced

we can hardly understand how any difficulty can be felt

But I may remark that sh is not a
its pronunciation.

that
in

common

sound.

So far as

is

known

to me, the

found in no language spoken in the South Seas.

sound

of sh is

Certainly

it is

found in none of the dialects of the Malay- Polynesian language.

Samoan, the Tongan, the Rarotongan, the Tahitian, nor the Hawaiian. It is not in the Fijian
language, it is not in the Aneityumese ; and, so far as I have
It is not found in the Maori, the

observed,

it is

not found in any other of the Papuan languages.

Dr. Kitto observes that sh

by those who

is

a very

have not learned

it

difficult

sound to acquire

in childhood

Ephraimites were unable to pronounce

escape from this test became impossible.

it,

and hence the

and evasion or

We

found this the

SHIBBOLETH VERSUS S1BBOLKTH.

43

The sound of sh is not found in the

Aneityum.
natives did not seem capable of acquiring the
language; and the

case on

never could pronounce English

power to pronounce it. They
come to
words containing this sound. The nearest they could
and sect. So
&c., was sirt, sip, seep,
shirt, ship, sheep, sheet,

on that
that had the Aneityumese been with the Ephraimites
slain at
memorable day, every one of them would have been
for not one of them could have said
the fords of the Jordan
;

Shibboleth, every one of

But we have a

them would have

parallel case

among

said Sibboleth.

ourselves.

No

English

in
man can pronounce ch and gh as they are pronounced
loJc.
he
says
Ask an Englishman to say loch, and
Scotland.

Ask him

to say

Wa ;

Waugh, and he says

or ask

him

to say

Gouyh, and he says Go/.

Bat

this process of change, such as that

among

the

Ephraimites we

eyes in the

on daily under our own

As

I have said the Malay-

South Sea Islands.

Polynesians have not sh

which took place

see going

but except in one principal group,

have
that of Samoa, and two or three small groups, they
In all the other groups they use h instead of s ;
not even s.

viz.,

thus

tasi,

one, in

Samoan, becomes

a friend, becomes hoa.

instead of the

s,

And

tahi, one, in

Maori, and soa,

not only do they use the h

but they cannot pronounce s; the nearest

that a Maori can come to sixpence,

in the early stages of the

New

is to

say hikapene.

And

Zealand colony, one of the

common jokes played upon the Maories by waggish pakehas,

if
or white people, was to offer a native a tempting reward,
he would say,

split

a sixpence

and then to laugh at him

The
sentence.
attempts to pronounce the
to discover
Gileadites could not have devised a surer test

in

his

hopeless

for
an Ephraimite than by asking him to say Shibboleth;

SHIBBOLETH VERSUS SIBBOLETH.

44

was a physical impossibility

it

narrative

is

not a

myth

for

or a fiction,

him

to

it is

true to the

do

The

so.

first

principles of language.

For three hundred years we have adopted Shibboleth as an

English word, equivalent to
political

and

And

test.

religious, has had

its

every party, both

SJiibboleth ;

its

party

some word or formula which expressed its distinctive

principle, and hence every man who had the courage of his
convictions and could not in conscience
pronounce this Shib
test;

boleth,
office,

itself.

evil
off

was according to the temper

of the times, deprived of

or place, or emolument, or
privilege, or liberty, or
Its operation has been good

when

it

excluded the

but the reverse, as has often been the case, when

the good.

life

it

cut

CHAPTER

VII.

SAMSON AND THE FOXES AND FIREBRANDS,

ETC.

in the time of wheat har

it came to pass within a while after,
and he said, I will go in
his wife with a kid
visited
Samson
that
vest,
not suffer him to
would
father
her
but
to my wife into the chamber
father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly
her
And
in.
go
is not her younger
hated her therefore I gave her to thy companion
And
I pray thce, instead of her.
sister fairer than she ? take her,
blameless than the
be
more
I
shall
Now
them,
Samson said concerning
"Eat

went and

And Samson
though I do them a displeasure.
took firebrands, and turned tail to tail,
and
hundred
three
foxes,
caught
when he had
and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. And
into the standing corn of the
set the brands on fire, he let them go

Philistines,

and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn,
Who hath
with the vineyards and olives. Then the Philistines said,
of the Timnite,
son-in-law
the
Samson,
And
answered,
done this ?
they
And
his companion.
because he had taken his wife, and given her to
her father with fire."the Philistines came up, and burnt her and
Philistines,

JUDGES

XV. 1-6.

Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the
Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the
king s face. Therefore
not come to him: and when he sent again the
would
he
but
king
said unto his servants,
second time, he would not come. Therefore he
and he hath barley there go and set it
See, Joab s field is near mine,
And Absalom s servants set the field on fire. Then Joab arose,
"So

on

fire.

to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore

Absalom answered Joab,
have thy servants set my field on fire ? And
that I may send thee to
Come
hither,
unto
thce, saying,
Behold, I sent
Wherefore am I come from Geshur ? it had been good
to
the

and came

say,

king,

have been there still: now therefore let

in me, let him
face; and if there be any iniquity
for

meto

came

to the king,

"And

and

when he

laid hold

on

and told

him."

(the Levite) was

his concubine,

SAMUEL

me

see the king s

kill

me.

So Joab

xiv. 28-33.

come into his house, he took a knife,

and divided her, together with her

SAMSON AND

46

bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.
And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done

nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the
land of Egypt unto this day consider of it, take advice, and
speak
your minds. Then all the children of Israel went out and gathered as
one man unto the Lord in Mizpeh, four hundred thousand footmen.
:

Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness ?
the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered
and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my

And

concubine, to lodge. And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and
beset the house round about me by night, and
thought to have slain

me; and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead. And I
took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her
throughout all
the country of the inheritance of Israel; for
they have committed
lewdness and folly in Israel. Behold, ye are all the children of Israel ;
give here your advice and counsel. JUDGES xix. 29, 30, and xx.
1-7.

And

the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those

tidings,
and his anger was kindled greatly. And he took a yoke of oxen, and
hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of
Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth
"

after Saul

and

after Samuel, so shall

it be done unto his oxen.

And
upon the people, and they came out with one
consent. And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel
were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand."

the fear of the Lord

SAMUEL

WHEN

xi.

fell

6-8.

Samson

father-in-law had taken his wife and

given
her to another man, Samson did not remonstrate with him,
or threaten him with legal proceedings.
Neither did he go
to the judge at Timnath, and cry, like the
importunate widow,

Avenge me

mine adversary.

of

regarded as unavailing.
rioters of our

own

Such a course he no doubt

Neither did he, like the Strome Ferry

human law in order to

time, violate the

In seeking redress he kept

strictly
within constitutional lines, within use and wont, within the

vindicate the divine.

law of the land.

Hence when, on a

beautiful harvest

morn

ing, the Philistines looked out and saw nothing for miles
around but one unbroken conflagration, fields of wheat, vine-

THE FOXES AND FIREBRANDS,

and olive-yards

yards,

charred, and

Who

all

47

crackling and blazing, or black,

reduced to ashes,

hath done this

ETC.

and when

to the

inquiry,

the answer was returned, Samson, the

son-in-law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife and

the authorities did not do as

given her to his companion,
a strong body of police to
out
send
ours would have done,

found no fault
apprehend and imprison the incendiary, they
But when the elders of the land met and took
with Samson.
their seats in the gate of

Timnath, they agreed unanimously,

and at once, that the Timnite and his daughter should suffer
And the punishment was summary, for
for Samson s crime.
before night, after the

both burned with

hundred

manner

of the Philistines, they

were

we

find

fire.

and

twenty-five

afterwards

years

Absalom acting on the same principle towards Joab. Once

and again Absalom sends a messenger to Joab, asking Joab
But Joab, on the way back from Geshur, had
to visit him.
and aims of
evidently discovered the character, principles,
him to the
to
introduce
wish
no
therefore
had
Absalom, and
court,

that with David s other sons he should be a chief

ruler;

and hence refused to

visit

Absalom.

Upon

this

Absalom does not write him a letter of remonstrance, or

and reproach him
upon himself, as we might have done,
but
he
at once sends his
or
of
for want
courtesy ;
friendship

call

and

brought to
him the commander-in-chief, and secured the interview which
servants to burn Joab s field of barley

this

he so much desired, and Joab accepted his explanation as to

the burning of the barley.

Now

this is not our

as these

are

part of the

way

common

common law

of doing things

occurrences on

but such things

Aneityum

they are

of the land, a necessary part of their

SAMSON AND

48

criminal and ordinary jurisprudence.

self

aggrieved,

him

If a native finds

does not go to the offender and expostulate

lie

with him, nor does he go to the chief and lodge an information

against the offender, but he goes and commits some injury on

some one

property, either on the offender s or on somebody s

as the case

else,

order to arouse public attention,

be, in

may

and to lead people to inquire, Who has done this ? and for
what purpose has it been done 1 In this way publicity is
given to the grievance, and public sympathy
the aggrieved

is

is

man

the injured

complained to the

might have been neglected.

his complaint

opinion

the evil

Had

is satisfied.

secured for

is

redressed, and the aggrieved

man

chief,

But when public

brought to bear strongly on a grievance, redress

The natives resort now and again

almost sure to follow.

is

mode

to this

of redress in all matters,

On

most important.

to the

bananas cut down in

of

On

ground, not stolen.

from the most

one occasion I found a

my

garden, and

left

bunch

lying on the

who had done

inquiring

trifling

fine

this, I

found

had been done by a young lad who had once lived on

our premises. When I sent for him he never denied the
that

it

and when I asked him why he had done this

I did
because So-and-so
two lads living with us
he said,

deed

"

"

"

it,"

"

had said so-and-so about me, which was not

my

heart; and I did

and reprove
me and tell

ndlw unyima

them."

me

this that

But

about
"

nigki

it

true,

you might ask

I said,

"

this is our

about

it,

did not you come to

Why
"

yourself

and so broke

me

"

Oh,"

custom

said he,

this is

"

tup

our way of

doing things.

On
ment

another occasion the proprietor of a whaling establish

sent

me

letter, telling

lived about a mile

from

my

me

station,

that

a native

who

had stolen a musket from

THE FOXES
man

a white

employment, and asking me

in his

in recovering

AN1) FIREBRANDS, ETC.

49

to assist

him

I sent for the man, and inquired about

it.

He

the stealing of the musket.

never denied the theft j yea,

he seemed rather desirous that publicity should be given to

the

When I asked him why he had

fact.

frankly said

"You

of the whale-boats

from me, and given

It broke

me.

my

know

that last year I had charge of one

but this year Mr. So-and-so has taken

to another

it

heart

how badly

had been

of

1ST

expressed

in

me and

inquire,

grievances

public

opinion

was

man s

and the young

his favour,

and then I could

The musket was returned,

The community were thus made
freely

heart

was

and comforted.

relieved

On

fair to

used."

but the object was gained.

aware

man, which was not

it

I was angry, and I stole the musket,

that they might send after

tell

stolen the musket, he

another occasion one of our very best natives,

who had

been living, both he and his wife, for a long time on our
premises, supplied another example of this custom.

been acting as cook, and his wife as housemaid.

given great satisfaction
strangely.

My

but

all

at once he

wife could not comprehend

He
He

had
had

began to act very

; her patience

him

became quite worn out with him ; and one day she said to me,
I do wish you would speak to So-and-so. I do not know what
"

is

come over him

to

me when

He

he acts so strangely.

of late,

actually refuses to do

what

I speak to him, and scarcely ever gives

answer; and

this

never

I bid him, but he turns his back

me

a civil

morning, while his wife was passing the

kitchen door, ho threw a stone at her, and struck her on the

head.

It looks to

me

as

if

then took the native into

meaning

he were going out of his

my

mind."

study, and asked him what the

of this conduct was, so different

from

all his

past

SAMSON AND

50
conduct.

know

said he,

"Oh,"

be a teacher

I would like

I said,

somewhere."

If

difficulty.

three months,

am
me to

come and

way

tell

of

"

me

am

"If

am

that

But,"

said

things,"

I,

"

will

then

did you not

"why

change?"

he said

"Oh,

this is

EJc atimi imtita atimi

a very timid man, and I did not like to speak

but I did these things that you might ask

his work,

there will be

is all

changing the teachers, I

that you wanted a

doing

"

ainydk

you would appoint

if

you go on with your work here, and wait for

till

appoint you to a school.

our

You

to ask me.

that I have been a long time about this house, and I

anxious for a change.

no

wanted you

"I

and gave us entire

him

satisfaction,

three months I appointed

He

me."

resumed

and at the end

of

to be a teacher.

I have known a man, whose wife had proved unfaithful to him,

with some worthless woman, not from any

actually go

and

love of the

woman, but simply to

live

call public attention to

conduct of his oAvn wife, and to evoke public

sympathy

the
for

himself in connection with his domestic troubles.

After we found out this custom we had no

the natives about

it.

In the

first

difficulties

with

years of the mission

were often puzzled with the conduct

of natives

we

they were

and wayward, and troublesome, and we knew not what

was the matter with them but after we discovered the
sullen,

when any native began to act in any

strange sort of way, especially if he was living on or near the
mission premises, I at once took him into my study, and asked
existence of this custom,

him, in as kindly a tone as possible, as to

broken his heart.

who

or what

had

Sometimes he would own to nothing, and

then I talked seriously, but not angrily, to him for acting

and generally with good

something that somebody had

thus,

was owing to
or done, the grievance was

results

said

but

if it

THE FOXES AND FIREBRANDS,

inquired into, the injured

man was

ETC.

and the matter

satisfied,

ended.

In a rude or corrupt state of society, where judges have

little fear of God, and little regard for man
where the strong
;

arm

of the

law and the firm hand of justice can be put into

motion only with extreme

when

requires

and an open display

of

difficulty;

strong expression of public opinion,

public sympathy, before the redress of

it

any serious grievance

can be obtained, this mode of proceeding has many obvious

advantages; and no doubt was resorted to on that account,

though not for a moment to be thought

Had Samson

ours.

of in a country like

laid his grievance before

Lords of the Philistines,

it is

doubtful

if

any one

of the

the slightest atten

would have been paid to his complaint.

"A
family
he
would
have
and
it
settle
said; "go
squabble,"
among
tion

yourselves."

But when a whole country-side

rose

up burning

with anger to inquire into the cause of this incendiarism, the

Lords of the Philistines were suddenly aroused to a sense

of their danger,

the delinquents.

and retribution swift and

Joab

political

terrible overtook

sagacity

danger to the state that lurked in the

discovered

fair face,

the

the smooth

tongue, and the comely person of Absalom, and his aim was
to keep him from the court as long as possible ; hence
Absalom might have sent twenty messengers to Joab instead
of two,

without securing a

Jerusalem knew that Absalom

field of barley, it

from him.

visit
s

But when

all

servants had burnt Joab

was at once known that Absalom had some

serious grievance against Joab,

found that his Fabian

and the cautious statesman

tactics, his

masterly inactivity, his do

nothing policy, would no longer serve his purpose, that at

whatever hazard he must visit the irrepressible and popular

SAMSON AND

52

The Levite might have gone to Shiloh and repre

sented his wrong, both to Phinehas and to the whole college
prince.

of priests,

arm

but no redress would have been given him

the

was weak.

There was not only no king, but

no judge in Israel at that time. Joshua was dead, and
Othniel had not been called to office.
But when the mes
of justice

sengers went through

all

the twelve tribes of Israel, and

exhibited the mangled fragments of the Levite s concubine

to the elders of every city as they sat in the
gate, a universal

shudder was

felt

they

all

knew that some

came up as one man

to Mizpeh.

It

terrible crime

had

Dan

to Beersheba,

was on

lines of policy

been committed, and the Israelites, from

when he slew the yoke of oxen,

and sent them through all the coasts
of Israel ; the people recognised under this action the terrible
danger to which the nation was exposed, and a unanimous
similar to this that Saul acted

hewed them

in pieces,

and instant response was given to the summons sent to them in

the name of Samuel and of Saul.
The Midlothian Campaign
of Mr. Gladstone, in 1880, which overturned the Beaconsfield
government, was as nothing compared with the action of the
Levite and of the newly anointed king
stone, in its effects,

was

the oratory of Glad

like the striking of a lucifer

the actions of these two men, in their

results,

match

were

like

explosions of dynamite.

But some may say that the

cases I have adduced

customs on Aneityum are

trifling

referred to in the Bible.

This

from the

compared with those I have

is

quite true.

But then the

same laws, that regulate the form and movements of a drop

of water, operate equally

those I have selected

Aneityum

on the whole ocean.

Such cases as

from the Bible could not occur on

the people are too few, and the time I have

THE FOXES AND FIREBRANDS,

referred to, only a quarter of a century,

from the time

was a period

is

of the Levito till that of

of nearly

ETC.

too short, whereas

Joab and Absalom

While the

500 years.

53

cases recorded

in the sacred narrative were typical as regarded the customs,

and not of everyday occur

they were exceptional in degree,
the wife of a stranger,
that
not
It was
rence.
every night
a Levite, a minister of the sanctuary, on his way to the
house of God, was forcibly taken from him, abused, and mur
streets of one of the principal cities of
dered, in the
public

Israel while the elders took

no notice of the crime.

It

was

not every day that a judge of Israel, of the type of Samson,

had his newly married wife taken
impulsive and irrepressible,
to another man, while the authorities
from him and

given
never once inquired into the

case.

It

was not every day,

over God s people,

king had been newly anointed
of their principal
to
one
laid
Ammon
of
that the king
siege

when

a-

and through the elders of that city sent a reproachful

And it was not every day that there was
taunt to all Israel.
between the favourite son of the king and the
a

cities,

rupture

commander

of all the forces of Israel.

But

it is

only such

cases as these that are put in record by the sacred writers.

The custom, however, was no doubt

minor cases
nature

is

effects;

toms.

of

would bo

it

the same

and

The

like

Bible

in

all

of

in constant existence,

Human

daily occurrence.

ages;

like

causes

and

produce like

states of society will produce similar cus

is

true to the principles of

human

nature

hence the most unlikely events, and the most

like statements, recorded in sacred history, can. be paralleled

incredible-

in the

most unexpected quarters at the present day.

CHAPTER

VIII.

MICAH S MOTHER CURSING.

And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that
"

were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also
in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me I took it.
And his mother
JUDGES xvii. i, 2.
said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son."
;

THIS case of cursing is unique. So far as we remember no

other case of the kind is recorded in the Bible.
But yet at
the end of 3300 years
in the

On

New

we

find the very

same

practice existing

Hebrides.

one occasion

my

wife and I were on a visit to Mr. and

Mrs. Copeland, on Futuna, an island

fifty

miles north-east

Aneityum. One morning at daylight we were awakened

by a tremendous shouting noise outside the mission premises,
of

and looking out we saw an elderly woman screaming at the

As the Futuna
top of her voice, in the most angry tones.
language

is

totally different

from the language spoken on

Aneityum, we did not understand what the woman was say

ing; we only heard that she was loud, angry, and terribly
in earnest.

However, when we met our friends at breakfast,

for the sake of health always the first thing attended to in

the mission families on the islands,

we

learned that

all this

excitement had been caused by some stealing during the night.

Some property had been taken, as Micah euphoniously ex
pressed

it

in his

mother s

case, out of the

woman s house

MICAH

MOTHER CURSING.

as
and as soon as she discovered her loss,
during the night,
With
it by cursing.
the custom is on Futuna, she proclaimed
she was curs
could
command,
she
voice that
all

the power of

one of the Futuna gods to

ing the thief; imploring every
the head of the
down their most awful judgments on

pour

awful curses,
that so the offender, fearing the
poor culprit;
and
superstitious
Ignorant
restore the stolen goods.

might

so
people fear nothing

much

as curses and imprecations of

In former times in this country,

this kind.

it

was the

fear

followed by judgments, that

that their imprecations would be
or in
witches such power in levying blackmail,
gave reputed
loud
cried
woman
In this case the
securing good presents.
with intense earnestness that
that they might hear her, and
she was successful, for before our
might fear her ; and

they

The

was restored.
breakfast was over the stolen property
scene

was now

crime of

totally changed, anger gave

way

to joy

the

overlooked, and the warmest

stealing was entirely

invoked
blessings were

upon the head

of the thief, because

We

have no such custom

the stolen property was returned.

the Aneityumese are Papuans,
as this on Aneityum ; but then

whereas the Futunese are Malays,

descendants of

Ham;

descendants of

Sliem, the

same

as the Israelites.

Micah

as they do on Futuna.
mother had evidently acted very much
that the chest con
found
One morning when she rose, she
and the bags
her treasure had been broken open,

taining

of silver had been taken away.

containing her 1100 shekels
to
An old divine says that outward losses drive good people
This is the
curses."
their prayers, but bad people to their
"

effect, as

we

see,

among

the heathen on Futuna, and Micah

she was

like old clothes

mother had strong heathen

proclivities,

tainted with the plague

as good old Bishop Hall says of

MICAH S MOTHER CURSING.

56
"

her,

of

After

all

her airing in the desert, she will

So as soon as she discovers her

Egypt."

still

loss,

smell

the curse

and not the prayer rises to her lips. So

hastening to the
door, and lifting up her voice to its highest pitch, she awakens
the whole household.

Micah

words ring in his ears

till

forth against the

unknown

starts

from his bed, and her

both of them tingle, as she pours

thief a string of maledictions, as

terrible as those contained in the

27th chapter of Deuteronomy.

Micah hearing those dreadful curses, and knowing his guilt,
was struck with more than superstitious fear, for his con
science bore witness against him, and, dreading lest

some

judgment from God should overtake him, he went to

mother and confessed the crime, and told her that the

terrible

his

eleven hundred shekels of silver, about which she had uttered

those dreadful curses, were with him,
restore them.

as

The poor woman,

much overcome with

and that he would

like her sister

joy as she had been

on Futuna,

carried

away

with anger, pours forth her benedictions upon her son, utterly
forgetful of the theft,

and, as

if

to intercept them,

my

son."

and thinking only

of the restitution

afraid that her curses would take effect, she hastens

and

"

says,

Blessed be thou of Jehovah,

Some commentators think

that Micah

mother

adjured her son, or put him to his oath about the money,
and thus extorted the confession from him ; but as appears
to us, the custom

on Futuna affords a much more natural

Thus in a rocky islet,

far amid the melan
explanation.
choly main," comes forth a witness for the historic truth and
"

accuracy of the Old Testament Scriptures.

tenants of the rock, in accents

rude,"

all

Even

there

"

the

unconsciously, bear

testimony to the truth of the inspired Record.

deserve the Bible in return for such a service

Do

they not

CH APT Ell
A SINGLE
"

After

whom

is

IX.

FLEA.

the king of Israel come out

after

whom

dost thou

dead dog, after a flea?" i SAMUEL xxiv. 14.

For the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth
hunt a partridge on the mountains." i SAMUEL xxvi. 20.

pursue? after a
"

one of those slight allusions which clearly prove that

In this country one royal
the Bible was written in the East.

Tnis

is

have employed
personage speaking to another would never
in speaking
used
once
and
the illustration, which David
again

But there the

to Saul.

ence to

it

was quite

flea

was

natural.

so well

unmentionable in the hearing of ears

fleas

known, that a

In this country
polite.

its

refer

name

is

In the East

are so plentiful and so well known, that Kitto says

even ladies have no delicacy in speaking openly about them

in public companies.

Canon Tristram

says,

"Fleas

are the

inhabitants and of travellers in the

great pests both of the
Holy Land, and it is impossible to keep free from them.

They are the only vermin towards which the natives have
a thorough animosity, and which can disturb even Moslem
equanimity.
their
if

Their numbers force the Bedouins to change

camps more frequently than they otherwise would, and

the luckless traveller incautiously pitches upon the site of

camp which has been deserted even for a month, he is soon

away by the swarms of fleas, which rise from the dust

driven

A SINGLE FLEA.

58

and the refuse stubble on the ground, where they are con
cealed in

myriads."

New

In

New

Zealand,

Sea Islands

in all the South

New

Caledonia, the
fleas

Hebrides, and

are one of the greatest

pests, so that one chief speaking to another as

David did

would excite no surprise. As in the East even ladies

When
can talk about them and not be accused of vulgarity.
to Saul

we went

first to

New

Zealand, one morning, shortly after our

Manawatu

settlement on the

river,

on looking

out,

was

shocked to see one of the principal chiefs of the district

standing with his blanket spread out on a fence before him,

and he himself busily engaged catching and killing fleas

But as time went on my sensibilities on this point became
!

very

much

common

blunted

such or similar exhibitions were far too

surprise.

These insects breed in the

ground, especially in the sand,

and during certain months

to excite

in the year

although

any

no amount
can

it

do

of cleanliness

much

Aneityum, and I suppose

can eradicate them,

On
keep them bearable.
will be the same elsewhere,

to

it

about the month of November, when the weather becomes

warm and

it

dry,

makes the

place too hot for the fleas,

they nearly disappear for some months.

deserted houses soon become very

vermin, and any person

who unawares

comes out with quite a colony

the other hand,

when

much

of fleas

As

in Palestine,

infested with these

enters one of them,

adhering to him.

a native erects a

and

new

On

house, and gets

the floor covered with fresh, clean cocoa-nut mats, every

native in the neighbourhood wishes to come and sleep in that
house,

it is

for

some weeks

There are two species of

European.

They

so comfortable.
fleas

are about the

on Aneityum a native and a

same size and the same colour,
;

A SINGLE FLEA.

59
has long

but quite distinct in appearance.

The native

straddling hind-legs, and

to belong rather

creeping than the

appears

"jumping

cattle."

a comparatively recent importation.

island in this

the harbour

way

of

One

well as the dog

fleas
is

fleas

which

native stole

harboured as

it

have remained, multiplied, and

how

curious

insect, as well as other

One

extended over the earth.

are

life,

It

increased ever since.

forms of

but unhappily he got more

he got the

and the

inland

flea is

to the

anchored in

of the first vessels that

it off

than he bargained for

to the

The European
It was brought

Aneityum had a dog on board.

the dog, and carried

flea

of

the

Wesleyan missionaries told me that, when they went to

Tonga, there were no mosquitoes there; but on one occasion

when the

missionaries were assembled at their annual con

ference, one of

them looked out

at a window,

came no one could

and there was

Whence they

a cloud of mosquitoes in front of the house.

They had been wafted no doubt by

But they main

tell.

the wind from some other island or group.

tained their footing there ever after.

The

existence of

fleas

in those

Palestine, that cannot be ignored

islands
;

is

fact,

as in

no prudent reserve can

conceal the fact that they are one of the household pests of

the South Seas.

and

But although, while with native houses

natives living as they do,

it is

extremely

difficult to

abate

the nuisance, yet in the mission-houses, by care, cleanliness,

and great

activity, if

they cannot be quite extirpated, they

can at least be reduced

quantity,"

to

something like a

and kept, something

under tribute

and

if

still

"

vanishing

like the Canaanites of old,

a living, yet not a reigning power,

occasionally irritating, but never dangerous neighbours.

But there are no bugs on the

islands.

If they do chance

60

A SINGLE FLEA.

be brought, as they sometimes are, by vessels,

they are
killed
out
immediately
by the cockroaches, a species of beetle
to

which buzzes but never bites any human

being
Mrs. Carlyle

lived, not in Chelsea, but in the

so that

had

New

Hebrides,
she might have had occasion to send out her maids to look
the bedclothes on the fences; but she would not have been
required to

bugs in 5
her

commence those

Eow

Cheyne

energetic crusades against the

which she describes so graphically

in

letters.

Men

have the rare faculty of

dignifying not only

of genius

When Burns

humble, but even disgusting objects.

publishing his

Lady

"Address

proposed

to a Louse, on
Seeing one on a

Bonnet at Church," Mrs. Dunlop and

all his lady friends

strongly opposed his intentions; but genius prevailed over
prudence ; he published the poem, and criticism and

posterity

have approved of his resolution.

Beaconsfield

It

was only a

man

Lord

of

genius that could stand up in the House of

and
tell
that august assembly, that in
Lords,
comparison with
s

the enormous wealth of this

country, the National Debt was

a mere flea

lite,

and thus convert an expression, otherwise

So it was the poet in

vulgar, to one of classical propriety.

David, and not the prince, that seized this humble, and rather
coarse proverb, and, by the unconscious touch of his
genius,
raised it up to dignity and
He expressed his
elegance.
humility in tones of honest genuine pathos, by comparing
himself, in the first instance, to a dead
and a flea and

dog

in the second to a
partridge

and a

flea

but on both occasions

the flea stands prominently out, as the

object of comparison.

David was
able, that

out

"

so harmless, and, in his

he says

He

is

"After

whom

own

is

estimation, so despic

the king of Israel come

not come out in search of royal

game

he

is

not

A SINGLE FLEA.
ho

hunting lions or bears

not even deer stalking

is

ho

is

pursuing a dead dog, hunting a partridge upon the mountains

he

come out

is

says

Matthew Henry,

sought,

and

to seek a flea, a single flea.

is

if it

"

which

not easily found

be caught,

is

(as

if it

"

A creature,

some have observed),

be found,

is

if it

be

not easily caught

a poor prize, especially for a

prince."

It is recorded to the disgrace of one of the late

Roman

emperors, that he occupied a good part of his time in killing

flies

with a bodkin, and that on one occasion, when a nobleman

asked one of the pages

his room, the

We

page said

Emperor had any company

the

if

No

"

game laws

smile at the

not even a single

in Tahiti,

in

fly."

and the royal hunts

as practised there before the introduction of Christianity.

In

Ellis s

"

Polynesian Researches

"

a graphic picture exhibits

a view of royalty while enjoying this privilege.

There were

but when the king and queen

travelled, they were always carried on men s shoulders, with

no horses on the island

their feet hanging

who were

down

in front, over the breasts of the

carrying them

respectively

the exclusive privilege of hunting over the heads of the

their heads were

men

and they possessed

men

the royal preserves set apart as special

hunting ground for the king and queen of Tahiti, and they
were privileged to eat all the game that they caught.

The natives

of

Aneityum can employ low and undignifled

comparisons, without intending or wishing to be vulgar, and

without really being

girl

so.

One day

my

wife was giving a

little

a lesson in the letters, and to see that she was not

learning them by rote, she began to try her on them crosswise,

by pointing

to

them

in different directions.

as the pencil she Avas using

When she pointed

was not very sharp, the girl

was
not
sure
whether
she
was pointing to j or to Jc, and
evidently
to./,

A SINGLE FLEA.

62
said

Do you mean

"

the one with the/?/ dung on

referring to the dot above the

s

homely

illustration to

mother,

j.

assist

head

"

She afterwards found that

when teaching

the girl

its

her,

had employed this

her memory; an illustration

but one of the most obvious to a native,

original to us,

inasmuch as greatly to the annoyance of both natives and

foreign residents, at least those who have any responsibility
about cleaning, especially the cleaning of windows. Those
troublesome insects, wherever they alight, leave marks without
like the dots

number,

especially visible

Burns
fixed

above the letters

gem

and

j,

and which are

glass.

the only poet

as a

it

moral,"

is

on

in

who has immortalised

our national literature,

a louse, and
"

to point a

while the verse, in which that lesson has been incul

more frequently quoted than any

Lord Beaconsfield is the only
orator who has immortalised a flea-bite, and left it to sparkle
cated, has been perhaps

other verse he ever wrote.

as a classical proverb in all time to come, after having

ployed

it

as the most successful

in the defence of reckless

And David was

ture.

em

argument ever brought forth

and extravagant national expendi

the only sacred writer

who

selected

the detested flea as an illustration, and by skilfully using

it

once and again exorcised the evil spirit from the soul of Saul,

gave

it

a place in the pages of inspiration, and

a vehicle of spiritual instruction to

God hath chosen the base things

all

made

generations.

of the world,

it

to

be

Verily

and things

which are despised, and things which are not, to bring to

nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in His
presence.

The

When

flea

seems

still

to cleave to the lips of Oriental princes.

Tawhiao, the Maori king, was in this country, he was

63

A SINGLE FLEA.
interviewed by one of the staff of the Pall Mall
his

During the process

majesty

chagrin of the interviewer.

his

unwelcome

journalist,

as

When

visitor still there,

I say,

sir,

If

"

persevering."

able wit of the last

fell

asleep,

Tawhiao said

seen
simile

stood

if

to the offended

as a flea, and
you are as troublesome
a fashion
been
had
the Maori monarch

century,"

a flea in his

to the

he woke up, and found

said a writer to the press,

could scarcely have turned out a neater

doubtful, however,

much

Gazette.

epigram."

"he

It

is

the interviewer, who had perhaps never

would understand the force of the

life,

he would certainly not do so as clearly as Saul under

But

David.

this

naturally from the lips of

myself, had

form of speech came easily and

Tawhiao and to any one who, like
in New Zealand, and a good
;

lived eight years

time in the interior, and who had slept many

part of that
known by
a night in a Maori u-Jiare, or native hut, and had
the illus
such
to
of such bedfellows
experience the habits

and pithy.
though homely, would seem pat
the
contemptible insect with
General Gordon too could use
When Sebastapol fell the Russians," he said,
good effect.
carried off everything from the vile place, literally every

tration,

"

"

thing, but rubbish

and/eas."

CHAPTER

X.

THE GOING IN THE TOPS OF THE MULBERRY TREES.

"And the Philistines came
up yet again, and spread themselves in
the valley of Eephaim. And when David inquired of the Lord, he said,
Thou shalt not go up but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon
;

them over against the mulberry-trees.

And let it be, when thou hearest

the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou
shalt bestir thyself for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite
:

And David did as the Lord had commanded

the host of the Philistines.

2

him."

SAMUEL

v.

22-25

THE Hebrew word

understood
"There is

now

ancl

>

CHRONICLES

xiv. 13-16.

lecdtm, translated mulberry,

to be the

every reason to

is

generally

same as our poplar or aspen

believe,"

the mulberry here means the

and sagacious John Brown

says Dr. Tristram,

aspen."

of

tree,
"that

The eminently sound

Haddington, the

first,

and,

considering his advantages, the greatest of all the Browns,

By a sound, made no doubt by angels, on the tops of

those trees in the valley of Rephaim, was David warned when
"

says,

to attack the

Philistines."

This was a natural explanation a

hundred and more years ago.

But there does not appear to us to

be any occasion for calling in angelic agency here ; no mention
is made of angels in the text, and the sound of a
going might,
we think, be produced by ordinary agencies.
have no

We

wish to follow in the wake of the so-called higher criticism,

and eliminate the supernatural out of nearly every portion of
the Biblical narrative
in the supernatural
to be sufficient.

but neither have we any wish to

where the natural appears,

God

is

call

as in this case,

ever sparing in His putting forth of

GOING IN THE TOPS OF THE MULBERRY TREES. 65

miraculous or supernatural energy.
free to
Although lie
as
the
Westminster
Confession
work,"
without, above,
"is

"

says,

and against means,

at

His pleasure;

providence, Tie maketli use of

approved translation, Psalin

"

spirits

or

civ. 4,

should be rendered,

messengers."

Now,

them."

"

"

His ordinary

in

yet,

According to the most

maketh His angels

Who

Who maketh

as appears to us,

winds His angels

winds were quite

under the ordinary providence of God, to cause the

sound of a going to be heard in the
I have
tops of the trees.

sufficient,

read somewhere, though I cannot remember in what

book,
that the mulberry or aspen did not
grow near the sea

shore,

or in the Philistian territory

in the valleys in the

but in the high table land, and

neighbourhood of Jerusalem.

this to be the case, our

explanation is

Assuming

simple and natural.

The sound

of these leaves, when moved

by a light breeze,
would be a phenomenon unknown to the Philistian
soldiery.
The night wind blowing upon the groves of
aspen trees, with
their tremulous leaves, would
produce such a sudden and, to

them, unwonted sound as might be easily believed to be the

tread of a numerous and powerful
enemy.

At

this

moment

they Avere so timid and suspicious, that the sound of a shaken

leaf would chase them, and
as
they would flee.

Encamped,

the Philistines were, in an

enemy s

country, and in the very

where they had formerly been defeated, and that

enemy, too, still under the command of David, a man so able
and courageous, so noted for skill and
for skill in
locality

prowess

devising stratagems, and determination in carrying them out

a man who, ever since the
day he slew Goliath, had been a

terror to the Philistines

man whose name

the Philistian

mothers had ever since invoked as a terror with which to

frighten their children into quietness,

when they could not

THE GOING IN THE TOPS

66
otherwise

still

their crying

just as, in ages long after,

it is

Oriental mothers stilled their crying children by

gaid the

threatening them with the

name

Richard Occur de Lion.

of

In these circumstances, when David, by the command of God,

who knew the end from the beginning, and knew at what
time the wind would blow, had led his

men round

to the rear

and was waiting the divinely appointed

when the Philistines had newly set the middle watch,

of the Philistian host,

signal

and

was again still and quiet, suddenly there springs up a

on a thousand aspen trees the leaves quiver,

all

gentle breeze

watchmen are

startled

it is

like the

sound of a multitude

they give the alarm, the half-sleeping soldiei S awake.

is

this

They are startled and

In another instant from behind the army,

sound on the tops of the trees

panic-stricken.

from the quarter least

David

What

of all expected, a

tremendous shout

arises.

s seven-and-thirty mighties, at the utmost pitch of their

stentorian voices, cry out,

"

The sword

of

Jehovah and of

and the whole Israelitish host prolong the echo,

David
and rush down with irresistible impetuosity on the Philistines,
"

upon

whom

are fleeing

the terror of the Lord has

down

resistless force

smite them

fallen,

and they

the valleys towards the plain in breathless

haste and tumultuous confusion.

them with

now

David and

and with

down from Gibeon

his

men

pursue

irrepressible ardour,

as far as Gazer.

and

The victory

was complete, and so thoroughly was the Philistine power

broken, that it was many a long day before the five lords
durst again

lift

up

their heads, or attempt

an attack upon

Israel.

On Aneityum

there are no aspen trees, but the gentle

breeze, in a quiet night, stirring the leaflets of the cocoa-nut

palm, produces a sound that would not be unlike the going

OF THE MULBERRY TREES.

67

mulberry trees it is a sound exactly like

To a stranger the illusion
that of a heavy shower of rain.
is so complete that the rustling is often mistaken for the
in the tops of the

When

rain.

at

went

to

Aneityurn in 1852, I

Mrs. Inglis

left

Anelgauhat with Mrs. Geddie, and Mr. Geddie and I went

Aname

round to

rooms

New

from

Wo

Zealand.

we

we might erect two

which I had brought

station, that

my

to

a weather-boarded

of

house,

had

to

foundation

build a stone

Although it was in the

hence
the
and
middle of winter there,
July,
beginning
and
the days hot, and working
yet the weather was line,
before

could erect the frame.

of

hard

day under a tropical sun, a kind of labour too, to

had not for a long time been accustomed, when

all

which

night came I

Amosa, the

felt

very

Samoan

trees.

On

happens,

clear
It

trees.

was raining heavily

how

broken

and

glad

lo

of a

and calm, not

had been blow

as

but,

had calmed down before sunset.

night I happened to awake

the weather

was

wind during the day,

ing a fresh trade

house of

the

second or third night,

the

to bed, the evening

a breath of wind was moving the

it

slept in

teacher, which stood in the midst

grove of cocoa-nut

when we went

We

tired.

it

often

During the

as appeared to me,

I felt

Now, thought

it
I,

heavy rain, I shall get a

good rest to-morrow, and I do need it. I turned myself, and
At daybreak, shortly after
fell asleep with pleasing hopes.
is

six o clock, I again

hold singing their

finished,

to

my

I arose

there

is

awoke, and heard

hymn

Amosa and

at family worship.

his house

When

they had

and looked out at the window, and

great disappointment, instead of a pouring wet

ing and a day

minded

of

s rest,

Thomson

there,

morn

had expected, I was forcibly re

well-known lines
as I

THE GOING IN THE TOPS

68

But yonder comes the powerful king

"

Kejoicing in the east

of day,

"

the earth flooded with his light, and another hard, toilsome

day

sun.

work before me, under the rays of this tropical burning

The supposed rain during the night was only the sound

of the cocoa-nut leaflets

moved by a gentle

breeze, resembling

the going in the tops of the mulberries.

Twelve years

later,

in

1864, and about the same season

James D. Gordon, afterwards murdered

of the year, the Rev.

by a native of Eromanga, arrived at

Scotia.

room

He

Aneityum from Nova

landed at Anelgauhat, and was occupying a bed

at the end of the printing-office, at a

from the mission-house.

One

short distance

beautifully clear, calm night,

shortly after his arrival, he went to bed as usual, but

some

time during the night he awoke, and heard, as seemed to

him, a heavy rain.
"

"What

a pity

it

is,"

he said to himself,

that that valuable box of goods of mine was left outside,

and not put

kept dry

it

must get up

into the boat-house,

will get

at once

where

it

would have been

thoroughly soaked with this rain.

and see what can be

done."

So up

he got in an instant, dressed himself as quickly as possible,

threw on his waterproof, buttoned it up to his chin, got
his umbrella, put his

thumb on the

spring, ready to put

it

up the moment he got out ; he then opened the door, and

was about to sally forth, when, lo to his utter surprise,
!

there was no rain, nothing was to be seen but a cloudless

sky, the stars shining,

the island

and

its

and

"

the

moon walking

in

brightness,"

inhabitants silent as the grave, and no

sound to be heard but the sea breaking on the reef. The

supposed rain was nothing but the rustling sound of the

OF THE MULBERRY TREES.

cocoa-nut

leaflets,

the sound of the midnight breeze playing

with the feathery palm.

hundreds of

69

The resemblance

times we have

is

so complete that

listened to the sound,

and

if

there

was any object to be versed by knowing which was which, we

had to look out at the window, in order to satisfy ourselves
rain.
as to whether the sound was caused by the wind or the

To me therefore

it

does not appear in the least necessary to

in the sound of
suppose that there was anything supernatural
In this instance
the going in the tops of the mulberry trees.

God made the winds His angels or messengers. The super

to
natural was in God instructing David to make a compass
come

in

signal.

behind the Philistian camp, and await the appointed

in the exercise of implicit faith, he did, and
This,

returned a triumphant conqueror.

CHAPTER XL
MINISTERING ANGELS.
"

He

ways.

shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot

against a
"

stone."

Then the

PSALM

xci.

n,

12.

Him up into the holy city, and setteth Him on

devil taketh

a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto Him, If Thou be the Son of
God, cast Thyself down for it is written, He shall give His angels
charge concerning Thee and in their hands they shall bear Thee up,
lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone."
MATTHEW iv. 5, 6.
;

"And

temple,

he brought

Him to

and said unto Him,

Jerusalem, and set Him on a pinnacle of the

Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down

If

from hence for it is written, He shall give His angels charge over Thee,
to keep Thee and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any
time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone." LUKE iv. 9-11.
:

SATAN can quote Scripture very glibly, but he is a very un

He wants honesty, truth,
sound, and a very unsafe expositor.
and moral
applies.

He

principle.

He

quotes incorrectly, and he then mis

quoted incorrectly, by omitting the words,

"

in

thy ways," which limits the promise to a condition, and

then he makes it an unconditional promise.
In all thy
it
indicates
that
was
when
ways clearly
employed in lawful
all

"

"

duty that this help and protection would be afforded

but not

He

had presumptuously, without any call, cast Himself

down from the pinnacle of the temple. As Hengstenberg

if

says

"The

to dangers

language in both of the two verses does not apply

which one

the righteous

man

seeks, but only to such dangers as

unsought, in

his

course

through

meet
life."

MINISTERING ANGELS.
Abraham
me."

servant said

this

recognised

principle

very distinctly,

Lord

when

King

very angry, and

hence no right

said

He had

"

to expect

different with me,

my

no

God

duty

and
expose himself,

call to

It

protection.

me

calls

The

Bishop accepted the

is

totally

and

to expose myself;

have a right to trust to the divine protection

New

it

was not so

Theology as taught

King held fast by the Old

honoured Cod, escaped danger, and

lost his life: the

by Satan, and
Theology

led

of

posing himself.

with him.

Lord

ex
Derry was shot as he was needlessly
was
ho
his
of
heard
death,
When the

Bishop Walker

I being hi the way, the

"

the Prince of Orange, according to

King William,

Macjiulay,

of the Psalmist,

saved his country.

I have read an anecdote of one of the Fathers of the Secession

Church

to

the following effect

ministration of
preached on the

One Sabbath day he had

angels, from Hebrews i. 14.

After the service was over, his mind became seriously exercised
with doubts about the truth of the doctrine, as he had never

While thus
had any personal experience on the subject.
sick
a
visit
called to
person.
ruminating, he was unexpectedly
After he had spoken and prayed, he was leaving the house,
to descend

and was about

by an outside

stair,

on which there

ho turned to the wrong side of the stair, and

instead of going down the steps, as he expected, he was sud
But before he reached
denly precipitated 011 the other side.

was no railing

the ground, he

felt like

gently and safely on his

a hand catching him, and placing

feet.

From

that night

till

his

him

dying

hand that saved him was that

day he firmly believed that the
doctrine
of an angel, and he had no longer any doubt about the
he had been preaching-, that the angels are
forth to minister to
spirits, sent

them who

"all

ministering

shall be heirs of

72

MINISTERING ANGELS.

salvation."

Much

to the

interesting book on

"The

same

effect

may

Ministration of

be found in an

known
But

book, entitled

my

"

First,

Middle, and Last

object in citing this passage

is

by that

Angels,"

good old Puritan, Isaac Ambrose, author of a

better

still

Things."

to illustrate

it by a
on Aneityum, which suggests a
simple
explanation of the text; and which, I think, it is probable,

practice that prevails

also existed in Palestine.

expression,

"they

Most commentators think that the

shall bear thee

up

in their

hands,"

refers to

the conduct of mothers or nurses

holding up children when
I rather think it refers to
they are commencing to walk.

the walking of full

grown men, needing help or protection,
cases such as our
In the
missionary experience can supply.
first years of our
Mr.
Geddie
and
I
made a
mission,
usually

round the island once a year,

taking with us a large
party of the most influential Christian natives.
We visited
visit

every settlement, and held a mission service at each, and the

Christian natives distributed themselves and talked to the

These visits occupied the most of a week each time.

Sometimes a wet day or a wet night
intervened, and then the
roads became soft and
In
these cases two strong
slippery.
men would come to the help of each of us. One on each
heathen.

side,

they would grasp our arms and half carry us up the steep and
slippery paths, and sometimes also as we went down on the
other side of a ridge ; their
object was to hasten our progress
and ease our toil; but
especially to keep us from
falling.

This was a

common

practice with them.

But the most notable

instance of the kind occurred a short time before I

left

the

Mr. Annand had been appointed to what was

formerly
Dr. Geddie s station.
It had been vacant for a
twelvemonth,

Islands.

during which time I had taken charge of

it.

I stayed a

month

MINISTERING ANGELS.

73

with Mr. Annand, introducing him to the

people and to the
work.
visited every school on that side of the island, and

We

examined every

and as every native was

scholar,

at school, it

involved the examination of every individual on that side of

We

the island.

were everywhere well received, and kindly

treated, but I shall notice only one special case as illustrative

of

our

Wo

text.

had

fixed

our headquarters at a place called

One day we made rather a

a settlement on the shore.

Umej,

long journey inland to a district called Anumej, to

visit several

Our path lay along the banks of

The
stream, which we had frequently to cross.

schools in that direction.

a beautiful
valley of

Anumej

one of the largest and most beautiful on

is

Aneityum, and opens up into a most magnificent panorama,

which in the far distant pro -historic, or rather
pre- Adamite
times,

must have been the

some ten or twelve miles

other, but the

it

crater of

may

some tremendous volcano,

be from the one margin to the

whole interior from the bottom

to the

topmost

verge was covered with the densest forest, and the trees
clothed

with

aqueous

agencies,

sea,

the

of

foliage

freshest

or both, had

forced

which now constitutes the

valley.

since

twenty years

had

green.

Igneous or

an opening to the

As

that

visited

all

it

district

was nearly
with

Mr.

had forgotten the distances, and when we had

finished our labours, I found that the
day was farther on, and
I

(Jeddie,

the road to
upon.

It

a good deal longer, than I had calculated

Umej

had

come on a wet

also

a narrow native
footpath
to

hurry along

pany

us,

and

we should be

lest

of natives with us,

The road too was only

hence on our return home we had

who

of their

to act as guides

benighted.

own

and

bad, and travelling was often

day.

We

had a party

accord had come to accom

assistants.

difficult.

The road became

As Mr. Annand was

MINISTERING ANGELS.

74
young and

he tripped along the path with a

active,

firm, elastic

was only on special occasions that he either needed

step,
But it was always ready when
or would accept of any help.
and

it

he wanted

It

it.

was

With the shadow

different with nie.

and ten hovering in the near distance, my limbs

were neither so strong nor so nimble as they had been thirty

of threescore

or forty years before,

this

and four

of

and the natives

instinctively recognised

our native teachers,

all

strong, vigorous

men, spontaneously attached themselves to me, and walked

close

behind me, two on

my

and whenever the road was

right side and two on

or across

slightest

danger that I might

moment two
each

of those

side, seized

me

carried

fall,

me by

me

the arms, kept

along for three or four long hours,

tion, the last

slip,

the

or stumble, that

men, sometimes the whole four, two on

the danger was over.

till

or

left

among

there was

whenever

stream

stumps,

the

my

slippery, or over stones, or

firmly up, and half

way we travelled
we reached our destina

In
till

this

hour by the aid of torchlight. This is an exceed

mode of walking on such roads. You walk

ingly comfortable

with great safety and great ease; being held up firmly, you
falling, and being half carried, you walk both
and with very little fatigue, and the limbs, being relieved
from the weight of the body, move on with the utmost facility.

have no fear of
fast

Although such attentions on the

new to me, for they had always

when

when

-part of

the natives were not

assisted

me

in the

same way

was travelling among them, yet as that

needful,
was one of the worst and most difficult journeys that I had

made

for a long time, I realised

done before, what seemed to

promise made primarily
"

people

They

more vividly than I had ever

me

to be the

to Christ, but

meaning

through

(the angels) shall bear thee

up

Him

of the
to

His

in their hands,

MINISTERING ANGELS.
lest

thou dash thy foot against a stone ;

that night would I have dashed

and stumps of
bore

trees,

me up on

my

"

many

feet against

I have

our journey.

was a common mode

a time

both stones

no doubt but that in

and the character

of travelling for aged

when the paths were

or important persons,

But

for

but for the strong and willing hands that

Palestine, from the nature of the country,

of the roads, this

75

difficult or

dan

were promised angels, not men, to be

gerous.
His ministering servants, because He was divine whereas
ministers and missionaries are best served by men, not angels,
to Christ

at least

because they themselves

visibly,

we say

are

human.

But

Gospel which .changes heathens

into Christians, and transforms the wildest and most cruel of

what

shall

of that

cannibal savages into the mildest, and kindest, and gentlest

of ministering angels.

Thirty years before that time,

district

coast,

were

and one

when

the natives of that

heathen, a whale-boat was wrecked on the

all

solitary white

man

escaped ashore with his

The natives gathered around him, and took him to the

house of the chief.
It was there and then agreed to have
a cannibal feast over the poor man s body on the following
life.

day.

Wood was

for the oven;

at once collected,

and the

fire

was kindled

and before twenty-four hours had elapsed, the

man would have been picked, broken,

bones of the unhappy

and the marrow sucked out

of

them, had

it

not so happened

who had been at Sydney or some

and
else,
represented strongly to the chief the numbers
and power of the white people, and how most assuredly they
would revenge this man s death. In consequence of this the

that a native was there,

where

chief reluctantly gave

of natives

were told

orders to save his

off

life

who conveyed him

and a party

to the harbour,

76

MINISTERING ANGELS.

and delivered him

establishment.

safely to the master of the sandal

Now

wood

here were we, thirty years afterwards,

two defenceless white men, entirely in their hands, and yet

we were as safe, and as kindly and lovingly treated, as if

we had been
blood.

the nearest and dearest of their

And what made

own

flesh

the difference between then and

Then they were heathen, now they

are Christian.

other book than the Bible such a

transforming power

and

now ?

Has any
1

CHAPTER

XII.

THE HAMMER AND THE ROCK.

"

not

Is

My Word

like

hammer

that breaketh the rock in

JEREMIAH
IN 1844 when I
Mission in

my

New

left this

hundred

Among

country to go out to our Foreign

Zealand, I received a set of

Thomas

friend the late Mr.

pieces."

xxiii. 29.

mason

from

s tools

Binnie, builder, one of the

Glasgow who were worth remembering.

those tools was a good whinstone hammer.
During

men

in

the eight years I was in

New

Zealand, although I did require

to use some of the other tools, I did not require to use that
said

But according to the ancient proverb,

seven years and you will find use for it

hammer.

a thing for

certainly such

"

Keep

"

and

my experience. When I went to Aneityum

my house it was a wooden frame and the

was

and had erected

were partly weather-boarded, and partly wattle and

walls

plaster

found

it

was necessary

to

build two stone and

lime chimneys, one for our kitchen, and one for our dining-

room,

which served also for our parlour, in wet or cold

weather.

Very happily

large quantity of stones,

very suitable for

this

way

a native

my

for

me

accidentally discovered a

among which

purpose.

I found quite enough

The discovery was made in

one day I was unexpectedly called upon to

woman, who was dangerously

chief s wife of

ill.

visit

She was the

Kohmunjap, a district about a mile and a half

THE HAMMER AND THE ROCK.

78

I went off at once to visit her, I administered some

distant.

medicine,

and

my

soon recovered.

patient

On

the

shore

settlement there was a great collection of

opposite to the

and

stones, whinstone

and partly
the mountain

basaltic, partly in the sea

on the beach, which had

been thrown out of

all

by some volcanic eruption, in some long past era in the

side

pre-Adamite period of the island

to build

chimneys, I went

my

off to

When I began
examine those stones, for

history.

the recovery of the chief s wife secured

whatever I wanted.

I took with

me

intelligent natives, to assist

in carrying

them

the stones well

all

a party of

my

my

most

and in rowing the boat

deeply interested in

suited for

liberty to take

in selecting suitable stones,

to the landing-place,

They were

home.

me

my

purpose

my
;

work.

I found

they were of the

and shape and of the very quality that I wanted ;

of
a very workable material, they were what Scotch
were
they
masons would have called good slidping stones easily cut into
proper

shape.

size

When

had measured their length and breadth,

and square to them, and marked the

applied rule
ingly,

and then struck them with

faced

hammer, along those

lines, I

my

lines accord

well-tempered, square-

could with ease not only

break the stones, a thing the natives had never seen done, but

them along those

cut

marked on them.

lines into the very shapes that I

When

had

saw this done, they

they opened their eyes and their mouths, they
held up their hands, and shouted aloud till they had exhausted
were amazed

all

the natives

the exclamations in the language.

I never

saw them so

surprised, except in the case of one man, after the chimneys

were

him

erected.

to look

He came

into our dining-room, and I caused

up the chimney

and when he saw daylight and

the sky at the top, he was fairly out of himself; he rushed

THE HAMMER AND THE HOCK.

back to the middle of the
icaiiho !

"Ah!

Misi

Inrilis!

nitai

thinij is

tliis?"

little

ale

Misi!

Mister Inglis

ali,

wonderful!

"Oh!

iniyld!"

Mister

cama

veil

Kaiheug

He aha

prodigious! Mercy on us

danced and leaped, crying out,

floor,

Kahispin

79

What

mechanical as well as medical

know

the
ledge often helps to increase the influence, and promote
a

of

usefulness,

intelligibly to

As

missionary.

them,

soon

familiar text to them, and spoke to

manner.

Is not

says,

in pieces
it

are surprised with

"You

My Word

like a

not only can break a stone but

shape

with the

hammer

it

speak

in this

God

the hammer, but

that breaketh the rock

hammer
it

could

the stones a

can do with a stone,

can cut

it

into a particular

can cut the stone straight, or

square, or round, as I wish

a piece of wood,

them somewhat

hammer,

Now you sec what

as

made the hammer and

but

if

I strike the stone

with

God

says

has no effect whatever upon

it.

Now, as it
our hearts are stony, they are hard as a stone.
it into
cut
and
a
can
break
is only a hammer that
stone,
it is only God s Word that, like the hammer, can
Man s
our
break
stony hearts, and form them into shape.
of
heart
of wood, it has no effect upon the
word is like a

shape, so

piece

men.

Before the missionaries came to this island,

many white

them talked a great

deal to you,

people came here, and some

of

your hearts were not changed.

was only the words of man that they

but you remained as you were

And why
spoke

to

because

you,

it

which was

like

striking the

stone

with a

But when the missionaries came, they brought

the hammer, the Word of God, with them, and they struck
piece of wood.

the stone with this

your hearts.

hammer

They

language, they read

they applied the

translated
it

to

you

the

Word

of

Word
God

of

God

to

into your

read
they taught you to

it,

you

8o
read

you

THE HAMMER AND THE ROCK.

it

yourselves

believed

it,

you committed portions of

you obeyed

it,

it

it

to

memory,

broke your stony heart,

it

your heart into a new shape, you gave up your

heathenism, you accepted Christ as your Saviour, and took
God s law as the rule of your lives ; and hence wickedness and
brought

misery are largely banished from the island, and goodness

and happiness are come in their
This simile the
place."
natives never forgot
during all the five-and-twenty years that
I was on the island.

leading in

Every now and again those who were

prayer might have been heard using such ex

pressions as the following,

"0

Lord,

Thy Word

is

like

hammer, but our hearts are like a stone. Oh take Thy hammer
and with it break our stony hearts, take
Thy good and holy
Word, and with it make our sinful hearts what Thou wishest

them

to become,
holy

and

glorified for ever

and

ever.

and good, that we may be

Thy name may be praised and

just

blessed and
happy, and that

Amen."

CHAPTER
THE

THE Hebrew word

signifies,

to

FR! THEE.

which

ParacJi,

the Authorised and

XIII.

translated blossom in

is

Douay Versions in

according to Gesenius,

"

To

Habakkuk

iii.

17,

sprout, to nourish,

and

bud as a plant and to put forth buds, leaves, and flowers

tree."
The natural history of the fig tree was evidently
;

as a

not

known

either to the translators of the Authorised or of

the Doiiay Versions

still

less

was

known

it

to Randell, the

author of that beautiful paraphrase, the 32nd, in the Church

of Scotland Version.

Revised Version.

The error

It is well

fig-growing countries, that the

an undeveloped

flower.

My

to those

fig tree

The

never clothed with flowers.

even continued in the

is

known

who have

never blossoms, and

fruit of the fig tree is

lamented friend, the

Zealand,

first

country,

is

fruit

of the

fig,

Hon.

Tristram

was the

"The

simply

late

And Canon

Sinclair, M.D., Colonial Secretary of

says,

is

New

Andrew

to point this out to me.

lived in

unlike any other fruit in this

an enlarged, succulent, hollow receptacle contain

ing the imperfect flowers in the interior.

Hence the

flowers

of the fig tree are not visible until the receptacle has been cut
open."

The commentators have

all

followed our translators,

THE FIG TREE.

82
and accepted
Dr.

Adam

Young

Clarke

the only commentator, and Dr. Robert

is

the only translator,

is

Their rendering

As

nourish."

who has

They both use the word

translation.
blossom.

So far as I know,

their rendering as correct.

"

is,

corrected the mis

flourish instead

of

Although the fig tree shall not

no such thing as a flower

I have said, there is

or a blossom ever seen on the fig

It flourishes, it puts

tree.

leaves, and produces fruit, but it never flowers or

The fruit comes first and then the leaves. Hence,
blossoms.

forth

in his poem, on the Seasons, Thomson,

description,"

"

It

as

Hervey

And

calls

him, says

"

rich beneath its leaf the luscious

Saviour with the barren

Whether the

fig tree.

some suppose, or normal,

not alter the condition of the tree

fig."

fruit that disappointed

was the leaves without the

abnormal, as

that great master of

our

leaves were

as others infer,

it

did

the fruit should have been

there before the leaves.

The Bible

is

not a single book, it

an encyclopaedia;
whole

circle of

it

is

a library, a literature,

touches at more or fewer points the

human

knowledge.

It is not merely a

know

ledge of Hebrew, Greek, and some other language, that a

translator of the Bible requires to possess; he would require
to

know almost

Version,

and

everything.
also

The

translators of our Authorised

the translators of the

although the best scholars of the age

in

Douay Version,
their

respective

churches, were alike ignorant of botany, and were not aware

that the
trees,

hence,

fig tree

and that
for

it

was an exception

to all other fruit-bearing

never blossoms or puts forth flowers

more than two

and,

centuries and a half, a glaring

mistranslation has disfigured these otherwise matchless trans-

THE FIG TREE.

Happily for the credit

lations.

83

of the translators very

few of

their readers could detect the error.

On

is

no specimen

but there

is

a very poor variety of the sycamore

indigenous

The

fig.

peculiarity of the

adheres to the stock of the

sycamore

in the

to

this

is

common

the fruit

all

common

fig

not, as in the

But on Tanna there

fig; so good, that the

London Missionary

Society took plants of

John Williams on

the

fig tree

common

Aneityum I took from

ties of

and

tree,

an excellent species of the

missionaries of the
it

of the

the extremities of the 1 (ranches.

tree, to
is

common

Aneityuru there

to

New

fig tree,

However, when I went

Zealand two or three varie

Samoa.

which grew and bore

fruit

and

although they were annually attacked by a worm, which de

stroyed the old wood, and prevented the plants from reaching

the size they would otherwise have attained, they, nevertheless,

served to keep
beautiful

not

blossom,"

were

still

me always

the expression,

and

"

What though

though no flowers the

mistranslations

mind

sorrowfully in
"

and

the

that,

however

fig tree shall

fig tree

clothe,"

also to secure that,

they

whatever

other errors might find their

trans

lation of the Bible,

doubt,

way into the Aneityumese

Habakkuk iii. 17 would, without

be correctly rendered.

CHAPTER

XIV.

THE COCK CROWING TWICE.

"Jesus said unto Peter,
Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before
the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice." MATTHEW xxvi. 34.
And Jesus saith unto Peter, Verily I say unto thee, That this day,
even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny Me
"

MARK

thrice."

xiv. 30.

Then began he

and to swear, saying, I know not the man.

And Peter remembered the word of
Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow thou shalt deny Me
thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly."
MATTHEW xxvi. 74, 75.
But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man
"

And immediately

to curse

the cock crew.

"

whom

ye speak. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter
mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock
crow twice, thou shalt deny Me thrice. And when he thought thereon
of

called to

he

wept."

MARK xiv.

71, 72.

CRITICS and commentators have been a good deal puzzled

to reconcile the apparently contradictory statements of

how

Mark

and the other three Evangelists about the crowing of the cock.
This prediction of our Saviour did not refer to the crowing of

any particular

cock-crowing, the beginning of

Before the cock crow

"

says,

crowings.

much has
word

dis,

morning known as
But Mark
the fourth watch.

cock, but to that time in the

twice,"

which makes two cock-

This has caused the difficulty to the

this

been

twice,

is

felt that, in

wished in this way to reconcile or assimilate

modern

critics,

So

one very old manuscript, the

found partially erased, as

other three Evangelists.

critics.

But the

rule

now

if

the copyist

Mark with

recognised by

the
all

that the reading most difficult to be accounted

THE COCK CROWIXG TWICE.

for is

the

most

mind

likely to be the true one,

of those redactors,

recognised

in

85

had not been present to

nor yet another principle, equally

our times, that conjectural emendations are

found to be wrong, when all the facts come

almost invariably
to be

known.

show that there

I shall be able to

crepancy between Mark

have been
history does not seem to
the commentators at

One

least,

is

irregular.

better

Even Dr.

says, the first

by some

knowledge

of

crowing of the
first

of the habits

of

that both these statements were

the bird would have shown

wrong.

studied,

dis

Natural

Another says that the

cock was about twelve o clock.

crowing

much

no

is

and the other Evangelists.

Kitto, so famous as an Orientalist,

of the true facts as the ordinary commentators.

ignorant
O

the doctrine of evolution and

is

as

Since

the transmutation of species has

not yet been established, we may safely assume that the cockin all countries and in all ages ;
crowing has been the same
that

it

was the same in Jerusalem in the

first

century of the

on Aneityum in the nineteenth. In

Christian era as it
ancient times, when clocks and watches were unknown, the
is

time of the morning

cock-crowing was a distinctly marked
into
common use, and since
but since clocks and watches came
;

were not generally kept, the cock-crowing,

poultry, as in towns,
as a marking of time, ceased to be attended to, and the habits
were no longer noticed hence the loose writing of
But in the South Seas, where clocks and
the commentators.

of the bird

watches were unknown, as in Palestine of

was the

best

marked hour

four

three, the other fully

:

the

first called

the

first

an hour

the cock-crowing

Like the Jews,

of the night.

they had two cock-crowings

and

old,

of these

later,

too,

between two

between three and

the false cock-crowing, the second called

the true cock-crowing.

When we

first Avent to

Aneityum, we

THE COCK CROWING TWICE.

86

soon discovered that time was regularly marked by the cock-

crowing

but

it

was some time before we discovered that there

were two cock- Growings.

It

came about

who had charge

Mr. Geddie,

When

in this way.

the printing-press, was

of

printing our native books, to secure the greatest possible

accuracy he always sent the proof-sheets over to me, that I

might read them over, and make any corrections. For the
sake of being company to one another, two lads generally came
with them, stayed

all

me

night to allow

time to look over

the sheets, and then returned in the morning

was twelve or fourteen

miles.

to them,

Mr. Geddie says he

is

One evening

in a great

and wishes you back as soon as

therefore, to rise very early and leave
sheet,

crowing."
"

Which

they
false

"

said,

"there
"

one."

said they,
after

I said,

"

"

how many

possible.

I want you,

this place

by the cock-

are there

are two cock-crowings

And what

is

a while

ample means

is

the true

one."

of verifying.

"

is

Cocks,

if

"

they said.

Oh, you

know,"

the true one and the

the

This

"

the difference

the false cock-crowing

I said

hurry for this

But which cock-crowing do you mean

"

the distance

started earlier or later

They

according to the urgency of the case.

"

"

I said.

first one,

we

"

Oh,"

and then

afterwards found

they are disturbed or

awakened, will crow at any hour of the night.

But

if

left

unmolested, these two cock-crowings are as regular in their

occurrence as the rising and setting of the sun.
best

means

of

knowing

this fact every

to observe its recurrence.

poultry in our

own yard

We
that

had the

we wished

morning
had always a good supply of
and every family on the island kept

We

There are no villages on Aneityum, and there are no

poultry.
farm-houses standing a mile or two apart, as in this country,
but the whole island

is

occupied with a system of cottage

THE COCK CROWING TWICE.

The system

gardening.

is

this

there

is

87

one cottage or hut, or

a family, and surrounded by

perhaps two, each occupied by
the garden from
a neat reed fence of wicker-work, to protect

the pigs

there are on the island from

districts,

fifty to sixty

each containing, when we went

half-a-dozen

lands or

from

first thither,

Our
such cottages and gardens.
between two such lands, and within about

to a score of

mission station lay

about twenty families.

a quarter of a mile of us there might be
which all roosted on the trees
Every family had poultry,
Hence thirty, forty, or fifty
about the houses.
standing round

cocks were within hearing.

could hear both Growings.

Every morning, therefore, we

Somewhere about two o clock one

all feeble and

cock would crow, and a few others would follow,
into
as .if half asleep ; then all would subside

drowsy-like,

This

stillness.

heart,

no

is

the fcdse code-crowing

reality in

it

it is

only, as

it

there

is

no

truth,

But

were, a pretence.
"

no

About

about an hour or rather more afterwards (Luke says,

o clock, or
of one hour," &c.), somewhere about three
the
space

little later,

when one cock

crows, immediately there

is

a full

storm of crowing, every one more

ringing chorus, a perfect
This is the true cock-crowing, the
another.
fully alive than
which marks the time with an
of the
Gospels,

aleldorophonia

unmistakable distinctness, and

is

enough to awaken the soundest

most indifferent listener.

the attention of the

sleeper, or arrest
It

was

this,

his reverie,
Night,"

Burns out of
the true cock-crowing, that awoke

when he was composing

when he wrote
"

his poem,

heard nae mair, for Chanticleer

Shook off the powthery snaw,
And hailed the morning wi a cheer,
I

cottage-rousing

craw."

"A

Winter

THE COCK CROWING TWICE.

88
was the

It

clear, shrill, true

the poet, and recalled

of the cock that startled

crowing

him from

his

It

moody musing.
Thomas

the same true cock-crowing that awoke Mrs.

when she was staying with the

near

St.

letters,

Edmundsbury

dated Aug.

"commenced

over the

was

Carlyle,

Bullers at Troston Rectory,

in Suffolk, as recorded in one of her

u,

1842.

never so

many

"Then

about

four,"

she says,

cocks challenging each other

all

parish."

Peter must have heard the low, half suppressed, feeble, false
crowing, but

when the

had made no impression on his mind.

it

But

true crowing rang forth loud and clear, he was

instantaneously aroused to a consciousness of his cowardice

and

his guilt

and when the Saviour looked on him, he re

membered the warning prophecy,

his conscience smote him,

he repented, and wept bitterly.

But the point to which I wish to direct special attention
is this,

that, to natives of

Aneityum, the statement in Mark

about two cock-crowings, while the other three Evangelists

speak only of one, would cause no difficulty whatever, because
to

them both expressions convey exactly the same meaning.

they speak of the cock-crowing, they mean the true

When

and when they speak of the two cock-crowings the

Hence,
expression points to the very same time as the other.
before the cock crew and before the cock crew twice, to them
cock-crowing

mean

exactly the

same thing

the same

as,

before the

watch, or before three o clock, thou shalt deny

Whether

therefore our Saviour

warned Peter

morning

Me

thrice.

twice, as

some

commentators think, and that Mark gives the words used by

Christ on the one occasion, and the other three Evangelists
give the words used by

He

warned him only

Him

once,

on the other occasion, or whether

and that Mark gives the

full

form

THE COCK CROWING TWICE.

of the

Ho

words

writers give the

used, while the other three

shorter abridged form, the meaning to the

ancients, as

it is

cisely the same.

89

Jews and

to all the

to the natives of Aneityum, would be pre

The doctrine

of verbal inspiration does not

of the sacred writers, narrating the

mean, that two or more

same event, or recording the same speech, must all use pre
but that they must all convey sub
cisely the same words,
stantially the

same meaning when the statements are properly

the meaning may be more or less fully

understood, although
stated, according as

may

it

the writer has in view.

It

be required by the object which

was not

and heard the two cock-crowmgs

understood

how Mark

till

was on Aneityum

so distinctly, that I clearly

the
words, so different from those of

same as
other three Evangelists, were in meaning the very
At the same time this difference of statement showed
theirs.
that he was no copyist.

on that account doubly

His was independent testimony, and

valuable; as "In the mouth of two

or three witnesses shall every

word be

established."

CHAPTER XV.
FASTING AND TAKING NOTHING.
"

And

while the day was coming on, Paul besought

them

take

all to

meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and
continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to
take some meat ; for this is for your health for there shall not an
:

hair fall from the head of any of you. And when he had thus spoken,
he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all and
;

he began to eat. Then were they

cheer, and they also took some meat." ACTS xxvii. 33-36.

when he had broken

THIS

is

all of

it,

a strictly Oriental form of speech.

"This

day

fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued

good

is

the

fasting"

the word fasting should be ambiguous, something

But

lest

like

Daniel

for three full weeks, during

mourning

which

time he ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine

into his mouth,
as

it is

"

added,

we understand them,

having taken

nothing."

Words,

could not more unequivocally convey

the impression, that during those fourteen days they had

literally tasted

no food whatever.

in admitting that Moses,

forty days

We

have no hesitation

on three occasions,

and forty nights

literally fasted

that Elijah and our Saviour did

But then we recognise that they

were miraculously sustained. In this case, however, Luke
gives no intimation that Paul and his 275 companions in
each of them the same.

suffering

experienced any miraculous support.

It

was an

ordinary voyage, and they trusted to nothing but ordinary

FASTING AND TAKING NOTHING.

means

for both their safety

form

this

of

speech

It

man brought up

in

could,

used such a loose, vague

an exact Oriental idiom.

is

in

mode

doubtless quite well understood

mode

this

so to the natives of

We

words cannot be understood

be what the Apostle meant.

is

Oriental.

by

No

no English
circumstances, have

at

least

but

of expression;

his audience.
us, it is

it

was

Although

not in the least

know

instinctively
literally;

that

the

but the natives of

know

Aneityum, without any explanation,

his,

in

Aneityum, as they themselves speak pre

same way.

cisely in the

Paul

stumbling to

of speaking is

a clear proof that this book

Western Europe,

speaking missionary,

But

and their sustenance.

we have

in the East.

was written

as near as

may

Their mode of speaking, like

For example, you ask a native

if

ho has

He says, No, he has eaten nothing.

eaten anything to-day.
You ask him if he ate anything yesterday. He says, No, he
You

ate nothing.

ask him again

if

he ate anything the day

and you might go

you the same answer ;
and
same
receiving the same answers
on putting the
questions
for any length of time; and were he on board a ship, like
that in which Paul was sailing, he would say without hesita

He

before.

tion that he

catechise

gives

had eaten nothing for a fortnight.

him

a little

more

means by these general

you

closely,

If

assertions.

will

you

But

find

say,

if

you
what he

You have

not drink
you ate nothing to-day but did you
a cocoa-nut or two, and eat the food contained in the inside

told us that

of

it

He

will say,

Oh

yes.

You

go on and say, But did you

not also eat some bananas yesterday?

Oh

yes.

And

will again say,

?
He again answers, Oh yes, I chewed a little.
the day before that, did you not roast a bread-fruit and

sugar cane

And

Ho

the day before yesterday, did you not chew some

FASTING AND TAKING NOTHING.

92
eat

it

and the day before

chestnuts and eat

them

that, did

He

says,

you not roast some horse

Oh

yes, I

had a few.

eat

them

He

Oh

says again,

yes, I

had some.

And

yams and

the day before that, did you not roast a few small

In

this

way

you might go on for the whole fortnight, and he would readily

admit that he had been eating something every day. But

what a native means, when he tells you he has eaten nothing,

is simply this, that no oven has been cooked that day; and

down

that the family or the party have sat

meal.

Now

to

was precisely the case on board

this

no regular
of this ship.

During the fourteen days in which the vessel was hove

to,

and drifting under the pressure of this Euroclydon or

Levanter, the waves would be constantly breaking over the
bulwarks, and washing along the decks

be battened down, and the

fires

the hatches would

in the ship

all

galley would

remain extinguished. There would be no cooking on board,

no rations would be served out, and no meals served up.

Both seamen and passengers would take food when and how
they could get
of wheat, or

it

stale bread, or

anything

else

never once a regular meal

understood him,
nothing."

"Ye

mouldy

biscuit, or

handfuls

they could lay their hands on, but

;

hence Paul said truly, as they

have continued fasting, having taken

vessel had been brought to

But now that the

anchor, the sea calm, and the ship steady, the hatches were

again opened, and

all

on board came on deck

they probably did not wait

fires, filled

the ship

till

and although

the cooks kindled the galley

coppers, and cooked provisions for a full

meal, yet, evidently at Paul

suggestion, and by the captain s

orders, the stewards served out

full

rations for the whole

company, and Paul, now recognised as the accredited chaplain

of the ship, delivered to the whole
company this hope-inspiring

FASTING AND TAKING NOTHING.

and gave thanks

address,

to

God

them

in presence of

then broke the bread, Matthew Harvey

93
all.

He

says in a parenthesis,

and began to eat. What a change the

conduct of Paul made on the whole
speech, and prayer, and
For the last fortnight they had been at their
company
"

was

It

sea-biscuit,"

end through hunger and despair. Now they were all

of good cheer.
During that time, as Paul expressed it, they
Now they all had a
had fasted, having taken nothing.
was
it
when
for
over, "they had eaten
regular full meal:

wit

and rose with alacrity to their work.

the natives never had more than one regular
meal in the day, generally in the evening, and which might
enough,"

On Aneityum

in Scripture phraseology be called either a dinner or a supper.

All their other eating, however plentiful, was at odd times

they did this because they cooked, or

only once a da}

and not always

made

that.

a regular oven,

But

since they be

came Christian, although they should not have even one oven
the Saturday,
during the whole week, they have always one on
the Sabbath.
for
is
of
food
in which a sufficiency
provided

The Saturday evening oven is an institution over the whole

on Sabbath. There has
island, hence there is no fasting

grown

up,

what was

breakfast on Sabbath

panions,

"eaten

formerly unknown,

morning

enough,"

and having,

they are

"of

even
like

good

they enter the church, and throughout the day

picture

of

family

life

is

realised

In dwellings of the righteous

Is heard the melody

Of joy and

health."

Paul

cheer"

com

when

the psalmist

through the whole

munity
"

a regular

com

CHAPTER

XVI.

MODE OF TKEATING NATIVES.

"Be

courteous."

PETER

8.

iii.

courteously entreated Paul." ACTS xxvii. 3.

Publius received us, and lodged us three days courteously."
"Julius

"

ACTS

THE mode
natives

of

xxvii. 7.

approaching and of holding intercourse with

a matter of great importance to a missionary for

is

Many people think that because

they are low, degraded savages, you may speak to them as you
like, and treat them as you may think proper, it will make no
securing success

among them.

I have heard white men,

difference.

better, shout out to a native,

fellow,"

or

"Go

"

away, you stupid

who ought

Come

along,

nigger,"

or

to have

known

you lazy black

"Now,

kanaka,

if

you don t be smart, I ll let you feel the weight of a rope s end."
But this is a great mistake, they are men, and have all the
attributes of humanity,

and

all

the feelings of

human

beings

they are specially sensitive to any improper treatment, they

discriminate very quickly and acutely between rudeness and
politeness,

believe it;

between good and bad usage.

but true

it is

and

Many would

scarcely

of verity, that there is perhaps

no place where politeness is of more importance than among

I have seen it hundreds of times.
When natives
savages.

know you

thoroughly, there

they will not

spirit.

do for you,

is

if

They are as human

nothing that

is

reasonable that

you approach them in the right

as

any

of ourselves

they are

MODE OF TREATING NATIVES.

actuated

l>y

95

the same motives, animated by the same spirit,

I always made a point of

influences.
If a native, whom I
as
seldom
possible.
reproving them as
had engaged to do some work for me, disappointed me, with

and moved by the same

out taking any notice of what had happened, I charitably

assumed that there had been some oversight or some mis

management ou
part,

my

on his
part or some misunderstanding

and on the next occasion I tried to be doubly careful that

arrangements should be as complete as I could possibly

make them, and the results were generally satisfactory, or if
all

my

had no ground of real complaint against the natives.

There was some good reason if they failed. I remember on one
not

so, I

occasion that Mrs. Inglis and I were going round in our boat
to the other side of the island.

night before.

We

were to go

I bespoke a boat s crew the

off at

ten o clock in the forenoon,

that being the hour that suited best for the tide.

launched, the

sail,

The boat was

the oars, and the luggage were

all

put into

the boat, Mrs. Inglis had taken her seat, and everything was

ready for us to proceed on our voyage, when we discovered

that one of our crew

was awarding, without

whom we

not proceed, as I had no odd boatman that morning.

always to have a good strong boat

s crew,

could

I liked

hence I often en-

engaged an extra man, and not unfrequently, especially when

they had any object of their own to serve, we had one or

more

volunteers,

and as

it

was always well

well manned, I never discouraged a

little

morning, however, we had no spare hands.

man was

again and again

called aloud

by

to have the boat

volunteering.

This

The missing boat

his

name, but there

was no response.

Messengers were then sent out to inquire

after him, but with

no better

results.

At

this juncture

we saw

the lad coming along slowly towards the boat, but instead of

MODE OF TREATING NATIVES.

96

hastening along, and jumping into the boat, as I expected him

to do, he deliberately passed us,

much

looked so

like a desire to

was quite nonplussed.

man must

and went into the bush.

be sought

It

was now

We

for.

clear that another boat

had already

only a limited number of natives

who

In Samoa none of the natives could pull

the

number

of boatmen.

an hour

lost half

the case was urgent, and also beset with

difficulty.

got their boats propelled

This

add insult to injury that I

There was

could handle an oar.

:

all

the missionaries

by paddles. This required double

It was the same on Aneityum at

the beginning of the mission

not one of them could pull an

manage a boat, till Mr. Geddie and I had taught them.

Afterwards when the whaling commenced, and they had
oar, or

in boating,

acquired practice

But

they became expert oarsmen.

hour of the day all the natives, boatmen and nonwere

boatmen,
away at their plantations, a good distance off.
However, messengers were sent off, and at the end of another
at that

half hour the services of two

boatmen were secured, and we

on our voyage. When we had got fairly under way

wife, whose patience by this time was all but exhausted,

set off

my

said to

me

when we

in a tone of unmistakable earnestness,

get

home

a thorough talking
this

know
ague.

that I lost

Now

I do hope

that you will take that lad and give

to.

we

him

I have sat for an hour in the boat, in

burning sun, I have four or

condition, before

"

five

hours to

sit in

the same

end of our voyage, and you

four hours sleep last night with fever and

see that

get to the

you don t miss him.

be able to trust to one of

them."

We

shall soon not

few mornings afterwards

I had again to go round to the other station, but I took care

to have all

my

arrangements made perfectly secure the night

before, but on going

down to the beach

I was agreeably surprised

MODE OF TREATING- NATIVES.

to find that

defaulting friend of the former day had been

my

enter the boat and the

the

first to

On

inquiring at

had taken

ill

97

him about

of a

first to

lay hold of an oar.

his former conduct I found that he

complaint of which he

a delicacy in

felt

speaking about in public, and hence he acted as he

I said,

"

did not you

why

known, and

tell

would have been

it

"

did.

But,"

me, and then I should have

"

said he,

"

all

right

Oh,"

was ashamed, and could not speak about

I have repeatedly found
reproof was unnecessary.
"I

Further

it."

that,

when

the conduct of a native seemed to be very ambiguous, and

looked from our standpoint to be very bad, the most charitable

view of the case was generally found to be the right one.

The conduct was better than

it

seemed to

be.

taking a native privately, and speaking to

By

you can do almost anything with him

him

quietly,

but speak to him

him openly before the

once throw him into antagonism

publicly about his conduct, or reprove

other natives, and you at

and make him your decided enemy. lie feels, like Jonah,
that he does well to be angry.
On one occasion a young

man

living

on the premises had been behaving very badly,

and showing a great amount of wilful

neglecting his work,

disobedience.
so I took

him

saw that

this could not be allowed to go on,

quietly one evening into

my

and had a long friendly talk with him.

this that

you have been doing

What

that you have been carrying on of late

former conduct.
father

me

is

not at

"

What

kind of conduct
?

This

is

is

is

this

not like your

like the conduct of

all

You know how

and mother.

behaved towards
helpful

This

study by himself,
I said,

your

well your father always

he was always kind, and obliging, and

and your mother was always the same

You, too, used always to be a good

boy,"

to Mrs. Inglis.

(here I enumerated

MODE OF TREATING NATIVES.

98
all

the good things he had ever done that I could

"You

ber).

came regularly

dying,

and were

remem

diligent in

when your mother was

were
to
her;
how, day after day,
you

I remember, too,

learning to read.

how

to school,

attentive

how you sought all kinds of food for her

that you thought she would like, how you went to the sea
every day and fished for her, how you went daily to the spring
you waited on

arid filled

her,

her bottle with fresh water and laid

it

at her head,

how you gathered sticks and kept a nice fire burning beside
her every night, how you made worship with her night and

Happy Land

morning, sang the

and often

and the

Rock

of Ages,

read, the Bible to her during the day.

Everybody
remarked what a good boy you were, and how kind you were
to your mother.

Now,

as boys

who

are good to their parents

almost always turn out well, the Lord blesses them and keeps
them,

how

is it

that you are

now behaving

in this

"

way ?

By

had completely broken down, and was crying.

So-and-so said so-and-so to me, and broke my
said he,

this time he

"

"Oh,"

heart.

I was very weak,

my

heart was dark, Satan tempted

me, and I forgot myself, and did as you saw." I said to him,
Oh, I see you understand ; I shall not speak about this again.
"

You

go away.

You pray to

the Lord to keep you, and see that

you watch carefully over your heart and to-morrow I want

He
you to do so-and-so," naming some work for him to do.
;

went away, and I had no further trouble with him.

dealing with natives,

them

it

is of

to cherish feelings of self-respect, to

they have a character to maintain.

no hard and

In

the utmost importance to lead

make them

While you can

feel that

lay

down

by which to act towards them, it is

them for what is good in their conduct,

fast lines

always safe to praise

rather than blame

them

for

what

is

bad.

Among

a people

MODE OF TREATING NATIVES.

99

South Sea Islanders, especially the Papuans, who are

amenable to authority of any kind, where every man
accustomed to do very much what is right in his own eyes,

like the

so little
is

it is

extremely

difficult to establish

anything

like rule or dis

The missionary must trust to his personal influence,

which the natives form for himself. John

cipline.

to the attachment

Williams, John Hunt, and

all

the most outstanding mission

South Seas, exercised a magnetic personal influence

the natives became so attached to the mis
;

aries in the

over the natives

sionaries that they

David

as

Philistines

and drew water out

to save his

nature

is

would have risked their

three mighties broke

of the well of

but simply to quench his

life,

the same everywhere.

of Independence,

through

lives for

the host

them,
of

the

Bethlehem, not
thirst.

Human
War

During the American

an old lady, who had a store in Philadelphia,

used to say that the most profitable thing she kept in her shop

was

politeness,

than sweeties.

it

drew the very children to her even better

it that gave Miss
Nightingale such

What was

powerful control over the soldiers and seamen in the hospitals

during the Crimean war, so that they would have done any
thing for her in their power ; and in her presence they would
not have uttered a single coarse, vulgar, profane, or improper
word 1 It was, no doubt, largely owing to her refined, cultured,

manner, dominated by a truly Christian spirit. It

by approaching heathen natives in this manner that mis

polite
is

sionaries

may

expect to be successful

among them.

For politeness the Sarnoans are said to be the French of

They are at least very formal and ceremonious

the Pacific.
in their

intercourse one with

missionaries there,

met them on

another.
their

Our brethren, the

own ground, and added

a Christ like spirit to their court-like forms of social inter-

MODE OF TREATING NATIVES.

IOO

The word

course.

another, used in

alofa, to love or pity,

modes

all

of salutation

in one form or

is,

and, like

to

oil

machinery, softens and smoothes all their social intercourse.

Mr. Geddie stayed some time in Samoa, on his way to the
New Hebrides, and brought on to Aneityum some of their
Ailieug, to love or pity, has the

forms of politeness.

meaning
vai eug,

"

My

love to

thee."

The Aneityumese had no form

salutation in their heathen state

but in imitation of the

missionaries, the Christian natives saluted each other

Christianity spread, so did the salutation,

or,

far at

wish you
least as

well,"

is

My

quite a mistake.

you cannot speak too politely to natives.

"

adage,

subjects, the captain his crew.

The Court

is

love to

you,"

may speak as you

As I have said,
The sovereign

the realm, and the captain of a ship always

Queen her

and as

had permeated the whole

people think that you

This

like to savages.

"

the minor virtue of politeness, as

salutations went,

Many

community.

till

of

they passed each other in

heathenism without any recognition

"I

same

and he introduced the salutation, Kaiheug

as alofa;

the standard of good

command

But

of

the

in spite of the

we

breeding,"

not find that commanding was the most successful

did

way

of

getting on well with savages; but, following the example of

our Samoan brethren, and, I suppose, of most of the successful
missionaries,

we found

that the surest and most pleasant

way

getting along with natives was, not by commanding or

Even when we
ordering, but by politely requesting them.

of

were paying a native for working, we invariably said to him,

Have compassion on me," and do so-and-so ;
Ailicug vai nyalc,
"

but which in reality amounts very

do

so-and-so,"

But

doubtless

or

"

Please give

among

natives,

much

to the phrase,

"

Please

me so-and-so," among ourselves.

whether savage or Christian,

IOI

MODE OF TREATING NATIVES.

the most

is one of
politeness, genuine Christian politeness,

for success.

certain guarantees

trader

s wife,

virtues,

We

who was not

had on the islands a

for
recognised as a model

but who was certainly a model for

blandness of

manner towards the

a girl, been boarded

all

the

suavity and

She had, when

natives.

in the family of a retired

and educated

She was naturally kind, and possessed great

tact and had she been imbued with higher religious principles,
and been placed in more favourable circumstances, she would
hen she
have been a power for good among the islands.
wished any special favour, or any important service, from a
and say,
native, she would clap him gently on the shoulder,
missionary.
;

"\\

Ak inked unyak, ale inhal unycd; ailing red wjak, O my child,

and do so-and-so for me,
O my child, have compassion on
or give me so-and-so; and the request was never refused.
"

me,"

When
"

she died, one of our natives said to

She was a kind woman

she did not think

to us

It

is

souls,

for her;

but she was always

bodies."

matter of great importance to consider in what manner

the (Jospel

is

to be presented to the heathen, so as to

attractive arid not repulsive.

As

or no intercourse with white

a missionary to live

men

among them,

benefits they expect to receive by

make

it

a general rule the heathen

are averse to the receiving of the CJospel.

little

wife about her

when we were working

much about our

good in thinking about our

my

If

they have had

they are anxious to have

for the sake of the temporal

him or from him,

for the

any other articles of

taken a
European manufacture for which they may have
trader they would
fancy; but if they can get these from a
fish-hooks, the knives, the hatchets, or

prefer him.
to receive.

not for any religious instruction they desire

As a general rule the natives, in their heathen
It

is

MODE OF TREATING NATIVES.

IO2

state, are afraid of

Their
Their

own
own

the

new

religion is a
priests lay

religion

and

of the missionaries.

burdensome and expensive system.

on them heavy burdens, and grievous to

be borne, and keep them in constant

terror, by professing to

power to bring upon them sickness and

and they think that mission

possess supernatural
death,

and

other calamities

all

aries are only a class of

priests stronger

than their own, and

will

if

they receive the

be only adding a load to a burden;

scourged them with whips the

new

and more powerful

new
if

religion

religion,

they

the old religion

would scourge

them with
both of

Hence they keep as shy as possible

scorpions.
the missionary and of the new
Some young
religion.

missionaries too, with the very best intentions,

present the
gospel, not simply as

good news, but rather as a system of

Shocked by the cruelties and abominations of

restrictions.

heathenism, they begin and forbid and denounce these, before

they can make them understand anything about the blessings
of the Gospel.
It has been said that a
young missionary does

very well,

Let him

if,

live

at the

end

of the first year, he has

done no

ill.

very quietly, interfere with nobody, but observe

carefully, learn the

language as fast as he can, acquire as

much

down

their

knowledge about the people as

possible, write

names, find out the relations of one tribe to another,

and do

good as he finds opportunity; but never force his services.

Let him bide his time, and his time will
come, perhaps sooner
than he may think it will ; but he will then be able to utilise
opportunities

when they

principles, to

hurry nothing.

new affection."
You must cease smoking, you must

expulsive power of a

We

never said,

"

We tried to act upon these

We trusted for success to the
We forbade nothing.

occur.

"

not drink

kava, you must give over your night-dances and your great

MODE OF TREATING NATIVES.

103

must
your wives but one, you
the
neighbouring
not beat your wife, you must not fight with
not avenge
must
bewitch
one,
you
any
tribes, you must not
faces
not
must
paint your
your enemies, you
you must put away

feasts,

all

yourselves upon

must not indulge

with black or red or yellow pigments, you
that this was
think
Some may
heathen
in
any

practices.

But
a very loose kind of preaching.
very doubtful teaching,
His sermon on the mount, not by
our Saviour
began

no;

mint and cummin, not by pro

of
inculcating the tithing

but by the Beatitudes.

nouncing woes on the Pharisees,
the
meek, blessed arc the
Blessed are the poor, blessed are
We endeavoured both by our
&c.
are
"

happy
preaching and our
merciful,

ye,"

to represent Christianity as

practice,

thing great, and something good

but never in the least repulsive.

as

something

As

some

very attractive,

I have said

we

offered

with abundance
them the Sabbath as a day of rest, a day also
but a clay of joy
of food, a day not of amusement and frivolity,
;

md

We

of God.
gladness in the worship

took nothing away,

came to
we deprived them of no enjoyment. But when they
the evil
know and understand and embrace what was good,
the Sabbath
was given up without a grudge. They embraced
came to under
and soon rejoiced in its privileges. When they
of sinners, and pro
stand that Christ was the only Saviour
fessed their faith in

Him

as such,

they gave up

all

their

to it. When they came

heathen worship and never went back
with one woman
understand that the marriage of one man
to

and poly
was the best and happiest kind of marriage, bigamy
and by
our
effort.
teaching
without an
By

gamy disappeared
our example we tried
is.

you

"Accept

will

be."

of the

to

show what a good thing Christianity

Gospel,"

They were

we

said,

"and

see

how happy

in heathenism,
suiliciently miserable

MODE OF TREATING NATIVES.

IO4

and our object was to show them that godliness

unto

all

things having promise of the

that which

come.

is to

Dr. Chalmers

sermons, with the

them on the worst

side

approaches them on the best.

them

all

of

He

them

these

of them,

and

He

them

never

their

character.

He

never begins by telling

and

in their conduct,

He

their good qualities.

his hearers or his readers,

art the

his friends,

He

friend.

and of

all

never takes
the evils of

and says

to each

man, therefore repent in sackcloth

No, he took a different path in approaching

took them as it were into his confidence, made

ashes."

them.

in

"Thou

is

the wickedness of the people, and charges

all

home upon

profitable

He

of sin.

up the attitude of a pessimist, and sets forth

the time, and

is

now

way in which he approaches

of all the evil that is in their lives

but by enumerating

that

I have often been struck in reading

the unconverted, in order to convince

assails

life

and made them

said in effect

you that

to

them,

that he was their

feel

"There

is

very

much

commendable; you are industrious, you are

temperate, your character is blameless and irreproachable ;
is

you are honest, you are honourable

actions

in all

your business trans

you are just, you are generous, you are kind, you

are genial

you are good husbands, you are excellent fathers,

you are quiet and obliging neighbours ; touching the righte
;

ousness that
theless,

are conscious that the love of

love to

God

your actions

is

better,

God

is

not in you, that

not the highest and overruling motive in all

that the heart is deceitful above all things, and

desperately, incurably wicked.

it

But, never

man

has nothing against you, yet you know

heart in the sight of God testifies against you.

although

what your own

You

by the law you are blameless.

is

must be made anew,

The old heart cannot be made

renewed."

The charge was

MODE OF TUEATING NATIVES.

05

thus made against the race, not against the individual, against

what the man

heart said, not against what the world knew,

and hence there was no quarrel with the preacher. It was

on such lines as these that we endeavoured to approach the
natives.

We

benefits of

redemption chiefly by the ordinary means of grace,

knew that God communicates

the Word, sacraments, and prayer.

We

Scriptures for them, read

them

to

men

strove to bring

We

under the influence of those means.

to

the

them

translated the

them, explained them to

We urged the natives

and take part, as they were
divine grace; and as there is

them, and taught them to read them.

to

come

able, in

to the house of God,

all

the ordinances of

a special fitness in the means of grace for effecting a change

of heart,

we

did our best to bring the natives, and to keep

them constantly under these

And knowing

influences.

human power was totally unable to change

save their souls, we did all in our power
such relations to the means of grace

and prayer
to

the

their hearts
to place

that

and

them

in

Word, sacraments,

that those means would most effectually operate

secure their salvation.

We

endeavoured to place their

souls in such a relation to these heaven-appointed

to the Spirit of God, that

we

means and

could rest with confidence on

the divine promise rendering these means effectual.

were not disappointed.

In

And we

twelve years after the arrival of

Messrs. Powell and Geddie and their wives, and eight years
after our arrival, the whole population of

heathenism,

pi-ofessed

under Christian
missionaries.

Christianity,

instruction.

We

3500 had abandoned

and placed themselves

made

all

our converts

For a long time, every Sabbath afternoon we

sent out two or three parties to visit heathen districts, hold

little

services of praise

and prayer with the natives, and to

MODE OF TREATING NATIVES.

106

them about

talk with

If

Christianity.

we know that the

people of the district to which they were going were not

friendly to the Christian party, we sent with them a strong

body of men, headed by some persons of importance, not to

compel them to become Christian, but to remove from them
temptation to attack the evangelistic party, which they

all

might have had, if the evangelists had been weak. On one

this was attempted, and a Christian chief was

occasion

wounded

severely

but we took such precautions afterwards,

was never again repeated. As the work

went on we had to change our modes of operation, but never
that the attempt

to

abandon the

spirit of politeness

charity which never

It has been said, that he

in his
will

own

face

and that

hear sweet echoes.

who

if

being one form of that

wind

spits against the

men

will

speak

soft

spits

words they

These axioms we found specially true

in our dealings with the natives.

have

it

faileth.

said, better to praise

them

We
for

found

it

always, as I

what they did

well,

than

blame them for what they did ill. They were intensely
human. It has been said, that no man can be a successful
to

teacher

who has not

studied moral philosophy, that he

may

human

nature, and know how to manage human

that
he may know the principles by which men are
beings,

understand

actuated.
it is

If this is so necessary in this country for a teacher,

greatly

savages.

They

more necessary

A great

many

for a missionary labouring

people

make mistakes

expect, on the one hand, that the poor

among

of this kind.

and the ignorant

should always be humble and grateful, ready to accept of any

place,

and to submit

to

any treatment

and on the other hand,

that the rich and the great only are likely to be proud.
reverse of this

is

usually the case.

The

Other things being equal,

it

MODE OF TREATING NATIVES.

is

07

the poor and the ignoi ant that the proud are chiefly

among

found, so is

it

among

savages.

Our heathen natives were

at first

them extremely touchy. If one native

reproved or admonished another, no matter however justly,
the native reproved was very likely to get quite angry, and
all

proud, and

many

What right had So-and-so to speak to me

Had the missionary reproved me, or had the chief

say to his friends,

in that

way

of

"

spoken to me, or the teacher, I should have heard them and

done as they said. But for that creature a mere nobody,

him

for

to speak that

such feelings

among

way

to

me

is

quite

unbearable."

With

the natives, the politeness of a missionary

and his wife comes upon them with an agreeable surprise.

They do not expect it. But others have had similar surprises.

few years ago the Synod

of the Presbyterian

Church

of

England met in Manchester, when a committee of the friends

in that city made
arrangements to have the members of the

Synod accommodated
of saving expense,
especially,

among

in.

and

private families, both with the view

of creating

the leading

an interest in the ministers

members

of the

Two

Church.

of the ministers

were lodged with a family of our acquaintance,

excellent people, but who had not
happened to come much in
contact with ministers.

One day during the meeting

of the

Synod, the lady of the house met with a lady friend, and told
her

how

delighted they were that the committee had sent two

of the ministers to them.

They were such

nice men.

They

were so cheerful, so agreeable, so sensible, so

pleasant in
conversation
never
that
ministers
were such
they
thought
nice men.

The Christian culture and

politeness of these

two

ministers had left on the minds of the

family a favourable

But
impression on behalf of the whole Christian ministry.
it is not
only savages, and well-to-do, but unobtrusive and

MODE OF TREATING NATIVES.

IOS

retiring Christians,

who meet with

sometimes eminent

men

of their

own

circle.

these gratifying incidents,

are singularly ignorant of things out

The

late

Dean

Stanley,

when he was

visiting his wife s relations, the Earl of Elgin s family, at

Dunfermline, made the acquaintance of the late Hev. Dr.

Johnstone of Limekilns, and became very much attached to

and he was wont to say, that if all Presbyterian
;

him

ministers were as intelligent, as tolerant, and as charitable in

would be a pleasure to
Now, there can be no doubt that, with

their sentiments as Dr. Johnstone,

associate with them.

it

out in the least depreciating Dr. Johnstone

learned

Dean had

terian ministers, he
of

them were

like

the class

reputation,

if

the

would have found that a large propoition

and as charitable

as intelligent, as liberal in spirit,

in their feelings

But

possessed a wider acquaintance with Presby

and sentiments as Dr. Johnstone himself.

our natives with the missionaries he was ignorant of

and, hence, those characteristics which indicated the

rule were looked

upon by him as being the exception.

Like

the Presbyterian lady in Manchester, he required a larger in

duction of facts to remove his doubts, a greater amount of

him than was needed by the

good hostess of these country ministers. But the principle is
the same, and human nature is the same through all grades of
Christian intercourse to convince

society.

Christian culture

grace of politeness exerts

savage, on the gentle lady,

is

everywhere a power

an influence in the same direction,

who

the minor

if

not in the same degree,

on those who squat in huts, on those who

those

an influence for good on the rude

and on the learned dignitary it is

dwell in deaneries, or on those

live in houses,

who

on

inhabit palaces.

CHAPTER
NATURAL HISTORY

A FEW of

CORAL

them

of the coral,

both

white and red,

may

this country, but

Specimens

be often seen as curiosities in houses in

no one would think of comparing any

of the

which Job refers to (chap,

xxviii.

coral in those seas with that

8)

TREKS.

the islands are of coral formation, and most of

are surrounded by coral reefs.

XVII.

when he says,

"No

pearls, for the price of

heard of the coral

mention shall be made

wisdom

above

is

of coral, or of

We

rubies."

insect, of the millions of those tiny

have

all

masons

that have been toiling on, year after year, and age after age,
building up

gigantic

compared with which the

structures,

tower of Babel, the wall of China, and the pyramids of

were

like the toys

and the playthings

Egypt

Now

of children.

there

a great popular delusion abroad in connection with these soMost people think of them as plodding
called coral insects.
is

wisdom and the persevering industry

of bees building up their combs
or, like ants, raising their
with food for the coming
hills, and filling their garners

away with the

instinctive

winter; but this

is

not the case.

The

so-called insect

is

a kind of polypus, more like a plant than an animal.

The coral
cannot move from place to place, it is a fixture.
It

is

mass

every pore

of lime
is

filled

it is

porous like a sponge

with a gelatinous matter

every crevice,
:

this is all

NATURAL HISTORY

tinually sucking
solution

is

in,

it

grows

When

orifice or

outer extremity of

mouth, which

or secreting the lime, which

the sea-water, and

in

below, and in this

but

a small

TREES.

At the

covered with a very thin skin.

every pore, there

CORAL

depositing

way the lump

like a plant, not

it

and

the block

in

grow

work

insect.

like the

of

sailing in a boat over these coral reefs

varieties,

con

is

held in

of coral continues to

times, to be sailing over a coral garden.

innumerable

is

an

you seem, at

Many

species,

and

of various colours,* are seen growin^

O
O

beneath the water, and yet, so far as I have

observed, they all
belong to two classes, the branch coral and the brain coral,
the former like small branches without leaves, the latter in

shape and appearance like a

removed, but of

many

tons weight.

The dead

coral

is

in masses

is

brain with the bone

and mountains

growing on the top

surface of the water.

of solid rock, but

know, no organic remains.

containing, so far as I
coral

human

from that of an egg to blocks of

Coral is found both dead and alive.

all sizes,

of

The

live

these dead rocks, near the

To prepare those

beautiful specimens

that are exhibited as curiosities, you have to boil the

piece
of live coral in fresh water with carbonate of
to
loosen
soda,

the gelatinous matter, then wash

water, to remove

sun to dry

it.

all this

limestone,

beautiful, that

again and again in fresh

matter, and finally expose

it to

the

It then contains
nothing but the skeleton of

this plant-like organism,

of

it

but

so

Solomon

and

is

in reality
nothing but a

exquisitely

wrought,

so

lump

marvellously

in all his
glory could produce nothing

to equal it.
Hiram with all his highly skilled workmen
could produce no castings, could execute no
carvings, half so

cunning or half so curious as these. Coral thus prepared is

thing of beauty and a joy for ever." The live coral is the

"

only

NATURAL HISTORY
lime

we have on the

burn

We

islands.

with wood in large

it

white wash our houses with

TIJEE*

Among the

CORAL

TREES.

collect it out of the sea,

and

pits,

plaster, or

build, or

as required.

it

THE COCOA-NUT.

trees the cocoa-nut, the Coccos nucifera,

one of

is

the most beautiful and valuable trees on Aneityum.

found on

all

I I

the South Sea Islands.

It

is

It belongs to the family

and grows most luxuriantly, especially near

It is an evergreen
hence the Psalmist employs

of the palms,

the shore.
it

as an

emblem

of the spiritual condition of the righteous.

But

"

like the

palm

tree flourishing

Shall be the righteous

He shall be
And aye be

"

I have the

names

fat,

and

full of sap,

flourishing."

of twelve species, or distinct varieties, of

palms that grow on Aneityum.

many

one."

people pronounce

this

word

I
as

here remark that

may
if it

were written

far as I have ever heard it

pronounced, as
accent on the

within

if

first.

named

kij-ko,

in the South Seas,

in

The cocoa-nut

two
is

syllables,

a beautiful

reaches a height of fifty or sixty

crown

feet,

with a

fine

so

it

is

with the

The

tree.

trunk grows up straight, without a branch or a

it

ko-7c6-a,

But

in three syllables, with the accent on the second.

twist,

till

spreading

or rather branches, though usually called

of leaves,

leaves, interspersed with large clusters of fruit in all stages

of progress.

It

is

always shedding

as well as its fruit, and

is

its

old leaves

on branches,

always producing fresh ones

hence

the whole year round you can stand, or

sit,

of the feathery

not safe to do either,

palm,"

although

it is

"

neath the shade

I I

NATURAL HISTORY

lest

CORAL

TREES.

a hard cocoa-nut should strike you on the head.

peculiarity of the cocoa-nut

endogenous,

it

that

is,

as all the palms are,

and not from without.

it is,

increases from within,

It also carries the whole thickness of the

from the
trunk

is

At

root.

the end of the

as thick as

the trees are

it

you bark a tree you

on the

all

when

kill it,

a tree

trunk up with

year

In

without,

their

as are seen in

outside,
is

it

growth, the

cold countries

all

from

they grow

exogenous

the concentric rings,

first

ever becomes.

addition of growth are

Another

sawn across; hence

if

but in tropical climates, a portion

of the trees are endogenous

that supplies growth, goes

new

the
all

life,

cut the outside of a cocoa-nut as

much

new matter

the

up the centre

and you may

as you choose,

if

you

leave the centre untouched, you do not kill the tree; but

you injure the

if

easiest

way

centre, or the top, it dies at once.

The

to destroy a cocoa-nut tree, is to kill the central

growth at the

top.

On some

islands in the South Seas,

if

man

wishes to avenge himself secretly on his

neighbour,
he climbs up one of his cocoa-nut trees, and places a dead

snake, or some dead animal, on the central growth of the

The decaying animal matter kills this vital part of

the tree, and the whole tree dies, while, as in the case of

tree.

the enemy,

who sowed

the tares while

author of the mischief

every

up

new

leaf or

branch,

is

not discovered.

when

it

comes

to its full length, like a round spear

full length,

men were

the fibre that holds

it

asleep, the

In the case of

out, it shoots directly

;

when

it

reaches its

together bursts, and the

The branches are usually from about twelve

long, with a row of leaflets on each side of

branch expands.
to fifteen feet

the stem, about two feet long each.

nut

is

useful

its leaves, its

Every part of the cocoaIts leaves

wood, and its fruit.

NATURAL HISTORY
made

;ire

mats

into

for floors,

as a thatch for houses

I have seen

On Aneityum

up and
mission, and other houses
which constitutes

employed
it

is

a boat made

one species of palm

husk

its

valuable;

its

but

it is its

value.

great

made

is

fruit

is

the cocoa-nut

Every part

of the

It is also

When

used like horse-hair for stuiling mattresses.

of one species is of a sweet taste,

by the natives

when they

swallow the

juice,

The

made

shell

is

nut

into cordage by the natives,

and into door mats and brushes by Europeans.

husk

used as small rafters for the roof of our churches,

split

is

also

not durable, but

is

employed usefully in various ways.

out of some- species.

TREES.

and they are

wood

its

CORAL

are unwell

and

is

green the

greatly prized

they chew the husk and

and seem to be soothed by the operation.

into cups

and water-bottles.

The

liquor

which the nut contains when full grown and half ripe, which
is enough generally to fill one or two tumblers, is one of the

most delicious and refreshing drinks that is anywhere known

it is of a slightly sweet and a slightly acid taste, something
:

lemonade, but

like

much

finer.

juice of the grape, such as

into

Pharaoh

and by most

it

It

all

is

but equal to the

must have been when pressed

cup by the chief butler.

of the missionaries in the

It is

palm wine;

South Seas

is

used

s Supper as a legitimate substitute for the fruit

and greatly to be preferred to the brandified wine
commerce. It is a wine that cheers but not inebriates.

at the

Lord

of the vine,
of

The kernel

is

no

less valuable

as

an

article of diet it is to

the natives a substitute for both butter and meat, and as

an

article of

which

oil,
1

in"

is

is

commerce

it

supplies the well-known cocoa-nut

extensively used for so

many

purposes, in supply-

both the necessaries and luxuries of

now

generally dried,

and

is

life.

The kernel

the colra of commerce.

Two

NATURAL HISTORY: CORAL

ii4

TREES.

hundred years ago the quaint but pious Herbert, as quoted by

Ellis in his valuable Polynesian Researches, sang

The Indian s nut alone

meat and trencher, drink and can,
Boat and cable, sail and needle, all in one."
"

Is clothing,

What

the reindeer

is

to the Greenlander, the cocoa-nut

to

is

the natives of the South Seas.

THE BREAD-FRUIT
The next

TREE.

most important trees on these islands

of the

It

the bread-fruit tree, artocarpus.

is

is

also a beautiful tree

It

not unlike an ash tree in shape, except in the foliage.

has large digitated leaves, every one spreading out like the
open hand of a mighty giant ; but hands, in comparison with
which, the hands of Goliath of Gath would have been like
of the tree is of great use to

that of an infant.

The wood

the natives.

a soft wood and easily worked

durable

it

building

It

long before

is

but

it is

them with wood

canoes are
fruit tree,

durable,

is

is

all

it

rots.

but

it is

It is valuable for house

chiefly prized by the natives for supplying

for

On Aneityum

their canoes.

making

hollowed out of single trees

the

and the bread

being soft and easily worked, and at the same time

preferred to

others for that purpose.

all

value of the tree, however,

article of food for

is

its

fruit.

two, three, or four

It

is

The

chief

the staple

months in the

year,

according

as the crop is plentiful or otherwise, or as the

hurricanes

may

spare the

fruit.

year, a winter one and a

ripe about the

crop.

months

The summer

of July

crop, which

December or January, the

There are two crops in the

summer

one.

The winter crop

is

and August, and is a small

a large one, comes on in

is

latter being the

month near the

NATURAL HISTORY

CORAL

TREES.

I I

end of which hurricanes most frequently occur, and which

sometimes destroy the crop. The fruit is generally round or
oval,

averaging about six inches in diameter, but there

considerable diversity in the

It

size.

called bread-fruit

is

and

Europeans, because, in appearance

in consistency,

a considerable resemblance to fine wheateii bread.

easily cooked

may

it

which to

Xow

At Port

pots, saucepans, kettles, &c.

springs

was

fit

It is very

had no

islands of the group

boil anything.

they are procuring

llesolution on Tanna,

the natives cooked their food by immersing

till it

by
has

In heathen times the natives

Aneityum and the Southern

vessels in

it

be either boiled, steamed in the native

oven, or roasted on the embers.

of

is

it

in the boiling

The natives frequently

for being eaten.

lay their bread-fruit on the hot embers, and keep turning

it

for fifteen or

cumstances.
scrape

hot

twenty minutes, or longer, according to

then perfectly cooked.

It is

They afterwards

the skin very gently, and you have then the finest

off

breakfast or any other meal.

rolls either for

bread

cir

pure

nearly

unadulterated,
nourishing.
bread-fruit

soft,

white,

very slightly yellow,

only
to

delicious

You have

the

taste,

but

wholesome and

have the names of thirty-two varieties of

growing

eaten as fast as

it

011

ripens, as

than a day or two after

The

Aneityum.

it

is

be eaten so soon, as well as

it

cannot be kept fresh more

The

pulled.
its

fruit requires to be

fact that it

abundance, and

its

has to

nutritious

has a good deal to do with the improved appearance

of the natives during the bread-fruit season
for they get
;
qualities,

quite fat, plump,

tinuance of the
preserving the
plentiful

and vigorous, especially during the con

But they have a mode of
crop.

summer

bread-fruit,

either

and they cannot eat

it

when

all,

or

the

when

crop

is

very

the ripe fruit

I I

NATURAL HISTORY

CORAL

TREES.

blown down by a hurricane; they dig pits about three or

four feet deep, and three feet in diameter, line them with

is

up each bread-fruit into four pieces each,

and then cast them into these pits, cover the fruit with leaves
cocoa-nut leaves, cut

The

and earth.

fruit

undergoes a kind of fermentation ; by

it up, and put it back again

and by they take it out, work

into the pits and cover it up.
keep good for

when
it

food

up into

is

scarce,

they take

little loaves,

is

strong, and the smell

food

is

not plentiful,
;

substitute

it

it

and cook

taste

stand by

When

some months, and

it

thus prepared

in the

hungry

out as they require

season,"

it,

in the native oven.

it

still

it will

"

more

supplies a want,

so,

knead

The

but when better

and proves a good

ekes out a scanty allowance, and serves as a

something better can be found.

till

Providence

kind to those simple islanders in supplying their many

wants.
Paley s famous law of compensation comes often into

is

operation in their behalf,

they can

fall

but seldom

many

are the resources on which

back, so that anything like a severe famine is

known ; hence they

love their islands, enjoy their

in
bask
the
bread-fruit,
glowing sunshine, and bless the giver
of all good.

THE
Of the

fruit trees introduced the

appears to thrive best.

well,

OltANGE.

but which

is

There

is

so bitter that

orange family

that which

is

a native orange which grows

it

cannot be eaten

but on

all

the islands the ordinary introduced oranges, of different kinds,

grow remarkably well. For several years the trees in my

garden produced from 20,000 to 30,000 oranges annually, and
the quality of the fruit was as excellent as the quantity was
large.

On

one occasion a gentleman from Victoria paid a

NATURAL HISTORY: CORAL

New

the

visit to

for a couple of

was in

I/

Hebrides, and stayed with us on Aneityum

months or

season.

TREES.

He

so,

during the time the orange crop

greatly relished our oranges

but some

time afterwards ho wrote me, that he had never been able to

relish

and

an orange

since, the

Australian oranges were so poor

had got on Aneityum. Now, if the

Christianity were brought to bear with sufficient

insipid after those he

principles of

power on the population of the New Hebrides, the orange

groves would soon become so extensive, that the commerce of

New

Zealand would find

profitable to send

it

running steamers to our islands

flood that colony

down

we should

smartest

its

fill

them, and

with the finest oranges, and drive the inferior

products of Australia completely out of that market.

THE SANDAL-WOOD.
The only other

which I

tree to

shall advert at this time is

the sandal -wood tree, which at one time grew extensively on

the

New

Hebrides, especially on

but which

is

now

nearly

all

Eromanga and

cut down.

It

is

Espiritu Santo,
a scented wood,

a hard, knotty, and crooked tree, of slow growth, and does not
attain a large size, seldom

diameter.

bring from

more than ten or twelve inches

It is a valuable article of

^30

to

,45

commerce.

a ton in China.

that one or two firms in Sydney realised as

for

It

It

in

used to

was estimated

much

as

^"70,000

the sandal-wood which they obtained on Eromanga

alone.

The Chinese manufacture the most workable part of the wood

into dressing-cases, work-boxes, and various articles of cuiious
workmanship, while the shavings, parings, and other odds and
ends are collected, mixed with gums, and burned as incense
before their idols in their sacred temples.

Referring to the

I I

NATURAL HISTORY

CORAL

TREES.

use of sandal-wood in this

wife of a trader in

way for upholding idolatry, the

the islands, who had been long engaged in

a very clever, intelligent woman, remarked,

this business,

on one occasion, to the captain of the Dayspring, that she

thought, although
it

was, after

all,

it

appeared to be a very paying business,

a very unlucky occupation to be employed

gathering firewood for the devil

had as often

fortunes, but they

in,

they had made three or four

lost

them, and she believed

they would at last die in beggary.

The sandal-wood

tree,

according to Biblical botanists, is the same, or at least belongs

same family, as the algum or almug trees mentioned in

Kings x. n, and 2 Chronicles ii. 8, ix. 10, 1 1, which Hiram s

to the
T

ships brought to Solomon from Ophir, and with which the king

made
harps

rails for

the house of the Lord, and for the king

and

also,

was a lucky business

house,

The sandal- wood trade

psalteries for singers.

So far as we learn, none

in those days.

Hiram s

ships were lost, and none of those engaged in the

became
trade
bankrupt, or died in beggary ; and why ? because
of

instead of gathering firewood for the devil, they bi-ought the

finest

specimens of wood which the regions of the East could

supply, to furnish materials out of which to prepare the orna

mental work for the temple

Lord and the palace

of the

of the

king, and to make those instruments of music with which they

sounded the praises of Jehovah. The devil is a bad pay
master but the Lord keeps and rewards those who serve Him.
;

In connection with the sandal- wood there

is a beautiful
saying,
or proverb, in the East Indies, where this scented tree grows.

They

"

say,

good

man

is

like the sandal-wood tree

sandal-wood tree leaves a part of

that cuts

it

head of the

down, so the good

man

that does

man

him an

its

as the

fragrance on the axe

leaves his blessing on the

injury."

NATURAL HISTORY
In the
barley,

TREES.

COIIAL

Hebrides there are no cereals

New

no oats

none

of these will

grow

there.

Indian corn

notwithstanding
of

no wheat, no

well.
or maize, however, has been introduced and grows
this there is no lack of food; there

abundance

But
is

an

cane,
yams, taro, sweet potatoes, bananas, sugar
If the natives were Christianised

and other productions.

those islands would become the

New

Zealand.

West

Indies to Australia and

But the commercial value

of

those islands

the natives being Christianised.

depends almost entirely upon
there is no security for life
heathen
are
Where the natives

and property, and no

reliable labour to be obtained

but in

embraced by the natives, life and

and reliable labour can be obtained
property become secure,
on the spot. European capital and native labour combined
so far as Christianity is

would develop the resources

of the islands.

CHAPTER

XVIII.

NATUKAL HISTORY: TAEO.

I

AM

it

grow

duced

often asked,

is it

What

other questions about

how

is it

Taro

it.

what

is

it like

islands, or has

cooked
is

the

how

does

been intro

it

and a great many

Arum

esculentum of

the most highly prized food on Aneityum.

some other islands the yam is the staple article of food,
It

botanists.

On

indigenous on the

good food

is it

taro

is

is

but on Aneityum the taro holds the chief place.

could not hold a feast without taro.

The natives

They might have yams,

bread-fruit, bananas, plantains, horse-chestnuts, sweet potatoes,

sugar-cane, and every vegetable that is eaten, but without

taro the feast would not be complete.

On

one occasion I

was urging on a marriage, but the parties connected with it

pleaded for delay, for which I could see no reason. At last
one of the leading

men took me

aside,

and said

to

me

that

the taro was not ripe, and would not be ripe for two or three

months.
"Yes,"

"But,"

he

said,

without taro

it

I said,
"but

"you

we

have plenty of other

food."

could not have a marriage feast

would never

do."

In the estimation of the

would have been as much out of place to have a

feast without taro, as for us to have a tea-party without
natives,

it

bread of any kind.

like

Taro

is

a remarkably fine root.

a carrot or parsnip, but

taper at the lower end

it

much

looks as

larger,
if

and

it

It

grows

does not

the point of the taro

NATURAL HISTORY
were cut

off straight across.

and shape

of a

man

TARO.

large taro

arm from the elbow

is

about the

size

The

to the wrist.

top leaves are not unlike those of a turnip, but they project

higher up

while in colour they more resemble rhubarb, but

The skin or rind is
surface.
on the

are smoother

upper

The taro

black or brownish.

is

an agreeable and nutritious

in
mealy or farinaceous like the best potatoes ;
as
taste slightly different from the potato, but equally
plea
In colour the body of the taro is white
sant as the potato.
article of food,

on Aneityum and
Dr. Thomson, an eminent

It is indigenous both

or slightly yellow.

everywhere in the South Seas.

army surgeon, while

Now

stationed in Auckland, wrote a book on

Zealand, in which he said that taro contained twice as

much nutriment

as the potato,

Zealand taro was so much

certain that

Aneityum

pound

for pound.

New

If

superior to the potato, I feel

taro will contain three times as

nourishment as the potato, weight

both on dry ground and on marshy.

much

Taro grows
of all sixes, from

for weight.

It

three inches to twelve or fifteen, and

is

proportionate in

is

thickness, from one to three or four inches in diameter.

grows best on marshy ground, but

hence the

common
Taro

constant repair.

must be surrounded

It needs constant irriga

with running not stagnant water.

tion,

it

or public canals have to be kept in

is

a slow growing plant.

nearly a twelvemonth to come to maturity

of the

it

ground
more than

It

It takes

when taken out

can be kept fresh, and good for eating, for

week ; but then

grows all the year round.

up, and always planting it
in
summer than in winter.
anew but it grows much faster
either by planting the shoots
It is propagated in two ways

little

The natives

are always taking

it

it

or small tubers that

grow around the principal

roots, or

by

NATURAL HISTORY: THE YAM.

122

when the

planting the stalk or top of the plant

cut

The

off.

steaming

When

latter

is

the method which the natives generally

The taro can be cooked

prefer.

cold,

heating
different

it

is

best heated

names

natives have

by boiling

In

in a pot,

my

it

into slices, and

lexicon I have seventy

for the varieties of taro,

more than

it

by roasting on the embers.

by cutting

in the frying-pan.

it

either

in the native oven, or

it

root has been

and probably the

those.

THE YAM.
The yam, the Dioscoria alata

As

food.

a general rule the

on the low

article of food

scarce,

of botanists, is not

Aneityum, but on parts of Tanna

tivated on

yam

is

it

much

cul

the staple

cultivated as a staple

where water

islands

flat coral

is

is

and the taro on the high volcanic islands where water

The yam,

is plentiful.

like the taro, is of all sizes

but the

larger roots are three or four times larger than the largest

Some

taro.

species

or varieties are farinaceous or

resembling taro; but, as a general rule, the

yam

mealy,

is

much

and more watery than the taro. In its

yam is granular, which the taro is not. The

softer in texture

substance the

yam, however,
it

is

does not ripen

in the year, but

months.

in one respect quite different

all

the year round

there

is

from the

taro,

only one crop

then the yams can be kept good for several

The skin

of the

yam

is

very tender, and

is

easily

injured, and if the skin is broken, the yam soon begins to rot
and decay; the natives, therefore, handle them with great
care they handle them as tenderly as they would do eggs, if
;

they

mean

to

keep them.

Yams

are cooked in the

same way

as taro, but they contain only about half the nourishment of

NATURAL HISTORY: THE YAM.

weight for weight.

taro,

They are

123

cultivated quite differently

Taro grows best on land over which water is

or volcanic soil.
running, yams grow best on light, dry, sandy,
The natives on Aneityum form a mound from sis to ten feet

from

taro.

in diameter,

being

first

and about three

They plant the seed yam

thoroughly pulverised.

around the mound, the eye

The tops

high in the centre, the earth

feet

of the

yams

of the seed

being slightly exposed.

are long slender vines with small leaves.

the vines begin to grow, the natives prepare a frame

or a lattice-work of reeds, about a foot high or so above the

When

ground,

and stretching away on one

distance of

from twelve to twenty

side of the

feet,

mound

to a

which in due time

is

densely covered with foliage.

When I was in New Zealand, and was contemplating going

to the New Hebrides, my much respected and highly esteemed
friend, the llev.

had

James Watkin

of the

Wesleyan Mission, who

lived several years as a missionary on the Toiigan group

islands

famous

for fine

yams

in

the

of giving

way

mo

information and encouragement about the New Hebrides, and

what the advantages of the field would be, said, In the matter
"

you will get so-and-so," enumerating a few of the

most important and attractive items, and then said finally,

of native food

And you

"

will get

yams !
on the
islands
missionaries, on the yam-growing
with great emphasis,

"

Some

New

of the

Hebrides

and on the Loyalty Islands, used also to speak in glowing terms

of the yams on their respective islands, and no doubt truthfully,
on a taro-growing, not on a yamtaste for yams is to some extent
producing island, and as the
an acquired taste, whereas the taste for taro, like that for
as they felt,

potatoes,

is

l>ut

most people a natural taste, I never acquired

yams, and always preferred the taro to the yam.

to

the taste for

as I lived

NATURAL HISTORY: THE BANANA.

124
But the

De guslibus non disputandum, and we

were an English proverb, There is no

old Latins said

continue to say, as

if it

disputing about tastes

undisputable, that the

"

"

but be that as

yam

is

may, one thing

it

is

a most valuable esculent root.

THE BANANA.
The banana, Musa sapientum,
grows

a herbaceous plant which

throughout the South Sea

from shoots or suckers, and most of

everywhere

luxuriantly

It is propagated

Islands.

is

the species or varieties attain a height of from twelve to fifteen

The stock

feet or more.

The banana

diameter.

the plant

is

or stem is from six to nine inches in

not a tree, but the stem or body of

formed of a number of

is

soft concentric layers,

about

half an inch in thickness,

somewhat resembling a thick-necked

onion.
The leaves are long and pendent, from four to six
feet long, and about two feet broad.
When slightly heated
over the

they are

fire

soft,

tough, and flexible as cloth, and

are employed by the natives in wrapping

up puddings and

other articles of food, to preserve the juice from

being

when cooked
fruit

in the native ovens.

There

is

lost,

only one bunch of

on each plant, but it contains about a hundred bananas,

fewer, from six to nine inches in length, somewhat

more or
like

a cucumber

growing,

is

the

fruit,

as

well

as

the

of a beautiful pea-green colour,

rich bright yellow.

The bunch

is

leaves,

when

and when ripe a

cut as soon as one or two

bananas begin to change colour it is hung up in the

house for a week or so, and by that time the whole bunch is
of the

yellow and

fit

for use.

When

ripe they

may

be eaten either

raw, or baked as a pudding in a dish, and eaten with milk.

The

taste is delicious,

something

like a

very fine ripe pear, but

NATURAL HISTOKY
iu substance softer.
lexicon I

my

Everybody

The banana,

fifty.

THE BANANA.

likes it

125

from the very

In

first.

for forty-five different

have the native names

of bananas.
species or varieties

than

In Samoa they have more

it is said,

produces more nutritious

substance in the same space than any other plant.

Ilumboldt calculated that an acre

of

bananas was

In Mexico,

ground planted with

men, whilst the same

sufficient to support fifty

of three,
extent of land in wheat would barely supply the wants
On
nine.
Aneityum, as
or if planted with potatoes to support

far as

we

could judge,

half

an

acre,

we found

that the banana was as prolific

Our garden of about

went far to feed from
planted with bananas,

as Ilumboldt found

it

to be in Mexico.

We
young people living on our premises.
hundred
seven
about
or
a
day,
had, on an average, two bunches
and most certainly nothing else that we
in the
to thirty

twenty

bunches

year

like so pro
could have cultivated would have been anything

ductive.

There
banana,"

dishii,

one banana known by the name of the

is

"most

probably,"

the origin of which

which was

says Mr. Mills,

is

said to be

"the

"

Chinese

Musa

the Isle of

cacen-

France,"

introduced into the South Seas half a century ago,

has been
which has been a great boon to the natives, which
has spread over the islands with great
highly appreciated, and

England in
Duke of Devon
the Gamden in 1838, an English nobleman, the
some boxes of plants for the benefit
shire, presented him with
These were landed in Samoa till Mr. Williams
of the mission.
rapidity.

When

the apostolic

John Williams

left

They remained unopened

when they were opened
till after his martyrdom on Eromanga,
man of eminent scientific tastes but
by the llev. W. Mills, a
one shoot of the Chinese banana ;
was dead
should have time to dispose of them.

every plant

except

NATURAL HISTORY

26

THE BANANA.
Mr. Mills planted
At the end of a year it

but this proved to be a priceless treasure.

it out,

and tended

it

with great care.

When

produced a bunch weighing nearly a hundred pounds.

its

value was discovered, every chief in Samoa, and every

missionary on the group, was eager to obtain shoots, and in

a short time this new banana was

Samoa
to

known

in every part of

and thenceforth every teacher that was sent forth

any heathen island carried with him a small basket with

a few shoots of this banana as part of his

till

outfit,

they

were introduced into every group from the Society Islands on

the east to the New Hebrides and the Loyalty Islands on the
west; from Savage Islands on the south to the groups of
islands on the line,

and I have no doubt that by

this time

they are to be found along the whole of the south-west coast

of

New

The Chinese bananas possess two advan

Guinea.

tages over the native bananas.

They are of a finer quality,

and they grow to little more than half the height of the
native banana, and hence are not so easily blown down and
destroyed by hurricanes.

When we went
station of

bunch

to Aneityum,

and were

Aname, Amosa, the Samoan

of Chinese

he brought

welcome.

We

we should be

it

able to repay the good

When

as

fine

it

was

in a present to us as an offering of

were afraid to accept of

valuable present.

on our

had a

As soon

bananas in his garden.

fully ripe

settled

teacher,

it,

man

how

not knowing

for such a rare

our garden, a small one at

and

first,

was prepared, Amosa, Tavita, Williamu and others, gathered

up among them thirteen small shoots of the Chinese banana
and planted them. Eleven months after this we cut the first
We never planted any kind but the
ripe bunch of our own.
Chinese.

By

the end of a year the suckers numbered sixty

NATURAL HISTORY: THE BANANA.

or seventy, and from that time forward

127

we began and gave

them away right and left till there was not a native on the
island who had not Chinese bananas, Nohos Saina, as they
called them.

But our bananas were made

to serve another

and a higher

Towards the end

purpose in connection with the mission.

of the first decade of missionary operations 011 the island, a

Knox

party of Tannese came over to Aneityum in the John

on a

Our

and teachers were very attentive to

them, and showed them everything that was worth being
visit.

seen, our

chiefs

garden among the

of the chiefs,

what bananas

"see

on Tanna think that

no

rest.

if

you take the Gospel you

that in three years our gardens are

the-

seven years, and

said one

You

garden

grown

out,

you
and

will

have

all

know

will bear

garden has been growing for

missionary

it is still

of his Christianity

here,"

the missionary has.

food, but look at the missionary

no more, but

"Look

as good as ever, and

why

because

the Gospel does not keep the food from

growing, as your sacred

men

tell you.

The

chief overlooked

the fact that, like the dresser of the vineyard in the parable,

we had been digging about them and dunging them, that

every day we had buried around their roots all the dung
produced by our cows and our goats, and in this way pre
served

the

bananas,

ill

of

fertility

the

applied though

the

Tannese

The argument from the

had been, was, however, more

soil.
it

than a whole volume on

convincing

to

evidences.

Taura the chief went home, and went over

ten lands, publishing what he had seen on

according to the native accounts that

the south of

Beach, Taura

Tanna
s

to the west,

Aneityum

came back

all his
;

and,

to us,

from

from Kwamera

words shook the whole land.

the

to

Black

And had

the

NATURAL HISTORY: THE PLANTAIN.

128

disposition to receive the truth

on the part

Tannese

of the

been as strong as the demonstration was clear, all that part

it was then as it
of Tanna had become Christian ; but alas
!

had been

no mighty work was done because of their

of old,

unbelief.

THE PLANTAIN.
The

Musa

plantain,

extent on Aneityum.

saw

I have the

names

The plantain grows only

or varieties.
I never

paradisiaca, grows only to a limited

it

of only six species

in the inland districts,

growing near the shore. The fruit grows in

manner from that of the banana. The bunch

quite a different

on the banana after

of fruit

it

comes

out, turns over

and

hangs down from the top towards the ground, but the bunch
The plan
of fruit on the plantain projects straight up,
"

tain or

banana,"

says the Encyclopaedia Britannica,

botanically to the
is

not so

be

made

same family

By

as Manilla

"

belongs

hemp, but

its fibre
it

may

into fabrics of elegant appearance, as well as

more

fine.

adequate preparation, however,

coarse and strong ones.

Hitherto,

it

would seem,

little

care

has been bestowed on the preparation and assortment of the

fibres.

The extraordinary productiveness

of

a food-producer has been the sole reason of

its cultivation,

but every plant yields from three to four pounds of

utilising of

which needs only labour and

has been this

down the stem

into

manure

when we
also,

cut the fruit,

and throw

it

care."

fibre,

Our

the

practice

we immediately

cut

into a pit to be converted

but had we utilised the

assuming Humboldt s

plant as

this

fibre,

calculations to be correct,

my

garden,

would not

only have fed twenty-five natives, but produced from a ton

to a ton

and a half

of fibre equal to Manilla

hemp.

And

if

NATURAL HISTORY: THE PLANTAIN.

the French would only

let

us alone, and

if

129

the Labour Traffic

would only cease, we might have a hemp manufactory on

com
every island, as well as twenty other industries. The
mercial value of the islands, were they

first christianised,

and

life and property secure, and labour obtainable, have never yet
been calculated ; but it would be immense.

ARROWROOT.
Arrowroot, or more properly, as some say Arree root, is
islands
indigenous in the New Hebrides, and in most of the
of the

The bulbs are very

South Seas.

but the stalks and leaves are different

bunch to the height

of about

two

feet.

reckoned as a food for people in health

invalids

it is

valuable.

like those of potatoes,

they grow up in a
Arrowroot cannot be
:

but for infants and

Its medicinal properties are great

a diffusive stimulant for removing

chills,

as

and restoring heat

and as powerfully as brandy,

without any of its reactionary and injurious effects. Dr. Seeis invaluable in
man, in his very able work on Fiji, says
cases of dysentery and diarrhoea, the bane of the South Seas,"
to the body,

it

acts as speedily

"it

but
(he should have said of Fiji only),

have

it genuine."

for flour,

it

is

necessary to

There are two kinds of arrowroot in

there are the same in the

do the natives

"

New

make any

difference in preparing the bulbs

any more than we should

in this country

between

The

two kinds of potatoes in the making of potato starch.

Bermuda arrowroot

is

universally recognised as the best that

comes to this country, and

sixpence

London

a pound
in

if

Fiji,

Hebrides, but in neither group

is

not more.

sold at three shillings

When we

and

were living in

1877 we were introduced by our

friend

Canon

NATURAL HISTORY: ARROWROOT.

130

Tristram to the widow and daughter of a missionary,

who

had laboured along with him in Bermuda under the Church

Missionary Society, and who annually received from their
friends a small quantity of the genuine

Bermuda

arrowroot.

wife and they made an exchange between the Bermuda

and Aneityum arrowroot, that they might both compare them

My

They did

respectively.

so,

but each of them preferred their

Both kinds were genuine, both were good ; and they

concluded that each preferred that to which they had been
own.

But the Bermuda and the Aneityum were

same plant. The Aneityum

most accustomed.

evidently different species of the

contained the most starch, which renders

bowel complaints

there

is

general value so much.

its

Bermuda arrowroot

is

very limited.

more port wine drunk

produced in Portugal

Bermuda, and

in

London than

it

it

in

in

London than

is

said that

all

that

all

The

that

is

is

more

made

can be bought cheaper in some places

can be bought in Bermuda itself.
Such

are some of the achievements of

and

It

London than

so it is affirmed that there is

Bermuda arrowroot used

in

so valuable in

but the Bermuda must possess some other

properties which enhance

supply of

it

commerce

The Aneityum

Fiji arrowroot is the Tacca pinnatifida of the botanists.

The Bermuda, I
"which,"

of the

presume,

it is said,

New

"comes

is

the

to us

Maranta

arundinacea,

from the warmer regions

World."

For more than a quarter of a century the natives of

Aneityum have prepared arrowroot and made a contribution
of

it,

first for

the payment of their Bibles, and next to assist

in sending the Gospel to the heathen on the other islands.

During the three years that

natives

made

my

station

was vacant, the

the average quantity of arrowroot, and prepared

NATURAL HISTORY: ARROWROOT.

it

much

with as

care as

when we were

living

131

among them.

It is true the llev.

Joseph Annan d was living on the other

side of the island,

and exercised very

a general

efficiently

superintendence over them, weighed the arrowroot, and put

it

carefully

in casks

up

but the chief responsibility

fell

To the friends and supporters

the natives themselves.

upon

of the

movement, even had

would have been accepted as a satis

mission, the history of the arrowroot

there been nothing

else,

factory proof that the Christianity of the natives was genuine.

have been told by those who ought to know, that there is

no foreign mission station belonging to the Free Church,
where the contributions for the extension of the Gospel are
I

made by the

proportionately so liberal, as those

Aneityum

and these are

elsewhere stated

how Mrs.

all

made

natives of

in arrowroot.

Inglis learned to

make

root from Tutau, the wife of a Ilarotougan teacher

taught the natives on the following year

cess

went on

till

became a

it

arid

have

the arrow
;

how she

how

the pro

standing

settled industry,

and a part of the mission. It is now made on

island
where Christianity has got a firm footing. It is
every
made like potato starch. I had twenty-eight schools, and
institution,

every teacher and his people made a contribution.

done in this way.

of arrowroot
it

At

when

it

the proper time they

was

was

plantation

up, and prepared

schools each week.
The natives

dug

ripe they

at the rate of four or five

made a

It

it

provided the raw material and I provided zinc tubs, buckets,

graters, sheets,

bags, tables,

and

called the plant of the manufactory.

was

utilised for three

the arrowroot.
I provided

casks,

and what might be

The Teachers Institution

months during the vacation

In order that

it

for drying

might be made properly,

everything that the natives did not themselves

NATURAL HISTORY: ARROWROOT.

132
possess.
will.

Being thus assisted they went to the work with a

I also appointed two of the most active and trust

worthy of the natives to attend to the drying, sifting, weigh

The process was as
ing, and packing of the arrowroot.
follows.

I shall describe

it

as

it

was done

at

my

station.

On Monday morning the natives collected all the ripe arrow

root.
Then so many of them were told off to collect food and
make an oven for the whole party, that they might be strong
another party, mostly of women and girls,
for the work
;

were appointed to wash the tubers, and scrape the skin

off,

and then grate them to a pulp ; a third party of strong men

and boys undertook to strain the grated matter through a
thin cloth into tubs.

It

This was the great day.

was night before the work was done.

The tubs were all left full. On the

Tuesday morning the men returned and found the arrowroot

all sunk to the bottom of the tubs, and the water almost pure.
This they poured

off,

and

filled

the tubs again with fresh

water, and stirred up the sediment till it was all mixed with
This process was repeated two or three times
the water.

during the course of the day; at night it was again all

strained through the thin cloth, so that no mote or impurity

any kind should be found in the arrowroot. On Wednesday

morning the water was again poured off, and the pure arrow
of

root

was ready

for being dried.

When

first

strained the

and poisonous, at least fowls eating it die;

arrowroot
but when the water has been changed on it five or six times
is

it

is

bitter

and perfectly wholesome. In the

our Teachers Institution tables had been erected ;

sweet, or tasteless,

backyard

of

rough frames had been fixed up, about three feet high.
These were covered with old reed fencing, being a wicker
first

work about four

feet broad

large fresh banana leaves were

NATURAL HISTORY: ARROWROOT.

133

of wet but still solid

spread on these tables, and the lumps
arrowroot were laid on the leaves, and exposed to the sun,

and before night

far dried that

was so

it

it

could be removed

broken up by the hands, and spread out on

which
cotton sheets,
niy wife had prepared for the purpose.
with
Meanwhile, we had the Teachers Institution prepared

from the

leaves,

by placing the forms across the floor, and covering

them with boards on which the sheets and the arrowroot could
tables,

be spread out at night, or on wet days the windows were

all opened ; and hence it could be put out or in as required in
;

appointed to watch

exposed to the sun

day

was

it

fit

for

the Thursday morning the two

On

the shortest time.

it

had

and,

being

men

spread out on the tables, and

the weather was good, by Satur

it all
if

sifted,

and could be

the Sabbath, without being injured.

became heated and discoloured

rolled

If rolled

but

up during

up wet

it

soon

the weather was un

if

was spread out on the

sheets, on those tables in the house, and covered with other
If the weather was
sheets to prevent dust falling on it.
favourable, and

good
night

it

was

but

fit

if

it

was

still

damp,

by the end

for being put into casks

the weather was wet or showery,

weeks or a month before

was gone through

in

it

all

it

of a fort

was three

The same process

dry.
The
the twenty-eight schools.

was quite

teachers and the natives got

washed

it

the arrowroot

at their respective lands, but

it

was

all
all

made and
brought to

The planting
and the making was all done by the general public ; the two
or three men whom I appointed to watch it, and whom I
the mission station to be dried and finished up.

paid for their work, did

all

the whole process was fully

The time required for

two months. The time that each
the

rest.

or four days.
person gave to the work was in general three

NATURAL HISTORY: ARROWROOT.

134
They had

little

out grudging.

we

or no money, but they gave their labour with

In

all

that

we

got

them

to do for the mission,

tried to spread the labour as widely as possible, that

it

might touch the whole community, but touch each person as

lightly as
felt to

was

might be

touch them so lightly that

it

was never

and thus what they did for the Gospel

;
If wise arrange
be a privilege and not a burden.

be oppressive

felt to

ments are made,

it

is

astonishing

how much

help

cheerfully obtained to advance the kingdom of Christ.

may

be

OlLYPTUll XIX.
NAT C AL
I

III

STO It Y

AM M ALS.

naturalist
the Kev. Gilbert White, M.A., the eminent

HAD

of last century, lived

on our

the Natural History of

made

island,

he would no doubt have

Aneityum as

interesting and as

and Sir
Natural History of Selbourne
have
would
brought
William Jardine, Bart., of Jardine Hall,
in
new edition of the book, with additions, and have

known

well

as the

out a

terested scientific observers with his

many important

facts.

and not
But as I am writing only a chapter on this subject,
extensive
a book, and as 1 have not had time to make any
to a very few specimens.
observations, I shall confine myself
far
Mr. White regretted that he lived in an inland locality,
to confine
from the sea or any large river, and hence had

his observations to land animals,

and could give no account

those inhabiting the waters.

of

resided always on the

On

the other hand, as I

little of land
sea-shore, I shall say

to denizens of the sea.

animals, but confine myself chiefly
the island are a small
on
The only indigenous quadrupeds
The British or Norway rat has,
the
and

pig.
perhaps
on the island. There is
however, made good his residence
but
no tradition as to the origin of the pig on Aneityum,

rat,

as its

pi<

name
it

is

piyath, which

looks very like as

the Malays the

name

if

may

be a corruption of

English were

for pig is

its origin.

or
pi<j

Among

which
everywhere pual-a,

NATURAL HISTORY: ANIMALS.

136

some regard as a corruption

tions have been
suggested.

on the island

of pork, although other deriva

There are four kinds of lizards

the smallest, which

is

very beautiful,

is

about

six inches
long; the largest is

from a foot to eighteen inches.

There are three species of bats, one smaller than our common
bat, a second called the stinking bat,

and the third a large

When flying it seems

species, generally called the flying fox.

common crow. It is fat and good eating, much

prized by the natives, but has a very offensive smell.
There
are two species of swallows, both smaller than the swallows
larger than a

in

this

country;

they never migrate, but remain on the

island all the year round.

There are four species of pigeons,

one a small species, but

remarkably beautiful, fully realising
the description of the psalmist
"Whose

Whose

wings with

silver,

and with gold

feathers covered are

"

these colours being laid on a

ground of the loveliest green.
There are two species of hawks, about the
ordinary size of
hawks in this country. There is no hawk on

Tanna, though

only forty miles distant.

Hence hawk

feathers are a standing

from Aneityum to Tanna ; they are in

great
making plumes with which to adorn the heads

article of export

demand
of the

for

Tannese

chiefs.

larger and one smaller;

There are two species of owls, one

there is one or more species of

paroquet, a

heron, gulls and other sea-birds, and .several

species of small birds resembling the robin or the
linnet,
but rather smaller. There is also a
very small bird just like
a wren. There is a bird called the
a

Lau-aing, resembling

water-hen;

its

feathers are black

beak like that of a common fowl.

and

its

legs yellow, its

Like the ostrich,

"

she

NATURAL HISTORY: ANIMALS.

luyetli
dust."

her eggs in

When

the

and warrneth them

earth,

hatched, the

just like a Lau-ainij.

"FA

fish, of

more than thirty

seventy species of

around

the natives say of a mother

ithivaing lau-aing

have the native names

more than seventy

forty species of birds, of

is

more than

of

species of sea-

and over

species of fresh-water fish,

The natives are great

shell-fish.

She

aieii,"

fishers

the island, twice a day, at low water, in good

all

weather, they are out on the reef

gathering

the

hal>its

furnish the basis for a proverb

neglects her children,

in

young ones seek food for them

of this bird
The
live.

selves, but only a few of them

who

137

shell-fish

women

especially the

these are a standing and much-prized

article of food.

There are no poisonous reptiles on the

two

The

species of serpents.

There are

island.

one, called the Niniyen/-, is

in the woods, chiefly on the mountains; in colour

it is

found

brown on

the back and yellow on the belly; the other, called the Niycuv,
is

found on the shore, chiefly among rocks, and

extent amphibious in

habits

its

its

colour

is

is

some

to

formed by a

succession of alternate black and grey bands round the body

of

an elegant appearance.

Both

of them,

when

full-grown,

are found from two and a half to four feet in length, but the
bite of neither of

them

is

poisonous.

There

is,

however, a

small shell-fish called the Inhaay, which contains a virulent

poison.

This

fish

is

a gasteropod, and inhabits a univalve,

cone-shaped, spiral shell, about two inches in length.

not

bite, or inflict any

wound

but when disturbed,

It does
it

blows

out

its

poison, which seems to be a vapour rather than a liquid.

It

is

generally the hand that comes in contact with

poisonous matter.

and swells

the

In a short time the hand becomes painful

then the swelling extends up the arm, and finally

NATURAL HISTORY: ANIMALS.

138

the whole body becomes affected, and, unless prompt measures

In the year 1855,

are adopted, death follows in a few hours.

from January ist till April ist, out of thii-teen deaths four
were occasioned by the poisoning of the Inhaag. In three of
these cases the persons were dead in less than twelve hours.
In the case of the fourth, a strong man, he lingered for a
The native treatment was to band
fortnight, and then died.
age the arm and to make incisions.

I used oil copiously, both

internally and externally, and often with good

wrote to

my

friend, the late Dr.

Logan

New
He advised

of Wellington,

Zealand, a retired navy surgeon, asking his advice.

me

But

effect.

to try the

remedy employed in Africa for the bite of the

rattlesnake, which is to dig a hole in soft earth, place the

arm

in the hole

and

let

was

up to the shoulder, then fill up with earth,

the arm remain buried for four or five hours.
This
applying a large poultice, and

like

accordingly and draw the virus out

it

seemed to act

of the part affected.

instructed the natives in the application of this remedy, and

for

long years before

many

we

a death caused by the Inhaag.

said, at

the island I never heard of

Accidents generally occurred

Around the whole

in this way.

have

left

low

tide,

island,

the natives, as I

by night or by day, or both, as

it

happen, go out in great numbers in search of shell-fish.

Inhaag, like the other shell-fish, lies generally in the

among

the stones; and

occasionally disturb

they can catch

the shell, as
direction

it

it

it.

when searching
If they see

it,

may
The

sand or

for other fish, they

they are in no danger

with impunity at the spiral or closed end of

then squirts out

and after the ejection

its

poison in the opposite

of the poison it is harmless,

and the natives even cook them and eat them without any
danger.

The Inhaag

is

not plentiful

otherwise nobody would

NATURAL HISTORY: ANIMALS.

bo safe
is

and as

139

I liavo reason to think that carelessness

it is,

often the cause of accidents with this

fish.

The number

The sea
1855 was unusually great.
natives
the
and
at
low
far
had frequently receded very
tide,

of cases of poisoning in

at those times

went

far out into

new ground, where,

like

other shell-fish, the Inhaag was more numerous than in the

old fishing-ground, arid the danger in the

same proportion

greater.

At

certain times different kinds of fish appear to be

more

or less poisonous, though quite wholesome at other times,

apparently as they are in or out of season.

After eating

them, at these times, the natives become very sick, and soon
after the sickness is over their hands and feet are daily
affected with sharp pains,

Some

powerless.

only.

are recognised as always

fish

others as always good,

Mrs. Paton of

and are rendered more or

and a third

less

poisonous,

class as poisonous at times

Aniwa and some

of

her children were

on one occasion by eating a poisonous fish which

After the severe sickness
they understood to be a good one.
was over a rash came out on their skin, and for a long time

nearly killed

they

now and again cramps and a

felt

their hands

and

There seems to be a perfect infatuation

feet.

natives to eat fish, even

among some

Even

to be poisonous.

on Aneityum,

prickly sensation in

when they know them

Ester, one of the most sensible

nearly poisoned herself in this way.

women

For many

Mrs.
a day her hands and feet were occasionally benumbed.
fish
Ester, did you not know that that
Inglis said to her,
"

was

made you

eat

"

it

eager to eat fish

I

"Oh

poisonous?"

knew

the

yes,"

she said,

Oh,"

she said,

"

"

"

Iknew."

"What,

I cannot tell

that I could not keep myself from

danger."

On

it,

then,

was

so

though

one occasion I knew of a native

NATURAL HISTORY: ANIMALS.

140
who caught

a decidedly poisonous

and yet he cooked

it

and ate

On Aneityum

It

the liver of the shark

makes excellent lamp

train-oil

it,

to be so,

it

though every native in the

him; and he was dead

place remonstrated with

hours.

and knew

fish,

in twelve

is

very poisonous.
purer and burns better than

oil, is

but after melting the liver and making the

natives are so afraid of the poison, lest

it

the

oil,

should injure their

when they touch their food with their hands, that they
not only wash their hands thoroughly, but they hold them
food,

over the smoke of a

a considerable time to remove the

fire for

On

last taint of the poison.

one occasion, Pita, one of our

Samoan

teachers, got the liver of a shark, had

ate

All the natives protested, and remonstrated with

it.

it

cooked, and

to the utmost.

she said,

what

"

if

to

is

become

and eat

it

he

We,

fish-

Pita,

why

all

"the

should

sharks

they be

poisonous

in our different circumstances, cannot

crave that dominates those ichthyopha-

We

knew nothing

It

was Pita s
"

Pita

I rose at once and

us."

wife.
is

"

dying

Misi,"

went with

she said in

do come and pray

her.

Pita had

the appearance of a dying man, and I prayed with

able.

of all

but shortly after midnight we heard a rap at our bed

the most plaintive tones,

such,

not

are

this opposition, eat it he would,

those fish-eating islanders.

room window.

with

these poor children in this

said

"Oh,"

did.

understand the

this,

me and

In the face of

"

gists,

of

Samoa, and

poisonous in

here

"O

land?"

strange

him

His poor wife wept and cried.

Pita,"
you eat that fish, and poison yourself, and die,

him

and administered such medicines as seemed most

all

as

suit

He

of life;

was a strong, powerful, healthy man, in the prime

he survived and recovered; he escaped, as it were,

with the skin of his teeth.

His pulse had come down

to

about

fifty,

NATURAL HISTORY: ANIMALS.

141

and continued at that for some time.

Among my

medicines I had a bottle of brandy, which had remained there

some years unopened.

for

Acting on the authority of medical

books, I administered small doses of

times daily,

till

contents

the

stimulant several

this

the

of

were nearly

bottle

exhausted, and the pulse had risen to something approaching

normal condition.

its

Pita lived

finally

returned to Samoa

former

self

many

years after this, and

but he never became quite his

he carried the effects of that poisoning with him

to his grave.

In the stream that runs past the mission station at

Aname

a flood, on one occasion, by carrying away quantities of mud,

laid bare

two enormous

very much

and heaviest
first

side of

Unless I

mission-house.

my

conchology, these shells were

yigcis,

or gigantic cockle, the largest

astray in

specimens of the chaina

the water subsided,

and place one on each

the garden-walk in front of the

am

when

which,

shells,

I got the natives to carry out,

shell yet discovered.

They appear

to

have been

seen by Captain Flinders in the Indian Ocean, although

before that time Captain

Cook found

shells of the

same kind

on the Great Barrier reef on the east of Australia.

They

were so large and so strong, that when his seamen placed a

piece of a ship s cable in the opening or

the animal snapped

it

in

two as

mouth

easily as

of the shell,

Samson did the

Sfreen withes with which the Philistines bound him.

o

have

Maunder

in

his

of

"

"We

Natural

Treasury
says
an immense pair in the church of St. Sulspice in
This shell, he
Paris, where they serve to hold holy water."
seen,"
"

History,"

says, is also called Tridacna.

it

is

not to

me

at

all

Why

obvious.

Tridacna, or Ostrea tridacna,

means

this

name was

applied to

According to Ainsworth,
shells that

can be eaten at

NATURAL HISTORY

142
three bites

but

was ever eaten

the giants

ANIMALS.

the animal that lives in the chamas gigas

if

must have been by some of

against Jupiter, and who heaved up
Pelion, and compared to whom Goliath must

at three bites,

it

who warred

Ossa on the top of

or by some of the less fabulous megatheria,

which basked in the sun and disported themselves in the

have been a pigmy

deltas

the far remote palaeozoic ages

during

Those two

the chronicles of geology.

shells,

recorded in

which were not

mates, were each four feet long, two feet seven inches broad,

and nine inches thick at the umbo.

had not the means

weighing them, but each of them was as much as two

could with some difficulty

men
Some

up from the ground.

lift

of

time afterwards I found single shells apparently of the same

species, but

not quite so large

and there were others which

did not see, but of whose existence the natives informed me,

and which were imbedded

that

Small bivalves
of the

same or

is,

in the sands or adhering to the reefs.

small compared with these

of a similar species,

fifteen inches long, are

found

great numbers

live

but no

alive,

either

from six to twelve or

adhering to the reefs in

specimens of this large

size

were

ever seen on the island, even by the oldest natives.

so large, they could not be

would

easily kill

them

Being
numerous, and hence the natives

out.

"

number

of those

cockles,"

taken on board the ship, and

stewed in the coppers, but they were too rank to be agreeable
But on Aneityum, where the
food, and were eaten by few."
says Captain Flinders,

"were

natives pick the bones of a whale as neatly as they do the

bones of a herring, a Tridacna would not stand them long.

The native name of those shells is nipjineri ; but the two which

were worshipped as natmascs, or gods, in the days

From time immeof heathenism, by the name of Nethuing.

I obtained

NATURAL HISTORY: ANIMALS.

143

morial the upper part of those shells had been seen above the

mud

stones and

in the channel of the stream

and when the

feeding pigs for feasts, before giving the food to

natives were

the animals, they laid

it

the belief that,

shells, in

upon these

by doing so, virtue would proceed from the natmases to

the pigs large and

fat.

laid their niraJis

they

When

make

they were about to plant taro

the sticks with which they dig the

ground on the shells, in the belief that, by doing so, they

would secure an excellent crop of taro. Every undertaking
on the island was preceded by an act of homage to some
natmas.

In

Athenians,

own way,

their

were

those shells

Aneityumese,

(duaidaipotisersgoi)

there, as in Athens,

How

the

it

came

"very

was easier to

find a

the

like

religious,"

and

god than a man.

to be in such a place,

and how long

But time s destroying

they had remained there no one knew.
the elements and the help of accidents,
fingers, by the agency of
had

left their

impress on them both

the edges were chipped,

and the enamel was corroded, and they had not that smooth
and white appearance which they must have had when the
animals were

alive,

and had not yet enjoyed the honours

apotheosis or rites divine

as

is

and

to almost

sea there

is

an

well known,

Aneityum,
fully and skilfully cultivated,
paradise, like the

of

of

it

is

a fertile island

would soon be a

Eden

garden
any amount, could

itself.

Food

if it

little

were

earthly

of all varieties,

easily be raised.

But the

nearly as rich in its supplies of food as the land,

from the whale that tumbles about with his enormous bulk,
to the flying-fish that rise

from the crest

their finny wings, and skim along for

and then sink into their native element.

in those seas are coarse and hard

of the

fifty or a

waves on

hundred yards,

Many

of the fish

but some of them at least

NATURAL HISTORY: THE TURTLE.

144

are soft, and very delicate eating, equal to trout, herring, or

salmon at home, or any of the fish mentioned in good old

Izaak Walton s
as tender as anything to be
Angler," yea,
"

found either in the

still

waters of Lochfyne or in the rapid

currents of the Pentland Firth, each of which

is so

famous

for its matchless herrings.

THE TURTLE.
But the most highly

prized denizen of the sea there

the edible or green turtle (Chelonia midas).

As we

is

are on

the edge of the tropics, they are not so large as in lower

latitudes nearer the line, nor are they so plentiful
less,

neverthe

they are sufficiently numerous to supply a fair amount

of sport in the catching of them,

and

sufficiently large

supply a fair amount of food in the eating of them.

to

They

are amphibious, although they live in the sea, and feed on a

kind of sea grass; but at the breeding season, the female

comes ashore, digs a deep hole in the sand above high- water
mark, and lays her eggs, to the number of one or two
hundred, covers them up, and, like the ostrich, leaves them
to be hatched

come out

by the heat

of the shell, they

never seen again

friend

of

till

mine,

of the sun.

make

When

the chicks

direct for the sea,

and are

they return something like full-grown.

an eminent

MacGillivray, Esq., F.R.S., told

naturalist,

me

the late John

that he was once en

camped on a sandy beach on the northern coast of Australia ;

he was lying awake on his couch one night, and a fire was
burning before him.
upheaved near the
of a dollar,

fire,

By and by he saw the sand being

and then a tiny turtle, about the size

emerged from the earth, and waddled

off direct

NATURAL HISTORY

THE TURTLE.

145

then another, and another, and another, and

for the sea,

finally a whole troop of

them

followed,

and

all

made

direct

His tent had been pitched on the top of a

of the fire had has

for the ocean.

and probably the heat

turtle s nest,

tened the departure of this orphan-like family, for whose

preservation

and support God had otherwise made ample

provision.

The natives generally catch the

times during the day.

them, but the most effectual

with floats and sinks

turtles at night, but

some

They have various modes of catching

by means

is

of nets furnished

the floats are not corks, however, but

cocoa-nuts, and the sinks are not leads but round stones.

When

they catch the turtles, or entangle them, the

thing to be done is to turn

them over on

their back

first

they

are then quite helpless, as they cannot turn themselves over

again.

The natives seldom catch more than one or two

a time, but occasionally they are more successful.

ing in 1875, a
nets,

n ttle

fleet of

at

One morn

canoes went out with two large

and secured no fewer than

six,

out of a small shoal of

which they had descried. They went out at daybreak,

and in less than two hours the whole six were hauled ashore,

turtles

and were lying on their backs on the beach within two

hundred yards of my door, but all of them alive. I weighed
one of them and found it to be 324 Ibs. The six would
average 300

Now

Ibs. each,

or 1800 Ibs. in

all.

only think of nearly a ton of genuine turtle

an amount

of

pure, green

fat

must have been there

AVhat
!

transcendental delicacy, sacred to the festive boards of

shipful aldermen

What

that

wor

oceans of soup, pure, unadulterated

and genuine, could have been manufactured from such a large

supply of the real material fresh from the ocean none of
!

NATURAL HISTORY: THE TURTLE.

146

your mock turtle

none even

closed in water-casks,

of those lean skinny animals,

and half starved on the passage from

the Island of Ascension or elsewhere to England, and more

dead than alive when they reach the Thames, and on which
all

the skill of

London cooks

is

exercised in preparing that

most admired and highly prized of all decoctions turtle-soup

on occasions such as when our friends the Lord Mayor,

Andrew Lusk, M.P.,

such as Sir

or the late Sir William

McArthur, M.P., were wont to entertain their Majesty s

Ministers to dinner, and dispense with such dignified courtesy
the hospitalities of the Mansion House.

Think again, more

by savages and

over, of all these six fine turtles being eaten

missionaries

The natives very

generally,

if

one, give the mission family the head, which

portion.

but

In the days

now he

of

heathenism

it

they catch but

is

the choicest

was given

to the chief,

foregoes his claim in favour of the missionary, but

the missionary on his part recognises the obligation, and

when he kills a pig he sends a roast of it to the chief, re

membering the proverb about

giff-gaff.

brought us the finest head of the

Murray and

their little

six.

On

this occasion they

Brother and

sister

boy from Anelgauhat happened to

be with us on a

visit.
But only fancy two mission families
a
taking
holiday and luxuriously dining on a delicacy that
would not only have graced a civic banquet, but would have

been prized on the table of royalty

This, I

am

aware,

is

itself.

a hazardous revelation to make, for

the sake of our poor missionaries;

pity for them is almost
certain to be changed into envy,
everybody s teeth will be set

a watering, tears of sympathy for them will cease to be

shed,

and missionary contributions may

perhaps dwindle down

to

NATURAL HISTORY: THE TURTLE.

driblets.

What
for whom

"

"

they will say,

"

show

147

pity, compassion,

? for
sympathy,
people living better than aldermen,
and dining on green turtle
Verily that man told us the
!

truth

who

said,

very good way of

that some of those missionaries get into a

doing."

CHAPTER XX.
COOKING

THE

principal

Hebrides, as

DRINKING KAVA.

EATING

mode

of

cooking on Aneityurn and in the

was

in

New

it

Zealand, and

was the native oven.

generally,

New

South Seas

in the

On Aneityum, and

in the

southern islands of the group, they had no means of boiling

anything

they had no vessels that could stand the

process of cooking

was

this

In the

first

The

fire.

place a round pit

was dug, from nine inches to two feet deep, according to the
width ; and from eighteen inches to three or four feet in
bottom.

was a permanent oven,

Every family had a collection

could be

made

from the

size of a

diameter.

If

it

was paved in the

of fire stones, that

red-hot without breaking; these stones were

hen

thing to be done was

soft,

it

egg to that of one

The next

s fist.

to collect a quantity of dry, generally

wood, mostly branches of trees

I
larger pieces were used.
being generally one of their

if it

was a large oven,

shall describe a
largest,

and

also

Saturday

men went away

fruit

In the

to the plantation for taro, or to

the woods for bread-fruit, or horse chestnuts

and better

oven,

one of their best.

Often two or three families united to make one oven.

morning the

much

than ours that goes by that name

larger

another

would go for a bunch of bananas, &c. If some fish happened

to be caught, they would be forthcoming or if a pig had been
killed in the district, a leg or a shoulder of it would also be
;

EATING.

COOKING
They never

there.

salt their

pork

149

but when a pig

is killed

it is at once divided among friends, and then cooked by them,

but to be repaid at some future time, which is never forgotten.

also stripped of the husk, the kernels

ripe cocoa-nuts are
Crated down into a small wooden trough. This they strain
o

Some

through a cloth

former times through a piece

in

of native

cloth that grows round the butt-end of the cocoa-nut branches

it

is

The

not unlike cheese-cloth in texture.

strained out

is

juice thus

the true cocoa-nut milk, which can be used for

milk they mix taro, or yams, or bananas,

or occasionally arrowroot, from which to make puddings.
This milk serves the purpose of lard, or suet, or butter. These

With

coffee.

this

which have been

puddings are wrapped up in banana leaves,
neck with some
the
tied
and
heated over the fire,
firmly by
cord-like

made from the inner bark

fibre,

While the

men

are

for wood, the

away

of

women

some bush.
are

away

for

yams
wrap up the food. The
are
washed
when
clean,
wrapped
quite
carefully scraped, and,
or
the
leaves
wholesome
fish,
pork, or
up in banana, or other
taro or

leaves in which to

are

are the same.

fruit, as well as the puddings,

The natives

have a plant which they call nasieij, a small bush, the leaves
in little clusters, which, when baked, or
of which

grow

steamed, along with meat or

palatable,

flower, brussels sprouts, or

plant

it

usually

among

burn

wrap it
The dry wood
it will

applied to
till all

uncommonly tender and

any

of that family.

They generally

up along with pork, or fowl, or

as high as

fire is

are

their bananas, and near their cottages.

the juice.

up

fish,

so than cabbage, kail, savoys, broccoli, cauli

more

it,

lie

and

the wood

is

pit,

and then heaped

the stones are placed on the wood,

it is

is

put into the

They

fish, to absorb

soon

all ablaze.

It continues to

a mass of glowing embers, and the

COOKING

When

stones are red hot.

EATING.

burned out the whole

falls to

the

The stones are

taken quickly out by means of
by a pair of native tongs, made of a long stick split
up at the one end. The embers are spread out over the
bottom of the pit ; these are covered with a layer of leaves,
bottom.

all

sticks, or

and the food

taro,

yams, bread-fruit, chestnuts, pork,

all

is

placed in a

fish, &c.,

row on these

leaves,
previously wrapped up,
and red stones scattered over the top ; a second row of leaves,
and a second row of food, and a second covering of hot stones
follow,

and

if it is

a large oven a third row will be laid on, a

quantity of old dried leaves is then added,

and the whole

covered with earth to the thickness of six inches or

oven

is

now

It is left for

is

The

so.

completed, and the process of steaming begins.

two or three hours, longer or

to circumstances.

If,

cooking, they will not open

between sweat and smoke,

the morning.

it till

and they are

men to one
make themselves

stream to bathe, the

At

the Sabbath.

Meanwhile,
they are

stones, leaves, arid earth,

completely begrimed and dirty

another, and thus

shorter, according

for example, it is a turtle that they are

the

all off to

pool and the women to

clean and comfortable for

the same time some of the young

men

are

sent off to pull a quantity of fresh or green cocoa-nuts for the

Lord

s day.

They

select the

younger and lower trees, as being

the most easily climbed, and as having also the best nuts for
It is astonishing to see

drinking.

the trees
fingers.

how

easily they can climb

their toes are nearly as nimble in climbing as their

Most

of the trees lean slightly to the

as a matter of course, they take the nearest

often seem just to walk

up the

one

side,

and,

and they
fours.
John

tree on all

side,

Williams says that when the natives on Tahiti or elsewhere

saw English seamen try

to climb cocoa-nut trees, they laughed

EATING.

COOKING

would say,
disparage one another, they

among

the branches.

5 I

and when they wished to

at thorn for their awkwardness,

as an Englishman!"

"

Why, you

are as stupid

hanging in clusters
The natives knap the husk with the

The

fruit

is

all

and thereby ascertain the nuts that

are just sufficiently ripe for being drunk these they twist off
and throw down to the ground. They then fixed a sharp-pointed

nail of one of their fingers,

and by striking the rind of the nut against

be
the point they tore off the husk, and the nuts were ready to
The nuts, thus stripped of their husk,
opened for drinking.
stick in the earth,

were thrown into a basket, and put away for the Sabbath.
When the oven was considered fully cooked, and generally
they guessed very correctly,

the earth was removed

the oven opened, and taro, yams,

fish,

pork, &c.,

and

came out

and as tempting as if they had

piping hot, nicely cooked,
been taken out of the best cooked baker s oven in our
land.

The food was then

distributed

in

the following

The party sat in a circle, each with his food basket

The person or persons dividing the food went
beside him.
to each a taro or two; they went round a
and
manner.

gave
second time and gave each a yam, then a

round,

fish,

or a piece of

of a fowl, a cocoa-nut, or a piece of sugar

pork, or a piece
divided.
blessing was then asked,
cane, till everything was
After
as they wished.
much
as
and they ate their supper,

it
up all that he had left, and put
the Sabbath day and there was always

this every one gathered

into his basket for

as

much

evening.

left as

would serve them comfortably

In cold weather they often

on the Sabbath, and warmed

it

sliced

till

the

down

in the frying-pan.

Monday

their taro

On

Efate,

where the staple food is yams, they often, on the Sabbath

or made an oven, the
afternoon, either roasted small yams,

COOKING

52

wood and other

EATING.

requisites being provided

on the Saturday,

was believed that the cold watery yams had a

to
tendency
produce bowel complaints; and the missionaries
because

it

never thought of enjoining anything that was found to be

The cooking in the native oven
incompatible with health.
is

a slow and laborious process, and must

evidently in time

give

way

to pots, saucepans, kettles,

frying-pans,

or other stoves, but

it

our taro better when

when done
of the

in

it

we

liked

To those holding the principles

a missionary Sabbath will no doubt be

any other way.

Sunday

Society,

but to the natives,

worked 365 days every year, who,

heathen

kind of

was cooked in the native oven than

the reverse of attractive

great

and American

cooks food remarkably well

feast,

common

when the

who

regularly

in anticipation of

some

men had made

every

sacred

had fasted or fared very very

scantily not only for days but for weeks, and even for
months,

till

food

tapu,

the bones of their back and shoulders were far

more prominent than the muscles to people who had

passed
through this experience, it was no difficult matter to make

them

believe that 52 days

rest in the year, the first

day in

every seven, with three plentiful, well-cooked meals on each

one of those days, was anything but a repulsive mode of
life,

even though accompanied by public and

private religious
exercises
two sermons and a Sabbath-school, and
family
prayers morning, noon, and night.

But very

likely the

time

may come when those who had never known the wars
Canaan, who had been ignorant of the bondage of

of

Egypt,

the brick kiln, and the iron furnace, will look

upon the

manna

as light food, will prefer an aesthetic to a

spiritual religion,
will say of the Lord s service,
What a weariness is it
"

"

"

When

will the

new moon be

gone, that

we may

sell

corn

KAYA AND KAVA DRINKING.

and the Sabbath that we may

153

When

set forth wheat?"

by a low morality,

feeble piety will be followed

when they

the ephah small and the shekel great, give small

the balances
measure, and charge a high price, and falsify
seek after
and
self-denial
shun
When they shall
deceit.

make

shall

by

when they

self-indulgence;

ments, and

the

practise

shall

plead for doubtful amuse

pleasant vices,

they shall be

till

and dancing with the

drinking with the sons of Belial,
Should such things happen again,
daughters of Midian.
as they have

no

trial will

common

to missions

God

trial,

happened before, and have happened elsewhere,

have happened but what is common to man, and
but to every temptation, and to every

His servants may

will provide a

way

of escape, that

He

will

watch over His own work, while

be able to bear

it.

His Word

endure

shall

for ever.

KAVA AND KAYA DEIXKIXG.

The kava plant

is

found, I believe, in

the South Sea

all

far west as the Solomon group,

Islands, within the tropics as
and is converted into an intoxicating beverage. From the

Solomon group westward the

betel-root, the

chewing

of

which

renders the teeth of the natives quite black, grows plentifully

and

is

commonly used

as a narcotic.

The root

of the

kava

extreme base of the stem, are the parts from

plant, and the
which the drink is prepared. These being washed and dried
are chewed; in

young men,

some groups

in other groups

this operation
it

is

is

performed by

done by young women,

for this
good clean teeth being the qualification

the root

form

is

sufficiently chewed, the masticated

of round,

dry

balls,

are deposited in a

office.

When

fibres, in the

common bowl

KAVA AND KAVA DRINKING.

154

these are then diluted with water, and strained through a

of

piece

beverage

native
is

it,

made from the lower

to the person

women

clusively

for

applies to all
It

is

any head man, pronounces

which the first cup the cup

common

people

and principal men.

it

handed

is

rank in the company.

or to the

chiefs

It

not

is

kept ex

is

This description

no longer drunk on Aneityum.

flowed from its

all out,

half of a cocoa-nut shell

heathen islands, and to Aneityum in

been prohibited.

kava

after

of highest

given to

state.

the

ready, the priest, or

a toast or prayer over

is

When

or through fern leaves.

cloth,

its

heathen

It has

long

To prevent the injurious consequences that

use, the natives, once and again, rooted the

not by the instigation of the missionaries, but

by an edict of the

chiefs,

supreme and subordinate; but

of

course the roots were not so completely eradicated, but that

in time they again sprouted, and the plants grew up anew.
The drinking of kava, therefore, on Aneityum is not now
carried on with that dignity and eclat with which it was

done in former times

and

is

kava

is

alcoholic liquors are obtained

and

now

obtained and drunk very

a sort of smuggled

much

in the

and drunk in the state

in the other prohibitory states in America.

Rev. James Cosh, now

of Balmain, Sydney,

article,

same way as
of

Maine,

When

the

was our missionary

on Efate, he found that the leading men in the village met

every evening, after the toils of the day, to drink kava ; and

though at first he thought the practice was harmless, there

being no bad language, no quarrelling, and no fighting all

was good
that,

feeling

when they

and innocent
left

hilarity,

but erelong he found

the banqueting-house and went to their

own homes, they were

one of them was able to

and stupid that scarcely

conduct family worship. They were

all

so dead

KAVA AND KAVA DRINKING.

5 5

all
no longer Christians, they wore in reality, on this point,
talked
and
them
took
back again to heathenism. Mr. Cosh
a powerful exhibition of moral
seriously to them, and, by
from the stupefying liquor,
suasion, he led them to abstain

so that they

could conduct their evening as well as their

morning devotions with

of kava, Dr.

Speaking

milk in

it,

when once

intellect.

in his able

Seeman,

acquired, must, like

all

work on

Fiji,

acquired tastes, be perfectly

tastes like soapsuds,

It

irresistible.

Drunk

and unclouded

coffee with plenty of

beverage has the look of
and an aromatic, slightly pungent taste, which,

"The

says,

clear

in moderation

it

jalap,

and magnesia.

has probably no bad effect, and acts

like betel-nut, but taken to excess

upon the system something

it

generates

kinds of skin diseases, and weakens the

kava,

Fortunately,

eyesight.

not

all

make

people quarrelsome;

a calming effect,

unlike distilled spirits, does

it

has rather, like tobacco,

virtues of their
Fijians extol the

and when

national beverage, they often and justly

Nearly

all

this observation.

the lower class of whites in Fiji are kava drinkers,

And what

some regular drunkards.

is

make

has always surprised

to be a tropical
that, considering the Fijian

of these

drunkards enjoy such a long

It

not true, however, that these

is

enjoy long

life.

know on

me

climate, most

life."

men

as a general rule

reliable authority that

through

do not
out the South Seas the class referred to in general
the
few of them live past
age of
out half their
"

"

days

live

Where

forty.

this is the exception it is easily accounted for.

They are generally men

live,

most

of vigorous constitutions,

not in consequence of drinking, but in spite

ex
drinking especially of alcohol, though
not
is
it
daily
only occasional, not habitual;

cases, this

cessive,

is

and they
In
of it.

KAVA AND KAVA DRINKING.

IS
tippling,

but occasional outbursts of violent drunkenness.

For months
least

from

called

is

principles

at a time they are,

spirits.

Many

the Island

of those captains,

trade,

they adopt

from necessity, abstainers at

their

sail

engaged in what
on teetotal

vessels

from necessity, as the only means

it

of safely prosecuting this business with the class of

have generally to do with.

The men

the voyage, or once in six months, as the case

liquor store
till

is

then opened, and drink

is

every portion of their wages

is

men

they

are paid at the end of

is

may

be

the

then sold to them

expended, and abstinence

upon them, a new outfit must be pro

and they must undertake another
voyage of

reluctantly forced

vided on credit,

the same kind to redeem themselves from their debts.

poor

Indian,"

says Dr. Beecher,

himself dead to
the

man who

In the one

"

The

who, once a month, drinks

but simple breathing, will outlive for

years
drinks daily, though he drinks
moderately."
all

case, it is

other case, the system

constant war against nature; in the

is

effects of these debauches,

energies.

"

Those men,

living in the open air,

allowed to throw off the

injurious
and recruit for a while its
impaired

too, are

almost constantly working or

and in other circumstances favourable

to longevity.

Some twenty years ago or so it was

reported, although I
cannot vouch for the accuracy of the
report, that one of the
first

British governors of
Fiji was in the habit, occasionally

at least, of leaving

Government house

of an
evening, and
stepping across to the kava-drinking hall of the chiefs, and,
in order to ingratiate himself with the native
aristocracy,
joined them in quaffing off a cup of the soothing, saponaceous

mixture, prepared for the

Fiji.

company by the

chief butler of

KAVA AND KAVA D1UNKING.

rather formidable objection against Nephalism

sented to

some minds by the supposed

or narcotics are in use

among

all

tinguished, and

is

it

a certain

is

Nothing

to be regulated, but not ex

is

more

God

were, against

about

of plausibility

certain than this, that every

mankind

has always appeared to

objection.

amount

it

in a way contrary to the estab

God s providence must end in disappointment.

attempt to benefit
lished order of

a natural appetite,

that, in this light, total abstainers, with the

There

this objection.

pre

wine, beer, ardent

is

best of aims, are nevertheless fighting, as

and nature.

and hence they infer that

the desire for stimulants and sedatives

universal as the species, and

is

fact that stimulants

nations

spirits, kava, opium, tobacco, &c.

But

It assumes

me

that a fallacy lurks

what requires

to be proved.

in.

this

No

one

will deny that the taste for stimulants and sedatives is easily
than our natural
acqidred, and when acquired is far stronger

appetites; but
till

it

is

equally certain that these desires sleep

The

they are awakened or created.

objection assumes

that these tastes or desires are always awake or alive.

requires to be proved, which

it

never has been.

They

This
cause

Let the drink be prohibited, and

acquired.
that
awaken those appetites, and
abolished
be
the customs

no uneasiness

till

misery only, not happiness, will be removed.

If the prin

it proves the universal

ciple of this objection proves anything,

depravity of man, but nothing more

his disposition to abuse

the bounties of providence, and by converting medicines into

and more exquisite enjoyments than

and the laws
compatible with sound and permanent health,

luxuries, to seek higher

is

of our earthly existence.

of

God

blessings.

Man

is

prone to pervert every one

In consequence of this perversion the

greatest good has always

become the greatest

evil; religion

KAVA AND KAVA DRINKING.

158

perverted into superstition

is

means

of self-defence into

warfare

government into tyranny ;

weapons of unjust and aggressive
;

civil

the strong social feelings into the

"

social evil

"

and the most valuable medicines into the most destructive

The

luxuries.

love of stimulants, the desire for pleasurable

excitement must be regulated, like every other desire, by

Scientific

men

than mere temporary gratification.

and
knowledge,
higher Christian principle, will lead

considerations

higher

deny themselves a present enjoyment, for the sake

and securing a higher future advan

to

of averting a future evil,

tage,

and

will

urge them to endeavour, both by example and

persuasion, that their less enlightened brethren

We

the same course.

follow

may

wish to bring back those stimulants

and sedatives from the category of pleasant but perilous

luxuries, and confine them again to the list of valuable and
powerful medicines.
medicinal value of the kava

"The
"

has of late claimed some attention.

lation of Golding Bird s

O Rorke

has inserted

The kava plant

and

its

is

among

is

calculous affections, Dr.

others the following remarks

prescribed.

it

The

applicable in those cases

intoxication

it

not like that caused by spirituous liquors, but

induces

dreams.

lignum
use

it

a placid

Kava
vitse,

is

the most powerful sudorific in existence,

stimulant qualities render

where colchicum
is

work on

says Seeman,
plant,"
In the French trans

tranquillity,

accompanied

produces
it

rather

by incoherent

as powerful in its
therapeutic action as

or guiacum, sarsaparilla, &c., and the islanders

as a specific against the diseases

brought over to

them

by foreign vessels. On the other hand, this drug, used to

excess as an intoxicating agent, over-excites the skin
by its
sudorific effects,

and eventually even causes elephantiasis.

"

KAVA AND KAVA DRINKING.

159

forms of disease
Throughout those groups the most common
are fever and ague, as in the New Hebrides, and diarrhoea

and

dysentery as in

It

Fiji.

known

well

is

these

that

diseases are most frequently caused by some checking of the

insensible perspiration; and consequently those medicines

that

and powerfully on the skin are

act promptly

Here we

highest value in such maladies.

man

Providence beforehand with

of

the

see a benevolent

side by side with the

bane

The poor ignorant savages have not

rises up the antidote.
discovered this.
They found in the kava a fascinating luxury,
with present enjoyment, and only a remote penalty
its

but of

medicinal properties their knowledge was

Hence, by using a powerful medicine as a daily
limited in the

extreme.

luxury, the blessing

was perverted more or

God has here provided the

materials,

less into

rests

it

with

a curse.

scientific

and Christian principle to rectify the evils and secure

In New Zealand, where neither ague nor
the advantages.
skill

is not
dysentery prevail, the kava, the piper metltysticum,
is
the
it
but
it
is
found there is a piper there,
piper
true,
;

and

excelsum,

New

is

not used for making kava; and hence the

Zealanders never had this liquor

they had no intoxicating drink

it

by foreigners.

stimulants

is

It

is

till

so far as I

am

aware,

they were supplied with

not true, therefore, that the use of

universal, as our objectors allege

whole people without them

here was a

and even in the kava-drinking

of the indulgence.
groups, not a tithe of the people partook
to
the
Its use was confined almost exclusively
chiefs, the same
class

in

who

many

But

contracted a morbid craving for

cases

became as

in both cases, those

who indulged were

human

flesh,

which

irresistible as the longing for kava.

who

abstained were the happy, those

finally the sufferers.

KAVA AND KAVA DRINKING.

l6o

am

not aware that any of our missionaries, or any of the

white residents on those islands, have used kava medicinally

but assuming the above opinions respecting
properties to be correct,

it

its

medicinal

might be worth while to try

it

in

Quinine has hitherto been the great sheet-anchor

this way.

and ague, and diaphoretics in dysentery; but if

kava were found effectual in that formidable disease, ague, or
in fever

in that

more

still

fatal

malady, dysentery,

it

would be an

important addition to the pharmacopoeia for the South Seas.

But whatever uncertainty may remain

its

therapeutic value,

it

clear as

is

mild and gentle as

luxury

its

for

some time as to

day that its use as a

may seem to be is

effects

highly perilous to health; a headache next morning

first

admonition.

is

its

Those gentlemen who complacently drink

modera

their wine, or sip their toddy, aiming at exemplary

tion as the

who think

acme

of a

model

that in this

life in

way they

the use of stimulants, and

are obeying

God and

follow

ing nature, copying, at a safe distance, the example set by

and savages Noah and Lot, Belshazzar and

Alexander, Pomare and Thakombau let them for their com
fort and encouragement pass an evening in imagination in
saints,

sages,

the public hall of

Hebrides,

some town or

and while they

district in Fiji or in

the

Bacchanals entering their elysiuin on the confines of

land, let

them look up

to those rafters

enemies are suspended as trophies

or glaring through those

and

goblins,

and

New

see these cheerful kava- quaffing

empty

Dream

where the skulls of

and, dancing

sockets, they

among

these,

may see gnomes,

spectres, the personifications of such diseases

as lepra, ophthalmia,

and

elephantiasis, eyeing with compla

cency the joyous group beneath, and deliberately choosing
Let them
this, that, or the other, as their future victims.

KAVA AND KAVA DRINKING.

instead of that
years have passed away, and,

when

return

l6l

noble savage, with eagle eye, and agile step, and prince-like
witli
bearing, they will see a feeble man, prematurely old,
and legs thick and rugose as
eyes inflamed, skin diseased,
Let them then gaze on the wine spark
that of an elephant.
the utterances of the ancient
ling before them, and perhaps
sounds
to
their
be
clearer
oracle
apprehension, as it

may

Look not thou upon the wine when it is

when it moveth
giveth his colour in the cup,

forth these words,

red,

when

itself

like

it

aright

an

"

at the last

adder."

it

biteth like a serpent

and stiugeth

CHAPTER

XXI.

COUETSHIP AND MAEEIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

OF the two ordinances that survived the

fall

and were taken

out of Eden, namely, the Sabbath and Marriage, the former

was utterly unknown on Aneityum, and the latter, though

The
distinctly recognised, was but a feeble institution.
strangulation of every wife on the death of her husband, and
the frequency with which female infants were killed, had

reduced the female population of the island to 65 per cent, of

the male, as

we found

to be the case

when we were

to take a census of the population.

for every

Only

able first

sixty-five females

hundred males was a very gloomy outlook ; but we

life and promote suitable marriages.

did our best to save female

In heathenism every girl was betrothed, often as soon as she

was born. The parents, or the relatives, or the chief, as one
or other happened to be the most
disposal of the girl

powerful, had the

full

she was allowed no say in the matter at

There was no such thing as Narayin Sheshadri would

have called good honest courtship. Marriages were generally

all.

celebrated
of age.

As

when the

girl

was about sixteen or seventeen years

The husband was generally much

older than the wife.

a general rule she lived quietly with him, through fear,

for five or six years,

hood,

own.

till

she reached the

when she showed that she had a

full

vigour of

woman

will and a power of her

She then began to cast her eyes on some vigorous

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

young man

of her

own

age, of that class

who

163

could more than

hold his own with her husband, or one who, with the help of
his friends, could

and his friends

a war ensued,
being given to

more than hold

his

they then eloped

own with her husband

a quarrel and sometimes

a large present
peace was not secured by
After a
the injured husband and his friends.
if

as the case might be, the

year or two, longer or shorter
woman would quarrel with her new- husband or he with her,

and she would leave him and become the wife

This was not an exceptional case

husband.

normal state

we

When we came

of society.

we

found, in the district where

to

lived,

know
that

to us, there
thirty or forty families nearest

of a
it

third

was the

the people,

among

the

was scarcely a

whom it might not

woman who
life,
have been said, as our Saviour said to the woman of Samaria,
Thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is
not thy husband." 1 knew one or two women who had had
had reached middle

to

"

as

many

There was a good deal of formality

marriage of a young woman,

as ten husbands.

and feasting about the

if

especially

first

she were a chief

I

were informal enough.

daughter, subsequent marriages

may

give one example.

Shortly

before our arrival on the island, Jane, the daughter of Tavita,

the chief of our district, was affianced to Willianm, a sketch

of

whom

I have given elsewhere.

Williamu did not wish

her,

but the father was determined that the marriage should take

and so preparations were pushed on. At the court of

Ahasuerus, when Esther became one of the brides-elect, she

place,

was kept twelve months

in the house of the

Hegai before her marriage.

great,

a similar practice existed

AYilliamu

s bride-elect,

women under

Comparing small things with

on Aneityum, and Jane,

was, according to native custom, shut

64
in

up

COUKTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

a house adjoining her father

preparatory to her

s,

marriage, and an old trustworthy woman was appointed as

nurse or guardian, to supply her with food, and guarantee her
seclusion.

At

that time there was living with AVillianiu one

Manura, a native of Tahiti, a Christian

doubt with Williamu

one day Manura, no

approval, went and broke open the

house in which Jane was shut up, brought her out, and set
her at liberty, saying that he would not allow her or any

young woman to be shut up like a pig that was being fed for
a feast ; and thus ended the purposed marriage, and the
example of Esther was never again repeated. Had any native
Aneityum done what the Tahitian did his temerity would

of

have cost him his

of

life

Manura was

but

a Malay, a descendant

Shem, and Tavita was only a Papuan, a descendant of Ham,

to submit
for of Shem it was said,

and was quite willing

"And

Canaan

Our mode
this.

riages

We
as

shall be his

servant."

of proceeding in connection with

remarried nobody; we recognised

valid.

When

natives

such,

and wives

all

who

native

we

recognised

professed themselves to be

and were recognised as such by the general

and I enrolled them as married in

Zealand the Church

who were not

of

all

couples

catalogue.

whom

On

me

as

New

to live together,

the other hand, they

they baptized, although they had

been recognised as husband and wife for

always appeared to

public,

In

England missionaries married none

but they would not marry them.

remarried

my

They allowed them

baptized.

mar

gave up heathenism and

placed themselves under Christian instruction,

as husbands

marriage was

all

many

an unscriptural mode

years.

This

of proceeding,

and I have never seen anything in the standards of the

Church of England that seemed to require it but there may
;

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

be some connection between Baptism and
of

which I

am

"

Holy

165

Matrimony"

ignorant.

an application was made for marriage, the parties

were proclaimed on the Sabbath, and the marriage was
the
solemnised in the church at the weekly prayer meeting on

When

Wednesday

In our circumstances we considered

following.

one proclamation quite sufficient to secure

At

the

commencement

of the

married sat down side by

of the pulpit platform.

all

needed publicity.

to be
prayer meeting the parties
on a clean new mat in front

side

the marriage was about to bo

When

certain phrases
performed they rose up. In every country
current in
become
to
come into use that were never intended

In England the proclamation

that sense.

called the asking ; in Scotland

it

is

were cried on such and such a day

riage

is

marriage
O

of the

celebrated.

Erau

atitliai

is

on Aneityum the mar

called the rising, because the parties rise

is

banns

called the crying ; they

when

the

arau, the two are rising.

and on my side
recognised about 700 native marriages,
and
Mr.
myself, there were
of the island, between
Copeland

We

enrolled

up

marriages

to

the

time I

left

and on Dr. Geddie

same number.

God

signally

the

island

475

Christian

side of the island about the

owned His own ordinance.

Out

the twenty950 marriages, or thereabouts, during

was
there
only one or tw-o
years that I was on the island,

of these
five

cases of

final

there were

separation.

many

As might have been

supposed,

cases of conjugal infidelity, but far fewer

than could have been reasonably expected and I feel certain

that nothing but the Word and Spirit of God could have
;

wrought such a revolution in the moral condition

munity

of a

com

of the lowest savages, all steeped to the very lips in

the foulest abominations of heathenism.

We

had no

legal

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

66

or civil securities to guarantee the safety of the

marriage

we had

to rely upon.

alone.

God were

Public opinion and the fear of

contract.

We

had

to trust to

The marriages were nearly

celebrated

all

central stations, and at the prayer meetings on the

day,

when

one-half and

that

all

moral influences

often two-thirds of

our

at

Wednes

our ordinary

congregations were present ; for in addition to the ordinary

worshippers, there were generally present a large bridal

and the publicity

party, so that the sacredness of the place,

of the occasion,

the fear of

God and the regard

for

man,

rendered the moral influences as strong as they could be

made, and they largely supplied the lack of legal obligations.

After the service was over I shook hands with the newly
married pair and wished them much happiness,
followed and did the same.

Then came

my

wife

their friends,

and

But

subsequently the bulk of the congregation.

all

married friends, whether united by native or Christian

required to be very carefully looked after.

every man, woman, and child on

Mr. Geddie did the same.

if

my

I kept a

our

rites,
list of

side of the island,

and

This I corrected annually, and

I heard of any family quarrel, or of any doubtful conduct

in either

husband or

wife, I sent

two or three

of our elders, or teachers, or chiefs,

if

of the wisest

practicable, friends

them by
and
into
the
to
talk
themselves,
inquire
reports,
quietly to
and
them,
give them such advice as they might think need
ful.
wife
was generally the first, through the women,
My
of the accused or suspected, to visit them, to take

to learn

when anything was going wrong.

She heard

this,

not as a piece of gossip, for she put her foot firmly down
to stop all mere gossip; but the teachers wives, and other

trustworthy women, supplied her with the necessary informa-

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

tion,

and

which she commvmiccated to me.

And

167

then the session

what should be done, and

I took counsel together as to

And

the result of our measures was generally successful.

we promoted largely the

by promoting the peace of families,
peace of the island.

The clothing

of the bride

and bridegroom was at

first

Every professed Christian

matter for serious consideration.

wore some portion of European clothing, especially at church.

And if clothing was deemed indispensable for ordinary worship,
it

seemed

Samoan

own

still

more necessary

And

for a marriage.

our

teachers fostered the idea, and lent portions of their

bride and the bridegroom;

clothing to bedeck the

wife, too,

always made a small bridal present.

my

There was
After

feast provided by the friends.

always a small marriage

of the Scotch, there was no marriage fee, but a

the manner

feast was brought to the missionary, con

present from the
of a basket or two of taro, a fowl or two, and some

sisting

times a pig.
return.

more

As

This implied a small present of clothing in

time wore on clothing and other property became

the islands, marriage presents

plentiful on

on both

sides

became larger; marriage dresses became more stylish, and

civilization kept pace with Christianity, and we began to be
might overlay the
In heathen times there was little or no family life

afraid lest there, as elsewhere, the secular

spiritual.

on Aneityuin

the

house, and all the

celebrate

men

of a district slept all in

women

in another.

Christian marriages, we

one

When we

common
began to

strove hard to get every

of their own, and, if

couple to have a house
to get the house prepared and all ready before the
possible,
well
although the
marriage, and this arrangement wrought
to leave the preparing of the
bridegroom was often eager

new married

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

68

was always strong for him

to have the house before the wife ; and by speaking to the
house

after the marriage, but I

till

friends

beforehand

succeeded

and in

to

man

the young

help

generally

way every marriage not only added a

this

community, but also a new house to the

and
the
settlement;
young wife realised the truth of what
was said by the Scotchwoman, It s aye a nice thing to hae a

new family

to the

"

bit

house o yin

We

ain."

never interfered in match-making, though often urged

We

to do so.

suitable

did what

matches

we

we

but

We

nothing.

behooved to belong to the same or

bride and bridegroom

;

and as women were

married into any particular

later,

scarce, if

must be married back out

My

one was

tribe, another woman, sooner or

of that tribe in return.

old heathen ideas on that subject were tenacious of

died hard.

The

on this subject were often very absurd.

contiguous districts

the

left

The notions

responsibility always with the parties interested.

of the natives

un

could by advice to prevent

forced

truthfulness, on one occasion,

life,

All

they

was severely

and unexpectedly tried. In meeting an objection that the

bride was taken too far away from her people, some eight or
ten miles, I said that before I was married,

Eromanga.

in 1860, he first

saw mine

saw Mrs. Inglis native

and he

told

me

what I had said about how

before

we were married

was quite

my

wife and I

from one another as between Aneityum and

When Williamu accompanied us to this country

lived as far

true.

the exact truth.

place,

and then he

afterwards that he remembered

far

we had

lived

from one another

and now he saw that what I had

How important it is at all

Who could have imagined

utterances were to be thus tested.

If

said

times to speak
that

my

casual

they had been found

to

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

be incorrect, Williamu

confidence in

me would

169

have been

rudely shaken.

One day the

have

chiefs

came

to

me

we took nothing

said,

to proclaim a marriage.

though often importuned to espouse the interest

party, but I tried to improve

of

some

such opportunities to explain

the Scriptural principles on which marriages

to the people

ought

all

As

do with match-making,

to

and to point out to them the

to be contracted,

evils of

ill-assorted marriages, leaving

them

themselves, and throwing

the responsibilities on the parties

all

promoting the marriage.

to carry out these principles

this .case

In.

was

man was much

attention to the fact that the

calling their

older than the

woman, and had been anything but an exemplary man in his

general conduct, and that I was afraid she might not like him,
but was simply yielding to a strong pressure brought to bear

upon her by her

friends, for there, as elsewhere, the course of

The bride proposed was a

I had known her

true love seldom runs smooth.

particularly interesting

from a child

young woman.

she had attended

all

my

classes

and well conducted, and was,

excellent scholar, good-looking,

membership and I felt

the best young men on the island.

at the time, a candidate for church

that she deserved one of

As
of

for the proposed bridegroom, poor fellow, I

for

sympathy

him

she was an

he was a

man

had a good deal

of great force of character,

impulsive, often unselfish, and one of those generous natures

whom

people generally

years before

marry him

like.

He

had been

ill-used

about three

he wished to marry a widow, and she wished to

but strong family influences were brought to bear

on the widow, and she had to give him up and take his
But, there, as

much

as in

more

civilised lands, public

comes out at length on behalf

of

right and

rival.

sympathy
justice, and in

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

I/O

behalf of the injured

and public feeling was

One

side in this case.

chief said to me,

parable I sometimes speak.

If I

Misi, I have a

had a big wild pig that was

going about and breaking into plantations, eating people

and doing

this pig be killed

say,

No, spare

We

him.

my

we cannot

we make

is

He

has been a well-conducted

and

is

now

all true,

member

O
;

he hears nobody

was married.

man

of the

Now, there

pig.

don t give him a wife

But

I stood

the same

district,

for him.

him

yes,"

they

and

"Yes,

that

"

What

also a candidate for church

membership.

"he

is

I said,

wanted

people said she

is

belonging to

a very good young man, but

the people of her land are against

what about Kula

he

man

This was a young

"

said,

see

words,

he has two children,

I said,

church."

up

I talked to

ever since

for

in the pig,

but Ratonga and his wife were both one age.

about Lenia and her

"0

tame

quiet,

neither the chiefs, nor the teachers.

parable.

Let

say,

but I would

we put

the enclosure,

what a wild young man he

my

it

s food,

and help me to make an enclosure

pig,

set to,

get living for

and feed him, and he becomes a

was Ratonga. The people said,

I spoke

would

sorts of mischief, the people

all

man s

on the

all
"

him getting

naming another young man,

yes,"

they

said,

the

"

"

him."

all

"But

her."

"that

was

some time ago but when they spoke to him he said, No,
she was a distant relation of his own, and he would not have
;

her."

"Yes,"

said

another,

"and

when she went up

to

Ivanipek to stay with the teacher, the chief there wished her
for his son

heard this

Ketipup (also a likely young man), but when she

she was unwilling, and came off home immediately.

They have talked about this marriage between her and In jap
a great deal, and she thinks of nobody else now."

"Yes,"

said the chief

who had spoken

the parable,

"

I spoke to her

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

last

to

Monday, and she

said the

I said to them,

stand."

her heart honestly, and see

said

"

if

these words be true, and not

time on Sabbath morning, and,

proclaim them

morning the
the

;"

elder

young woman

so

if

it

is

me

before church

good for her, I will

ended their interview.

came back and

s

words about In jap and her were

Well, you go home and search

through fear of her friends, and come to

and

I?

On the Sabbath

said that he

had searched

heart, and that she had said that their

words were good for her; because that if Ketipup, the chief s
son, and she were married, as they were both young and
thoughtless, they would live in idleness,

and have no

food,

and

then they would be quarrelling and fighting, and living an

unhappy life ; but if In jap and she were married, he would be

and strong to work, and she would work with him,

and they would have plenty of food and live happily together.
thoughtful,

Whether

these were actually her

own

sentiments, or whether

they were the words suggested to her, by a kind of process

akin to the leading of evidence, and to which she merely gave
her assent, I was not able to say, but I was shut up to
proclaim them

Wednesday.

and they were married on the- following

all the drawbacks to marriage in such

But with

a state of society as

we found

there,

it

was an unspeakable

blessing to the Aneityumese.

bigamy and polygamy came up for solution

in our mission, as in most heathen missions; a question of
casuistry more difficult perhaps than any found in Pike and

The question

Hayward

of

Cases of Conscience, and which has exercised the

casuistic skill of missionaries, missionary societies,

and mis

sionary churches, and on which they have not yet reached

unanimity of opinion.
sides

have been clearly

The arguments on both or on all

and very fairly stated in a pamphlet

172
by

my

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

excellent and learned friend Dr. Gust, of the Indian
It refers chiefly to the missions in India

Civil Service.

Africa,

and gives a

list

of twenty-five publications

and

on that

subject, mostly pamphlets, seven of the writers being bishops.

Three solutions are offered to the question (i) That Christian

polygamists be baptized, but not admitted to office; (2) that

no polygamist be baptized till he have put away all his wives

but one (3) that he be admitted as a catechumen, but not
;

baptized.

Dr. Cust holds to this latter view, especially for

the sake of the wives, that their rights

He

holds that the wives

qualified.

may

all

Our circumstances were

may

all

be baptized

be conserved.

that obtained either in India or in Africa.

otherwise

if

quite different

from those

On Aneityum

the marriage bond was so slender, that in general

it

caused

no painful wrench to separate a wife from her husband, and

men ready to marry the repudi

had no polygamist literally ; we had a few
trigamists, but before these became practical questions the
third wife had become the wife of some other man, so that
there were plenty of eligible

We

ated wives.

we had

only bigamy to deal with.

delicate or difficult question, so

stand over

till

it

was

ripe for

to be practically disposed of,

we

expected.

In the

first

We

solution

we found

place,

never pushed any

we allowed
;

this question to

and when

it

it less difficult

had
than

we allowed the husband

to

keep either of the wives that he preferred, and before the

day appointed for the separation we had provided a suitable

husband for the repudiated wife, a man who was willing to

marry the woman, and a man whom the woman was willing
In this way there was no difficulty ;
the women were better pleased, each to have a husband of her
to accept as her husband.

own, than only to be one of the inmates of a harem.

Our

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANELTYUM.

73

was a very notable one; it was in July 1854, at the

Mr. Geddie s new church. On that occasion Mr.
opening
Geddio had 110 fewer than eleven couples to marry. Among
first

case

of

these were four principal chiefs,

wives each, but

time.

However,

who had

who had formerly had two

them

repudiated one of

to give all

some

for

due publicity to their conduct,

they wished to be publicly married to the one, and to declare

publicly that they had renounced all claim upon the other.
the other seven brides Avere two repudiated wives

Among

and the

one of them formerly belonged to one

of those chiefs,

other had belonged to another chief,

who had put her away

some two years before that time.

It

was only

and

chiefs

important men that could secure more than one wife where

women were

so

scarce.

marriage on Aneityuin,

other parts of the world, was then

As

in

the natives were mostly assembled for the opening of the

new
it

as

an exciting occasion.

church, and as so

many marriages were

to be celebrated,

was naturally to be expected that there would be a large

meeting, and most certainly so

it

was

the church, which

held from 800 to 900, was completely filled; a good

heathen were there

been nearly 1000 assembled.

decorum.

many

within and without there must have

All,

however, was order and

After devotional exercises

Mr. Geddie gave an

He

address on marriage and the social position of woman.

showed them that God created only one man and one woman
that the souls
at first, and not many women for one man
;

of
of

women are as precious in

men that women are not
;

the sight of

God

as the souls

to be treated as beasts

that

wives are not to be treated even as the mere servants of their

husbands, but are to be regarded as their equals and com

panions.

After he had married the eleven couples,

de-

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

1/4

livered a short address both to

them and

to the audience,

and

gave them in their own tongue, somewhat amplified, Matthew

Henry s celebrated commentary on Genesis ii. 21, 22: "The

woman was made

of a rib out of

Adam

s side

not

made out

of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feel to be trampled
on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, from
under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be

beloved.

At

I then concluded the meeting with prayer and praise.

"

that time every great

movement on the one

side of the

island reacted powerfully on the other.

So about four months

afterwards we had a similar display at

my

station.

day at our weekly prayer- meet ing I married

thirteen couples.

Four

of the

men had

In one

no fewer than

formerly had two

wives each, but had put away one of them, and the four wives
thus put away were also
husbands.

and duties

On
of

all

married at the same time to other

the previous Sabbath I preached on the nature

marriage

and, on that occasion, notwithstanding

a very unfavourable day, we had a large attendance, especially

of

I read and briefly expounded the last twenty- two

women.

verses of the

"

Book

of Proverbs,

which I had translated

for the

a passage which a venerable puritan divine calls a

occasion

looking-glass for ladies, which they are desired to open

dress themselves by,

and

they do

if

so,

and

their adorning will

be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing

of Jesus

Christ."

The thirteen couples were arranged before

first row consisted of the four

the pulpit in three rows, the

men who were

putting away their wives, and the wives

they were keeping.

four

men

They

stood up, and I required each

to declare publicly that he gave

up

all

whom
,of

the

claim upon

the wife he had put away, and then I married each of them to
the wife he had retained.

The

first

row

sat

down, and the

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ON ANEITYUM.

175

second row, containing the four wives just put away, stood up.
After this they sat

These I married with equal distinctness.

down, and the third row stood up, consisting of five couples
who had not been married before. These I also married and
;

We

thus concluded an interesting and important service.

three more professing Christianity

still

each

another was

by
his

who had

one of these was a chief

whom

the chief of the district in

the mission had been

much
A.

protection that the Rev.

who had two wives

recently joined us

which we

was under
the

left

first to

lived, a man.

It

benefited.

W. Murray

Sanioan teachers, and he was one of the

had

make

first

a pro

and he had been always true to the

The natives at that time were
teachers and the missionaries.
fession of Christianity,

very fond of

new names, and

largely in this direction

more common names

To

version.

till

them

they had nearly exhausted the

in the Bible, as expressed in the Sanioan

man and

this

the teachers had gratified

had given

his principal wife they

the names of Tavita and Patisepa (David and Bathsheba).

But though

in

most other matters his conduct had been very

satisfactory, yet about the putting

away

far

from being happy.

He

He

dis

was

The one

had two settlements.

wife lived in the one, and the other in the other.

week

he

of his wife

played a great amount of duplicity and obstinacy.

He

lived a

or two with the one wife in the one place, then quarrelled

with her,

left her,

with the other.

and went and

But

at length

lived a similar length of time

good influences prevailed.

He

and Patisepa were married, and Yauth, his other wife, was
married on the same day to a suitable man, and thus Tavita s
domestic troubles were happily brought to an end.

He

was

not the highest in rank, but he was the most influential chief
011

my

side of the island.

CHAPTER

XXII.

DISEASES ON ANEITYUM AND THEIR REMEDIES.

THE

on Aneityum is malaria. Perhaps

with which the New Hebrides Mission

chief cause of disease

the gravest difficulty

has to contend

the climate.

is

least healthy of

any group

It

is,

so far as

we know, the
on which

of islands in those seas

missions have been established.

If the laws of life are very

a fair average measure of health

may

be enjoyed, but these laws cannot be trifled with as they

may

carefully attended

be elsewhere.
the climate

more or
of

to,

There
it kills

by

inches, rather than suddenly

less virulent, continually infests all

most of the

and

islands,

The presence

seasons.

in general nothing specially deadly in

is

is

of this

invisible

ground
till

it

as

the

cannot

Evil
live

One

elements of the ancients

It walks the earth

himself.

on the ocean

they touch those shores.

malaria,

most injurious in warm dry

malaria has never once been

discovered by any one of the five senses.

as

the low districts

It

It

cleaves

hence

men

requires the

earth, air, heat,

to

the

are safe

four primal

and moisture

for

cannot be detected by the most skil

production; yet
conducted
chemical
fully
analysis, although from its effects

its

it

various forms of well-marked diseases, chiefly fever and ague,

and milder forms

certainly

known

of intermittent

fever

its

existence

as the existence of moral depravity

is

is

as

ascer

tained by the degrading heathenism which prevails on

every

DISEASES ON ANEITYUM.
one of those non-christianised islands.
arrived

among

When new missionaries

our warnings to them

us,

prophecies of Cassandra to the Trojans

of the

danger

of

177

were

when we

the

like

told

them

walking out after the sun went down, they

thought we were merely joking ; and when they saw that we

were in sober earnest, they began to doubt if we were quite
sane,

and

if

there was not some twist about our minds, some

mental hallucination on this point.

"

"Surely,"

there can be no danger in a climate like this

they
there

said,
is

no

how soft, and mild, and balmy the air

had
still
learn
to
that fever and ague gives no warning ;
They
it comes
but
It is not till
goes away creeping.
galloping,
men are in its iron grasp that they realise their danger, and
cold whatever; see

is."

then too late to secure their escape.

it is

There

good reason for believing that sixty years ago the

Some have
population on Aneityum was at least 12,000.
is

estimated

it

as high as

epidemics reduced

Samoan

it

teachers were

20,000

but two terribly alarming

to less than a third of that

first

was a few years before the settlement

the

first

and

it

to

epidemic appeared, probably about 1837 or 1838;

was some time

after their settlement, probably

have been of the nature of cholera.

learn anything as to their origin or cause.

was

It

of those teachers that

or 1845, that the second epidemic broke out.

seem

number.

placed on Aneityum in 1841.

1844

Both epidemics

We

never could

The mortality

so great that the living could not dispose of the dead,

which they did at that time by tying stones to their feet and
No doubt the epidemic was
casting the bodies into the sea.

We arrived at our
aggravated by the putrefying corpses.
extent
of
the
conclusions respecting the
mortality in these
epidemics in this way.

In the

first

years of the mission, Mr.

DISEASES ON ANEITYUM

78
and

Gedclie
of

these

made a

visits

we

circuit of the island annually; in each

accompanied by a party of at

were always
of the

twenty or thirty

least

At every

principal Christian natives.

school-house

we held a

which the natives, as well as the mission

religious service, at

gave addresses.

aries,

We

spent about a week.

We

sent

also

heathen to speak to them at their

deputations to the

own homes.

Both

at the

two principal stations, and at four other important stations,

as we had with us the most intelligent and best informed

men on

the island,

who had

we took down

the names of

all

the

men

died at these places respectively during both the

and second epidemics ; and making allowance for a fair

proportion of women and children, we calculated that fully

first

4000 people must have died during each

No

of the epidemics.

doubt those fearful scourges so affected the general health

as largely to account for the subsequent decrease of the popu

lation

a large proportion of the land was thrown out of culti

and a large amount

vation,

of

swamp

land, instead of being

finely cultivated food-producing gardens,

marshes, largely

increasing

the

fell

into stagnant

malaria.

fever-producing

What

purpose the Lord had to serve by that awfully start

ling dispensation of His providence is a question not easily
answered, only it was not a chance that happened to the
people.

The

lessons taught through the losses sustained

Church

of Scotland last year, in

by the Free
South Arabia and in Living-

ought to be deeply pondered by all the members of that

These evils I
Church, especially by her medical missionaries.

stonia,

believe to be remediable.
will

As I have shown

always depend upon the

houses

site

and the whole question

elsewhere,

and structure

of malaria

much

of mission

must be

carefully

AND THEIR REMEDIES.

Dr. Gunii, I understand,

studied.

179

projecting a Sanitoriuru

is

When.

This cannot be too soon gone about.

on Futuna.

Mrs. Charles Murray died,

extremely thankful that she

I felt

had a fully qualified medical

man

at her bedside,

and that no

reflections could be

made, to the effect that the result

have been different

if

might

the requisite skill had been available.

But when she had not only the most careful nursing, but
the best medical skill, there was no room for any regrets.
was the Lord
deatli

s will,

was due.

more than
services

It

and not man

was

It

unskilfulness, to which her

for the sake of the mission families,

was

for the natives, that I

so anxious to secure the

Such an

a medical missionary on the group.

of

also

arrangement not only gives confidence to the mission families

on the

field,

parents, at

but

home,

eases the

it

minds

of

friends,

especially

to think that in perilous junctures, their

daughters especially, have the benefit of the best

which

skill

the medical schools of Edinburgh or Scotland can supply.

is

It

true that a medical missionary cannot be everywhere at

once, cannot attend to every case at the

same time

but

when

apprehended, arrangements can be made to

And he can at all times be
secure his presence and his help.

ever danger

is

watching the laws

the

of health

generalise,

he can have every member of

observations

mission

making
and then, in consequence

him

for

what he

is

then,

he

to do in order to escape the

is

most

to avoid,

and

likely dangers,

to secure the highest degree of attainable health.

The most common

Hebrides, generally,

disease on

is

fever

Aneityum and

and ague.

In

in the

New

Hebrides

it

takes the form, of

New

different groups

on the South Seas malaria has different developments.

the

can

of this knowledge, supply

every missionary with instructions what he

and

In

fever and ague, from a

DISEASES ON ANEITYUM

ISO

very mild to a very severe form of the disease.

In Fiji

develops into diarrhoea, often of a very troublesome type.

Samoa

it

it

In

produces painful and chronic swellings in the legs

and arms, sometimes, if I mistake not, ending in a form of

Of remedies, the great sheet anchor for fever
elephantiasis.
and ague and the other diseases is quinine, and it is matter for
thankfulness that it is now become so cheap.
The other
specific is arsenic
it

we found

to be

the most convenient form of administering

Fowler

Solution of Arsenic.

This,

An

ever, required to be administered with caution.

is

how

aperient

generally administered two or three times a week with these

remedies.

On

our way home from the islands,

met a

gentleman in the steamer between Sydney and Melbourne,

who told me that in Queensland, to which he belonged, they

mixed quinine and Epsom salts, and found this mixture more
efficacious than when taken separately, enough of the salts
being used to act as an aperient.

A common complaint among

the stomach
eating,

swelled

and the

children I found to be

and became

child often

painful,

worms

especially

became much emaciated.

after

For

this

I found no medicine so effectual as a strong mixture of salt

and water; a spoonful administered every morning half-anhour before any food was taken. This, continued for ten days
or a fortnight, generally effected a complete cure
cures were very striking.
this way.

greedily swallowed the salt

to the

The medicine seemed

On the fasting stomach

the

some

of the

to operate in

worms were hungry, and

and water, which acted as a poison

worms, but as a tonic to the child

but whatever the

modus operandi might be, the remedy was in general effectual.

Ulceration and skin diseases were common ; and the most
effectual

remedy that I found was

carbolic acid.

It

was

not,

AND THEIR REMEDIES.

however,

l8l

the last year that I was on the island that I

till

became acquainted with

and that through the

this medicine,

Rev. J. Annand, after he came to the station on Aneityum

formerly occupied by Dr. Geddie

young

lad from

my

years as cook on

and the occasion was

had been engaged

station

this.

some two

Robertson, and was

for Mrs.

Eromanga

for

coming home ; but he had cut the upper part of his foot very
badly with an axe. Afterwards some lime fell on it while he was
plastering

the foot had been neglected

a very bad ulcerated wound.

My

to the other stations in the Dayspring,

station,

so offensive that

house with Mr.

Annand

examine the wound

after

application of carbolic acid.

had never heard

Annand was

of

it

of water,

to call

Annand

The smell

us.

of the

he could not stay in the same

I got

natives.

doing
It

so,

Mr. Annand to

he recommended the

was a new medicine

to

me

remember; but Mr.

before, so far as I

not long from home, and he had brought a supply

of the medicine with him.

which he

became

and arranged

landed at Mr.

and took the lad ashore with

wound was

We

We

success.

little

finally it

Mr. Robertson had done his utmost,

and bring the lad home.

but with very

and

wife and I were on a visit

did,

I asked

him

to dress the

wound,

with a preparation of one part of the acid to ten

and in two days the offensive smell was

took the lad

home with

us.

all

gone.

I dressed the foot twice a day

by Mr. Annand, and in less than a month the

wound was quite healed, and the lad was in every way perfectly

as suggested

well.

Another case was that

was

all

of a middle-aged

woman, whose skin

covered with an ulcerous rash, which I never expected

to see cured.

I gave her a quart bottle,

filled

with a weak

solution of the acid, one part of the acid to about twenty of

DISEASES ON ANEITYUM

82

I gave her also a piece of old soft linen.

water.
to go

home, get a piece of a clean cocoa-nut

all

pour a

little

and twice a-day dip the cloth in the liquid,

her skin with the cloth, and to come back when

of the liquid into

and wet

shell,

I told her

it,

What was my

the contents of the bottle were done.

surprise,

when, in three weeks, she was present at the weekly prayermeeting, perfectly cured, her skin as fresh as that of a weaned
child, or if

one might speak

with reverence, comparing small

it

things with great, the natural with the miraculous, the

with the divine

Naaman s

human

her skin was as fresh as one might suppose

have been when he stood before Elisha, after he

to

had dipped himself seven times in the Jordan.

Female complaints were common, especially menorrliagia.
I had a copy of Graham on
Diseases of Females," which I
"

In page 91 he strongly re
and internal passive

often consulted with advantage.

commends cream

The

"

haemorrhage.
cine

is

but

little

ascertained on

of tartar for this ailment

known

trial, for

and successful in
tered,

Dr.
I

its

and with very

Graham
was

says

in

value,"

he

"

says,

in such cases

where

it is

effects."

it will,

medi

however, be soon

suitable, it is

equally prompt

This remedy I often adminis

beneficial, often

it is

of this admirable

with very striking,

effects.

very effectual in creating red blood.

general very successful with children.

diseases were mostly acute

and

of short standing,

Their

and one or

two, or at most a few doses of medicine generally effected a

cure.

When

a child was brought with disordered stomach,

and a very white tongue, a few doses

of

rhubarb and calomel

almost invariably effected a complete cure.

Inflammation of the

eyes was a common complaint, but a solution of sugar of lead,

or of sulphate of zinc, with a few drops of laudanum or liquid

morphia, made a very effective lotion.

AND THEIR REMEDIES.

state the

In their heathen
medicine

natives hail no knowledge of

cures were effected, or were supposed to

all their

183

be effected, by incantations, and they were all performed by

the sacred men ; and it was believed that the sacred men could
them. They did not, however,
produce diseases as well as cure
look upon the sacred men as we do upon the medical pro
fession, as a benevolent class of

men, or public benefactors, em

never in causing diseases.

They
ployed always in curing, but
former
in
looked upon them very much as our forefathers,
their
upon wizards and witches, as exercising
and
health
to
not
cause pain and suffering,
produce

times, looked

power

to

when

happiness, except

remove some malady

largely paid to

They looked upon them

did upon women, as an evil, a
very much as Mohammed
Their sacred
still as an evil.
necessary evil it might be, but

which they themselves had

men

they

inflicted.

At

be a public burden.

felt to

first

they looked

to the same class as their

upon us missionaries as belonging
new
sacred men, and they thought that if they accepted the

When
to a burden.
they would be adding a load
became better acquainted with us, and found that we

religion,

they

those of
thought that our cures, like
one
that
and
their sacred men, were effected by incantation,

could cure them, they

still

Hence, when a

medicine must be able to cure every disease.

man had

for himself, he would say,

got medicine

also for

some medicine
say,

"and

"

say,

what

I do not

is

cine for

the matter with

know;

he said he was very

So-and-so."

and I was

ill,

But,"

said I,

to ask

see this medicine chest

you see

all

for

would

along,

and

some medi

me some
You
you any medicine.

"unless

I cannot give
thing about his disease,

you

came

want

he would

"Oh,"

I saw his brother as I

"

him."

well,"

"Very
him?"

"I

you can

tell

these bottles

these all

DISEASES ON ANEITYUM

184

contain different medicines for different

diseases; you know
that you suffer from more diseases than one.
Now this medi
cine

is

to cure pains in the head, this is to cure

pains in the

back, this is to cure pains in the bones, this is to stop vomiting,

this is to cause people to
this is to cure one disease, and
sleep
:

Now

that to cure another.

tell

him

come

to

to me,

his brother,

and then I

him, that

may

them

all

it

cure

you must go to So-and-so, and

and explain what is the matter with
will know what medicine I can
give
It took years, however, to

him."

make

comprehend the difference between the charms and

incantations of their sacred men, and the medicines and the

medical treatment of the missionaries.

From

the

o clock for

I opened my dispensary
every day at one
the patients that came ; and the attendance was

first

all

smaller or greater according to the state of the

public health,

from one, two, or

A number of

three, to

twenty or

the cases, especially

were

fruitless;

treated

them

ability,

and the

all

number

of

my

influence

it

children,

were cured,

happens

of instances

my

in all medical

medical labours

but I examined every case

carefully, and
to
the
best
of
honestly,
my knowledge and

result was, that the natives

bounded confidence in

ment

even more.

among

a large number were benefited, and as

practice, in a large

thirty, or

my

medical treatment

came
;

and

to have

mission work tended greatly to increase

among

un

this depart

my

moral

the people.

I had always one and

frequently two hospitals for the re
ception of indoor patients, one for the people of the upper or
eastern end of

my

district,

and the other

for the lower or

western part.

These were very humble structures, mere huts,

erected by the natives themselves under
my directions, but
they served a useful purpose.

They stood

at a convenient

AND THEIR REMEDIES.

distance outside of our premises.

own

food and attendance

him and attended

her,

if it

I visited

if it

to him,

185

The natives provided

their

was a husband the wife nursed

if it

was a

girl the

mother nursed

was a boy both father and mother were in attendance.

the patient and administered the medicine; my wife

supplied tea, biscuit, arrowroot, and other medical comforts

and the

eiders, deacons, teachers,

and church members often

went and made worship with them night and morning, and at
other times, and sometimes brought a small present of food,

and the

results

were satisfactory ; the

as the medical treatment,

as the good feeling

new and powerful

social influences, as well

promoted the recovery of the patients,

and cheerfulness thereby engendered were

curatives added to the sanitary conditions of

the island and the hospital.

There

one point in relation to medicine on which I must

is

say a word or two.

It

was one

of our

primary objects in the

mission to avoid pauperising the natives, and to cherish in

every

way among them a spirit of self-respect and indepen

make the mission as little burdensome as

dence, and yet to

possible.

We

gave them nothing for nothing.

We

made

them understand that they had no claim upon us for anything,

and, as soon as we deemed it to be expedient, we made them
In Samoa and elsewhere the mis

pay for their medicines.

sionaries

did

the same, but the

every native pay for his

much

poorer than theirs, and

with books,

it

Samoan

own medicines

was better

we found

to lay a tax

missionaries

made

but our natives were

that with medicines as

upon the

entire

com

munity than to make each man pay for himself.

and I, therefore, arranged that, week by week, the teacher or
the chief should collect from two to four baskets of taro among

Mr. Geddie

the people of his

district,

according to their number, and bring

DISEASES ON ANEITYUM

them on the Wednesday, and then

every native on both sides
of the island was at
to
to
each of the dispensaries
liberty
go
respectively, as often as they required it, and obtain medicine
for nothing.
I had twenty- eight schools, hence it took
twenty-

eight weeks to go over these, and as

we had a good many

marriages during the year, and also other occasions, such as

the opening of schoolhouses, at which
presents, chiefly of taro,

were always made, and at which times we

always stopped the
taro for the medicine, so it was seldom oftener than once a
year that they had to give anything for medicine ; and as the
tax fell on every one, and on
every one equally, it touched
every one so lightly, that it was not felt at all to be a burden.

To

those

who

carried the taro I always

gave a few fish-hooks,

which rendered the labour

an inland

less

irksome

or, if

they came from

where they could not fish, my wife gave

them some needles and a portion of thread.
These weekly
district,

contributions supplied our household

who

lived with us

table food that

we

ourselves

and the natives

with the most important article of

vege
required.

Our

friends at

home

supplied the

The Eev. Dr. Goold s congregation in Edinburgh

presented me with a medicine-chest and a set of medical instru
ments when I first went out to the mission in 1844, and as
medicines.

often as requested they refilled

the Rev. J.

Kay s

On

it.

one or two occasions

congregation in Castle-Douglas sent

me

valuable supply of medicines, through the late J. Paterson,

Esq., of the Apothecary s Hall.
were thoughtful and liberal.

them

On

We

all

occasions our friends

never made an appeal to

for medicine or for

anything else but

we met with a

generous response.

The
high

birth-rate since

but alas

we went

to

Aneityum has always been

the death-rate has always been higher.

For

AND THEIR REMEDIES.

about ten years before we

GO

the island the birth an.l death

stood something like this:

rate
i

left

A reverse

,.

exists in India,

of this ratio

birth-rate,

and

99^; death-rate,

would make us equal to what

where the birth-rate

death-rate to 99}-

187

this going

arid the
equal to looi,

is

on for ages has resulted

111

de
the millions of our Indian Empire, instead of the steady
island
the
left
we
after
Some years
population of Aneitymn.
the disproportion between the birth and the death rate was
But we are still
that, when the present
still

hoping

greater.

and Christianity, with its strongly

has been fully and permanently esta

transition period has passed,

conservative influence,

in
blished, there will set in, as

many

of the eastern islands,

where the depopulation was as great as

steady increase in the

may

"a

nation

little
"

number

it

has been with us, a

and thus

of the inhabitants;

one become a thousand, and a small one a strong

and may

"

the Lord hasten

it

in

His time

"

CHAPTER

XXIII.

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM.

CIVIL

WHEN

the mission work was begun on Aneityum, the island

was governed by six principal chiefs, and about fifty under
The name of a principal chief was Natimaritli, from
chiefs.

Natimi, man, and

arith,

high; a secondary chief was called

Natimi alupas, from Natimi, man, and alupas, great. In

heathen times the duties of the priesthood were discharged
Each Natimarith, in his own
chiefly by the Natimariths.
district,

was a kind

of Pontifex

maximus, or high priest ; he

presided at feasts, and performed certain sacerdotal duties

but when heathenism came to an end, their priestly vocation

and their civil power alone remained ; but it

became very much increased when it became based upon
In heathen times there was no union,
Scriptural authority.
also terminated,

no united action among the chiefs. The normal state of

society was for one part of the island to be at war with
another part

for

two

districts to

four, but not necessarily the same

side of the island,

Mr. Geddie

s side,

be at war with the other

On

districts.

the south

the principal district was

Anelgauhat, of which Nohoat was the Natimarith, and after

his death his son Lathella
of

on the north side

it

which Nowanpakau was the Natimarith.

Mr. Geddie was

side

was Aneityo,

At

first,

when

settled, the three high chiefs on the south

were Nohoat, Yiapai, and Karaheth,

all

three

men

of

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM.

CIVIL
and

influence

great force of character,

of

mission at an early stage, threw their

movement, and helped

it

who

189
joined the

influence

into the

Topoe, or Topwe, an under

greatly.

was another power for

good; and Waihit, a famous sacred man, was for thirty years
on my side
a
support of the mission. The Natimariths
chief,

a brother-in-law of

Nohoat

s,

great

were Nemet,

we had

Viali,

and Nimivero,

elsewhere.

Tavita

Luka, in his heathen

but a great savage

own

strangled his

him

men

three under chiefs, Tavita, Luka, and Napollos,

proved admirable substitutes.

little

three feeble

all

boy

who

history I have given

state,

was a great warrior,

of his son, a little boy,

he

the
sister, that her spirit might accompany

Umaatmas, the Land

s to

there.

on the death

but

When

the

first

Ipeke, the district adjoining

and were beginning

of the Dead, to attend

Samoan

upon

teachers were settled at

Aname, afterwards my station,

young men, Luka became

to influence the

very angry with them, and

set off

one day, followed by a party

and carrying a massive spear with which to

their wives got word of

of the heathen,

The two Samoans and

murder them.
his intentions,

and kept inside the house, barred the door, and

Luka came on, broke open the

betook themselves to prayer.

door,

and told them that he had come

calmly looked

him

warned him

afraid to die, but

that

God would

hereafter.

to think

They
him they were not

what he was doing,

for

is the power
goodness," and a
The wicked flee when no man pursueth,

"Awful
"

it is,

of

but the righteous are bold as a

heart

told

raised his spear, but, as Milton, I think

higher authority says,

Luka s

and

certainly avenge their deaths, either here or

Luka

says somewhere,

in the face

to kill them.

lion,"

so their

words troubled

he was agitated, the cord with which he poised

his spear slipped

from his

finger,

and the weapon when he threw

it

CIVIL

90
fell

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM.

powerless to the ground.

conversation took place,

the teachers engaged in prayer, and

Luka went home no

longer a heathen, and in the course of a few Sabbaths he was

He was one of the very first

whom I baptized and admitted to the fellowship of the Church.
When he was an elderly man, and we had difficulty in getting

attending the place of worship.

teachers to go to Tanna,
thither, as he

Luka and

was well known

with the Tannese, to

assist

his wife volunteered to go

and had much influence

there,

Mr. and Mrs. Watt. After they went

His
thither, they met with great opposition from the heathen.
wife was indeed poisoned by the wife of a Tannese chief, who
intentionally gave her a poisonous fish to eat,

under the pretence that

sick,

it

was a good

occasion the heathen attempted to

when she was

fish.

On

one

murder Luka; an armed

party surrounded him, they levelled their muskets at his head,

one bullet knocked off his hat, another one passed through his
shirt,

other three

fell

short of him, but the Lord protected

Luka lived to a good old age at

him, and he escaped unhurt.
Kwamera, Mr. Watt s station, and died honoiired and lamented.
The people of Itath, the land where he was chief, followed his
example, and all along took the lead in Christianity, education,
and

civilization.

A very interesting

account of Luka, written

by Mrs. Watt of Tanna, appeared in the juvenile magazine,

the Dayspring, for

November

1879,

published by Messrs.

Parlane of Paisley.
Napollos was a third Natimi ahqjas, or
of the three mighties in

my

district.

common

chief,

one

In heathen times he was

a great warrior, possessed great influence, was a

man famous

both in camp and in council, in planning an attack or a

defence, or in carrying

it

into effect.

The shadow

of his

arm

struck terror into the hearts of his enemies, and the sound of

GOVERNMENT OX ANEITYUM.

CIVIL

was recognised as the harbinger

his footsteps

had joined the Christian party before our

after our settlement, of his

came and

lived beside us for

the instructions

all

secular.

out

It

Yona,

station,

own

we

191
death

of

arrival.

accord, both he

and

he

Shortly
his wife

two years, that they might get

could give them, both scriptural and

was to his land, and at his request, that I sent

my

Ijasis,

Next

native teacher.

first

his

land, and Itath, Luka

to

the

mission

land, were the

most advanced, on

my side of the island, both in scholarship

He died just immediately before our return
with the New Testament, in 1863.
Tavita,

and Christianity.
to the

island

Luka, and Napollos were

all

three very able rulers, which

indicated that they possessed in an eminent degi ee the higher

order of intellect.

The

both supreme and subordinate were partly

and
If a chief died, his son, if
hereditary
partly elective.
grown up, succeeded him ; if he had no son grown, up, his
chiefs

brother or some near relative succeeded; his daughter never

succeeded the father

there was a tacit Salic law, minors and

daughters were always excluded

and

nature

all

the world over.

and appreciated as much as

eligible candidates

were

Human

nature is human
On Aneityum, rank is recognised
among the British aristocracy, the

always confined to certain families.

Spanish nobility, or the Princes of Germany.

In the early

part of this century the

Duke

they were

all

the Countess of Galloway was one of

them, and

it

married

was

said of her that she

of all the six, so well

it

may have

been,

were they

we

daughters,

who

all

all

had

six

made the

married.

daughters

pooi-est

match

But be that

as

could nearly equal this on

Aneityum.

About that very time one

five

of Beaufort

of the Natirnariths of

grew up

to

Aneityum had
womanhood, and each one

of

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM.

CIVIL

IQ2

to a Natimarith

them was married

When we were

another purpose.

but I mention this for

settled

on Aneityum, Nemet,

one of our three Natimariths, who had been married to one of

these five daughters of that high chief, had two daughters but
son.

His

girl of

whom

no

was a young, giddy, thoughtless

nobody thought anything. By and by, as she

eldest daughter

was a high chief s daughter, Mrs. Inglis took her into her
for several years, and
boarding-school, where she remained
developed into a

tall,

good-looking young woman, though

still

somewhat reckless and harum-scarum. At this time, Solomona,

one of our best, cleverest, and most scholarly young men, asked
her in marriage, and she was willing to take him ; but family
He was the son of only a small
considerations interposed.
a poor gentleman, whereas she, both by father and
mother, belonged to one of the highest families in the land ;

chief,

and the whole family connection was arrayed against them. She
must marry nobody but a Natimarith, as her mother and all her

But when the family council was

bit of her mind
trusting to her

aunts had done before her.

assembled, Bltia gave

them a

she spoke more freely than a woman of lower rank

position,
"When I was a child," she said, "you
durst have done.
treated

me

and seek

like

my

a wild pig, and

food where I could

as a naldi natmas (literally a

creature,

utterly

after taking

woman

of

man whom

me

worthless.

in,

ll

devil),

a contemptible

But now, when Mrs.

now and

know nothing

about, because his father

mona, and I

little

Inglis,

clothing me, and educating me, has made

me, you come

me run about as I liked,

find it.
You looked upon me
let

have him

is
if

about,

say that I must take a

and

whom

a Natimarith.
I can get

I care nothing

No, I want Solo

him."

However, the

family influence prevailed, and, although there was neither ire

CIVIL

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM.

193

elopement nor a suicide nor any of tliose tragic endings with

which the writers of fiction so often finish up their stories,
Ritia was married to a respectable

man

but

when

the measles

swept over Aneityum she was one of the 1200 that died in
that epidemic, purposely brought to the island

We

never assumed any

accepted whatever

civil

power,

by the

traders.

we recognised and
we instructed

existed

civil

;
government
and guided the authorities as opportunities occurred.

offences against

life

we

as the Scriptures sanctioned

property merely,

we

The natives wished

it

but in

offences against

all

to punish indiscriminately

killing of a

man
In

and the

all

counselled the use of mild punishments.

nearly the same punishment.

of a pig

In

counselled severe punishment, so far

while

prompt punishment,
and not with the

authorities

for the killing

they would have inflicted

all

cases

we

counselled

public sympathy was with the

criminal.

There, as elsewhere,

but especially in such a state of society,

if

punishment

is

postponed, public sympathy begins to turn in favour of the

criminal and against the law, and the ends of punishment are
defeated.

case occurred in

New

history, before the British

a colony.

At

Zealand in the early days of

Government took possession

it

its

as

that time there were several whaling stations

established along the coasts of those islands.

now

of

Within what

is

the province of Otago, one of those whaling parties had

apprehended a native for some crime, and adjudged him to be

hanged, but as the time for executing the sentence di ew near,

they became alarmed.

and the power

New

Men-of-war were sailing in those

of the criminal courts in

Zealand, and they might

trouble.

easily

seas,

Sydney extended to
get

themselves into

Meanwhile, one of their number, who could speak

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYDM.

CIVIL

194

the Maori language, went to the native, and persuaded

that

it

him

would be much more honourable for him to shoot

hanged by the palceha (foreigner). A

introduced
into the place of his confinement,
was
musket
loaded
and the native shot himself. In this way the whalers gained
himself, than to be

their end,

were

and evaded the

which they
themselves, and of which they were now

exposing

legal consequences to

becoming seriously afraid.

In some of the eastern islands the missionaries,

some

cases

by an English lawyer, prepared a

civil constitution

But, as far as I know, these remained to a

for the natives.

large extent a dead letter.

At

first

we

got the natives, as a

beginning in legislation, to pass four enactments,

Geddie printed.

women

native

to

for the

Government

was our best policy

we found

it

the land

and as

these four Acts of Parliament, printing

ceased.

to let the

We

very soon concluded that

framework

not to touch the

common

for statutory law,

of society

The natives understood

their

it

remain as

or unwritten law of

we thought

commandments would be amply sufficient for

purposes.

which Mr.

One of these was to prohibit the sale of

white men, and which effectually prevented

With

that practice.

assisted in

that the ten

all

ordinary

own customs

better

than any foreign legislation that we could introduce.

Our chiefs were not at all the important-looking men that
supposed them to be. They were not tall, gigantic men,
There was no court
like the chiefs in Eastern Polynesia.

many

language, no class of words employed exclusively in speaking

to,

or

of, chiefs,

as in Samoa,

They were not

objects of dread,

whose shadow even no man durst touch, as they were in

Hawaii.
They were plain, simple-looking men, whom no
stranger would have recognised in a crowd

and as there was

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM.

CIVIL
very

little

appeared

formality

among

the people, very

to be paid to their rank.

Still it

little

195
deference

was surprising to

see the

power of preserving peace and order over the island

which they acquired after Christianity was
In
accepted.
heathenism it required very little authority to get men to

commit murder and

because

all

fight,

to retaliate

their natural instincts led

and take vengeance,

them

in that direction

but, in a

community newly reclaimed from heathenism, to

men
all
keep
quiet required vastly more influence of one kind
or another.

There were few breaches of the peace, and when

any breaches did occur they were quickly punished by the

chiefs.
The particulars of one instance I shall give by
way
of illustration.
A man belonging to an inland district had
committed adultery with his neighbour s

The woman

wife.

When

they

heard of this affair a few of them went to talk with the

man

friends belonged to the other side of the island.

about his conduct.

Like most evildoers, he was angry at this

and when they were near his hoxi.se he went oxit
meet them, threw his spear among them, and wounded one

interference
to

man

severely in the foot; had

might have killed him.

it

struck

In old times

a war between the two tribes

him

this

was

man

me

it

the one party to

revenge the

deed, the other party to defend the evildoer.

the district came to

in the side

would have led to

The

chief of

immediately to consult with

me what

to be done, as he expected all the friends of the

wounded

to be at his

house next day.

I advised

him

to ask some
come and help him to punish the man,
attempt anything till he had plenty of help. lie

of the other chiefs to

but not to

immediately asked three or four of the nearest chiefs to

him.

On

the following

morning, these

assize meeting, each chief

all

assist

repaired to this

accompanied by a few trustworthy

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM.

CIVIL

In this country such an offence would

have been punished by so many clays or months imprisonment,
but there were no jails there, and all punishments required to
influential

friends.

be summary.

a
They adjudged the man to be tied and fined,
They tied him hand and foot for

very heavy punishment.

half a day,

and

fined

him

of a large pig,

the friends of the wounded man.

which they gave to

The man had

just three

he pleaded hard that they would take the least one ;

pigs, and
The
but the chiefs were inexorable and took the largest.
side went away well pleased, satisfied
people from the other
I was always anxious when
that full justice had been done.

such cases occurred, and in that instance I

felt

great relief

when the people returned from the trial and told me how the
There was no
chiefs had acted, and what the result had been.
excitement, no high words;

I have already said, in all cases where

As

order and dignity.

but everything was clone with

I always advised the chiefs to

property only was concerned,
the offenders, and to get them
to
talk
to
adopt a gentle policy,
to

make

employing moral and personal influence

a paternal
authority, to carry out, if possible,

restitution,

rather than legal

government.

But, in

all

cases

where

life

was

imperilled, I

counselled prompt and vigorous measures, such as would strike

terror into the hearts of evildoers, and I got the chiefs to

unite in helping one another, so that their authority would

not be disputed.
chiefs

We

always aimed at two things with our

that their government should

should be strong.
occurred, on

And

be good, and that

it

happily in every important case that

on our advice,

either side of the island, acting

and also carried public sympathy

they proceeded unitedly,
increased both their official authothus
and
with
them,
along
triy

and their personal

influence.

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM.

CIVIL

1Q7

our criminal
showing the working of
two cases that occurred,
courts, I may here give a report of
the one on the one (side of the island, and the other on the

For the sake

other

the one a case affecting

life,

the other a case affect

first,

and as

occurred,

which

I shall relate the property case

ing property.
I

of

wrote an account of

appeared in the

11.

it

at

the time

it

P. magazine, I shall quote from

my own

letter.

most readily observed crime among the

island is stealing, and I believe the evil is

the

"Perhaps

natives on this
increasing.

Not

that the people are getting worse, but that

more
the opportunities for stealing are more frequent and
there
and
stolen
be
;
There is more property to
favourable.
are

more

facilities for

concealing

it.

But there

is

not now,

nor has there been for a long time past, any stealing of food,
as there used to be in heathenism, or as there

heathen

is

on

still

no
During the past year there has been
have
There
island.
stealing on my side of the

islands.

punishing for

been several cases of stealing, most of them of a petty char

acter,

but as the thieves were not found out, there could be no

punishment

inflicted.

The

by natives belonging to

Synod

here,

when

my

last case of

the stealing of

to the crew of II.M.S. Basilisk,

wxnmd

punishment

for stealing

side of the island, was at our last

four white shirts belonging

and valued

up, and the last of the fines paid.

at i6s. 6d.,

Why

was

those washing

such a quantity of clothes, as was spread out on that occasion,

should have
boats
to

me

left

them unguarded, while there were

five or six

crews of whalers in the immediate neighbourhoood,

unaccountable.

done so in Sydney.
thieves;

a single

is

I do not think that they would have

The opportunity here certainly made the

sentinel would have kept them all honest

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYDM.

CIVIL

98

men.

I have no serious fears about stealing ever becoming a

formidable crime on this island.

case

"The

was this:

On

the Qth September 1872, H.M.S.

Captain Moresby, came into Aneityum harbour, on

from
the islands to the north of Aneityum to Sydney.
way
It was the middle of the whaling season.
Both the whaling
stations had all their boats manned and afloat ; almost all the
Basilisk,

his

young men were collected at the harbour.

the Basilisk went ashore to wash their clothes,

thoughtless, reckless

The seamen

of

and they spread them out on the beach to dry, opposite a piece
of dense bush, and five white shirts, or
jumpers, were stolen

by the native whalers.

That same day, without knowing any

thing about the arrival of the man-of-war, Mrs. Inglis and I

had gone round to the harbour, to be present at the communion

on the following Sabbath. The first news we heard on stepping
ashore was about this stealing.

I was very much annoyed to

think that the natives should be stealing from a man-of-war,
a thing that they had never done before.
Captain Moresby,

who

is

fame

the

warm

of the

friend of missions, felt sorry that the fair

better class of the natives were

best to find out the thieves

and the stolen

Tahitian,

The

Aneityumese should be thus tarnished.

article

much

was returned

who was foreman

grieved,

and did

their

they discovered one of them,

to the ship.

Manura, a

posed a fine of sixpence each on one of his boats crews,

had been seen

But four
"

who

in suspicious proximity to the exposed clothing.

of the articles could not be found.

The Basilisk was

o clock,

im

in one of the establishments,

to sail the

and there was not time

arrest the offenders.

the station, and

I,

following morning at

for the chiefs to discover

1 1

and

Mr. Murray, the missionary in charge of

went on board in the morning,

therefore,

GOVERNMENT ON ANE1TYUM.

CIVIL

199

Moresby the circumstances of the case.

As Mr. Murray had been but recently settled, and still un
and customs, I undertook the
acquainted with native character
to explain to Captain

I said to Captain

whole responsibility of the affair.

that I would pay for the articles

He

security for being paid.

my

for

stolen,

should run any risk in the matter

had no

fears,

knew

Moresby

and take the

chiefs

was unwilling that I

but I assured him that I

the chiefs and the people too well to

have the slightest apprehensions about not being refunded.

and it was found that
Inquiries were then made at the purser,
sixteen shillings

and sixpence would replace the

I accordingly paid the

articles stolen.

money, received a written discharge for

the debt from Captain Moresby, and saved the character of

the Aneityumese.

soon as the machinery of the law, as

"As

Aiieityurn,

it

exists

on

could be set in motion, by Lathella on the one

and by ISTowanpakau on the other, the

The
thieves were discovered, and the stolen property found.
the

side of

island,

culprits were
article

he had

each fined to the extent of the value of the

stolen,

and the

articles

taken from them

as there are no professional lawyers on Aneityum, each

his friends conducting his

law expenses in addition.

of the

was

Synod

finally

munion

own
It

was

case, the

disposed

of.

Mr.

at that time, the chiefs

but,

Bench adjudged no

not, however,

in the following year,

man and

till

the meeting

1873, that the matter

Murray dispensed the com

from both

sides of the island

were present, and a large assembly of people. The chiefs met

on the Monday, and had up before them all the young men
the previous
chargeable with that or any other offence during
chiefs paid
The
and talked very earnestly to them.
year,

me

out of the fines, while the stolen articles and

Manura

200

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM.

CIVIL

sixpences were divided between the two principal Natimariths,

and by them appropriated respectively, as part payment for

two nets, one for each side of the island, which the inland

mak

people (the great net manufacturers of the island) were

ing for the shore people.

This

is

a kind of public treasury

into which fines of this kind are usually thrown, which, as

are benefited thereby, has the effect of enlisting public

all

sympathy on the

This

side of public authority.

is

the nearest

parallel case that has occurred on this island to the gigantic

robbery on the

Bank

of

the same time.

But

it

England that was going on about

both in Britain and Aneityum crimes

may

cannot be committed with impunity.

arm

merited punishment upon the

The next

that while

be committed, they

In both count lies the

strong to protect the innocent, and

of Justice is strong

inflict

know

satisfactory to

is

guilty."

was one affecting not property but life. It

was not murder but it was culpable homicide, and had to be
dealt with

on

my

case

by the constituted

side of the island.

authorities.

It

was

this

This case occurred

On

the 3oth

May

1865 a native living at Anpeke, about two miles or more

name was Yakari,

west from our station, whose

killed his wife

Lavi by striking her violently on the side with the paddle of

a canoe.
but she,

In the morning he had told her to do some digging,

evidently thinking that there was plenty of time,

instead of going to the plantation

came out

of the schoolhouse

went

to the school.

As

he saw her, and, being a

she

man

vehement and hasty temper, he lifted a paddle and struck

her a most severe blow on the side, meaning to produce pain but
of a

not to cause death

Some

of the

women

Lavi

fell

at once to the ground insensible.

gathered around her, and lifted her up

but, though not dead, she was unconscious.

They took her

2O1

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM.

CIVIL

into the house, Imt

Yakari was

expired in halt an hour.

.she

person present.

was more taken hy surprise than any

he
lie had never dreamed of such a result

stood petrified.

Tidings soon reached

sent

pened.

them

lie

stricken;

panic

word

what had hap

to the three Natirnariths,

requesting

to bring their chiefs with them, that they

and

to meet,

me

of

met at Anpeke.
might inquire into the matter. We all
was there, and
island
the
of
side
on
of
note
man
my
Every
a good

many from

Ko

wildfire.

trial

the other side, for the news spread like

was required

Yakari never attempted to

the facts were patent, and

deny them

the only question was

I explained to

about the punishment,

them the

difference

between murder and manslaughter ; that this was not a case

of murder, but of what is called "culpable homicide;" that
his wife, but

Yakari had killed

called

He

"

malice prepense

had had no

but his sin

and

it

he had

was not through what

is

not killed her intentionally.

desire to kill her, or

no thought

of

doing so

was striking her in such a way as

that in Britain there was always a clear

his crime

to cause her death

distinction

"

made between murder and manslaughter.

While

was inflicted on the murderer, a milder

capital punishment
punishment w as inflicted
would be contrary to the
r

for manslaughter.

In

Word

to the practice

of God,

and

followed in Britain, to put Yakari to death

been guilty

of a very

great crime,

this case it

but as he had

they might

inflict

any

must
punishment they thought proper upon him, only they
do any injury to his body. I had nowspare his life, and not
explained to them the
in Britain,

it

was

Law

of God,

and the

practice pursued

for themselves to carry out these principles,

and punish Yakari as they thought best. I was not a chief,

and I had no power to do more than explain to them the

2O2

Word

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM.

CIVIL
of God.

them that Nowanpakau,

I suggested to

as

being the principal Natimarith, should preside, and that the

other two Natimariths should sit one on each side of him,

and that

the chiefs should assemble round about them.

all

They should decide what was

to

be done.

Nowanpakau

would pronounce the sentence, and the chiefs would

carry it
out themselves.
This was all done after I had left them.

was agreed that Yakari s arms were to be

painful operation, and the chiefs were to talk
It

house was to be pulled down and burned;

and food were

to be

to be distributed

was

among them by

and made to

to

to the other

live in the land of

to be responsible for looking after

to be allowed to take another wife

end

a particular

his

property
chiefs,

He

the Natimarith.

months

a very

him;

all his

taken from him, and given to the

to be banished for twelve

island,

tied,

was

of the

chief,

who

him ; and he was never

he had had two already,

and he had been good to neither of them. The chiefs were

unanimous, and the people supported them as one man. The
uncertainty of the law was anticipated, and

unknown on

its

delay was

There and then, on the

that occasion.

spot,

and

on that very day, the sentence was carried out to the very
letter.
Before the sun had sunk in the western ocean,
Yakari was being conducted to the land of his exile. He
served out his term of banishment, then left the land of
strangers,

and returned

returned, I never saw a

to

his

own

people; but

more changed man.

when he

I do believe

that his punishment was blessed of the Lord for leading to

His whole appearance was changed. During

the previous thirteen years that I had known him, while for
the most part of it he was nominally a Christian, his uniform

his conversion.

bearing was that of a heathen

but during the following ten

CIVIL

GOVERNMENT ON ANEITYUM.

or eleven years that

another

and

man

sullen

we were on the

island he seemed to bo

formerly he was for the most part sour, glum,

hut afterwards

203

alacrity about his religious

there

was a cheerfulness and

movements that

had never seen

Generally he was twice in the house of God every

Sabbath, and although he lived more than two miles distant,

before.

he was at the prayer meeting every Wednesday afternoon.

He
a

entered

member

him

my

candidates

of the

was baptized, and became

never heard a word against

class,

Church, and I

In a small way it might

have been said of him, as the Kev. Sydney Smith said of his
all

these ten or eleven years.

distinguished
llorner, that
face,

and

all

friend
"the

and contemporary, the Hon. Francis

commandments were written on his

ten

the law on his gait arid

civil

government

and

least

is

manner."

of divine appointment,

Most

and

certainly

in the lowest

communities,

if

acting on anything like

Bible principles, the magistrate

is

the minister of

civilised

God

for

good, proving himself to be a terror to evildoers, and a praise

to

them that do

well.

experience on Aneityum.

And

this

we found

to our

happy

CHAPTER XXIV.
NUP-U-TONGA OE FOREIGNERS.
IN the Aneityumese language nup
of

and

This word

tonga, foreign.

But

natives.

it is

not applied to

signifies people; u,
is

applied to all

who

i,

or

o,

are not

The mission

all foreigners.

to men-of-war

aries are nup-u-missionary ;

those

are nup-u-man-o-war, and

the better class of white people

The French

are nup-u-Beretani.

and

all

common white

When we

are nup-u-wiwi.

But traders

people are nup-u-tonga.

Everything

went

taken carefully into account.

They

and

i-tonga.

numerous

Their influence had to be

at first appeared as sandal-

traders, then as whalers, then as

traffic,

is

to Aneityuin the nup-u-tonga were a

influential class in those islands.

wood

belonging

everything not produced on the island,

foreign,

and

all

finally as general traders.

engaged in the labour

At

first

the nup-u-

missionary were as nothing compared with the nujp-u-tunga.

They were allowed to hold their place more by sufferance

than by anything
in

else.

1850, there was

When

I first visited the

a large

New Hebrides

sandal- wood establishment on

Aneityum, supported by leading merchants in Sydney ; the

collected on Santo and Eromanga, stored and
cleaned on Aneityum, and once a quarter shipped on to China.

wood was

;y 0,000
Eromanga

worth of sandal- wood was said to be collected on

alone.

It

small scale, and not

was a

sort of

much more

East India Company on a

favourable to the mission, not

NUP-U-TONGA OR FOREIGNERS.

205

much more kindly in their feelings towards Messrs. Geddio

and Powell, when they landed on Aneityum, than that great
Oriental Corporation was toward Messrs. Carey, Marshman,
located themselves in the Danish settle
and Ward, when

they

ment

of

But when

Serampore.

my

wife and I settled on

that establishment
proprietor
Aneityum in 1852,
had removed to Tanna, and shortly afterwards he removed to
of

the

in

Noumea,
out in
floating

New

Caledonia; and as the

"gold

broke

fever"

Australia about that time, in a year or

two

all

the

both from Aneityum

population were drawn away
of the other islands, leaving the mission in the full

nnd most

possession of the

and by the time they began

field,

we had gained such an

no

influence over the natives, that

special difficulty in holding our

theless,

own

Never
have to

to act towards them, as missionaries

we had

not obtain their friendship and assistance

and

we had

against them.

do everywhere, with great circumspection, so that

their hostility,

to return,

if

we

could

we might disarm

secure, at least, their neutrality.

For some years about that time our friends on both sides of
the Atlantic, and elsewhere, had been bespattering us with
greatly

more

praise than

was

for our general good.

however, a wise and merciful arrangement

that

when

with which
pride buds, the rod blossoms,

corrected (Ezek.

vii.

10).

We

is,

it is

to be

were kept happily free from

the woe denounced against those of

With

It

in Divine providence,

whom

"

all

men

speak

our fellow-countrymen cither sojourning or sailing

well."

among

those islands, we, in general, got on very well; they were for

the most part obliging, and acted in a kind and friendly

manner; and we endeavoured to reciprocate their kindness,

and oblige and benefit them as we had opportunity. Still, at
times, our

work came

into collision with theirs.

Our operations

206

NUP-U-TONGA OR FOREIGNERS.

interfered, or

We

used

all

of tobacco,

were supposed to

interfere, with their interests.

our influence to get the natives to give up the use

and

to sell their produce

and other useful

and their labour

In former times tobacco was the staple

luxuries.

payment, and

for cloth

articles, rather than for useless or pernicious

article of

continued to be by far the cheapest that the

it

They could not openly object to the

natives refusing tobacco and preferring other articles, but
many of them did not like it. All along, too, we set our faces
traders could employ.

against

rum and

We

other intoxicants.

had been using

also

our best endeavours to elevate the status of our

that no government was so bad as a

chiefs, believing

weak government.

We,

no means but moral suasion to accomplish these

instructed the chiefs on their duties, obligations,

of course, used

We

ends.

and

responsibilities;

and the people on their

the duties they owed to their superiors.

produced

results,

privileges,

not always to the liking of those

that the natives should, at

them, and no otherwise.

all

and

These instructions

who thought

times, do just as they wished

If the natives

were not disposed to

sell always when they wished to buy, or to work when

they
wished to employ them, we generally got the blame of the

Every inconvenience which they experienced, in

intercourse with the natives, was charitably ascribed to

refusal.

their

our interference, or to our teaching.

ever heard of on the island,

We

protected the poor

was an

it

was

women, and

unjustifiable restraint

There were no chiefs

said, till

we made them.

that, in the eyes of some,

upon the

liberty of the subject.

For these and similar reasons, the scourge of tongues was

frequently applied with great freedom to our backs, and
occasionally, without

This latter

mode

of-

any

feelings of delicacy, even to our faces.

flagellation,

however, though more painful,

NUP-U-TONGA OR FOREIGNERS.
was

less

dangerous

as the

207

weapon being perceived, it was

make them recoil

often practicable to parry the blows, or even

on the head of those

inflicting

them.

For although we did

we had

not render railing for railing, yet, at such times,

occasionally an opportunity,

in the

of

way

self-defence,

of

stating important facts, and publishing important truths

and principles. Mr. and Mrs. Gcddie, from their residing at

the haven of ships, and coming oftener into contact with our

European neighbours, were more frequently honoured with

those buffetings than we were.
Still, even we were occasionally

and made ample sharers in the

Like Christian and Faithful at Vanity Fair,

drawn out from our

same

privileges.

obscurity,

Mr. Geddie and I were sometimes made to stand on the pillory

On one occasion we sat for four long hours hearing
together.
oui selves abused,

and listening to an enumeration

of the injuries

done to the commerce of those seas by the operations of the

mission.
They all readily admitted at times that religion was
a good thing.

They approved highly, they said, of religion

But then the natives were getting too

in its proper place.

much

of

it.

They evidently thought that

religion should be

administered on homoeopathic principles, and that the doses

both for the natives and themselves should be infinitesimally

small.

nor

It

would be a long

story,

and neither very interesting

and ins of the charges

very edifying, to repeat all the outs

preferred against us during that four hours sederunt, with all

the replies, duplies, and triplies brought out in the defence.

One

of the gravest charges

was

as follows

"Why,"

leading speaker, not in joke, but in sober earnest,

"

said the
if

things

go on at this rate, they will soon be altogether unbearable.

This island will soon be what England was in the days of tho

Commonwealth, when

208

NUP-U- TONGA OR FOREIGNERS.

cat on Monday,
mice on Sunday.

They hanged a
For

killing

We shall have the times of the Covenanters back

We had nothing to say in reply, except a silent amen
we

believe our

own

ears

Were we

Could

really accomplishing such

wonders, our enemies themselves being witnesses

making Aneityum

again."

Were we

to resemble Puritan England, or

Covenant

was in the days of Owen, Howe,

and Baxter, and Scotland as it was in the days of Henderson,
ing Scotland

Gillespie,

England as

and Rutherford

it

was worth

It

sitting four long

hours in such a position to hear the matter wound up with

such a charge.

I simply hinted that

it

was

in those times

that Britain rose from being a second or third rate nation

to take her place as one of the leading powers of Europe.
said that every reader of history

thunders of Blake

that

old

knew

stern

that

it

puritan

was not

till

the

had humbled

the pride of Holland, and scattered the armaments of Spain,

that the song arose,

"Britannia

rules

the

waves."

These

charges, comparing small things with great, seemed to bear

such a strong family likeness to those drawn up at Jerusalem

by John, Annas, Caiaphas, Alexander and their company, and

those set forth at Ephesus by Demetrius and his fellow-crafts

men, that we

we had

it

we were more akin

ever before dared to

thought that

how

felt as if

we understood

was that they

better than

rejoiced.

It

thing to play the confessor or the

as

we

did, that his head

The world

is

is

to the Apostles

suppose that

quite safe

is,

we

we

were.

than

We

ever did before,

however, a very simple

martyr when a man

on his shoulders.

feels,

slow to admit the claims of Christianity, and to

recognise the benefits that flow from

an enlightened statesman as the

late

its influence.

Even such

Earl of Derby wished to

NUP-U-TONGA

FOKEIGNERS.

Oil

and

attribute the abolition of tlie suttee in India,

provements in the administration

209
im

the

all

law and justice in the

of

So our nup-

East to anything and everything but the Gospel.

u-tonga friends out there, though they wished to see the natives

peaceable and honest, that

yet

when

the Gospel had

indirectly, they

and property might be

was

all

it

to

commerce, rather than to

the effect of tobacco and gunpowder,

the love of the one, and the fear of the other.

Even Richard

Cob Jen believed that he would chain down the

by bands of

calico,

spirit of

it

was

clouds of smoke.
of our

clared
of

to be ushered in

by

Christianity, such as

was not the right Christianity at

New Testament, but some

the

worse.

It

it,

inJ

we taught them, some

all,

in theology, de

not the Christianity

puritanical,

which made the natives not

made them

There, in

pipes, muskets,

countrymen, professedly well versed

imitation of

war

and bring about the peaceful days of the

millennium by the potent influence of free trade.

our islands,

secure,

effected that change, either directly or

wished to ascribe
It

Christianity.

life

pharisaical

better, but greatly

(the natives) to have greatly less love

and greatly less fear for gunpowder than they had

before we went among them.
It made them begin, at least,
for tobacco,

to think

and act

had no right

to the whites,

and whoever taught them anything

them only an injury.

But we were more
than

all

it was assumed, they

were made only to be slaves

for themselves, which,

to do, as the blacks

afraid of the nup-u-wiwi

the nup-u-tonyas,

all

else did

the French

the whalers and traders in the

These were our fellow-countrymen ; we had a common

language, and many common sympathies, and except when
Pacific.

under strong prejudices,

false

impressions, or

great

excite

ment, we found even the worst of them to be reasonable men,

2IO

NUP-U-TONGA OR FOREIGNERS.
was improving, a better class of men
capital in it, and from various causes it

Besides, the island trade

were investing their

appeared likely to be accompanied with more advantages and

fewer drawbacks to the work of the mission than

it

had

formerly been.

power of the Gospel, was seen to operate

the prayers of
effectually among some of those characters
God-fearing mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers, no doubt,
Occasionally, too, the

them

where the Gospel unexpectedly

met them, and brought down blessings, when more direct
home influences could not reach them. We had one pleasing
followed

to the islands,

case of this kind, that of George Rodburn, with which I shall

conclude this chapter. George s first appearance at our station

was anything but encouraging to us. One Sabbath day, as we

were coming out of church, the second year of our residence

on Aneityum, a boat was seen coming in to our little harbour,
steered by a white man, and rowed by a native crew.
The
cargo consisted of pots, pans, and buckets, boxes, bags, and
bundles, an axe, a handsaw, and some miscellaneous articles.

The reason

This was George Rodburn and his belongings.

why

he had come to reside so near us was

settled

this.

Before

we

on the island several seamen connected with the sandal-

wood trade had bought young women from their relations or

the chief of the tribe and taken them away to the other

Some

islands.

of the

young women belonged

According to the recognised native custom,

and paid

Her

for a

relations

been paid
of these

u-tonga,

for,

if

to our district.

woman, she became out-and-out

man bought
his property.

had no more claim upon her. If she had not

her friends could have demanded her back. One

young women, called Morana, had been sold to a nupand taken away before our arrival on the island, but

NUP-U-TONGA OU FOREIGNERS.
he had

left

the islands, and before doing

so,

had

211
sold

Morana

George Rodburn, and she was now his property. When he

came to Aneityum he bought a small piece of land from an
to

Morana s,

uncle of

number

them were

of

when

troublesome, but

our station.

close beside

Those men, when

together, were generally bouncing

there was only one or two of

and

them they

were always quiet and easily controlled, and liked to settle

down near a missionary, not for the sake of his religion, but
for the sake of his protection.

They felt safe in the neigh

George Rodburn was no exception

bourhood of his dwelling.

to his class; he was a tall, well-made Englishman, about forty
of

years

age, rather

and not very

pale,

general he enjoyed good health.

little

Ave

way

He

though in

got a house erected a

the beach, just in front of

off

robust,

my

boat harbour, and

found him a very quiet inoffensive, obliging neighbour.

to church to the native service, and Morana came,

He came

not only to

the church, but also to the morning school.

found her a very capable woman.

to a white

property, I advised

her, so that they

To

twice sold

man, and was now according to native ideas recog

nised as George

wife.

As she had been

might

this proposal

him

to get married to

live together as lawful

husband and

they both very willingly agreed, and at

one of our Wednesday public prayer-meetings the marriage was

celebrated;
status,

and thus,

George

"made

after several years of a very doubtful

her again an honest

expression that has found

its

way

woman,"

to use

an

into the proverbial literature

and south Britain, being quoted both by Dr.

his
Scottish Dictionary," and by Dr. Goldsmith

of both north

Jamieson in
in his

"

"

Vicar of

poor scholar;

I found that

George was a very

had been very limited,
Robinson Crusoe, he had run away

Wakefield."

his original education

and when a young

lad, like

NUP-U-TONGA OR FOREIGNERS.

to sea

but as he had not enjoyed the early educational ad

vantages of Defoe

s hero, so

he had not improved his book-

had in

reality lost almost completely all

at sea, but

knowledge
that he had ever learned.
beside us he

When

he came

first

to reside

knew very little beyond the letters of the alphabet.

him a short lesson daily, and I began him

I offered to give

with the

first

primer of the English Sunday School Union.

preferred those primers because the print was large and very
clear,

and

and George had suffered an injury in one of his eyes,

was not very good, and further the books con

his sight

On

tained nothing but texts of Scripture.

noons

my

came

wife and I had always a short service in English

own

for our

the Sabbath after

edification.

regularly.

To

this I invited George,

and he

After a short devotional exercise,

we read

that time

we were

a portion of some approved author

reading through the

"

Pilgrim

at

s Progress."

As our time was

it without any
most
profitable to
comment, as I thought that would be
Both Mason and Scott wrote notes to the Pilgrim,
George.

limited I did nothing but read a portion of

Mason found a

and

it

man

reading his edition of the Pilgrim, and asked him

is

reported that on one occasion

understood what he was reading.

"

"

Oh

yes,"

said the

plain
if

he

man,

I understand the Pilgrim, and I hope soon to be able to

understand your notes

the

same kind myself.

had a young
In the

girl of

coxirse of

worship,

when

also."

I once had an experience of

When we

lived in

New

Zealand we

about fourteen years of age as a servant.

our reading the Old Testament at family

came round

to Genesis, I thought that in

stead of reading the Scriptures alone, I would read only half

s commentary on
About a week after I

a chapter, and read along with that Scott

the portion read at morning worship.

NUP-F-TONGA OR FOREIGNERS.
began this
if

wife one day asked the young girl

she understood what I read at worship.

girl,

the

explanation."

"I

On

the reading of Scott

like

"Oh

said

yes,"

understand the Bible, but I do not understand

the

In

my

practice,

213

hearing of this result I discontinued

Commentary, and read only the Bible.

manner, when George attended our meeting I never

read anything but the Scripture and the text of Bivnyan

I often saw the
these seemed to impress George deeply.
trickling

down

and when

his cheeks,

lie left

but

tears-

the room, he was

so overcome by his feelings that he could not speak.

After he

Sunday School
print, and as, on

could read with ease the three primers of the

Union, I got

him

New

Testament in large

account of other duties, I could not spare time on week days

for his lesson, I gave

him

a,

weekly lesson, which I heard on

made him prepare a chapter of John s Gospel,

which he read to mo before we commenced our service on
Sabbath.

Sabbath.

In

And

way he mastered the whole

this

had reason to believe that the

simple means

Spirit of

effectual for his conversion.

of that Gospel.

God made

At the end

those

of four

over the island.

years, a severe epidemic of influenza passed

George caught the disease, and succumbed under it. My wife

and I had to accompany the JoJtn Williams on a four weeks
voyage round the

islands, to assist in the settlement of

Mr. and

Gordon on Eromanga, On our return home we

found that George was dead, but before we left home she had
T

Mrs. G.

iS

supplied

him with

and the other

all

needful medical comforts, and Williamu

natives, for he

was well

liked,

had ministered

to him,
very faithfully to his wants, had read the Scriptures

and prayed regularly with him, and

at last laid

him decently

in his grave.
If I

might be allowed

short digression here, I would say,

NUP-U-TONGA OR FOREIGNERS.

214
it

much

appears to me, that the

common

Bible in

contested question of the

or Board schools might

b-3

instruction in schools,

made

and the Bible in

schools

means denominational

may

easily be

schools,

religious teaching.

But the Bible

teaching.

authorised version

is

So I would have the Bible read

is

"

Caledonia,"

England and Ireland, a

law of the country.

It

it is

recognised by

all

as

it

embodied both in the

Articles.

our Protestant denominations

supreme authority in faith and morals.

could or would object to the simple reading

as the

None

of

them

of the Bible in

and whenever the Romanists objected to our author

version, I would give them every facility for reading the

schools
ised

is,

distinct part of the statute

as such,

is,

we never had any

but the Bible

Westminster Confession, and in the Thirty-nine

Moreover,

it

In England and Ireland the

the common law of the land.
In Scotland,

law, nothing but statute law

in both

Our

it.

according to Chalmers in his

common

comment.

a national, not a denominational book ;

has nothing sectarian in

part of

in

kept quite apart from denominational

in schools, but always without either note or

is

be

easily

All our Bible societies circulate the Bible

without note or comment.

Bible

Religious

may

Religious instruction in schools

quite distinct questions.

generally

on

easily settled

such lines as I followed with George Rodburn.

Douay

version of the Old Testament and the

lation of the

New.

authorised version

readings, and Dr. Chalmers has

said, that

version of the Bible ever made,

convey a

sufficient

Rheims trans

These are not equal as translations to our

but with a few exceptions they are correct

amount

of

if

the most imperfect

honestly executed, will

knowledge to secure the salva

tion of the soul; hence the reading of this version would be

immeasurably better than reading no Scripture at

all.

As

NUP-U-TOXGA OR FOREIGNERS.

for the secularists, as they recognise the Bible to be one of

the best and most valuable of the ancient

have no

classics,

they could

reasonable objection to the simple reading of it in the

I would, therefore, have the Bible

schools.

made

a part of

each of the six reading standards, and allow proficiency in the

in the same proportion
reading of the Bible to secure grants
ns anything else taught in the schools.

would have the

reading of the Bible but the reading only, including specially

the proper names, a part of Bible reading often sadly neglected.

would have this reading thoroughly taught in schools

the

children

chapters and

learn also to repeat the books, to

verses,

and to

find the places with

to read
readiness, thus giving children full ability

the Bible easily.

would leave

it

let

know

the

ease

and

and examine

to the Spirit of

God

to

to the hearts of the readers,

apply the truths of the word
to "the equity of the Divine
according, as Dr. Williams says,
of Divine grace," and I
government, and the sovereignty
would have no fear of the result ; religion and morality would
flourish,

and sectarian

strife

about denominational teaching

would to a certainty come to an end.

But to return from this digression, and come back to

George and Morana.

They had two

children, both of

them

grew up

to

The younger one

when
old enough to
was
womanhood,
taught,

enter

in

Mrs. Inglis

girls,

"iris

but the eldest died before her father.

it,

and before we

left

boarding or industrial school for

the island was married to one of the

As they lived close

young men.
beside us, and as her husband gave her every encouragement,
Morana attended all my classes, and also all Mrs. Inglis s,

best

and

cleverest of our

became a good scholar, and willingly made herself generally

While George lived she learned to read the Aneituseful.

216

NUP-U-TONGA OR FOREIGNERS.

New

yumese

Testament much faster than he learned the

woman

English.

As a

was

man, although he was a man of average

She was at times impatient with him, on account

native

she was

much

cleverer than he

for a white

capacity.

of his slowness in acquiring the

would say to him,

"

Why

as fast as Misi (the missionary)

Misi

"

say,

Aneityumese language, and

cannot you learn the Aneityumese

"

"

Oh,

a learned man, and I

is

am

Misi,"

George would

not a scholar, and can

never learn your language as fast as he can

And George

do."

was right ; a man who has received a professional education,

and learned one or more foreign languages,
learn

rule,

of those native tongues

any

man who knows no

them rather amusing.

our young men, came to
of

very much

like
"

Oh,"

know

said she,

it is

to icork for
"

bals,

Now

"Oh,"

he

said,

shoiild say merit.

him, he says he wants a

this language, to

the reverse of complimentary.

to

me

"to

why

my

me."

you

do you

be able to

When
man

he wants a

that he

men who had been

may

all

eat

canni

of the practice,

was

On

another occasion George

in a great rage, on account of the
way in which

the natives had been speaking to him, and of him.

taken

would

he speaks the Aneityumese so badly, that

be angry with him.
As you know, he always

and were now thoroughly ashamed

came

"Misi,

you would teach

when he

says ahving,

if

I will be very glad to teach you, but

English?"

the people will

the language

spoken by others, some

wife and said,

to learn English,
"

speak to George

him

my

faster than a

one occasion Setefano, one of

a very difficult thing to learn English

wish to learn

man

On

it

a general

George was often

when he was speaking

when he was hearing

himself and

much

language but his own.

making mistakes, both

will, as

He

had

boat to the other station, and brought her back with

NUP-U-TOXOA OR FOREIGNERS.

21 7

a native crew; but the natives, he said, had been making fun
of

him

all

the

way back

had repeatedly

they had been calling him

said that he

was a

poosie.

a cat,

and

was surprised

had supplied him with half a dozen of our

but I called in two or three of them, and
best young men
asked them what they had been saying to George, and if they
at this, because I

had been calling him a poosie.

The

lads looked

amazed; they

remember nothing improper that they had said.

one of them opened his eyes wide, and laughed, and

At

could
last

to me,

"

ahead, and

we had

steering, but I

and had

know now how

think I

it

happened.

George was

to tack a good

had charge

to turn the

of the

said

The wind was

many times.
As often
sail.

as

we tacked

sail, I called out to those in the cent o

might not strike

the
understood
had
not
word, and as we
George
were talking and laughing he must have thought we were
I explained to him these words and he
calling him a

of the boat utp-iiM (stoop down), that the sail

their heads.

poo*i/>."

was

satisfied

but he evidently

felt

a good deal

ashamed

of

the mistake that he had made.

After his death, in

clue time,

Morana, who was

still

young

woman, was again married, but

this time to a native, to Pitello,

of our teachers.

AVe moved our teachers about,

one of the best

very much as the Wesleyans do their preachers, but, wher

ever they were located, Morana proved herself to bo a power
for good

among

the women.

Morana, quite unconsciously to

During her second marriage,

herself,

solved a question

good deal talked about in those seas, especially

of

men who

philosophy.

woman
if

among

a,

class

professed to be well acquainted with science and

The view held by many was, that if a native

and had children to him, and

lived with a white ncan,

she afterwards was married to a native, she would have no

2l8

NUP-U-TONGA OR FOREIGNERS.

children to him.

Thus proving, as they

and the whites were two

held, that the blacks

and could not propa

But
gate families, as if they had been both only one species.
Morana, as I have said, had two children to George, and both

of

them

as like

him

distinct species,

as they could be

and to

Pitello,

second husband, two or more, one a very fine boy,

remember, and who bore evidence

distinctly

as distinctly as the

two

girls

had done

as far as that case could prove

say, that

God

for to dwell

on

might

men

the three sons of

"

thus clearly proving,

whatever those

the face of the

of his paternity,

hath made of one blood

all

Noah

it,

her

whom

earth,"

sciolists

nations of

all

and that from

the whole world has been peopled, as

they were divided in their generations, after their nations,

after the flood.

Indeed, as I have said elsewhere,

see in the South Seas those three great divisions of

the Hametic, the Shemetic, and the Japhetic

in the Malay-Polynesians,

we may

mankind

in the Papuans,

and in the Europeans, as

distinctly

when Mizraim, the son of Ham, and his sons settled

in Egypt
when Terah and his three sons, Abram, Nahor, and
Haran, dwelt in Ur of the Chaldees, or when Javan, the son
marked

as
;

of Japheth, the father of the

Samoans, took up his abode in the

Isles of Greece, or on the shores of Asia Minor, and re

spectively increased,

multiplied,

and replenished the

earth,

every one after his tongue, after their families, in their

nations.

No

treatise

on ethnology

the tenth chapter of Genesis.

is

so clear

and

distinct as

CHAPTER XXV.
NATIVE AGENCY
PERHAPS

in nothing

ANEITYUMESE TEACIIEKS.

have the South Sea missions been move

characteristic than in the extent to which they have

ployed native agency.

this principle

And

in

none

of

those

missions

been more fully carried out than in the

Hebrides Mission.

On Aneityum

em
lias

New

every convert, as far as

it

was practicable, was made a missionary. At both stations we

When our
had a training school for preparing teachers.
teachers and their
arrangements were complete we had fifty
wives stationed on Aneityurn ; and we followed out an
islands of the group.
aggressive policy in regard to the other
At a very early stage of our missionary operations we sent

two teachers and their wives to Futuna, and the same to

Tanna

When

subsequently
missionaries

we occupied Aniwa with

other

two.

were settled on Eromanga, Efate, and

Nguna, we sent Aneityum teachers with them to strengthen

The teachers on Aiieityum
their hands and assist them.
received no salary, except an annual present of clothing to
the value of from ten shillings to a pound out of mission
boxes, sent out from
to us,

home

and from Kova Scotia

from Scotland and the colonies

to Dr. Geddie.

The teachers on

the other islands received a salary of five pounds a year, out

of a

fund raised in the colonies, which was commenced by

Mr. Paton in 1863, after he had raised funds for the purchase

220 NATIVE AGENCY

of the

ANETTYUMESE TEACHERS.

For several years before we

Dayspring.

there were from twenty to thirty

their wives settled

on the other

Aneityum

As

islands.

left

the islands

teachers and

in another place

I have described the work that was carried on by the teachers

on Aneityum, so in this chapter I shall confine myself to the
work that was done by onr Aneityum teachers on the other

The

islands of the group.

and
the

I sent teachers

island to which Mr. Geddie

was Futuna; and that we might

the whole

of

sympathy

first

people

from each side

selected a teacher

were Waihit and Yosefa;

Geddie

side of the island, the latter

the

former from Mr.

Waihit

from mine.

was a somewhat extraordinary character.

we

The men

of the island.

selected

enlist

the enterprise,

in

In heathen times

he was a sacred man, a great disease maker, and a furious

and hence a man of great influence among his
savage
;

He

countrymen.

became one

of the first converts to Chris

tianity.

No

with

the energy of his character, to bring his fellow-

all

sooner was he converted himself, than he sought,

countrymen out

of the darkness of

light of the Gospel.

heathenism into the blessed

Mr. Geddie was

of opinion that the first

Aneityum was
evinced the same earnestness

great impression in favour of the Gospel on

made

chiefly

and decision

by Waihit.
of character

to considerable danger

by

He

He

on Futuna.
his fidelity.

exposed himself

The natives

of

Futuna

had a cruel and barbarous practice when a scarcity of food

occurred, which I suppose would be often once a year, before
the bread-fruit season came

in.

sacrifice to propitiate their deities

harvest of bread-fruit.
individual,

The

They killed a man, as a

and secure an abundant

chiefs assembled, fixed

and immediately thereafter

Waihit heard

of their intentions,

killed

him.

upon the

When

he remonstrated with them

ANEITYUMESE TEACHERS. 221

NATIVE AGENCY
utmost

to the

was

of his power, but it

only angry with him, and several

favourable to Christianity

left off

had been

of these poor victims

we had sent our boat there

no avail; they were

of

who

professed themselves

coming near him.

killed only a short

As one

time before,

Our natives

to visit the teachers.

returned quite shocked with the horrid deed, and apparently

more impressed than ever with the excellence of the Gospel.

The Aneityumese had been cannibals, but they had never
up human sacrifices. Waihit had also severely re
proved some natives of Aneityum, living on Futuua, for their
wicked conduct generally. One of them was so angry at him
offered

When

for this, that he advised the natives to kill Waihit.

he heard that his

I

am

touch

not afraid

my

life

was threatened, he firmly

they

may

my

kill

"

Oh,

replied,

body, but they cannot

soul."

Yosefa, the other teacher,

island, was a young

eight or ten young

man

who was from my

of

men whom

side of the

high promise; he was one of

the

Samoan

teachers attracted

to the mission before the arrival of the missionaries, Messrs.

Powell, Geddie, and Archibald, in 1848; and

who

received

Samoanised scriptural or other names, such as Williamu,

Seremona, Yosefa, Filipo, Hosia, Lazarus, Sabataia, Paulo,
a practice we soon discontinued as tending to
;

Setefano, &c.

barbarise

the language

teristics.

Several of

and

destroy

them went and

its

idiomatic

stayed,

shorter periods, with Mr. Geddie, to learn the

and they

all

joined

my

first classes.

charac

for longer or

Word

of Clod;
all

Subsequently they

became teachers, and, as a whole, their character and history

Our first converts were always
continued very satisfactory.
our

best.

They joined us from

conviction.

morally they were the best men

Intellectually

and

and they were the longest

222 NATIVE AGENCY

under instruction
missionaries had

their

ANEITYUMESE TEACHERS.
number being

more time

limited at

first,

the

them than they had

There was something
of romance in his subsequent history.
Mr. Geddie and I
had talked of sending teachers to Futuna, but nothing was
But

afterwards.

definitely agreed

and we had
decision

to return to Yosefa.

upon

till

a young woman, and

there and then.
;

the arrival of the John Williams,

deputation on board,

consulted the

was at once come

Aneityum

to instruct

to.

when

Yosefa had been engaged to

was agreed that they must be married

It was the second year of our residence on
it

our new church was only being erected, and the

temporary building in which we were worshipping was far too

small for the company.
It was the first marriage that I per

formed on Aneityum ; it was conducted with great publicity

it was performed on the shore, in front of the mission
premises,

and
the

in presence of a great concourse of natives.

Samoan

brethren, Messrs.

Mr. Geddie,

Murray and Sunderland, Captain

Morgan, and a number of the men from the mission ship

were all present. As soon as the marriage was over the

young couple were hurried into the boat, put on board the
John Williams, and the next morning they were landed on
Futuna. This marriage trip was a rough voyage of one night
between Aneityum and Futuna, their honeymoon was a full

month spent

in a land of strangers, all

savages.

Shortly after the landing of our teachers, H.M.S. Herald,

Captain Denham, spent about a week making surveys of the

coast of Futuna.
Captain Denham took a deep interest in
missions ; and to strengthen our infant cause on that
island,

he made particular inquiries after our teachers, had them on

board, and made it appear to the natives as if to inquire after
and see the teachers had been the principal object of his visit.

ANEITYUMESE TEACHERS. 223

NATIVE AGENCY

Waihit and Yosefa went on prosecuting their mission work

eighteen months, when we sent Pita, one of our

for about

Samoan

teachers,

who had formerly

lived

as a teacher

011

Tanna, with a strong select crew in our best boat to visit our
On their return we learned
teachers on Futuna and Tanna.
that, ten

days before they reached Futuna, a white

had

lived there

and two other natives

man who

Aneityum, and that Yosefa

our island, besides some natives

Futuna

left

of

for

Futuna, had accompanied him in his boat. As the John

William* had not called at Futuna, Yosefa was going over

of

to

Aneityum

to obtain supplies.

Pita and the natives found

that the boat had not been heard of either at

The only

manga.

conclusion, therefore, that

was, that, as the boat

have gone down at

Tanna

we

could

had not come to Aneityum,

sea,

or Ero-

it

draw
must

being probably upset in a squall, and

had perished. We also learned from them that two

canoes had been lost about the same time, one coming from

all

in her

Futuna
Tanna.

to

Aneityum, and the other going from Aneityum to

But, after being regarded as lost for six months,

Yosefa, the white man, and

all

the boat

crew foxmd their way

back to Futuna, having had a most singular escape.

They

had nearly reached Aneityum, when, a strong south-east wind

arose, and they could neither make Aneityum nor Tanna.
There was nothing then
before the wind.

whom

left

them but

to let the boat drift

Most providentially the white man,

the boat belonged, was a skilful seaman.

He

to

tied all

the oars in a bundle, and fastening one rope in the middle

of the oars,

and another to each

three fast to the

sea.

The

bow

of the boat,

of the ends,

and making

all

he threw the oars into the

oars thus fastened, kept the head of the boat to the

wind, and served

also to

break the waves, that might other-

224 NATIVE AGENCY

ANEITYUMESE TEACHERS.

wise Lave swept over and

swamped the

with

In

boat.

this

way,

no food but a few uncooked yams, they lay-to

and drifted before the wind for five days. They then made
little

or

and reached

for

New

Caledonia, a distance

hundred miles from Futuna.

north end of that island.

of

nearly two

They landed at Balad, near the

This was the harbour at which

Captain Cook chiefly lay, when he discovered that island in

1778, and took possession of it in the name of His Britannic
Majesty.

New

They afterwards

Caledonia,

of about a

till

sailed along the north-east side of

they reached the Isle of Pines, a distance

hundred and

fifty

They were there hos

miles.

by an English family, Mr. and Mrs. Under

who
had
wood,
formerly lived on Aneityum. They all remained
pitably received

there for about four or five months,

landed them

passage, and

all

a trading vessel called

which gave them a free

till

at the Isle of Pines, the captain of

safely

on Futuna.

We

could

not regard that event otherwise than as truly providential.

It made a favourable and a deep impression on the natives of

Aneityum.

It

strengthened their faith in God.

Such an

escape was never known in the history of these islands in the

memory of living man, and even tradition had never recorded

any

similar deliverance.

Shortly after the settlement of the teachers on Futuna, the

island which Dr.

Gunn now

occupies,

we

settled

two Aneityum

teachers and their wives on Tanna, at the station

presently

occupied by Rev. William

Talip, from

my

Watt and his

side of the island

Mr. Geddie

s side.

they were

all

wife.

The one

teacher,

the other, Yaufati, from

They were subsequently joined by others

well received, and prepared the field for the

settlement of the Rev. J.

health failed them, and

W. Mathieson and

who both sunk

his wife,

whose

into an early grave.

NATIVE AGENCY

ANFITYUMESE TEACHERS.

225

Some

years Liter, in 1858, Mr. Geddie accompanied the John

Williams as far as Eromanga, and settled two teachers on
Aniwa, the island on which Mr. and Mrs. Pat cm have laboured
so successfully,

and

of

which labours, when

Paton gave so many thrilling accounts, and

of so

last at

home, Mr.

stirred the hearts

audiences by the exciting accounts of the

diggin^
of his well, and other
telling incidents of mission life and

many

The names

work.

Ijasis,

on

my

December
but

two teachers were Navallak from

of the

Umej, on Mr. Geddie

side.

and Nenieyin from

the John Kno.c was at Aniwa in

side of the island,

When

of that year, all things

when

were going on comfortably;

May of next year, it was

she visited the island in

found that Nemeyin had been killed a few weeks

before, and
that Navallak had barely
with
his
life.
After a
escaped
careful investigation the facts of the case, as near as

ascertain
before,

if

them,

be these

to

appeared

not more, a canoe had

left

Some

Aniwa

we

could

thirty years

for Aiieityum.

This

canoe carried Naparau, the principal chief of

Aniwa, and six
or eight of his people.
visit to

on

my

The

object of the voyage

Naumi, the Natiniarith

side of the island,

was

to

pay a

of Aneityo, the highest chief

between

whom and Naparau

there

existed a league of
hospitality.

Instead of getting ashore at

Ithumu, the place where Naumi

lived,

canoe

five or six miles farther to

Ingarei, the chief of which land

people of Aniwa.
rolling waves

snug

little

As soon

harbour of

had no connection with the

as the canoe

of the Pacific,

the wind carried the

the east, to a place called

had escaped from the

and was got

Ingarei,

safely within the

Naparau and

his

fellow-

voyagers were attacked by the people of Ingarei and Ijasis,

and were all killed and feasted on,
except two who plunged
into the sea and swam for about three
miles, till they reached

226 NATIVE AGENCY

ANEITYDMESE TEACHERS.

a huge rock that rises above the waves near the shore, at a

They climbed up on

place called Ahaij.

concealed

Aneityum, and canoes were very

made were hollowed out

of stone adzes,

this rock,

and lay

In those days iron axes were unknown on

all day.

scarce.

The few that were

by means

of trees with great labour

and were as rude, rough, and shapeless as any

During the day, however, they saw

antiquarian could desire.

one

man

They watched him narrowly, and

fishing in a canoe.

carefully observed the spot where he drew up his canoe on the

beach.

At

when

night,

was

all

them climbed a cocoa-nut

of

quiet,

tree,

they

swam

ashore

one

and pulled a few cocoa-nuts

hunger ; they plaited some cocoa-nut leaves to use as

They then launched the canoe, and as the trade wind

to satisfy

sail.

was blowing
difficulty.

fair,

they reached their own island without much

Great was the

grief,

and loud were the lamenta

Aniwa, when they heard that Naparau

and his followers were killed; and measures were at once
tions of the people of

adopted to insure revenge for his death.

That

be forgotten, a piece of ground was marked

wood were stuck

it

off,

might not
and pieces

and from that year

as
often
as
these
rotted
were
onward,
renewed, to per
they
the
remembrance
of
the
Had
we known
event.
petuate

of

into

the earth

anything of this, we should never have sent to them a teacher

from Ijasis; for among savage tribes revenge is surpassingly
sweet.

When we

lived

among

the natives of

New

Zealand,

and were in daily dread of Rangihaeata and the rebel Maories,

two native women tried to comfort my wife one day, by
administering to her the sweetest cup of consolation they
could think
if
if

"

of,

they

kill you,

they

kill us,

Oh, you need not be

"

afraid,"

they

said,

your countrymen will revenge your death

we have nobody

able to take

revenge."

for

but

After

NATIVE AGENCY

ANEITYUMESE TEACHKKS.

22;

the teachers were settled, some of the people of

Aniwa began to
what part of Aneityum they came. The teachers
seem to have had some misgivings, for they evaded the question.
But an Aneityum woman who was married to an Aniwa man in
inquire from

advertent ly told an

Aniwa

which Nemeyin came.

chief the

The

chief

name

of the district

from

shrugged his shoulders and

said

very significantly yialt, yes.

Nemeyin felt very uneasy
about this disclosure, but nothing further took place at that
time.
As the Aniwa people had received the teachers from
us,

they

felt

Tanna men

bound not

living

The wife and

But there were two

to injure them.

on the

island,

and married

child of one of these

men

to

Aniwa women.

died.

The teachers

were accused of causing their death by witchcraft, and a

plot
was laid to kill them. And, although the Aniwa
people Avould
not

kill

the teachers themselves, they

felt

no

objections, but

were quite well pleased, that their

revenge should be taken by
the Tannese.
on
a
Accordingly,
Sabbath-day, in the end of

when the teachers were returning

from a place at which they had been
conducting worship with
the people, they were waylaid and clubbed
by those two

April of that year, 1859,

infuriated Tannese.

Nemeyin was

killed dead

on the

spot,

Navallak was knocked down and rendered insensible.

and

But

on some women coming up, the two men ran off.

They soon
after left Aniwa and went to Tanna, where one of them was
killed in a battle.

grave.

But

have gone to that

Christ.

Since then

Aniwa has contained

for the sake of the

Gospel,

When

island.

the Jolin

He

a martyr s
would
never
Nemeyin

lost his life for

Knox reached Aniwa

the sake of

a few weeks

thereafter, our natives

were extremely grieved to find that

the teachers had been so barbarously treated.
Nohoat, the
principal chief of Aneityum,

was with them, and

his

whole

228 NATIVE AGENCY

He

heart was moved.

of

Aniwa on

ANEITYUMESE TEACHERS.

spoke so long and so loud to the people

when he

the wickedness of their conduct, that

returned to the vessel he was quite hoarse and exhausted.

The exertion had evidently been too much for his strength, as
ill that
very night, and never again recovered, but

he became

died about a

Knox, we

month

After the return of the John

afterwards.

sent over a deputation of our chiefs to examine into

At

the case.
successor of

the head of

them was

Naumi, between

whom and

Viali,

the people of

the old league of hospitality and friendship

and

Viali

his people

The Aniwa

the son and

still

Aniwa
existed.

had the privilege of a harbour on Aniwa.

had no ill-will to the teachers,

chiefs said that they

that the debt of revenge was

now

memorial

paid, that the

were destroyed, and that no one else would be injured,

and that they wished the teachers to live among them. On
sticks

their return Mr. Geddie

and I again consulted on

We

felt

felt

equally unwilling to imperil

an influential

man

human

in Yiali s district,

willing to go to Aniwa,
place,

this matter.

exceedingly reluctant to abandon the island, and

we

sent

and the subsequent history

life.

and

them

But

we

as Nalmai,

his wife,

were both

to occupy Nenieyin s

of the island

has shown that,

in this instance, as often in medical cases, a bold practice

was

a safe one.

The

may
1864

history of our native agency, as regards other islands,

be divided into two parts; from 1853 to 1862, and from

till

the present time.

have

briefly

sketched the

initiatory steps taken in this work, I shall now, but

briefly, refer to its

subsequent history.

still

more

After the murder of

the Rev. G. N. Gordon and his wife on Eromanga, in 1861,

and the breaking up

the whole of the

of the

New

Tanna Mission

in 1862, nearly

Hebrides Mission was driven back on

NATIVE AGENCY

ANEITYUMESE TEACHERS.

29

Anoityum ; and on the arrival of the Daijspring in 1864, we

had to commence the mission anew, under far more depressing
circumstances than those under which
at

But

first.

island

was

it

Aneityum was the only

draw our teachers and here our

I cannot go into details.

from which

choice

we had commenced

Ave could

After that, as the result of successive

limited.

epidemics of measles, diphtheria, hooping-cough, influenza, &c.,

the population of

Aneityum had been reduced by

our teachers had borne their

full

share of

one-half,

and

those calamities.

all

After these things, there was for several years, as might

naturally have been expected, a great reluctance on the part
of the

Aneityumese

islands.

Happily

to go forth as teachers to the surrounding

in time that feeling passed away.

But

there were other difficulties which our diminished population

more or

It

less intensified.

qualified in other respects,

was not every man, however well

that was eligible to be a teacher,

that would have been accepted, or at least been of any service

on heathen

members

Strange as

islands.

it

chiefs, that carried

any

appear,

natives, are intensely

human

worshipped by them as by

Some time

even the most

was only

As

heathen

rank or position are as much

us.

ago, at a meeting of the

Lord

it

near relations of

influence on heathen islands.

have said elsewhere, the natives,

the late

may

of aristocratic families, chiefs, or

Shaftesbury said

London City Mission,

that, in

districts of the metropolis, the people

the

most radical

would rather receive a

from a lord than from a labourer; because they thought

that the former had more in his power to benefit their temporal

visit

interest than the latter.

same

in all ages

of the loaves

and in

and the

all

Human

nature

is

parts of the world.

fishes, or

essentially the

The argument

the temporal blessings that

230 NATIVE AGENCY

ANEITYUMESE TEACHERS.

accompany or flow from Christianity, the rudest savage can

in some measure soon understand.
Hence, in addition to
some

on the

notions

intuitive

subject,

the

heathen soon

observed that, as often as the Dayspring visited their island,

it

was the teachers who were

largest presents of food

Aneityum

and property from

and on account

chiefs that always received the

their friends on

of these, as well as of their high

ancestry, they were disposed to treat

them with

last idea

The

respect.

value of the spiritual blessings secured by the Gospel

is

the very

connected with Christianity which the heathen

we not add

the

human

mind wakens up

Moreover, we did not find

as teachers

proved most

men

it

may

comprehend.

advisable to send

in middle life carried

efficient.

to

most

young people
and

influence,

men

Besides this, some very suitable

had unsuitable wives, or large families, whom they could

neither leave nor take with them.
Some men had no wives,
and could not get them, because every marriageable woman was
married, and we found it inexpedient to send unmarried men.
It will be seen that, in the circumstances, our choice of

native agency was very limited, and that from one cause or

another a large proportion of our best

men were necessarily shut

out from this department of missionary labour, and hence our

teachers on the heathen islands, though in general

no means, as a whole,

best men, were

by

scholars.

could

fluency,

all

am

best

an edifying
and others of

religious services in

manner, but some of them could not write at

among our

read the Scriptures with tolerable

They
and could conduct

them very

among our

all,

imperfectly.

afraid that there is a false impression abroad in

many

minds with respect to our native teachers. When people hear

of a valuable and an efficient native agency, they are apt to

ANEITYUMESE TEACHERS.

NATIVE AGENCY
think of such
llajahgopaul,

men

as

men who

Soga,

Tigo

23!

Narayin Sheshadri, or

received a regular course of university

education in this country

whereas the most of our native

teachers could hardly pass an examination in the

first

three

The only hook in which they would make a good

But you cannot expect
Bible.
appearance at all would be the

standards.

to

command
It

be asked by some,

may

pounds a year.

a high class agency for live

What

is

the special work which

our teachers on those heathen islands do

tcachci s being given to them,

it

From

the

name

might naturally be inferred

and
by most people that teaching was their principal work,
This was the
that each one of them had charge of a school.
of the

Aneityum, where nearly the whole education

island was carried on by native teachers, under the direction
The same men who had been teachers on
of the missionaries.

case on

of teachers
Aneityum or elsewhere still retained the name
when they wont to heathen islands, although pioneer, or some
would have better indicated their position. The
such

word,

first

live
thing they had to do was to

acquire a knowledge

time

it

was by their

among

of their language.
life

the people, and

For a considerable

rather than by any direct teaching

that they exhibited Christianity to the heathen.

landed among them they kept the Sabbath

they

As
:

soon as

they wor

God morning and evening they were peaceable,

A few of the
industrious, well-behaved men and women.
:

shipped

heathen were generally more or

less favourable to

them, and

as a general rule they, sooner or later, worked their

positions of

some

conduct services
as the
begins.

influence.

The

to

teachers, as they best can,

at their respective

missionary can

way

supply them

stations,

with

and, as

soon

books, education

Moreover, they are like a bodyguard to the missionary

232

NATIVE AGENCY

ANEITYUMESE TEACHERS.

in times of clanger they protect him, his wife, his family,

his

and

are his eyes, his ears, his feet, and his hands

They
they inform him of what
suggestions and his plans
all.

skilled labour

going on

is

they carry out his

they supply him with the only

own that can be obtained they
;

beyond his
build his house and man his boat, and without them, in the
;

midst of heathenism, he would often be very helpless indeed.

The teachers are an humble and only a subsidiary agency

and although, chiefly owing to the diversity of languages, they

can do little evangelistic work, especially in the first stages
of

any mission,

valuable

yet, in their

assistants

own

they are often very

place,

As a

the missionary.

to

whole, they

are an active, diligent, reliable, courageous, consistent, and

men

and while, being so limited in their

attainments, and so crippled by their surroundings and their
workable body of

conditions, they have not been able to do

teaching, they have exhibited a considerable

their lives,

As

mode

of teaching that

much by direct
amount of it in

can never be mistaken.

I have already said, up to the time of our leaving the

islands in 1877, there were generally from twenty to thirty

Aneityumese teachers and their wives on the other

Aneityum supplied almost

all

the

new

islands.

missionaries with the

needed native help, for house-building and other work, and

male cooks and female nurses for their wives, and

Americans

call

"helps."

We

also supplied the

all

that the

Dayspring

all

crew, and these

all

the year round with six or eight of a boat

were always more or

although, as

less satisfactory

might
have been expected, when the missionary knew no Aneityumese,
and the teachers knew no English, and they were both speaking
to each other in a third language, of which both were at first
all

but completely ignorant, misunderstandings were often

NATIVE AGENCY

ANEITYUMESE TEACHERS.

occurring on both sides from no fault on either

was

as the missionary

all

totally unacquainted with the

233

the more,

manners

and customs of the natives, and their modes of thinking.

Even my

excellent colleague, Dr. Geddie, with all his singular

aptitude for

understanding and managing natives, was often

singularly annoyed and perplexed with his

Our eight years residence

in Xe\v Zealand,

Samoan

teachers.

and our extensive

in this
acquaintance with the Maoris, gave us an advantage
ever
respect, which no other missionary in the New Hebrides

enjoyed, and reduced to a

head.

At

first all

minimum

our

difficulties 011

that

the native agency was supplied from Aneit-

yum, but latterly Tanna, Aniwa, Eromanga, Efate, and

Nguna

have not only been supplying themselves for the most part,
but also affording native help to the newly opened stations to

and their experience

are much the same as ours was on Aneityum, and the pro
the north

and their modes

of operation

and be repeated with varying success, till

That is our aim, and
the whole group shall be evangelised.
God
s
on
our
we
efforts,
by
blessing resting
assuredly calculate
cesses will go on,

on success.

CHAPTER XXVI.
RAROTONGAN AND SAMOAN TEACHERS.
IN treating

native agency in the

of

New

Hebrides an im

portant place must be allowed for Rarotongan and

was our brethren

It

teachers.

missions that

opened up the

Williams and Mr. Harris

laid

attempt to carry the Gospel

Eromanga.

Samoan

New

Hervey and Samoan

Hebrides group.
John

down

their lives in their first

of the

to the

"barbarous

people"

of

Messrs. Heath, Murray, and others, with noble

promptitude, stepped at once into the breach.

I have else

where detailed Mr. Murray s courageous bilt cautious efforts

on Aneityum. Year after year, for more

to gain a footing

than twenty long years, those brethren, with ungrudging spirit,

sent forth native teachers, male and female, to the New
Hebrides, to the

number

of seventy or eighty

the very flower

of their islands, physically, intellectually, morally,

ally,

and

spiritu

fully equipped with everything necessary to secure success;

but unfortunately, from no fault of theirs, they were weak

in one point,

scheme.

and that to a great extent defeated the whole

Those natives could not stand the climate.

The

though very naturally, miscalculated. Time and

have
been needed to correct this mistake. In the
experience
Eastern Islands the climate was healthy the natives were all
missionaries,

acclimatised.

The same conditions

existed

in the Loyalty

Islands, hence the teachers enjoyed good health there, as well

RAROTOXOAX AND SAMOAN TEACHERS.

235

and they were successful in their

But in every island in the New Hebrides they
labours.
suffered so much from fever and ague that it was found to
Several of them were
to continue their services.
be

own

as on their

islands,

hopeless

succumbed to the
by the natives; a number of them
climate and died; but the majority had either to be removed

killed

to their
vessels,

own

islands, or else

New

from the

found their way, chiefly by trading

Hebrides to the Loyalty Islands,

where they recovered their health and their usefulness.

In the New Hebrides, it was only on Aneityum where the
a success because
Rarotongan and Samoan teachers were really
of health.
measure
a
fair
it was only there that they enjoyed
beside the mission families, had their
were
There
;

they

living

health attended

to,

and had medicine and medical comforts

them when

supplied to

required,

and hence disease was warded

During the first eight years that we

were on Aneityum, Dr. Geddie and I had always eight Samoans
or Earotongans under our charge; for some years we had
these all
twelve, besides children. With one or two exceptions

off

and

life

enjoyed a

preserved.

fair

measure

of health,

but on

all

the other islands

where any teachers were placed, their health was every now
and again breaking down, and the result of their labours was
next to nothing.

In

all

those islands one of the

first

to be attended to in connection with native agency

is

for securing health.

tion, or the conditions necessary

New

things
sanita

In the

Guinea mission the missionaries have had similar

culties to

diffi

contend with that we have had.

The teachers from the Eastern Islands were a valuable

They largely bridged over the gulf between the
Their knowledge of
missionaries and our own natives.

agency.

skilled

native

labour was

much

greater than

that

of

the

RAROTONGAN AND SAMOAN TEACHERS.

236

Aneityumese.
ical skill,

In planting, cooking, and

greatly below European

in this

way they

of

kinds of mechan

and yet they were not

that the Aneityumese could

tion

all

they greatly excelled our natives, while they were

so high but

successfully imitate

them, and

in promoting the civilisa

In the manufacture of mats, in the

greatly assisted

the natives.

plaiting of native garments, in the

making

of canoes, in the

burning of lime, in the building of houses, in cultivating

plantations, in the whole range of the arts, in all the processes
of education, in all the arrangements for public
worship, they
were always sufficiently ahead of the natives to take the lead
and set a satisfactory example, and in this way they were

always a valuable help to the missionaries.

They were expert

what they themselves knew, and in
acquiring a knowledge of what they themselves did not know
in teaching the natives

they were adepts in learning the natives in

all

the arts

which they themselves understood, and displayed an aptitude

in acquiring a

knowledge of the arts practised by Europeans.

a
were
fine, tall, robust, stalwart race, and commanded
They
respect from their superior physical appearance.
They were

in those seas a race evidently born to rule,

was their

and hence Canaan

servant.

But instead

of dilating

on the general character of those

teachers, I shall confine myself to a bi^ief account of

them,

Amosa and

Pita,

whom

I had under

my

two

of

charge for

about seven years each, and who I have reason to believe were

Amosa (Amos)
average specimens of the whole class.
and his wife were a very efficient couple. They were trained
up under the late Rev. Dr. Nisbet and his wife. Amosa was
fair

an excellent carpenter, both for native and European work

In erecting our mission premises, in building
manship.

RAROTONGAN AND SAMOAN TEACHERS.

churches, in fitting

Amosa

237

up the Teacher s Institution, I found

With axe and hammer, with

to be a valuable help.

saw and

plane, with mallet

and

chisel,

with gimlet, augur,

and screw-driver, with every kind of common carpenter s tools,

his were skilful and active hands ; and with every kind of

work he was equally

skilled native

help in the

and

making

at

home.

lie

was a great

of doors, presses, sofas, bedsteads, tables,

kinds of plain furniture; he was also a well skilled

all

boatman.*

Among

the gifts granted by the

Holy

Spirit to

the primitive Church were Helps and Governments;

Amosa

and his wife both possessed in an eminent degree the faculty

of

They could

government.

the

civil

rule the natives without oppress

Like the missionaries they never interfered with

ing them.

of the chiefs.

power

But

like the missionaries, in

addition to a general superintendence, and the exercise of

moral influence, they kept a boarding-school for the benefit of

the more advanced and the more promising of the young
people in their district.
the best young
five or six of

tion.

In

Amosa had

men whom he

the best young

this

generally six or eight of

trained himself, and his wife had

women under

her special instruc

way they drew out the industry and developed

they dug the ground, and they

and
had
abundance
of food for the natives
always
planted it,
hence the young people were conliving on their premises
the

skill of

the young people

* In those
primeval

days of mission work the missionaries had not only

own

houses, but also to manipulate the most important

articles of furniture, with which their houses had to be replenished.
At that time there was no Dayspring making biennial visits to the
to build their

colonies,

and no steamers making bi-monthly visits to the islands, and

all the wants of the missionaries, even before they occur, so

supplying
that, as

compared with those days, the present is almost

them in dead earnest.

missions, instead of going at

like playing at

RAROTONGAN AND SAMOAN TEACHERS.

238

and genial

tented, happy,

they were thus able not only to

support themselves, but, at times, also to

food to chiefs and influential

men around

make

a present of

them, and so were

At

helps and not burdens to the community.

Ahaij, the

which Amosa had special charge for six years, he

erected an excellent house for himself, two rooms of which
district of

were always appropriated for the use of Mrs. Inglis and myself
as often as

we

visited the district

but he also erected a church

75 feet long, in the very best style of

Samoan

ecclesiastical

In after years, when the most of those young

people had become teachers, they were all noted for their readi
ness and aptitude in the erecting of schoolhouses and churches

architecture.

in the districts in which they were settled.

Pita (or Peter) and his wife were in some respects totally

from Amosa and his wife, though taken all round

some would have said
they were as valuable as they were
different

more

Pita had neither the mechanical

so.

skill

nor the

organising faculty of Amosa, he was lower intellectually, but

he was higher morally and

natives of Tutuila.

He

spiritually.

was one

He

and his wife were

of the first three natives of

Tutuila that were admitted to the fellowship of the church,

and

He

sat

down with the Rev. A. W. Murray

was a

man

of position

his sister

at the

Lord

was married

to

the heir-presumptive to the chieftainship of Tutuila,

also

one of the

first

three converts

teacher and died there.

s table.

Pomare,

who was

he went to Tanna as a

For some time Pita acted as a teacher

then he was appointed to the

New

Hebrides, and was located at Port Resolution, on Tanna.

In

on Tutuila, his own island

1850,

when

first visited

Port Resolution in H.M.S. Havannah,

Pita was at Port Resolution, although I did not see him.

By and by

Pita

s life

was in danger, and he had

to flee to

RAROTONGAX AND SAMOAN TEACHEKS.

239

Aneityum. After a time lie returned to Tanna, but a second

As at this time
time he had to llee to Aneityum for his life.
the

Tanna mission was

virtually broken up,

that Pita and his wife should remain on

This they

us at our station.

was arranged

it

Aneityum

returned with us in the John Williams to Tutuila,

1860 we came home

to this

tament through the

press.

to assist

did for nearly six years.

to carry the

country

We

found both

They

when

New

them

of

in

Tes

to

be

They were, and deservedly so, well liked

They were exemplary, God-fearing Christians

valuable assistants.

by the natives.

have
they were quiet, kind, and obliging, and the natives would
Pita

done anything for them.

reliable

woman.

wife was a kind, true-hearted,

may mention one

instance of her unselfish

and thoughtful kindness to my wife. On one occasion I went

round to Dr. Geddie s station Pita went with me in charge
;

of

boat.

my

We

intended to return on the following day

but next morning the weather had become so

sea so rough, that I at once gave up

home

But

that day.

not knowing

how

it

it

squally,

thoughts of returning

was often rough on the one

as the sea

when

side of the island

all

was smooth on the

might be

and the

on.

Dr. Geddie

other,
s

my

side,

wife,

and not

to return after all,

very certain whether I might not attempt
had arranged to keep up an outlook. About the middle of the

day she went down to the beach, and sa\v one of our young
men looking very earnestly at some object down the shore.
She called out to him, and said,
Samuel, what are you look
"

"

ing at so intently

lie said,

4%

when the

Misi,

up I thought I saw the boat, but since

not see
said

it.

my

am
"

wife,

he said;

"the

squall

came

cleared away I do
The boat swamped

it

"

afraid

if so,

"

it is swamped."

they will

all

be

"

drowned."

1 hope

missionary may, but the rest can

all

not,"

swim."

RAROTONGAN AND SAMOAN TEACHERS.

240

my

"Oh,"

said

So

she ran.

off

wife,

Pita

hold of Mrs. Inglis

run to Nohmunjap and

wife was also on the beach she took

"let

us

all

see."

arm, and ran along with her, and

As they ran

natives about joined them.

all

the

along in a state of

high excitement, Pita s wife was overflowing with sympathy.

Elc aiheuc vai euc ainyalc, ak Misi, &c.,

you, Mrs. Inglis

how my

Inglis

drowned

"

Great

heart feels for you

compassion for the missionary s wife.

is

"

What

my pity for
my love, my

is
:

do

will she

They ran on for about a mile

if

till

Mr.
they

reached Nohmunjap, the nearest settlement, and had the

satisfaction to find that it

boat,

but

it

it

was a

alarm

false

it

was not the

was only a native canoe that the young man had seen ;
The outrigger was broken by the waves,

was a wreck.

the canoe was upset, and the natives were thrown into the sea ;

but as they were

all

expert swimmers, nearly as

much

at

home

in the water as on the land, they all got safe to the shore,

dragging the canoe with them.

wards,

that after the

ashamed

My wife

said oftentimes after

excitement was over she

felt

quite

have accepted to
and rendered none to

of herself, that she should selfishly

herself all the

her in return

sympathy

never for a

of Pita s wife,

moment thinking that if Pita had been

drowned along with her husband, Pita s wife would have been left
a widow as well as herself.
But I presume that neither Pita s
wife, nor any of the natives, ever thought it possible that Pita,
an expert swimmer, as all the natives were, and so near the

shore, could

by any

possibility be

drowned

but that I should

be drowned was, as they might think, not only possible, but

also highly probable, hence the

sympathy not only

of Pita s

wife, but of all the natives.

Pita was a

On one

man

of a strong will,

and

at times

occasion he got the liver of a shark.

very positive.

Now,

this

was

RAROTOXGAN AND SAMOAX TEACHERS.

very good for

than train
natives

oil

making
;

oil of

but the liver

the

oil

itself

made from

it

241

was better

was very poisonous.

The

knew

had taken

it

this, and they had often told Pita so.

But he
into his head that he would eat the shark s liver.

The natives strongly opposed his

doing so, and his wife im
him
with
tears
not to attempt doing it,
plored
Pita,"
she said,
you eat this and die, what will become of me and
"

"if

these

children?"

"Oh,"

cms in Samoa, and

why

said Pita,

"sharks

are not poison-

should they be so here

would, in spite of all remonstrance,

and eat

it

Eat

"

he did.

it

The

he

first

we heard of what was going on was about one

on the following morning, when a
gentle tap was heard
our bedroom window.
On asking who was there, in a low

intimation that
o clock
at

timid voice Pita

and pray with

wife said,

Misi, Pita

I arose at once,

us."

found Pita very

"

dying do come
and followed her. I
is

I gave him
pulse had fallen to fifty.
an emetic, and then a
I had a bottle of
purgative.
brandy in my medicine chest, and following the
ill

his

first

of

my

while

suggestions
medical books, I administered small doses of this
daily

Xext day he was a good

some weeks he was all but well

it lasted.

the end of

two or three years, when we

left

him

deal better, and at

;

but at the end of

in Tutuila with

Mr. and

Mrs. Powell, he was not exactly

himself; he was fairly well,
but he had not fully recovered his wonted
He lived
vigour.
ten years after his return to Tutuila, and maintained an

eminently consistent Christian character.

Mr. Murray has

supplied a very interesting sketch of Pita in his

valuable work,

During the
all his

"Forty

Years Mission

last ten years of Pita s life

income to the cause

of

abreast of the Society that

Work

in

able

and

Polynesia."

he devoted a tenth of

God, and in this way was quite

aims at securing proportionate

RAROTONGAN AND SAMOAN TEACHERS.

242

But

giving.

had no merit in

Powell, or, what

have been taught them by Mr.

not at all unlikely, he must have imbibed

is

from the Rev. A. W. Murray, the

his conversion

at

mind those

He must

good principles.

them

instilling into his

proto-missionary

Mr. Powell wrote me a very

of Tutuila.

touching account of Pita

death.

While Pita went back

to

who was a younger and

Tutuila, his native island, Amosa,
on Savage Island or Niwe, and
stronger man, was settled
Both these families were
laboured there with much success.

As long as
warm-hearted, friendly, and grateful.
made a
Williams
the islands, as often as the John
west,

we

received from

them

letters

and presents,

native manufacture prepared by their

Amosa

sent us a fine sofa,

made

own

hands.

we were

in

visit to the

articles of

One year

by himself, the bottom and

made
back plaited with the finest native cinet, and the frame
almost
and
equal
heavy,
black, hard,
of the best native wood
It would not have been in accordance with
to

mahogany.

Samoan

etiquette,

Christian ethics,
a

little (jiff gaff ;

if,

nor yet in keeping with our own ideas of

in these circumstances,

but certainly

it

we had not practised

would have been the

last

ex

I would have accepted, that the desire to send us

planation that
stimulated
those much-prized valuable gifts was in any way
All those
future
of
obligations.
any
by the lively apprehension

teachers were

a credit and an honour to the Society under

which they were trained

the London Missionary Society.

CHAPTER XXVII.
THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE MISSION ON ANEITYUM.
IT

is

always interesting to trace the

important movements, especially

when

beginnings

of

any

these seem very

unlikely

to succeed.

Such was the beginning of the mission work on

Aneityum.

The

mission

first

through whose instrumentality the

a
gained
footing on the island, were the most
natives,

unlikely that any one could think of to be employed in such

a work.

But God

is

wiser than man.

The
yasi,

first teachers on
Aneityum, named Tavita and Fotauwere located on Ipeke, the district next to
Aname, my

station,

by the Rev. A. W. Murray of the Samoan Mission.

Western Polynesia"
says, in his
Let us try

Mr. Murray

"

"

briefly to trace those

movements which, under the

guiding

Him from whom all good comes,

have raised Aneityum to the distinguished
position which it
hand, and by the blessing, of

at present holds

among

the isles of the

the third voyage of the

Camden

to

sea.

It

was durin S

Western Polynesia that

Christian teachers were introduced to

Aneityum.
occasion the writer was
to
make
his first
privileged

On

that

acquaint
ance with a department of
missionary work in which he has
been permitted to have a considerable share.
Vividly was this
realised
on
the
of
March
the
feeling
when
morning
3oth,
1841,

we approached Aneityum.

We

had succeeded on the preced

ing day in introducing teachers to the adjacent

island

of

THE COMMENCEMENT OF

244

There we had experienced comparatively little diffi

as on that island a dialect of the Eastern Polynesian

Futuna.
culty,

were we to manage at Aneityum,

spoken ; but how
to us ? We had
the language of which was utterly unintelligible
our
the
difficulty of which
the best

language

is

made

provision against
us the chief
admitted, having brought with

circumstances

Kotiama from Futuna

to act as our interpreter.

odd character, indeed, was Kotiama to bring on such

concerned in the
a mission himself a heathen, and afterwards
to this day
heathen
a
murder of his own teachers, and, alas
"An

He was

(1863).

him

of essential service to us, however, as without

there was no likelihood that

the object of our

When we

visit.

came off towards the ship

come on board.

we should have succeeded

in

drew near the island, canoes

but the natives would by no means

A good many years before an affray had taken

a sandal-wood vessel in which two white men were

place with
natives were killed, hence
killed and some wounded, and five
this distrust
"All

and apprehension.

board
our efforts to induce the natives to come on

a boat was lowered, and Captain Morgan

being unsuccessful,
a while one
and myself went in close to the shore. After
to receive
boat
our
to
character of note ventured near enough

my

from

hands a string

of beads.

Snatching the treasure, at

seemed to think, he immediately

venture had
backed astern; but the scale was turned. His
second time
succeeded and having succeeded once, he might a
we were in
and
hence distrust soon gave place to confidence,

the risk of his

a fair

way

life,

as he

to gain our object.

The bold

fellow

who

received

off which we
the beads was Yatta, the chief of the district

were.

I have seen

many

a heathen of a deeply degraded and

but a more finished savage, to

savage character,

all

appearance,

THE MISSION ON ANEITYUM.

and, as

we afterwards

realised

most

And

the messengers of peace.

we

as

could,

He

found, in reality, I never saw.

one forms of the ferocious and

fully the idea

bloodthirsty savage.

245

yet this

We

man

received and protected

made known our

object, as well

The teachers intended

through Kotiama.

for

the island went on shore, and on their return they expressed

themselves satisfied with the prospects, and were willing to

remain.
The reception they met with was interesting and

Large numbers

encouraging.
the beach.
tion by

They expressed

of people

their pacific

waving green boughs.

were congregated on
and friendly disposi

Thus they welcomed

to their

shores the messengers of salvation, and the initiatory

step was

taken towards the wonderful revolution which has since been

Who

hath despised the day of small things ?

Mr. Murray was prosecuting the Lord s work in faith

effected.

was

"enduring

the hand of

"

as seeing

God

in

Him who

is

"

invisible;

that time, the two most influential

;

he

the relations into which he had been

brought both towards Kotiama and Yatta.

islands

he recognised

men on

They were,

at

their respective

but the finger of God was working on behalf of the

mission far beyond anything that Mr. Murray then, knew, or

perhaps ever knew at least he says nothing about it in his
book, and I never happened to hear
there was a

man on

probably quite

him speak about it ; but

board the Camden at that time, though

unknown

to

Mr. Murray, who was the most

important link in this chain of events, and that was Nu-umsi,

the Columbus of Aneityum, a brother of Yatta

the

first

native of

Aneityum who had

ever sailed

he was

away

in a

trading vessel, and gone beyond the adjoining islands and out

Aneityum. He sailed as far as the Loyalty Islands,

and on his way home called at Aniwa, and was left with

of sight of

THE COMMENCEMENT OF

246

Kotiama on Futuna, one of the nearest islands to Aneityum.

When the Camden called at Futuna, and it was ascertained
that she was going to Aneityum, and would take Kotiama,

and

home Nu-umsi,

also take

there was great rejoicing;

The
great trading expedition would be at once arranged.
settlement of the teachers on Futuna would be at once agreed
to;

almost any terms would have been agreed to in the

circumstances
the

memory

such a fortunate event had never occurred in

of living

man

a foreign ship was going to take

Aneityum, and bring them back again. No wonder

that Mr. Murray says, as we have seen, that they had ex
perienced little difficulty in settling the teachers on Futuna ;

them

to

the wonder would have been

all.

if

there had been any difficulty at

Everywhere there would be excitement ; a large quantity

mats and baskets, the staple manufacture

of property, chiefly

would be collected and taken on board.

of Futuna,

Kotiama

would have half-a-dozen of his leading men on board with

He would cause the
him, and Nu-umsi would act as pilot.
vessel to be steered, not to Anelgauhat, the principal harbour,

then unknown to

all

sea-faring men, but direct to Ipeke, the

district

over which his far-famed brother, Yatta, was

As soon

as Yatta

chief.

would learn that his brother Nu-umsi was on

board, safe back from his hazardous travels, and that Kotiama,

Futuna, was there

the great chief of

quantity of

mats and baskets, and that

last ship that

had

also,

this

with a large

was

not, like the

called at the island, a fighting ship

that

was a ship of peace, and killed nobody in these circum

stances it would become as easy a matter to arrange for the

this

settlement of the teachers on Aneityum as

Futuna.

it

had been on

I have an old copy of one of the numbers

London Missionary

of the

Society s Chronicle of that date, which

THE MISSION OX ANEITYUM.

eives
o

a woodcut of the landing

o of the

Aneityum.

There

stern and Mr.

the ship

is

Murray

in the

247
teachers

first

boat, Captain

Morgan

011

at the

bow; two strong natives are

each carrying one of the chests belonging to the teachers,

while the teachers and their wives are wading ashore, and a

wondering crowd are standing on the beach giving them a

cordial welcome.
Meanwhile, Yatta would be levying a large
contribution of taro, bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, horse-chestnuts,
sugar-cane, and bananas, from his three lands

and Isav

to present to

Kotiama and

Ipeke, Artame,

his friends,

who

doubtless

returned to Futuna extremely delighted with the results of the

expedition.

It

was an

era, as the natives

would account

it,

in

too, and Captain

Morgan, as they had good reason, were much gratified with
In the readiness with which the teachers were
their success.

Mr. Murray,

the history of both islands.

received on both islands, they believed, in their ignorance

inexperience, that they
desire for the

hands unto God.

of the natives a great

It was, as they thought,

Gospel.

waiting for His law.

on the shores

saw on the part

It

and

the isles

was Ethiopia stretching out her

what had happened

It was, however, just

of the sea of Galilee

1800 years before; when

the multitude followed Christ, not for His teaching, not for

the gracious words which flowed from His

loaves and the fishes

lips,

but for the

because they ate of the loaves and were

So this opening for the Gospel was caused by no

it was caused simply by the
desire for its heavenly blessings

filled.

mats and the baskets of Futuna, and by the taro, the cocoaBut, nevertheless, in
nuts, and the bananas of Aneityum.
both cases the Lord was overruling
their being conscious

kingdom.

The Lord

of

it,

for

hand was

the

men s

hearts,

without

establishment of His

as certainly present in con-

THE COMMENCEMENT OF

248
nection with the
of Cyrus,

Camden

as

it

was when

and supported his right hand

He

girded the loins

was

at the time he

the deliverer of Israel, though he did not know Jehovah.

was the Lord that implanted the spirit of enterprise in the
heart of Nu-urnsi, as certainly as He had implanted it in the

made

It

heart of Columbus.

He

guided the heart of the captain of the

him on Futuna, and not on Aneityum.

In this way he was ready for the service of the mission when
the Camden reached Futuna.
He was made the connecting
trading vessel to land

link between

Kotiama and Yatta; the one the best man for intro

ducing Mr. Murray to Aneityum, because Mr. Murray could

man of influence; and the other

whom to place the teachers for pro

speak to him, and he was a

was the best man under

tection, as

he was the most powerful chief in the

Nu-umsi had wonderful

stories

district.

relating to his travels with

which to entertain his fellow-countrymen, and to occupy their

minds till the most perilous period for the teachers had
passed,

and they were gaining a hold on the hearts

on their own account.

of the

people for themselves

Nu-umsi
tianity,

died before

conveyed to him

of the natives professed Chris

knowledge to produce

sufficient

Bishop Selwyn used to

Christ.
little

any

but the teachers, Tavita and Fotau-yasi, might have

Scriptural knowledge

heathen."

"We

say,

is sufficient

cannot

faith
tell

how

to save the soul of a

The famous Mr. David Dickson, minister

Irvine, used to

in

of

meet the objection of those who neglected the

salvation of their souls,

and

not elected, and therefore

it

said in excuse,

"

Perhaps we are

might be of no use to

by
But perhaps you are, and the one perhaps is just
as good as the other, and rather better, for it is certain that
try,"

"

saying,

you have been elected to the privileges

of the

"

Gospel

so God,

THE MISSION ON ANE1TYUM.

who

Ku-umsi

elected

be the pioneer of the Gospel for

to

him

Aneityuru, might also have elected

and

249

the Ssimoan teachers might supply

knowledge for producing faith; but,

to everlasting

him with the

like the

life,

requisite

Psalmist,

we

must not meddle with things too high for us, for in his case
But Nu-umsi left
the Judge of all the earth would do right.
two daughters, Naipora and Murivai, both young girls, who
afterwards attended Mrs. Inglis s classes, became church
members, were married
exemplary Christian
Gospel,

if

young men, and exhibited

that Nu-umsi brought the

to excellent

lives,

not for himself

so

yet at

which we hope he did

and his countrymen.

another work to do, which he

least for his children

Yatta had

still

former, quite unconsciously, but

the settlement of the teachers

sionaries, seven long years

did, like

not so honourably.

the

From

the settlement of the mis

till

were to intervene, and God made

in so doing brought good out of

provision for that event, and
evil,

and made the wrath

there

lived a

Wumra

Singonga.
of

man

God took

effect.

of

called

Yatta to praise Him.

Wumra, and

was among the

He

his wife s

on

first

began to keep

whom

On Tpekc
name was
the

Word

the Sabbath, to attend

in secret and in his

upon public worship, and pray both
In 1845 Mr. Murray, along with Rev. Mr., after
family.

Wumra applied to
wards Dr. Turner, visited Anoityum.
to Samoa, for the
taken
be
his
wife
them that he and
might
sake of being more fully instructed in the Gospel
a

but he had

of which the two missionaries

stronger reason than this

were in

all

likelihood not aware.

Wumra was

but Singonga was a young, clever,

Yatta had

cast his covetous eyes

and was plotting the murder

of

an elderly man,
good-looking woman and
;

upon

his neighbour s wife,

Wumra

for the sake of ob-

THE COMMENCEMENT OF

250

Wumra s

taining Singonga.

application was successful, and

they were both taken on to Samoa, and lived for three years
at one of the mission stations,
gained a considerable know

Samoan language, considerably

ledge of the

increased their

acquaintance with Scripture, and grew in Christian character.

In 1848 they came back with Mr. Geddie and the mission

But

Holy Family, who, when they came back

from Egypt and heard that Archelaus reigned instead of his
party.

like the

father Herod, instead of settling in Bethlehem, went on to

Nazareth, so

Wumra, when he heard

chief of the land,

his

that Yatta was

and had two wives, instead

own property

in

Ipeke, remained with

still

of returning to

Mr. and Mrs.

Geddie on the other side of the island, where Yatta durst

not show his face except at the risk of his
years after this, Yatta came to
sail to

Mr. Geddie

station, to

me

life.

Nearly

five

one day, as I was about to

ask for a passage in

my

boat,

which I granted him, to visit his mortal enemy, now, like

himself, a Christian, and on the following day, the Sabbath,
the two walked to the house of
the

first

God

in company.

That was

time that Yatta had ever been at Anelgauhat, although

Not that he lacked the

only about fourteen miles distant.

opportunity to do
to

work

so, for, in

order to get some of Yatta

men

for him, the proprietor of the

trading establishment

had repeatedly offered to send round an armed boat to

bring
Yatta to the harbour, but he durst not venture ; but when a
mission-boat was going, though quite unarmed, he went with

the utmost confidence.

still

a savage.

When Wumra

showed us an old native oven

body

of a

returned Yatta was

After we were settled beside him, the natives

young man

in

which Yatta had caused the

to be cooked for cannibal purposes.

But

eleven years of missionary influence had wrought a marvellous

THE MISSION ON ANE1TYUM.

change on the savage Yatta.
teacher, and his wife, had hoth
staff

who had

251

Tavita (David), the

Samoan

died, the first of the missionary

on Aneitymn, and the teachers had be

fallen

stowed the name of Tavita on Yatta, while they called his

Notwithstanding much

principal wife Patisepa (Bathsheba).

that was not only unsatisfactory, but positively very

in

Yatta

history, as

steadily to protect

wrong

might have been expected, he continued

the teachers and

As

the missionaries.

time went on he continued to improve, the truth evidently

laid hold of him
as I have stated elsewhere, he put away one
;

of

his wives,

and was married

the other, and

to

domestic peace to the end of his days.

When

enjoyed

he died, some

years afterwards, he was a candidate for church fellowship.

His death was caused by something like sunstroke, and his

was short. He left no son, but his daughter, Sina or

illness

Jane, was a remarkably fine young

woman

she was the

first

native girl that Mrs. Inglis took into her boarding-school, and

one of the

first

into the church.

native

women whom

She was married

I baptized

and admitted

to one of the very best of

our young men, but after she had two children she died, like
her father, of what we afterwards found to be sunstroke.

never saw such genuine grief displayed by the natives as I

saw and heard at her death

but there, as elsewhere,

much

the natives wail at every death,

of the

mourning

is

quite formal

but when Jane died, any one could perceive that the moimiing

was genuine, that the weeping and the wailing came from the
heart.

But

to return to

they w ere
T

still

Wumra

and Singonga.

As

have said

afraid of Yatta, and did not return to Ipeke,

but remained with Mr. and Mrs. Geddie, which was a great

advantage to the mission, as they were a couple specially

THE COMMENCEMENT OF

252

prepared of God to assist the mission family in their

on Aneityum.

struggles

Wumra

assisted

first

Mr. Geddie in

acquiring a knowledge of the native language, and Singonga

was

for a long time Mrs.

Wumra

from

and

sin,

correct

Geddie

that Mr. Geddie

possibly,

word

right

hand woman.

though I am not quite sure

for soul.

During

It

was

got the correct word for

first

of this, also the

the seven years that the

all

teachers were on the island before the arrival of the mission

aries the nearest

and they were

word

for soul that they

daily exhorting the natives to seek the salva

tion, not of their

souls,

To acquire a knowledge

circumstances as they were

groping in the dark.

had been

Mr. Geddie got

but of their shadoics.

important words, such as unbelief,

also other

&c.

had got was shadow,

It

in involved a great

was not

amount

of

Mr. and Mrs. Geddie

till

we had been

years on Aneityum, and

five

faith, salvation,

language in such

of a foreign

one, that

he found out the native word for perhaps; and I think the
missionaries were ten or a dozen years on Tahiti before they

discovered some

important.
it is,

and

word that was equally common and equally

The word
is

for perhaps is kit, often followed

pronounced so quickly, and

lightly, that it eluded their observation,

is

by

et,

tripped over so

and they were con

tinually being annoyed by the natives telling them, as they

thought,

falsehoods.

"Where

is

They would

So-and-so?"

or

have

"What

The native would have answered, Kit

Kit
he

is

$c.,

&c.

et

"

ango aicn,

doing,"
"He

is

$c.,

Perhaps he

is

asked

So-and-so

is

et

apan

away,"

native,
doing?"

aien, $c., or

&c., or

"

Perhaps

They understood him to say, Et apan aien,

or Et anyo aien, fyc., "He is doing,"
away," &c.,
&c.

They often afterwards found

meaning which they attached

to the

out,

of course,

answer was not

that the
true,

and

THE MISSION ON ANEITYUM.

253

native was not speaking the truth,

they inferred that the

which often led

fore a great

and

to serious misapprehensions.

It

was there

was found out

and important discovery when

meaning established; it was an acquisition
Idt

its correct

that was highly prized, a discovery that was greatly valued,

and could scarcely

lie

overrated.

were very unlikely agents

Ivotiama, Yatta, and ISTu-umsi
in
for God to employ to carry forward His work of mercy
those heathen islands, but so were

Samson

in

the

Judah, Jephthah,

Jewish Church; and

works, none of these would be

if

eligible for

is of grace, the irresistible efficacy of this

accomplish anything;

it

and

salvation were of

heaven; but as

it

Divine power can

can transmute the chief of sinners

change the most ferocious

and
of murderers to be the mildest and meekest of martyrs,

into the most eminent

of

saints,

render the wildest of savages to be the gentlest of

human

on wherever our
kind; and this process is going constantly
missionaries are opening the Bible to the heathen in then-

own

tongue.

CHAPTER
THE FRENCH IN THE

XXVIII.

NEW

HEBRIDES, I88/-8.

IN the volume which I published some

years ngo I had a
on
"The
French
in
the
New Hebrides." This is a
chapter
continuation of that chapter,
bringing the history
present date.

The general

down

to the

public are very ignorant about

both the geography and the history of the South Sea Islands.

Few would believe how ignorant both the British Government

and the secular press of this country are about the French
and the New Hebrides, till within the last few
when
years,

the attitude of the French toward those

islands, and their

unjust and unjustifiable claims to that group, have awakened

in the subject that was never before
of.

an interest

thought

Lord Harrowby, President

Society, has done

much

of the British

and Foreign Bible

to enlighten the British

Government

on the question. Lord Roseberry has enlightened the Govern

ment and the public as well. The reports of our Mission

Synod have diffused important information on

Scotland, in

the

Nova

journals,

Scotia, in Australia,

letters,

and

speeches

especially those of the Rev. J. G. Paton,

before the public mind.

The Sydney

and

in

of

our

this subject in

New

Zealand

missionaries,

have kept the subject

Presbyterian, edited by

the Rev. J. Copeland, formerly one of our missionaries in the

New

Hebrides, by the frequent publication of short, clear,

reliable statements, kept the churches of that denomination well

THE FRENCH

IN

THE NEW HEBRIDES.

The Colonial Government

informed on this question.

New

Australia and

attention of the Imperial

French towards the

Committee

New

of the Free

at the door

to the attitude of the

Government
Hebrides

Church

and the Foreign Mission

of Scotland

the Foreign Office in

of

in

Zealand have been repeatedly calling the

have been knocking

London with

persistency of the importunate widow;

have been reported to the authorities in

all

of

all

the

which things

Paris, so that the

French Government, like the unjust judge, for the sake of

most reluctantly succumbed, and with a
of March 1888, they removed
very bnd grace, on the isth
and on
the troops they had stationed at Havannah harbour
last
peace, have at

Malikula

and property of their respective subjects

Hebrides are to be secured by a mixed com

and the

New

in the

life

All
mission of captains of British and French men-of-war.
claims for the annexation of the group by France are thus

abandoned in the meantime, but how

may work
occupy the

is

New

that they do,

doing

so.

still

it

uncertain.

Hebrides, as there
will be easy for

Before they

left

this dual protectorate

If the
is

them

French

too

much

still

wish to

reason to fear

to fabricate a reason for

Malikula the French soldiers stole

and when the natives remonstrated they shot one of the

on Malikula
native chiefs.
They left two Romish priests
be
will
easy for these
the will of the natives, and it

pitr,

against

to lodge a complaint
men, in accordance with French policy,
French may have it
as
the
and as far
against the natives;
in the
judging from all their past history
will be the wolf sitting in judgment on the lamb,

in their power,

South Seas,

it

would require no prophet to foresee the verdict. The

the missionaries on the New Hebrides,
Australian

and

it

journals,

and the

supporters>f

the mission at the Antipodes, are not

THE FEENCH IN THE NEW HEBRIDES.

256

sanguine as to the success of the working of the mixed com

mission.

It is extensively believed that it is the

chagrin felt
French
the
at
their
by
being obliged to remove their troops
from the New Hebrides that has led them to wreak their

on the missions of the London Missionary Society on the

Loyalty Islands in the west and on the Society Islands in the
spite

The Rev. John Jones

east.

of

Rome-inspired persecution.

is

Mare"

He

was

the last victim of this

for thirty years one of

the most peaceable, inoffensive, and law-abiding missionaries

The French had worried him and

in the South Seas.

him

all

One

restriction after another

those years to an extent that

was forbidden to

teach,

is

fettered

almost incredible.

was imposed upon him.

He
he was forbidden to preach, he was pre

vented from exercising almost

all

pastoral or mission work, so

that latterly he was confining himself almost entirely to his

own

house, and doing almost nothing but translating the Scriptures

into the

But Rome saw the danger

from the existence of an open Bible.
In

Mare"

interests

language.

to her
Tahiti,

before the French took possession of the island, the natives

had been supplied by the missionaries with a translation of

the whole Bible, and so attached had they become to the
Scriptures,

that

those

demanded the Bible

them who had become Papists

of

so determinedly

they had no translation of their own

from the

obliged to procure the Protestant translation

of

the

Bible Society,

lest

their

priests, that, as

to give them, they

were

from the agent

converts should,

as they
threatened them to do, return to their former faith and a^ain
o

become Protestants.

So, while engaged in translating the

Mr.
Jones
was surprised to be informed,
Scriptures,
by the
officer of a boat s crew from a French man-of-war, that
they

had come

to take

him

off

the island, and that

if

he did not

THE FRENCH IN THE NEW HEBRIDES.

the station with

leave

them

257
would

half-an-hour they

in

remove him hy force. Mr. Jones hastily packed up his MSS.

of the Bible and a few necessaries, arid went on board in the
custody of the French

No

charge was formulated

he asked to be informed of what crime

When

him.
against
O

officers.

he was accused, his captors could only inform him that they
had instructions to take him off the island ; in a loose, in
formal way he was accused of advocating the annexation of
Mare to Australia, but no proof has been produced in support

He

of this charge.

Caledonia.
Festus, the

Roman

lie

Paul,

said,

was not

tried cither

on

Mare"

was simply removed and sent

He

"It

Governor, consulted

scemeth to

me

New
When

or on

adrift.

King Agrippa about

unreasonable to send a

not withal to signify the crimes laid against

prisoner, and
But these professedly Christian Frenchmen, members
him."
of the

as they believe, standing

only true and infallible Church,

in
avowedly in the very van of European civilisation, are,
their notions of justice, greatly behind those old heathen

Romans.

London

short time ago a deputation from the

of Salisbury and
Missionary Society waited upon the Marquis
laid Mr. Jones s case before the Government, but with what

But from the

result I have not yet heard.

policy they have

been pursuing, we can easily see the animus with which the
French regard Protestant missions and if they had succeeded
;

in annexing the

New

Hebrides

islands,

judging of the future

from the past, the fate that would have awaited our mission
and our missionaries could have been easily

foretold.

On

French greatly want the New

already strained to its utmost

their present lines of policy the

Hebrides.

New

Caledonia

is

convicts
capacity for sheltering the

are

being poured

in

continually.

and

recidivists,

Guiana

is

and more

"found

too

THE FRENCH IN THE NEW HEBRIDES.

258

unhealthy for

them,"

and they are to be transferred

to

New

The Australians are shocked with the proximity

Caledonia.
Their feeling towards their French
of such a community.
neighbours was strongly and unmistakably expressed by one
of the deputation

from Victoria to the Free Church Assembly

relations between Australia and New

The

Inverness.

at

Caledonia are so strained, that a

The

end in a rupture.

from

New

more pressure would

little

recidivists are

Caledonia and finding their

constantly escaping

way

to Australia,

more and more alienating the Anglo-Saxons from

and

their Gallic

neighbours.

To show how highly honourable Her Majesty and Her

Majesty s Government act in regard to treaty obligations, and

how

very careful they are not to wound the tenderest sensi

the French in reference to the

bilities of

quote part of a letter that I received

Glasgow, Mr. H. Barrett,

New

Hebrides, I

may

from a gentleman in

who has been

gratuitously acting

H. A. Robertson, of Eromanga, in dis

the arrowroot prepared and contributed to the

as agent for the Rev.

posing of

mission by the natives of that island, and

me

in the

He

root.

same way by

selling

some

of

NATIONAL BANK BUILDINGS, QUEEN STREET,

"GLASGOW, 2ist

DEAR DE.
I sent

ago

Queen

INGLIS,

It

a few packages

September 1888.

you to know that some time

Eromanga arrowroot to Her Majesty
Secretary of State for the Colonies, and

may

interest

of the

Victoria, through the

to-day I have received the following note from

I

your

am

also obliged

says in his letter

"

"

who

our Aneityum arrow

directed

by Lord Knutsford

to

Downing

Street

acknowledge the receipt of

you had forwarded to Her

letter of the ist instant, stating that

THE FRENCH IX THE NEW HEBRIDES.

259

Majesty at Balmoral Castle a package of arrowroot, on behalf of the

Christian natives of Eronianga, in the New Hebrides.
I am to acquaint you that the arrowroot has been duly received by

Her Majesty, and she has commanded me to convey, through you to

the Christian natives of Eronianga, her thanks for their present.
I am to add that Her Majesty has accepted this gift in order not to
cause disappointment among the Christian natives, but in no way as
an act, however slight, of political importance the independence of
the New Hebrides group being respected by Her Majesty s Govern
ment and France. I am, sir, your obedient servant, It. II. MEADE.
;

"

Mr. Robertson a copy of this, and I trust the

good on the natives will be appreciated by him. With kind

shall send our friend

effect for

Hu.

regards, yours very truly,

I ain greatly pleased that

Her Majesty has

distinct caveat in her letter,

consequently disallowing

BARRETT."

inserted such a

disowning on her own part, and

action on the part of our

all political

missionaries, and I trust that the

French authorities

notice of this action on the part of

Her

will take

Majesty.

I will

instruct the agent of our mission in Sydney, the Rev. Robert

Steel,

the

Noumea to the
whom some French residents in

D.D., to forward a copy of this letter to

Governor

New

of

New

Caledonia,

Hebrides, but happily, to his credit, without

have been urging to annex the

that he

may

see that our

Government grant no favours

the missionaries but such as they grant to

faithful,

and law-abiding

effect,

New Hebrides to New Caledonia,

subjects,

all loyal,

and we ask

for

to

peaceable,

no more.

CHAPTER XXIX.
BISHOP PATTESON S FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF ANEITYUM, 1856.

THE Rev.

New

J. C. (afterwards

Bishop) Patteson

first visited

He

Hebrides along with Bishop Selwyn.

was a

the
fine,

tall,

well-made, good-looking man, the very type of a high-

class

English gentleman.

some department or

among

When
is

other,

the service of the Queen, in

the great object of ambition

we account

the sons of our nobility and gentry,

great matter when

men

their talents, character,

and

it

Selwyn and Patteson, who, by

like

social position,

can easily obtain

the highest places in Church or State, cheerfully devote them

selves to

missionary work

among

the heathen.

It is

not

own work

alone that is important, but their example

and encourages a large number of average men
to engage in the same work, and they in this way give a
Most visitors, when they come to
great impulse to missions.
their

stimulates

the islands direct from Sydney or

at once from
of our

New

Zealand, and thus pass

the highest state of civilisation to the

low type

most advanced Christianity, are greatly disappointed

with what they see among the natives, and express themselves
in language the reverse of
missionaries.

It

is

flattering to the feelings of the

gratifying, therefore,

to

find

such an

appreciative estimate of what he saw on our island put on

record by Mr. Patteson.

Aneityum was the

the South Seas on which he landed, and

it

first

island in

was under our

261

IMPRESSIONS OF ANEITYUM.
roof

that ho spent his

Jirst

night on shore.

The Southern

Cross on that occasion had brought us two boxes of mission

supplies from friends in

round

to

New

Zealand.

station to land these boxes

my

Bishop Selwyn came

the sea was rather
;

rough, but he came as near to our harbour as he durst, and,

when the Tahitian went out in his whaleboat, he lay-to a
little

to

windward, as near the shore as possible, and Mr.

Patteson and Mr. Harper, a son of the Bishop of Christchurch, came ashore with the boxes.

The following extract is from the Bishop s journal,

M. Yonge s Life of the Martyr Bishop."

as given

on the

i-jth of

in Miss 0.
"The

"

Southern Cross reached Aneityum

July 1856.

This island was occupied by Mr. Inglis and Mr.

Geddie of the Scottish Presbyterian Mission, who had done

Small canoes soon
much towards improving the natives.

began to come off to the vessel, little craft, consisting of no

more than the trunk of a tree hollowed out, seldom more than
a foot broad, and perhaps eighteen inches deep, all with out

namely, a slight wooden frame or raft to balance

them, and for the most part containing two men, or sometimes
riggers

three or four.

Before long not

less

than

fifteen or

twenty had

come on board, with woolly hair and mahogany skins, generally

wearing a small strip of calico, but some without even this.
and supple, and walked about
chattering in a language no one under

They wei e small men, but

the deck quite at ease,

stood except the words

house

lithe

Missy

presently another

teacher, with

whom

Inglis,

canoe

as they pointed to a

arrived

with

the Bishop could converse, and

that Mr. Geddie was at Mare.

Samoan

who

said

They were soon followed by a

whaleboat with a Tahitian, a Futuna man, and a crew of

Aneityumese.

262

BISHOP PATTESON

S -FIEST

The Futuna man had expended his energies upon his hair,
which was elaborately dressed after a fashion that precluded
the possibility of any attention being bestowed upon the rest
"

of his person,

which was accordingly unencumbered with any

The perfection

clothing.

of this art apparently consisted in

gathering up about a dozen hairs and binding them firmly

with grass or fine twine of cocoa-nut

fibre,

fibre (not

from cocoa-nut

but from the inner rind of the bark of a bush that grows

inland,

and

tough and pliable as a strong thread), plastered

is

with coral lime.

As

the hair grows, the binding

is

lengthened

and only about four or five inches are suffered to escape

from this confinement, and are then frizzed and curled like
also,

mop

in

or a poodle

this

boat,

coat.

Tahitian

Leonard Harper and I returned

steering, Samoan, Futunan, and

The brisk tradeAneityumese making one motley crew.

wind soon carried us to the beach in front of Mr. Inglis s
house, and, arrived at the reef, I rode out pick-a-back on the
Samoan, Leonard following on the back of a half-naked
Aneityan. We soon found ourselves in the midst of a number
men, women, and children, standing round Mr. Inglis at

of

the entrance of his garden.

the Bishop

I explained to

him the reason

of

being unable to land; that he alone knew the

harbour on the other side of the island, and so could not leave
the vessel.
"

for

Then, having delivered the boxes and letters we had brought

him from Auckland, we went

into his house, gazing with

delight at cocoa-nut trees, bananas, bread-fruit trees, citrons,

lemons, taro, &c., with bright tropical colouring thrown over

all,

lighting

around

up the broad leaves and thick

foliage of the trees

us.

"The

house

itself is built, after

the fashion of these islands,

IMPRESSIONS OF ANEITYUM.

263

of wattle, plastered with coral lime, tlic roof thatched with

The

the leaves of the cocoa-nut and pandanus.

fences of the

into a
garden were made of cane, prettily worked together
and
cross pattern, the path neatly kept,
everything looking

clean and tidy.

We

sat

down

in a small well-furnished room,

and looked out upon the garden, verandah, and groups of men
and women standing outside. Presently Mrs. Inglis came
into the room,

stay

all

and after some discussion I was persuaded to

not reach her anchorage

night, since the schooner could
the water casks were to ho
and the next

before dark;

day

taro (a nutritious root,

was provided roast fowl with

somewhat like potato), rice and jam,

bananas and delicious

fruit,

An

filled.

excellent dinner

bread and Scotch cheese, with

milk.
glasses of cocoa-nut
"

Afterwards he showed us the arrangements for boarding

men and women, twelve of the former and fourteen of

young

and
Nothing could well exceed the cleanliness
rooms.
and
their houses, sleeping rooms,
cooking

the latter.
order of

The houses, wattled and

plastered,

had

floors

covered with

native mats, beds laid upon a raised platform running round

the inner room, mats and blankets for covering, and

bamboo

The boys were, some writing, some making

some summing, when we went in ; the girls just

cane for a pillow.

twine,

putting on their bonnets,

of

their

own manufacture,

for

school.
"

&c.

They
;

learn all household

work

cooking,

hemming, sewing,

make

the boys tend the poultry, cows, cultivate taro,

arrowroot, &c.

happy, clean,

All of them could read fluently,

and healthy.

The

girls

and some had

looked

all

wear their native

coats of pandanus leaves, with a calico body.

trousers,

and

shirts, waistcoats,

petti

Boys wear

and a few

jackets.

BISHOP PATTESON

264
"

FIKST

We walked about a small wood adjoining the house, through

which a small fresh-water stream runs.

In the woods we saw

specimens of the various trees and shrubs and flowers of the

islands, including those already noticed in

and the bread-fruit

tree,

flower of scarlet colour,

Mr. Inglis

garden,

and sugar-cane, and a beautiful bright

a convolvulus, larger than any I had

seen elsewhere; also a tree bearing a very beautiful yellow

flower.
"

We then returned to the house, and shortly afterwards went

to the church,

which

though the uprights

is

at present used as a schoolhouse,

of a larger schoolhouse are already fixed

in the ground.

Men, women, and children, to the number of ninety-four,

had assembled in a large oblong building, wattled and plastered,
"

with open windows on

mats arranged on the floor,

and a raised platform or bench running round the building,
for persons

who

all sides;

prefer to sit after the English instead of the

native fashion.
"

All that were called upon to read did so fluently; the singing

was harsh and nasal enough, but in very good time ; their
counting very good, and their writing on slates quite equal to
the average performances, I

am

satisfied, of

a good English

They listened attentively when Mr. Inglis

and when, at his request, I said a few words,
which he translated. The most perfect order and quiet pre
parish school.

spoke to them,

vailed all the time

we were

in the school.

At

the end of the

came forward, and each one shook hands with

Leonard Harper and myself, smiling and laughing with their

lessons they

quick intelligent eyes, and apparently pleased to see strangers

among them.
11

By

this time it

was dusk, and we went back

to the mission-

IMPRESSIONS OF ANEITYUM.

265

house and spent a pleasant evening asking and answering

about Aneityum and the world beyond it till
questions

when

8 P.M.,

persons who

chapter of

St.

the boarders came to prayers and two or three

live about the
They read the third
place.

Matthew

and
Gospel in turns, verse by verse,

At

then a prayer by Mr. Inglis followed.

8.30

we had

private family prayers, and at 9 went to bed.

We got up at 4, and were soon ready for our
"July 16.
walk to the south side of the island. Mr. Inglis came with

and ten or twelve

us,

natives.

For the

half-mile

first

we

walked along the beach among cocoa-nut trees, bananas, and

the
sugar-cane ; the sun, not yet above the horizon, tinging
light clouds with faint pink

and purple

lines

the freshness

about us,
early dawn, and the soft breeze playing
struck
we
Soon
gladdening at once our eyes and our hearts.
of

the

off to

the south, and, passing through taro plantations, began

to ascend the slopes of the island.

heard the sound

of the logs

As we walked along we

beaten together summoning the

in every locality
people to attend the various schools planted

under the management of native teachers; and we had a

good opportunity of observing the careful system

of irrigation

of the taro plant.

adopted by the natives for the cultivation
the course of a small mountain stream, we observed

Following
the labour with which the water was brought
it

upon causeways

of earth carried in baskets

siderable distances.

Occasionally the water

head of various small ravines

a tree

is

"

The

from very con

led

round the

at other times the trunk of

hollowed out and converted into an aqueduct, but

no pains have been wanting

growth

is

down from

to

make every

provision for the

of the staple food of the island.

last school here,

on the north side

of the island, is

266

BISHOP PATTESON

S FIRST

about two miles from the coast, and from this point the path
very steep, stony, and slippery, and occasionally requires

is

the use of hands as well as feet

advantage
to

selves
slipped,

willing,

too, as it
us,

but to our amazement, and

turned out, two natives attached them

and were always at hand to catch us

if

we

and help us up a rock or carry us across a stream

good-natured fellows, laughing and chattering away,

and waiting upon us in a

to be exclusively Oriental.
"

The scenery

beautiful

style that I

had hitherto supposed

of the uplands of this island is excessively

rich masses of forest, with deep intersecting valleys,

undulating slopes, brakes and woods, streams and torrents,

and, occasionally, glimpses of the lower plains by the seaside

the clearings for cultivation, the cocoa-nut trees on the beach,

the lagoon and the coral reef, and the broad open sea beyond.

We

reached Mr. Geddie

station about

n, and found

the

Bishop seated a quarter of a mile from the settlement taking

shore

sights,

natives

New

to

the

amazement, no doubt, of the dozen

who were grouped around him

piece of sugar-cane, the

men engaged

vessel lying in the lagoon,

if

Hoari (George), the

Zealand boy, very happy in the possession of a good

and

all

in fetching water, the

looking as comfortable as

the island had for centuries been the rendezvous of traders

and missionaries.

Scarcely could

one credit the fact that

eight years ago there was not one Christian upon

Nohoat,

his house to

meet

and with him some three or four Tanna men, their

faces

the principal chief of the island,

us,

came from

it.

painted red.

Nohoat has

lately

been behaving very well, and

showing a disposition to leave off native customs.

Some

of

these people are going as pioneers to the two islands which

can be seen from Aneityum, Tanna, with perhaps some

IMPRESSIONS OF ANEITYUM.

267

6000 inhabitants, and a volcano in active operation; and

Futuna, with about 600.
"From

this scene of

hope and encouragement the Southern

Cross sailed on the i6th, and, passing

of

Eromanga, came

in sight

Fate."

From

this time

till

1864,

when we obtained

the Dayspring,

and no longer required his visits, he generally called once a

where we had mission
year at Aiieityum and the other islands
aries located, bringing letters or supplies, as the case

and taking up our mails

to the colonies.

might

be,

Yea, up to the time

lamented death at Xakapu in September 1871, there

was nothing but the most cordial relations between him and us

of his

and no higher tribute was paid to his memory than that re

corded in the minutes of the New Hebrides Mission Synod in
the following year.

Some, who were fond of drawing comparisons, likened Bishop

Selwyn to the Apostle Paul, and Bishop Patteson to the
Apostle John, the one a

man

of strong character,

feeble natures liked to lean; the other a

amiability, to

whom

clung to in affection.

man

of

on

whom

singular

love
gentle natures went out in

and

CHAPTER XXX.
RANGI AND HIS SON THOMAS AMOS.
years Rangi was an outstanding figure in

FOR abcmt twenty

the

New

those islands, at

among
wood

Hebrides, and

trade, and

He was
He first

filled

a large space in the public eye

first in

connection with the sandal-

latterly as an agent in the labour

traffic.

a Malay, a native of Singapore, and a British subject.

became famous in those regions while living among

the natives in

New

Caledonia, before the establishment of the

French power on that island. A trading or sandalwood vessel

was seized there by the natives, and some white men belonging
to

the crew were murdered.

deeply involved in the plot.

men,

tried,

paused

and condemned

Rangi was accused

He was

they were afraid

the authorities in Sydney, or elsewhere, might call

proceedings.

Majesty

men

to

death.

authority duly conferred.

who gave

lest

them

to

The law allows no British

subject to inflict capital punishment, unless he act

those seas

being

But here the traders

to be hanged.

they saw danger to themselves

account for their

of

got hold of by the white

knew a

on Her

captain in

the use of his vessel to a party of white

hang a native whom they had adjudged worthy of

and his crew took no part in the proceedings;

He

they retired to the fore-part of the ship and

to those conducting the execution.

left

the after- part

But no sooner did the

vessel reach Sydney, whither the report

had preceded him,

RANGI AND HIS SON THOMAS AMOS.

269

than the captain was arrested and lodged in prison on a

on board of his ship. The
charge of murder being committed

law recognises the deck

every British vessel as British

of

and holds the captain responsible for all that is done

on board. This captain was tried and condemned to so many
He was a man well connected, and
servitude.
of
territory,

penal
to bear on the Government on
strong influences were brought
was first commuted, and subse
and his
his
years

punishment

behalf,

but the authority of the law was vindicated.

overlooking this principle that the mistake was

quently remitted
It

was by

missionaries of the Established

made the other year by the

Church

of

Scotland at Blantyre in

about the same time, by the

Mission in

New

Kev. Mr. Brown

Britain, who, with the aid of

as well as

some Christian

natives,

heathens.

The captain

man

Government

to

Livingstonia, and

of a

examine into the

of

also,

of the

Wesleyan
some white men,

waged war against the

war, who was sent by the

case,

exonerated Mr. Brown,

as acting simply in self-defence, although the public thought

that he went greatly beyond that, and

be discussed in

the House

taken in either

case, the

able clearness.

of

the matter came to

Commons, although no

action

was

law was announced with unmistake-

And we who

the value of such a law.

when

But

over-zealous, strong-headed,

have lived in heathen lands know

for this stringent

enactment every

imprudent missionary might soon

brethren into trouble, and possibly ruin

get himself and his
the mission and every runaway sailor might profess that the
;

natives had made him a

kill

chief,

natives at his pleasure.

in their generation.
interest

Fear led them to spare his

counselled them

he was a

and that he could punish and

But Rangi s captors were wise

to utilise his abilities.

man who might

life,

and

self-

Finding that

be turned to good account for the

EANGI AND HIS SON THOMAS AMOS.

270

sandalwood trade, they concluded that the most satisfactory

and salutary punishment they could

send him to Eromanga

to collect

inflict

upon him was to

The results

sandalwood.

showed the shrewdness and sagacity of their views and the

their policy.
Rangi was a man of
practical worldly wisdom of
great energy, not at

all

scrupulous or squeamish about the

means he employed to attain his ends, and in the collecting of

sandalwood most successful he was by far the best agent the
;

traders ever employed on

Eromanga.
believed
It was firmly
by some that he was the chief insti
and his wife but
gator of the murder of Rev. G. N. Gordon
;

as the evidence on this point was conflicting, he

may

be allowed

the benefit of the doubt.

When

Rangi on Eromanga, they kept him

or material with which to buy
In the eyes of the Eromangans he was a wealthy

the traders

well supplied with

sandalwood.

man.

left

"trade,"

In those days any

only pay the price.

man

Rangi

could obtain a wife

set to

work

if

he could

at once, and, as oppor

tunity offered, bought one chief s daughter as his wife after

another, till he had as many, according to report, as sixteen,
all

slaves in reality.

wives, from motives of

this
"

way he was

But the

fathers and relations of his

self-interest, all

virtually king of

uncrowned king

"

of that

Emerald

supported Rangi.

Eromanga

In

he was the

and he thus held a

Isle

monopoly of the sandalwood. He could buy it when and

where he liked ; no other person had any chance in competing
with him. Eromanga was virtually a gold mine to the traders.
For a few foreign shells, mostly from Fiji, but prized like
diamonds by the chiefs for armlets, costing about a dollar
each, a

boat-load of sandalwood could

in China.

The sandalwood

be obtained worth

collected

on Eromanga, as

RANGI AND HIS SON THOMAS AMOS.

currently reported, realised no less than

^70,000

271

in the

China

market, and the most of that sandalwood was gathered in

Rangi

time, so that from a

proved a valuable

When

life

money point

of view his

had

to his captors.

the sandalwood was exhausted on Eromanga, Rangi

to Efate to see if any could be found there, but there

was none; but the labour traffic commenced about that time,

went

and he at once became an

When

agent in that trade.

efficient

he went to Efate he took with him

te?i

icives, all

natives of

He

had previously had an Aneityum woman as

Eromanga.
but he had left this wife
his wife, who had one son to him
;

when he went

He

had also bought an Efate

Eromanga.
had gone thither. He was living
in a low swampy locality, and four of his wives had died before
he was killed. He had been on Efate about three years when

woman

to

as his wife since he

he was murdered, which was in the end of

month

May

1868.

or six weeks after the murder of Rangi, Mr. Cosh,

our missionary on Pango, Efate, now minister of the Presby

terian church of Balmain, Sydney, and
into
tion

I,

went in the Dayspring

Havannah Harbour, where Rangi had lived, as a deputa

to open up the mission station now occupied by the Rev.

D. Macdonald.

The account we received

of his

murder was

this
One day an inland native came to Rangi s house he
had hid his tomahawk beneath the root of a tree near the
:

beach, had gone in, and got Rangi out, pretending that ho

wished to make a bargain about the cutting of some grass for

a new house which Rangi was about to erect he then slipped
;

under his arm, came quietly in

away
behind Rangi, as he stood unsuspicious of danger, and struck
him a fatal blow on the back of the head. Having dispatched
for his

tomahawk, hid

it

Rangi, he coolly wiped the blood

off his hatchet,

put

it

again

RANGI AND HIS SON THOMAS AMOS.

272

under his arm, walked up to the house, and with the same

weapon killed one of Rangi s wives.

wives and his eight children would
would

fate

all

The other five Eromangan

also have shared the same

have been murdered

had not Marek-mel,

the chief of Isema, the nearest village to Rangi

house, been

present, and interposed his authority for their protection, and

stayed the slaughter, and taken them all home to his own

The two bodies were disposed

of as is usually done by
which
was
very considerable
Rangi property,
was even said that he had ^150 or ^200 of money in the

house.

cannibals.
it

was

house

all

plundered by the natives

who had planned

his

murder.

As

to the facts of the murder,

murderer, the accounts

But

same.

as to the cause of the

account of which he was murdered

We

conflicting.

and the identity

we heard were

all

of the

substantially the

murder

the reason on

the evidence was very

heard three distinct, independent accounts

one from the natives, another from a native of the Loyalty

an agent for the labour traffic, who lived in the

Harbour, and who spoke intelligible English, and a third
Islands,

from a white

man who knew Rangi

well.

The

first

account

was that Rangi had been carrying matters with a high hand
among the natives, that he had become specially disliked by
two chiefs in the
of one of those

Queensland

district,

two

chiefs,

that one day the daughter or niece

whose husband had been away in

was at the well for water, and

for three years,

was coming home, when Rangi met her in the path and in
sulted her; she ran home, and told her father or her uncle
that

The
Rangi had shown bad intentions towards her.
was
he
said
should
die
for
inflamed;
anger
Rangi
A plot was laid for his life, an inland man was em-

chief s
that.

RANGI AND HIS SON THOMAS AMOS.

ployed to curry

it out,

and

in a

month

thereafter

273

Rangi was

a dead man.

The second account

said that three

gentlemen belonging to

had bought a large piece of land contiguous

to llangi s establishment, with the view of cultivating cotton,
that llangi was employed as interpreter and
coffee, and sugar

the labour

traffic

agent in the transactions

webs

of calico, so

many

pipes, so

that he paid ten muskets, so

much powder and

many pounds

shot, so

much

many

tobacco, so

of beads, &c., to one chief; to

other two chiefs he paid each one half of the above quantity

satisfied,

quantity

of these chiefs,

goods

He

get hold of his property.

native, a
vessel

man who had

called the

men about two

the head of a

man,

though he professed to be
was not, and knowing that llangi had a large
in his house, he resolved to kill him and
of

and that the one

"You

Mary

been implicated in the capture of a

Ira and the murder of four white

time.
years before that

yam and

eat

therefore sent for an inland

This chief broke

off

a piece of a kava plant, and said to the

and drink

these,

and

kill

When

Rangi."

he

pledged to undertake the

had accepted these, his honour was

deed, and in due time it was accomplished.

The third account was, that when Rangi was collecting

sandalwood on Eromanga, numbers of Efate men were taken
thither as labourers; that

Rangi had often charge

of them,

and treated them frequently with the greatest harshness and

made them work whether they were well or ill, and
severity
if

he did not shoot any

usage

and that he was

of

still

them, he killed them with hard

as far as
displaying his old spirit,
of Efate had for a

he had opportunity, and that the natives

him.
o time resolved to kill
that
"was
our white informant,

Ion"

"

terrible

Rangi."

murderer,"

Some

one,

said

aware

RANGI AND HIS SON THOMAS AMOS.

274

of the feeling against him, told

him

to be

on his guard.

He

replied that he was not afraid of the natives, as he had plenty

of

powder and

shot.

It is probable that there

was a portion

of truth in all these three accounts, that all these different

causes more or less conspired to bring about the result.

visited Rangi s house. He
It
was surrounded first by a
had
a
had
large establishment.
strong fence of wooden posts, six or seven feet high, resembling

Mr. Cosh and I went ashore and

New

Zealand pall

wattled reed fence

outside, but close to this,

was a strongly

the whole quite ball-proof, with loopholes

at regular intervals for shooting out at with muskets.

it

is

But

treachery, rather than force, that has to be guarded

against

when

We found

living

among

natives.

four of Rangi

wives and seven of his children

living under the protection of the Loyalty Island

other side of

Havannah Harbour.

The

fifth

man on

the

wife had been

taken away in a vessel by a white man, and one of the children

had died the day before our

his son

his education,

Bay

the

arrival.

Aneityum
as we were

Rangi had sent

his

boy

wife

to Brisbane, for the sake of

told.

When we

by the

were at Dillon

Eromangans had urgently requested us to bring back

Rangi s wives to their own land. We did our best in this

work of humanity. We found the poor women very anxious
to get home, and we brought away three of the wives and
three of the children.

We

left

one wife and four children.

The Loyalty Island man wished to keep the two eldest boys,
who were about six or seven years of age, and they wished to
stay with

him

their mothers

woman, who had two

was coming to the

were dead.

But

as the fourth

children of her own, both quite young,

boat, one of the boys

for her to stay with him,

began to cry violently

and as he could not be pacified, and

RAXGI AND HIS SOX THOMAS AMOS.

as

we were

to

push

off

we thought

in the midst of heathen natives,

with as

many

as

we

275
it

best

could get quietly, especially as

The woman who appeared to be Rangi s

a double-barrelled gun when she got into

our time was limited.

chief wife carried

the boat she fired

off,

into the sea, first the one barrel

then the other, with as

much

coolness as

she had been an

if

The woman that stayed behind

We weighed anchor and put out to

Amazon.
revolver.

Pango Mr. Cosh was put ashore

brought the

women and

left

carried a large

On

sea.

own

passing

station,

and

three

children

on to

them with Mr. and Mrs.

M Nair.

Their

threo

Eromanga, and

at his

and

the

Eromangan friends, being mostly

them with much kindness.

appeared to

Christians,

receive

M Nair,

Mrs.
"

Most

almost

says:

thrown upon us. So we set about

The chief wife we took
the women.

entirely at first

employment

for

She was a clever and most useful

but as she could not or would not work with the

Eromangan

girls,

out of consideration for them

part with her after a time.

Ellis

me and

Their support was

children from the Dayspring.

into our family as servant.

woman

Dr. Turner, writes

distinctly do I recollect the time when you landed the

women and

finding

now Mrs.

group in

1876, as

Thomas Amos was a

We thought
the wife

of

we

we had

a white

man

there.

child about a year old, a plump, heavy-

looking boy, with festering sores about his mouth and

mouth always open, and round

mother was made assistant laundress. The

the

to

traced her in the

little

as

a dollar

third

face,
:

his

woman was

lame, and one mass of sores, so she got patch-work to sew or

little

garments

to

make

for the

small Eromangans, and so

helped to maintain her independence."

Our merchants are

princes,

and our

traffickers

are the

RANGI AND HIS SON THOMAS AMOS.

2?6

honourable of the earth.

They magnify

their

office,

extol

their calling, and boast loudly of the blessings that they con
fer

upon mankind. That they accomplish a vast amount

no one either doubts or denies. But, unhappily, the

of good,

result of their

believe

it

civilisation,

to

movements
be,

an unmixed good.

In the outskirts

and among wholly uncivilised

they employ are

s

not always, as they wish us to

is

often

men

very doubtful

of

employer was a merchant

Rangi
by the mercantile

aristocracy.

one class of evangelists

whom

of

races, the agents

prince, a

character.

man honoured

Rangi himself was a type of

commerce employs among those

and prepare them

and of one detachment of the pioneers

islands to civilise the natives

for Chris

tianity,

whom we

have to follow in planting the Gospel among those dark and

deeply degraded races.

one might be allowed to compare the small with the

great, the present with the long past, the lines composed by
If

Sir David Lindsay of the

Mount on Cardinal Beaton

Andrews, and, more than a century

bishop Sharp, might now, at the end
be not unfitly applied to poor
"

As

Rangi

later, applied to

of other

of St.

Arch

two centuries,

for the Cardinal, I grant

He was a man we weel

God will forgive it

could want

soon.

But yet in sooth, the truth to say,

Although the loon be weel away,
The deed was foully done."

But

happily, in connection with

pleasing episode to relate.

Rangi we have a very

interposes and

At times grace

cuts off a sinful entail, so that the sins of the fathers are not
visited

upon the

children.

Josiah was the

grandson

of

RANGI AND HIS SON THOMAS AMOS.

The younger son

Manasseh.

of

277

Kasuaui, the murderer of

John Williams, laid the foundation stone of the Martyrs

and the
Memorial Church at Dillon s Bay, Eromanga
son of Rangi, called Thomas Amos, came to this
;

youngest
with the view of his
country and was learning to be a printer,
of the mission
being sent back to Eromanga to take charge
press,

and train up a

staff of printers

from among

his

own

the islands,

countrymen to print elementary books for all

and in this way compensate, as far as possible, for the

evils

done by his father.

His coming
brought

When

to this country occurred in this way.

three of

Rangi

wives and three of his children from

Efate to Eromanga, the youngest of those children was a boy

His mother and he, with a sister about
of about a year old.
two years older, continued to live on the mission premises,
first

with Mr. and Mrs.

and Mrs. Robertson.

N lSTair

and subsequently with Mr.

The mother abandoned heathenism,

and placed herself and her two children under the instruction
Both mother and daughter, I under
of the missionaries.
stand, have faithfully improved their privileges, and,

if

am

not mistaken, Mr. Robertson has admitted both of them to

the fellowship of the church.

Thomas Amos, the youngest

son of llangi, grew up a very smart boy, and attracted the

(now Captain) Caffin, R.N., an

excellent Christian man, who was at that time in command
of the Rcncird, the Government gunboat stationed on the
attention

New

of

Lieutenant

Hebrides to watch the labour

traffic.

He

was often

Eromanga, and saw a good deal of the boy. On one

occasion when my wife and I were in the Dayspring, we were
at

wind-bound

for about a

week

at Dillon s Bay,

and there made

whom we met

with every day

the acquaintance of Mr. Caffin,

RANGI AND HIS SON THOMAS AMOS.

2/8
at

the mission-house.

New

When

Mr.

Caffin

was leaving the

Hebrides, with the consent of the mother and of the

boy himself, he brought Thomas

the view of having

Amos home

him educated

with him, with

in this country

and sent

back to Eromanga as a missionary to his own countrymen.

him educated

expected to be able to get

He

free, or at least at

reduced rate, at some college or institution here.

But he was

disappointed to find that there was no institution into which

a lad of this kind could be received.

The Rev. Grattan

Guinness would have received him into his Missionary College

London, but he was too young for any of the classes in

that institution.
But he promised to take him in when he
in

was sixteen years

Captain Caffin kept him boarded,

of age.

own

an excellent private school near

expense,
Norwich, for about four years. He then transferred him to

at

his

in

Mr. Guinness

s college,

where he remained a

year.

But

after

consulting with Mr. Robertson and myself, by whose advice

he has been always guided,

it

was thought that we could not

turn his acquirements to better account than by apprenticing

him

for five years in a first-class printing establishment in

Leominster, Herefordshire, so that he might return to the

islands not only a good English scholar, but a thoroughly

trained printer.
tain Caffin,

He was

three years at the printing.

who undertook

Cap

the whole responsibility of his

support, always saw that his religious training was carefully

attended

to,

and that he was always surrounded by the best

of Christian influences.

When

I learned that Captain Caffin

was himself alone bearing the whole expense of his support

and education, I offered to raise ;io a year among my own
personal friends to assist

him.

This I did for seven or

eight years, chiefly through the aid of a few good Christian

RANGI AND HIS SOX THOMAS AMOS.

ladies deeply interested in the

cheerfully gave
collected

-Ao among

**O

home

in

also

Nova

of the typo
religious principles are

His father was one

s.

mittee of management
;

Mr. Robertson

his friends when he was

Moody and Sankey

fourteen years ago

Hebrides Mission, who

a pound a year each.

Captain Caffin

Scotia,

of

me

New

2/9

when they were

and when he and

first

of their

com

in London about

his second in

command

came ashore on Eromanga on the Sabbath evening to our

mission service, they left the men on board singing Sankey s

He

hymns.

is

also a brother-in-law to the

Roy MacGregor, who

sailed

well-known Rob

down the Jordan and other

rivers

in his canoe, and who, when an infant in his mother s arms,

was rescued, in the Bay of Biscay, from the burning of the

Great and marvellous are the doings

Kent, East Indiaman.

of the

Lord God Almighty.

Man

proposes, but

God

often sadly disappointed.

Amos

disposes.

In

less

Our sanguine hopes are

than two years Thomas

curriculum of study would have been completed, his

have been ended, and he would have

apprenticeship would
returned to Eromanga a fully qualified printer, prepared to
devote himself,

God

in

all his

the work

appointed.

time and

all his

of the mission.

He was

an active

overflowing with animal

spirits.

lad,

acquirements, to serve

But God had otherwise

social in disposition and

He

took an active interest

in all the innocent athletic sports usually carried

on in English

But even in the

such as cricket, football, &c.
public schools,
is
there
these
of
best conducted
danger, as the news
games
and again informing us. In the end of
papers are every now
last year, while playing at football, he accidentally received a
but he apprehended no danger, and hence
attention to it for some time; but when
paid no particular

kick on the ankle

RANGI AND HIS SON THOMAS AMOS.

280

the doctor examined

one,

it,

he found that the case was a serious

and he was at once placed in the

attended

by the best medical

There he was

hospital.

skill

and nursed with the

greatest care that the institution could supply

but the bone

had been injured, the foot had to be amputated, and the

Those islanders have
patient succumbed after the operation.
not the robust constitutions that the inhabitants of this

under favourable circumstances they enjoy

good health and attain to an average length of life, but if
country possess

they meet with any accident, or are exposed to any unfavour

life, they have not the sustaining energy
nor the recuperative power that white men possess.

able conditions of

But

it is

satisfactory to

know

that during the eight or nine

years that he lived in this country

and in Leominster
tian character, he

in Norwich, in London,

he maintained a highly consistent Chris

made

fair progress in learning,

acquiring a satisfactory knowledge of printing

he was

he was every

where well liked and highly esteemed, he was a general

favourite among his companions ; he lived respected and he
died lamented.

On

the Sabbath after his funeral the minister

which he worshipped in Leominster preached

an impressive sermon, and improved the occasion and the
circumstances of his death in a way that was calculated to
of the church in

benefit the audience

munity among whom

and leave good impressions on the com

he had lived. When many shall come

from the east and from the west, and from the north and

from the south, and

shall sit

and Jacob in the kingdom

kingdom not be

down with Abraham and

of heaven,

may

Isaac

the children of the

cast out into outer darkness.

TWO NATIVES OF ANEITYUM.

CHAPTER XXXI.
LASARUS AND ESTER.
TAKING them unitedly and all round, Lasarus and Ester were
the most useful couple that we had in the mission.
She

was certainly the most outstanding woman we had on our

side of the island.

At

the time

we were

settled on

Aneityum,
Lasarus was one of a galaxy of young men, about ten or
twelve in number, who had abandoned heathenism and
placed

themselves under Christian instruction.

Williamu, being the

LASARUS AND ESTER.

282
oldest,

was the most outstanding

They

all

became pupils in

could read only a very

well.

and

of the church,

my

little

also teachers.

chief helpers, both for skilled

work

proper.

were the

first to

It is only

class.

them

for the best of

but they were

In due time they

the youngest.

among

advanced

them advanced,

relatively that I call

and did learn

my

Lasarus was

of this band.

the least conspicuous, because he was

all

all

eager to learn,

became members

For many years they were

manual labour and mission

We

often

give

up heathenism and profess

observed that those natives

who

Christianity,

always, proved in the end to be the best Christians, while

those

who hung back

to the last were

satis

less

always

factory.

Lasarus

father had been the chief of Itath, a district

about a mile from the mission station.

But

as he died

when

Lasarus was a boy, the chieftainship devolved upon his uncle,

Luka.

When

Lasarus reached manhood, the

office

should

have reverted to him, and some of his friends urged him to

claim his right.
offer to resign

But power is sweet, and so Luka did not

and as he was an able and a popular ruler,

Lasarus refused to disturb an arrangement that was working

satisfactorily,

When we

and hence he
settled

let

well alone.

on Aneityum in 1852 Lasarus was a

He
young man apparently about twenty years of age.
became a very regular, a very diligent, and a very successful
In 1855 he and Ester were married, and I appointed
scholar.
them

to take charge of the school in his

own

land, Itath,

where they gave great satisfaction both to me and to the

people. His being the former chief s son went far to strengthen
his position

and increase

and Mrs. Paton were

his influence.

In 1858, when Mr.

settled at Port Resolution,

on Tanna,

LASARUS AND ESTER.

we

sent Lasarus and Ester with

them

283
To

as their servants.

But

the utmost of their ability they performed their duties.

fever and
they suffered so much, Lasarus especially, from
of a twelve
the
end
at
home
them
had
to
that
we
bring
ague,

From

month.
in

charge

Inglis s

that time forward they lived on our premises,

of the

boarding

young women and

school

or

school

girls

of

attending Mrs.

In

industry.

this

department of mission work they were very successful. By

his prudent and consistent conduct, his kind disposition, and
his quiet but dignified manner, he maintained a mild but
unquestioned authority over

all

under their charge.

times Ester would have said to Mrs. Inglis,

So-and-so, that girl that

came

last

week,

"

am

Some

afraid that

is stealing.

I think

there are some lumps of sugar going away, and I suspect her,

am

for I

sure that none of the other girls would do such a

watch her quietly ; we will not say anything

about it just now, but if the thing goes on I will speak to
Mrs. Inglis kept all her
Lasarus, and he will soon stop
thing.

But I

will

it."

general stores carefully locked up, but she always left in the
safe tea

day

use,

and sugar and sundry eatables sufficient for every

girls were put upon their honour as to their

and the

honesty, and they invariably behaved well.

things continued, and

not, as the

her

Church

"hands

evening,

if

If this state of

proof was found that

this girl could

England Catechism expresses it, keep

from picking and stealing," on the Sabbath
of

when Lasarus was

catechising the girls, he would in

a quiet and apparently accidental

manner make some strong

and striking remarks on the sin of stealing. There would be

no public exposure or no open reproof of any one but
breaches of the eighth commandment would immediately cease
;

to be observed.

In our absence from the island for some

LASARUS AND ESTER.

284
months,

first to

New

Zealand and afterwards, during another

had charge of all the premises and all

year, to Victoria, they

our property, and on our return everything was found safe

and in good condition.

Christianity has introduced

new

principles into family life

on the island; one of the most prominent of these is com

In heathenism there was little companionship or
panionship.
sociality

the

between husband and wife

man was

a tyrant and the

totally different there now,

they were not equals

woman was

a slave.

It is

and few husbands and wives on

the island exhibited more of the Christian element in their

family relations than Lasarus and his wife

he was a

faith

ful

husband, a kind and affectionate father, and one that ruled

his

own house

He
light

well.

was never strong for heavy work ; but in all kinds of

skilled labour, whether native or European, he was a

He

ready workman.

and managing a boat

I often employed

him

was

also skilful

and expert in steering

from that and his trustworthy character,

as

my helmsman when

I was travelling

by sea. For some years before he died he was my chief pundit

when I was translating or correcting translations. After our
return to Aneityum,

poor Williamu,

who

previously had

rendered such valuable help in this department of mission

work, was of

little

number was very

service to me.

And among

the natives the

who could render any assistance in

were
translating.
They
good readers and intelligent men, but
would
allow
almost
they
anything to pass without a check.
But Lasarus possessed in a high degree what might be called
limited

you gave him the ideas, he could

you when the sense was clear and the language

the critical faculty.

always

tell

grammatical.

If

Lasarus

felt

a deep interest in the translating

LASARUS AND ESTER.

of the Bible

he evidently loved the

his latter illness,

when

285

Word

I called in to see

of God.

him

During

him

or to give

some medicine, I invariably found him either reading the

He
him.
Scriptures or having some portion of them beside
had helped forward the work of God very materially on
Aneityum, but his life and his labours were cut short. He

was

He

still iu the prime of life, a little over forty years of age.

was never a robust man he was often laid up for a few
;

days or a few weeks with intermittent fever or other island

ailments, but during the last year of his life we had been

About
remarking that his health had been unusually good.
the beginning of March, however, a kind of influenza passed
over the island

almost everybody had

it

more or

less severely.

once and again, however,

Lasarus took it, and was very

he was nearly well, but caught cold and relapsed. The week
before his death he seemed to bo quite better, and was
ill

beginning to work.

But he got himself wet, and

all

the

unfavourable symptoms returned with increased severity, and

never abated

He was

till

he died on the ;th

quite sensible to the last.

of

May 1873.
When I told him

that

all hope of life was gone, and that Christ was now his only
while I was speaking, to listen
refuge, he called to his wife,

well to

When
he

I.

what I was saying, as his ears were becoming dull.

went out she repeated to him what I had said. Yes,

said, it

was

all

true

he

felt

he was dying

his only

hope

was in Christ. And having given her one or two brief direc
tions about their property, he urged on her to look well after
the children, especially the two youngest.

demonstrative as to his religious feelings

yumese were

He was

none

never

of the Aneit-

but there, as elsewhere, there were some whoso

Christianity was so apparent in their everyday

life

that no

286

LASARUS AND ESTER.

one doubted

Lasarus was one of those

its reality.

if

twenty

years and more of unblemished, exemplary Christian conduct

be satisfactory evidence, he had that evidence in his favour.

Cecil says of

John Newton that he has heard him

particular inquiries were being

of

some eminent

how he

believer,

man

for the dead

not

how

last expressions

the

man

died,

of peace, universally respected, esteemed

I have rarely,

beloved.

me

when

but

Lasarus was one of the quiet and faithful in

lived."

the land, a

made about the

Tell

"

say,

ever, seen

if

more undoubtedly

and

the natives grief

among

sympathy for the

more
or
more
living
extensively displayed.
certainly genuine
Ester, as I have said, was the most outstanding woman on
sincere, or

She was a woman

our side of the island.

of high

rank to

begin with; she was nearly related to some of the highest

chiefs in the land,

position tells as

and

this

much out

was an advantage to her. Social

The Rev.
it does at home.

there as

Mr. Anderson has written two interesting books, the one

The Ladies of the Reformation," the other The Ladies of
"

"

the Covenant;

"

a third might be written on

the Disruption and the Free

"

The Native Ladies

of the

Church,"

South Sea

"The

Ladies of

and a fourth
Mission."

also

Women

on
of

aristocratic families have, by their example and

done
influence,
very much to advance Christ s kingdom on

royal

and

their respective

went

Her

a girl of sixteen.

heathen-like, had left

Ester had

man.

Christianity, and

The

first

arrival,

Ester belonged to this class of

islands.

When we

women.

left

was

we heard

to

Aneityum
father was not

in 1852 she

was then

dead, but her mother,

him and become the

wife of another

her heathen relations, had professed

living with

of her

was

Amosa, the Samoan teacher.

A few weeks after our

this

one day while she was assisting some other Christian

LASARUS AND ESTER.

women

to prepare thatch for our house,

stepfather was dying.

287

word came that her

was the custom on Aneityum

It

heathenism to strangle every wife on the death

of her

in

hus

band, that her spirit might accompany his to the other world,
and wait upon him there as she .had done here. Ester know
ing what would befall her mother, threw down the thatch,

sprang up in a moment, and ran for nearly two miles with

the hope of saving her mother s life. Christian influences had
saved some lives before this time, and

had she been

it

was believed

that,

might have been successful. But

alas! she was too late; her
poor mother was strangled, and
in time, she

stretched out beside the dead body of her husband, and both

were ready for being carried

As

off

and

cast into the sea.

soon as arrangements could be

opening her Girls

made

for Mrs. Inglis

Industrial Boarding school, Ester became

one of her pupils, and was with her for three years.
like

many

high-spirited girls,

At

first,

she was wilful and wayward,

but as soon as Mrs. Inglis could speak to her

intelligibly in
her own tongue, and bring the truths of
Scripture to bear on
her conscience, an improvement began, and she became
singu
larly docile, and her consistent conduct for eight-and-twenty
years showed that she had received the truth in the love of
it.

She had good natural

scholar as far as the three

abilities,

Rs

and became an excellent

were concerned.

She loved the

Bible, and along with several other women, in the course of

seven years, committed to memory and
repeated accurately

the whole of the four Gospels, the Acts of the

Apostles, and
the Epistles of Paul, from Galatians to Philemon both in

clusivethat being the whole

in the

of the Bible at that time printed

Aneityumese language.

She was a good singer, and

often led the psalmody in the church.

She was uncommonly

LASARUS AND ESTER.

288
well

handed

for

washing and dressing

clothes,

general housework, she was equal to any white

was

and for

woman.

She

liked by the natives, especially the

She was always generous with her food, and
that among natives is the most highly appreciated of all the

particularly well

native women.

virtues

while stinginess or greediness in regard to food

is

looked upon as the worst trait of character with which any

At

one could be charged.

first

with idle gossiping, native

Mrs. Inglis was often annoyed

women coming

in

and

sitting in

our backyard, especially in the forenoon, when they came too

soon for medicine, which was always dispensed at one o clock.

She took counsel with Ester, and they agreed that they would
So
provide some native work for this class of visitors to do.
whenever any woman came likely to remain for an hour or
two, Ester would go up to her, give her a banana, or a piece
of taro or breadfruit,

nydk

aielc,

um

and say

compassion on me, and do this

the

to her,

ago nauritai liaklin inigki

little

Ak
"

piece of

etwaJc,

aiheuc vai

Oh my

sister/ have

work."

Of course

woman

the bell

complied, and began at once, and wrought on till

rang, when she came to me, got her medicine, and

went home, well pleased with herself and the treatment she
had received. But lazy gossips soon learned to become shy of
our premises, and Satan found no idle hands to employ in
Ester was
by Dr. Watts.
always grave, though ever cheerful ; and although she was no
gossip, yet, as our station was always the centre to which
mischief-making,

as

described

information came, she was always well informed as to what

was going on over the island, and when she heard of anything
which she thought it was right for us to know, she instantly
told Mrs. Inglis, and she again told me.
If I thought it
I
and
at
once
took
action,
quietly brought influences
necessary,

AND

LASAPJTS

ESTER.

289

weak or the wicked, who might respectively bo

the passive or the active instruments of evil, and thus often
to bear on the

times mischief was prevented of which the general public

knew

She was well known

nothing.

to all the missionaries,

and highly respected by every one of them. Tier blythe and

open countenance, and her frank and courteous deportment,

made her a

general favourite

while,

on account

of her

After the death of Lasarus, she was

missionaries children.

again very suitably married to Laapayi, a widower, a

her

own

families,

vacancy

and a teacher.

age, also a chief

take charge of the girls

of 1877.

At
in
of

we

till

left

left,

half, till

of

During the

s character

the settlement of Mr.

came out

tage for conscientiousness and firmness.

could not be got at

home

of

along with two other

charge of the mission premises.

two years and a

man

They continued to

the island in the beginning

that time they were

and Mrs. Lawrie, Ester

Watt,

kind

disposition, she was especially beloved by the

and unselfish

to great advan

When

a missionary

to supply our place, Mr.

Tanna, were appointed to our station

and Mrs.

but when the

came before the Mission Synod, the other missionaries

refused to sanction their removal, lest the Tanna Mission
case

The people

should be injured thereby.

extremely disappointed, and while

"

said,

We, the people

of

this

every missionary on the group

of

my

station were

their hearts were sore they

station,

have gone to

we have gone

assist

as teachers, as

boatmen, as builders of houses, as cooks, as servants; we have

gone to do everything for them, and now they

us a missionary.

What

is

will not give

the use of us looking after the

mission house and the mission premises, and the furniture,

and keeping everything

safe

cannot get a missionary to

and

live in

in

good order, when we

them and look

after us

LASARUS AND ESTER.

2QO

Let the houses go to the clogs, and let the pigs look after
And but for Ester this proposal might have been

them."

carried out; but she stood

for a

woman

up and firmly opposed it; which

showed courage

to do, even of her social position,

beyond ordinary ; and she carried her point. The premises

and the property were safe and in good condition when Mr.
far

Lawrie arrived on Aneityum.

Ester died in 1880.
skill

In her

last

illness

and kindness could devise was done

Mrs. Lawrie, but

it

was

of

no

avail.

everything that

for her

by Mr. and

They asked her

if

she

had any message for Mr. and Mrs. Inglis. She said, Send
my kind love to them, and say that I will look for them in
"

heaven."

She had nine children;

of these three,

two sons

and a daughter, survived her, and are still living.

Her
name
is
is
married to an excellent
Yegreimu,
daughter, whose

young man, and she is very much to Mrs. Lawrie what her
mother was to Mrs. Inglis. "There shall be a seed to serve
Him."

The object
savages,

of our mission is to raise up, out of degraded

men and women

of the type of Lasarus

and Ester;

and though only a small number may be equal to them, there

are on all the islands more or fewer of the natives similar
in Christian character, while a leavening process

is

going on

year by year, beneficent influences are in operation, and the

evangelisation of the whole group at no distant period

a moral certainty.

is

now

CHAPTER XXXII.
IXIIALAVATLMI AXD TIIIGANUA.

IXHALAVATIMI means
adjective

literally

Man-child, but when used as an

it

expresses great endearment, equivalent to dearly

a proper name it is
generally abridged to
Nalvatimi; and as this is the shortest form, and as it is as

beloved.

As

good as the other, I shall employ

When we went

to

or fourteen years of age.

the leading

men

it

in this sketch.

Aneityum Nalvatimi was

a boy of twelve

Ilis father,

Katipae, was one of

in Isav, a land next to

Aname, on which the

mission station stood.

I at once

began a class in the alphabet,

and Nalvatimi was the eldest of fourteen
boys whose names

He was a quiet but rather a soft

but
as
time
went
on
he
boy,
The class
developed in energy.
met daily for a twelvemonth ; the
was
progress
steady but
not very rapid.
At the end of that time II. M.S.
Herald,
I enrolled in that class.

Captain Denham,

on her way

11.

X.,

came

into the harbour at

to Fiji to survey that

group

Anelgauhat

but, being prevented

by strong head-winds, the captain put in to Aneityum, which

he was also to survey, and he
improved his enforced delay by
with
on
that
at
once.
going
Mr.
survey
the

Chimmo,

lieutenant,

who had command

of the

to the Herald, conducted th?

survey
of

Aneityum

and

laid

for several miles out to sea.

these operations he employed several

first

steam tender attached

down

the coasts

While engaged in
natives to assist his own

1NHALAVATIMI AND THIGANUA.

292

those thus employed was Nalvatimi, who, with

and
his active
obliging deportment, so took Mr. Chimmo, that

men.

Among

he engaged the boy to go with him as his own personal

Some said that Mr. Chimmo wished him that he
attendant.

might show off his young active black servant to his friends
and fellow countrymen when he returned home at the end of
the voyage, for Nalvatimi was a handsome, well-made, goodlooking lad

his

grandmother had belonged to Futuna, so

When

that he had some Malay blood in him.

the survey

was completed, and the tender had come to anchor in the

harbour, two seamen were appointed to prepare Nalvatimi
for the

voyage

they washed and scrubbed him, cropped and

and dressed him in a serge shirt and a pair

dark trousers, and then took him to his master, quite

combed his
of

hair,

"Here he is,
said the men, "clean,
and
clothed
what
shall
we
call
him ?
I did not
;
cropped,
learn whether he was named Tom, Dick, or Harry.
But if he

civilised looking.

sir,"

"

got a name,

it

must have been some name

easily pronounced,

and

easily

of

any

of his mates.

If

who

be,

"but

him

Jim,"

I never heard his other

consequence to
it

called

was never

could

sailors
tell

for

you the

you asked him the name

any one of them, he would generally say,

know; they always

one word, short,

remembered by the

I scarcely ever met with a seaman

surname

of

"

Well,

sir,

of

I do not

or Jack as the case might

name."

It

was

of little

Nalvatimi what name was given to him, as

used.

As

soon as his father and mother

knew

that he was to be taken

extremely distressed

away by Mr. Chimmo, they were

he was their eldest child, and they were

strongly attached to him.

asking

me

The father came at once

to write a letter to the captain, that he

stop the boy from going away.

I sat

down and wrote

to me,

might
a note

INHALAVATIMI AND TiUGANUA.

293

Denham, who was a good Christian man, a kind

tlic native races, and who during the whole of his

to Captain

friend to

stay in those seas took a deep interest in mission work.

sent the letter by Katipae, the lad

captain had read

my

father.

As

soon as the

note, he gave orders that the lad should

be discharged and given over to his father, and then wrote

me a very courteous note, thanking me for what I had done

and saying that he would allow no boy to be taken on board
by any officer without the full and free consent of his parents.
During the five-and-twenty years that we were on Aneityuin,
we had generally a visit of a man-of-war once a year. And
it

is

but just to say that the captains of

all

these vessels

were kind and friendly to the missionaries and their families,

and the most of them fully sympathised with the objects of
the mission and rendered us every assistance in their power.

The natives
officers,

Aneityuna always looked upon the captain, the

and the crew of every man-of-war as their friends.

They were,

of

in their opinion, different

from other

ships,

and

closely akin to mission ships.

Nalvatimi returned to school, and made steady and satis

We had an industrial school for the young
factory progress.

men

young women ; some of them lived on the

and
some
lived at home.
premises,
By- and -by Nalvatimi
came to live on our premises, and, with some others, week
as well as the

about or month about, as the case might be, he was first one
of our cow and goat-herds, at another time he had
charge of
the poultry, and by-and-by he was one of Mrs. Inglis
It

was found

to

cooks.

be the best arrangement to change them from

one occupation to another, weekly or monthly as the case

might require.

Some time

before

we

left

the island in 1859, Nalvatimi was

INHALAVAT1MI AND THIGANUA.

2Q4

married to Thiganua, and, along with Lasarus and Ester, they

remained on the premises as servants to Mr. Copeland, and
gave him great satisfaction.

When we
little girl of

to

went to Aneityum in 1852 Thiganua was a

about ten or eleven years of age. She belonged

an inland

She was an orphan both her father

She had one brother some two or

district.

and her mother were dead.

Her brother and

three years older than herself.

live

she came to

with some Christian relations near the mission station

their inland relations were all heathen.

We

first

more

particularly about a year after our arrival,

came

to live with Tutau, a

who remained
work

us in the
active

Harotongan

at our station for about a

teacher,

Tutau s wife was an

of the mission.

One day the teacher

Tutau

his wife,
assist

excellent,

Thiganua was always

wife had spoken rather sharply

to her, and, native-like, she ran

to her friends.

when she

twelvemonth to

woman, but of a quick temper.

timid.

and

knew her

off, first

to the

bush and then

health did not agree with our climate,

and shortly after this he and his wife

left

Aneityum

in the

John Williams, and went to Lifu, where he soon recovered

his health,

with us

till

and Thiganua came to live with us, and stayed

She proved a very active, well-

she was married.

learned to read, write, cypher, sing, sew, wash

conducted

girl,

and dress

clothes,

and do

all

kinds of household work.

She

had an excellent memory, and was one of Mrs. Inglis s class

that committed to memory the Scriptures as fast as they were
translated and printed.

In 1864 I stationed them as teachers at Ohuul, one

principal inland districts, where the people were

much

of our

scattered,

and where both the imparting and the acquiring of know

Several teachers had
ledge were carried on under difficulties.

INIIALAVATIMI AND TI1IGAXUA.

laboured there, but

them with very

of

all

little

295

success; con

were far back in their education. The

sequently the natives
which
at once, and the improvement
people took to them
on
influence
and permanent. Her
they effected was marked
at church
the women was great and lasting their attendance
:

families
and school became more regular, and quarrelling among
of our worst and most
tn-ew less; and from its being one
y

t>

backward lands,

of our best.

became one

it

We had a number

men and women from that district who applied for

admitted into
church membership, and who were in due time

both of

For nearly ten years

the fellowship of the church.

return to Aneityum she was one of Airs. Inglis

work had to be done
If
assistants.

any

after our

s never-failing
if

special

the mission

if extra female help was

brought a crowd of visitors,
or for a length of timeneeded, either for an emergency

vessel

Thi^anua had only

reliable,

to

and well-skilled assistance.

She was never robust

in

from one
boy of

She had

of health.

daughters;

live

the seeds of consumption were lurking

but she enjoyed on the whole a fair

her constitution

measure

be sent for to secure her cheerful,

of

six children, four sons

them died before

to six years of age.

five

years of age,

her, at different ages,

Her remaining

died a few

and two

months

child, a fine

after her,

of

the sun
inflammation of the brain, caused by exposure to
a not unfrequent cause of death on the island.

She was intensely attached to her children

child died, she felt the death so

her mind giving way

of

heaven to her

011

much

that

when her

we were

lifth

afraid of

seemed to enhance the attractions

her deathbed to think of meeting with

and

it

her children in glory.

AVhen wo

left

Aneityum,

in

December 1871,

to proceed to

INHALAVATIMI AND THIGANUA.

296

Victoria on a

she was in rather indifferent health, but

visit,

was apprehended. On our return, however,

May, after an absence of more than four months,

nothing serious

on the

ist of

we found her

in the last stages of consumption.

a house which they had beside us, to see

help

for her.
;

all

that

But

alas

skill,

smooth the dying

still

we had her immediately brought

at the station inland, but

done

She was

if

she was beyond the power of

to

anything could be

human

or care, or kindness could do was to

symptoms, and
render the descent to the grave something less painful.
She
pillow, alleviate distressing

died in about three weeks.

She died as she

tures while she

read

lived.

was able

She delighted in reading the Scrip

and in hearing them

to read them,

when she became unable

to read

natural timidity never left her

But her

herself.

she trembled as she entered

the valley of the shadow of death

them

something

like

chill

came

over her as her feet touched the waters of the mystical Jordan.

One might have supposed that she was connected with one of
whom John Bunyan saw in his dream.

the pilgrim families

Mr. Despondency might have been her uncle, and his daughter
Much-afraid her cousin, for though, referring to their doubts
and fears, they had entertained ghosts, as he confessed, when
they

first

off after,
"

began

to be pilgrims,

and could never shake them

yet the root of the matter was in them, for

when

they went up to the brink of the river, the last words of Mr.

and his
Despondency were, Farewell night, welcome day
daughter went through the water singing, although none could
"

"

understand what she

said.

So

it

was much in the same way

with poor Thiganua, for when she was reminded of the love of

God

the Father, the grace of Christ the Son, and the

the Holy Spirit;

how God

justified the

work

poor publican,

of

how

INHALAVATIMI AND THIGANUA.

297
how

Christ answered the prayer of the penitent thief, and

Abraham

the angels carried the soul of poor Lazarus into

bosom, her fears were gradually dispelled and her faith was
a strong desire that, at her
and she
strengthened,

expressed

death, the angels would

Father

is,

come and take her

and the Saviour, and the

Spirit,

soul to

where the

and her children.

Nalvatimi was one of the most scholarly and cultured of

our native teachers; he had more of the logical faculty in
them, he had a good gift in prayer, and
aimed at method in his addresses. I may insert here a por

him than most

of

Kay, dated

tion of a letter written by Mrs. Inglis to Mrs.

November

1868, and which was inserted in the

i6th,

11.

P.

Magazine for February 1869, in which she says: "Yesterday

Mr. Inglis was away preaching at one of our out- stations,
about seven miles distant, and the services here were con

Williamu had charge

ducted by the elders and teachers.
The second
of the first service, and gave a good address.
service

was conducted by Nalvatimi, one

of our teachers,

He began by saying Long ago

went to the missionary to ask to be
Tanna in the John Knox, and said that he

also gave a good address.

man

of

who

this island

allowed to go to

could speak Tannese, and would help the teachers to speak

The missionary believed him, and allowed him
to the
people.

On

to go.

the next Sabbath day,

when the

teachers went

to speak to the people of the different villages, this

man went

with them, and when they had spoken, and asked him to
speak, he stood
"

simply

Jehovah

said,
is

up,

Men

true,"

but his speech was very short.

of

Tanna,

men

and he sat down.

of

At

the next village he

said the same words, and the same at every village.

I

am

like that

man,

my

words

will

He

Tanna, the word of

be very few.

Xow,

I will read

INHALAVATIMI AND THIGANUA.

298

you a verse in

2 Cor.

i.

22.

"Who

hath also sealed

given the earnest of the Holy Spirit in our

us,

and

A number

hearts."

you have lately got the seal of baptism on your bodies, but
have you got the seal of the Holy Spirit in your hearts ? If
of

you have

not, the other will do

made the

world, He
No; He

about

it.

planned

and the

it,

first

sea,

thought about

He made

and then

He

you no good. When God

make it and then think

did not first

He

it.

it,

first

then made the grass and the

and then

made the
fruits,

He

earth

and then

He made the fishes and the birds and the beasts, and then,
when He had made these, and there was plenty of food, He
made man, and He saw that everything was good. When
made

the missionary

this church,

he did not begin to make

thinking, and then marking and fixing the

and the shape. He first got us to clear the ground, and

without

it

size

first

then he measured and marked the length and the breadth

and the height, and then we made it as he marked it, and

it was a good church.
Some of you were seeking the seal of
baptism, but the missionary and the elders and the deacons
"

said,

we

No, you cannot get

it

now

just

what your conduct

shake your heads, and are angry

till

see

will not

is."

come back

conduct.

You want

then you

will

is

to seek
first to

it

you must wait a little

But you go away, and you
at them, and say,
No, we

any

"

more."

This

be marked as God

is

think what sort of people you will

beginning at the

end.

Think

first

not good

s people,

be.

and
This

what a Christian

wrong
God to teach you and seal your hearts
His
by
Holy Spirit, and then come and seek to have the
mark of God s children on your bodies, and do not behave in

should be.

Pray

to

this foolish way.

"

Perhaps I cannot do better than add Williamu

address

INITALAVAT1MI AND THIGANUA.

299

to prepare for
urging them very earnestly
on this island.
death, and went on to say Nobody lives long
We cannot keep away death. The missionary cannot keep

here

He was

also.

away

It is in the ground,

death.

and we cannot keep

from

it

here bring those diseases that

rising; and the ships that come
have killed so many of us ; but we cannot stop them in the

and keep them away from our shores. But,

matter to us when
prepared for death, it does not

we

if

sea,

It is true

it

what

are all Christians as to our bodies, but

we

are

comes.

We

are
in our hearts 1
good will that do us if .we are hypocrites
but a few people on this island, but many of us are hypocrites
I saw
I went to Britain with the missionary.
in
hearts.

our

what the land and the people are

It is

it is

nothing

This island, what

there.

is it?

hand; but Britain, it is just

has no bounds and the people are so

just like one s

like the great ocean

it

for multitude;
many, they are like the sand on the sea-shore
bad
are
of
them
none
are all
;
they have not
but

good

they

two kinds

of Christians there as

they, are all

one in heart

bad person
good

all

one

we have here

in conduct.

the time I was there.

of the angels in
just like that

they are

I did not see one

Their conduct

heaven

all

(!

!).

all

is

This last

as a piece of Oriental
comparison you will certainly look upon

hyperbole.

But

it

was accepted here

Williamu met with few either

except the friends

commonly kind

to him,

conducted."

in this country or in

of the mission,

The

as literally true.

church was well attended, and the services well

and these were

Sydney
all un

and reasoning on the principle

of ex

uno ditce omncs, he returned home with unmixed admiration

Had he lived till now,
for the goodness of our countrymen.

and read certain numbers

of the Pall

have inferred that there was

Mall

Ga::d/e,

he would

also another class who,

if

like

INHALAVAT1MI AND THIGANUA.

3OO

any angels, it was those described by the Apostle Jude. Had

been deemed expedient to make him acquainted with the

it

dark side of

social morality,

my

friend, the late

Mr. William

by lifting the
curtain from the streets of our mystical Sodom, which he had
so fully explored, could have revealed scenes as repulsive as
any of those with which Mr. Stead had so rudely shocked the
Logan, author of

mawkish

"Moral

sensibilities

of

Statistics,"

modern

&c.,

Christianity.

Eut here

ignorance was bliss, and to have increased knowledge

direction would have been only to increase sorrow.

But

to return to Nalvatimi.

After the death of Thiganua

he was married to the widow of an excellent

to

Geddie

Dr.

side

of

the island.

man

Anarne, our station, where they remained

When

work.

made,

it

was

At

belonging

She was a superior

woman, and on our leaving the island in 1876,

home, I appointed them to take charge of the
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrie.

in this

till

to return

school at

the arrival of

that time he did a very important

the arrowroot for the payment of the Bible was

all

brought to the station to be dried

it

was

only there that the necessary conveniences for doing so were

The drying of the arrowroot was a very responsible

The value of the article depended very much on the

provided.

work.
skill

and care displayed

in this part of the process.

For three

years Nalvatimi, assisted by some other natives, had

charge

of the

drying of the arrowroot,

done even when

Annand came

my

it

round, saw

it

of his Latter-day

full

never was better

wife and I were on the spot.

casks properly addressed, and

In one

and

Mr.

weighed, put up in casks, the

all

made ready

for shipment.

Pamphlets, written some thirty

and more years

ago, Mr. T. Carlyle says (as I quote from

memory, I do not vouch for the exact words, only the sense)
:

1NHALAVATIMI AND THIGANUA.

"At

Portsmouth,"

ho says,

"an

commission for a three years

301

is put into
She proceeds to the

old man-of-war

cruise.

behests of the
Cape, thence to the Antipodes, or wherever the
Admiralty require her to go. At the end of the time for

which she

is

commissioned she returns to Portsmouth, drops

her anchor, and reports herself to the Admiralty. Two of

their Lordships go down, inspect her, and depone that all is
Now," says Mr. Carlyle, "notwithstanding
the low tone of moral principle in these degenerate times, in

right on board.

this age of

shams and

must be

hypocrisies, there

of truth in that old man-of-war,

when

at the

good deal

end

of

three

of tear and wear, as

years she comes back, with the exception

good as when she went away."

So it was to us, and to all the friends of the mission, a very

and a strong proof of the reality of their

three years the whole of our natives made

satisfactory result,
religion, that for

the same average quantity of arrowroot for the payment of

the Bible, and the quality equally as good,

left solely to themselves, as

of them.

And

Nalvatinn

when

Ave

when they were

were living in the midst

presence and influence had

much

to

do with this result, especially with the quality of the arrowroot.

inland valley, opening up into
Inwaijipthav is a long deep

The valleys are the

two deep narrow valleys at the top.
that
are to be found on
the
are
steepest
deepest and the hills
the island.

We

had a terribly hard battle

to fight there with

heathenism. The sacred men were esteemed the most powerful

on my side of the island the valley was difficult of access, and
;

hence not easy to be

visited,

and

in this

about the last to profess Christianity.

way

the people were

Finally they

all

came

and I had three schools stationed among them. The central

schoolhouse was used on Sabbaths and on Wednesdays as a
in,

INHALAVATIMI AND THIGANUA.

3O2
church.

I visited the station, once a quarter on Sabbaths

myself.

Every other Sabbath the

the elders, deacons, or teachers.

service

was conducted by

During the vacancy things

had gone back, and Mr. Lawrie, as soon as he knew exactly

how matters stood, placed Nalvatimi and his wife at the
principal

with the view of resuscitating the cause

school,

of education

and

religion in the valley.

new

interest

was

Assisted by his friends and the people of

at once awakened.

the place, he went vigorously to work

the schoolhouse was

repaired, and a new teacher s house was erected; the earnestminded were encouraged, the lapsed brought back to church
and school, and the work Avas going on prosperously, when a

providential calamity placed a serious check on the cause.

Their house stood on the edge of a stream, close to a steep

was deemed perfectly safe. A storm,

however, came ; it rained for days. The ground was thoroughly
saturated with water, the brooks swelled into rivers, the wind
mountain, but the

site

blew a hurricane, and one night when darkness set in a slight

earthquake was

felt.

Suddenly there was a roar and a crash

which awoke the sleeping inmates.

It

was a landslip up on

Down rolled the avalanche, sweep

and carrying Nalvatimi s house into

the mountain above them.

ing everything before

it

the stream.

Nalvatimi struggled out he knew not how, but

his poor wife

was

killed at once

and buried beneath the pon

derous mass.

Some time

after this Nalvatimi offered his services as a

teacher for Tanna, and

settled in one of

Mr. Watt

From time immemorial

district

and the

when

district

I last heard of

him he was

outlying stations near

there existed between the

Kwamera.

Kwamera

to which Nalvatimi belongs

some

thing like a league of hospitality, such as existed in ancient

INHALAVATIMI AND THIGAXUA.

Greece,

more

so

that

influence,

Paton and I

he

would

be

than anywhere

visited

Kwamera

safer

else

there,

and

possess

When

on Tanna.

in the

303

Dayspring

in

Mr.
1865,

with the view of reopening the Tanna mission after Mr. and
Mrs. Mathieson had been driven from the island, Nalvatimi

was with
natives.

and greatly facilitated our intercourse with the

He was their friend, and they trusted him, Had

us,

Nalvatimi gone away with Mr. Chimmo, what a

has deprived us of hundreds of young

men who might

have been equally benefited and equally useful.

bones of

many

of

them

lie in

Queensland or

would

But the labour

have been to himself and to the mission.

traffic

loss it

Fiji.

But the

CHAPTER

XXXIII.

WILLIAMU.

As Williamu accompanied my

wife and

me

to this country in

1860, to assist us in carrying the Aneityumese

New Testament

through the press, he was well known among the members

also

Eeformed Presbyterian Church, and to some extent

A short notice of
in the Free Church and elsewhere.

him

will therefore, I believe, be acceptable, especially to those

of the

who

still

remember him.

Perhaps more than any other

native he was identified with the history of Christianity on

Aneityum from its commencement till the time of his death.

As I have elsewhere stated, the first attempt to introduce the

On the 3oth of
Gospel into Aneityum was made in 1841.
March of that year the Rev. A. W. Murray of Samoa settled
two teachers on Ipeke, the

my

station.

district

next to Aname, afterwards

Williamu, then a lad of fourteen or

so,

attached

himself to the teachers, along with some other lads of his

own

Persecution soon began, for these lads

age or a little older.

were often scolded, and at times beaten, by some of the old

and priests for countenancing the new religion. But

Williamu s heart was drawn towards the teachers, and in

chiefs

spite of threats

received the

and blows he

name

of

still

clave to Christianity.

Williamu in

this way.

He

The Samoan

teachers had a great difficulty in pronouncing Aneityumese

words, hence they were eager to change Aneityumese names

WILLIAMU.
Samoan

into

many

great

Williamu

ones.

of the

is

the

305

Samoan form

Samoans took the name

missionary, John Williams ; but

of Williams.

of the

famous

South Sea natives

as the

have only one name, instead of loane Williamu they dropped

the

John and retained AVillianm

sketch

The subject

only.

being one of the

Samoan

first converts on
Aneityum, the
honoured him by calling him Williamu.

teachers

Williamu

is,

therefore, not the native

name

some have supposed, but for Williams, or

utilised of John Williams.
In

of our

for William, as

of all that could be

1848 the Rev. John Geddie and his wife, and Mr.

Archibald, a catechist, and his wife, arrived at

from Nova

Aneityum

accompanied by the Ilev. T. Powell and

Samoa, who remained with them for a year to

Scotia,

his wife, of

Mr. and Mrs. Geddie were

assist in establishing the mission.

settled at Anelgauhat,

on the other side

of the island.

Mr.

and Mrs. Archibald occupied what afterwards became our

station,

but

they

did

not

remain long in the mission.

Williamu attached himself as firmly to the missionaries as

he had done to the teachers, and when help at
boating or
housebuilding was needed his assistance was always forth

coming.

At

times,

when Mr. Geddie

requisite native help at his

other young

men went round

over those early

could not obtain the

station,

Williamu and a few

to his assistance

and tided him

difficulties.

In 1852, when

my

wife and I joined the mission, after

having been eight years in

others, gave us a hearty

new house

own

New

welcome

Zealand, Williamu,
;

among

and when we entered our

a half-finished building of two small

apartments,

the chief materials for which I had brought from

and which Mr. Geddie and

I,

New Zealand,

with the assistance of the natives,

WILLIAMU.

306

Williamu, to show his interest in

had erected

brought us

us,

a present of a fine large pig of ten or twelve stone weight.

Three weeks before our

arrival,

during a

visit of

the Jolin

Williams, Mr. Geddie, assisted by the missionary deputation,

had formed a church and admitted thirteen members. Some

time after our arrival he saw his way clear to baptize Williamu

and another young man

kindred character named Seremona

of

(Solomon), the first-fruits of the mission on

No more

island.

As Williamu
self to

side of the

lived near the mission station, he availed

him

the utmost of the means of grace and the opportunities

At

for education.

the Sabbath services, the week-day prayer-

meeting, the morning school, the Bible

class,

Institution, he was in regular attendance

was

my

were baptized for eighteen months.

and his profiting

He was among the

in accordance with his diligence.

whom

first of

those

singer,

and acted

was one of the

He

was a good

for a long time as our chief precentor.

first

is

I placed out as teachers.

band

subsequently became an
church, which

and the Teachers

still

of deacons that
elder.

When we

standing at

He

were elected, and he

were building our

Aname

though bearing

the scars not only of time, but of hurricanes, earthquakes,

and

waves

tidal

extremity of
day,

my

when the

was beginning
us a

On

visit.

Williamu was located as a teacher at the

district,

But one

nearly ten miles distant.

building was roofed and nearly finished, and

to stand out in its proper dimensions,

he paid

and seeing the progress

astonished and delighted with

going into the church,

that had been made, he was so

what he saw that he ran up and down the building, and

leaping every now and again in an ecstacy of joy, cried,
"

Wauho

of

how you have been working

the island have been

here

doing nothing.

"

We

at the

end

Williamu had

WILLTAMU.
wrought remarkably well
of its erection

show

307

church during the

at the

first

stages

but preparatory and foundation work did not

and hence he was

like the finishing processes,

led to prize

the work of others more than his own.

When
he saw.
ships,
lie

he arrived in this country he was amazed at what

As he

sailed

and counted

up the Thames he

abandoned the task

coal craft

as hopeless

had just entered the

Reformed Presbyterian Synod

extraordinary country

river.

a fleet of the Newcastle

When

1860 he

in

addressing the

said,

I have seen so

of yours.

came here that I am weak with

in

tried to count all the

to the extent of about three hundred, but

"This

much

is

an

since I

wonder."

There were several things that struck Williamu

very much
this country.
One of these was the remarkable kindness

Of course he was always living

among our
or
the
friends
of the mission, and was
friends,
everywhere
treated with special kindness ; and he
very naturally drew
the conclusion that everybody was as kind as those with
of the people.

whom

he was coming in contact.

made

in

his

letters

to

the

Hence

reference was often

kindness he received and the

abundance of the food with which ho was

He
supplied.
considered it necessary to assure his friends on this
and
point,
he

felt

that he could do so honestly.

There

is

nothing natives

are so afraid of as suffering from

hunger, and nothing that

they prize so highly as having plenty of food.

at

home we stayed

My wife s

for a short

time at

my

On

our arrival

father-in-law

s.

brothers and sisters and other friends were

gathering

in

day by day to see us, and there was a generous, though

an extravagant nor a wasteful
hospitality being
exercised.
Williamu, however, soon began to be alarmed for
neither

the consequences.

may

here notice in passing, that at

first

WILLIAMU.

308

He

Williamu got his food by himself.

was so shy that he

objected to sit at table with us or with others

but by-and-by,

when we explained to him that it was causing more trouble to

give him his food by himself than along with the family, a
sense of duty, and an unwillingness to give any extra trouble,
led

him

and

to suppress his timidity,

and when

family table;

to take his place at the

there, with an

almost intuitive

perception of what was proper, he conducted himself as

had

all his life

the end of the

been mingling with good society.

if

he

So, about

week, he came to Mrs. Inglis one morning

first

you tell your mother and your two

must
not give me so much food to
sisters that they
said he,
She said, Why 1
you know we have been

and

said,

will

"Misi,

eat."

"

"

"

"

Oh,"

feasting

every day now

for a whole week,

certainly soon be all done.

less,

and the food

will

Tell them, therefore, to give

me

who

are

or they will have nothing to give to the visitors

On Aneityum the natives can get up an

coming to see
abundant feast that will last for one, two, or three days but
us."

after the food collected

and

cooked for a feast is

the process cannot be repeated for some time

thought that

it

must be the same

consumed,

and Williamu

But on being assured

here.

that there was no danger of the provisions being exhausted so

soon, he felt relieved,

and continued to take his share

daily feastings without

glad

when he found

any misgivings

that there would be no necessity for either

himself or the family being reduced to

his thoughtful

in the

and he was, no doubt,

and unselfish

spirit

"

short

was none the

rations."

less

But

evinced by

this proposal.

He

was

also

much impressed with

the goodness as well as

the kindness of the people of this country.

But here again he

drew general conclusions from very limited premises.

From

WILLIAMU.
what he saw

and

of the ministers

309

elders,

and their

families,

with whom, almost exclusively, he was becoming acquainted,

he not unnaturally concluded that the whole community were
After our return to Aneityum a young man, a

equally good.

went up to Sydney in a trading vessel. He remained

Sydney for some weeks, and lived on board the vessel. Ho

native,

in

was a sharp,

intelligent lad,

When

around him.
people that

it

and observed the state

of society

he returned to the island he told the

was not true what the missionaries had told

them about the white

There were no good people in

people.

them married ;
Sydney
they drank and swore, and did everything that was bad they
were worse than the heathen on Tanna and Eromanga. As
they were

all

bad, there were none of

he went on repeating these statements, the better class of the

them came

people were grieved, and some of

ask

if

these things were so, and

Williamu was

much

as

if

to

Williamu

to

these words were true.

surprised and shocked as the other

natives at these representations, and said to

them that they

do not know," he said,

where
were quite untrue.
Mataio was -\\hen he was in Sydney, or Avhat he saw, but I
"

"I

know

this,

that I saw none of that conduct, I saw none of

those bad people

saw none but good

people that I saw were good

of

people
further,

it

Beretani

they were

"

(Britain).

could rise no higher.

people.
all

All the

as good as the

Comparison could go no
In Williamu s estimation

greater excellence could not be found on earth than was to

bo found
right

among

the people of

Had

worst phase of Sydney society.

sides,

Beretani.

But both were

the one had seen the very best, the other the very

they might have said

London, that

it

contained

of

each of them seen both

Sydney as Cowper said

of

WILLIAMU.
Much that we love, and more
And all that we abhor."

"

But modern Sydney

is

that

we

admire,

doubtless better than ancient London.

He was greatly delighted with the loyal,

law-abiding character

; and when the volunteers appeared

before the Queen in Edinburgh in 1861
although it was a

of the people in this country

small affair compared with the review in the same place on

the 25th of August 1881, the moral effect of which told upon

every government in

Europe

filled

it

yet

Some one had given him a

admiration.

review, and he looked at

with delight.

it

Williamu with
that

picture of

Just to think that

the young men of the country

Queen
should assemble before her, and say that they were ready to
at the

word

of the

all

do whatever she commanded them

had often had his patience sorely

refractory

To him-

young men, the Queen seemed

desirable of

all

who

thoughts of his heart evidently said,

"

most

to enjoy the

the earthly conditions of

model young men

He greatly admired our

a chief,

tried with wilful, stubborn,

The

existence.

Oh happy Queen

Oh

"

tions on

Aneityum

They have no such institu

but he thought it was a capital idea to
jails.

shut up in a strong, secure house the wayward and disobedient,

and to keep them there

till

they are brought to their senses

and become content to lead quiet and peaceable lives, hear

the words of the chiefs, and obey the commands of the Lord.

He

was often

piizzled with

many

things which he saw in

and I was frequently in the same predicament

The Course of Time," he was placed in
that Pollock says, in

this country,

"

with the children, when he was called

"

to

answer curious questions, put

much simplicity, but ill to solve

And heard their observations strange and
In

new."

WILLIAMU.
in the sky in winter
position of the sun

The low
lie

could not understand.

was what

To him, born and brought up on

the tropics, where for one day

Aneityum, three degrees within
twice every year the sun passes over our heads, and we are

among

the

the"

aslciai,

people

and where the sun, even

who

at

noon have no shadows,

at the shortest day, is

high up in the

phenomenon was perplexing. Hence

Misi,
one day, about midwinter, he came to me and said,
what is the matter with the sun just now ? For some time back

heavens

to

him

this

"

he seems always as

if

to the top of the sky,

he wished and Avere trying to get up

but was not

able.

He

just creeps along

low doAvn near the earth, and then sinks into the sea or drops
This Avas a simple question, but not so easily
out of
sight."

answered to one who knew so

little

of

astronomy as did

Williamu.

At another time he
domestic economy.

about this
land, and

if

Avould

"Misi,"

come

Avith a question of social or

he would say,

"can

you

tell

me

always plenty of waste

On Aneityum there
man Avishes to marry he
is

a young

can go into the

then
it, dig and plant it,
bush, choose a
a
does
But IIOAV
build his house and bring home his Avife.
is no waste land \vhere he can
young man do here 1 There
All the land is occupied, not only on the
erect his house.
fence
piece of land,

shore, as

on Aneityum, but everyAvhere inland

it is

the same,

The people here are so

up to the very tops of the mountains.
How to deal
the seashore."
many, they are like the sand on
with our surplus,

CA

er-increasing population

has exercised more minds than Williamu

s.

is

a question, that

But

to

him the

solution of this complex and

simplest and most satisfactory
Avas emigration to America, Australia,
difficult

problem
Zealand, or some

of our colonies.

WILLIAMU.

We had

great comfort in Williamu

The majority

home.

of natives

all

the time

who accompany

we were

at

missionaries

to this country are spoiled through the well-meant but in

judicious kindness of friends

they become

and forget themselves.

attentions,

lifted

up with these

Williamu entirely escaped

Just as the work

that danger, but another trial awaited us.

was being brought to a close, his brain became

mind gave way, and he became partially insane.
videntially

was not

it

till

affected, his

Most pro

the last sheet was passing through

the press that he entirely broke

down.

His

brain

was

naturally weak, or rather, he was of that

fine, high-strung
nervous temperament which, though of the highest value

when

well, is easily

tration of

Dryden
"

Some time

fit

deranged

and he supplied another

illus

oft-quoted couplet

Great wits to madness nearly are allied ;

And thin partitions do the two divide."

before

had an attack
as the

we

the islands to come home, Williamu

and ague, and every day, as certainly
he became delirious, but the delirium
left

of fever

came

on,

always took a religious turn.

He came

always into the house

which our young men lived and read the Scripture to

them, and then took away a young lad, a cousin of his own,
in

into the bush,

and gave him an earnest exhortation to follow

that which was good.

ceased.

It is not

and ague.

When

uncommon

the fever

left

for delirium^ to

him the delirium

accompany fever
he had

Shortly after his arrival in this country

a slight attack of fever and ague accompanied by delirium.

But for two years he continued quite well. For some months,

however, before we

symptoms

left this

of brain disease

country to return to the islands,

began to show themselves, and at

last, as I have said, he quite broke down.

WILLIAMU.
his illness there

During

me

struck

intensely

were certain aspects

of his case that

lie became very timid, very proud, and

forcibly.

When

selfish.

moral nature seemed

to

became clouded the

his

intellect

be

subverted.

became affected and the judgment

When

lost its

the brain

guiding and con

trolling influence, the moral sense or the conscience evidently

became weakened.

When

Williamu was well he was kind

in a pre-eminent degree, but when his mind

he
thought of nobody but himself. I am told that
gave way
insane people arc invariably timid; Williamu seemed to be

and

unselfish

always more or

less in a

kind of

terror.

Naturally he was

now he became extremely proud. His selfishness

was quite a new feature of his character. Formerly, when

very humble,
also

we were
being

travelling

told,

together on railways, without his ever

he was the

first

to look after umbrellas, travelling

But after he
bags, portmanteaus, and luggage of every kind.
became unwell, while he was as active as ever in looking after

own

his

things,

deliberately

lift

carriage, as

if

his

own

he had had no connection, with

the celebrated Weslcyan

When

New

Testament, the native

became quite insane; not only

his insanity, he abandoned Chris

as a consequence of

tianity

and went back to heathenism

he threw
;

for his actions.

thing like

so

Williamu never went

far, as this.

But

medical advice, we had to hurry

his

off

reason was

European clothing and dressed like a savage

suspended, and he was no longer accountable either

man

Hunt

acted as his pundit

so, but,

to

But our

us.

the Rev. John

missionary, the apostle of Fiji

finished his translation of the

who had

would

umbrella and leave ours lying in the

experience was not exceptional.

had

He

he paid no attention, to ours.

to

God

so far, or

or

any

nevertheless, acting under

off to

the islands, as the most

WILLIAMU.

314
likely

means

for securing his recovery

a great extent successful.

We

and

this course

after his return to

Aneityum, but after a time he

down comparatively

well.

was to

had some trouble with him

settled

stranger could have observed

nothing wrong with him, but we who knew him formerly saw
that he was much altered.
Our friends at home thought that,
after

what he had seen and learned in

this country,

he would,

on his return, be a great help to the mission ; and they were

prepared to have allowed him a salary, that he might be fully
employed as a native missionary. But God had willed other
wise,

and these hopes were never

realised.

And we

felt

thankful indeed that he remained quiet, and continued to

He

conduct himself with exemplary propriety.

as in former days, led the singing,
in public,

and sometimes gave an address

employ him as
his brain

now and

my

frequently,

again he prayed

but I durst never

pundit while translating or revising

He

might be thereby affected.

inclined to live

lest

more

But there was one idea

secluded than he had formerly done.

which he caught up strongly in this country, and to which he

gave practical effect all his life afterwards, and that was the
duty of being industrious.
"in

Beretani; every

every day too.

And he

"

There

man and

And why

should

is

no

idleness,"

every

woman

we be

idle

practised as he preached.

In

here on

this

he

said,

works, and that

Aneityum?"

way he eschewed

life, promoted health of body and

had always abundance of food, was always
help those who were in want, and never needed any

the temptations of an idle

serenity of mind,
able to

help himself.

He was upwards of fifty years of age at the time of his

death.
He died on the i5th of August 1878. His last
illness was very short
He was
only twenty-four hours.

WILLTAMU.
attacked with severe

became dead, and

whole body

this

The

did.

He

legs.

These

was

in church the Sabbath

for three
"Williamu

Sabbaths at that
to pray,

which ho

which exercises

lie was not at the prayer-meeting on the

well.

afternoon, but

the evening to see

paring for the

and

one of the hymns, both of

also led

Wednesday

feet

was vacant, but Mr. Annand

Ananie preaching

at

he performed

He

lie

station

After the sermon he asked

time.

liis

dcadness gradually crept over his

he expired.

till

before his death.

was round

cramps in

315

how

came

to the mission premises in

the arrowroot, which they were pre

of the Bible,

payment

was being attended

to.

always took a deep interest in everything connected with

the Bible.

Ho

became

ill

On

in the night.

he sent one of his friends to Mr.

Annand

the Thursday

for medicine, but

he charged him not to say that he was very

ill

his native

modesty evidently rendering him unwilling to trouble the

In this way Mr. and Mrs. Annand were not
missionary.

made aware that he was

seriously

ill

till

Though no report

death-wail in the night.

they heard the

of his last words,

there were any, has reached us, I know, from the character

if

of those

around him, what their

last

words to him would

be,

that the last words he would hear on earth would be those of

and peace, from

God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ; and the last

prayer and praise

a prayer for grace, mercy,

song he would hear, before he heard the song of the redeemed

to the hills will lift mine eyes," or
in glory, would be,
"I

"

Hock

spirits

of

of ages, cleft for

shine,"

me,"

or

"

How

bright these glorious

or something similar.

Williamu was a striking example of the transforming power

the Gospel, and of what the Word and Spirit of God can

effect in the heart

and

in the life of the lowest savage.

He

WILLIAMU.

was an

intelligent Christian

he had clear conceptions of the

He was

leading doctrines of the Gospel.

and had enlarged views

gent understanding both of

ing

"

what man

is

He

had an

intelli

to believe concern

duty God requires of man." He was

and generous. The first money he ever oAvned,

and

God,"

a consistent Christian,

of Christian duty.

"what

kind, unselfish,

namely, four dollars which he received from a trader for four

rare shells highly prized by the natives of Eromanga, and

with one of which a trader could purchase a boat-load of

sandalwood, he gave as his contribution to the Bible Society.
In prayer he was reverent, fervent, fluent, copious, and
Scriptural

and he was a good public speaker. It was, how

me in revising and editing the

ever, as a pundit, in assisting

Aneityumese New Testament, that Williamu rendered the

most valuable and abiding services to the mission. Many
natives, otherwise active

and

help to a translator; they

they see your

be met.

difficulty,

intelligent,

fail to

see

can render very

what you want,

they are unable to

But Williamu was quick

tell

you how

little

or, if
it

to perceive the idea

can

you

wished to express, and equally ready to supply the word or

the idiom that was wanted.
In this department of mission

work

his services

Our avowed

were invaluable.
object

was

to

Christianise

Civilisation followed as a necessary consequence.

profess to teach the natives

trades.

the

We

natives.

did not

But the work created

any
by the mission developed among them a considerable amount
of mechanical skill, and showed that among them, as
among
ourselves, there was a great diversity of natural gifts or of an
aptitude to excel severally in different kinds of skilled labour.

In most kinds

some kinds

of

Williamu was expert ; but in

European work he did not excel, while in others
of native labour

WILLIAMU.
lie

lie did.

left

him

far

was a very poor carpenter; some other natives

But as a boatman, either for pulling an
behind.

oar or steering a boat, he had few equals

and very few white men

The power of Christianity

among the

natives,

would have surpassed him.

to civilise, as well as to sanctify

and make men good, was notably exemplified in this case.

For politeness he was a perfect gentleman he was never
;

vulgar or rude, or even awkward, either in

If a lady entered a

table.

would be the

company or at
room where he was sitting he

her a chair.

first to offer

lie was a good scholar, as scholarship goes on Aneityum.

lie was a correct, fluent, and tasteful reader.

little of

arithmetic.

He

of letters

persons here,

When

to his friends

portions

wrote a fair hand, and had a special

faculty for writing letters.

series

He knew

in this country he wrote a

on Aneityum, and some to

which I

of

am

appending to this

notice as affording a vivid picture of the

of

Britain

and

its

People"

"First
Impressions
on the mind of a South Sea

Islander.

Though only a secondary chief, yet from his intelligence,

sobriety of judgment, and general Christian character, his
influence in the

community was

far higher

than his

social

position.

At

the time of his death he was a widower, but he left one

fine little

boy about ten years

of age.

His name was Simetone

(Symington), so called after the leading ministerial family in

Simetone died about a

the Reformed Presbyterian Church.

year after his father.

membrance

We

He

of the kindness

had always a very grateful

re

which he received in Britain.

thus see that the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ

is

everywhere the same mighty saving power, whether among

WILLIAMU.

sages or savages,

among Jews

or Greeks,

among Scythians or
of God

is the power
barbarians, among bond or free.
unto salvation to every one that believeth."
"It

But

By no

no one suppose, after what I have said of Williamu,

was an exceptional character among the Aneityumese.

let

that his

On my

means.

have counted

ease

of

side of the island alone I could with

men and women

at least a

hundred

whose Christian character was as pronounced as his, whose

general talents were equally conspicuous, and whose acquire
ments, as far as time and opportunities allowed, were in no

way

inferior to his.

And on

Dr. Geddie

s side of

the island

they were as fully advanced as on ours. If ever the Spirit

of God was seen working among a rude heathen people, it was

There was never any excitement or any un

usual demonstration, nothing that in these times would be

on Aneityum.

called a revival.

sensational,

Neither Dr. Geddie nor I preached anything

and perhaps too

was the simple exhibition

observance of

In their case

"

little

of

even of the emotional.

God s Word and the

It

regular

God s ordinances that produced the change.

the kingdom of God was as if a man should

cast seed into the ground,

and should

sleep,

and

rise

night

and day, and the seed should spring and grow up he knoweth
not how" (Mark iv. 26, 27.) They were not all genuine
The old roots of heathenism were ever and again
Christians.
cropping up.

But they were

reasonably expected
little

as good Christians as could be

in the circumstances.

There existed a

leaven of Christianity which more or less leavened the

whole lump.

There was present the

salt of grace

which pre

served from putrefaction the whole body of the people

was a

light of Divine truth

minating

influence

among them which shed

there

its illu

over the whole population, which

made

WILLIAM U.
Aneityum a
dered
of

it

different island

the lona of the

New

God had transformed

quiet,

peaceable,

from any in the group, and ren

The Word and Spirit
Hebrides.

those wild, savage cannibals into a

intelligent,

docile,

munity, a loving and a lovable people.

and

affectionate

com

CHAPTER XXXIV.
WILLIAMU

WHEN we

S LETTERS.

arrived in this country in

1860 I suggested to

Williamu that he should write home to Aneityum to some of

and said that I would enclose his letters to Mr.

his friends,

Copeland or Mr. Geddie, as the case might require.

consented to do.

This he

I did not expect that his letters would be

But I knew

either long or interesting.

should be neither, like

all letters

that, although

they

written in similar circum

coming from a far country, they would be accept

I had taught him the art of writing, and
able to his friends.
he wrote a fair, small, copy-hand ; but I was too busy, and
stances and

had too many other things

lessons in letter- writing, or

to attend to, to give

make him acquainted

him any

in

with the principles or the rules set forth in the

any way
"

Elegant

Beyond a few short notes, he had never

But during the two and a half
written any letters at all.
Letter

Writer."

years that

number
were

we remained

of letters,

in this country he wrote a great

and I was surprised to

both long, and, to

me

find that the letters

at least, interesting.

As

often

therefore as I had time I translated the letters, and copied the

translations into a book.
since,

They

These have been beside

and from them I have made the following

me

ever

selection.

are genuine letters, unaided compositions, the simple

utterances of the writer

own

thoughts.

Like most strangers

WILLIAMU
recording the impressions

and a people visited

a good

many

made upon

their

as

no one

will

go

made

to these letters

about this country, I did not consider

me

to correct

minds by a country

for the first time, he has

them
But

mistakes.

for information

necessary for

l>y

32

LETTERS.

these mistakes; and hence

it

I do

not hold myself responsible either for the correctness of the

facts or the soundness of the opinions.
fully translated; I
I

The

letters are faith

have neither added, subtracted, nor amended.

have occasionally

left

out a sentence or two, or even a para

graph, where I found that substantially the same statement

had been made in another

letter; I

have occasionally transposed

a sentence or two for the sake of preserving the connection.

The

letters

copies,

none

all written offhand.

They are all first
them were corrected and then rewritten, and

were
of

hence he had sometimes forgotten what he had intended to

say,

and afterwards brought

it

letters are chiefly interesting as showing the

made upon the mind

in this country,

of a native

and the

The

in in another connection.
first

impressions

by what he saw and heard

ability displayed in recording these

natives of Aneityum, who

impressions by one of the Christian
are regarded by the special correspondent of the Melbourne

Anjus, the far-famed

1884,

"Trip

to

New

VAGABOND

Guinea,"

Xo.

(see

Melbourne Aryus,

III.), as

"the

May

greatest fools

and the biggest boors he had met," and who were apparently,
in his opinion, injured and not benefited by the missionary
teaching which they had received.
readers to judge for themselves.

On

this point I leave

my

W1LLIAMUS LETTERS.

322

To Mrs.

Snodfjrass, Castle-Douglas.

NEWTON-STEWART,

MY VERY GOOD

LADY,

wish you

well,

and

Sept. 2oth, 1860.

thank you

kind present to me, for the shirt which you sent me.
is good.
I have no words to express my wonder.
kindness like this

among my

people.

for

It is big
I

your
and it

never saw any

for the

thank you very much

present.
I will now tell you a little about my country.
Formerly, long ago,
when we lived in heathen darkness, we showed no kindness to one
another. We were like people who carried heavy burdens on their
shoulders. We Avere a people laden with iniquity, we wrought all

manner of wicked works. AVe never ceased, night nor day, to steal,
and rob one another s plantations. We quarrelled, and there was
never a year passed over us in which we did not engage in war and
kill one another.
We had this custom also, that when any man died
they strangled his widow. We were earnest in offering up sacrifices
We never ceased from doing such things as these.

to our false gods.

Formerly there were two great epidemics on Aneityum. I saw the

Around the whole island the people
died ; they fell like the leaves from off the trees old men, and men
in the prime of life, and young men and women, and big boys ; but

one, but I did not see the other.

We

there were no little boys or infants died.

performed heathen

them for a while, and threw them into the sea but we
became so weak that we could not carry away the bodies, and there
was no wailing, and no tears were shed, and we ceased to observe
those customs by which we showed honour to the dead, the people
in the land had become so few.
Moreover, Ave never lived in peace
one year. Our land Avas like a canoe tossed about between the Avinds
and the Avaves. It Avas this from time immemorial, till the Samoan
teachers came and lived among us. But even then AVC continued to
believe in lies, and Ave Avere obstinate in resisting the truth. We
The Samoans have one Avay and Ave have another." But after
said,
that the missionaries came, and explained clearly to us the Lord s

rites over

"

Gospel

of peace, Ave

gave

iip all

these things

men, Avhose bodies Avere ahvays gashed

fighting, are noAV whole and sound, like

and even those Avicked

Avith

Avounds received in

trees covered Avith fresh

leaves, all the effects of the Gospel of peace.

The

Avornen are noAV

WILLIAMU

LETTERS.

323

and they are rejoicing, whereas formerly on account of our

mail conduct they were killed round the whole island of Aneityum,
so that now the land is like a wilderness, and the people are few in
raised,

number, from our constantly fighting and killing one another. We

are truly thankful for this good word of peace which has put a stop to

we formerly carried on.

came here with Mr. and Mrs. Inglis, and saw this country,
had no words to express my wonder and my joy. There arc snch

all those evil practices Avhich

When

crowds

of people here

the land

people

is

in such peace.
selves

the houses are all built close to one another

everywhere so well cultivated, and the conduct of the

so good
they all speak so lovingly to one another and live
is

Truly

this is not the

on the other side

way

that

we

lived

among our

of the world.

My very good Lady, do not despise us. You are very many here
do have compassion upon us, and let some more of you come and
watch over ns and instruct us. These are my words, and may the
;

Lord bless you.

WILLIAMU.

To Mrs. Dr. Wilson, Glasgow.

NEWTON-STEWART,

My

YEHY GOOD LADY,

Dec. Sth, 1860.

wish blessings on you.

thank you

for

your great kindness to Dora, my wife, in sending her the desk. I am

very glad, and I thank you very much for your kindness. When
Dora sees the present she will be delighted, and she will be surprised
your unexpected kindness, and she will thank you.
this, I wish to tell you a little about the heathen customs
that prevailed on our island before the missionaries came among us.
at

Besides

We

false gods
we had heathen feasts we practised
we carried on war and fighting we robbed one another s
gardens we quarrelled we said the spirits are powerful to give us
all things.
They gave us life, and they made the island for us. We

worshipped

witchcraft

them that they might give us plenty of food, and that

they might save us when AVC died. We said there are two ways to
sacrificed to

Umaatmas
end

Lund

of the Dead] ; the one goes down at the west

other goes up at the east end. When the
teachers came among us and explained to ns a little of the
(the

of the island, the

Samoan

Gospel, some of us said,

another."

They have one

One party among us said, "That
"

religion
is

and we have

the religion of their

WILLIAMUS LETTERS.

324
islands

"

others of us said,

"

It is impossible to receive their religion

and worship the spirits." But

came and sowed the good seed among us they were
earnest in preaching the Gospel, and in turning us from our former
Now we are
practices, and in teaching us the way of righteousness.
very glad and very thankful for the grace of God, in that He sent His
and practise

it

it is

best to continue

the missionaries

ways of darkness and guide us into the

At present we are glad and joyful on account of the Good
Word. We are now living in peace, and have given up all those

servants to turn us from the

light.

things that AVC

formerly practised

feasts,

and

all

these wicked courses.

murder, witchcraft,
widows, war, heathenish

namely,

idolatry, robbery, quarrelling, strangling of

We

are very thankful.

If

the

come we should soon have been all dead on

account of our wickedness. These are my words, and may the Lord
WILLIAMU.
bless you.
missionaries had not

To Lasarus and

Ester,

Andtyum.

SCOTLAND, August

MY DEAR FRIENDS,

wish you two

write this letter to you all to

Thiganua.
are all well just now.
and our health.
I

We

4th, 1860.

well, also Inhalvatimi

and

you about our travels

When we came in sight

tell

whole day, and when night

came we cast anchor and slept. On the following morning we sailed,
and made for the bay. The ships on the sea around us were like
of Britain,

we

sailed along the shore for a

driftwood on the water in the time of a flood.

We

could not see the

was hidden by the ships. When we reached the bay a

steamer came and towed us and brought us into the river. At low
The steamer then
tide we anchored, and waited till the tide turned.
towed us, and brought us into a place where the water was shut in by
a wall. We had come as far as from Aname to Anelgauhat. We
again lay at anchor all night. In the morning they opened a gate, and
we brought the ship into a place they call the docks. Here the ships
were so crowded that we could not get far in, and we lay there till
the Sabbath was over, and then the ship was brought into another
After this all the missionaries and the children
place to remain.
went ashore but Kausiri [another native of Aneityum who ac
companied the vessel as a sailor] and I remained in the ship till
Saturday. Then Mr. Inglis came back and took us away, and we
shore,

it

WILLIAMUS LETTEHS.

325

a thing that runs by smoke. They call it a steamengine it rims far faster than a horse its running is like the flying
of a pigeon.
came to the house of Dr. Cunningham, and stayed
tlirec travelled in
;

We

After that Kansiri went back to the ship,

there over one Sabbath.

lint

we took our luggage, and

Manchester, to the house

from Aneityum to Efate.

we

travelled

by railway

travelled

by the railway

till

we came

to

Mrs. Inglis. It is as far as

and on the following day
there,
slept

of the brother of

We

till

we came

board a large steamer, and sailed

to Liverpool.

Here we went on

for Scotland, as far also as

from

Here we came ashore, and rode in a thing they

Aneityum
call a machine, which is drawn by a horse, and came to a place called
the Mark of Shcnnanton [near Newton-Stewart], to the house of Mrs.
to Efate.

They were all living. We stayed there over three

took our luggage and went to Glasgow. But on
and
then
Sabbaths,
our way we came to the sea (at Girvan), and stayed in the house of
Mr. Easton. They were as kind to me as if I had been their own
Inglis

father.

and took great care of me, and gave me plenty of food, and
kind
words to me. The next day we came to Glasgow, which
spoke
There we stayed in the house of
is as far as from Fntuna to Efate.
child,

Dr. Symington. lie is a very good man, and his wife and children
are the same.
They were very kind to me, and took great care of me,

and gave me plenty

of food,

They wished

myself.

and gave me a

fine

room in the house to

was ashamed and

also to look at me, but I

afraid in presence of the people.

This Britain

is

a wonderful country there is not the like of it in the

that the missionaries told us about the things
;

It is all true

world.

here in Britain.
things in

impossible for me to explain to you all the

unless the letter were a thing that could carry

It is

Britain,

Britain to you, so that the people of

Aneityum could

see

it

them

impossible for me to explain it to you bywords.

The things in Britain are not like things made by the hands of men.
Such are the houses, the ships, the roads, and everything. Many

But

selves.

many
place

it

is

are the people.

is

like

Anamc

They

are like tbe sand on the sea-shore.

at tbe time of the Sacrament,

when

Every

the people
side of tbe island, from Isia to Anau-nnse, are gathered
all

on Mr. Inglis s
So many are the people, and so great are the crowds in the
together.
towns, that it is difficult for them to walk backwards and forwards,
or pass each other on the streets, so

am

many

walking with any one, he takes hold

are the people.

of

me by

When

the arm, lest I

WILLIAMU

326

LETTERS.

should lose sight of him for the crowd in the streets. And there are
If all Aneityum were covered with a forest, aiid if
so many houses.

every tree were a house, that would not be equal to the houses in
I dare not go about by myself, lest I should not find the
Britain.

house where

which

I see.

am

staying.

This

is

my

am weak

letter to

with wondering at the things

May the Lord bless you.

you two.

WlLLIAMU.

To Dora,

his wife.

SCOTLAND, August

O DORA, My
know that I am

love to you.
Avell

zoth, 1860.

I write this letter to

so are Mr.

and Mrs.

Inglis,

you to let you

and Mr. Geddie s

Formerly we were staying in the house of Dr. Symington

in Glasgow. Afterwards we travelled by the railway and came to
children.

Edinburgh, which

is

a very great

He

city.

Dr, Goold, the son-in-law of

a minister, and has a great many

children.
three stayed with him. They were very good to me,
and gave me plenty of food.
gentleman, a friend of Dr. Goold s,
took me and showed me through the houses where they make things
Dr. Symington, lives there.

is

We

the house where they make axes and iron tools, the house where they
make types, the house where they make pictures, the house where

they print books, and a house where they keep most beautiful things.
it is impossible to explain them to you in this letter.
Moreover, the people of Scotland were meeting every day in a
church, and making speeches about a great man who lived in Scot

But

land long ago

Reformation].

his

He

name was John Knox

[the Tercentenary of the

expelled the false religion and brought in the true

They were holding these meetings to keep it in remem

brance that he was the first to establish this true religion ; and also

religion.

keep in mind all the good he had done, and also that they might
thank the Lord for His mercy, that He had taken away the false
to

and had given His Word to them and to us all.

left Edinburgh by the railway, and came to the house of
a gentleman, Mr. Rowatt, of Currie-Vale, and stayed there over one

religion

We three

Sabbath. Afterwards we again travelled, and came to the house of

Dr. Symington in Glasgow, and stayed there.
then went and
took farewell of Mr. Geddie s children at the vessel. They sailed to

We

Liverpool in a steamer.

From

Liverpool they are to sail in a very

WILLTAMU
large steamer to

Nova

send their love to you.

the following day

we

Scotia.

We

LETTERS.

327

We three

bade them farewell. They

them and returned to the house. On
and came to the house of a minister s

left

travelled,

We left
daughter, Miss Symington, Paisley, where we took tea.
there and came on to the house of Mrs. Inglis s uncle and aunt, Rev.
Mr. and Mrs. Jamicson, Kilmarnock, where we

slept.

we again

if

travelled by the railway, as far as

Next morning

you were

to leave

go twice round Aneityum. We alighted at a village

called Thornhill, and travelled in a thing drawn by a horse till we
came to the village in which Mr. Inglis was born; its name is

Aname and

This was as far as from Aname to Anelgauhat. When

we stayed in the house of Mr. Proudfoot. Both he

Moniaivc.

we came
and

there

his wife are very

kind people.

They were both very good

to me.

the Friday there was a marriage there, and Mr. Proudfoot and I
went to sec it. On the Sabbath day all the people were very desirous

On

I had to rise and go out of the church my former

and ague, came upon me. First my legs were benumbed
and then my hands. Mrs. Inglis and I went into the church, but she
brought me back to the house. My illness, however, was not great,

to hear

Mr.

Inglis.

illness, fever

and

it

has

now

quite left me.

On

the next day, the Monday,

we

three

house of Mrs. Inglis s sister, Mrs.

Geoch, Craignell,
near New Galloway. This was as far as from Iteng to Itheg. We
On the following day we came to the house of Mrs.
there.

came

to the

slept

where we stayed at first, and we are staying here at

Mrs. Symington gave me a dress for you as a
Moreover,
present.
token of her love to you. It is put into Mr. Geddie s box. You must
Inglis s father,

take good care of

finished.

My

it

and not give it away to anybody.

and may the Lord bless you.

My

letter is

love to you,

WlLLIAMU.

To Dora, Ms

wife.

NEWTON-STEWAKT,
DORA,
I

wish you well.

write to

tell

October i$th, 1860.

you about

my

health.

Mrs. Inglis. Formerly

very well at present, and so are Mr. and
three lived in the house of Mrs. Inglis s father, but afterwards they

am

we

two went
house

to a

town called Newton-Stewart, and rented a very fine

At present we three live here, and a girl, whose name

for us three.

WILLIAMUS LETTEES.
is

Agnes, for a servant.

a very fine house

It is

number of rooms above

I must also tell you

this

meeting for three days

of the

it is large,

and has a

as well as below.

when we were

in Glasgow there was a

Reformed Presbyterian Synod, in Dr.
All the ministers and the elders and the
Symington s church.
missionaries were there, and a great congregation of
people.
They

made

work of God throughout the world and in

Mr. Inglis stood up and spoke, and explained to them the pro
gress of God s work among the islands, and particularly on Aneityum.
When the people heard him they rejoiced, and gave thanks to the
speeches about the

Britain.

Lord

for

His love and mercy to us

upon me

all.

When

and speak. When

made a short speech and then sat down.
called

our

to rise

he had finished he

I rose I

was ashamed, and

When we

three were on

to Britain I never once

thought that I would have to speak.

I only thought that I would have to look.
A great number of the
ministers made speeches, and gave thanks to God for His love and

way

mercy.

God

They

made speeches about a revival, and the work of

They also spoke about the Reformation
the time when they gave up the false religion and

also

in different countries.

300 years ago,

embraced the true

In every
religion, and became one and prospered.
part of Britain the people attend church every Sabbatli day, and never
give over. The people of Ireland and the people of America do the
same.

They have great reverence

for the

Lord.

There are no

heathen here.

Now, Dora, I will tell you of a present sent you by a lady. Her
name is Mrs. Wilson. Her kindness to you has been very great.
She has bought you a desk. It is packed in a box sent to Mr. Geddie.
care of it, and be strong, and write on paper
every day.
Also be very careful lest some one should persist in begging it from
you, and you should not know its value and give it away. Be sure

Take good

it.
You know well that no one can get any
thing like this for nothing. The price of it is great ; and very great
was the kindness to you of her who bought it therefore take
good
care of it.

you take good care

of

On Tuesday

the 2oth September I received your letter,

and

also

Mathima and Thioka. I read them, and I was glad you

and I thank God for His mercy to us all. Be you strong

the ones from

were Avell,
and pray to

Him

I like this

every day without ceasing.

land of Britain very much. I

am

in very

good health

WILLIAMU
and think

how my

would

heart

like to stay here

may

continue to

LETTERS.

329

a good while but

I visit a number
:

feel.

do not

know

of houses,

and

I have as much food

the people give me always good food to eat.
and wish me
every day as I can eat. All the people are kind to me,
This is the
bless
Lord
the
and visit at their houses.
to
you.

May

go

letter of

To

WILLIAMU.

me,

his.
Sctcfano, a native teacher, an intimate friend of

NEWTON-STEWART, Novcmlcr

My love to you, my

SETEFANO,

2-jtJi,

1860.

We three received your

brother.

I do sym
of this month, November.
I
of your wife.
of
the
death
account
on
with
you
pathise very deeply
felt just as you do on account of my child, which the Lord gave me

letter

on Tuesday the 2oth

and then took away. I was exceedingly grieved, and my heart was
dead man. But when Mr. Inglis talked to me, his
words refreshed me like water. I thought, and I said to myself, my
like the heart of a

child

is

like one calling before

me

in the

way

that leads to heaven

him whereas had he remained with

me I might have been weak and not watched over him carefully in
the world, to keep him from those things that are evil.
and

if I

am

strong I shall yet see

now

will

explain to you very shortly about Britain.

This

is

most wonderful country for everything. They make roads for things
that run by smoke and boiling water
they call them steam-engines,
;

but they call the roads on which they run railways. In places like
Mount Xatliatahau they make roads underneath the ground, as if you

would go

in at Itath

and not come out

Setefano, do not think that

am

till

joking.

you came to Anamc. Xow,

1 have travelled eight times

along with Mr. and Mrs. Inglis, and seen a great

many

places, as

if

you would go to Futuna, and Tanna, and Anhva, and Eromaiiga, and
Elate, and I have travelled under the ground where it was like dark
ness

itself.

that

is

This

is

a fine country.

lying waste.

There

It is all cultivated.

is

not a single spot in it

ministers have very

The

They are high, and have a great many rooms in them

and the churches are splendid; they are like two houses under one
fine houses.

the upper house is called a gallery.

Moreover, the people of Britain have consulted together, and they

roof

have appointed

men

to protect the _country.

They

call these

men

WILLIAMU

330

LETTERS.

There are twenty thousand of these men. But these

which is called Scotland.

volunteers.

belong to the one half of the country only,

I

do not know how many there are in the other half and in all other
These were all assembled in a city called Edinburgh. They

places.

met together and marched before Victoria, the Queen

When she saw them she was very glad.

of

Great Britain.

Now, you teachers, see that you all obey Mr. Copeland, and do not
be obstinate and self-willed, but hear him willingly. If he has no
food, see that you, the teachers and the church members, bring him

Remember me to Filip, and Solomon, and Napolos, and

Yamtiu, and Luke, and Petelo, and Hosia, and Nowanpakau, and say
that I am not forgetting one of them.
Peace be with you all.
some.

WILLIAMU.

To

Thiolca

and Mathima, an

uncle

and a

half-brother.

SCOTLAND, Nov. 24^,

O THIOKA AND MATHIMA,

you two, and

wish you well.

This

is

1860.

my letter to

Aname, to explain to you two what

I wish you all to do.
I wish you to look well after my house and
garden, and keep up a good fence round it. The women Avill gather
reeds and tell Nako and Niau and Nityok to look after the garden,
and weed it neatly. And do you, Mathima, look after my orange
and be careful also about the house, lest
trees, lest they be injured
and do not kindle too large a fire, lest the walls
it be burned down
to all the people of

become black with smoke. Moreover, do not be idle, but be strong,

and work every day. And do not be thinking every one of you about
his own things only, but be helpful to one another and do not be
quarrelling among yourselves, but live all in peace, and watch over
one another, and hear one another s advices. I have told you twice
;

now

this, to

plantations,

look well after the pigs, that they do not injure the
of the people.
Take good care

and thus break the hearts

and the yams. Do not forget about them,

and if they grow well, be kind to
plantations
Dora and give her some of them. Besides this, be strong, all of you,
and go to the school every day, and attend the church, and read in
your own houses, and do not sit idle at home and think only about
also of the sweet potatoes

but dig and

make

the things of this world.

Live in peace one with another, and do not

WILLIAM US LETTERS.

331

be soon angry with one another, or quick to revenge injuries, but be

kind one to another.
are all very good to me here, and speak very kindly to
do not understand well what they say. I get plenty of food,
This is an extraordinary country. Many,
as I can eat.

The people
me, but
as

much

many, are the houses, and the people, and everything and the country
is so large, it is like the ocean in extent.
But you hear of no bad
conduct in any place. The chiefs are all strong to put a stop to bad
;

My love

conduct.

to

you

WILLIAMU.

all.

To Dora,

7t?.$

wife.

NEWTON-STEWART, January

O DORA,

My

love to you.

qth, 1861.

write this letter to explain things to

three are well, i Mr. Inglis and I are
I

you that we
now with the translation. While we were on the
voyage home we two began and corrected Matthew and Mark, and
Luke and John, the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of Paul.
And then when we came to Newton-Stewart we began and corrected
all these books a second time, and we have not yet finished them.
you, and to

tell

very busy just

Mr. Inglis has a great deal of work to do. They were repairing the
John Williams, and they were collecting money in every place to pay
for the repairs.
Mr. Inglis had charge of this work in Scotland, and

he had

to write a great

many

letters to the collectors to

for their kindness to the missionaries in collecting

their ship.
finished,

The

Moreover,

when

thank them

money

to repair

the corrections of the translation are

it to London, where it is to be printed.

very severe in Britain in November, December, and
When we arrived here in June, it was not cold. But the

lie

cold

January,

will take
is

cold began in October, and snow fell, but it was not much.
The
water also was frozen and became hard, only it was but little. But
when November came the cold was very severe, and a great deal of

snow

fell

thing.

and covered all the ground. You could not see any growing
was as if you had spread out white clothes and covered

It

both the ground and the houses with them. But it was very beautiful
and very white. You could just sec the trees and the houses and
the fences.

The

frost

came down and the water was

hard.

What

WILLIAMUS LETTERS.

33 2

Mr. and Mrs. Inglis told us

is

quite true, that the water becomes hard,

and when the people go to get water they have

and then get water they call this hard water
;

came the cold was

to
ice.

break

it

like glass,

When December

and the water frozen very hard even the

One morning the servant took out the
dishes from the breakfast, and left them unwashed till she did some
thing else. When she went back to wash them they were all stick
ing to the table with the ice, and she could not move them. When
she saw them sticking fast she laughed, and came and told me, that
dreadful,

milk was hard in the dishes.

might pull them off. But I was afraid lest I should break them.
One morning she brought in some water from the well, and set it
down I was in bed, but rose about six o clock that is like at the
I

cock-crowing and kindled a fire. I took the water pitcher to

pour some water into the kettle, but it was hard. I laughed to myself,
and then took the tongs and broke it just like glass. Another morn
false

ing there Avas no water in the pitcher ; the girl was from home, and
had not brought in any. I kindled the fire, and then took the pitcher

and went out

to the cask that stands at the side of the house, but the

water was frozen hard.

then went into the house, and took a large

it was like a flat stone ;

axe and broke the frozen water in the cask

after that I got the water.

Very great is the cold in Britain in

November, December, and January. Your hands get benumbed, and
you can do nothing with them.
Moreover, we three are living here but we go to their houses and
visit people, and feast with them
and they come and feast with us
three.
One day I went along with Mr. Inglis, that he might buy a
coat for me. We went into the house where they weave cloth. I saw
them Aveaving. It was wonderful beyond anything you ever saw, but
;

I cannot explain it to you in a letter.

Before this I had gone to a
house where they make thread, belonging to Mr. Clark of Glasgow.
It was a large house, and very
high. There were six houses inside,
all one above another.
I could not express
my wonder at seeing it.

There were one hundred, yea, I think two hundred people, working in
both men and women. In conclusion, give my love to the
family
at Umka, and also to Goal and remember me to
Mary, and Lathella,
and Selwyn. These are my words to you.
WILLIAMU.

it,

WILLIAM US LETTERS.
To Mat/lima,

333

his half-brother.

NEWTON-STEWART, January

O MATHIMA, I wish you well. I write

1 am well, and also that Mr. and Mrs.

that

291/1, iS6i.

this letter to let

you know

Inglis are well.

Formerly
went to visit a number of large towns Glasgow, and
Edinburgh, and llothesay, (?) and Moniaive (? ?), and likewise a number

we

three

of small places.

Afterwards we returned to the house

of Mrs. Inglis s

and stayed there.

Then Mr. and Mrs. Inglis went to the town
which I am writing this letter, and rented a line house for us three.

father
in

We three are staying in it just now.

are a great

three above.

It is a very

good house.

There

apartments below and

The walls are smooth and beautiful, and covered with

many rooms

painted paper.
This gas

gas.

in

Moreover,
is lirst

There are

it.

it

is

made out

fitted

live

up with lights which they call

and kept in a vessel like a

of coal,

very large cask, and then it goes under the ground in large iron pipes
it goes like wind
then it comes up into the houses and stays there
;

always, and

when it becomes dark then they light it every night. It

very very cold in Britain just now, in those months Avhen it is warm
in Aneityum.
And when it rains it is like arrowroot ; it falls in

is

and

scales,

call frost

hard

hard its name is snow and a dew

and the water freezes and becomes like

it is

falls

which they
and very

glass,

and the ground becomes all hard like stone, and the cold
Still I am well and strong, and can do anything.

is

fearful.

Britain

is

an extraordinary country

for

everything, and for the

good, upright conduct of all the people, all the married men and all
the married women, and all the young men and all the boys; they

work

diligently every day.

all work.

They are not

They never sit idle young men and boys

young men on Aneityum. Moreover,
;

like the

there are line roads in Britain.

There is one kind of roads, very

broad ones, for carts, and omnibuses, and gigs, and coaches, and cabs.
These are things with wheels ; they are drawn by horses, and go very

There is another kind of roads for things that go by smoke.

The name of this is a steam-engine, but the name of the road on
which it goes is a railway. It is made by laying pieces of wood
across, and by laying along above these long stones which they call
iron.
One of these roads is as far as from Aneityum to Efate.
fast.

Moreover, they have

made a thing here which they

call a telegraph.

WILLIAMU

334
It is

made

they

fix

LETTERS.

in this way. They erect poles on the ground, and then

wires along on the tops of the poles.
Then they catch the
spirit of the lightning and put it into a box.
They can speak to

people as far distant from one another as from

Aneityum

to the

Loyalty Islands. They do it in this way. Suppose Mr. Inglis wanted

to speak to Mr. Jones on Mare, he would speak to the man who has
charge of the telegraph he would take the spirit of the lightning and
;

along these wires, to convey Mr. Inglis s words to the man on

Mare, who has charge of the telegraph there ; he would Avrite down
Mr. Inglis s words and give them to Mr. Jones. The words go as fast

send

it

as a flash of lightning, just at once.

My words

are done.

with you.

To Ester

Peace be

WlLLIAMU.

(wife of Lasarus)

and Thiganua (wife of Inhalvatimi).

ivitli Mr.
Copeland in charge

(These two families were living

of the mission premises.)

NEWTON-STEW AET, July

ist,

1861.

O ESTER AND THIGANUA,

her word to you two.

This is Mrs. Inglis s love to you two, and

She has asked me to write this letter to you

two, and to say that she was very glad when she heard by Mrs. Geddie s
letter that you two had had a baby each, and that you were nursing

them

and also about the house, and

well, and keeping them clean
that you are looking well after it. She says, just go on as you are
doing, and look well after the house, that she may find all things as
she left them.
three expect to return next year. Mrs. Inglis is
;

We

was on Aneityum.

She had a pain in her breast, but she

well again. Mr. Inglis is well, and so am I.
three have an
excellent house. There are a great many rooms in it, both above and
just as she

We

is

But we have only one servant girl. Her name is Jane. But
equal to live, yea ten, of you women on Aneityum. I say we
have just one servant girl, but she looks after the house and every
below.

she

is

thing in it. She cooks the food, she washes the dishes, she sweeps
the house and she washes it she cleans the windows and she makes
;

she runs messages and she buys food ; she brushes the
shoes and she cleans out the kitchen it is just like another room.
She takes care of both Mr. and Mrs. Inglis s clothes, and of mine
the beds

WILLIAMUS LETTEES.
also

.she

washes them and irons them

335
Mrs. Inglis does

all herself.

not require to help her. She works away herself. She is quiet, she
never gossips, and she is never angry ; she is never sulky, and she

She is not like the women of Aneityum. Quite a

them go to the water to wash the missionaries clothes, and
they stay there, and bawl out, and laugh loud, and joke one another,
and sing songs, and one says, I am hungry
and another says, i
never

band

sits idle.

of

"

"

"

am

to the sea to gather shell- fish

going
"

sleepy

and another

"

says,

am

tired

"

;
"

and another

and

it is

"

says,

am

night before they

have done.
Moreover, we went to the house of Mrs. Inglis s brother, his name
James [the late Mr.
Clymont, Borgue House], and we stayed
there four weeks. It is a beautiful large house, with a great many

is

rooms in

many

it,

and

it

is

He

surrounded by excellent fences.

things, I cannot describe

them

and

has so

and
and a great many servants. We three stayed there, and after
we left his house we came back to our own house at Newton-Stewart.
We three have a beautiful garden. We have in it potatoes, and
to

you

sheep,

cattle,

fowls,

cabbage, and turnips, and pease, and parsley, and a great

and currants, and

berries,

Besides this, one of Mrs. Inglis

Her name

the 4th of July.

many

goose

apples.

is

s sisters

was married on Thursday,

Grace [the wife of Rev.

1).

Kellock,

Presbyterian minister, Spencerville congregation, Ontario, Canada].

Mr. Inglis married them.
all met and feasted, and
and

We

sang

They have splendid marriages in Britain, but I cannot de

them to you in this letter. Mr. Inglis is very busy every day

rejoiced.

scribe

with the translation

[of

the

New

Testament].

love to Mr. Copeland, also to Lasarus

men.

He

is

never

Peace be with you.

(Jiis

cousin).

NEWTOX-STEWAI:T, April
I

My

WILLIAMU.

To Sabataio

O SABATAIO,

idle.

and Inhalvatimi and the young

wish you well.

ist,

1861.

received the letter from you two,

and read it, and was glad to learn that you were all well. Let us be
thankful for the grace of God to us, and that He is
us alive.
I

keeping

Let us pray
sin,

to

Him

and a heart

daily that

to resist

He may

give each of us a heart to hate

heathenism, and a heart

filled

with peace,

WILLIAMU S LETTERS.

336

and a^hcart full of light. I am quite well just now I have had no
sickness except a slight cough, but Mr. Inglis takes good care of me,
;

and gives me medicine.

They have finished the road here for the things that run by smoke
It was opened in March.
[the Castle Douglas and Stranraer railway].

The great men who

went

to see them.

are the owners of

it

travelled along

it first.

All the people were assembled.

There might be
far faster than that of a

a thousand people there. The running is

horse.
The road is as far as from Aneityum to Efate.

grandmother died on Wednesday, 2oth of March. She

But they did not bury her soon. They
of age.
after the Sabbath before they buried her.
Mr. Inglis and

Mrs. Inglis

was ninety-one years

waited

till

There might be two

There were thirty-six machines drawn by
horses. They took her as far as from Imtainga to Anau-unse. All
the ministers and the elders were at the funeral. I go to the church
I

All her relations came.

attended the funeral.

hundred people present.

every Sabbath and worship, and I hear a few of the English words
that I know, but I do not understand the preaching.
to the people of

Say

member them, and

work

that

Let no

daily.

Aname

[his

wish them

man

stroll

own

land] that I always re

all well.

about,

let

Be you
no

ali

man

strong,

and

idle.

sit

do you assist Thioka, and exhort these three

young men that they may behave themselves well, and work dili
This is my advice to
gently, and dig, and have plenty of food.

my

Sabataio,

cousin,

and if any one stir up a desire for

all, that you live peaceably
heathenism do not ye follow him, but abhor our former ways. You
all know that if we revive the heathen customs that we practised

you

long ago, we should be rebelling against God. Be you all strong,

and work every day, and look well after your lands, that you mny
have plenty of food. And remember this, that if any one wishes to
keep a pig, let him prepare a sty for it and put the pig into it, and
not leave

to go at large, lest

it

it

break the hearts of the rest of you

destroying your food. Also look well after the water-course

But if any
for the irrigation, that it may be always in good repair.

by

its

one say,
world ?

is

"Why

"

would

he talking so much about the things of this

no man can live on stones or on wood. We

say,

by the food which God freely gives iis day by

some one would say, "The things of this world are all

sustain our bodies only

day.

But

vanity,"

if

would

say, are not the things of earth the gifts of

God

as

WILLIAMUS LETTERS.

337

well as the tilings of heaven, and to be prized and used as His gifts?

This

is

women.

my

word

My

to all of you.

friends,

be you

wish you

all strong,

all well,

and pray

to

both

men and

God every day

He may have mercy upon you and

give you food to sustain your

your bodies. And pray for me that I may
explain correctly the language of our island, and His servant will
that

souls

write

and food

it

belong.

to sustain

for us.

This

is

All things are easy to God, and to Him all things

word of me, Williamu, to you, Sabataio.

the

To Dora,

Ins wife,

NEWTON-STEWAETj June

My

love to you.

are the same,

we

three arc well.

getting on.

We

DOHA,

lived in

am

2ot7t,

1861.

thankful that you are well.

I will tell

We

you how we have been

Newton-Stewart during the winter, but

when May came we three and a sister

and came to the town of Dumfries.

travelled

by the railway
stayed in the house
of the minister, Mr. Symington, over the Sabbath.
went to
On Monday morning we three
church, and Mr. Inglis preached.

We

Wo

drawn by a horse to go to the railway ; a young

Mr. William Halliday drove us. We were too late for
the railway, and we stayed in the house of a woman whose husband
was dead to wait for the next train. The young man and I went

travelled in a thing

man named

and when we came back in the middle of

to Dumfries
but we stayed till the
afternoon, and got a fine dinner, and then went by the railway and
came to Carrie-Vale, to the house of Mr. Rowatt [the late Bailie
Kowatt of Edinburgh]. We slept there. On the following morning,
which was Tuesday, Mr. Inglis went to a meeting of ministers and
elders, which they call a Synod (the Reformed Presbyterian Synod).

away

to fish in a river,

the day he went

away home

They began their meetings on Monday, and continued them till

Friday. I went to the meetings, and Mr. Inglis told me I was to
rise and speak.
I made a short speech.
They meet to speak about
the work of God in Britain and throughout the world.
They met
every morning in Dr. Goold
till

at

church, and continued their meetings

late at night.

They did not go out except to their dinner, and

night every one went to his own home. On the day that they
"

WILLIAMU

338

LETTERS.

was not observed that a window was open above Mr. Inglis
it and caught a very bad cold, which continued for a fort
While we stayed at Currie-Vale
night, but he is again quite well.
they were very kind to me they gave me a little knife, and the
daughter of Mr. Rowatt gave me a pair of scissors for you. Her
name is Agnes, and she is about the same age as Charlotte [Miss
met,

it

under

sat

She has a sister whose name is Maggie. She is about the

Geddie].
same age as Lucy. And they two have a sister who is about the
same age as Elizabeth. They have three brothers. While we stayed
there they taught me to sing and to play on the piano. We left
Currie-Vale on the Saturday, travelled by the railway, and came to

e remained
Castle-Douglas. This is the city of Mr. Kay (!!).
over the Sabbath, and then went to Mrs. Inglis s brother s [Borgue
House] where we stayed one Sabbath. On the Friday after we came

was a great meeting [a soiree] ; the church

Mr. Inglis made a speech, and then called upon me to
speak. I told them about our heathenism and our folly long ago,
and also about our peace and happiness now. Mr. and Mrs. Inglis
to Castle-Douglas there

was

full.

stayed with Mr. Kay, but I stayed in the house of Mrs. Snodgrass,
a lady who was remarkably kind to me, she and her two daughters.
She sewed three shirts for me, and gave me a fine coat, and trousers,

and drawers.
good

to me.

was

just like the child of

These are

my

words

to you,

them

three, they

Dora.

My

w ere
r

so

love to you.

WlLLIAMU.

At

time measles were introduced into Aneityum

by a trading vessel. The epidemic and its sequela; swept off
Note.

this

one third of the population of the island, and among others

Mr. Geddie s church was also
Dora, Williamu s wife, died.

burned down the same year, supposed to be the act of an

incendiary.
in

Frequent reference

Williamu s subsequent

letters.

is

made

to these sad events

WILLIAMU

LETTERS.

To Mrs. Geddie.
NEWTON-STEWART, August

DEAR Mas. GEDDIE,

to

thank you

for letting

wish you well. I write this letter to you

about Dora s death. But I cannot

me know

write well to you on account of

sorrow of

But

my

My

heart.

after she died,

2tfh, 1861.

when

my grief,

nor can

I explain to you the

and
I
lived first together.
Mary Ann,
looked at Dora she was just like Mary
married her. But she too is gone from

wife,
I

Ann, and on this account I

me, and my heart is very sad.

But when

sorrow about Dora

do

not repine nor question about her death. We are all subject to death
and sickness. No one can run away from sickness and death in this
world.

am

conduct to

grieved, however, that her life

me was

attended to what

I said,

that she did towards you.

Alas for the island of Aneityum.

When we three first

becoming a wilderness.

us that so

was

many

so short, for her

The people

is

was

She never grieved or vexed me. She

and she acted towards me in the same way

so good.

of the people

are all dying, and it

received letters tellin^
O

were dying we were very grieved.

And when

came on
Friday last I was out in the garden doing something. When I came
in to dinner I went up to Mr. Inglis s study to mend his fire, and
saw letters lying on the table. When I looked at them I saw that
When they two went out from
they were letters from Aneityum.
but
I was afraid to go with them
to
the
went
study
dinner, they
up
also afraid to receive a letter.

the letters

to hear the letters,

had read the

letters

very grieved.

Oh

sat in my own room.

When they
We three were
they called for me, and told me.
But
yes, Mrs. Geddie, I am still very grieved.

and

went and

two have talked

my heart is resigned, and
rebuked me and chastised

since they

to
it

me, and you also have written to me,

It is even so.
The Lord has
"

says,

me

three times [by the death of his first

and second wife and his son], and why should I be afraid of His
Your words to me, and the words of Mr. and Mrs. Inglis,
hand ?
"

were soothing
find that

We
Woe

it is

to

me

as

as

you

say.

its

mother

milk

Your words

three arc very grieved about your church which

to that

wretched fellow

And now

to her child.

arc true.

His father, the

devil,

was burned.

put

it

into his

heart to burn the church, that the hearts of the people might be

weak

34O

WILLIAMUS LETTERS.

towards the truth.

What

could

make

that foolish

man

think that he

could drag the people of Aneityum back to heathenism, and that,

being a fool himself, he could make them all to be fools too, and resist
the word of the Lord respecting His holy house ? Very great was Mr.
Geddie s work in building the church, and he was assisted by all the

people

very great also was their work in building. But that worth
who never put a hand to it, to go and burn it down. I

less fellow,

am

very grieved about his conduct.

is very busy just now with the translation.

I am in
good health, I have no sickness. Mr. and Mrs. Inglis are also well.
Your words are very good respecting the things which Dora has left.
I salute Mr. Geddie.
My love to Ella. I mourn with Lathella on

Mr. Inglis

account of the death of

motherless children

Mataio
Geddie.

Mary

for the loss of his wife.

My love

to you,

To Talep

Who

his wife.

I pity the poor things

my

This

my

is

will take care of his

letter to you, dear Mrs.

WILLIAMU.

mother.

(at that time

a teacher on Tanna).

NEWTON-STEWART,

MY DEAR UNCLE TALEP,

for a single day.

I write also that I

the grief of

The

my

wish you

I write this letter to

enjoy good health every day.

may

tell

sympathise with

I also

Avell.

you

Sept. lotk, 1861.

to let

do not forget you

you know that

Mr. and Mrs. Inglis are doing the same.

you about my grief. Very very great is

heart for the death of

my wife,

and

also of

my

rela

we

received told us of the death of Suaing, and

Joane, and Viali, and Katipae. Our next letter told us of the death

tions.

of

first letter

Nemitangi, and Mala, and Nako, and Net\vai, and the rest of the

who had died ; and also that the sea had destroyed some of the
hpuses of the missionary, and many of the schoolhouses, and that the
church at the other side of the island had been burned down. This
In August we got letters telling me of the
letter came here in July.
people

death of Dora, and Mary, and Naraki-inwai, and Mataio s wife, and
who had died on the following month. "When

the rest of the people

news came crowding on me, very great indeed was my grief,

and so was that of Mr. and Mrs. Inglis. Our hearts contained nothing
What can this mean ?
But it is the Lord s
but grief, and we said,

all this

"

"

\VILLIAMUS LETTERS.

341

is Lord over all men.

Tell me if you three are
in heaven for His
and
our
Father
to
strong,
pray every day
Holy Spirit, and remember Jesus our Saviour, and let us not be feeble
in our minds on account of these things.
Let us not call in question

will towards us,

and Ho

Be

well.

He has

His doings.

has brought upon us

little island.

It is

chastened us by these deaths, and by the trials He

and lie is still rebuking us. Alas alas for our
!

now almost a desert

the people are nearly all dead.

Remember me
and say

to your wife Elizabeth and your daughter Retia,

your fellow-labourers, Matthew and Singoiiga, that I wish

to

them well. Be strong, my brethren, and let your hearts be estab

lished in love to Jesus your Saviour.
Say to your fellow teacher,
that I wish him well, and the same to Nakau, his wife.
Speak kindly to the Taunese chiefs, viz., Yarcsi, and Namaka, and
Taura, and Lauaua, and Naka, and Kaipapa, and Namua, and say
that the word of Jehovah is certainly true, and that all things on
Yavesi,

earth are

weak

to save our souls.

Let them be strong towards the

and give up those lying vanities that kill men s souls

and send them to hell. Jesus only is the way and the truth, both for
words

of truth,

us and for the people of every land. Remember me to the missionary

and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Mathieson. I am sorry that my friends

me

have not written to

as the missionaries have written to Mr.

and

Mrs. Inglis.

Moreover, Britain is a remarkable country for religion, and for the

kindness of the people to one another and to strangers. The people all

go to church every Sabbath day without ceasing, and they often meet
also on week days.
Into whatever house I go, the people are all so

kind to me, and seem so glad to see me, but I am ashamed to be

at.
This is indeed a good land. There are such crowds of

looked

the houses too are crowded close together in the towns

and the country is so large, it is just like the ocean, and yet there is
none of it lying waste, there arc so many people. But I cannot

people here

describe

it

to

you

in a letter.

o clock

it

It

thrice

and then

comes

to twelve o clock,

Are you two looking

to

you

three.

May

is
;

a bell

at

two

and then stops at three o clock it strikes

and it goes on in this way at every hour till it

strikes twice
stops,

me

Moreover, Mr. Inglis has bought

has a glass door, and in the inside there

which strikes every hour. At one o clock it strikes once
beautiful clock.

when

after the

it

strikes twelve times

two yams that

the Lord bless you.

and then

gave you?

stops.

My love

WILLIAM u.

WILLIAMUS LETTEES.

34 2

To

Sabataio.

NEWTON-STEWART, September 30^,

O SABATAIO, my
so are Mr.

number

a number

of places,

wish you

cousin, I

and Mrs.

We

Inglis.

and

visit the

of valuable things

well.

am well

three are living here.

1861.

and
But we go to

at present,

people and feast with them.

which the people have given

me

have

in pre

of this country are so good to me in giving me

never ask for anything nor yet for food, and yet I am never
in want of anything, as I used to be on our island Aneityum.

The people

sents.

food.

Moreover,

Aname [his own land,

men and women and

the people of

say to you,

tell

chief] that I

wish them

where he was

all well,

I do not forget you for a single day

but I say to you, be all
and assemble every Sabbath in the church, and pray to our
Father in heaven without ceasing and do not be weak-hearted on
account of those sorrows which you are now enduring. But think of

children

strong,

that our days on earth are few, and think of that place where
to abide for ever.

this,

you are

Besides

this,

be strong, and

dig,

and plant, that you

may have

plenty of food to eat. Do not sit idle, but look well after the water
course for irrigating the plantations. Do not neglect that. If you
neglect the land, and do not work, and if I return, I will not follow
your indolent ways ; but I will say that your former conduct was
better than your present. Let us cultivate the land, let us leave the

and form new ones, and drain the swamps and make
good dwellings. When I come home I wish to build a new house, I
wish you all well, and I long to see you ; but 1 cannot yet on account
old plantations

work

which

accompanied Mr. Inglis.

If any one make you angry, do not take
revenge on him, and do not follow his way, but exhort him, and live
together in peace, and watch over your conduct, and do not provoke
one another to anger. Do not talk proudly, and do not quarrel. Tell
of the

Be

for

strong, all of you.

Nityok and Mathima

them

for oil to

me.

to look well after

When

have collected them or

tell

me about

how you

and how

all

return

my

home

cocoa-nuts,

how you

and

collect

whether they
write me a letter, and

I will see

I wish you all to

what the people of Aneityum

not.

things and

are all getting on

the school,

are doing,

and

are attending the church

and

the people are behaving themselves, and every-

WILLIAMU
thing about Ancifyum.
in all your sorrows.

LETTERS.

343

sympathise with you iu

all

your

suil erings

and

This

My

the letter of me, Williamu, to you, Sabataio.

is

you and

to all the people of

Aname.

Be ye

love to

all strong.

WlLLIAMU.

To Napolo*, a

chief of

Aneityum

u-Jtose

wife

had

NKWTOX-STKWAKT, September

died.
$th, 1861,

NAPOLOS, I sympathise with you, my brother, on aecount of the

death of your wife. I do indeed sympathise with you on account of
sorrow of all of us
your grief your grief and mine arc the same. The
;

is

the same.

another land.

and that

so

am telling you of my grief, while I am living here in

When I first heard that death had conic among you,

many of

on the other side

the people were dying, and that the two churches

had been burned down, and that a

of the island

were becoming weak in their hearts, and that

and
back
observing old heathen practices, and making
they were going
old
to
their
gods when I heard of all these things my
offerings

number

sorroAV

of the people

was very

great.

of the Lord,

was

truly grieved,

and

wept; because

vanities long ago, on account of our ignorance

compassion on us, and sent His servants to us

when we worshipped

He had

show to us the only good way, even Jesus our

and because that now when we know Him well we arc
those practices which we formerly ob
rejecting Him and reviving

that they might

Saviour

served.
of

Him

This

is

wilful disobedience.
of those trials

on account

Why do men think evil thoughts

by means

of

which He has been

we may obey Him and become like fruit

us to be angry with God to whom all
for
good

chastening

us, in

order that

ful trees?

It is

not

call in question
things belong and we ourselves also. We must not
His doings. The doings of God which we see are mighty. All things
and all men belong to God, and He doeth with us what seemeth good
to Him.
Napolos, my brother, very great is my sorrow on account

of the death of

my

wife and

my

relations.

But

I think the

chastening me that He may send me up to heaven.

rebel and be angry because He is rebuking me ?

Why

Lord

is

should

The work of God prospers much in Britain. The ministers never

cease to assemble the people, and to speak to them about the work of

WILLIAMU

344
God

LETTERS.

They know all about

They sympathise with us,
every meeting and every day, and that

in all countries throughout the world.

those trials that have

and pray

to the

Lord

come upon you.

for us at

without ceasing. I am grieved on account of the houses belonging

to Mr. Inglis which the sea destroyed.
They stood too near the sea ;
also on account of the church, and the Teacher s Institution, and the

But it was all our doing we were sleeping secure,

and never thought of the time that these things would come on us,
and built our houses on the shore, and forsook the inland districts.
But let all the people be strong and rebuild all their houses. Do not
let them say that this work pains them, and
help Mr. Copeland. You,
and Kapos, and Yona, and Katipae, and Luka, and Yamtiu, and the
schoolhouses.

rest of the people.

Speak

also to the people,

and

let

the chiefs exhort

every district to work hard, that they may have

plenty of food and build good houses for themselves, and keep their
dwellings all clean. It is quite true that the missionaries tell us that
we do not take proper care of ourselves. When any one is sick he lies
all their followers in

outside at night exposed to the damp and the cold, or else his house is
bad, and he breathes bad smells from the rubbish lying on the ground.
Britain is a fine country ; the whole country is cleared the houses
;

are excellent

they clear away

rubbish from the ground ; and

their houses and gardens beautiful,
all

they work every day, and make

and they have plenty of all things.
This

you.

is

the letter of me,

But

"Williamu,

cannot write any more to

to you, Napolos.

you, and to all the people Avho are living with you.

My love to

Yours,
"VVlLLIAMU.

To Matliima

(his hdlf- brotlier}.

NEWTON-STEWART, March

O MATHIMA, My

Moreover,

comes

to teach me.

in Mr. Goold s
;

he

is

of singing

am

learning to sing at present.

young man
is Mr. Vernon.
He leads the singing
church, where we worship. Mr. Goold is a very good

books.

man

brother.

present.
of

2$th, 1862.

am

my
very well at
have a great many clothes, and I wish to make you a present
something, but I cannot just now. I have also a number of English
love to you,

His name

very kind to me. Very great is Mr. Vernon s knowledge

he has taught me fourteen tunes which I know. He also

goes over them again with me, that I

may have them

correct.

He

has

WILLIAMUS LETTERS.

345

been very kind to me. He made me a present of an instrument which

sounds like a aiarau [a native lintel. They call it an accordion.
something like the instrument which Manura made. He also
a present of a Look which teaches us how to sing and
play.
They call it a music book. Very excellent is the singing in
Britain
and so is all the worship.
I am well at present, and so are
It is

made me

Mr. and Mrs.

But Mr.

Inglis.

Inglis has not done with his

work

yet,

but they have commenced printing. It is being done in a great city

which they call London. We three expect to be home in the end of
the year.

Remember me to Netlmoware and to Yona, and say that I have

not forgotten them. Say to them also, Let the chiefs of Aneityum
be one in heart and live as brethren. Let their word be one, and
Let them
them speak soft words to their
young men when they go astray, and bring them back by persuasion,
but do not get enraged at them, and beat them, or scold them, or
their

work one

look well after

threaten them.

and

also,

let their

the people

all

We

know

refuse to do His laws.

that

My

conduct be consistent.

let

Cod only can punish aright those who

do not be weak in your hearts

friends,

because you are few in number at present, but be strong and do your
parts well, as those dwelling in the land, that our island

revive

and prosper,

And

may again
be strong and help Mr. Copeland, and

speak well to all the people, that they look after him, and remember
the words where it is said, "The labourer is worthy of his hire."

My

words are done.

WILLIAMU.

Peace be with you.

To Talcp

(his uncle, a teacher

on Tanna).

NEWTOX-STEWART, March
best wishes for you.

TALEP, my
two missionaries.

so are the

but

am

The

cold

is

strong to work and to walk, and

visit their friends I

go with them.

2$lh, 1862.

am

We

very well just now, and

very great here at present,

when Mr. and

go to a great

Mrs. Inglis
houses.

many

I do not know well what they say, but I go for the feasting.
Very
very great was the cold of the winter of 1861. The cold of 1862 has
been moderate. I am strong to go to the church every Sabbath and
I had a cough, and Mr. Inglis was afraid of me,
also on week days.

34 6

WILLIAMU S LETTERS.

and gave me medicine, and took care of me, and made me stay in the
house, and made me put on more clothes in the daytime, and gave

me more
all

blankets at night, and I live as they do. In the same way

me here in this great land. Such is their

the people are good to

way

in this land of light.

and as

They

were the child

treat

me

as

if I

had been born

here,

everybody in the land, their kindness

to me is so great and their treatment of me is so good.
They are
not kind to me because I am a chief, or for anything they see about
me.

if

of

in this land of light, from the grace

and from the peace and truth and goodness
which He has given them, and thereby made this land great, and
made the people willing and able to believe on His name. We three
have gone to a great many places where the people have asked
of

way they do

It is just the

God

in their hearts,

Mr. Inglis to explain to them the condition

of other lands, as

they

wish to hear about their way of living and their conduct. He also
told me to speak and explain to them our conduct in the days of
heathenism. I speak, and Mr. Inglis interprets in English what I
I

say.

have spoken in eight churches, and explained our heathen

we

customs that

clung to long ago.

as are assembled on

many

The churches were

Moreover,

it is

for us people of

good

Aneityum

we have renounced

to Him
my father,

and have come

spoke before great crowds, as

at the time of the

communions.

full.

just now, seeing that

of God,

Aneityum

to think earnestly

our sins in the presence

to receive eternal life through Jesus
all

I say this to you just now.

Be very
and
seek
and
for
that
is
eternal
life
food
soul,
strong,
diligently
your
pray to our Father in heaven every day for His Holy Spirit to abide
with you, and love our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ with all your

our Lord.

Talep,

and read His Word every day that you may know the truth of
His Gospel, and explain well this Word of His to those chiefs on
Tanna to Yaresi, and Taura, and Namaka, and Lauaua, and to the

heart,

people who hear a little, and assure them that the Word of God is
true, that their idols are lies, that the works of the devil are vanity,
that his works bring

we may

men

to misery, that he deceives us,

and wishes

go to his place of torment, that the Lord Jesus is

the only true Saviour of us heathens in all lands. Urge the Tannese
to be strong and keep hold of Christianity, and not let it go from
them and let them take good care of their two missionaries, Mr.
that

all

and Mrs. Mathieson, and not

to be

angry with them.

They two

are

WILLIAMU

LETTERS.

347

teaching them the Compel, the Word tliat. will save their souls. lie
you and Matthew strong, and assist Mr. Mathieson in his work and
let your two wives do the same to Mrs.
Mathieson, and live all of you
in peace.
I am thankful to learn that
you are all well.
Great is Mr. Inglis s work on the book, the New Testament,
up to
this mouth in which I am
writing this letter to you. But they have
;

to print

begun

in

it

end

at the other

London, which

of the land.

It

is,

and

is

the chief city in Britain,

as

were, at Espirito Santo and

But the proof-sheets are carried
;

we are here, as it were, at Ancityum.

backwards and forwards by a railway, a thing that runs as

fast as a

pigeon tlies. We have been a long time here, but our stay will
be short perhaps we may be home this
;

am
I

now

year.

very happy living here.

not long for

what

is

it

any

of the things in

get to eat

am

am not crying for Aneityum I do

our land. I am fully satisfied with

not in want of anything.

am

not as you

were when you travelled and went to

Sydney. You were so pained
with hunger that you longed for the leaves of the
trees, and no one
gave you anything. It is not so here. Whatever house I go to, of
their

own

"

something."

the conduct of

How

do you do? I am glad to see you

have no voice to express my wonder at
the people in this land of light. Peace be unto
you

accord they say,

come and eat

WILLIAM u.

To Matldma and Kapos.

NEWTON-STEWAKT, July 28^,

My

1862.

wish you two well. When we three were

at the Synod in Glasgow Mr. Robertson of
Blairbcth, at whose house
we were staying, took Mrs. Inglis and me into his house where he

makes

love to

cloth

you two.

the house where he

very very large, high house.

makes

cloth out

of

cotton

houses inside from the ground

The inside of it is as large as the

It is six

to the roof
they call them storeys.
whole enclosure around our church. It is as wide as from the fence
at the back of the church to the road at the trees on
the shore. And
it is as
long as from the fence at the bell-house to the lower fence
;

at the Teachers Institution.

it,

which.

There

is

And

there is another house joined to

has either six or seven roofs, I
forget
a chimney at the side of the house as tall as
any

also a very large

house

it

WILLIAMU S LETTERS.

348

of the cocoa-nut trees beside the teachers house.

The body

of the

as thick as the great inteijith (banyan) tree in Nityok s

There are six fireplaces for heating the water that is inside

chimney

is

yard.
the boiler
islands,

vessel

When

a boiler like that which used to be between the two

between Inyeug and Nahringagas, which came out of some
but it is long and full of water, under which they make fires.
it makes a thing to go round which they call
round like those we saw on the outside of the

the water boils

a wheel.

It goes

steamer, but they were small, this one was very large. Moreover,
when this wheel is made to go round by the steam of the boiling
water, it sets everything agoing in every one of these houses, and

the noise

is

like the noise of a waterfall.

Everything

is

going round

in every house, from the bottom

up to the top, both the things for

spinning thread and the things for weaving cloth. "When everything
is going round and the wheels are all making a noise, the ground is
shaking just as if it were an earthquake. When all things are going,
the thread makes itself in one place and the cloth makes itself in

make any with their hands. They

and watch it. None of them spin any thread
with their hands, and none of them weave any cloth with their hands.
This is the way they do in all the places where they make thread,
and cloth, and blankets, and everything else. I cannot explain it to
None

another place.
just stand,

you.

and

of the people

look,

cannot write about

When I went
showed me some

it.

could not wonder.

stood

still

and

which they kept their cotton

that came from Aneityum. They asked Mrs.
they
When she said that it did, they
Inglis if it grew well on Aneityum.
hat do you
said, You ought to plant it we wish cotton very much."

looked.

into the house in

"

think of

Do

this,

not think

word.

It

Kapos
it is

little

has a body in

think

word

it.

it

will be

an excellent thing

for us.

about the cotton, I say it is a big

There is a young man coming out with
this

us three to explain it to us. Let us be strong and plant cotton, and

gather it, and he will buy it from us and give us payment.
Moreover, when we came back from the Synod to the house in which

we

lived,

we packed up

our things and left the house, and went

did this on the day on which all the
leave their houses and go to new ones do so, that
all

We

to live in another house.

people
is

who

on the 26th

of

May

they

call

it

Whitsunday.

It

was on a

Monday.
Salute Luka, and Yosefa, and Filip, and all the people of Itath.

WILLIAMDS LETTERS.

349

Salute also from me,

and Moana, and Lasarus, Inhalvatimi,
and all the people of Aname. Salute also Sercmona, and Faresi,
and Yawila, and all the people of Ipeke. I wish them all well.
Let them pray for us three. Peace be with them all my words are
]>eni,

done.

WILLIAMU.

CHAPTER XXXV.
CONCLUSION CLAIMS OF THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS,
ESPECIALLY THE NEW HEBRIDES.

FOR a long

period the Polynesian missions were highly popular,

and deservedly so. Tahiti, Hawaii, and the South Seas were
But for a
the watchwords at every missionary meeting.

number

of years other fields

have been attracting so much of

public attention that the South Seas are falling greatly into

the background.

The

millions

in

The continents are swamping the islands.

India, China, Africa, and elsewhere are
and

brought so prominently
thousands in

Those
they

islands, it is said,

so constantly forward, that the

all

but thrown into the shade.

were very good to begin with, or

be very well adapted for small churches or small

may

societies,

gress,

Polynesia are

but at

and

this

advanced

stage

of

missionary

pro

for our large societies, the large continents, with

their teeming millions, are the proper fields on which to carry

When you have continents con

of
hundreds
millions, why direct your attention to
taining
islands where the population is counted only by thousands 1
And then science, commerce, and politics, with plausible argu
on missionary operations.

ments loudly proclaimed and constantly reiterated, come in as

to a sincere and simple-minded, rather than a

counsellors

shrewd, sagacious, and far-seeing philanthropy

so that the

extent of territory and the amount of population, irrespective

of

more important considerations, are allowed undue influence

CLAIMS OF THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.

in the selection of fields for missionary
enterprises.
is

3 5

While

it

only the merest fringes of those great territories and the

merest fractions of those vast populations that are

being
touched, of what benefit to the

untold millions on
at

possibility

.Satan s

points

present

strongholds

first,

whom
in

work

of missions are those

no impression whatever can by any

be made?
detail,

While we are attacking

&
not attack his weakest

why

other advantages being equal

And

weaker on the islands than on the continents.

he
P>y

is

greatly

all

means

everything be done that can be done for the continents

with their millions, ten times more than is
being done, but by
no means at the expense of the islands with their thousands.
let

Could we count our missionaries by thousands but

our European and American

missionaries

alas

amount only

all

to

we count our funds by millions

but alas! all our annual contributions amount
only to one
million and a quarter
this mode of
would
be quite
reasoning
three thousand

conclusive

units, or at

or could

but so long as

we send

most by twos, and

forth our missionaries

by

collect

our funds by hundreds

or at most by thousands, the most

manageable and the most

remunerative

fields

And when God

in

success in most of
continents,

ought certainly to bo chiefly cultivated.

His providence is granting ten times more
the islands than He is
doing in most of the

and when missions can be carried on

at half the cost at

surely the claims of

in Polynesia

which they can be carried on in India

the islands are
immeasurably stronger

than the claims of the continents.

And, did space permit, it

would be easy to show that the
hopes of science, commerce,
and politics would be in a similar
proportion more
realised in the

tinents of

many isles
which so much

fully
of the sea than in the vast con

has been

said.

To

scientific

men

CLAIMS OF THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS,

352

what portion

of

descriptions of

mens

Cook s voyages were

the South Sea islands

so interesting as his

In botanical

those islands are remarkably rich.

speci

Aneityum alone

When

contains about a hundred different species of ferns.

was thinking of settling on Aneityum, the Curator of the

Botanical Garden in Sydney, who had made a voyage on board
a man-of-war in the New Hebrides, said to me,
Mr. Inglis,
"

if

you would only

immortalise your

highly

with

collect

specimens on those islands you might

The entomologist

name."

will also find a

interesting field for his researches.

all varieties of insect

numbers and

varieties are

They are teeming

Of shells and sea-fish the

life.

truly marvellous;

while in the

many and dissimilar languages, customs, and traditions

of the

inhabitants of those islands, the ethnologist will find ample

materials for extensive and interesting investigations.

commercial point of view, an island

the same space of land, however

The sea

continent.
fast

becoming one

is

is

of far

fertile,

In a

more value than

in the centre of a

an open highway, and the

Pacific is

of the greatest thoroughfares in the world.

surrounded by countries which are rapidly rising in

commercial importance.
It is the highway between China,

It

is

New

Australia,

To say nothing
400

Zealand,

of the

America,

California,

and

of Colonial

and British whalers,

it is

said that

600 whaleships sent out from the United States

are traversing the Pacific.

that any ship

supplies.

South

It is the greatest whaling-ground in the world.

Columbia.

is

either

As many

It is only at Christianised islands

safe or

can calculate on obtaining

as seventy vessels have called at Raro-

tonga in one year for supplies of wood, water, and fresh pro
visions.

For

like the

West Indies

all tropical

productions those islands will become

to our Australasian

Colonies.

Their

ESPECIALLY THE
political

value to Britain

intriguing

among

much

so

those islands

is

NEW

also

HEBRIDES.

Where

great.

353
France

is

at present against British interests as

France sees how rapidly those colonies

same time, how weak and

are increasing in wealth, and, at the

unprotected they continue to be, and she

strength

among

the islands, ready to

lurking in great

is

seize

any favourable

wounding our empire in that vulnerable heel.

The missions in those seas, so far as they extend, are a source
opportunity for

of political strength to Britain

and the Australian Colonies.

Perhaps no equal number of men, in the same position, are a

source of more political strength to our Colonies than the

hundred Protestant missionaries who are labouring in the

South

New

But

Pacific.

for the

moral influence

"of

the missionaries,

Zealand, with her 600,000 colonists, would in

all likeli

hood not have been a British colony to-day; the natives

would not have signed the treaty of Waitangi, and the sove
reignty of Great Britain would not have been recognised by

New

the Maoris.
easily

Guinea would not have been annexed so

had there been no missionaries on the

spot.

On

account

and other advantages, as well as of the direct mis

sionary work accomplished and anticipated, we appeal to the
churches, and the individual members of the churches that

of all these

support the
order that

New

Hebrides mission, for increased funds, in

we may conquer

those islands for Christ

has long held them under his dominion.

the campaign; and,

shall wait for

"the

His

Satan

vigorously followed up,

we have

the promise of ultimate and

kingdom

is

the Lord

s,"

and

"the

com
isles

law."

But we require men

than money

it is

we have

the prospect and

plete success, for

if

But we have opened

as well as

money, perhaps men more

and all

for this work, although hitherto for this

CLAIMS OF THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS,

254

God has given both

other missions

Very few

men have

well-qualified

of funds to support them,

in very equal proportions.

ever been refused for want

and seldom has the mission treasury

been overflowing and no suitable agents forthcoming requiring

The Lord has not only supplied funds, but He has
support.
sent forth

and

men

with

doubtless, in

In the

come.

been and there

answer to prayer,

bestowed the

among

He

a diversity of

man

every

but

gifts,

He

severally as

and he

gift of tongues,

is

it

the same

is

on one

soon recognised

his brethren as a living Polyglot; he can chain the

own country

men, by the simple but magic-like power of their

another

known,

has always

willeth

savage spirit of the heathen, as Paul did that of his

On

do so in time to

will

mission-field, as elsewhere, there

still is

Spirit, dividing to
is

the qualifications needed lor the work

all

like

is

bestowed the

Luke, as the

"

gift of healing,

beloved physician

"

own

and he

tongue.
is

soon

his very shadow,

supposed to have a health-giving influence,

and, on this account the word finds readier access to many hearts.
like that of Peter, is

On another is bestowed the

gift of

government

like

Moses, he

can organise and rule, reduce chaos into order, and infuse such
principles of scriptural polity into both ecclesiastical
institutions as shall conserve truth

On

generations.

another

is

and freedom

bestowed the

and

civil

to succeeding

gift of

mechanical

skill, and tabernacles and temples for the worship of God rise
up under his skilful hands as they did under those of Bezaleel

or

On

Huram.

music, and

another

like David,

is

call forth

voices the high praises of the Lord.

go down

to the sea in ships

great waters

scene on earth

he

is

is

the

at

To another

and do the business

home on

isles

gift of song and

from ten thousand

bestowed the

he can

the ocean

waiting fcr

God

to
s

it is

given to

of the

Lord in

him the

loveliest

law,

and the most

ESPECIALLY THE

NEW

HEBRIDES.

355

attractive representation of heaven is the hyaline sea, having

its

some eminent

shores lined, as

of

To another

Moses and the Lamb.

continents

it

singing the song

all

given to traverse

is

with apostolic zeal the

like Livingstone, to carry

the figure,

critics interpret

with the innumerable company of harpers

Gospel into the regions beyond where any other missionary

him

has penetrated, and leave behind

of Christianity, civilisation,

ness
is

made

is

to nourish

bestowed the

at every step the seeds

and commerce,

so that the wilder

and blossom as the

gift of

prophecy

he

On

rose.

another

a Boanerges or a

is

Barnabas, a son of thunder or a son of consolation

when

he prophesies, when he preaches Christ as the Son of God

and as the Saviour

nature and in
its

its

of the world,

when he

consequences, and salvation in

purchase, and in

its application,

fall

down

confessing that

the most there

is

ordinary

benefits,

the

account in heaven, and

Every

gift is

him

ordinary work

added to the

God

is

best done by

recording angel
it is

kept in

common
inscribes

needed in the mission

best with his

own

stock of the
it

to

their

remembrance before God.

none can be

field,

pensed with and none are to be despised

serves

To

of a truth.

such excite no special notice on earth, but the

result of their efforts is

world

in

manifest, and

prodigies are but few in number,

because few such are needed

:

is

made

given a portion, of several gifts, no one

towering above the rest

men

God

its origin, in

the heathen as of old are

convinced, the secrets of their hearts are

they

exhibits sin in its

dis

and every man

gift.

In the South Sea Missions we have had a few very out

standing men, and we have had a large share of fully average

men, both in the South Seas and in the

missions.

But

it

New

Hebrides

seems to be a tacitly recognised principle

CLAIMS OF THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.

356

at present, in all missionary circles, that the

highest intellect,

the highest scholarship, and the highest general ability must

be quietly yielded up to India and to Africa, to China

and to Japan, but that

mediocrity

for the

South Seas nothing above

required; to a certain class of students

is

it

is

looked upon as the reverse of complimentary to ask them to

are still disposed to covet earnestly
go to the South Seas.

We

the best

men

gifts,

but

we

are nevertheless content

if

we can obtain

possessing the average amount of talent, of scholarship,

of piety,

and

of

common

With

sense.

us,

however, an in

dispensable qualification for missionaries and the wives of

that

they possess good health and a good

missionaries,

is

constitution

that they be able to rough

or less deftly, to turn their

up.

As Dr.

of the

New

Hebrides as

it

it,

and be

able,

to anything that

Livingstone has well put

must be Jack
of all

hand

it,

and

does of Africa,

of all trades without,

and

it
"

more

may

"cast

holds as true

The missionary
must be maid

his wife

work

within."
They must both belong to "the working
Average missionaries of this type, with their heart
in their work, and the blessing of the Lord
resting in an

classes."

fully

ordinary measure on their labours, are morally certain of

success.
They may go forth weeping, bearing precious seed,
but they shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing

their sheaves, with them.

THE END.

CAVFN LIBRARY

umx

COLLECT
TORQN iQ

COU.EGI LliRAfO