Charles Bice

“ Tuesday, November 2nd.—A most terrible night, wherein it blew with almost hurricane violence in the squalls, with a perfect deluge of rain accompanied by heavy thunder and lightning. I was not sorry or ungrateful to be brought safely to the beginning of another day. My first business when I got up, was to trudge off to my patient, whom, thank God, I found better, but all day long since I have had to look after him, for he is no exception to the idiocy of all natives, who when they feel a bit better, rush off and do some extraordinarily foolish thing. ”

“ I shall leave behind me here, please God, an entirely Christian village, in profession at least, and I trust in reality also. There are one or two I wanted to leave out, but they seem so anxious to be Baptized, that I leave their future with God and the blessing of His spirit, and accede to their request. We have here now, all the organizations of a Christian community, a good school, an excellent Church, and a zealous congregation. Surely one can labour on steadfast and unmoveable, seeing that one’s labour is not in vain in the Lord. ”

“ They cannot fathom the mystery at all why when one point of the fishing rod as they call it, is presented to the fish they eagerly rush at it, and why when the other they rapidly retire. They solve the problem by saying it is a “Wui,” (spirit) . And it must seem strange to them as all our belongings must being of an order of art, so far removed from their conceptions or achievements. A kerosene lamp to this day is a marvel to them, and the manipulation equally mysterious, why it should flare up when turned one way, and why it should die when turned the other. ”

“ Talk about spoilt children, I have to roar every day of my life to some little urchin, screaming his lungs out because his mother does not do at once what he wants. The mother beats at one moment and coaxes at another, and the child grows up anyhow, a burden to himself and a nuisance to his neighbours. ”

“ I brought a box of refuse toys from Norfolk Island to which our boys and girls there have grown superior, and the exhibition and distribution of them created quite a furore. One would never suppose in these days of superior enlightenment that any people could be found simple enough to go into ecstacies over a halfpenny toy, but these women and children have gone off perfectly enraptured with their new possessions, and I dare say they will treasure them up for many a day and find pleasure in the contemplation and exhibition of them. ”

“ Poor weak inoffensive mortals in this way often lose their lives, innocent sacrifices to heathen brutalism and bloodthirstiness. We came home in the cool of the most glorious evening, a strange contrast in its peace and loveliness to the rage and horror of savage brutalism. A quiet evening service and the song of melody seemed more in tune with the scene without, and I trust that the Peace of God which passeth all understanding may ever keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of His Son Jesus Christ. ”

“ I am thankful to say that scenes of domestic warfare are uncommon here, and, generally speaking, a great deal of harmony prevails, but of course there are clouds in the most perfect day, and the smoothest ocean is at times ruffled by the sudden breeze. Beyond this, our day has been like most other days, except for the thatching of Peter’s “gamal,” which has brought together a large concourse of people, and has been the occasion of a great festivity this evening. Arthur, Patrick and myself walked down to Ruosi in the afternoon, where we bathed, and returned in the evening. ”

“ The gross darkness being only relieved by the glowing embers of the undying fire, the fresh black mats look like so many great flying foxes suspended over it.
The importance of the several houses is therefore in this order, the “gamal,” “ima,” “vale,” and “ima somu.” When a building is finished there is always a great ceremony ranging in importance according to the description of the house. For the gamal the ‘house warming’ is a matter of much ceremonial called “nasu,” and a man is supposed to “nasu gamal” with a pig at least. ”

“ He must learn the sacredness of human life, and not rush to bow and arrow and club for every fancied affront or grievance. As long as I was here I would do my best to see that peace and harmony reigned among whites and blacks, but I would countenance no violence or bloodshed. ”

“ However, after morning duties here I started with Arthur Huqe and Patrick for Mandurvat, passing through the pretty snug little village of Naruru on the way. Here we found a man by name ‘Tamaragai’ sitting with his pretty wife and child in the neat enclosure in front of his house. All the other denizens of the village according to the invariable custom which prevails here, had scattered to the four winds. After the dew is off the bushes here there is a general exodus from all the villages, and at noon it is useless to look for any one at home, for all are abroad. ”

“ Anthony and Samuel are too far away to be able to attend. I cannot but esteem it a high privilege and blessing to be enabled to receive and dispense the Bread of Life here in this once heathen village, and I pray that we may be strengthened and refreshed for our work, and show forth God’s praise not only with our lips but in our lives, and by giving up ourselves more fully to His service. May the time too be hastened when some of these good people may be permitted to partake of the visible tokens of redeeming love. ”

“ One day is so like another that it passes unmarkedly by, and one finds oneself, all at once, at the end of the week, and is brought to final consciousness of the rapid rotation of time’s wheels at the end of the month. ”

“ My dinner did not mend matters, but rather made the heat the hotter. I could not get cool for the life of me, and I had to grin and bear the discomfort. I do not know a much hotter place than Tasmouri and trust I never may, the wonder is how people live there at all. The fact I suppose is that the natives live very little within doors except at night, but during the day are engaged in their gardens, or otherwise enjoying the free and easy life to which they are the heirs by nature. It was intensely hot at Evensong, and oh! ”

“ I remember on many occasions on board the Southern Cross, the natives looking askance at some very tempting looking fish which had been caught, and pronouncing them dangerous to eat. On one very memorable occasion, when dinner was over, one of the senior boys being cook, and one of the most poisonous of fish having been served and partaken of by all, this youth without a change of feature saying to some remark that was passed, “Oh! Yes, we die in our country if we eat that fish.” ”

“ All no doubt are not wives, but slaves and beasts of burden, and these big guns do nothing themselves but impose all the duties of the house and garden on their women. I do not think I am maligning the Opa men when I say that I look upon them as hideously lazy, but of course that results in large measure from their imposing their own natural duties on others, whom they find ready or obliged to do it for them. It is quite different at Maewo, where monogamy now mostly obtains, and where the men take an active and a man’s share in all out door employments. ”

“ There seems to have been an exuberant joyous spirit about to-day, animating everyone, and never since I have been here, have I known so hearty and bright a service as we had this evening.
After school most of the boys and younger men went to “Unduna,” a suburb of Tanrig, to a great dance, which is to be kept up till morning light. The occasion of it is the ‘nasu’ing of two gamals to-morrow, and nothing can be done without a dance. Arthur, who has neither the strength nor the inclination to go, has been keeping me company, and we have had some nice and profitable conversation. ”

“ The people who always seem to me to love paddling about in the wet, expressed a strong disinclination to move from their houses, and in the absence of other occupation or amusement, have been asleep most of the day I fancy. A native’s capacity for sleep is unbounded, and perhaps a fortunate thing for him, but he can wake at any time, day or night, and get up straight away. We had our usual Evensong and singing class, the weather keeping fairer until we had all got indoors again in our several houses, when down came the rain. ”

“ After Evensong a request was brought me that the people might have a dance, and of course I consented. There was not a very numerous company of dancers, but they kept up their energy{104} for an hour or two in a manner in which I should be very sorry to imitate them, and the result may be imagined in a place where the smallest movement throws you into a bath of perspiration. This evening appeared those mysterious things like seaworms. They only come about one night in the year, but the people not only know the very night of their appearance, but almost the very hour. ”

“ When she left, she herself was among the few baptized, now she comes back to the bosom of a Christian community with a good church and school, daily Morning and Evening Prayers, and perfect harmony and good will among all men. She will miss little at home now of what she has grown accustomed to at Norfolk Island, and it must be a pleasant realization to her. The girls, too, with whom she will have daily association are all Christians, and she will be spared the shock and repulsion of heathen women’s talk and actions. ”

“ There is such a freedom too about life here that one can carry a light heart and a contented mind in a healthy body. To-day almost without exception the people are off to the beach to windward. At this time of year the tides are very low, and leave the reefs almost entirely uncovered. Fish and crabs and other sea oddities are therefore left exposed, and the first named are shot by the men in the pools, and the women collect the latter, which are looked upon as choice articles of diet. ”

“ Anthony afterwards came on with me to Tanrig. Here, in the evening, I preached on the subject of the Gospel, the Pharisee and the Publican, and tried to adduce some healthful lessons from the parable. We were somewhat inclined by nature to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, and not to be sober and humble in our self consideration. Because we attended service regularly, and were very accurate in our daily lives, we were apt to despise others around us, who were not so exact, and were still living heathen lives. ”

“ Superstition indeed creeps into almost every concern of daily life, and its effect upon one would be very wearying and irritating, except of course that superior mindedness ought to condescend and bear with such human frailties when one considers the education under which these poor folks have been brought up from generation to generation. Much, I think, of this weak mindedness is passing away under Christian regime, and more and more I suppose will it disappear as the day breaks and the shadows flee away. ”

“ In the evening there was a great feast spread for the workers, and the day finished like all days here, with Evensong and school. This little village is a bright spot in the surrounding darkness, and I trust in time its influence for good will be more widely felt than even now. The attendants at the school seem wonderfully staunch, and the teachers very earnest, and I pray God that their vigorous instruction may not be lost on the heathen people around them. ”

“ Saturday, November 6th.—Squally, unsettled sort of day, after a very rough night. Great preparations were being made here in the morning, for the Bishop’s and Mrs. Selwyn’s advent. When it was done I went with the boys to Ruosi, where I sat and watched their sports and gambols in the water, and thought how the one touch of nature makes the whole world kin. Human nature and boy nature is the same everywhere, and these boys are just like every other boy except in colour. ”

“ Poor Takele, who has only one enlightened friend to help him, finds a difficulty in getting his scholars together on a week day, and no wonder, as I suppose he knows very little more than they do themselves, and it is irksome to old people to spell over their A.B.C. day after day, and get no oral instruction. It is far more in consonance with their feelings and habits to go out for the day, either to the seashore or to their gardens, than to be trammelled with the cares and labour of school. On Sundays he says they turn up in large numbers, and generally some one goes to them from Tanoriki. ”

“ Monday, October 25th.—General holiday, and great Christening Feast at Ruosi. All the world turned out from here, and we were joined by many from Naruru. Four large pigs were slaughtered, and a prodigious quantity of yams and taro prepared. It was a most lovely day, and the sunshine overhead seemed to have found its way into every heart, for there was the greatest harmony and good will manifest on all sides. Men and women shared the burden of the day alike, and the result in the evening was a most grand spread of perfectly cooked food, more than sufficient for{107} all the great number present. ”

“ Formerly, death days were kept with great strictness, and the day of death and the 100th were observed with great festivities. I have seen nothing of the kind now for years, and I fancied the custom had quite died out. It was supposed in old days when the people were still heathen, that the disembodied spirit, after it left its earthly tenement, hung about hungry and restless on the thick creepers in the bush, and on the day of death a great feast was prepared for it, after which it retired to the place of departed spirits called Banoi. ”