“POLYNESIANS IN QUEENSLAND.—The Marquis of Normanby, the new Governor
of Queensland, has completed his inspection of the northern districts
of the colony. It is stated that at Mackay, one of the best
sugar-growing districts, his Excellency saw a good deal of the
Polynesians. In the course of a speech to those who entertained him
there, the Marquis said:—‘I have been told that the means by which
Polynesians were obtained were not legitimate, but I have failed to
perceive this, in so far at least as Queensland is concerned; and, if
one can judge by the countenances and manners of the Polynesians, they
experience no regret at their position.’ But his Excellency pointed out
the advantage of giving them religious instruction. It would tend to
set at rest an uneasy feeling which at present existed in the country
to know that they were inclined to retain the Polynesians, and teach
them religion.”
I feel that comment is unnecessary, and will therefore conclude with
one word of thanks to the reader who may have had the patience to
follow me through my adventures without losing his temper; but with
two, for any who may write at once to the Secretary of the Erewhon
Evangelisation Company, limited (at the address which shall hereafter
be advertised), and request to have his name put down as a shareholder.
_P.S_.—I had just received and corrected the last proof of the
foregoing volume, and was walking down the Strand from Temple Bar to
Charing Cross, when on passing Exeter Hall I saw a number of
devout-looking people crowding into the building with faces full of
interested and complacent anticipation. I stopped, and saw an
announcement that a missionary meeting was to be held forthwith, and
that the native missionary, the Rev. William Habakkuk, from——(the
colony from which I had started on my adventures), would be introduced,
and make a short address. After some little difficulty I obtained
admission, and heard two or three speeches, which were prefatory to the
introduction of Mr. Habakkuk. One of these struck me as perhaps the
most presumptuous that I had ever heard. The speaker said that the
races of whom Mr. Habakkuk was a specimen, were in all probability the
lost ten tribes of Israel. I dared not contradict him then, but I felt
angry and injured at hearing the speaker jump to so preposterous a
conclusion upon such insufficient grounds. The discovery of the ten
tribes was mine, and mine only. I was still in the very height of
indignation, when there was a murmur of expectation in the hall, and
Mr. Habakkuk was brought forward. The reader may judge of my surprise
at finding that he was none other than my old friend Chowbok!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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