Part 11 (1/2)
I replied, ”As he has got the blankets which I saved to keep me from ague and fever, and I have nothing left now but the clothes I have on, surely you will give me paddles.”
Nowar gave me one. Returning to the village, friends gave me one each till I got other three. Now Arkurat started up, and refused to let us go. A Chief and one of his men, who lived on the other side of the island near to where we were going, and who was hired by me to go with us and help in paddling the canoe, drew back also and refused to go.
Again I offered to leave the canoe, and walk overland if possible, when Faimungo, the Chief who had refused to go with us, came forward and said, ”Missi, they are all deceiving you! The sea is so rough, you cannot go by it; and if you should get round the weather point, Miaki has men appointed to shoot you as you pa.s.s the Black Rocks, while by land all the paths are guarded by armed men. I tell you the truth, having heard all their talk. Miaki and Karewick say they hate the Wors.h.i.+p, and will kill you. They killed your goats, and stole all your property yesterday. Farewell!”
The Teachers, the boy, and I now resolved to enter the canoe and attempt it, as the only gleam of hope left to us. My party of five embarked in our frail canoe; Abraham first, I next, Matthew after me, the boy at the steering paddle, and Abraham's wife sitting in the bottom, where she might hold on while it continued to float. For a mile or more we got away nicely under the lee of the island, but when we turned to go south for Mr. Mathieson's Station, we met the full force of wind and sea, every wave breaking over and almost swamping our canoe. The Native lad at the helm paddle stood up crying, ”Missi, this is the conduct of the sea! It swallows up all who seek its help.”
I answered, ”We do not seek help from it, but from Jehovah Jesus.”
Our danger became very great, as the sea broke over and lashed around us. My faithful Aneityumese, overcome with terror, threw down their paddles, and Abraham said, ”Missi, we are all drowned now! We are food for the sharks. We might as well be eaten by the Tannese as by fishes; but G.o.d will give us life with Jesus in heaven!”
I seized the paddle nearest me; I ordered Abraham to seize another within his reach; I enjoined Matthew to bail the canoe for life, and the lad to keep firm in his seat, and I cried, ”Stand to your post, and let us return! Abraham, where is now your faith in Jesus? Remember, He is Ruler on sea as on land. Abraham, pray and ply your paddle! Keep up stroke for stroke with me, as our lives depend on it. Our G.o.d can protect us. Matthew, bail with all your might. Don't look round on the sea and fear. Let us pray to G.o.d and ply our paddles, and He will save us yet!”
Dear old Abraham said, ”Thank you for that, Missi. I will be strong. I pray to G.o.d and ply my paddle. G.o.d will save us!”
With much labor, and amid deadly perils, we got the canoe turned; and after four hours of a terrible struggle, we succeeded, towards daylight as the tide turned, in again reaching smooth water. With G.o.d's blessing we at last reached the sh.o.r.e, exactly where we had left it five hours ago!
Now drenched and weary, with the skin of our hands sticking to the paddles, we left the canoe on the reef and waded ash.o.r.e. Many Natives were there, and looked sullen and disappointed at our return. Katasian, the lad who had been with us, instantly fled for his own land; and the Natives reported that he was murdered soon after. Utterly exhausted, I lay down on the sand and immediately fell into a deep sleep. By and by I felt someone pulling from under my head the native bag in which I carried my Bible and the Tannese translations--the all that had been saved by me from the wreck! Grasping the bag, I sprang to my feet, and the man ran away. My Teachers had also a hedging knife, a useless revolver, and a fowling-piece, the sight of which, though they had been under the salt water for hours, G.o.d used to restrain the savages.
Calling my Aneityumese near, we now, in united prayer and kneeling on the sands, committed each other unto the Lord G.o.d, being prepared for the last and worst.
CHAPTER x.x.xVIII.
A RACE FOR LIFE.
As I sat meditating on the issues, Faimungo, the friendly Inland Chief, again appeared to warn us of our danger, now very greatly increased by our being driven back from the sea. All Nowar's men had fled, and were hid in the bush and in rocks along the sh.o.r.e; while Miaki was holding a meeting not half a mile away, and preparing to fall upon us. Faimungo said, ”Farewell, Missi, I am going home. I don't wish to see the work and the murders of this morning.”
He was Nowar's son-in-law. He had always been truthful and kindly with me. His home was about half-way across the island, on the road that we wanted to go, and under sudden impulse I said, ”Faimungo, will you let us follow you? Will you show us the path? When the Mission s.h.i.+p arrives, I will give you three good axes, blankets, knives, fish-hooks, and many things you prize.”
The late hurricanes had so destroyed and altered the paths, that only Natives who knew them well could follow them. He trembled much and said, ”Missi, you will be killed. Miaki and Karewick will shoot you. I dare not let you follow. I have only about twenty men, and your following might endanger us all.”
I urged him to leave at once, and we would follow of our own accord. I would not ask him to protect us; but if he betrayed us and helped the enemy to kill us, I a.s.sured him that our G.o.d would punish him. If he spared us, he would be rewarded well; and if we were killed against his wishes, G.o.d would not be angry at him. He said, ”Seven men are with me now, and thirteen are to follow. I will not now send for them. They are with Miaki and Nouka. I will go; but if you follow, you will be killed on the way. You may follow me as far as you can.”
Off he started to Nowar's, and got a large load of my stolen property, blankets, sheets, etc., which had fallen to his lot. He called his seven men, who had also shared in the plunder, and, to avoid Miaki's men, they ran away under a large cocoanut grove skirting the sh.o.r.e, calling, ”Be quick! Follow and keep as near to us as you can.”
Though Nowar had got a box of my rice and appropriated many things from the plunder of the Mission House besides the goods entrusted to his care, and got two of my goats killed and cooked for himself and his people, yet now he would not give a particle of food to my starving Aneityumese or myself, but hurried us off, saying, ”I will eat all your rice and keep all that has been left with me, in payment for my lame knee and for my people fighting for you!”
My three Aneityumese and I started after Faimungo and his men. We could place no confidence in any of them; but, feeling that we were in the Lord's hands, it appeared to be our only hope of escaping instant death.
We got away un.o.bserved by the enemies. We met several small parties of friends in the Harbor, apparently glad to see us trying to get away. But about four miles on our way, we met a large party of Miaki's men, all armed, and watching as outposts. Some were for shooting us, but others hesitated. Every musket was, however, raised and leveled at me. Faimungo poised his great spear and said, ”No, you shall not kill Missi to-day.
He is with me.” Having made this flourish, he strode off after his own men, and my Aneityumese followed, leaving me face to face with a ring of leveled muskets.
Sirawia, who was in command of this party, and who once, like Nowar, had been my friend, said to me, Judas like, ”My love to you, Missi.” But he also shouted after Faimungo, ”Your conduct is bad in taking the Missi away; leave him to us to be killed!” I then turned upon him, saying, ”Sirawia, I love you all. You must know that I sought only your good. I gave you medicine and food when you and your people were sick and dying under measles; I gave you the very clothing you wear. Am I not your friend? Have we not often drunk tea and eaten together in my house? Can you stand there and see your friend shot? If you do, my G.o.d will punish you severely.”
He then whispered something to his company which I did not hear; and, though their muskets were still raised, I saw in their eyes that he had restrained them. I therefore began gradually to move backwards, still keeping my eyes fixed on them, till the bush hid them from my view, whereon I turned and ran after my party, and G.o.d kept the enemy from following. We trusted in Jehovah Jesus, and pressed on in flight.
A second hostile party encountered us, and with great difficulty we also got away from them. Soon thereafter a friendly company crossed our path.
We learned from them that the enemies had slaughtered other two of Manuman's men, and burned several villages with fire. Another party of the enemy encountered us, and were eager for our lives. But this time Faimungo withstood them firmly, his men encircled us, and he said, ”I am not afraid now, Missi; I am feeling stronger near my own land!”
CHAPTER x.x.xIX.