THE VISIT OF H. M. S. "CORDELIA."
ONE morning, the Tannese, rushing towards me in great excitement, cried,
"Missi, Missi, there is a God, or a ship on fire, or something of fear,
coming over the sea! We see no flames, but it smokes like a volcano. Is
it a Spirit, a God, or a ship on fire? What is it? what is it?"
One party after another followed in quick succession, shouting the same
questions in great alarm, to which I replied, "I cannot go at once; I
must dress first in my best clothes; it will likely be one of Queen
Victoria's Men-of-war, coming to ask of me if your conduct is good or
bad, if you are stealing my property, or threatening my life, or how you
are using me?"
They pled with me to go and see it; but I made much fuss about dressing,
and getting ready to meet the great Chief on the vessel, and would not
go with them. The two principal Chiefs now came running and asked,
"Missi, will it be a ship of war?"
I called to them, "I think it will; but I have no time to speak to you
now, I must get on my best clothes!"
They said, "Missi, only tell us, will he ask you if we have been
stealing your things?"
I answered, "I expect he will."
They asked, "And will you tell him?"
I said, "I must tell him the truth; if he asks, I will tell him."
They then cried out, "Oh, Missi, tell him not! Everything shall be
brought back to you at once, and no one will be allowed again to steal
from you."
Then said I, "Be quick! Everything must be returned before he comes.
Away, away! and let me get ready to meet the great Chief on the
Man-of-war."
Hitherto, no thief could ever be found, and no Chief had power to cause
anything to be restored to me; but now, in an incredibly brief space of
time, one came running to the Mission House with a pot, another with a
pan, another with a blanket, others with knives, forks, plates, and all
sorts of stolen property. The Chiefs called me to receive these things,
but I replied, "Lay them all down at the door, bring everything together
quickly; I have no time to speak with you!"
I delayed my toilet, enjoying mischievously the magical effect of an
approaching vessel that might bring penalty to thieves. At last the
Chiefs, running in breathless haste, called out to me, "Missi, Missi, do
tell us, is the stolen property all here?"
Of course I could not tell, but, running out, I looked on the
promiscuous heap of my belongings, and said, "I don't see the lid of the
kettle there yet!"
One Chief said, "No, Missi, for it is on the other side of the island;
but tell him not, I have sent for it, and it will be here to-morrow."
I answered, "I am glad you have brought back so much; and now, if you
three Chiefs, Nauka, Miaki, and Nowar, do not run away when he comes, he
will not likely punish you; but, if you and your people run away, he
will ask me why you are afraid, and I will be forced to tell him! Keep
near me and you are all safe; only there must be no more stealing from
me."
They said, "We are in black fear, but we will keep near you, and our bad
conduct to you is done."
The charm and joy of that morning are fresh to me still, when H. M. S.
_Cordelia_, Captain Vernon, steamed into our lovely Harbor. The
Commander, having heard rumor of my dangers on Tanna, kindly came on
shore as soon as the ship cast anchor, with two boats, and a number of
his officers and men, so far armed. He was dressed in splendid uniform,
being a tall and handsome man, and he and his attendants made a grand
and imposing show. On seeing Captain Vernon's boat nearing the shore,
and the men glittering in gold lace and arms, Miaki the Chief left my
side on the beach and rushed towards his village. I concluded that he
had run for it through terror, but he had other and more civilized
intentions in his Heathen head! Having obtained, from some trader or
visitor in previous days, a soldier's old red coat, he had resolved to
rise to the occasion and appear in his best before the Captain and his
men. As I was shaking hands with them and welcoming them to Tanna, Miaki
returned with the short red coat on, buttoned tightly round his
otherwise naked body; and, surmounted by his ugly painted face and long
whipcords of twisted hair, it completely spoiled any appearance that he
might otherwise have had of savage freedom, and made him look a dirty
and insignificant creature.
The Captain was talking to me, his men stood in order near by--to my
eyes, oh how charming a glimpse of Home life!--when Miaki marched up and
took his place most consequentially at my side. He felt himself the most
important personage in the scene, and with an attempt at haughty dignity
he began to survey the visitors. All eyes were fixed on the impudent
little man, and the Captain asked, "What sort of a character is this?"
I replied, "This is Miaki, our great war Chief?"; and whispered to the
Captain to be on his guard, as this man knew a little English, and might
understand or misunderstand just enough to make it afterwards dangerous
to me.
The Captain only muttered, "The contemptible creature!" But such words
were far enough beyond Miaki's vocabulary, so he looked on and grinned
complacently.
At last he said, "Missi, this great Chief whom Queen Victoria has sent
to visit you in her Man-of-war, cannot go over the whole of this island
so as to be seen by all our people; and I wish you to ask him if he will
stand by a tree, and allow me to put a spear on the ground at his heel,
and we will make a nick in it at the top of his head, and the spear will
be sent round the island to let all the people see how tall this great
man is!" They were delighted at the good Captain agreeing to their
simple request; and that spear was exhibited to thousands, as the
vessel, her Commander, officers, and men, were afterwards talked of
round and round the island.
Captain Vernon was extremely kind, and offered to do anything in his
power for me, thus left alone on the island amongst such savages; but,
as my main difficulties were connected with my spiritual work amongst
them, rousing up their cruel prejudices, I did not see his kindness
could effectually interpose. At his suggestion, however, I sent a
general invitation to all the Chiefs within reach, to meet the Captain
next morning at my house. True to their instincts of suspicion and fear,
they despatched all their women and and children to the beach on the
opposite side of the island, beyond reach of danger, and next morning my
house was crowded with armed men, manifestly much afraid. Punctually at
the hour appointed, 10 A.M., the Captain came on shore; and soon
thereafter twenty Chiefs were seated with him in my house. He very
kindly spent about an hour, giving them wise counsels and warning them
against outrages on strangers, all calculated to secure our safety and
advance the interests of our Mission work. He then invited all the
Chiefs to go on board and see his vessel. They were taken to see the
Armory, and the sight of the big guns running so easily on rails vastly
astonished them. He then placed them round us on deck and showed them
two shells discharged towards the ocean, at which, as they burst and
fell far off, splash--splashing into the water, the terror of the
Natives visibly increased. But, when he sent a large ball crashing
through a cocoanut grove, breaking the trees like straws and cutting its
way clear and swift, they were quite dumfounded and pled to be again set
safely on shore. After receiving each some small gift, however, they
were reconciled to the situation, and returned immensely interested in
all that they had seen. Doubtless many a wild romance was spun by these
savage heads, in trying to describe and hand down to others the wonders
of the fire-god of the sea, and the Captain of the great white Queen.
How easily it all lends itself to the service of poetry and myth!