THE RELIGION OF REVENGE.
ON landing in November, 1866, we found the Natives of Aniwa, some very
shy and distrustful, and others forward and imperious. No clothing was
worn; but the wives and elder women had grass aprons or girdles like our
first parents in Eden. The old Chief interested himself in us and our
work; but the greater number showed a far deeper interest in the axes,
knives, fishhooks, strips of red calico, and blankets, received in
payment for work or for bananas. Even for payment they would scarcely
work at first, and they were most unreasonable, easily offended, and
started off in a moment at any imaginable slight.
For instance, a Chief once came for medicine. I was so engaged that I
could not attend to him for a few minutes. So off he went, in a great
rage, threatening revenge, and muttering, "I must be attended to! I
won't wait on _him_." Such were the exactions of a naked savage!
Shortly before our arrival, an Aneityumese Teacher was sacrificed on
Aniwa. The circumstances are illustrative of what may be almost called
their worship of revenge. Many long years ago, a party of Aniwans had
gone to Aneityum on a friendly visit; but the Aneityumese, then all
savages, murdered and ate every man of them save one, who escaped into
the bush. Living on cocoanuts, he awaited a favorable wind, and,
launching his canoe by night, he arrived in safety. The bereaved
Aniwans, hearing his terrible story, were furious for revenge; but the
forty-five miles of sea between proving too hard an obstacle, they made
a deep cut in the earth and vowed to renew that cut from year to year
till the day of revenge came round. Thus the memory of the event was
kept alive for nearly eighty years.
At length the people of Aneityum came to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
They strongly yearned to spread their saving Gospel to the Heathen
Islands all around. Amid prayers and strong cryings to God they, like
the Church at Antioch, designated two of their leading men to go as
Native Teachers and evangelize Aniwa, viz. Navalak and Nemeyan; whilst
others went forth to Fotuna, Tanna, and Erromanga, as opportunity arose.
Namakei, the principal Chief of Aniwa, had promised to protect and be
kind to them. But as time went on, it was discovered that the Teachers
belonged to the Tribe on Aneityum, and one of them to the very land,
where long ago the Aniwans had been murdered. The Teachers had from the
first known their danger, but were eager to make known the Gospel to
Aniwa. It was resolved that they should die. But the Aniwans, having
promised to protect them, shrank from doing it themselves; so they hired
two Tanna-men and an Aniwan Chief, one of whose parents had belonged to
Tanna, to waylay and shoot the Teachers as they returned from their tour
of Evangelism among the villages on Sabbath afternoon. Their muskets did
not go off, but the murderers rushed upon them with clubs and left them
for dead.
Nemeyan was dead, and entered that day amongst the noble army of the
Martyrs. Poor Navalak was still breathing, and the Chief Namakei carried
him to his village and kindly nursed him. He pleaded with the people
that the claims of revenge had been satisfied, and that Navalak should
be cherished and sent home,--the Christ-Spirit beginning to work in that
darkened soul! Navalak was restored to his people and is yet living
(1888)--a high class Chief on Aneityum, and an honor to the Church of
God, bearing on his body "the marks of the Lord Jesus." And often since
has he visited Aniwa, in later years, and praised the Lord amongst the
very people who once thirsted for his blood and left him by the wayside
as good as dead!
For a time, Aniwa was left without any witness for Jesus,--the London
Missionary Society Teachers, having suffered dreadfully for lack of food
and from fever and ague, being also removed. But on a visit of a Mission
vessel, Namakei sent his orator Taia to Aneityum, to tell them that now
revenge was satisfied, the cut in the earth filled up, and a cocoanut
tree planted and flourishing where the blood of the Teachers had been
shed, and that no person from Aneityum would ever be injured by Aniwans.
Further, he was to plead for more Teachers, and to pledge his Chiefs
word that they would be kindly received and protected. They knew not the
Gospel, and had no desire for it; but they wanted friendly intercourse
with Aneityum, where trading vessels called, and whence they might
obtain mats, baskets, blankets, and iron tools. At length two
Aneityumese again volunteered to go, Kangaru and Nelmai, one from each
side of the Island, and were located by the Missionaries, along with
their families, on Aniwa, one with Namakei, and the other at the south
end, to lift up the Standard of a Christlike life among their Heathen
neighbors.
Taia, who went on the Mission to Aneityum, was a great speaker and also
a very cunning man. He was the old Chief's appointed "Orator" on all
state occasions, being tall and stately in appearance, of great bodily
strength, and possessed of a winning manner. On the voyage to Aneityum
he was constantly smoking and making things disagreeable to all around
him. Being advised not to smoke while on board, he pleaded with the
Missionary just to let him take a whiff now and again till he finished
the tobacco he had in his pipe, and then he would lay it aside. But,
like the widow's meal, it lasted all the way to Aneityum, and never
appeared to get less--at which the innocent Taia expressed much
astonishment!