On our return he was greatly delighted; but he complained bitterly that the white men “had spoiled his head,” and that when it “burned hot” he did all these bad things, for which he was extremely sorry He deliberately attempted my life, and most cruelly abused his dear and gentle wife; and then, when the frenzy was over, he wept and lamented over it. Many a time he marched round and round our House with loaded musket and spear and tomahawk, while we had to keep doors and windows locked and barricaded; then the paroxysm passed off, and he slept, long and deep, like a child. When he came to himself, he wept and said,—
“The white men spoiled my head! I know not what I do. My head burns hot, and I am driven.”
One day, in the Imrai, he leapt up with a loud-yelling war-cry, rushed off to his own house, set fire to it, and danced around till everything he possessed was burned to ashes. Nasi, a bad Tannese Chief living on Aniwa, had a quarrel with Mungaw about a cask found at the shore, and threatened to shoot him. Others encouraged him to do so, as Mungaw was growing every day more and more destructive and violent. When a person became outrageous or insane on Aniwa,—as they had neither asylum nor prison, they first of all held him fast and discharged a musket close to his ear; and then, if the shock did not bring him back to his senses, they tied him up for two days or so; and finally, if that did not restore him, they shot him dead. Thus the plan of Nasi was favoured by their own customs. One night, after family worship,—for amidst all his madness, when clear moments came, he poured out his soul in faith and love to the Lord,—he said,—
“Litsi, I am melting! My head burns. Let us go out and get cooled in the open air.”
She warned him not to go, as she heard voices whispering under the verandah. He answered a little wildly,—
“I am not afraid to die. Life is a curse and burden. The white men spoiled my head. If there is a hope of dying, let me go quickly and die!”
As he crossed the door, a ball crashed through him, and he fell dead. We got the mother and her children away to the Mission House; and next morning they buried the remains of poor Mungaw under the floor of his own hut, and enclosed the whole place with a fence. It was a sorrowful close to so noble a career. I shed many a tear that I ever took him to Australia. What will God have to say to those white fiends who poisoned and maddened poor dear Mungaw?
After a while the good Queen Litsi was happily married again. She became possessed with a great desire to go as a Missionary to the people and tribe of Nasi, the very man who had murdered her husband. She used to say,—
“Is there no Missionary to go and teach Nasi’s people? I weep and pray for them, that they too may come to know and love Jesus.”
I answered,—“Litsi, if I had only wept and prayed for you, but stayed at home in Scotland, would that have brought you to know and love Jesus as you do?”
“Certainly not,” she replied.
“Now then,” I proceeded, “would it not please Jesus and be a grand and holy revenge, if you, the Christians of Aniwa, could carry the Gospel to the very people whose Chief murdered Mungaw?”
The idea took possession of her soul. She was never wearied talking and praying over it. When at length a Missionary was got for Nasi’s people, Litsi and her new husband placed themselves at the head of a band of six or eight Aniwan Christians, and planted themselves there to open up the way and assist as Native Teachers the Missionary and his wife. There she and they have laboured ever since. They are “strong” for the Worship. Her son is being trained up by his cousin, an Elder of the Church, to be “the good Chief of Aniwa”; so she calls him in her prayers, as she cries on God to bless and watch over him, while she is serving the Lord in the Mission field. Many years have now passed; and when lately I visited that part of Tanna, Litsi ran to me, clasped my hand, kissed it with many sobs, and cried,—