The _John Williams_ on the Reef.—A Native’s Soliloquy.—Nowar Pleading for Tanna.—The White Shells of Nowar.—The Island of Aniwa.—First Landing on Aniwa.—The Site of our New Home.—“Me no Steal!”—House Building for God.—Native Expectations.—Tafigeitu or Sorcery.—The Miracle of Speaking Wood.—Perils through Superstition.—The Mission Premises.—A City of God.—Builders and their Wages.—Great Swimming Feat.—Stronger than the “Gods” of Aniwa.
Everything being now arranged for in the Colonies, in connection with the Mission and _Dayspring_, as far as could possibly be, we sailed for the Islands on the 8th August, 1866. Besides my wife and child, the following accompanied us to the field: Revs. Copeland, Cosh, and McNair, along with their respective wives. On August 20th we reached Aneityum; and, having landed some of our friends, we sailed Northwards, as far as Efatè, to let the new Missionaries see all the Islands open for occupation, and to bring all our Missionaries back to the annual meeting, where the permanent settlements would be finally agreed upon.
On our return, we found that the beautiful new _John Williams_, reaching Aneityum on 5th of September, had stuck fast on the coral reef and swung there for three days. By the unceasing efforts of the Natives, working in hundreds, she was saved, though badly damaged. At a united meeting of all the Missionaries, representing the London Missionary Society and our own, it was resolved that she must be taken to Sydney for repairs. Twenty stout Aneityumese were placed on board to keep her pumps going by day and night, and the _Dayspring_ was sent to keep her company in case of any dire emergency. Missionaries were waiting to be settled, and the season was stealing away. But the cause of humanity and the claims of a sister Mission were paramount. We remained at Aneityum for five weeks, and awaited the return of the _Dayspring_.
At our annual Synod, after much prayerful deliberation and the careful weighing of every vital circumstance, I was constrained by the united voice of my brethren not to return to Tanna, but to settle on the adjoining island of Aniwa (= A-neé-wa). It was even hoped that thereby Tanna might eventually be the more surely reached and evangelized.
By the new Missionaries all the other old Stations were re-occupied and some fresh Islands were entered upon in the name of Jesus. As we moved about with our _Dayspring_, and planted the Missionaries here and there, nothing could repress the wonder of Natives.
“How is this?” they cried; “we slew or drove them all away! We plundered their houses and robbed them. Had we been so treated, nothing would have made us return. But they come back with a beautiful new ship, and with more and more Missionaries. And is it to trade and to get money, like the other white men? No! no! But to tell us of their Jehovah God and of His Son Jesus. If their God makes them do all that, we may well worship Him too.”
In this way, island after island was opened up to receive the Missionary, and their Chiefs bound themselves to protect and cherish him, before they knew anything whatever of the Gospel, beyond what they saw in the disposition and character of its Preachers or heard rumoured regarding its fruits on other Islands. Even _Cannibals_ have sometimes been found thus prepared to welcome the Missionary, and to make not only his property but his life comparatively safe. The Isles “wait” for Christ.
On our way to Aniwa, the _Dayspring_ had to call at Tanna. By stress of weather we lay several days in Port Resolution. And there many memories were again revived—wounds that after five-and-twenty years, when I now write, still bleed afresh! Nowar, the old Chief, unstable but friendly, was determined to keep us there by force or by fraud. The Captain told him that the council of the Missionaries had forbidden him to land our boxes at Tanna.