Life of John Coleridge Patteson : Missionary Bishop of the Melanesian IslandsYonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
Religion
Life of John Coleridge Patteson : Missionary Bishop of the Melanesian Islands
Yonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
Missions -- Melanesia; Patteson, John Coleridge, 1827-1871
Bligh Island, the next visited, plainly revealed itself as the cone
of an enormous submerged volcano, the water forming a beautiful and
extensive bay where numbers of people could be seen. There was a landing
and a little trading for yams, and then, after the like intercourse
with some of the inhabitants of the cluster of small islets named after
Torres, the vessel steered for Espiritu Santo, but wind and time forbade
a return to the part previously visited, nor was there time to do more
than touch at Aurora, and exchange some fish-hooks for some bows.
At Malicolo, in 1851, the Bishop and his party, while fetching water,
had been assailed with stones and arrows, and had only escaped by
showing the utmost coolness. There was, therefore, much caution shown in
approaching this bay, called Port Sandwich, and the boat stopped outside
its breakwater coral reef, where numerous canoes flocked round, the
people with their bows and arrows, not attempting to barter. Their
faces were painted some red, some black, or yellow. An old chief named
Melanbico was recognised by the Bishop, and called by name into the
boat. Another old acquaintance named Nipati joined him, and it was
considered safe to row into the harbour. The Bishop had learnt a little
of the language, and talked to these two, while Patteson examined
Nipati's accoutrements--a club, a bow, arrows neatly made, handsomely
feathered, and tipped with a deadly poison, tortoiseshell ear-rings, and
a very handsome shell armlet covering the arm from the elbow eight or
nine inches upward, his face painted red and black. The Bishop read out
the list of names he had made on the former visit, and to several the
answer was 'dead, or 'shot,' and it appeared that a great mortality had
taken place. Large numbers, however, were on the beach, and the Bishop
and Patteson landed among them, and conversed with them; but they
showed no disposition to trade, and though some of the lads seemed
half-disposed to come away with the party, they all changed their minds,
and went back again. However, all had behaved well, and one little
boy, when offered a fish-hook, at once showed that he had received one
already. It was plain that a beginning had been made, which might lead
to further results.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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