“You think that Missi is here alone, and that you can do with him as you please! No! We are now all Missi’s men. We will fight for him and his rather than see him injured. Every one that attacks him attacks us. That is finished to-day!”
[Illustration: “I’LL KNOCK THE TEVIL OUT OF HIM.”]
In the general scolding, the Sacred Man had special attention, for pretending to cause hurricanes. One pointed out that he had himself a stiff knee, and argued,—
“If he can make a hurricane, why can’t he restore the joint of his own knee? It is surely easier to do the one than the other!”
The Natives laughed heartily, and taunted him. Meantime he sat looking down to the earth in sullen silence; and a ludicrous episode ensued. His wife, a big, strong woman, scolded him roundly for the trouble he had brought them all into; and then, getting indignant as well as angry, she seized a huge cocoa-nut leaf out of the bush, and with the butt end thereof began thrashing his shoulders vigorously, as she poured out the vials of her wrath in torrents of words, always winding up with the cry,—
“I’ll knock the Tevil out of him! He’ll not try hurricanes again!”
The woman was a Malay, as many of the Aniwans were. Had a Papuan woman on Tanna or Erromanga dared such a thing, she would have been killed on the spot. But even on Aniwa, the unwonted spectacle of a wife beating her husband created uproarious amusement. At length I remonstrated, saying,—
“You had better stop now! You don’t want to kill him, do you? You seem to have knocked ‘the Tevil’ pretty well out of him now! You see how he receives it all in silence, and repents of all his bad talk and bad conduct.”
They exacted from him a solemn promise as to the making of no more diseases or hurricanes, and that he would live at peace with his neighbours. The offending villagers at length presented a large quantity of sugar-cane and food to us as a peace-offering; and we returned, praising God that the whole day’s scolding had ended in talk, not blood. The result was every way most helpful. Our friends knew their strength and took courage. Our enemies were disheartened and afraid. We saw the balance growing heavier every day on the side of Jesus; and our souls blessed the Lord.
These events suggest to me another incident of those days full at once of trial and of joy. It pertains to the story of our young Chief, Youwili. From the first, and for long, he was most audacious and troublesome. Observing that for several days no Natives had come near the Mission House, I asked the old Chief if he knew why, and he answered,—
“Youwili has _tabooed_ the paths, and threatens death to any one who breaks through it.”
I at once replied: “Then I conclude that you all agree with him, and wish me to leave. We are here only to teach you and your people. If he has power to prevent that, we shall leave with the _Dayspring_.”
The old Chief called the people together, and they came to me, saying,—“Our anger is strong against Youwili. Go with us and break down the _taboo_. We will assist and protect you.”
I went at their head and removed it. It consisted simply of reeds stuck into the ground, with twigs and leaves and fibre tied to each in a peculiar way, in a circle round the Mission House. The Natives had an extraordinary dread of violating the _taboo_, and believed that it meant death to the offender or to some one of his family. All present entered into a bond to punish on the spot any man who attempted to replace the _taboo_, or to revenge its removal. Thus a mortal blow was publicly struck at this most miserable superstition, which had caused bloodshed and misery untold.