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The Story of John G. Paton: Chapter 18 - The Visit Of H. M. S. "Cordelia"


      ONE morning, the Tannese, rushing towards me in great excitement, cried, "Missi, Missi, there is a God, or a ship on fire, or something of fear, coming over the sea! We see no flames, but it smokes like a volcano. Is it a Spirit, a God, or a ship on fire? What is it? what is it?"

      One party after another followed in quick succession, shouting the same questions in great alarm, to which I replied, "I cannot go at once; I must dress first in my best clothes; it will likely be one of Queen Victoria's Men-of-war, coming to ask of me if your conduct is good or bad, if you are stealing my property, or threatening my life, or how you are using me?"

      They pled with me to go and see it; but I made much fuss about dressing, and getting ready to meet the great Chief on the vessel, and would not go with them. The two principal Chiefs now came running and asked, "Missi, will it be a ship of war?"

      I called to them, "I think it will; but I have no time to speak to you now, I must get on my best clothes!"

      They said, "Missi, only tell us, will he ask you if we have been stealing your things?"

      I answered, "I expect he will."

      They asked, "And will you tell him?"

      I said, "I must tell him the truth; if he asks, I will tell him."

      They then cried out, "Oh, Missi, tell him not! Everything shall be brought back to you at once, and no one will be allowed again to steal from you."

      Then said I, "Be quick! Everything must be returned before he comes. Away, away! and let me get ready to meet the great Chief on the Man-of-war."

      Hitherto, no thief could ever be found, and no Chief had power to cause anything to be restored to me; but now, in an incredibly brief space of time, one came running to the Mission House with a pot, another with a pan, another with a blanket, others with knives, forks, plates, and all sorts of stolen property. The Chiefs called me to receive these things, but I replied, "Lay them all down at the door, bring everything together quickly; I have no time to speak with you!"

      I delayed my toilet, enjoying mischievously the magical effect of an approaching vessel that might bring penalty to thieves. At last the Chiefs, running in breathless haste, called out to me, "Missi, Missi, do tell us, is the stolen property all here?"

      Of course I could not tell, but, running out, I looked on the promiscuous heap of my belongings, and said, "I don't see the lid of the kettle there yet!"

      One Chief said, "No, Missi, for it is on the other side of the island; but tell him not, I have sent for it, and it will be here to-morrow."

      I answered, "I am glad you have brought back so much; and now, if you three Chiefs, Nauka, Miaki, and Nowar, do not run away when he comes, he will not likely punish you; but, if you and your people run away, he will ask me why you are afraid, and I will be forced to tell him! Keep near me and you are all safe; only there must be no more stealing from me."

      They said, "We are in black fear, but we will keep near you, and our bad conduct to you is done."

      The charm and joy of that morning are fresh to me still, when H. M. S. Cordelia, Captain Vernon, steamed into our lovely Harbor. The Commander, having heard rumor of my dangers on Tanna, kindly came on shore as soon as the ship cast anchor, with two boats, and a number of his officers and men, so far armed. He was dressed in splendid uniform, being a tall and handsome man, and he and his attendants made a grand and imposing show. On seeing Captain Vernon's boat nearing the shore, and the men glittering in gold lace and arms, Miaki the Chief left my side on the beach and rushed towards his village. I concluded that he had run for it through terror, but he had other and more civilized intentions in his Heathen head! Having obtained, from some trader or visitor in previous days, a soldier's old red coat, he had resolved to rise to the occasion and appear in his best before the Captain and his men. As I was shaking hands with them and welcoming them to Tanna, Miaki returned with the short red coat on, buttoned tightly round his otherwise naked body; and, surmounted by his ugly painted face and long whipcords of twisted hair, it completely spoiled any appearance that he might otherwise have had of savage freedom, and made him look a dirty and insignificant creature.

      The Captain was talking to me, his men stood in order near by--to my eyes, oh how charming a glimpse of Home life!--when Miaki marched up and took his place most consequentially at my side. He felt himself the most important personage in the scene, and with an attempt at haughty dignity he began to survey the visitors. All eyes were fixed on the impudent little man, and the Captain asked, "What sort of a character is this?"

      I replied, "This is Miaki, our great war Chief?"; and whispered to the Captain to be on his guard, as this man knew a little English, and might understand or misunderstand just enough to make it afterwards dangerous to me.

      The Captain only muttered, "The contemptible creature!" But such words were far enough beyond Miaki's vocabulary, so he looked on and grinned complacently.

      At last he said, "Missi, this great Chief whom Queen Victoria has sent to visit you in her Man-of-war, cannot go over the whole of this island so as to be seen by all our people; and I wish you to ask him if he will stand by a tree, and allow me to put a spear on the ground at his heel, and we will make a nick in it at the top of his head, and the spear will be sent round the island to let all the people see how tall this great man is!" They were delighted at the good Captain agreeing to their simple request; and that spear was exhibited to thousands, as the vessel, her Commander, officers, and men, were afterwards talked of round and round the island.

      Captain Vernon was extremely kind, and offered to do anything in his power for me, thus left alone on the island amongst such savages; but, as my main difficulties were connected with my spiritual work amongst them, rousing up their cruel prejudices, I did not see his kindness could effectually interpose. At his suggestion, however, I sent a general invitation to all the Chiefs within reach, to meet the Captain next morning at my house. True to their instincts of suspicion and fear, they despatched all their women and and children to the beach on the opposite side of the island, beyond reach of danger, and next morning my house was crowded with armed men, manifestly much afraid. Punctually at the hour appointed, 10 A.M., the Captain came on shore; and soon thereafter twenty Chiefs were seated with him in my house. He very kindly spent about an hour, giving them wise counsels and warning them against outrages on strangers, all calculated to secure our safety and advance the interests of our Mission work. He then invited all the Chiefs to go on board and see his vessel. They were taken to see the Armory, and the sight of the big guns running so easily on rails vastly astonished them. He then placed them round us on deck and showed them two shells discharged towards the ocean, at which, as they burst and fell far off, splash--splashing into the water, the terror of the Natives visibly increased. But, when he sent a large ball crashing through a cocoanut grove, breaking the trees like straws and cutting its way clear and swift, they were quite dumfounded and pled to be again set safely on shore. After receiving each some small gift, however, they were reconciled to the situation, and returned immensely interested in all that they had seen. Doubtless many a wild romance was spun by these savage heads, in trying to describe and hand down to others the wonders of the fire-god of the sea, and the Captain of the great white Queen. How easily it all lends itself to the service of poetry and myth!

Back to John G. Paton index.

See Also:
   Preface
   Chapter 1 - Our Cottage Home
   Chapter 2 - Our Forebears
   Chapter 3 - Consecrated Parents
   Chapter 4 - School Days
   Chapter 5 - Leaving the Old Home
   Chapter 6 - Early Struggles
   Chapter 7 - A City Missionary
   Chapter 8 - Glasgow Experiences
   Chapter 9 - A Foreign Missionary
   Chapter 10 - To the New Hebrides
   Chapter 11 - First Impressions of Heathendom
   Chapter 12 - Breaking Ground on Tanna
   Chapter 13 - Pioneers in the New Hebrides
   Chapter 14 - The Great Bereavement
   Chapter 15 - At Home With Cannibals
   Chapter 16 - Superstitions and Cruelties
   Chapter 17 - Streaks of Dawn Amidst Deeds of Darkness
   Chapter 18 - The Visit Of H. M. S. "Cordelia"
   Chapter 19 - "Noble Old Abraham"
   Chapter 20 - A Typical South Sea Trader
   Chapter 21 - Under Ax And Musket
   Chapter 22 - A Native Saint and Martyr
   Chapter 23 - Building and Printing for God
   Chapter 24 - Heathen Dance and Sham Fight
   Chapter 25 - Cannibals at Work
   Chapter 26 - The Defying of Nahak
   Chapter 27 - A Perilous Pilgrimage
   Chapter 28 - The Plague of Measles
   Chapter 29 - Attacked with Clubs
   Chapter 30 - Kowia
   Chapter 31 - Martyrdom of the Gordons
   Chapter 32 - Shadows Deepening on Tanna
   Chapter 33 - The Visit of the Commodore
   Chapter 34 - The War Chiefs in Council
   Chapter 35 - Under Knife and Tomahawk
   Chapter 36 - The Beginning of the End
   Chapter 37 - Five Hours in a Canoe
   Chapter 38 - A Race for Life
   Chapter 39 - Faint Yet Pursuing
   Chapter 40 - Waiting at Kwamera
   Chapter 41 - The Last Awful Night
   Chapter 42 - "Sail O! Sail O!"
   Chapter 43 - Farewell to Tanna
   Chapter 44 - The Floating of the "Dayspring"
   Chapter 45 - A Shipping Company for Jesus
   Chapter 46 - Australian Incidents
   Chapter 47 - Amongst Squatters and Diggers
   Chapter 48 - John Gilpin in the Bush
   Chapter 49 - The Aborigines of Australia
   Chapter 50 - Nora
   Chapter 51 - Back to Scotland
   Chapter 52 - Tour Through the Old Country
   Chapter 53 - Marriage and Farewell
   Chapter 54 - First Peep at the "Dayspring"
   Chapter 55 - The French in the Pacific
   Chapter 56 - The Gospel and Gunpowder
   Chapter 57 - A Plea for Tanna
   Chapter 58 - Our New Home on Aniwa
   Chapter 59 - House-Building for God
   Chapter 60 - A City of God
   Chapter 61 - The Religion of Revenge
   Chapter 62 - First Fruits on Aniwa
   Chapter 63 - Traditions and Customs
   Chapter 64 - Nelwang's Elopement
   Chapter 65 - The Christ-Spirit at Work
   Chapter 66 - The Sinking of the Well
   Chapter 67 - Rain from Below
   Chapter 68 - The Old Chief's Sermon
   Chapter 69 - The First Book and the New Eyes
   Chapter 70 - A Roof-Tree for Jesus
   Chapter 71 - "Knock The Tevil Out!"
   Chapter 72 - The Conversion of Youwili
   Chapter 73 - First Communion on Aniwa
   Chapter 74 - The New Social Order
   Chapter 75 - The Orphans and Their Biscuits
   Chapter 76 - The Finger-Posts of God
   Chapter 77 - The Gospel in Living Capitals
   Chapter 78 - The Death Of Namakei
   Chapter 79 - Christianity and Cocoanuts
   Chapter 80 - Nerwa's Beautiful Farewell
   Chapter 81 - Ruwawa
   Chapter 82 - Litsi Sore and Mungaw
   Chapter 83 - The Conversion of Nasi
   Chapter 84 - The Appeal of Lamu
   Chapter 85 - Wanted! A Steam Auxiliary
   Chapter 86 - My Campaign in Ireland
   Chapter 87 - Scotland's Free-Will Offerings
   Chapter 88 - England's Open Book
   Chapter 89 - Farewell Scenes
   Chapter 90 - Welcome to Victoria and Aniwa
   Chapter 91 - Good News From Tanna, 1891

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