After breakfast we had Sunday School, at which every member of the
village population was present. I was much pleased with the way four or
five classes repeated by heart their catechism, and the collect for the
week, and answered general questions on the subject. It showed one that
school was a serious and important business both with teacher and pupil.
We went from the school into church, where we had full Morning Service
but without any Sermon. Service over, I was followed by the whole male
population to Tasmate. The day was very hot, and we had been obliged to
choose the hottest part of it for our walk. However we tumbled over the
same creepers, knocked our heads against the same branches, brushed
against the same bristly bushes, that the natives of Maewo have done
ever since they peopled the island. No one ever thinks of trying to
improve his own or his neighbour’s ways, and from being accustomed so
long to the present condition of the paths, they are quite content to
experience the discomfort for ever and aye, they were good enough for
their own forefathers, why should not they be good enough for them.
Being head and shoulders taller than most of our natives, I suffered
untold agonies mentally and physically, but I submit to the necessity,
knowing that unless I commence to improve matters myself, I may expect
the same discomforts to the end of the chapter. My helmet on more than
one occasion has saved my head very severe concussions, and to be
bonnetted is no uncommon occurence. However, on we swung, I being
thankful that the road was so level as it was, and at length arrived at
Tasmate more fit to be comforted than to think of administering comfort
to others. They have built a nice little school here, and by the way
they turned up at the subsequent service it was manifest that they knew
the use of it. Augmented by the Tasmouri people the little place was
crowded to its fullest capabilities, and the heat and flies were not
such as one would choose for ordinary enjoyment, but personal comforts
with Missionaries are a secondary consideration. We had a nice service,
and I gave a somewhat long address in spite of inconveniences, and when
it was over I retired to the cool refreshing shade by the sea shore, and
all at once everyone began to feel the heat and followed me there.
However, our conversation ran in an edifying course, and I hope some
were profited by it. The return home was the next consideration, and I
must say it seemed formidable for a Sunday afternoon. We reached a place
called “Na Seu,” and there I could not resist a bathe in the natural
bathing place, under such a deliciously cool shoot of water. We came
home by a new route which was said to be much shorter, but it turned out
to be quite as long I think, and not nearly so pleasant walking.
At “Uta riki,” where I formerly remember a good population, one man and
a small child are the only surviving remnant. The rest are all scattered
or dead. We asked him to come to Tasmouri and live there, but he would
not consent on the spur of the moment. His son and relations left are
mostly there. In matter of wives he has been a regular Blue Beard, and
the last of a long list has just died, and left him a widower.
We arrived in due course at Tasmouri, and after dinner all together,
which the women had provided in our absence, we had Evensong, a very
nice service with a Sermon from me. The women proposed singing
afterwards, and this went on till late. At the Evening Service I
Baptized the infant daughter of Moses, naming her Anika. Moses, wife,
and four children are now a Christian family. His care of, and love for,
his children gave me good food for my discourse afterwards, as did the
case of ‘Dimeli’ and the remnant of his people migrating from the place
where many had died, to a place where all were going to keep well and
live, with the result that all have died with the exception of himself.
There was no hope of life apart from God.
_Monday, August 9th._--Very hot, oppressive day, and I was so ill
throughout I did little or nothing. My efforts to get cool were utterly
abortive. Great Christening festivities were going on all day. The
fatted pig was killed and eaten with much thankfulness and rejoicing in
the evening. At Evensong I screwed my courage up to a Sermon which was
better listened to than delivered. Afterwards there was a dance.
_Tuesday, August 10th._--I saw this morning a beardless youth, who is
the tenth husband of a woman in the district. One of her sons is a
full-gown man at Tasmouri, himself married many years. There is no
accounting for taste, but on which side the love or taste is I do not
know. Beauty of face and figure have little weight generally with
natives, they think more of utility and position. They seem to me to
have no idea of the sublime and beautiful either in woman or in nature
according to our ideas, and in a very matter of fact way look to the
practical side of the business. Polygamy here is the exception, and
there is not so large a percentage of females as is found in some of the
islands. However, if they are all as easily satisfied as the youth
mentioned above, young girls will be at a premium. There is one man here
at Tasmouri who has two wives, and he steadily refuses to divorce one or
the other with a view to Baptism, and according to our present practice
in the administration of that Holy Rite, we insist on monogamy.
Strangely enough the son of this very man had five wives, four of whom
he divorced in order to be Baptized. All the four divorced are now
married and Baptized at Tasmouri.
It was so intolerably hot in the village, I proposed that we should go
to Ro[¨n]onawo, as I was going to Tasmate to sleep and that was about a
half-way house. All the population followed me, and there we cooked our
dinner and rested. After the meal we had a short service there on the
beach which was very quiet and solemn, and then with most of the men I
turned my steps towards Tasmate, Samuel and a few others, with the women
going back to Tasmouri. There was a great shaking of hands, some
profusion of tears among the women, and a great deal of Christian
harmony between us all.
Arriving at Tasmate we found another dinner awaiting us, and a hearty
welcome. We had Prayers after dinner with a sermon from myself, in which
I contrasted the present visit with those they must remember to have
known in heathen days. Then the hands were full, but the heart was
empty, now the heart was full of love and the hands carried no bow and
arrows. We had great Hymn singing afterwards, and the men sat and
talked outside about the present and the past. There are a few hearts
here I can see being prepared for the good seed which may God sow in His
good time, quickly if it may be, and water the plant of grace with the
dew of His Holy Spirit.
We were rather late before we thought of retiring, and I was not sorry
at length when it was proposed, for without chair or seat, except a
native tree, there was no great pleasure in sitting.
_Wednesday, August 11th._--Spent a very uncomfortable night at Tasmate.
The kind people had done all they could to make me comfortable, but I
found the bed very hard, the sleeping quarters very rough, the fleas in
large numbers, and the mosquitos very lively. However, I have been more
uncomfortable, and I was not unthankful to be brought safely to the
beginning of another day. A place was named to me last evening called
“Beitabu,” as being a most choice spot for a bathe, and it was said to
be near at hand. Having not many toilet requisites with me, I proposed
to one “Lulu” a denizen of the place to pilot me there. I was very
“breakfasty” and most unrefreshed, but away we started for “Beitabu.” It
was a fearful grind to get there, and the distance seemed to me
interminable. Of course being well watered there were irrigated taro
beds, and I slipped off a bank clean into the mud. Yet when the spot was
reached it made up for all difficulties and distresses and proved to be
a most marvellous natural bath, a large, clear, deep pool, with water
pouring in from a charming little waterfall, and flowing out rapidly
over the rocks below. I do not know when I have enjoyed a bath more, or
when water had a more invigorating and refreshing effect on me.
Fortunately my host had what breakfast there was ready for me when I got
back, and in my state of exhaustion it did not much matter what it was.
After breakfast we had Morning Prayer with a short address from me
instead of school. Not long after “sail oh!” was cried and my boat
appeared to bring me back here to Tanrig, and heartily glad am I to be
back here again in comparative comfort. We had a pleasant but rather
heavy row up the coast, our party on board numbering twenty-eight.
Fortunately the sea was very smooth, and not much wind, or probably we
should not have fared so well. All my Tasmouri friends came on with me
and are spending the night. All were well here and the place looked much
as usual. One little baby had died unbaptized during my absence, a
matter of great regret to everybody, and very much so to me. I had known
of the child’s illness, and it was better before I left. I had
therefore postponed its Baptism until I could make it convenient to
Baptize three or four more infants now waiting for the Rite.
_Thursday, August 12th._--General holiday. Arthur took occasion to “nasu
ima” at the same time with me, and the great event of two house warmings
drew together a large concourse of people. Fire was lit in my house, and
part of a pig and two fowls were cooked in the oven. It is the custom
here to have as many kinds of flesh as possible on these occasions, and
as many kinds of vegetables, representing I suppose all the different
sorts of food that will hereafter be cooked therein. There has been
great preparation for this day, and great excitement to-day. Every
household added its mite to the feast, and in the evening when the feast
was spread out there was a grand display. Everyone had huge pieces of
yam and taro and banana cake, and a large piece of fish, fowl and pork.
The pork takes precedence, but the fish costs the greatest pains in
provision, not being so easily within their reach or means of
acquisition. Fish in these countries do not seem to take hook and bait
readily, and the poor natives have to resort to all manner of odd
expedients to secure them. There were many strangers here, and quite 150
people or more must have partaken. The pork was very nice and most
beautifully cooked in the native oven. The females presided over the
cutting up, but Arthur as co-host with myself gave directions as master
of the feast. He gave a sigh of relief when he came into my house after
it was all over, and said “there, what a poor return for so much
labour.” That always strikes me as the most pitiable thing about a
feast, it is all over in the twinkling of an eye, and what have you for
your pains?
This evening there is a great dance, a vast crowd of people has already
congregated, and it is to go on till morning light. It is done as a
special compliment to myself, and I do not like to stop them. The
patient endurance of some of the dancers is wonderful. From the start to
the finish, say from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., they never leave the ranks of the
dance but keep at it all the time, singing, clapping the hands and
dancing. There is no rest for a good supper at midnight, but the dance
is carried right through to the bitter end. I am going to attempt sleep,
but I fear the noise will prove too much for me. They have certainly a
most beautiful night for their dance, but I should be sorry to be one of
the performers. The songs are certainly very pretty, and they show
wonderful power of memory to keep up the succession all through the
night, without a book of words or musical score.
I can imagine too, as the enthusiasm of the dance increases, that there
must be a sort of fascination about the performance.
_Friday, August 13th._--The dance was kept up till daylight, and I got
little or no sleep before that. When I did get to sleep, I slept so
soundly that it was late on in the morning before I awoke, and then I
was driven to it. Arthur Huqe appeared at my bedside and asked me if he
should ring the bell for prayers, and I was obliged to consent. The
whole day afterwards was somewhat of a blank to me, and I went no
whither and did little till evening. The duties of the day however, were
carried on as usual.
_Saturday, August 14th._--The usual holiday. We had Prayers very early,
and before breakfast I took a picture of most of the congregation in
front of the church, which I hope will turn out good. It was not a
pleasant day indoors, there was a strong wind blowing, and clouds of
dust penetrating my house from all quarters, and I was not sorry to
accept Arthur’s offer to go with himself and most of the people to the
riverside. There it is always cool and pleasant, and the luxury of a
bathe, although almost a daily occurence, is always appreciated. I took
my photographic Camera with me, and after almost burying myself in mud,
succeeded in getting a good view of the pretty taro gardens. On our way
to Rarava the monotony of the road was relieved by our starting a
“malau,” the ornithological name of which I know not, but it is a kind
of bush turkey, it has a red head, yellow legs and black feathers, and
is really like a common hen in shape and appearance. The poor thing was
evidently startled from her peculiar nest, where she was about to
deposit her eggs. These strange birds after securing a favourable spot,
lay their eggs some depth beneath the upper soil, and leave them there
uncared for until the young ones hatch themselves, and when strong
enough burst their earthly tenement, and come forth to the light of day.
Some say the parent comes occasionally back to her nest to see how
matters are progressing, and even digs at the earth to find out how the
process of hatching goes on. If she finds her progeny ready to walk, she
drives them on before her to a place of security, but the general belief
is that she allows them to shift for themselves. These curious birds are
said to feed principally on the large ants here called “gandee.”
In Savo and some of the Solomon Islands, these birds are tamed and
fenced in, to lay their eggs in the hot sand, but here they are wild and
rare. Their eggs which are very numerous are esteemed a great delicacy.
This poor bird in question tried very hard to get away by flight, but
getting entangled in the thick bush, was shot by a cruel arrow. The
capture was the food for conversation throughout the day, and I listened
to the relation and re-relation of the narrative of it times without
number, with all the little details with which natives are wont to
embellish and amplify their narration of the smallest fact. It is
perfectly wonderful how the smallest matter affords pasture for native
conversation, and what a wonderful faculty they have of making multum
out of parvum. In powers of conversation and flow of language, I think
natives are far before our European working classes. A native never
seems at a loss for something to say, and certainly never fails to
express himself from lack of words.
I have frequently heard an European confess that he had a great deal to
say, but he could not express himself for want of words. The fluency of
speech, and powers of conversation are not confined here to the weaker
sex, and I think the men have quite as long tongues as the women,
although I do not think they chatter so much or make such a clatter.
Some of the men are great wits, and make fun for the multitude, but I do
not think this applies to the women. The Maewo folks are great
“laughers,” and go off into fits of cacchination at the smallest joke.
They are a most simple, good-natured race certainly, and it is hard to
conceive of their being such depraved savages, so gentle are they in
their ways.
After school with the teachers in the evening, during which we discussed
our Sunday programme, we had Evensong, and afterwards a long singing
practice. Miss Mount’s generous gift is a most welcome addition to our
singing, and Arthur Huqe begins to play the harmonium very nicely at the
services. Our singing is very fair on the whole, but there is room for
improvement, and we have the ability if I could get the girls to use
their very nice voices. In the old familiar hymns and chants they sing
out lustily, but when we attempt anything new, they shut up altogether,
without making a trial to join in.
_Sunday, August 15th._--There are two very homely sounds which break the
stillness of the early morning here, and the first is the cock which
seems to have a peculiar faculty for crowing in these latitudes, he
starts his chant before commerce is awake and he keeps religiously at it
all day long. Here at Maewo, too, these birds are in prodigal abundance,
their flesh is esteemed very delicate food, and is kept for great and
exalted occasions. Here the male takes precedence of the female even in
the matter of dumb animals, and sows and hens are looked upon as only
fit food for women. The crow of the first cock is a signal for a general
chorus, and then the natives begin to stir. As soon as they appear on
the threshold of their doors another chorus takes up the morning song,
and the pigs begin their squealing. Whether it is that one looks for
more peace on Sunday morning, or whether one perchance is a trifle more
inclined to take a little more sleep or a little more slumber, whatever
the actual cause may be, I always notice that on Sundays there is always
a greater noise from the domestic animals than on ordinary days. The
pigs here are hand fed, and will not be denied, they squeal to their
hearts’ content until they have their morning meal, and being in
considerable numbers the noise is not sleep producing. In old days these
animals were kept for their heathen feasts, but as of late these have
fallen into disuse, so the pigs have increased until they have become
one of the features of the place. At a Baptism or any great Church
Festival such as Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, one or more male animals
have to die, and although the possession of a flock is as much valued as
an Englishman’s stud, no one ever grumbles to kill his animal when his
turn comes round.
Being very hot this morning, and there being a prospect of the
repetition of the Egyptian plague of flies, who always add to the
discomfort of a congregation, we had school very early. Our numbers were
slightly augmented by outsiders, but not quite to my satisfaction. After
a hasty breakfast I started for Uta. This is a good long distance from
here, and I was in a state of dripping perspiration when I arrived
there. I found everyone keeping a Sabbath, but very few appreciating the
idea of a Christian Sunday.
However, I had quite a large congregation in the neat little school but
the ladies preponderated in point of numbers. We had quite a nice hearty
little service, and they listened patiently to an address from myself. I
wish from my heart I had a good teacher to place here, for I know he
would be the means of doing much good work to God’s glory. The present
teacher is a very good, conscientious fellow, but his own knowledge is
not much above that of his own countrymen, and they grow weary of
hearing continually the same thing. I was quite pleased with my visit,
and amply rewarded for any discomfort I experienced in the journey. I do
not expect that any immediate result will issue from such spasmodic
efforts, but there is no knowing the power of grace, and God’s ways are
not as our ways. Often it is that the last becomes first, and the first
last. At all events I keep the door open, and I hope before long someone
else may be raised up to settle among them as a permanent teacher. After
resting awhile I took my homeward journey, escorted according to custom
by the denizens of the village beyond their own boundary. I returned by
way of “Na Ruru,” where “Anthony” one of our Norfolk Island trained boys
has a school. He seems to be doing fairly well there, and has a nice
school. After sitting with him for some time, the shades of evening
began to close in, and I to feel somewhat famished, having had but
little since morning. Bidding him goodbye I started for Tanrig, where I
arrived in due course. After dinner I baptized three children, Maida,
Victoria and Matthew respectively. The Font was very prettily arranged
and decorated by Arthur Huqe, and the service generally, very nice.
Later on we had Evensong, quite a refreshing and stirring service, at
which I preached, and never before do I remember to have secured more
attention. These children I Baptized this evening make up the number of
Christians here to 100, under God, the fruits of my own, and my
teacher’s work, and I feel that by the orderly and consistent lives of
most of them, I can thank God and take courage.
I took as the basis of my remarks, our Lord’s last command to His
Disciples, and I urged those who had already been admitted into the
fellowship of Christ’s religion, to eschew all those things which were
contrary to their profession, and to follow all such things as were
agreeable to the same, and those still without the pale to lose no time
in applying for that rite, the absence of which our Lord declared must
be condemnation. Those words have a strong sound here for Missionary and
heathen--“He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved, but he that
believeth not shall be dammed.” One realizes here their full weight, and
solemnity, and power. Quite three parts of the congregation have dropped
in to wish me good night, and by the hushed stillness over the place I
can tell that God’s Word has not fallen to the ground. God grant that it
may minister grace to hearer and preacher.
_Monday, August 16th._--The night was made perfectly hideous by the
howling of the fiendish curs which are dignified with the name of dogs,
the squealing of hungry swine, and the cackling of a poor forlorn goose
whose kith and kin have left her a solitary representative of her
species, and who seems to find her only solace in sitting outside my
door and calling to her lost companions. The dogs are simply a pest to
the place, they keep up their incessant bark all the day long, and all
night they howl and prowl around. They are hideously ugly, undersized
creatures, and are the more loathsome because they are the acknowledged
scavengers of the place. They are not worthy to be called dogs, and any
one except he was assured of the fact, would scarcely believe that they
were dogs. They are supposed to be useful in catching wild pigs, but
from their appearance you would fancy that it must be a poor specimen of
a pig they would dare to tackle. It was a beautiful moonlight night, and
all these sounds rending the still night air simultaneously drove sleep
from my eyes, and produced such inward irritation and disgust that if a
thought could have killed the lot, none of them would have troubled the
world again with their noises. A most glorious morning enticed me up
very early, and certainly the early dawn was very fresh and beautiful.
We had Prayers very soon after daylight and even then the blue bottles
had collected in great numbers and were by no means a help to devotion.
These pests spring into existence at once as soon as any number of human
bodies are congregated together, and are particularly active in church
and school. The idea of them apart from their propensities is very nasty
and disgusting, and when in a country like this without the concomitants
of devotion, one wants all the solemnity one can possibly obtain, their
presence and irritation are the more odious and nauseating.