gathered in considerable numbers on the beach. They were all armed with
spears, and showed an evident dislike to holding intercourse with the
white people. They nourished their spears, pointed them towards the
boats, and made significant gestures for the intruders to depart.
Still, as it was important to speak to the poor savages, Mr Charlton
pulled towards a ledge of rocks which ran out from the shore, and with a
basket full of presents, landed, accompanied by Tatai. The people ran
towards him, threatening with their spears as before. He advanced as if
to meet them, put down the presents, and then retreated. An old man,
who wore a short petticoat of leaves fastened round his waist, and a
pandanus leaf hung from his neck as a sign that he was a chief, was in
front. He stopped, picked up the handkerchiefs, knives, and trinkets
which formed the offering made to him, and, having handed them to his
followers, rushed on, gesticulating furiously, towards the English
officer. Tatai shouted out that the visitors came as friends, but the
only reply he got was, "Go away, go away! we do not want you," spoken in
the native tongue.
This was not encouraging. Mr Charlton, however, was not to be
defeated. Pulling off to a little distance from the shore, he consulted
with Tatai. "If we land without arms and offer them food, that will
show that we wish to be friends," he said. Tatai agreed to this, and
offered to accompany the lieutenant, provided the boat kept near enough
to render them assistance if required.
Again the boat pulled in, and Mr Charlton told Ben that he might land
with him, as the savages would see by a boy being of the party that no
treachery could be intended. Again the boat touched the beach, at a
spot where she could easily be shoved off, and, having deposited his
sword and pistols and rifle in the boat, Mr Charlton with his two
companions proceeded towards a group of natives who had been watching
their proceedings. The natives, instead of coming towards them, seemed
to be holding a consultation together. Mr Charlton and his companions,
seeing this, sat down, and, taking the provisions out of the basket Ben
carried, commenced eating. After a short time, placing the food on a
flat rock, and retiring to a little distance, they made signs to the
natives to come and eat.
The natives now without hesitation came down, led by their old chief,
who took the lion's share of the food, which he seemed to enjoy very
much. When the old man had finished eating, Tatai addressed him. He no
longer said, "go away," but listened attentively. The interpreter told
him that the English had come to his island as friends; that their only
object was to do him good; that they had heard that certain wicked
people in vessels had visited some of the islands in their seas, and
carried off the natives to make slaves of them; and that, as the English
did not like having people made slaves, they were seeking for those bad
men to punish them.
The old chief listened attentively to all that was said, and then made a
long speech, which Tatai translated. He remarked that everything he had
heard was very good; that two suspicious-looking vessels had appeared
off the coast not long before; that several boat-loads of armed men had
attempted to land; but that, a gale springing up at that moment, they
could not effect their purpose, and that the vessels were compelled to
bear away.
Mr Charlton, on this, showed the British flag, and told them that,
while they behaved well, under that flag they would ever find
protection.
The old chief seemed clearly to comprehend what was said. A new light
had burst on him. "How is it that your friends are so great and
powerful, while I am so poor and miserable?" he asked of Tatai.
"Because my friends worship the great and powerful God, who has given
them a Book which makes those who study it wise, while you worship your
wretched gods, who are no gods, and cannot help you or make you wise, or
do you any good," answered the interpreter promptly.
"Then I should like to learn about your God," said the old chief.
Tatai, in reply, promised that he would try and send some one who would
teach them more about the white man's God, and what He desired them to
do, and teach them how to pray to Him.
Mr Charlton was much pleased with what Tatai had said, and promised
that he would also try to have either a native or English missionary
sent to them. He then made more presents to the old chief, made further
inquiries about the vessels of the supposed man-stealers, and, after a
friendly farewell to the old chief and his companions, pulled back to
the ship.
Thus a visit which threatened to prove disastrous, by judicious
management gave promise of being productive of great good to the
islanders.
After this, the Ajax visited several other islands, searching for the
man-stealers. Some were inhabited, others had the remains of huts,
altars, and temples, and had been deserted; and on others no signs of
human beings could be discovered.
CHAPTER TEN.
TELLS ABOUT MISSION WORK.
Mr Martin had, as it may be remembered, promised to give Ben and his
son an account of the introduction of Christianity among the islands of
the Pacific. One day, during a calm, when the ship floated idly on the
ocean, her sails scarcely even flapping against the masts, Tom, on going
below, declared that it was too hot to read or think or sleep, and that
he did not know what he should do with himself.
"It is not too hot to prevent you from listening though, Master Tom,"
said his father, who did not like to see any one idle from any excuse.
"Call Ben Hadden, and I'll tell you and him something which will
interest you, or ought to do so, at all events."
Ben soon came, and the boatswain told him and Tom to sit down just
outside his cabin, where there was more air than inside.
"Now listen, youngsters; I'm not going to throw my breath away on
unwilling ears," he began.
"I am listening, sir," said Ben.
"So am I, father," said Tom, "but I can't promise to keep awake if the
yarn is a long one."
"Don't let me catch you with more than one eye shut at a time, or I'll
be down on you," answered the boatswain. "As I was saying, now listen.
You've heard of Captain Cook, the great navigator, who sailed over and
across these seas in every direction, and found out many islands not
before known to civilised men. His business was to try and discover new
lands, and to do any good he could to the inhabitants, by leaving them
seeds and plants and animals; but there was nothing in his directions
that I know of about teaching them religion. There would not have been
time for him to do much, even if he had had any such instructions,
unless he had carried out missionaries with him; but in those days
missionaries to heathen lands were not so much as thought of in England.
You have heard how Cook was killed by the savages of the Sandwich
Islands, who have now become the most civilised of all the people of
these seas. The descriptions he and his companions gave of the
islanders made some Christian people at home think that, if missionaries
were sent to them, they might be persuaded to become Christians. The
London Missionary Society had just been formed--that was as far back as
1797. The first of their many noble enterprises was to send out
twenty-nine missionaries in the ship Duff, commanded by Captain Wilson.
The greater number settled at Tahiti, where they were well received by
the natives; while others went to Tongatabu, and two of them attempted
to commence a mission at Saint Christina, one of the Marquesas. The
latter mission was, however, soon afterwards abandoned, and has never
since been resumed; and unhappily, as the French have taken possession
of the group, there is not much probability of an English Protestant
mission being established there, whatever the French Protestants may do.
"At Tahiti many years passed before any fruits of the missionaries'
labours were perceived, not indeed till 1813, when some praying natives
were discovered, and a church was formed. From that time, however,
Christianity spread rapidly, and the converted natives were eager to go
forth themselves as missionaries, not only to neighbouring islands, such
as the Paumotre, the Austral, and Hervey groups, but to Raratonga and
Samoa, and, still farther, to the New Hebrides, Loyalty Islands, and New
Caledonia and Penryn Islands.
"The climate of those islands in the Western Pacific, near the equator,
is nearly as hurtful to the constitutions of the inhabitants of the
eastern part of that ocean as to Europeans, and very many native
missionaries have fallen martyrs in the cause of the gospel. In some
instances the English missionaries were the first to land, and
afterwards to employ native agency; in others, the natives were first
sent to a heathen island, and the more highly-educated white men
followed, to complete the work commenced by their dark-skinned brethren.
In many instances the missionaries had long to wait before they saw the
fruit of their labours; in others, the natives at once gladly accepted
the glorious tidings of salvation. In very few have missions been
ultimately abandoned in consequence of the hostility of the natives in
the Eastern Pacific; the Marquesas is the chief exception. In the
Western Pacific the natives have been much more hostile to the
missionaries. This has arisen in consequence of the treatment they have
often received from the crews of whale-ships, and from sandal-wood
traders. These men have been known to carry off natives from one
island, to make them cut sandal-wood on another inhabited by their
mortal foes, and after their task has been accomplished the traders have
left the poor wretches there to be butchered, and often eaten, by their
enemies, to save themselves the trouble of taking them back and paying
them their stipulated reward.
"The history of the establishment of Christianity on many of these
islands is very interesting. The way in which it was introduced into
Raratonga, the largest of the Hervey group, is so in particular. Some
natives of that island had been carried away in a whale-ship, and left
at Aitutaki. Among them was the niece of the principal chief of the
island. At Aitutaki, the great missionary Williams saw them, and,
accompanied by them, after a long search, discovered their island. This
was in 1823. The unfriendly reception he met with from the savage
natives, however, made it impossible for him to remain. Had it not
been, indeed, for the exertions of Tapaeru, the niece of the chief, who
had been carried away, the native teachers who went on shore would have
been murdered. They returned on board; but Papehia, one of their
number, as the ship was about to sail away, volunteered to return.
Tying a book containing a part of the Scriptures in a handkerchief on
his head, and clothed in a shirt and trousers only, this true servant of
Christ swam back, full of faith, to the rocks, on which stood several of
the savages, brandishing their spears. His heart did not falter; he
swam on bravely. He had true faith. He followed your rule, Ben; he was
determined to do right, whatever was to come of it. He knew that it was
right to carry the gospel to these poor savages; he would succeed, or
perish in the attempt. Tapaeru from the first protected him, and
obtained for him the support of her relations. This enabled him to
speak openly to the people, who soon became eager to listen to the
wonderful things he had to narrate. Still, he had much opposition to
contend with. Tinomana, a powerful chief, was the first man of
influence to give up his idols.
"Another native teacher afterwards joined Papehia; and in two years and
a half, under the superintendence of these two native teachers,--
themselves born heathens, and brought up in the darkness of idolatry,
till called into the marvellous light of the gospel,--the whole of the
population of that large island became professedly Christian. It was
here that, soon after this, Mr Williams built his vessel, the Messenger
of Peace, in which he sailed over so large a part of the Pacific. There
are now numerous churches, schools, and a training college, from which
many native missionaries have gone forth to preach the gospel in far
distant islands.
"The conversion of the inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands was still
more extraordinary. From the time that Captain Cook was killed on their
shores, they had been looked on as among the most savage of the people
of the Pacific. The Sandwich Islands, the largest of which is Hawaii,
were ruled by a chief of great talent, who had made himself king of the
whole group, and was called Tamehameha the First. He had entreated
Captain Vancouver, who visited his territories in 1793, to send him
Christian missionaries. No attention, however, was paid to this
request. His son Rihoriho, who became king in 1820, seeing the utter
folly of the religion of his ancestors, without being even urged to do
so by foreigners, of his own accord threw off the gods of his people,
burnt the idols and their temples, and upset the priesthood, and the
whole system connected with it. In this extraordinary proceeding he was
supported by the high priest himself, who acknowledged, when appealed
to, that the gods they had hitherto worshipped were of no power, and
that there was but one God in heaven, the same whom the white men
worshipped.
"It was at this juncture that a band of missionaries arrived from the
United States, sent out by the American Board of Missions. They were
cordially welcomed by the king, most of his chiefs, and the people.
Schools were established, churches built, and in a few years the whole
of the people became nominally Christians, many of them really so; and
civilisation advanced with rapid strides. Among no people, probably,
has it made so much progress in so short a time. Still, I believe that
among the Society Islands, at Raratonga, and other islands of the Hervey
group, true Christianity more extensively prevails.
"The people of Savage Island, who were said to be among the fiercest and
most barbarous of the natives of Polynesia, were converted much in the
same way as those of Raratonga, and they are now simple-minded
Christians, earnest, quiet, and well-behaved.
"In the large island of Tongatabu, and its adjacent islands, great
disappointment was encountered by the first missionaries, who were
ultimately driven away. In 1820, the Wesleyan Missionary Society sent
missionaries there, and by their means the king, George, and the whole
population have professed Christianity. The two societies together have
laboured in the beautiful islands of Samoa, to the north; and there also
Christianity has been generally established.
"Wonderful, also, is the change which has been brought about in a few
years in Fiji, a large and beautiful group of islands lying to the west
of Tonga. The inhabitants are nearly black, and a very fine and
intelligent race of men; but they were even more addicted to cannibalism
than the New Zealanders, and their customs were of the most revolting
and cruel description. Thackombau, the greatest chief among them, was
also a fierce cannibal. Fully aware of the character of the people, a
band of Wesleyan missionaries landed on their shores, and by great
perseverance have succeeded in bringing over a large number of the
population to a knowledge of the truth, including the king himself and
all his family; while the practice of cannibalism is almost, if not
completely, extirpated.
"The numerous groups of islands to the north of New Zealand are known as
Melanesia. The Presbyterian and London Missionary Societies have for a
considerable time been at work in some of these islands. It was on one
of them (Erromanga) that Williams met his death, and that Mr Murray and
some native missionaries were murdered, while many have died of fever.
They have, however, not laboured in vain, and the inhabitants of more
than one island have abandoned idol-worship. To these groups, also, the
Church of England, established in New Zealand, has turned its attention,
under the direction of the Bishop of New Zealand, who made several
voyages among them. Bishop Pattison, with the title of Bishop of
Melanesia, has been especially appointed to superintend the work of
evangelisation connected with them. A vessel called the Southern Cross
makes a cruise twice a year among them. In the spring, she collects
young men from all the islands and carries them to New Zealand, where
they receive instruction in a college established for that purpose. As
they can no more stand the cold climate of New Zealand in the winter
than Europeans can stand the heat of their summer, in the autumn the
Southern Cross carries them back to their own islands, where they
instruct their countrymen in the religious knowledge and the arts they
have learned during their absence. The French have sent Roman Catholic
missionaries to several of these groups. They have taken possession of
Tahiti; and have established colonies there, on the coast of New Guinea,
and in the Marquesas. At Tahiti, the English Protestant missionaries
were for a time prohibited from preaching, and compelled to leave the
island. The greater number of the people, supported by the queen,
remained firm to their Protestant principles; and at length a French
Evangelical Society sent out Protestant pastors, and the people have now
perfect religious liberty, though they remain subject to France.
"Notwithstanding the large number of islands in which Christianity has
been firmly established, it is calculated that there are two hundred and
fifty inhabited islands still sunk in the darkness of idolatry and
savageism, so that there remains a very large amount of work to be done.
There, I have given you a short account of missionary work in the
Pacific. Another day I will get a chart, and show you the places I have
spoken about. I will then tell you more respecting them. You will like
especially to hear of Savage Island, or Niue, which I understand we are
to visit, to inquire about some natives who, it is reported, have been
carried away by the Chilian slavers."
Ben thanked Mr Martin very much for the information he had given him
and Tom, and begged that he would give them a further account of Savage
Island, as he had kindly offered to do.
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
MORE EXPLORATIONS AND ADVENTURES.
Shortly after the events mentioned in a former chapter, the Ajax came in
sight of a cluster of mountains, rising, it seemed, directly out of the
sea, to the height of four thousand feet. It was the island of
Raratonga, of which Mr Martin had told Ben. It is surrounded by a
curious barrier-reef of solid block coral, thirty-five miles in
circumference, and from a quarter of a mile to half a mile broad. At
high water it is completely covered to a depth of four or six feet, but
at low water it is almost bare. This vast reef prevents the sea from
breaking against the island. Outside the reef there is no anchorage
ground, as no cable could fathom the depth. Inside, the water is smooth
and beautifully clear, but no ship of any size can pass through the
reef. There are several passages for canoes and boats, and one for a
vessel of forty-five tons. This is, however, a very great advantage to
the inhabitants in a social point of view, as it prevents the
establishment of a seaport town in their island, while, at the same
time, they can enjoy intercourse with the rest of the world. This was
the very island of which Mr Williams had heard, and which he so long
looked for before he found it. Here the missionary Papehia landed
alone, trusting in Jehovah, among its then savage inhabitants. It was
here the great missionary Williams spent many months, and built
single-handed the schooner--the Messenger of Peace mentioned before--in
which he crossed over so many thousand miles of the Pacific Ocean, to
carry the glad tidings of great joy to many of the numerous islands
scattered over it. It was here that a fierce chief, Tinomana, became a
humble, lowly-minded Christian, and died strong in the faith. This is
the island, the inhabitants of which were among the fiercest of all the
isles of the Pacific, and are now among the most consistent and truest
Christians. It has sent out more missionaries than any other to convert
the heathen of the isles of the Pacific. It contains a training college
for missionaries, with numerous churches and schools. The houses of the
inhabitants are well-built, neat, and clean; and it is hardly too much
to say that, in the same space, and among an equal number of people
living together in any part of the world, a larger proportion of true
and consistent Christians will not be found.
As soon as the frigate hove to, near the land, several canoes came off
to welcome the well-known flag. The natives were decently dressed in
shirts and trousers, with straw hats; and their manner was particularly
quiet and at the same time cheerful. They offered to bring off any
provisions which might be required; but the captain wished himself to go
on shore, and said that he could then purchase what he wanted. Two
whalers were at the time standing off and on the land, while their boats
were on shore. Ben was glad to find that three boats from the frigate
were going on shore, to one of which he belonged. A native pilot in his
boat led the way, the captain's gig following; but, as the wind was
light and the tide high, there was no difficulty in passing through the
barrier, and, once inside, the boats were in smooth water.
The officer on landing was met by a respectable-looking native, who
announced himself as the salesman of the station, putting out his right
hand, and saying, "_Ria-ora-na_!" (Blessings on you.) The officers
were then conducted to the market-house, where there were stores of
bananas, yams, pumpkins, potatoes, cocoa-nuts, fowls, and various other
articles. The purser of the frigate then stated the quantity of
provisions he required. The salesman informed him of the current price,
a calculation was made, the money was paid, and the salesman undertook
to engage native boats, in which everything was taken off in excellent
condition.
The captain first visited the mission establishment. It consisted of a
centre building, and a great number of small houses. These were the
residences of the married students; every single student had a room to
himself. Nearly two hundred students have been educated at the college.
A very important part of the establishment is the printing-press, which
supplies with a number of valuable works, not only Raratonga, but
numerous other islands of the Pacific where the dialect of the
inhabitants is understood. The students also consist, not only of
natives of the Hervey Islands, but young men from far distant places.
In each village there are schools and churches and native pastors.
Children also are brought from other islands to the chief school, under
the English missionary, to receive instruction. Thus from this once
savage country the true light now shines forth over a wide circle of the
Pacific--that light brought to those shores by the once heathen Papehia!
When the boats got back to the frigate, Ben found that the captain of
one of the whalers, the Grand Turk, was on board. Captain Judson--that
was his name--was well-known to Mr Martin, who had once sailed with
him. He was waiting to see Captain Bertram, to prefer some request or
other. He was evidently a rough style of man, and was complaining much
of the way he had been treated the day before, which was Sunday.
"Two boats were sent on shore, but none of the people were to be seen,"
said Captain Judson. "There were a number of neat, whitewashed houses
in rows, some way from the beach, and near them three larger buildings.
One had a tower. After waiting for some time, people came streaming out
of the door of the building with the tower, all neatly dressed in
cottons or native cloths.
"`Why, they look just as if they were coming out of church,' said one of
my men, who had never been out in these parts before, and thought all
the people were savages and cannibals. After some time, a white
gentleman appeared in a black dress. `And there comes the parson, I do
declare!' he added.
"The first mate, who had charge of the party, on this went up to the
gentleman, and told him what we had come for.
"`I am very glad to hear it,' said the gentleman. `I have no doubt that
to-morrow morning the people will bring you all you require.'
"`To-morrow won't do--we want the things to-day; we must be off again
this evening,' said the mate, in an angry tone, for of course he was
vexed.