“What a contrast to these former days of blood; and even a contrast, as the Robertsons told us, to what they had to suffer only in January last. The Heathen Chiefs were getting fierce at the rapid strides Christianity was making all round the Island, and laid a deep plot to take the Missionaries’ lives. They chose their time well, when nearly all Mr. Robertson’s young men were away at Cook’s Bay; and you may imagine his and Mrs. Robertson’s feelings, when the alarm got up one night as they sat quietly reading. They went into their bedroom and took their stand beside their three sleeping children. Escape by sea was impossible, even could they get to their boat, the night being stormy. Mrs. Robertson turned to her husband and said,—‘Do you think they could touch those sleeping lambs?’ He smiled bitterly,—‘What do they care for our sleeping lambs?’ Yomit, a devoted Erromangan Teacher, came in to them, and she turned to him, saying,—‘O Yomit, do you think they could have the heart to kill those little sleeping darlings?’ He raised his arm and said,—‘Missi, they’ll have to cut this body of mine in pieces ere ever they get near them!’ He started off and collected all the available help necessary, sending secret messages overland in different directions to their friends, so that before morning the Mission House was surrounded by 200 warriors, ready to give their lives in defence of their Missionary. And these were the very men who murdered the Gordons;—explain the change! Jesus has been amongst them!... “Our visit there was all too short, as the Synod lasted only a week. We commemorated the Lord’s Supper together, on the Sabbath evening before we broke up. One evening too there was an interesting Bible Society meeting, at which John was Chairman; and, in response to an urgent appeal from London, Mr. Copeland proposed that Missionaries and seamen should all add a day’s wages to their usual subscription—which was most willingly agreed to.... “We tore across from Erromanga with a good wind, landing about sundown, and got a warm welcome from our dear old Darkies, who had all turned out in their best garments to meet us, though it was pouring rain. John went on in the _Dayspring_ to be left on Tanna for a fortnight at Kwamera, to make some small return for the Watts’ great kindness to our Natives while we were in Melbourne.... He enjoyed his fortnight there intensely. The Mission Premises were like a new pin, and the Tannese longing for Mr. and Mrs. Watts’ return with their whole hearts. Their little boys and girls at the Station attended to John so faithfully, and continually followed him about, asking daily and often in a day the same question,—‘When will our Missis be back?’ There are more than the Tannese longing for their return, and it will be a glad day when we see their dear faces again....