see the last of me, and A. P. Huqe and myself sat some time after our
farewells had been said, deliberating the stupendous undertaking of
getting to Tanrig. We were both much refreshed by our stay on board, and
quite ready for our stay on shore again. I shall certainly not want for
medical comforts and dainties, or even medicines, for the Bishop was
kindness itself in lading me with one good thing after another, until my
paraphernalia of travel have increased to the no small consternation of
my bearers. When the vessel was well away we made our start, and with
the expenditure of most of our strength, and certainly of all our
moisture, we got at length to the top of the first hill. Then it was all
plain sailing, and we got to Ruosi, where we rested and bathed. In that
refreshing water I seemed to have left all my ailments and distresses,
and I was quite another being when I started again for Tanrig. Hither we
arrived in due course, and Huqe, too, seemed quite like another being.
It is so nice getting back here again, with the cool invigorating air
and the cheery welcoming faces all so pleasant. I miss Arthur, though,
very much, and now that Patrick has gone in the ship, the place is
almost devoid of teachers, ourselves excepted. The first evening ashore
was fine, and the moon shone out brightly as we were coming from
Prayers.
_Friday, October 8th._--It rained very heavily during the night, and
this morning and all day it blew very hard, with heavy rain squalls at
intervals. I did not go out all day, and indeed, I had enough to keep me
at home. The people were away busy with their gardens, and the women at
home preparing the food for the men. I had almost interminable visits
from one and another, during the day, to see the pictures which I had
taken of the place, and which Dr. Codrington has printed and sent down
to me. They were quite charmed with them, and were much more clever in
finding out faces and details, than ever I expected they would be. The
day drew rapidly to a close, and the evening was fairly pleasant, but
somewhat cold and damp. We had a fair attendance at evening school, and
I gave them an address instead of school.
_Saturday, October 9th._--A thoroughly wet and disagreeable day. The
rain poured down, and the village looked as if it were going to be
flooded. It kept on, too, without intermission almost the whole day, and
I could not stir out of doors. However, I had plenty of occupation, and
the time passed rapidly. It cleared slightly towards evening, and it was
fine overhead for Evensong. Nothing seems to keep these hardy people
indoors, and most of them have been paddling about all day in their taro
gardens, utterly regardless of the state of the elements. In spite of
all inconveniences we had quite a large evening congregation, and few
seemed the worse in any way for the unpleasant day. It was a cold, raw
evening, and I am not sorry that bed-time is so near.
_Sunday, October 10th._--The day somewhat finer overhead, but still very
squally and boisterous. As soon as I was up and dressed we had morning
school, with a large and general attendance. The first two classes are
supposed to say their Sunday Collect at this school, and answer
questions on it. The school begins with a Hymn and Prayer, and finishes
with the Lord’s Prayer and the Grace. The third class learn the Church
Catechism, and the remainder of the school read from a small manual
containing the first seven chapters of S. Matthew’s Gospel. The school
lasts about an hour. After breakfast we had Morning Prayer, a very nice
service, and I Baptized the infant son of Thomas and Lily by name and
special request--Penny. A. P. Huqe, Harry, and Agnes stood sponsors. The
Font was very tastefully and prettily decorated by Arthur, and the
service was very solemn.
After Matins I assembled the Catechumens for instruction, and I told
them that I wished everyone present fully to make up his or her mind to
the dignity, the solemnity, and responsibility of what they were
undertaking. They are the last unbaptized inhabitants of Tanrig, and of
their own accord have pressed for Baptism. They number over twenty, and
seem very much in earnest, especially the older men and women. It is
most gratifying to me, and a matter for which I cannot sufficiently
thank God, that just at the end of this era of my missionary life, I
should see such zeal and earnestness exhibited by the people among whom
I have worked so long, and apparently with so little result. I shall
leave behind me here, please God, an entirely Christian village, in
profession at least, and I trust in reality also. There are one or two I
wanted to leave out, but they seem so anxious to be Baptized, that I
leave their future with God and the blessing of His spirit, and accede
to their request. We have here now, all the organizations of a Christian
community, a good school, an excellent Church, and a zealous
congregation. Surely one can labour on steadfast and unmoveable, seeing
that one’s labour is not in vain in the Lord. At other stations also,
people are crying out for Baptism, and before I leave, please God, I
shall admit many into the Fold of Christ’s Flock.
It was too wet to get about during the afternoon, but we had our usual
social meal in the school-house, and in due course, Evensong. This was
one of the heartiest and most inspiriting services I have ever known
here, and the congregation felt the same, the singing, the responses and
all, went with a swing and harmony which shewed that the people’s hearts
were in it. I gave a discourse on the Gospel for the day, the story of
the widow’s son at Nain, and likened them to the young man, and Christ
coming and touching the bier and saying stop! to the powers of evil who
were carrying them, dead in trespasses and sins, out to their burial.
The young man sat up and began to speak, and our first act, when
delivered from the wrath to come, should be to sit up and speak and
declare God’s praises for all He has done for us in His dear Son our
Saviour. We had singing afterwards, and then dispersed for the night. A
great many of the congregation lingered outside, to wish me good-night.
Thank God for these real days, how different to the old heathen times,
when the people were still lying in the darkness and shadow of death.
God grant that they may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and
be filled with His fulness and grace.
_Monday, October 11th_, was much finer, and the sun shone out in rich
splendour. The people at this time of the year are very busy planting
their yam gardens, and every day they are at work from morning until
night. The men do the toiling part, the women the cooking. They work in
parties, and many hands make light work. The harmonium being out of
order I stayed to try and mend it. I was interrupted in the midst of my
work by visitors from Tasmouri and Tasmate, and retired to my house to
talk with them. When they left I finished my job, and was far more
successful than ever I dared to hope. The bellows had burst, and the
wind escaped in such quantities that it was hard to get any music at all
out of the instrument. I could only make a patch up affair of it, but it
was so far successful that a volume of sound was emitted such as I have
never heard from it before, and the addition to the singing in the
evening was very marked. I had intended to have made an excursion during
the day, but it was too late when I had finished, and I had to content
myself at home. After Evensong I took the Catechumens for a lesson, and
afterwards joined my own class in the school previous to the Roll Call.
The evening was fine, but blustery and raw, and I fancy the people were
tired, for there was quietness soon after school.
_Tuesday, October 12th._--Very rough, squally morning and a terribly
windy night. Sometimes I fancied I was going to be blown over altogether
in my frail native hut. However, these little tenements stand a great
deal, and here I am safe and sound at the beginning of a new day.
After early Morning Prayer we had our usual school, and breakfast
followed. I have no refreshment before this meal, and sometimes I feel a
little famished, but am generally ready for the breakfast when it comes.
It is not a very sumptuous meal at the best of times, plain rice and a
cup of coffee, but it does very well, and stops the craving of the
appetite as well as anything else. The strange thing is that at home I
scarcely ever touch rice, having a positive aversion to it, but here I
make my breakfast on it nine mornings out of ten.
After breakfast I had school with a very earnest Candidate for Baptism
who comes from Mandurvat, and wished for special instruction. I hope I
managed to explain to him any difficulties he has experienced in the
nature and meaning of the service. When he was dismissed I wended my way
with some of the boys to Ruosi, where I bathed and washed my clothes. I
do not know what it was, but when I got home I was quite exhausted, and
somehow I don’t feel as strong as I did at the beginning of the season.
We had very hearty Evensong, and a nice class with the Catechumens, who,
I think, are very much in earnest, especially the older men. There are
about twenty in this class, the last remnant of the heathen population.
With their Baptism, Tanrig will cease to have any remains of heathenism,
and in name at least will be able to call itself Christian. The usual
school was held, and the first two classes were engaged in solving the
mysteries of simple addition, one of the girls succeeding in doing a six
line sum without a fault. This same girl, Emily by name, is rather a
creditable production for this out of the world place. She reads well,
answers well, and writes well, besides being quite an adept at figures.
A couple of years at Norfolk Island would make a very useful woman of
her. There are seven others in her class who all are very fair scholars,
and take their turn at teaching.
_Wednesday, October 13th._--Very fine morning and very warm. After our
morning duties were over there was soon a dead silence over the village,
the people all going off to their several occupations in their gardens.
I busied myself, and got very hot over a little simple carpentering--but
oh! the tools, they were so blunt and so rusty. However, I managed to do
fairly well what I wanted to do, viz. to enlarge the Communion table,
and generally to give a more Churchy appearance to the East end of our
Church. I proposed to myself a bathe after my labours were over, but I
was too exhausted, and stayed at home in preference. However, the shades
of evening soon stole on, and my little cooks came to get my dinner,
which, frugal as it was, I enjoyed with the best of sauce--hunger. The
evening was calm and fine, and I sat outside my house and enjoyed myself
with a book. In the evening they came to tell me of the death of a poor
heathen woman who has lately come here, and has been for years past a
confirmed invalid. Poor thing! the women came back in the evening to
find her cold and stiff in death, without a soul near her to say a word
of comfort or to close her eyes in dying. She was buried in the
moonlight, and her memory consigned to oblivion with her body. Her sad
story afforded me a fitting text for the Catechumens afterwards, which I
trust was not unproductive of seasonable lessons and wholesome and
solemn warnings. Our singing school subsequently was very nice, after
which everyone seemed glad to turn in for the night.
_Thursday, October 14th._--Fine bright morning, and a most beautiful day
with a strong Trade wind blowing. After our morning duties I was left
alone, the people being away almost at once to their gardens. They work
very hard at this season, and the men do the heaviest part of the
labour. At present they are engaged in fence making, usually here with
bamboos, and very neatly they make them. It is very hot, fatiguing work
for them in the broiling sun, but I suppose habit has so far become
second nature with them, that they don’t seem to notice the heat or mind
a little extra perspiration. The cool waters of the river always afford
a grateful and refreshing anticipation when the work is once over.
I amused myself with making a Cross to surmount the Communion table, and
give a little more of a sacred nature to the Chancel of the Church. With
my poor tools and limited necessaries at my disposal I flattered myself
that I had done fairly well, and I afterwards attempted a picture
gallery on the walls of my house, which has attracted all the boys in
the village this evening, and they have taken more interest in these
pictures than ever I have seen them before display. The launching of a
life boat, and the English Bishops have been the chief attractions, and
everyone, I think, has counted over the Bishops dozens of times. There
being no one here in the afternoon I went alone to the river and enjoyed
a refreshing bath. This evening it is blowing heavily, but there is a
good moon and it is fine overhead. Instruction to the Catechumens, and
the evening school finished a nice day.
_Friday, October 15th._--After our morning duties here and breakfast I
started with a party of four for Tasmouri. It had rained a little
during the night, and the bush was still wet this morning. The sun,
however, shone out in Tropical brilliancy, and travelling was very
unpleasant. The hottest time is just after a shower, and to-day proved
no exception to the native idea on the subject. I don’t know when I have
felt so hot and disinclined for exertion. However, the journey had to be
made, and on I went somewhat mechanically. We arrived in due course at a
rippling brook which the natives call “Na Marou,” and here we refreshed
ourselves with its cooling waters and quaffed away our thirst. We
rested, too, awhile, and then shouldering our impedimenta on we trudged
again. The dense bush afforded a grateful shade generally, but every now
and then we came out into the open glade, and we felt by experience for
how much we were indebted to the shelter from the sun’s rays. Our next
resting place was “Qaruqatu,” and then we were in a very liquid
condition, and could gladly have lain down and given up further exertion
for the day, but we were not half-way to our destination yet, and when
we had cooled a bit we moved on to the village, where we found the “Uta”
natives awaiting our arrival. They had prepared food for us and procured
a good supply of coconuts, and we stopped for some time with them.
However, the day was hastening on to-night, and we were driven to move
on when we would willingly have sat on in idleness and inactivity. We
started again for “Vanua garaqa” where the school house is, and there I
found my friend and teacher “Takele,” whom I was going to Baptize on
Sunday, and with whom I was anxious to have some previous conversation.
He is a good man, and a staunch, and “Uta” owes him a great deal for his
steadfast and consistent upholding of the Truth, and his fearless and
bold protestations against evil. He had also food and coconuts ready for
us, and I am afraid I went to sleep for a while, as the boys were
refreshing the inner man. However, we were not yet at our journey’s end,
and shouldering our traps, on we went again.
After leaving Uta there is a very steep descent, really down the face of
the cliff, Tasmouri being on the other side of the island to windward.
The road, however, is good, if somewhat precipitous, and my poor long
shins ached again before I got to the bottom. Yet we did get to the
bottom, and there we found a most lovely natural bathing place, the
delight and comfort of which we were not long in testing. One can
imagine how refreshing it must inevitably be to get off one’s dripping
garments, and get under a cool and delicious shower-bath. I felt much
more “fit” when I got on my walking garments again and prepared for
another advance towards Tasmouri, which I must say has never seemed so
far and the journey towards it so fatiguing. We found Samuel and the
Tasmouri people waiting from the village, and of course had food and
drink in readiness for us. It was very cool and nice there, and being
now near our destination we were not in a great hurry to move. Tasmouri,
however, was reached towards evening, but oh! how hot the place is! a
change of raiment scarcely mended matters, and I was soon almost as
liquid as before. My evening meal made matters worse, and didn’t I long
for a little grateful coolness? However, that seems an unknown quantity,
and I gave up the idea of discovering it more here than anywhere else.
Evensong followed in due course, and afterwards I had the Catechumen
class for a short instruction. When these duties were over I was fit for
bed, and this is the reason of the shortness and scantiness of my
account of this day.
_Saturday, October 16th._--At Tasmouri. Most beautiful morning, but oh!
so hot. Within doors it was absolutely unbearable, and I was glad when
the people proposed to go to the seaside. The place selected was
“Ro[¨n]onawo,” and there it was bearably cool. A “Guardian” supplied me
with companionship, and it proved to be so pleasant there that we spent
most of the day, the boys bathing, fishing, and generally enjoying life,
and I reading and seeking new names for the Baptismal Candidates. The
heat again in the evening when we came home was very oppressive, and so
great had it been in the house during the day that my candle I found all
melted and doubled down in the candlestick.
My dinner did not mend matters, but rather made the heat the hotter. I
could not get cool for the life of me, and I had to grin and bear the
discomfort. I do not know a much hotter place than Tasmouri and trust I
never may, the wonder is how people live there at all. The fact I
suppose is that the natives live very little within doors except at
night, but during the day are engaged in their gardens, or otherwise
enjoying the free and easy life to which they are the heirs by nature.
It was intensely hot at Evensong, and oh! how one sighed for relief! An
interesting Class with the Catechumens finished a pleasant day, on the
whole, in spite of the heat. While we were at Evensong, and even while
praying for her, one of the Christian young women, by name “Nesta,” was
given a happy issue out of all her afflictions. She has been lying in a
state ‘twixt life and death for more than two months, and died this
evening. She was one of the first baptized here, and a nice, clever girl
she was, and a great favourite. The people asked me to bury her
to-night, and I consented. About midnight the grave was finished, and I
went with the people to the graveside. A weird, but picturesque scene it
was, the moon in full splendour high up in the heavens, the blazing
native torches casting a lurid glare upon the quiet figure of the dead,
resting in her final bed and wrapped in native mats, the husband
seemingly heart-broken, wailing beside the open grave, the women sobbing
all around, myself with a lantern and vested in a surplice at the head
of the grave, and the people all subdued and solemn around. I read the
Burial Service, and when I came to “earth to earth,” “ashes to ashes,”
“dust to dust,” Samuel threw on the earth according to custom, and at
the end of the service we sang a funeral hymn, which sounded very solemn
in the strange stillness of the night. I gave an address to the people,
and words never seem to me more appropriate, and apposite than on this
occasion. When I had finished my part of the service I came away, and
left the grave diggers to their unenviable duty.
_Sunday, October 17th._--Most glorious morning and meltingly hot. We had
school before breakfast, and I took a class of adult women. I was quite
surprised at their readiness in the Church Catechism, which they said by
heart from beginning to end. The Collect also they had got by heart and
read with great facility. With the proficiency of the school generally I
was amply satisfied, and teaching has evidently not been thrown away on
the majority of the scholars. After breakfast we had Prayers, and the
discomfort of the heat was not lessened by the hateful buzz and presence
of the blue bottles. The service was hearty and comforting, however, and
I asked the Catechumens to stay afterwards.
With them I had a nice class, and was satisfied that they were in
earnest. One man who has two wives, and has long held out against
Baptism, has now given in and put away one of his wives. It is a
peculiarly hard case, as he has children by both, and the women have
both lived with him for a great number of years. Both offered to go, and
gave him his free choice as to the one he chose to retain and which to
banish. He chose the elder of the two, his first wife, and the other
consequently left, but I could not help being sorry for them all, and at
the earnest supplication of the divorced wife I admitted her and her
young child to Holy Baptism. It was no inconsiderable pang to the
husband to relinquish his second wife, and I could see that the
sacrifice both he and she were making had cost them a great deal of
suffering, but the rule is hard and fast, and I could not go beyond our
invariable practice to admit a man with one wife only to the Rites of
our Holy Church.
In the evening I Baptized seventeen people of all sizes, ages, and
sexes, and Tasmouri now lays claim to the proud title of being the first
entirely Christian village in Maewo. It has not now a single heathen
member, and I thank God and take courage from the success which His Word
has had here through His Grace, and to Him alone be the honour and
glory.
After the Baptism, and at the end of Evensong, I gave an address, and
was listened to with marked attention, and I pray God my words may not
have been spoken in vain. It was indeed to me an occasion of rejoicing
in the Spirit, and I do not think I shall soon forget the reality and
heartiness of that service. As I sat here in my house afterwards, all
the newly Baptized came to bid me good-night, and the woman and child
who were going into new quarters were not among the last or the least
grateful for the events of the evening, for their present loss will be
their eternal gain, and to have Jesus as Friend and Husband must
compensate any one, with a grain of mustard-seed faith in their hearts,
for the loss of husband and earthly father. None the less I could not
help feeling sorry for the pretty, gentle creature who will begin
henceforth a new and different life--this, of course, humanly speaking.
I was very tired when the day was over, and everyone seemed glad that
resting time had come.
_Monday, October 18th._--Fine, indeed glorious day, but consequently
very hot. According to standing custom here, I gave a whole holiday to
the school and, we went for our usual picnic. The fatted pig was killed,
and we all proceeded to Ro[¨n]onawo to prepare it for dinner. The women
did the cooking, the men lending ready and very efficient aid in getting
and cutting firewood, &c. A book gave me employment throughout the day,
and there was a good deal to interest one going on. The scene was far
from being unanimated and devoid of interest, and the day soon hastened
on to its termination and natural darkness. The ovens were opened in due
course, and disgorged their plentiful contents. After grace the food was
distributed, and before long we were wending our way homewards.
After Evensong a request was brought me that the people might have a
dance, and of course I consented. There was not a very numerous company
of dancers, but they kept up their energy for an hour or two in a
manner in which I should be very sorry to imitate them, and the result
may be imagined in a place where the smallest movement throws you into a
bath of perspiration. This evening appeared those mysterious things like
seaworms. They only come about one night in the year, but the people not
only know the very night of their appearance, but almost the very hour.
When they are expecting them they get ready a peculiar kind of deep
basket with a wide mouth, and long cane torches, and when these worms of
the sea are observed, the people shovel them by handsful into their
baskets, and great quantities are in this way taken. They are of course
esteemed a great delicacy, and by cooking and re-cooking, they are kept
for a very long time as an accompaniment to their different kinds of
food. Their flavour is somewhat peculiar, but by no means disagreeable,
and I can quite understand a native esteeming them a delicacy. Their
wormy nature, I am afraid, gives me a false sentiment against their
niceness. Considerable numbers were secured this evening, but the “haul”
was said not to be a very successful one.