John G. Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides, volume 1 (of 3) : $b An autobiography edited by his brotherPaton, John Gibson
Religion
John G. Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides, volume 1 (of 3) : $b An autobiography edited by his brother
Paton, John Gibson
Missionaries -- Vanuatu -- Biography; Paton, John Gibson, 1824-1907
“Abraham, tell Missi that you and he now live on our land. This path is
the march betwixt Miaki and us. We have this day bought back the land of
our fathers by a great price to prevent war. Take of our bread-fruits
and also of our cocoa-nuts what you require, for you are our friends and
living on our land, and we will protect you and the Worship!”
For some time things moved on quietly after this. An inland war,
however, had continued for months. As many as ten men, they said, were
sometimes killed in one day and feasted on by the warriors. Thousands
had been thereby forced down from the mountains, and sought protection
under Ian and his people. All the people claiming connection with his
Tribe were called Naraimini; the people in the Volcano district were
called the Kaserumini; and the Harbour Tribes were the Watarenmini; and
so on all over the island. In such divisions, there might be from two to
twenty Chiefs and Villages under one leader, and these stood by each
other for purposes defensive and offensive. Now Nouka and Miaki had been
frustrated in all their plans to get the Inland and the Harbour people
involved in the war, as their own followers were opposed to it. In
violation of his promises, however, Nouka invited all the men who wished
to go to the war to meet him one morning, and only one appeared! Nouka,
in great wrath, marched off to the war himself, but, as no one followed,
he grew faint-hearted, and returned to his own village. On another
morning, Miaki summoned all his fighting men; but only his own brother
and six lads could be induced to accompany him, and with these he
started off. But the enemy, hearing of his coming, had killed two of his
principal allies the night before, and Miaki, learning this, turned and
fled to his own house, and was secretly laughed at by his tribe.
Next day, Nouka came to me professing great friendship and pleading with
me to accompany him and Miaki to talk with the Kaserumini, and persuade
them to give up the war. He was annoyed and disappointed when I refused
to go. Nowar and others informed me, two days thereafter, that three
persons had died in that district, that others were sick, and that the
Heathen there had resolved to kill me in revenge as the cause of all. As
Nouka’s wife was one of the victims, this scheme was concocted to entrap
me. I was warned on no account to leave my house at night for a
considerable time, but to keep it locked up and to let no one in after
dark. The same two men from that district who had tried to kill Mr.
Johnston and me, were again appointed and were watching for Abraham and
me, lurking about in the evenings for that purpose. Again I saw how the
Lord had preserved me from Miaki and Nouka! Truly all are safe who are
in God’s keeping; and nothing can befall them, except for their real
good and the glory of their Lord.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account