But the tale of the Mission is a long one, and I have no space to show
how Justus, forgetful of his injudicious predecessor, grievously smote
Moto, the husband of Matui, for his brutality; how Moto was startled,
but being released from the fear of instant death, took heart and became
the faithful ally and first convert of Justus; how the little gathering
grew, to the huge disgust of Athon Daze; how the Priest of the God of
Things as They Are argued subtilely with the Priest of the God of
Things as They Should Be, and was worsted; how the dues of the Temple of
Dungara fell away in fowls and fish and honeycomb; how Lotta lightened
the Curse of Eve among the women, and how Justus did his best to
introduce the Curse of Adam; how the Buria Kol rebelled at this, saying
that their God was an idle God, and how Justus partially overcame their
scruples against work, and taught them that the black earth was rich in
other produce than pig-nuts only.
All these things belong to the history of many months, and throughout
those months the white-haired Athon Daze meditated revenge for the
tribal neglect of Dungara. With savage cunning he feigned friendship
towards Justus, even hinting at his own conversion; but to the
congregation of Dungara he said darkly: 'They of the Padri's flock have
put on clothes and worship a busy God. Therefore Dungara will afflict
them grieviously till they throw themselves, howling, into the waters of
the Berbulda.' At night the Red Elephant Tusk boomed and groaned among
the hills, and the faithful waked and said: 'The God of Things as They
Are matures revenge against the backsliders. Be merciful, Dungara, to us
Thy children, and give us all their crops!'
Late in the cold weather, the Collector and his wife came into the Buria
Kol country. 'Go and look at Krenk's Mission' said Gallio. 'He is doing
good work in his own way, and I think he'd be pleased if you opened the
bamboo chapel that he, has managed to run up. At any rate you'll see a
civilised Buria Kol.'
Great was the stir in the Mission. 'Now he and the gracious lady will
that we have done good work with their own eyes see, and--yes--we will
him our converts in all their new clothes by their own hands constructed
exhibit. It will a great day be--for the Lord always,' said Justus; and
Lotta said 'Amen.'
Justus had, in his quiet way, felt jealous of the Basel Weaving Mission,
his own converts being unhandy; but Athon Daze had latterly induced
some of them to hackle the glossy silky fibres of a plant that grew
plenteously on the Panth Hills. It yielded a cloth white and smooth
almost as the TAPPA of the South Seas, and that day the converts were to
wear for the first time clothes made therefrom. Justus was proud of his
work.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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