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
there was a certain leaven of Christianity in the place, the girls were
not subjected to the probation of a return before baptism, but were
christened Caroline and Sarah, after Mrs. Abraham and Mrs. Selwyn.
Another very satisfactory pupil was little Umao. An English sailor in a
dreadful state of disease had been left behind by a whaler at Erromango,
where the little Umao, a mere boy, had attached himself to him, and
waited on him with the utmost care and patience, though meeting with no
return but blows and rough words. The man moved to Tanna, where there
are mineral springs highly esteemed by the natives, and when the 'Border
Maid' touched there, in 1851, he was found in a terrible condition,
but with the little fellow faithfully attending him. The Englishman was
carried to Sydney, and left in the hospital there; but Umao begged not
to be sent home, for he said his parents cruelly ill-used him and his
brothers, and set them to watch the fire all night to keep off evil
spirits; so, when New Zealand became too cold for him, he was sent to
winter at the London Society's station in Anaiteum. His sweet friendly
nature expanded under Christian training, but his health failed, and in
the course of the voyage of 1853 he became so ill that his baptism was
hastened, and he shortly after died in the Bishop's arms.
Two more boys, cousins, from Lifu, also died. There never was any
suspicion or displeasure shown among the relatives of these youths.
Their own habits were frightfully unhealthy; they were not a long-lived
people, and there was often great mortality among them, and though they
were grieved at the loss of their sons, they never seemed distrustful
or ungrateful. But it was evident that, even in the summer months, the
climate of New Zealand was trying to these tropical constitutions, and
as it was just then determined that Norfolk Island should no longer be
the penal abode of the doubly convicted felons of Botany Bay, but should
instead become the home of the descendants of the mutineers of the
'Bounty' who had outgrown Pitcairn's Island, the Bishop cast his
eyes upon it as the place most likely to agree alike with English and
Melanesian constitutions, and therefore eminently fitted for the place
of instruction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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