slept the night with me, and spent the whole of Sunday. We had school in
the early morning and after that, breakfast. Then followed Morning
Prayer with a very large congregation. In the afternoon Mr. Comins, Mr.
Plant, Mr. Brittain, the Captain, Engineer, and a large number of
Melanesians came up to see the village and stayed to our social meal in
the evening. They were all quite charmed with the people and the place,
and enjoyed very much the pleasant walk. Mr. Turnbull took his
departure, and Mr. Brittain spent the night with me. The party, with the
exception of Mr. Comins, were not successful on the return journey and
missing the track got into the taro gardens, and floundered about in the
mud in the most helpless confusion. Not finding a way out of their
difficulty they tried back, and hit happily upon the right track. This
little episode threw somewhat of a damper upon the visit, and the party
returned rather wet and crestfallen to the ship. Mr. Comins was accused
of being the cause of the misfortune, and I believe those who fared
worse than he heaped their approbrium on him when they got on board. The
Bishop was not well, and we were all disappointed not to see him at our
head quarters. Naturally, a visit from our Bishop is looked upon as a
red letter day by our people, and if he cannot come the disappointment
is very apparent. Mr. Brittain and I dined together and spent a most
pleasant evening. It was a most glorious evening, and the calm peace of
a cloudless sunset gave place to the most brilliant moonlight. We sat
outside the house talking to the people until Prayer time. The service
was a very impressive one, for I got Arthur to say a few words to his
people before leaving them, and the thought of going away raised a great
lump in his throat, and for some moments, although generally so ready
and so eloquent, he could not say a word. Several times there was a
tremble in his voice and he was nigh to breaking down, and his own
undisguisable emotion produced a visible effect on his congregation. He
said in the course of his remarks, that to-day they had seen a great
concourse of people at their village, of many colours and nationalities.
But though divided by race, differing in speech, and separated in
locality, they were all one people with them, because through Christ
they were all united in one, owning one God and Father of all, believing
one Common Saviour, knit together by one Spirit, and professing one
religion. Though so many and so various we were all one in Christ. And
then he went on to speak of himself and them, still carrying on the same
idea, and he said that although divided in bodily presence, unseen by
the bodily eye, and separated by the wide ocean, they were still one in
spirit and in heart. Oceans could not separate those whom God had joined
together, and whether near or far they were still all one in Christ. And
then almost overcome, he said it might be God’s will that they should
never again see each others’ faces, but they must look forward to the
great meeting time beyond the grave, where parting would again be
unknown, and those whom Christ had joined together, and made one in
Himself should be one for ever with Him and behold His glory. Because
they were going to be separated it was no reason that they should forget
each other, but day by day they should remember each other at the Throne
of Grace, until such time as they should be reunited in this world, or
if not, in the world to come. I followed with a few remarks, and a very
impressive service concluded with the Blessing. After the service I
called the teachers together to make final arrangements for our
departure to-morrow, and Patrick was quite content to take charge of the
school. I am very glad that he should, and I quite feel that the extra
responsibility will be good for him.
Arthur Huqe will go with me to Opa for the change, and return again with
me when the ship comes back from Norfolk Island. Two Maewo lads have
expressed a wish to go with us to Opa, and I am very glad of any
exchange of friendship between the two islands. It will do them good to
see other places, and enlarge their minds and ideas to see other people
beside themselves. Moreover, being with Arthur, a native of Opa, they
will not feel so lonely as if going by themselves. They are two nice
boys, and I hope they will profit by the little outing.
Mr. Brittain’s enthusiasm was quite cheering, and we were very late in
getting to bed, being so busy talking over our mutual work, inasmuch as
our district is one, and he knows the people here so well.
This morning we were astir very early, and after Prayers and breakfast
were very busy getting ready for our departure. Many hands made light
work, and soon our impedimenta were shouldered by willing bearers, and
we were on our way for the Kerepei. We had a most pleasant walk down,
Mr. Brittain most cheery and appreciative all the way, and we were all
on board very soon after the stipulated time, 10 o’clock. We had a
light wind to start with, but it soon fell calm, and the engineer’s
services were called into requisition. It is very hot work steaming in
these latitudes, and the cabin especially gets very stuffy. We anchored
at Opa between five and six o’clock, and I got my things ready for the
start ashore in daylight. Mr. Brittain and Mr. Turnbull came with me,
and we visited the French Trader ashore, who was said to have the latest
telegrams. We were quite astonished, not only at the polite manner in
which we were received, but by the neat and tastey appearance of the
little man’s premises and dwelling house. He is evidently a man of
considerable genius, and far more energy than most of the Traders down
in these parts.
His kitchen garden was a sight to behold, and although for three months
he has had no rain he has an abundance of cabbages, carrots, onions,
shalots, garlick, parsley, spinnach, lettuce, &c. The whole garden too
is laid out in the most natty matter, showing wonderful care and
perseverance. Inside his house it was equally neat, and the walls were
decorated with an enormous number of island curiosities. During the
slack time of the year when cocoanuts are scarce he makes very curious,
but extremely chaste, ornaments out of shells, and sells them to Traders
at about fifteen shillings the pair. He also makes sleeve links out of
opercules, and many other ornaments of personal adornment. He gave us a
great basket full of eggs, and some green food for the ship. We bade the
amiable and loquacious little man good-bye, and thanked him for his
kindness, and then pushed on for Tavalavola where we found the whole
village waiting for us, and Charles and Monica heading the party. I was
most pleased to see the happy and affectionate relations which existed
between them, and the natural and unaffected way in which she came into
my house, and the kind care she exhibited in the bestowal of my goods
and chattels. Afterwards when we went off to the ship she came with us,
and went down of her own accord to see the Bishop in the cabin. We did
not stay long on board, but bidding farewell to them all we came ashore
for the night. I should have liked of course to stay till morning, but
they were so crowded on board I thought it was better we were out of the
way. It was near midnight when we finally retired for the night, and I
was very tired and glad to get to bed. The boys are so nice and
friendly, and come in and out of my house so naturally, that it gives
one quite a homely feeling, and when they call me “Mama” (Father) I feel
quite proud of the spiritual relationship. I quite look forward to my
stay here, and I hope under it God may be the means of much good.
_Tuesday, September 14th._--Most beautiful morning, but the night was
very cold, and I was very glad of a blanket over me. We had Prayers and
school before breakfast, the scholars numbering about 50 of both sexes.
I was quite astonished at the admirable way most of them read and
answered, and equally struck with the diligent and painstaking manner in
which the boys were teaching. The school is admirably conducted, and
peculiarly well and thoroughly taught. The scholars are evidently very
sharp, and one or two little boys and a very little wee girl read
surprisingly well. Charles, the head teacher, is a most steady and
excellent young fellow, and to him the credit of the efficiency of the
school is mainly due. All the other boys however, work well and steadily
with him, and I was particularly gratified to see what a helpmeet his
wife Monica is to him. In the course of the day the older people were
about, and I told them I wanted them to come and get instruction also,
to which they consented. While I was at breakfast the French Trader
called on me and brought me a most noble present of green food, for
which I was deeply grateful. He was very amiable, most polite and
peculiarly loquacious, and I was quite interested in listening to his
broken English. He is a Parisian and was in the ‘garde mobile’ during
the siege by the Prussians, which of course means that he is a
Communist. He left me after a time, and I set to work to put my house in
order. The boys went to ‘Tahi mamavi,’ where we have a school, which I
hope we shall be able now to teach regularly. Meramaeto (Paskal) had
been there living, but some trouble broke out and he had to come away in
consequence. Now all is pacific again, and we hope to make another fresh
and vigorous start, which I hope will be permanent. In the afternoon I
went to see a Trader who had sent me a request to visit him, not having
a boat of his own. His complaint was, that having a Frenchman on either
side of him, and he doing a better trade than either they were jealous
of him, and had threatened him with violence if he did not leave. He is
a Scotchman and a very decent fellow. The Frenchmen had threatened also
to lay hands on his copra, looking on him as an interloper, inasmuch as
they suppose the French are about to annex the New Hebrides group. I did
all I could to explain his position to the natives, and ‘Tabi’ the
chief, and really a big man, said that while he dealt fairly with them
he would see that he was properly protected and fairly dealt with. I
told him that he and I were subjects of one Queen, and of a different
nationality to the Frenchmen, and that being a steady and well-behaved
and honest man he ought to help him all he could. He had a great many
nuts, and a large amount of copra, and I should say he was doing very
well. He does not trade with powder, or guns, or spirit, and is
evidently a very temperate man. He asked me to tell the natives not to
bring the coconuts on Sunday as he wanted that as a day of Rest, and he
asked me if I could make it convenient to come and see him sometimes on
that day, because he wished not to forget his God in the midst of his
mundane pursuits. He has been a sailor all his life, and has a mate’s
certificate, I think. He has only been here five weeks from Sydney, and
hitherto has done very well. I got back to dinner, and then went to see
David, one of our teachers, who is sick. He was very full of his child,
about three years old, a perfect prodigy. He told me the child would get
into a perfect frenzy if he were not allowed to go to school and
Prayers, and when once or twice he has been left at home he has knelt
down in their house and gone through the form of prayer by himself. He
will never go without his clothes, and the only time they can get him to
take them off is to bathe. Even at night he must have on a garment. His
mother told me too that his first thought in the morning, even before
eating, was the bell, and he would tug at her sleeve until she took him
up and started for the school. The same was the case too, in the
evening. They also told me of a poor girl who had died about a fortnight
ago. She has been most regular at school for years past, and was far
away ahead of all the others in knowledge. She never would marry because
she was afraid she should be debarred from attending school. She was
most anxious to be Baptized, and when she was taken ill she still longed
for Baptism. She importuned Charles so on the subject that just before
her death, he sprinkled her with water in the Name of the Trinity, and
signed the sign of the Cross on her forehead. She died perfectly happy
and at peace, and her devoted life and peaceful death have produced a
great and profound impression in the village.
While talking with David, his old grandmother came in, and she is a
woman of great age, and marvellous energy. She is now a great
grandmother, and a bright, cheery old lady. I asked her how old she
thought she was, and she said she really did not know, but she was very
aged. She said that I had always told her that she “tugi vetu” (was as
hard as flint) and it seemed as if she really was. She comes regularly
to school, but her eyes are so dim that she can only sit and listen.
Several old ladies attend school only to sit and listen, and they take
great interest in coming. In the evening we had Prayers, and a very nice
school afterwards.
So ends my first day, and I hope all the other days I am here may be as
pleasant and as happy.
_Wednesday, September 15th._--A beautiful morning but a strong Trade
wind blowing. After our morning duties here we sailed down to ‘Lobaha’
to see Arudale, Didi and the school there. We pulled the boat up on the
beach, no very easy work with the sand so soft. Most of the boys were
down at the beach and we all went up together to the village. It was a
hot, steep climb and we were very liquid when we got there. The boys
brought us a plentiful supply of young coconuts and with these we
quenched our thirst. I was glad to see the amiability which was
manifested one towards another by our people and the Lobaha folks, for
lately the relations have been somewhat strained.
It appears that not long ago, the chief wife of our Head man took
offence at his scolding her, and ran away to his younger brother who
lives at Lobaha. Our great man was very fond of this wife, for they had
grown up together from childhood, and she had always presided over his
establishment in a most devoted manner. She is most queenly in
deportment, and quite one of the finest native women I have ever seen.
However, she went off, and “Virclumlum” was not only incensed, but very
sorely grieved. He told the boys in most pathetic words how he missed
his wife, how that it seemed unbearable to do without her, how that
everything seemed void and empty now that she was away. However, once
away it seems she was away for good, and very soon a pig arrived and
that he had to accept in lieu of her. For a long time the people here
have never been to Lobaha and contrariwise the Lobaha people here.
However, we have, I hope, broken the ice again, although I am
particularly sorry to lose so nice a woman from the place, and I believe
she has deeply repented already of her conduct and would give worlds to
be back again. I was glad to see a new school in course of erection, and
the old men and women told me they were only waiting for it to be
finished to all coming to school. Herbert has already a nice little
building at his own place, but the people say it is too far away, and
any excuse is enough to keep people away from religious duties. Herbert
shewed me with manifest pride, the most beautiful tool chest sent by his
English “mother” (Miss Mount). He has been trying to use the tools, and
I saw an attempt at some amount of straightness in the new building at
which he was assisting. We stayed some time with him, talking over
matters in connection with the school, &c., and then we made
preparations for home. The wind was blowing strong down the coast, so
that a sail was useless, and we had a heavy pull. However, the boys are
very good oarsmen, and we got along famously. I anchored the boat off
for the night, having use for her again to-morrow. It was a very
miserable evening, the wind blowing in strong gusts, and the threatened
rain falling at short intervals. We had Prayers and a very long
interesting school afterwards. The boys and girls here are very sharp,
and learn very rapidly, and seem to understand well what they read.
There are three classes of Catechumens preparing for Baptism, adults,
boys and girls, all more or less proficient. Altogether, this school is
very cheering, and with such an excellent head teacher as Charles, one
need not fear of its stability.
_Thursday, September 16th._--After our morning duties were over here we
rowed up to “Lo tahi mamavi,” and had school there with a large number
of people, who were very enthusiastic to know more and to be regularly
taught.
There are a nice lot of boys here, and some already know how to read.
The old men I had school with, and they seemed quite delighted to say
the letters one by one, and afterwards to put them together, and find
out that they made Opa words. I told them as far as I could about our
religion, and that I had left home, and all to come and live with them
and teach them, but that Jesus Christ pitied and loved us so much that
He left heaven, and His Father’s glory to come down into our world to
live and die for us. They were very attentive, and asked me to come
again, which I promised to do on Sunday, all being well. They gave us a
handsome present of food according to native custom, and we left for
home. It was raining heavily and we got very wet, but the distance was
not very great. It was a most unpleasant evening, and I was cold and
miserable, and I began to fear ague again. Last night was most wretched,
my house was not properly finished, and the strong gusts of wind blew me
almost out of bed, and brought in clouds of dust. To-day the boys have
been patching up the holes, and it is more snug and comfortable.
_Friday, September 17th._--Fine morning and very close and hot after the
rain. After breakfast I received a visit from an English Trader, who
lives about two miles from me. Poor fellow, in my honour he had put on a
coat, and he was literally running with perspiration when he reached my
house, and he did not succeed in getting cool again before he left
although he stayed some time. He seems to be doing a very fair trade
here in copra, and although he has not been long on the island, he has
already several tons of the dried coconut (copra). After he left I was
attacked with a good-for-nothing fit and did nothing all day. In the
evening I was very queer, and thought I was going to have rheumatism, my
legs were so cold and my limbs generally so frail. However I managed
Evensong and school, and was not sorry to be ready early for bed.
_Saturday, September 18th._--General holiday here. The boys wished me to
take them to Vuinago, fishing, to which I rashly consented. It was a
perfectly windless day and, oh! so hot. We had a long weary pull up, but
were very successful when we got there, and came home late in the
evening with about eighty fish. I was very glad to be able to send ten
to the French Trader, as a return for all his many kindnesses to me, the
rest were divided out to different great people, and about thirty were
kept for to-morrow’s dinner. I was very glad the boys did not forget the
women in their distribution. I had a nice fish for my own tea, a kind of
mackarel. Very soon after dinner it was Prayer time, and I am now
preparing for bed being very tired, sunburnt, and sleepy.
The boys are having great fun over the way, and it is evident the outing
has not had much ill effect on their spirits.
_Sunday, September 19th._--Yesterday was perfectly calm and cloudless,
and to-day again it is blowing very hard, with rain squalls at
intervals. We began the day with school, and then after an interval for
breakfast we had Mattins with a fair congregation. The females are very
enthusiastic and attend very regularly, and the same applies to the
boys, but the older men are very callous. There are one or two who never
miss, but the majority are much more concerned with the affairs of this
world, than about the one thing needful. There are one or two old
fellows who are very regular, and who seem really to like being taught,
but most of the men prefer the free and careless life to which they have
always been accustomed. There are many who feel the beauty of
Christianity, but it is so hard to them to practise it. They think it
is all right for boys and women, but they themselves cannot stand the
bother and burden it entails.
After Prayers we went up to “Tahi mamavi” and found the whole population
awaiting us. We divided them into five sets, two of boys, one of youths,
and two of old men. Charles and I taught the old men, and found them
very attentive. Walter Tarigisibue addressed the youths who seemed
appreciative, and Paschal and Peter taught the boys who were said to
learn very quickly. They asked us to fix a day for coming again, and
said they should expect us every Sunday. I had been feeling sick and
queer all day, and coming home was violently sick in the boat. I got
home as quickly as possible, but the sickness continued, accompanied by
ague, and afterwards strong fever headache, and then strong
perspiration, and this morning, (Monday) convalescence.
However, I am very washed out and good for nothing, and shall rest at
home. I am disappointed however, for I meant to have gone to the other
side of the island in the boat, and had made all my preparations. Now I
must wait a bit.
_Tuesday, September 21st._--Reasonably convalescent again, but weak and
not fit for much. It was a most unpleasant day however, with fitful
squalls of rain and wind, and I could not have gone far even if I had
wanted. The boys were busy planting “Virelumlum’s” yam garden, and were
kept hard at work all day. I was not surprised, for I previously knew it
to be the custom here for the chief’s wives to prepare his food in the
gamal. Generally speaking, women are not admitted within these edifices,
and more especially here, but to-day Virelumlum’s wives, three or four
in number, were busy with the men getting ready the evening meal. I
asked them where they were going to eat themselves, and they said with
some naïvete, “Oh! that is a secondary matter, we have to get our
masters’ dinner ready and shift for ourselves as best we may.” It would
be impossible for them to eat any food cooked in the gamal, and so
religiously have they been brought up under this restriction, that they
would probably sooner die of hunger than attempt to appease their
appetites with what to them is sacred food, or at least forbidden, and
they are more faithful to the laws of men, than was Eve to the law of
God. And, I suppose as spiritual death was the judgment on Eve’s
disobedience, so would physical death be the penalty in case of their
transgression. Human life is not more highly valued here than it is in
Ireland, and a woman’s life is not much accounted of, and death is the
common penalty for very trivial offences. Here it is universally
averred that woman is at the root of all the evil that transpires, and
poor things, they are too often the victims where the men go scott free.
Here the females are much in excess of the males, and naturally polygamy
is widely practised. The big men however, get the lion’s share, and it
is no uncommon thing to find a troop of women in the households of the
chiefs, varying from ten to fifty or even one hundred. All no doubt are
not wives, but slaves and beasts of burden, and these big guns do
nothing themselves but impose all the duties of the house and garden on
their women. I do not think I am maligning the Opa men when I say that I
look upon them as hideously lazy, but of course that results in large
measure from their imposing their own natural duties on others, whom
they find ready or obliged to do it for them. It is quite different at
Maewo, where monogamy now mostly obtains, and where the men take an
active and a man’s share in all out door employments. However Virelumlum
was very active bustling about among his women, and I saw him
shouldering off a big burden of yams, following up the rear of a troop
of preceding females.
Here time seems of no importance and no account, and it wearies me
sometimes to see people squatting about for hours at a time, whistling
or otherwise killing time. It is an ennervating climate no doubt, but
that is no excuse for laziness in people who have been born and brought
up in the country. I often urge laggards and idlers, who make my house a
convenient lounge, to go to work and plant their fences, but as nothing
can be done out of due course, what was, is, and ever must be the same.
In the evening there was a great feast spread for the workers, and the
day finished like all days here, with Evensong and school. This little
village is a bright spot in the surrounding darkness, and I trust in
time its influence for good will be more widely felt than even now. The
attendants at the school seem wonderfully staunch, and the teachers very
earnest, and I pray God that their vigorous instruction may not be lost
on the heathen people around them. But there is the same callousness
attending religious practice as about everything else here, and although
they see the beauty and the benefit of Christianity, the effort is too
great to reduce its blessed precepts to daily practice.
_Wednesday, September 22nd._--By-and-bye I shall have as much trouble
with my white flock, as with the black. The white Traders have got some
feud one against the other because of difference of nationality, and I
had to listen again to accusations from an Englishman against a
Frenchman, as to plots against his life and property. Poor man, he is
new to the business, is doing well, and fancies that he is taking the
bread out of the Frenchmen’s mouths, but there is room for all. I found
he was not only filled with gloomy fears himself, but had imbued the
chief under whom he lives with warlike intentions also, and I had to put
a veto upon any resort to open violence. I told the chief “Tabi,” that
he must keep his hands from all white men, and if he had any complaints
to make, to make them in the proper quarter, and not take the law into
his own hands. He must learn the sacredness of human life, and not rush
to bow and arrow and club for every fancied affront or grievance. As
long as I was here I would do my best to see that peace and harmony
reigned among whites and blacks, but I would countenance no violence or
bloodshed. After this I went to the Frenchman at La[¨n]a[¨n]qa, and he
seemed very surprised to think that he was accused of any ill feeling,
and judging from his good nature I should imagine his surprise was
genuine. However, I said it was very hard if a few white men living on
so large an island, could not live at peace, even if their nationalities
were various, and if they could not agree among themselves, what could
be expected of the natives? I quite like the natty little man, and
certainly he is the best colonist I have ever seen down here. He is a
most handy man and always employed, and as far as industry goes, he sets
the natives a very excellent example. The neatness of his house and
surroundings too, ought to have a good effect.