BANGOR 

THEOLOGICAL 

SEMINARY 

LIBRARY 

FROM 

Anonymous donor 



LIBRARY NUMBER 




266.023 
W253m 




School 

Theology 
Library 




THE MORNING STAR: 



HISTORY OF 



THE CHILDREN'S MISSIONARY VESSEL, 



AND OF TJ 



MARQUESAN AND MICRONESIAN MISSIONS. 



MRS. JANE S. WARREN. 



PUBLISHED BY THE 
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 

28 CORNIIILL, BOSTON. 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, by 

ISRAEL P. WARREN, 

la the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts 



ELECTROTYPED AT THE 
JOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. 



Tress of Geo. C. Rand & Avery. 



TO THE 

TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND STOCKHOLDERS 

OF TOE 

ll0rning Bin, 

THIS LITTLE BOOK, DESCRIBING HEU HISTORY, AND THAT 
OF THE MISSIONS IN WHOSE SERVICE SHE 
IS EMPLOYED, 

BY THEIR AFFECTIONATE FRIEND, 
J. S. W. 



I 



K 



i/. 



/s 



PREFACE 



It is thought desirable to prefix to this little 
work some explanation of the mode now in use 
of writing and pronouncing the words in the 
native languages of the Pacific Islands. 

The vowels and diphthongs are sounded as 
follows : — 

a as a in father, art. 

e as ey in they, or simple long a. 

I as i in machine, the English long e. 

o as o in no. 

ti as 00 in too. 

ai as I, the long English i in pine. 

au as ow in how. 

Where two or more vowels occur together, 
they are not, with the above exceptions, to be 
pronounced together, but as so many distinct 
syllables ; as 0-a-hu, Ha-wai-i, Pu-a-a-i-ki. 

Consonants are sounded nearly as they are 
in English. They are, however, never doubled, 
and rarely end a word or syllable. 

(3) 



4 PREFACE. 

In the Hawaiian language the modes of writ- 
ing and spelling have become fixed and uniform. 
In islands further west, the languages of which 
have been less studied, greater diversity prevails. 
Most visitors to them have spelled each accord- 
ing to his fancy or judgment — even the mis- 
sionaries have not, until recently, been uniform in 
their practice in this respect. In the present 
work the author has followed the orthograjDhy 
of the reports and journals transmitted by them. 

In the preparation of this volume much aid 
has been received from the journals of Captains 
Moore and Brown, to whom special acknowledg- 
ments are hereby made. Thanks are due, also, 
to the gentlemen connected with the Missionary 
Rooms, Boston, and to several friends of the 
missionaries in this country, for valuable docu- 
ments furnished by them. 

That this little book may serve, not only to 
gratify her young readers, but also to awaken 
in them a deep and abiding interest in the work 
of Missions, and in the advancement of the king- 
dom of the Redeemer, is the earnest prayer of 

The Authoe. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I. 

PAGE 

Why the MoRNtSG Star was built 7 



CHAPTER II. 

How THEY GOT THE MONEY 22 

CHAPTER III. 
The Launch 38 

CHAPTER IV. 
Voyage to the Sandwich Islands 47 

CHAPTER V. 
Arrival at Honolulu. — The Marquesas 66 

CHAPTER VI. 
First Voyage to the Marquesas Islands 77 

CHAPTER VII. 
First Voyage to the Marquesas, continued 93 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Visit of Mr. Bingham at Hawaii 109 

(5) 



6 CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER IX. 

PAOg 

MiCKONESiA.— The First Voyage thither ii>5 



CHAPTER X. 
First Voyage to Micronesia, continued 153 

CHAPTER XI. 
First Voyage to Micronesia, concluded 179 

CHAPTER XII. 
Second Voyage to the Marquesas 202 

CHAPTER XIII. 
Second Voyage to Micronesia 210 

CHAPTER XIV. 
Second Voyage to Micronesia, concluded 231 

CHAPTER XV. 
Third Voyage to the Marquesas 245 

CHAPTER XVI. 
Third Voyage to Micronesia 254 

CHAPTER XVII. 
Fourth Voyage to the Marquesas 269 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
Missionary Life at Apaianq 283 



THE HISTORY 



THE MORNING STAR 



CHAPTER I. 

WHY THE MORNING STAE WAS BUILT. 

day, a little more 
than fifty years ago, 
a student at Yale 
College was walking 
through the grounds, 
when he saw a lad, 
about seventeen years 
old, sitting on the 
steps of the college, 
weeping. He was 
clad in a rough sail- 
or's dress ; his tawny 
face was dull and unmeaning, but his look of 
distress attracted the student's attention. Be- 
ing a young man who sought opportunities of 
doing good, he stopped and asked who he was, 

(7) 




8 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

and what distressed him. He learned that this 
was one of two boys who had come to this 
country, a little while before, from the Sandwich 
Islands, in the Pacific Ocean. This lad could 
understand but little of our language, and see- 
ing so many things of which he was ignorant, 
he felt very sad and lonely. Mr. Dwight (for 
that was the student's name) asked him if he 
wanted to learn. The dull, tawny face bright- 
ened up, and he said eagerly, " Yes." Mr. 
D wight then proposed he should come up to his 
room in college, and he would teach him. He 
said "yes" again, and his face was brighter 
than before. So up he went the same evening, 
and began with the spelling book, and con- 
tinued to study regularly for several months. 

This Sandwich Islands lad was Henry Oboo- 
kiah. He was an orphan. He had seen his 
father, mother, and dear little brother killed in 
a savage war with another tribe on the Islands. 
Feeling heart-broken and alone, he resolved to 
leave his home, and go to some other part of the 
world — he did not care where. About this 
time, a ship from New York stopped at the 
Islands. Obookiah went on board, and begged 
the captain to let him go back with him as a ser- 
vant, and he consented. He found here another 
lad about his own age, named Thomas Hopu, 
who was cabin boy of the ship. In about six 



HENRY OBOOKIAH. 9 

months the vessel arrived at New York, and the 
captain, whose family lived in New Haven, took 
the two boys home with him. 

While in New Haven, they attracted a good 
deal of attention, and made many acquaintances, 
among whom were several of the students of the 
college. Hopu began to study first. Obookiah 
also wished to learn, but as nobody had offered 
to teach him, he did not know what to do. So 
one day he went and sat on the college steps, 
where he was found by Mr. Dwight, as I have 
told you. 

It was soon evident that the dullness which 
he showed at first was no part of his character ; 
his eyes were open to every thing about him, 
and he was full of life and energy. Grateful 
for the kindness of his teachers, he applied him- 
self to study with all his might. 

After he began to go to church, and was able 
to understand something about God, the Creator 
of all things, he felt how foolish was the idol- 
worship to which he had been accustomed at 
home. One day he said, "Hawaii gods — they 
wood — burn. Me go home — put 'em in fire 
— burn 'em up. They no see, no hear, no any 
thing. We make 'em ; " and then added, " Our 
God," looking up reverently, " he make us." 

Obookiah lived witli Christian friends in 
various places for several years, and at length 



10 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

gave decided evidence of having become a true 
Christian. After this, his greatest desire was to 
go back to the Islands, and, as he expressed it, 
" tell folks in Hawaii about heaven — about hell 
— tell folks no more pray to stone god." He 
went to a particular friend, and urged him to go 
and preach the gospel to his poor countrymen. 
As his friend did not give him much encourage- 
ment, he said, " You 'fraid ? You know our 
Saviour say, ' He that will save his life shall lose 
it.' " 

Both Obookiah and Hopu were so ready to 
improve every opportunity to learn, that their 
Christian friends began to think of some way in 
which they might be educated, and sent back as 
missionaries to their native land. At the same 
time tiiere were in tliis country some young men 
from other islands, and from the Indian tribes 
in America, who desired instruction, and were 
without means to obtain it. At length, in 1816, 
tlie American Board of Foreign Missions estab- 
lished a school in Cornwall, in Connecticut, 
called the " Foreign Mission School," where 
heathen boys were gathered and taught the com- 
mon branches of education, and also the doc- 
trines and principles of Christianity. 

The heart of Obookiali was full of gratitude 
to God for the privileges which he enjoyed, and 
of pity for his heathen countrymen in his dark 



HIS DEATH. — MISSION BEGUN. 11 

island home. His growing desire to carry the 
gospel to them, promised to render him very 
useful if he went back. " Poor people," he 
would say, " worship wood and stone ; shark 
and almost every thing their god. There is no 
Bible there ; and heaven and hell they do not 
know about it — and here I have found the 
name of the Lord Jesus in the Holy Scriptures, 
and have read that his blood was shed for many. 
My poor countrymen, in the region and shadow 
of death, without knowing the true God, and 
ignorant of the future world, have no Bible to 
read — no Sabbath. I often feel for them in the 
night season cbncerning their souls. May the 
Lord Jesus dwell in my heart, and prepare me 
to go and spend my life among them. But not 
my will, Lord, but thine, be done." 

But the hopes of the friends of missions, in 
regard to Obookiah, were disappointed in his 
early removal by death. They were comforted 
in believing that his pious zeal, his consistent 
life, and early death would increase the mission- 
ary spirit, and hasten the time when the gospel 
would be sent far away over the great waters. 

These expectations at length were realized. 
In 1819, a company of fourteen missionaries left 
Boston for the Sandwich Islands, and after a 
pleasant passage of six months, arrived safely at 
Honolulu. When the vessel anchored in the 



12 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



harbor, raany canoes filled with people of a dark 
color, and almost entirely naked, came off to 
visit it. The missionaries had never seen such 
wretched, dirty-looking beings before, and some 
of them turned away to weep at the sight. 




MAP OF THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. 



After the king had given them leave to 
come on shore, some foreigners, who lived on 
the Islands, gave up three huts, thatched with 
grass, for their use ; but in them was neither 
floor nor ceiling, chimney nor fireplace. They 
were destitute likewise of furniture. The mis- 
sionaries could bring but little in their vessel ; 
they had scarcely one chair for them all, and 



BEGINNING HOUSEKEEPING. 13 

there Tvere none on the Islands to be bought. 
When their barrel of crockery was opened, it 
was found to be all broken; but the cooking 
stove was whole, and that was set up near one 
of the huts, with a fence of poles around it. 
Here the ladies did their cooking, washing, and 
ironing, while a crowd of natives would stand 
about it all day, to watch the work, which seemed 
very curious to them. They had to suffer many 
other inconveniences. There were no wells on 
tlie Islands, and all the fresh water used was 
scooped up from the rocks at a considerable dis- 
tance, and brought in a kind of gourds called 
calabashes. Firewood was found only on the 
mountains, and had to be carried four or five 
miles on men's shoulders. 

This, certainly, was not a very pleasant way 
of commencing housekeeping ; but they had 
not sought ease and comfort — they were only 
anxious to do good to the people. Meetings 
were held, and Sabbath schools and day schools 
commenced for all who were willing to attend. 
But the heathen superstitions of the people had 
existed so long, and were so debasing, that it 
was a good while before any of them fully re- 
ceived the gospel into their hearts. Yet many 
put themselves under instruction, and were re- 
spectful and kind to their teachers, who spared 
no pains for their improvement. To enlist the 



14 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

cooperation of the people in the schools, public 
examinations were held, and parents and chil- 
dren appeared to take just as much pleasure in 
them as is done in this country. 

In order to gain easier access to all the people, 
the missionaries went to live on different islands. 
Many were the trials and heart-sinkings they 
experienced in their loneliness, far away from 
the civilized world and all Christian friends. 
But for the promise, " Lo, I am with you alway," 
they would, many times, have been ready to faint 
under their discouragements. But their heavenly 
Father's blessing was with them, and cheered 
them with indications of good. Daily inter- 
course with the people, as well as schools and 
religious teachings, in due time produced per- 
ceptible effects. Queens and chiefs were in- 
duced to renounce one heathen custom after 
another, and become learners in the scliool of 
Christ. 

In the latter part of the first year, Kaahuma- 
nu, the queen-mother, became greatly dissatisfied 
with the intemperance and profligacy of the young 
king. She seemed to think that aid to over- 
come it might possibly be obtained from a higher 
source, and tliough she did not pray herself, she 
asked the prayers of the missionaries in his be- 
half. She was proud and liaughty, but from 
tliat time she manifested much more interest in 



KAAHUMANU. — REVIVALS. 15 

the plans and wishes of the mission, and finally 
bowed in humble submission and thankfulness 
at the Saviour's feet. 

This instance of conversion from idolatry of 
one who had spent five sixths of a life of three- 
score years in heathenism, far more than repaid 
the missionary band for all their toils, and self- 
denials, and hardships. But this was not a soli- 
tary case. Other chiefs began to be interested 
in the new religion ; some of them became true 
converts, and others joined in outward respect 
for it and its institutions. God's Spirit reached 
here and there a heart, and in. the seventh 
year of the mission, thirty-three hopeful converts 
were welcomed to the church at Lahaina. 

Intemperance was a great hinderance to the 
spread of the gospel. Intoxicating drinks were 
made and sold in large quantities by foreigners 
who had come to live at the Islands. In 1831 
a Temperance Society was formed, notwithstand- 
ing great opposition. Sabbath breaking and 
gambling were prohibited, and when an English 
trader told Kaahumanu that they did not pro- 
hibit such things in England and America, she 
replied, " We do not rule there ; but these 
Islands are ours^ and we wish to obey the com- 
mands of God." 

The year 1838 was emphatically a year of re- 
vivals on the Islands. The year of jubilee had 



16 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

indeed come ; the harvest which had so long 
been waited for was gathered. Four thousand 
nine hundred and seventy-three hopeful converts 
were received into the churches, of all ages, from 
the little child to infirm old age. 

In 1840 a written constitution and laws were 
adopted by the people, which secured to them 
their rights, encouraged industry, and punished 
vice. 

The year 1849 completed thirty years from 
the commencement of the mission, and forty 
from the time when Obookiah arrived at New 
Haven. The whole number of members in the 
churches was now 23,102. There were about 
550 schools, containing more than 15,000 pupils. 
The language had become reduced to writing, 
and 50,000 volumes of books had been printed. 
So the Islands had become Clu-istian, idolatry 
had been abolished by law, and the knowledge 
and Y/orship of God prevailed in every part of 
the kingdom. 

The people of Hawaii now felt that they had 
received great blessings, and they began to think 
that they ought to do something to give the gospel 
to others who remained still as degraded as they 
once were. We see that love to Christ enlarges 
the heart and makes it unselfish. The earnest 
desire, " Lord, what wilt tliou have me to do ? " 
takes possession of the soul, and prompts to 



HAWAIIAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 17 

lal3ors of love for others ; and it was so with 
these Christians. 

Away in the great ocean, nearly two thousand 
miles south-west of them, were several clusters 
of islands called the " Micronesian Islands." 
These had been occasionally visited by trading 
vessels and whale ships, which had made them 
known to the Christian world. So the Hawaiian 
Christians thought they would iindertake to send 
a mission to these islands, and for this purpose 
tliey formed a society at Honolulu, called the 
" Hawaiian Missionary Society." The American 
Board at the same time determined to cooperate 
with the Hawaiian Christians, and send mission- 
aries from this country to aid them in the enter- 
prise. The people were delighted with the un- 
dertaking, and went to work in good earnest to 
raise the money with whicli to carry on the 
work. A vessel was chartered called the Caro- 
line, and in July, 1850, it started on its voyage 
to Micronesia. It carried Rev. Messrs. Snow, 
Sturges, and Gulick, with their wives, and two 
Hawaiian assistants with their wives. 

Before they left Honolulu, the little company 
was organized into a church by the name of the 
Micronesian Mission Church, and very interest- 
ing services were held on the occasion. A great 
crowd of people assembled on the wharf to 



18 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

see the vessel set sail, and hundreds of voices 
sang,— 

♦» Shall we, whose souls are lighted 
With wisdom from on high, 
Shall we to men benighted 
The lamp of life deny ? 

" Salvation, oh, salvation. 

The joyful sound proclaim. 
Till earth's remotest nation 
Has learned Messiah's name." 

The king wrote the following letter, and sent 
it hy the new missionaries to the rulers of the 
Micronesian Islands : — 

Kamehameha III., of the Hawaiian Islands 
king, sends greetings to all chiefs of the islands 
in this great ocean to the westward, called Caro- 
line Islands, Kingsmill Group, &c. Peace and 
happiness to you all, now and for ever. 

Here is my friendly message to you. There 
are about to sail to your islands some teachers 
of the Most High God, Jehovah, to make known 
unto you his word for your eternal salvation. A 
part of them are white men from the United 
States of America, and a part belong to my 
Islands. Their names are as follows : B. G. 
Snow and wife ; A. A. Sturges and wife ; L. H. 
Gulick and wife ; E. W. Clark ; J. T. Gulick ; 
Opunui and wife ; Kaaikaula and wife ; and Ke- 
kela. H. Holsworth is captain of the vessel. 



MICRONESIAN MISSION BEGUN. 19 

I therefore take the liberty to commend 
these good teachers to your care and friendship, 
to exhort you to listen to their instructions, and 
to seek their acquaintance. I have seen tiie 
value of such teachers. We, here on my Islands, 
once lived in ignorance and idolatry. We were 
given to war, and we were very poor. Now my 
people are enlightened. We live in peace, and 
some have acquired property. Our condition is 
greatly improved on what it once was, and the 
word of God has been the great cause of our 
improvement. Many of my people regard the 
word of God, Jehovah, and pray to him, and 
he has greatly blessed us. I advise you to throw 
away your idols, take the Lord Jehovah for your 
God, worship and love him, and he will bless 
and save you. May he make these new teachers 
a great blessing to you and your people, and 
withhold from you no good thing. 

Kamehameha. 

The little company of missionaries reached 
their destination safely, and began their labors 
among the poor, dark, savage natives of Micro- 
nesia. The report which was brought back to 
Honolulu very much interested the Hawaiian 
Christians in the undertaking. They felt how 
good it was to do something for the cause of 
Christ, and as all are, who make sacrifices for his 



20 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

sake, they were already greatly blessed in their 
own souls. At length, after a few years, the 
missionary spirit had so much increased among 
them, that they enlarged their contributions 
to the Hawaiian Missionary Society, and deter- 
mined to send two more native missionaries to 
Micronesia. 

But who would be willing to go ? It did not 
take long to ascertain. First, two of the best 
teachers begged the privilege — for they felt it 
would indeed be a privilege — to tell of Christ to 
those who never heard of him. Next, two dea- 
cons came to their pastor, to offer themselves for 
the work. Several others, also, wished to go. 
After the subject had been prayed over, and 
guidance asked from God, one teacher and one 
deacon were chosen. They made, indeed, sac- 
rifices, for they were to leave their little property 
and dear children behind them. They gave up 
all for Christ. 

At the close of a communion season, when 
probably a thousand communicants were pres- 
ent, these two brethren gave their farewell ad- 
dresses, and the church pledged to them " their 
prayers and contributions, year after year, until 
death." Was not that a beautiful spectacle ? 

But these Micronesian Islands were a great 
way off — very far from all Christian people. A 
year often passed, and sometimes two, without 



A VESSEL NEEDED. 21 

the visit of any vessel. Those that did stop were 
nearly all whale ships, and the captains could 
seldom be persuaded to go out of their course, 
either to carry missionaries or get supplies to 
the mission. Besides, the mission did not expect 
to confine themselves to one island ; they wished 
to carry the gospel to all the islands in those seas 
which would receive it. These were scattered 
through the ocean, sometimes hundreds of miles 
apart. How could they pass from one to another ? 

And then, too, how could they have communi- 
cation with the Hawaiian Society, or the Ameri- 
can Board, and get advice and assistance when 
they most needed it ? You see that they needed 
a ship of their own — one in which they could 
go among the islands and make missionary tours, 
wherever God's providence should call them. 

So, then, it was concluded by the Board that 
a little vessel must be provided for the purpose, 
and sent out for the use of the Micronesian Mis- 
sion. And this was why the Morning Star was 
built. 



22 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



CHAPTER II. 



HOW THEY GOT THE MONEY. 



OW should the money, 
sufficient to build such 
a vessel, be got ? The 
American Board, after 
anxiously considering 
the question, felt that 
they could not advance 
it. Every penny they 
received was needed to carry on 
their own direct work, and they 
could not spare any thing for 
building a vessel. No, thougli 
it was very trying to say it, they 
must look to some other source. 

Could not tlie Hawaiian Missionary Society, 
with the help of the native Christians, undertake 
the work ? No. They were extremely poor. 
The pastor of one of the churches on the Islands, 
in speaking of their poverty, said, " There is not 
a man, woman, or child in ten, throughout my 
churcli, that would not be regarded as a fit sub- 
ject for the poorhouse, or object of charity, in 
Massachusetts. More than half that the com- 




Childrcn contributing. 



CHURCH BUILDING. 23 

mon people get goes to support the govern- 
ment." To show how ready they were to do all 
they could, and yet how small were their means, 
let me tell you how they built one of their 
churches. 

The number of native Christians at Honolulu 
had become very great, and for several years 
they had needed a house of worship large enough 
to accommodate them. At length tliey under- 
took to build it, and a subscription was com- 
menced by the king's putting down three thou- 
sand dollars. Some of the chiefs also contributed 
liberally, and the people as much as they were 
able. The timber was brought from their own 
mountains or from California. 

There were no oxen, or horses, or carts on the 
Islands, which they could use in hauling their 
materials, nor were they able to pay laborers to 
do the work for them. So the members of the 
church, about one thousand in number, divided 
themselves into companies, and took hold of the 
w^ork. They dug out the stones for making the 
walls of tlie church, and brought them to the 
spot upon their slioulders. Then they swam out 
into the sea, and dived to the bottom, where they 
broke off' the coral which grows there, to make 
lime of. When the large pile of coral was ready, 
forty cords of wood were needed to burn it ; and 
another company went away into the mountains. 



24 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



and brought the wood upon their backs. Then 
the women carried the lime in their calabashes 
to the place of building, and also the water and 
sand used to make the mortar. Two thousand 
barrels of sand, lime, and water were carried 
thus a quarter of a mile, to assist their hus- 
bands, fathers, and sons in building a house for 
the worship of God. How many people in this 
country would be willing to labor in this way, 
or make such sacrifices for the sake of having a 
place of worship? 




CHURCH AT HONOLULU. 



Mr. Coan, pastor of the church at Hilo, de- 
scribes the way in which his people built a house 
of wood for the worship of God. The large 
timbers were cut in the mountain forests, and 



CHURCH BUILDING. 25 

bad to be drawn down to the village by men. 
Mr. Coan often went with them for their en- 
couragement and aid. When they arrived in 
the mountains, they first united in prayer, then 
fastened the ropes to the big logs, and away they 
went. " The manner of drawing," says Mr. 
Coan, " is quite systematic. They choose one 
of their number for a leader. He takes the 
command, and orders all the rest to be quiet, 
arranges the men on each side of the rope, in 
the same manner as a fire engine is drawn. 
Every man is ordered to grasp the rope tight 
with both hands, straighten it, and squat down, 
bending a little forward. The leader goes up 
and down the line, and sees that every man 
holds the rope. All is still as the grave for a 
moment — then the commander roars out in a 
loud voice, ' kano ! ' — draw. Every one rises, 
bending forward ; every muscle is strained, and 
away dashes the timber through thicket and 
mud, over lava and stream, under a burning 
sun or drenching rain. No conversation is al- 
lowed, except by the marshal, who feels it his 
privilege to make noise enough for all. About 
once in half a mile they stop to rest, and then 
go on again. If the company get tired after 
a while, and choose to stand straight up, or hold 
the rope loosely, then the marshal has a thou- 
sand smart things to say, to arouse their zeal, 



26 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

and make them labor harder. One phrase he' 
uses is, ' Bow the head — blister the hands — • 
sweat.' If the marshal has talked himself 
hoarse, he resigns his place, and another is 
chosen to fill it. All this is done in good na- 
ture." 

The American Board, then, must look some- 
where else than to these poor people for the 
means to build the missionary vessel with. At 
last some one said, " Could not the children raise 
the money ? In England they have built the 
mission ship John Williams, and paid thirty 
thousand dollars for it. Why could not other 
children build a ship ? " This was a happy 
thought, and the way in which the children 
responded to it showed that they felt so too. 

It was estimated that the vessel would cost 
about twelve thousand dollars. This amoimt, 
therefore, was divided into one hundred and 
twenty thousand shares of ten cents each, so 
that a great many children could have the pleas- 
ure of being part " owners in the concern." 
Each one should have a certificate of stock given 
when the money was paid. 

And what name should it have ? It was going 
to bring the light of salvation to the islands in 
the west, rising upon them like a beautiful star. 
It shall be called, therefore, " The Morning' Star.^'' 
So Jesus, who came to bring light and life to the 



THE CALL. 27 

world, was called " the bright and the morn- 
ing Star." 

So the call went out for subscribers to the 
stock. Ministers spoke of it in the pulpit, Sab- 
bath school teachers proposed it to their pupils, 
the newspapers talked of it — every body was 
interested. 

" Children, hear the joj^ul call, 
Rally quick in smiling bands ; 
Bring your offerings, one and all. 
Warm in heart and free in hands. 

«' You shall build a mission ship, 

Christened now the « Morning Star,' 
Soon shall speed its glorious trip, 
Bearing gospel tidings far. 

•' Give a plank, a spar, a nail. 

Timber, bolt, or peg, or screw, 
Cable, rudder, anchor, sail ; 
Poiu: your gifts like morning dew. 

♦' 'Neath the Micronesian skies, 

Where sweet Mercy never sing=;, 
Soon the Morning Star shall rise. 
Shaking joy from all its wings. 

*' Every shining penny given 

With a cheerful heart and hand, 
Like the purest ray from heaven, 
Shall illume that pagan land. 

«' Thousands 'mid the blest shall rise. 
Praising God that, from afar, 
On their Micronesian skies 
Ever dawned the Morning Star." 



28 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

And now the money began to come. Cents 
and three-cent pieces, dimes and half dimes, 
poured into the Missionary House. 

•'They come with noisy trampling, 
Ten thousand little feet, 
Each emulous to offer 
The tribute money meet; 
All wide awake the children are. 
To build the ship, the Morning Star. 

*« They bring no dingy copper. 
With green and cankered spot 
But pure and precious silver, 
Or choicer gold, I wot. 
The very best we have — hurrah ! — 
To build the ship, the Morning Star." 

In Wisconsin, one Sabbath school formed a 
" Morning Star Association." " Many a bright 
eye in my Sabbath school," said the pastor, " is 
already fixed upon the ' Morning Star,' and 
many hearts are eager to speed it on its way, 
that it may give light to the benighted islanders 
of the Pacific. May we not hope that this effort 
will prove the means by which many of these 
bright eyes at home will be led to look prayer- 
fully and lovingly upon him who was predicted 
as the ' Star ' which should ' arise out of Jacob,' 
and who said, ' I am the bright and morning 
Star'?" 

And then " little Hatty's offering " came from 



"LITTLE Hatty's offering." 29 

a distance in another direction — from Maine. 
Little Hatty had gone home to God, and her 
mother wrote, that many a time she had stood 
by her side to hear her read the " Songs for the 
Little Ones at Home ; " and when she looked at 
the picture of the heathen mother throwing her 
little baby to the crocodile, with open jaws ready 
to devour it, the big tears would drop, her little 
bosom heave, and her lips tremble, as she ex- 
claimed, " mamma, send the Bible to the 
wicked woman." So her mother sent the money 
that little Hatty left, and called it " Hatty's 
offering," because she knew it would be what 
her dear child would have done herself. 

Then we hear from one who playfully calls 
herself " a child almost eleven years old," though 
really she was nearly one hundred and eleven. 
She thought herself enough like a child to have 
stock also in the Morning Star. At the siege of 
Yorktown, in the days of the revolution, she 
was favorably noticed by Washington, because 
she was co active in relieving the wants of the 
weary, wounded soldiers, without fearing bul- 
lets, in that bloody scene. Her great-great- 
grandchild bought a share also with her. 

A little boy was killed by a railroad car pass- 
ing over him. He was a good child, and his 
parents said that one of the sweetest recollec- 
tions of him was his love for the cause of mis- 



30 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

sions. They thought if he could speak to them 
he would say, " I want to help build the Morn- 
ing Star." So they sent the contents of his 
" savings bank," amounting to three dollars. 

A letter was received from Illinois, enclosing 
eighty cents. A little boy and girl, whose mother 
was very poor indeed, were anxious to own 
shares, but they had scarcely food and clothing 
to be comfortable in the cold weather. By 
doing errands, the boy earned twenty cents, 
and then persevered in making out the same for 
his little sister, though obliged to do it with- 
out proper clothing in stinging cold weather. 
When the children brought the money, the boy 
said, " When I'm a man, I'm going to be a 
missionary, and perhaps I shall go out in that 
very vessel." The parents of these children are 
Roman Catholics. Another twenty of the cents 
was earned by a little girl for hemming hand- 
kerchiefs, and going without butter on her bread. 
" I never lijvcd to hem handkerchiefs before," 
she said, " but I love to now, because I am doing 
it for the missionaries who go away so far to 
teach the Bible to the poor heathen." 

The money came from all directions. 

'< Beloved youth and children dear 
Came with their little stores, 
To build the ship with right good cheer, 
And bless those distant shores." 



VARIOUS CONTRIBUTIONS. WILLIE. 31 

Children from California, Oregon, — all the 
States of the Union, — sent in their funds to tlie 
Board ; some of their abundance, others from 
the depths of poverty and want, but none willing 
to be left out. 

The Sabbath school of Zion's Church, Mon- 
treal, sent a donation of twenty dollars to the 
Board. They would have sent more than this 
for the Morning Star, but the children in the 
States were too quick for them, and had paid for 
the vessel without their aid. So they thought 
they would send something to the Board. These 
children were Canadians, Scotch, English, for- 
eigners to us, yet they wished to help. 

Nor were these contributions confined to this 
country. In far-distant Turkey, a little son of a 
missionary at Tocat, when he saw a picture of 
the Morning Star, its design was explained, and 
he was told that the children were to own it 
themselves, said, " I wish to give some little 
moneys for the bootiful ship." So he sent one 
hundred paras — ten cents — to buy a share. 
Willie and his mother had a long conversation 
about it, and she told him that if God did not 
take care of the beautiful ship, it would, per- 
haps, be broken to pieces before it finished its 
long journey ; but she thought he would take 
care of it, for many children would be sure to 
pray for it every day. Immediately little Willie 



32 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

slipped off from her lap, where he had been sit- 
ting, and stealing softly to the sofa, knelt down, 
and whispered some words. Presently, coming 
back, he said, " There, I did pray." " What 
for, dear ? " " For that nice ship. I did pray 
that it musn't break, and the good people that is 
in it be spilt in the water." Every night after, 
this simple petition in behalf of the Morning 
Star was added to his evening prayer. Liter- 
ally, Willie's prayers and alms went up together, 
and without any doubt were "had in remem- 
brance before God." 

Another offering came with Willie's from two 
little native children, whose father had lived 
near the banks of the Euphrates. The first 
time they heard the story of the Morning Star, 
they came running directly, each with one hun- 
dred paras in his outstretched hand, and begged 
that it might be sent across the Atlantic " for 
the big ship," the like of which, they, living so 
far from the water, had never seen. 

A missionary from Cesarea, in Syria, sent 
money, and with it a letter, saying, " We do not 
doubt that you can do the work yourselves ; but 
there are some children away off here in Asia, 
who would like to help you. They attend our 
school and meeting, and study the New Testa- 
ment ; and have they not a right to join with 
American children in this good work ? When 



THE children's WORK. 33 

we told them they might, you do not know how 
their bright eyes sparkled ! Some grown-up 
men and women wanted to help ; but we said, 
' No ; it is the children's work.' Yet we did let 
one man give. His two children were twenty 
miles from home, and could not come to put in 
their money ; but he was so anxious to give for 
them, that we could not refuse. Some of these 
children are very poor ; but all were allowed to 
contribute as small a sum as half a cent, and 
even less." 

In China, one of the missionaries proposed 
to his little son, seven years old, to go out 
among friends, and see what he could get for 
the good cause. He prepared a paper, and the 
boy, with his little sister of five, who begged 
that she might help too, went out and received 
contributions to the amount of one hundred 
dollars. 

The Hawaiian Sabbath schools, too, must have 
a hand, at least, in the good work. Two of them 
in Kohala sent seventy dollars. Fifty of these 
" were earned, every farthing, by the children's 
own hands ; some of it by getting up at two 
and three o'clock in the morning, and working 
by moonlight ; and all done of their own free, 
voluntary choice." 

In Hilo, the children gave liberally, and sent 
a request that the vessel might stop at their 



34 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAB. 

island. They were very anxious to see the 
object so often described to them, and on which 
their hearts were set. 

Many things beside money were given to the 
Morning Star. The children in Constantinople 
sent a speaking trumpet. That was to be used 
in hailing vessels which would be met out on 
the broad ocean. Some children in Boston sent 
a chest full of medicine, which, of course, would 
be very necessary if there was sickness on board. 
A Missionary Society in Chelsea sent a great pile 
of s]ieets and pillow slips. Another sent a large 
Bible, to be used in family worship. A lady in 
Boston gave a library worth one hundred and 
fifty dollars. A flag was sent from Rochester. 
One of the Sabbath schools in Boston bought a 
chronometer for the vessel, which cost one hun- 
dred and ninety dollars. 

The contributions to the Morning Star came 
into the treasury in such abundance, that notice 
was given that no more was needed. But still 
the money came, until it amounted to full thirty 
thousand dollars. All that was not required for 
building the vessel was reserved for sailing it, 
and for repairs. 

It has already been mentioned how much this 
undertaking of the children interested all classes 
of the people. Even in the stately halls of legis- 
lation it was not thought unworthy of notice. 



MR. Russell's speech. 35 

Tlie following is an extract from a very eloquent 
speech in the Massachusetts House of Represen- 
tatives, delivered by T. H. Russell, Esq. : — 

" Permit me, sir, to recall to the minds of the 
House a notable instance just transpired. A 
few days before we were assembled here, there 
lay at one of the wharves of this city a beautiful 
vessel, called the Morning Star. Let me say a 
word of her history. In the far-distant Pacific, 
some fifteen to seventeen thousand miles away 
by the usual sailing route, there is found a 
group of islands just now coming into notice, 
and known as the Micronesian group. They are 
inhabited by a race of savages, perhaps not 
much above the Hawaiians of fifty years ago. 
Now there were found, in New England, men, 
and women, too, who were willing to give their 
lives to the elevation, socially, civilly, and re- 
ligiously, of these far-distant and poor people. 
But how to get there ? Commerce does every 
thing, dares every thing, when gain allures. But 
these rude people had little about them to attract 
thither the ships of commerce. Some one sug- 
gests, ' Let us build a missionary ship.' But 
where are the means ? The Board of gentlemen, 
who, just below us in Pemberton Square, preside 
over this magnificent charity, and who, this 
year, will disburse more than one third of a mil- 
lion of dollars of voluntary offerings, find already 



36 HISTORY OP THE MORNING STAR. 

the field too great for their harvesters. They 
can spare nothing. 

" ' Let us,' says another, ' lay the burden 
on the shoulders of the little children.' The 
thought was the deed. The keel of the ship 
was laid on the shore of the Mystic, and while 
she was receiving form and symmetry, the word 
went out, ' The children are to build a mission- 
ary ship, and every child who can contribute a 
single dime may feel that it has a proprietary 
interest in the noble undertaking.' At once the 
little rills began to flow down from every hill- 
side in New England ; they came from the Mid- 
dle, Southern, and Western States, the far-distant 
Territories, a little from over the border of 
Queen Victoria's dominions, and even the Choc- 
taw Mission, and the poor remnant of Tuscarora 
Indians, did not fail in contributing their mites. 
It was supposed this ship would cost six, then 
ten, and finally twelve thousand dollars. How 
is it now in the treasury? As all these little 
gatherings poured in, they began to swell up, 
until there were eight, ten, twelve, eighteen, 
twenty-four thousand dollars; and though the 
good secretaries held up their hands, crying, 
' Hold, enough,' no one could tell where it would 
end. The little ship was complete, her freight 
and all on board, and weeks ago she sailed away ; 
and I doubt not that already the beams of that 



CHEISTIAN LOVE. 3.7 

beautiful constellation, the Southern Cross, are 
mildly shed on her ; and I know that the prayers 
and blessings of the little proprietors are follow- 
ing her, like thousands of unseen angels, on her 
journey of Christian love. Yes, sir, Christian 
love ; no atheism about it. 

" One such fact is worth more to a soul that 
has a single hope or aspiration for man, to a 
heart that has a single pulsation in unison with 
the golden rule, than all that atheism has ever 
accomplished, or will, or can, in an eternity of 



38 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR, 



CHAPTER III. 

THE LAUNCH. 



9 



zK 







OR the purpose 
of hastening 
the enterprise 

_ thus begun, 
contracts were 
speedily made 



Lauuch of the Morning Star. 



ior building the ves- 
sel. Her builder was 
Mr. Jotham Stetson, 
of Chelsea, near Bos- 
ton. She was to be of one hundred and fifty 
tuns burden, and her model or form was one of 
great beauty. In about twelve weeks from the 
laying of the keel, she was ready to be launched. 
Many were the visits made to the ship-yard in 
Chelsea, while the work was in progress, by the 
young stockholders, who could scarcely wait to 
see it finished. 

At last the day for launching came. Three 
or four thousand men, women, and children 
were assembled to see the vessel glide into the 
water. Every face was full of smiles ; every 
A stage had been built near 



body vfas happy. 



THE secretary's SPEECH. 39 

tlie bows of the vessel, and from that place one 
of the secretaries of the Board addressed the 
assembled multitude. 

" You all know," he said, " that, a little 
while since, a missionary packet was found 
to be necessary for the good work among the 
islands of the Pacific. A circular was addressed 
to the children and youth, giving them the 
privilege of raising the twelve thousand dollars 
needed. That circular was sent through the 
land, and no sooner said than done, — here 
SHE IS, and will be launched in a few minutes. 
She is called the ' Morning Star.' Can you 
tell why ? When that bright star comes up, 
it announces to all beholders that the great 
sun will soon lift up his head above the hori- 
zon. So when this beautiful packet shall 
approach and land the missionary and the 
word of God on one of the dark islands in 
that far-off ocean, it will be a sure sign that 
a new day is about to dawn, and the Sun of 
Righteousness soon to rise upon them." 

The vast assembly then united in singing 
the Missionary Hymn, — 

<« From Greenland's icy mountains." 

Prayer was next offered ; after which, Rev. 
Mr. Langworthy said, " We want our young 
friends to keep quiet a few minutes longer, and 



40 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

tlien they may swing their hats and wave their 
handkerchiefs, and shout at the top of their 
voices." He then alluded very pleasantly to 
their feelings on this joyful occasion, and hoped 
they would all consecrate themselves to the 
service of Him who died for their salvation. 
The doxology, — 

'« Praise God, from -svhom all blessings flow," — 

was sung in the tune of Old Hundred. 

Now all had been said. Every eye was fixed 
on the beautiful little vessel that was just ready 
to take life and leap into the sea. The timbers 
which supported the forward part had all been 
taken away, and a number of wedges inserted 
under the hinder part. Several of the ship's 
carpenters stood near with great wooden ham- 
mers, and, when the order, " Wedge up," was 
given, every hammer came with full force on 
the wedges. After a few minutes the hammers 
ceased ; the vessel moved off gracefully and 
beautifully ; and w^hen it touched the water, 
such a glorious " hurrah " burst forth as made 
tlie heavens and earth ring with the sound. 
Many old people stood around with tears in 
their eyes, and thought of the brighter day, 
which, through the instrumentality of this ves- 
sel, was to dawn upon the dark isles of the 
sea. 



THE OLD CARPENTER. 41 

Among the incidents connected with the 
launch was the following, related by one who 
witnessed it : — 

Among the carpenters employed to " wedge 
up " was an old man, who was seen to weep 
profusely, as he stood, top-maul in hand, wait- 
ing for the order. When it was given, his 
blows fell heavy and fast, while the tears chased 
each other down his weather-beaten face. Now 
the vessel staits — she begins to move — she 
glides away — and up go the shouts of happy 
hearts, while, leaning upon his top-maul, the 
old ship-carpenter, with closed eyes and un- 
covered head, wipes away the gushing tears. 
When the vessel was safely launched upon her 
own element, he reverently pronounced the 
word " Amen," replaced his hat, shouldered his 
top-maul, and disappeared among the crowd. 

Before she sailed on her long voyage the 
Morning Star was furnished with every thing 
convenient as well as necessary. Should the 
little vessel meet with a storm at sea, and the 
wind " blow the sails all to ribbons," as the 
sailors say, she would want a new set to supply 
them. These, accordingly, were provided, all 
made ready for use, all carefully stowed away 
in a safe place. If the spars and ropes should 
be broken and lost, they must have more at 
hand. If they should lose their anchor, another, 



42 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



with its great heavy flukes, was lying on deck 
close to the side of tlie vessel. Every thing that 
was necessary to keep her in trim was there. 




..Sc^^^S; aas 



THE MORNING STAR. 

The library, which had been kindly given 
for the nse of passengers and crew, was neatly 
arranged in its locker. The medicine chest, 
full of pills and potions, was in its place. The 
beautiful chronometer, which was to measure 
the time when far out on the wide ocean, hung 
in its box, ready for use. Tlie speaking trum- 
pet, that had come all the way from Constanti- 
nople, hung probably somewhere on deck ; at 
any rate, it was in a handy place, and if a ves- 
S2i should come in sight, " Ship, ahoy ! " would 



THE FAREWELL MEETING. 43 

ring out of it, loud enough to be heard half 
a mile. 

Provisions of all kinds had been carried on 
board, enough for a six months' voyage, and 
some to spare ; for very often sliips at sea are 
called upon to supply other vessels, which have 
been out longer than they expected ; so ves- 
sels usually take more than they expect to use, 
that they may be able to supply others that 
need. 

Well, when every thing was ready, and the 
Morning Star was about to sail, there was 
anothor gathering at India Wharf, Boston, 
where she lay. This was on the first day of 
December, 1856, at 10 o'clock A. M. The pas- 
sengers and crew were all on board. The name 
of the captain was Samuel G. Moore, and the 
crew consisted of two mates, a steward, and six 
seamen. They were to carry out as passengers 
Rev. Hiram Bingham, Jr., and his wife, destined 
to Micronesia, as missionaries. Mr. Bingliam 
was the son of Rev. Hiram Bingham, one of 
the first company of missionaries Avho went to 
the Sandwich Islands, thirty-seven years before. 
He was born at Hawaii, but educated in this 
country. His father was present, and assisted 
in the services at the embarkation of his son. 
Mrs. Jackson, wife of the postmaster at Hono- 
lulu, with her little child, was also a passenger. 



44 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

The clay was A-eiy cold, and tlie ground 
covered with snow, but a large number of per- 
sons were present. First, the 72d Psalm was 
sung : — 

«' Jesus shall reign where'er the sun." 

Dr. Worcester, of Salem, made remarks, and 
told some interesting facts in regard to the 
" former times," when the first missionaries 
went out. Among other things, he said that 
the present king of the Sandwich Islands had 
never seen the gods his fathers worshiped until 
he saw some of them a few years ago, where; 
many of the children have seen them, at the 
Missionary House in Boston. The people there 
have cast away their idols, and now worsliip the 
true God ; and the Morning Star is sent to aid 
in bringing the people of many other islands 
to do the same. Dr. Worcester repeated the 
hymn, " Wake, isles of the south," which was 
written in 1819, on the occasion of the depart- 
ure of the first missionaries to the Sandwich 
Islands, and was also sung in 1852, when the 
first missionaries to Micronesia were about to 
sail from Honolulu. 

Prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Binglian, Sen. 
He had seen great things, and could pray that 
his son miglit " see yet greater things than 
tlicse." Then the last two verses of the Mis- 



THE DEPARTURE. 45 

sionary Hymn were sung, and the congregation 
departed. The day was so far spent that it was 
thought advisable to defer the sailing until the 
next morning, the second day of December. 

When the morning came the day was pleas- 
ant, and at 9 o'clock, after all had united in 
prayer, and the last farewells Avere said, the 
lines were cast off, and the missionary packet, 
Morning Star, with all her colors set, passed 
down the bay on her voyage to the Sandwich 
Islands. 

THE MORNING STAR. 

[From the Hammond Street Baptist Church, Bangor, Maine.] 

Our silver and gold in the ship Morning Star 
We've invested, expecting returns from afar ; 
The good ship is chartered for a very long run ; 
Her cargo's insured till her haven is won. 

Rich, rich freight from far 
She will bring back again, the ship Morning Star. 

In fancy we see her : each snowy- white sail, 
Like a fair silver wing floats out on the gale ; 
Joy waits her appearing, and welcoming smiles 
Break over the face of the far-distant isles. 

Brave, brave ship, all hail ! 
Thy keel on the deep leaves a bright, shining trail. 

Away, like a bird, fly with wings light and free ; 
Thy home, Morning Star, is away on the sea ; 
Glad tidings of joy 'tis thy mission to bear ; 
They long for thy coming, in lands every where. 

Lone, lone star, with thee 
The love-light of heaven goes bounteous and free. 



46 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

God speed thee, God help thee, we earnestly pray, 
Safe on the wild ocean, by night and by day ; 
Oh, ne'er was a ship so wafted by prayer ; 
Our young, lovmg hearts for thy safety shall care. 

Speed, speed on thy way, 
Till the Morning Star pales in the Sun's golden ray. 



VOYAGE TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. 



47 



CHAPTER lY. 



VOYAGE TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. 




The llelinsman. 



T 10 o'clock A. M. on 
the second day of 
December, 1856, the 
Morning Star left the 
wharf at Boston. A 
few friends were pres- 
ent, and, after uniting 
in prayer, the last 
farewells were said ; 
then the ropes were 
cast off, and, with her sails all spread, and 
her colors flying, the little vessel took her 
course down the harbor with a fair wind. The 
numerous islands in the bay were soon left 
behind. At 3 o'clock the pilot was discharged, 
and the voyage of twelve thousand miles was 
begun. 

When the night came on, there were symp- 
toms of a storm. There was a dense fog, with 
occasional showers of rain and snow. Every 
thing betokened a severe gale, and the captain 
was anxious to get into a harbor. It was a 
rather hard night for the little packet to com- 



48 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

mence her voyage ; and it would not be sur- 
prising if the passengers, as they tossed about 
on the waves, wished themselves on shore. The 
next day the storm continued, and, not being 
able to reach a harbor, she was anchored, and 
lay in great danger through the night. A large 
bark and schooner anchored near them. 

When the third day dawned, they found that 
both the other vessels were ashore, while the 
Morning Star lay easy, rising buoyantly on tlie 
big waves, as they rolled, one after another, 
against her sharp, polished stem. All on board 
felt that God's protecting care had been about 
them, as they looked at the other vessels, and 
saw the great waves dashing over them, and 
felt thankful to him who had kept them safely. 
I think, surely, that dear little Willie's prayer, 
at Tocat, " that the nice ship mustn't break, 
and the good people be spilled in the water," 
was now answered. He who holds the winds 
and waves in his hand can hear the prayers of 
a little child. He says he is " our Father ; " 
and no one can tell how much the course of 
events is influenced in this world by the sup- 
plications of the little ones who repeat those 
sweet words, as they kneel before him. 

The wind continued to blow hard for several 
days, but, with the aid of a tow-boat, they suc- 
ceeded in getting out to sea ; then, making all 



RELIGIOUS SERVICES AT SEA. 49 

sail, they flew before the wind like a bird let 
loose from its prison, and ere nightfall, the land 
had entirely disappeared. 

In the evening Mr. Bingham and Captain 
Moore agreed upon a method of conducting the 
rehgious services on board, which was to be 
ol)served during the voyage. At 9 o'clock on 
Sabbath morning the exercises were to consist 
in singing, prayer, reading the Scriptures, and a 
brief exhortation, or appropriate remarks. Daily 
prayers were to be attended in the morning, and 
soon after tea at night. On all these occasions 
the sliip's crew were invited to be present. 

On the following Sabbath nearly all hands 
were assembled. With but a small supply of 
hymn books, they succeeded very well in singing 
" God is the refuge of his saints." Mr. Bing- 
ham preached from the text, " Lord, to whom 
shall we go ? Thou hast the words of eternal 
life." Captain Moore offered prayer, and the 
exercises were closed with the doxology, " Praise 
God, from whom all blessings flow." The wor- 
ship of God on the Sabbath was now fairly be- 
gun, and was, throughout the voyage, attended 
with a manifest divine blessing. 

In a few days they entered the Gulf Stream, 
which is one of the most wonderful things in the 
world. It is a river in the ocean, many miles 
wide, flowing from the Gulf of Mexico, north- 

4 



50 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

ward, along the American coast, toward the 
Northern Ocean. The water of the Stream is 
much warmer than the ocean, and the color of 
it is indigo blue. So distinct is it from the sur- 
rounding ocean, that sometimes one half of a 
vessel is seen floating in this, while the other is 
in the common sea-water. Rain, hail, thunder, 
and lightning are more frequent in the Gulf 
Stream than other places in the ocean, and sail- 
ors are generally glad to escape from it. 

They were now favored with a fair wind and 
good weather. The vessel proved to be a fine 
sailer, and usually ran ahead of other vessels 
that it met. The passengers found the accom- 
modations very comfortable, and the captain a 
kind, good man. Mr. and Mrs. Bingham suf- 
fered very much for several weeks from seasick- 
ness. This is usually the case with all who are 
not accustomed to the sea, and is far from being 
an agreeable introduction to sea life. 

A lady, who has crossed the ocean, describes 
it as '- that disgust of existence which begins 
to come over a person soon after sailing — a 
strange, mysterious sensation, that makes every 
heaving billow, every white-capped wave, the 
ship, the people, the sight, taste, sound, and 
smell of every thing, a matter of irrepressible 
loathing. Those who go on board in high spirits, 
full of life and conversation, soon grow white 



FLYING FISH. — COAST OP BRAZIL. 51 

around the mouth, and are obliged to yield to 
the mysterious spell. Others in ten minutes are 
going to die, are sure they shall die, and don't 
care if they do. Every thing to be done, how- 
ever small, is a burden. To arouse one's self to 
go upon deck is next to impossible ; but it is 
far better to make the effort than to stay below, 
where every one else is in the same predic- 
ament." 

An occasional flying-fish, as it skimmed over 
the blue waves to escape immediate destruction 
from a voracious enemy, only to fall again into 
the jaws of death, served to attract a few mo- 
ments' attention, from the monotonous watching 
of the ever-rolling waves. If perchance it fell 
upon the vessel's deck, it was speedily caught 
up, and converted by the cook into a tempting 
bit for the seasick passengers. Occasionally a 
passing vessel also afforded a little variety. 

The weather continued fair, and the Morning 
Star soon entered the torrid zone, crossed the 
equator, and passed around Cape St. Roque, 
which is the eastern point of South America. 
As they drew near the coast of Brazil, the green 
fields and hills presented a beautiful appearance. 
Rafts, and flat-bottomed boats, which the sailors 
call catamarans, were seen gliding backward 
and forward over the smooth sea. 

When they arrived off Rio de Janeiro, it was 



62 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

found, on a careful examination, that some re- 
pairs were necessary ; so it was determined to 
stop for a few days at that port. This, the cap- 
tain knew, would take time and money ; but 
he thought his young owners would prefer this 
sacrifice, rather than that they should attempt 
to go around Cape Horn in a damaged con- 
dition. Cape Horn is always a dangerous place, 
and a vessel needs to be sound and strong to 
insure a safe passage ; so their course was 
changed, and a fresh breeze springing up, the 
Morning Star sailed gracefully along into the 
Bay of Eio. 

The rough sailor often stands in silent ad- 
miration on the deck of his vessel, as he enters 
this magnificent harbor, and views the scenery 
before him. As far up the bay as the eye can 
reach, little green islands, scattered here and 
there, rise above the water, covered with palms 
and other tropical verdure ; while on either side 
are ranges of mountains with lofty peaks, ex- 
tending far back into the country. As you 
proceed, the great city comes into view, built 
upon seven green hills, which give it the title 
of " Modern Rome ; " while fresh with the 
land breeze comes the rich perfume of the 
orange and other flowers, more sweet than even 
from Ceylon's spicy shores. 

Rio is situated on the west side of the bay. 



RIO JANEIRO. 53 

Its churches and cathedrals, its towers and 
steeples, its granite houses and red-tiled roofs, its 
white walls and its aqueducts, give it very much 
the appearance of an Eastern city. It contains, 
with its suburbs, about 300,000 inhabitants. 

When the Morning Star anchored, she was 
visited by the custom house and health officers. 
As there was no sickness on board, the ship's 
company were allowed to go on shore at pleas- 
ure. Captain Moore procured a carpenter and 
blacksmith, who soon repaired the broken spar. 
The passengers availed themselves of the oppor- 
tunity to visit the city, where they were kindly 
treated, and were favored with a delightful ride 
into the country. This was very refreshing, after 
the sickness and fatigues of their long voyage. 

At Rio, four of the crew, in consequence of 
some dissatisfaction, left the vessel, and others 
were obtained to take their places. It is ear- 
nestly hoped that the good seed which had been 
sown in their hearts, watered by heavenly dews, 
may bring forth much fruit to the glory of God. 

When the repairs were finished, and the reg- 
ulations of the port complied with, the Morn- 
ing Star weighed anchor, and proceeded on 
her voyage. They soon passed the great river 
Rio de la Plata, which can be traced many 
miles out to sea by tlie mud which is brought 
down in its waters from the country and de- 
posited in the ocean. 



54 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

On the following Sabbath, all but four of the 
crew attended the morning service. Most of the 
new hands did not converse in English, but tliey 
listened with apparent interest. At the monthly 
concert which was held that evening, some of 
them expressed a willingness to receive Bibles. 
Mr. Bingham took five, and distributed them in 
the forecastle, writing in each the name of the 
person to whom he gave it. At the same time 
he pressed upon them the text of his morning's 
discourse, " Search the Scriptures," and prom- 
ised his assistance in helping them to understand 
them. In his journal Mr. Bingham adds, " Oh 
that the Holy Spirit would bless us with his pres- 
ence ! Shall it be that the whole voyage will 
pass away, and none of these precious souls be 
led to Christ ? May I be more faithful, more 
earnest for the salvation of my fellow-men, and 
for the honor of my Redeemer." 

Off the Falkland Islands they lay becalmed 
for several days. Here every thing was made 
ready for going around Cape Horn. On tlie 
13th of February they experienced the first 
gale since leaving Cape Cod, and were obliged 
to " lie to " for twenty-four hours. The little 
vessel rode out the storm finely. On the 21st 
they were scudding before a fresh breeze, and 
on the lookout for Staten Land. 

Again a heavy gale came on. Judging that 



PENGUINS. — STRAIT OF LE MAIRE. 55 

they were near the Straits, they " hove to." 
Toward evening the clouds parted, and the 
snow-capped mountains of Terra del Fuego 
rose up, glistening in the rays of the setting- 
sun. By night the gale was at its hight ; 
the ocean was one sheet of foam, and the birds, 
gathering under the lee of the vessel, danced 
and gabbled as if congratulating themselves on 
having found so good a resting place. 

The rough, bleak islands of this region 
abound with birds of many kinds. As you 
pass along at a distance from them, you can 
see the rocks lined with long rows of what 
seem to be white stones, much resembling 
fences. These are rows of penguins, stand- 
ing erect, like soldiers in battle array. These 
singular birds have a bill and webbed feet, 
but neither wings nor feathers. Instead of 
wings, they have flippers, like a seal ; and for 
feathers they have a sort of scales, intermediate 
between feathers and fins. Tlie head and back 
are brown, the under parts white. With their 
heads erect, and their flippers, or arms, liang- 
ing down, they look like so many children 
with white aprons. 

Passing rapidly onward, the Morning Star 
soon reached San Diego and the Strait of Le 
Maire. The breeze from tlie north-west blew 
more freshly, and the vessel dashed through tho 



56 HISTORY OP THE MORNING STAR. 

Strait at the rate of eleven knots an hour. The 
shores were mostly frightful precipices, over- 
hanging the waves. Now and then a puff of 
wind, sweeping down through some mountain 
gorge, caused the vessel to careen far to leeward ; 
then recovering herself, she sped onward as 
though in haste to escape from the dangers sur- 
rounding her. At the foot of a precipice, a dark 
cave added to the wildness of the scene ; while a 
little farther on, a small stream of water, fed hy 
the never-failing snows of the hights above, came 
brawling down the cliffs, and was lost in a rocky 
valley below. 

At length, on Tuesday afternoon, February 24, 
a rocky bluff, high in air, appeared on the star- 
board bow. It was the world-renowned, oft- 
dreaded, bleak and stormy Cape Horn ! The 
weather, however, was now mild, and the lady 
passengers appeared on deck with their portfo- 
lios and pencils to take a sketch of it. At the 
east of the Cape were Deceit Rocks, standing 
detached from the sliore, like grim sentinels, as 
if to forbid approach. In the nortli-west ap- 
peared peak after peak, so completely covered 
with snow as to resemble huge icebergs rising 
from the waves. It was a sublime scene, and 
could not but impress upon all beholders the 
power and grandeur of the great Creator of all. 

The day passed pleasantly, and the sun 



THE MORNING STAR IN A STORM. 



57 



gently sunk in the west, making the dark 
clouds resplendent with its golden light. Be- 
fore going into his berth Captain Moore looked 
at the barometer, and saw that the mercury 
was falling rapidly. This indicated a storm. 
All hands were called to shorten sail, that they 
miglit not be caught unprepared, when sud- 
denly the vessel was struck by a ivhite squall. 



^^K 



^s M^ 




THE MORNING STAR IN A STORM. 

For a few moments its fury threatened to carry 
every thing away — sails, spars, masts, and all. 
The men who had been sent up to furl the 
topsails gave up in despair, and came down. 



58 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

They were encouraged to try again, and this 
time succeeded. For three hours the wind blew 
with a force that can not be described, and drove 
the vessel back into the Atlantic Ocean. Before 
midnight, however, the fury of the storm had 
passed, and a dead calm followed. 

The gale was succeeded by favorable winds, 
under which they soon recovered the ground 
they had lost. On the 1st of March the vessel's 
prow was turned northward, and the dreaded 
Cape was regarded as passed. They were now 
in the broad Pacific, and the weather became 
increasingly pleasant. Reading, and writing 
journals and letters for the friends at home, oc- 
cupied the attention of the passengers. One 
morning, before breakfast, as Mr. and Mrs. Bing- 
ham were walking on deck, five large, snow- 
white birds, called albatrosses, hovered near the 
vessel. A line with a baited hook was thrown 
out, but they would not bite it. After breakfast, 
however, one of them was captured, and when 
brought on board, a string was tied around his 
beak, and he was allowed to walk about the deck. 
All Avere much interested in watching the awli- 
ward motions of the bird. Another was caught 
which measured ten feet from the tip of one 
wing to the tip of the other, being four inches 
larger than the first. The second bird furnished 
a fmc dish for dinner, in taste resembling veal. 



THE DOLDRUMS. 59 

All examination of the hold of the vessel, 
about this time, enabled Mr. Bingliam to ascer- 
tain the condition of some of his goods. " My 
poor shower bath," he says, " has been badly 
crushed. Two barrels of flour were discovered, 
whicli had hitherto escaped detection ; also the 
cranberries, concerning which frequent inquiries 
had been made by those who relished them. 
They have proved quite a treat. The long-looked- 
for barrel of tongues was also discovered. The 
barrel of hams still conceals itself, as also docs 
the box of lemons. Our potatoes failed shortly 
after passing Cape Horn. There is naturally 
much uniformity in our meals, of late. We 
ought to be willing, and I trust we are, to deny 
ourselves many things, if thereby we can spare 
the Lord's treasury." 

In a few weeks our voyagers arrived in the 
region of the " Equatorial Doldrums." " What 
a funny word is this ! " I hear my young readers 
exclaiming. Doldrums is a word Avhich the 
sailors use to denote those parts of the sea 
where the weather is constantly changing. 
" Here," says Captain Moore, " we find light 
winds and calms, clouds and rain. The air is 
very oppressive ; passengers can not stay in the 
cabin because it is so hot, nor on deck because 
it is so wet. At one moment all is still ; the 
next, the sky is darkened, the thunder roars, 



60 HISTORY OF THE BIORNING STAR. 

the lightnings chase each other through the 
clouds, and light up the gloom of the night. 
Then comes the rain like an avalanche, forcing 
itself almost into the very pores of the skin. 
The passengers rush to the cabin, but the air 
below is so stifling, that they are glad to get on 
deck again." These are not very delightful 
regions, as you may well suppose, and the sailors 
are always glad when they have got through 
them. 

The Morning Star was now drawing near the 
end of her voyage. It had, on the whole, been 
a pleasant one. The health of all on board had 
been good, with one or two exceptions. The 
missionaries felt that their mercies abounded ; 
but the greatest of all was the presence of the 
Holy Spirit, which had been among them. The 
owners of the missionary packet sent her out to 
do good. Many of them, like little Willie, had 
prayed that she and all her crew might be pre- 
served safely, and many more had prayed for 
God's blessing to descend upon her. They will 
be glad, therefore, I am sure, to know that a 
precious revival was enjoyed among the sailors 
during their long voyage. 

Before passing Cape Horn, little religious in- 
terest had been felt by the men. Mr. Bingham 
had been among them daily, and sought oppor- 
tunities of conversing with them upon the great 



REVIVAL. 61 

theme of salvation by Christ. Ho gave them 
tracts and books calculated to impress upon their 
minds their lost condition. He preached reg- 
ularly on the Sabbath, had sustained, with the 
aid of the captain, daily prayers in the cabin, and 
was unwearied in his efforts to do them good. 

Captain Moore was a truly pious man, and 
occasional remarks from him had been listened 
to with interest by his crew. He was disposed 
to give them every opportunity for the enjoy- 
ment of religious privileges. But they were 
very irregular in their attendance upon the Sab- 
bath services, as well as the daily prayers. 

After the vessel entered the Pacific, the 
seed sown began to take root, the attendance be- 
came more regular, and greater solemnity was 
evident among them. They were willing to con- 
verse about their salvation, and could be seen 
on the Sabbath seated here and there, reading 
their Bibles. The first and second officers liad 
hope in Christ, but were living away from God 
and duty. Two of the sailors, a Swede and a 
Norwegian, were members of a Lutheran church, 
and gave good evidence of love to Christ, and 
some time before the close of the voyage, had 
spent half an hour each evening in learning to 
read the English Bible with Mrs. Bingham. 
Their influence among the sailors was good. 

At length a young Catholic Spaniard began 



G2 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

earnestly to inquire the way of salvation, and 
seemed honestly desirous of becoming a disciple 
of Jesus. An English sailor expressed his full 
determination to serve Christ, and indulged 
hope. The steward, too, thought he had fully 
decided upon a life of piety. The missionaries 
feared that he was trusting to his good works, 
and were pained afterward to know that the 
intoxicating cup was too often his companion. 

Among the crew were two men from New 
England. One of these had called himself a 
Christian many years ; but now he gave up his 
hope, and sought and found the Saviour. The 
other, for several weeks, was in a very tender 
state of mind, and at length gave good evidence 
of having obtained pardon for his sins. The 
conversion of the carpenter, an Englishman, 
was very remarkable. During the first part of 
the voyage he was one of the most profane 
among the crew. Gradually he became inter- 
ested in the religious services, and for many 
weeks attended upon the preaching of the word, 
which, he says, led him to see his danger, and 
that salvation is by Christ alone. When the 
vessel arrived at Honolulu, many weeks had 
passed since his last oath. 

On the last Sabbath of the voyage, he gave 
Mr. Bingham a letter, in which he thanked him 
for all his labors, and begged him to pray for 



THE carpenter's LETTER. 63 

him. He said, " I thought I knew what happi- 
ness was before I came to this ship, but I find I 
was laboring under a wrong impression. You 
have convinced me so ; mj Bible tells me so ; 
and now my heart tells me so. I have con- 
sidered well my past life ; I know not when 
my soul will be required of me, and I will 
delay no longer. I was in utter darkness before 
I heard you preach, and I beg you to accept my 
grateful thanks for all your instructions." 

On Sabbath morning, April 12, a meeting 
was held in the cabin, in which the captain, sec- 
ond officer, carpenter, and five sailors all took 
part, and all but one professed hope in Christ. 
The missionaries felt that it was a most interest- 
ing season, and their hearts overflowed with 
gratitude. God had blessed their efforts, and, 
like Paul, given them "the hearts of those that 
sailed with them." 

One bright morning, near the latter part of 
April, was seen, towering far above the clouds, 
the snow-capped summit of Mauna Loa, the 
highest land on the Island of Hawaii. For some 
days our voyagers had been on the lookout, and 
their joy at the sight can be better imagined 
than described. Being favored with the trade 
winds, the Morning Star sped rapidly onward. 
Captain Moore had intended to stop at Hilo, on 
account of the sickness of his mate ; but after 



64 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

visiting him with Mr. Bingham, and finding him 
better, he gave orders to bear away for Oahu. 

Passing the north-east shore of Hawaii, they 
soon saw the mountains of Maui. A large white 
building on this island they recognized as the 
Wailuku Seminary for native girls. Very few 
other buildings could be discovered. Next, Mo- 
lokai appeared, and our voyagers enjoyed the 
exquisite scenery, as they sailed along its north- 
ern shore. Thirteen cascades were in view at 
the same time, and some native houses at the 
foot of a majestic precipice. 

The wind died away, and left the Morning 
Star becalmed for the night in the channel be- 
tween Molokai and Oahu. Mr. Bingham saw 
the sun set gorgeously behind the land of his 
birth, and could hardly realize that he was so 
near it again. In the night, the ocean current 
carried them far to the south-west, nor were they 
the next day able, in consequence of the light 
winds, to reach the anchorage. On the follow- 
ing morning the winds were more favorable. 
The winding shores, lined with cocoanut trees, 
seemed to smile a welcome, as they glided along 
toward the promontory of Diamond Head. Soon 
the little town of Honolulu, with its tapering 
spires and white cottages, peeped out from 
among the trees, and our vessel sailed gayly 
up, and cast anchor in the harbor. 



SAFE ARRIVAL. 65 

The voyage had been safely made. No acci- 
dent had befallen them. The little vessel, which 
they had made their home one hundred and forty- 
two days, had been all they could have wished. 
As they passed into port, the hearts of our mis- 
sionaries overflowed with gratitude for all these 
proofs of the kindness and love of their heavenly 
Father, more especially as God's Spirit had 
already blessed their labors, and blaspheming, 
hardened sailors, as bad as the heathen them- 
selves, had become disciples of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and were ready to show forth his praise 
to the native islanders in these far-off lands. 

5 



66 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



CHAPTER Y. 



ARRIVAL AT HONOLULU. — THE MARQUESAS. 




Presentation Flag. 



HE arrival of the Morn- 
ing Star at Honolulu 
had been looked for 
with much interest. 
When she entered the 
harbor, another ves- 
sel was lying there 
becalmed, having on 
board Rev. Mr. Bond, a mission- 
ary at Kohala. As he lay sick in 
his berth, the captain went to him, 
saying that a little brig was approaching, and 
described its appearance. " It is she!^^ said the 
missionary ; " there is nothing like it in these 
waters." Sickness was forgotten at once, and he 
found himself on deck. One look told him all. 
Like a thing of life and beauty she appeared with 
nearly her full complement of snow-white sails, 
sitting so gracefully on the water, — it surely 
could be no other ! " Beautiful," he exclaimed. 
" Nani," said the ninety native passengers all at 
once. " Nani loa " — Very beautiful ! 

With unmingled admiration they scanned 



ARRIVAL AT HONOLULU. 67 

her elegant proportions, lier stern so neatly 
turned, her graceful prow, her modest but sig- 
nificant figure head, her perfect lines, her tall 
and tapering masts. Suddenly, as she drew 
near, a flag was thrown out to the gentle breeze 
which appeared to come along with her, and 
from her main-topmast head those magic words, 
" Morning Star," were visible to their excited 
gaze ! Assurance now was made doubly sure, 
and from the ninety throats were poured three as 
hearty cheers of welcome as were ever uttered. 

As soon as she reached the wharf, she was 
thronged with people eager to examine her, and, 
" Hi moku maikai ! " — Beautiful vessel ! — was 
the universal exclamation. 

Mr. Bond thus w^rote to the Missionary House, 
Boston : — 

" In laying the Morning Star upon God's 
altar, the dear children have brought an offering 
without spot or blemish. To our eyes, she is, 
in all her parts, a perfect specimen of naval 
architecture. We were especially impressed 
with the exceeding neatness of her cabin arrange- 
ments. All honor to her builders. 

" For the dear children who so generously 
provided the funds necessary for her construc- 
tion I felt a glow of exulting pride, as we surveyed 
their splendid offering to the cause of the Re- 
deemer. What can not these hosts of little ones 



68 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

accomplish, witli God's blessing, tliouglit I, in 
the noble enterprise of saving the nations from 
death ! And I felt no slight pleasure in the 
thought that we^ too, the children of Koliala, 
had devoted ninety dollars to purchase stock in 
this ' Star of hope/ 

" I made my report of the missionary packet 
yesterday, to my Sabbath school and people. 
Every word of it was eagerly swallowed. But 
let none of her little owners forget, that to crown 
this blessed enterprise with full success, they 
must steadily follow her with their prayers, as 
she traverses the ocean on her errand of love. 
Money alone will not do. Prayer only can bring 
the blessing of God upon the noble offering they 
have made for his service. Let every certificate 
of stock remind them of this. 

" How many among our little friends are 
ready to promise to pray daily for the Morning- 
Star?" 

Tlie children had assembled in Boston when 
the Morning Star was launched, and the chil- 
dren gathered at Honolulu wlien she reached 
that port. Preparations had been made to pre- 
sent her a flag, and the ceremony came off 
shortly after her arrival. The children of the 
Sabbath schools assembled at their respective 
churches, and marched two and two to the 
wharf. Their number, including children and 



PRESENTATION OF A FLAG. 69 

adults, could not have been less than three or 
four thousand — a strange spectacle for Hono- 
lulu. Chiefs and people, rich and poor, were 
all there. 

The little vessel was moored to the wharf in 
full view of the crowd. Her majesty, the queen, 
occupied a conspicuous position. The king was 
absent from the island ; if he had been in town, 
he would have honored the occasion with his 
presence. 

Immediately after the banner was presented, 
and before Captain Moore could finish his reply, 
the multitude gave cheer after cheer as the 
signal was seen floating from the mast head. 
" Hurrah ! " Foreigners and natives, men, 
women, and children, old and young, all joined 
in the " Hurrah ! " The banner was about 
twenty feet long and twelve feet wide. A star 
was directly under the center of the word " Morn- 
ing." A dove was placed in the lower corner, 
at the right hand. The groundwork was of 
white bunting, and the emblems of sky blue. 

Addresses were made by Rev. R. Armstrong 
in presenting the banner, and by Captain Moore 
in reply, Hon. John li. Rev. S. C. Damon, and 
Rev. Mr. Bingham, Jr., who went out in the 
packet. Three hymns were sung ; one in the 
native language is here presented, with the 
translation : — 



70 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



THE MORNING STAR. 



Ka Hokiiao, 

He Kamahao, 

He nani maoli no, 

He lama no na aina a pati, 

E pau ka hewa, pau ka po, 

O Jesu no, 

Ka Hokuao, 
Ka hoku wanaao. 



The 3Iorning Star, 

The beautiful, 

The truly splendid Star, 

A light to shine on every land, 

To banish sin and woe from man, 

Our Jesus is — 

The Morning Star, 
The Star of early dawn. 



Ka hae Hoku, 
Manu nunu, 
E kau iluna no, 
E lele no mai o a o, 
Kahea i ko na aina pau, 

E hull no 

E olu pu 
Jesu ka Hokuao. 



The banner Star, 

The flying Dove, 

Oh, let them fly aloft ; 

Oh, let them fly from land to land, 

And call to men of every name 

To tui'n and live, 

Together live 
Through Christ, the Morning Star. 



O holo no, 

A holo mau, 
Ka moku " Hokuao/' 
E hai i ke aloha o kakou, 
I ko na aina naaupo. 

Aloha no 

Aloha mau 
I loko o Jesu. 



Then sail away 

The Star of day, 

The schooner Morning Star ; 

Proclaim the love of all your hearts 

To islanders in Nature's night ; 

Or cordial love. 

Unchanging love, 
In our redeeming God. 



E lawe no, 
Ka " Hokuao," 
Na kumu a kakou, 
I na pae ainu naaupo, 
I kanaka pouli no, 
E kau ka hae, 
E kahea ae 
I kanaka a pau. 



Then take hence far 

The Morning Star, 

Our messenger of peace, 

To all the groups that have no light. 

To all the tribes in sin and night, 

Let Star and Dove 

Show peace and love 
To men of every name. 



The following livmn was written by Mrs. M. 
D. Strong, and sung by the children at Hono- 
lulu, on the presentation of the banner : — 



HYMN BY MRS. STROXrx. 71 



THE MISSIONARY PACKET. 

We hail thy bright sails gleaming 

On this far-distant strand, 
Thou '* Star," whose welcome beaming 

Shall lighten every land. 
We hail thee, gladly sharing 

In this blest work of love, 
Our bannered offering bearing. 

The Star and peaceful Dove. 

Go, bear our youthful brother 

The Saviour's love to tell, 
Where many a heathen mother 

And dark-souled father dwell ; 
Go, cheer our loved ones toiling 

'Neath Micronesian skies, 
And where, from blue waves rolling, 

^larquesan shores arise, — 

Till, 'mid the sunny highlands, 

And o'er the valleys green, 
Of all our tropic islands, 

The dawn of light is seen ; 
And news of grace surprising. 

Glad tidings from afar, 
Attend the glorious rising 

Of this our Morning Star. 

The white waves curl before thee — 

God shield thee on the deep ! 
Their tireless vigils o'er thee 

May hovering angels keep ! 
Our blended prayers, ascending. 

Thine ocean-path shall mark, 
To God each day commending 

Our consecrated bark. 



72 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Here follows a part of a letter from Mr. Coan, 
another missionary at the Sandwich Islands, 
which my young readers will like to see : — 

" What an impulse the building and sailing 
of that little sea-bird produced ! The action 
touched a chord which vibrates through the 
land. What gives such moral power and sub- 
limity to that little vessel? Her name is a 
charm, but it is derived. It suggests the dawn 
of creation, when the morning stars sang to- 
gether, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. 
It calls to memory the music of that voice which 
said, ' I am the bright and Morning Star.' But 
tlie object^ the errand^ of that little bark is its 
glory. Our western waters are plowed by the 
ships of the greatest monarchs ; in our harbors 
float the flags of the most renowned nations ; 
but to those who love the Redeemer's cause, 
this little vessel, bearing the banner of our Eter- 
nal King, and waving the emblems of the Prince 
of Peace, has more significance than all the com- 
mercial, scientific, and warlike marines on earth. 

" How delightful to think of the multitudes 
of young hearts which beat high in hopes for 
that missionary packet ! " 

Before the arrival of the Morning Star, the 
Hawaiian Missionary Society had determined to 
send it immediately with supplies to the Mar- 
qnesan mission, where they were much needed. 



THE MARQUESAS ISLANDS. 73 

Tluis the vessel was to be put right to work, 
which, we suppose, is no more than her owners 
expected ; and while Captain Moore and his men 
are putting her in order again, after her six 
months' voyage, and taking in the needful sup- 
plies, we will give some account of the people 
whom she was now destined to visit. 

Far away in the Pacific Ocean, south of the 
equator, and more than a thousand miles from 
Hawaii, are several islands clustered together, 
called the *' Marquesas." The names of the 
principal are, Fatuhiva, Hivaoa, Nukahiva, Hi- 
aou, and Fetouhouhou. These are not coral 
islands, — built on coral rocks, — but, like the 
Hawaiian, rise in peaks two or three thousand 
feet above the ocean. The circumstances which 
led to the formation of the mission at these 
islands are very interesting. 

Many years ago, a vessel stopped at Fatuhiva 
to trade with the natives and get fruit. When 
it left, Puu, a native of Hawaii, Avas left behind, 
sick. He was treated kindly, and even admit- 
ted to their councils of war. His knowledge of 
the manners and customs of European nations 
made him not only a welcome visitor, but a val- 
uable councilor. Matunui, the High Chief, as he 
was called, received him into his family, gave 
him his daugliter for a wife, and made him a 
chief of the tribe. 



74 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 




MAP OF MARQUESAS ISLANDS. 



When asked how he had obtained so much 
knowledge, he replied, " Missionaries plenty at 
Lahaina ; speak to man. 'Spose you have mis- 
sionaries here, you be all same me — know 
plenty all things." From this, Matunui under- 



MARQUESAN MISSION BEGUN. 75 

stood that if he could get missionaries to come 
and live on his islands, they would teach his 
people the arts of civilized life. 

Early in 1853, with the consent of his chiefs, 
he embraced the first opportunity, and with Puu, 
his son-in-law, embarked for Lahaina. His re- 
quest for missionaries was laid before the Ha- 
waiian Missionary Society. He urged that at 
least one white missionary might go back with 
him ; but if that could not be, he would take two 
or three native preachers or teachers, and re- 
quested that the American Board would send a 
good man to them as soon as convenient. 

The Hawaiian Society felt that this call was 
from God, and that they must not send the chief 
back alone. So, after considering the matter, 
they decided to send two native Hawaiian preach- 
ers to reside on his islands, and one of the 
American missionaries temporarily, to assist in 
making a beginning. Several persons were 
anxious to go. At length two native pastors 
were chosen — Rev. James Kekela and Rev. 
Samuel Kawealoha, with their wives ; and two 
native teachers — Mr. Lot Kuaihelani, and Isaia 
Kaiwi, with their wives. Rev. B. W. Parker 
was to go with them, and aid them with his ad- 
vice and assistance. Mr. Bicknell, a pious 
English mechanic at Honolulu, volunteered to 
accompany the mission. A vessel was chartered 



76 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

to carry the whole company with Matuniii and 
his suite to Fatuhiva, and return with Mr. 
Parker. 

In due time these devoted missionaries reached 
their destination, and commenced their work 
with favorable prospects. Afterward letters were 
received from them at Honolulu, describing 
their labors, and asking for assistance, especially 
in supplies of clothing, and other necessaries of 
living. They had been reduced to great want, 
and it was imperatively necessary to send them 
relief as soon as possible. No time, therefore, 
was to be lost, and on the arrival of the Morn- 
ing Star, it was determined that she should be 
forthwith dispatched on this errand. 



FIRST VOYAGE TO THE MARQUESAS ISLANDS. 77 



CHAPTER VI. 



FIRST VOYAGE TO THE MARQUESAS ISLANDS. 




Mr. Kekela's House. 



HE Morning Star had been 
but one week at Honolulu 
when she was all ready for 
sea again. Captain Moore 
and his men did not allow 
themselves much time for 
rest and sight-seeing ; every 
body was anxious to relieve 
the poor suffering mission- 
aries at the Marquesas, and 
all haste was made to get 
the vessel off. There were passengers to go, as 
well as provisions to be procured. Rev. Mr. 
Kaukau and wife were to reenforce the mission, 
and Chief Namakeha and Rev. Mr. Emerson 
went as delegates from the Hawaiian Missionary 
Society ; J. E. Chamberlain, Esq., was also a 
passenger. 

On the 1st day of May, 1857, the Morning 
Star set sail for the Marquesas. After a pleas- 
ant run of thirty-six hours the wind failed, and 
she lay becalmed several days under the high 
land of Hawaii. This was much like being in 



78 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

the Equatorial Doldrums. Now was a calm, and 
then a squall ; sometimes the wind was east, 
sometimes west or south. At length they got 
away from under the high land, and passed 
slowly along until the 15th, when they were 
becalmed several days more. This was very 
trying to them, as they thought of the suffer- 
ing missionaries to whom they were sent. 

On the 20th a curious cloud appeared in 
the heavens, rising from the sea like a huge 
oak tree with wide-spread branches. Mr. Em- 
erson called it Quercus Australis, or the South- 
ern Oak. 

The unfavorable winds and strong westerly 
current in the ocean rendered the voyage un- 
usually long, and it was not until the last day 
of the month that the cry of " Land, ho ! " 
rung out from the maintop. This was Hiaou, 
the most northern island in the group, but not 
the one to which they were first to go ; so the 
little vessel went on, not even stopping to pay 
her respects, and the following morning passed 
Nukahiva, where the French governor resides. 
Twenty-four hours after, tliey drew near to 
Hivaoa, but for two days, heavy squalls of wind 
and rain rendered a landing very unsafe. 

The 1st of June found them at anchor off 
Hivaoa, and though the winds blew, and the 
vessel tossed about, the regular monthly con- 



HIVAOA. 79 

cert of prayer was observed on board. At the 
close of the meeting, which had been a very 
interesting one, the usual collection amounted 
to thirty dollars and fifty cents, which was more 
than many a one taken up that same evening 
in Christian lands. 

The Island of Hivaoa is twenty- two miles 
long and seven miles broad. The mission had 
been commenced here in a very interesting 
manner, about a year previous to the visit of 
the Morning Star. An old warrior of Hivaoa 
called upon the missionaries at Fatuhiva, where 
they had at first settled, and urged them, or at 
least one of them, to come to his island and 
teach him and his people the way of life. They 
considered it a Macedonian call, and made haste 
to obey it. Three of them went to Hivaoa, and, 
after looking about among the people, they be- 
lieved it would be a far more inviting field 
than Fatuhiva. Mr. Bicknell concluded to re- 
main at once, and two others decided to come 
as soon as they could remove their goods. No 
conveyance offered for several months. At last 
Messrs. Kekela and Kawealoha reached the 
island and commenced their labors, but Kekela's 
goods still remained in Fatuhiva. Three sta- 
tions were commenced at Hivaoa, on the north 
side of the island, viz., Paumau Bay, Hanalii, 
and Hanamana. 



80 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Captain Moore did not know the exact loca- 
tion of these stations, bnt expected to find them 
somewhere on the north side of the island. The 
sailing along the shores of these islands being 
dangerous, the vessel proceeded cautiously, lest 
she might strike some hidden coral reef. On 
the afternoon of the 3d of June, being close 
to the shore, three houses were seen about four 
miles off, at the head of a bay. The sea was 
very rough, and the landing looked difficult ; 
but thinking that those houses might be the 
station they souglit, a boat was lowered, and 
Mr. Emerson and Chief Namakeha were rowed 
toward the shore. The boat was an old whale 
boat, and leaked badly ; but with a bucket and 
a sailor's boot^ they managed to keep out the 
water pretty well. 

As they drew near the shore a canoe came 
out to meet them, filled with naked and tat- 
tooed men, looking wild enough. Mr. Emerson 
hailed them, and inquired for Mr. Kekela, the 
missionary. They pointed to the land. Then 
he asked for Mr. Bicknell, and again they 
pointed to the land in another direction. They 
cheerfully consented to pilot the way to the 
shore, and as their canoe was so crowded, one 
of them proposed to get into Mr. Emerson's. 
Plunging head first into the water, he soon 
scrambled up the side of the boat Avithout any 



FRENCH CATHOLICS. 81 

ceremony ; then, squatting himself down, he sat 
entirely naked, though he did not seem to know 
it, and rowed away with all his might. The 
surf beat so heavily on the shore, that, in spite 
of all tlie natives could do, Mr. Emerson and 
his party took a pretty good sprinkling. 

Before reaching the shore it was ascertained 
that the houses they had seen were occupied 
by foreigners who were Papists ; and when the 
party landed, the priests stood in front, appar- 
ently waiting to receive them. It appeared 
that they were expecting a vessel about this 
time, and seeing the Morning Star in the dis- 
tance, supposed it to be the one, and came out 
to receive their friends. Mr. Kekela, too, was 
on the lookout, and he arrived at the beach 
just as the boat came up. His warm embrace 
and hearty greeting, surrounded by more than 
a hundred natives, gave the priests reason to 
think that these were not the friends they were 
expecting, and they immediately retired. 

But how came these Roman Catholic priests 
on that remote island ? The French author- 
ities at Tahiti had for some time previous to 
this claimed possession of the whole Marquesan 
group, but did not at first oppose the establish- 
ment of a Protestant mission there. A few 
days after the landing of the missionaries, 
however, a French brig anchored at Hivaoa. 
6 



82 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

The commander, attended by a Romish priest, 
came on shore, and had a long interview with 
Matunui and his chiefs. They demanded that 
the missionaries should be sent back to Hawaii, 
and asserted the claim of the French to the 
islands. Matunui denied it. " No," he said, 
" this land is not yours. There never was a 
Frenchman born on Fatuhiva. These teachers 
are good, and must not be sent back ; and 
now we want more teachers from America. 
But the land is not yours ; it is our own." 

The priest spent several days there, going 
from house to house, and distributing presents. 
With him came two teachers, who had been 
some time at the islands. These he stationed 
in the same valley with the Protestant teach- 
ers, and promised soon to send a French priest 
from Tahiti, to aid them in their work ; which 
he did. 

After the priest left the island, several who 
had received his presents and professed to be 
his followers became friendly to the mission- 
aries, and attended upon their instructions ; 
others went back to heathenism. The natives 
generally did not seem to think that these 
Papists were very good Christians. " How dif- 
ferent," said one, " is the spirit of these peace- 
making missionaries from that of our priest ! 
He was so passionate, and all the time threat- 



NATIVE HOUSES. 83 

eiiing to call in the aid of the governor, or 
send for a ship of war, if we did not obey 
him ! " Another said, that if the priest came 
back he should have nothing to do with him, 
except to give him back a few chickens left in his 
care. This, we suppose, was to show the priest 
that he could be honest, though he did not 
believe in his religion. 

Great was the joy of Kekela at the sight 
of tlie Morning Star. It appeared when most 
needed. Mr. Emerson accompanied him to his 
house, which was situated in a beautiful grove 
of bi-ead fruit, cocoanut, and banana trees. 
Native houses are built by setting several 
posts in the ground, on the tops of which the 
rafters are placed, tied strongly together at the 
top. These are covered with braided cocoanut 
leaves and branches, and over these are the 
leaves of the bread fruit platted together and 
firmly fastened with strings. The sides of the 
house are filled up between the posts with bam- 
boo, through which light and air are admitted. 
Most houses, formerly, had neither doors nor 
windows, and instead of a floor they laid a pave- 
ment of round stones. Matting is placed over 
this pavement, upon which the people eat, sit, 
and sleep ; for there are no beds, tables, or 
chairs. Various improvements have recently 
been introduced by the missionaries, which 



84 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

make them much more comfortable than for- 
merly. 

As soon as the Morning Star had landed 
some of her stores, it was determined that she 
should go to Fatuhiva and receive Mr. Kekela's 
goods. Accordingly they pushed off from shore 
in the same old boat from which they had 
landed, and which leaked as badly as ever, 
compelling them to use the pail and boot again. 
Having passed the breakers, into the still water, 
all was silent except the splash of the oars, 
and each person seemed occupied with his own 
thoughts. Most of those in the boat had never 
before this visit seen the heathen in their dark- 
ness and degradation, and the scones wliich 
they had now witnessed greatly impressed them. 
At last one of the sailors spoke. " Well, ship- 
mate, such a sight I never saw before." " Nor 
I," said another ; " that was worth the dollar I 
gave at the monthly concert." " Those who 
say that missionaries have done no good are 
fools," said a third ; but how is it possible that 
such men can be civilized, or that any Chris- 
tian can be willing to live among them ? " 

As they passed along the shore toward 
Virgo's Bay, the booming sound of the break- 
ers broke upon the stillness of the morning ; 
the dark cliffs rose majestically thousands of 
feet above them, while the star of the morning 



TATTOOING. 



85 



looked over the cloud-capped peaks, and seemed 
to smile a welcome. 

The vessel was surrounded by boats long 
before it reached Omoa Bay, and obliged to 
sail slowly along. Many of the natives came 
on board, and Kekela said they were friendly ; 




TATTOOING. 



but their faces and naked bodies were so dis- 
figured by tattooing that their appearance Avas 
exceedingly revolting. After breakfast all as- 
sembled on the deck for prayers. The natives 
seated themselves in silence. Mr. Emerson 



86 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

addressed the throne of grace in their behalf, 
while the people gazed about in astonishment 
at what they saw. All day long the vessel was 
surrounded by boats, and thronged with natives, 
whose curious eyes examined every part. 

The process of tattooing is very painful, 
sometimes even causing death. It consists 
in pricking the skin and staining the spots 
with ink, so as to make lines or figures, which 
remain indelible. Some tribes tattoo the face 
only, others the body, while others still mark 
the whole person. It is usually commenced 
at the age of ten or twelve, and being done 
a little at a time, it takes some years to com- 
plete the work. Tattooing is considered a 
mark of great beauty. Females, though sel- 
dom tattooed themselves, except the hands, 
feet, and lips, often refuse to marry the man 
to whom they are engaged, unless he will sub- 
mit to have it done. But we should consider 
the beauty of a man very questionable, to say 
the least, who had a large lizard pictured on 
each cheek, with its legs and long tail spread 
in each direction, and looking as though it 
was ready to jump right into the man's eyes! 
Sometimes the whole person is covered with 
curious figures of birds, fishes, and snakes. 
White teeth and black under lips are the per- 
fection of beauty in their estimation. Those 



LUDICROUS IDEAS OF BEAUTY. 87 

persons in each tribe who perform this service 
become very rich. Land, cloth, hogs, and fruit 
are given for this kind of embellishment, which 
is done according to the wishes of the person 
himself. 

One ludicrous custom in con- 
nection with their ideas of beauty 
in children is to stuff them with 
poa until their little naked bod- 
ies look like cocoanuts upon two 
sticks. '^Maikai! naniloa!^^ ex- 
claims a fond mother, admir- 
ingly, as she exhibits one of her 
children, thus distended, to a vis- 

^^ iter. 

The Morning Star did not get into Omoa Bay 
and ready to anchor until night. Of course 
nothing could be done that day toward taking 
on board the goods. The next morning brought 
crowds of visitors again, some for trade, and 
others from curiosity ; for the arrival of a ship 
was an important object. This was Saturday, 
the 6th of June. The supplies for the mission 
were now landed, and the goods received on 
board. Vegetables and fruits were also pur- 
chased for the vessel. While this was being 
done it was decided that there should be a 
communion season the next day, in connec- 
tion with the regular service of the mission, 




88 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

as some had been deprived of that privilege 
for a long time. 

Accordingly, on Sabbath morning the people 
began to assemble at the mission house. Some 
took seats within, but others, afraid to enter, 
stood without. Mr. Emerson preached in Eng- 
lish, and Mr. Kekela addressed the natives ; 
then there sat down at the Lord's table men 
of six different nations, fifteen in all, and obeyed 
the Saviour's last command, " Do this in re- 
membrance of me." At the distance of half a 
mile floated the Morning Star in full view — 
a witness that another of his commands, " Go 
ye into all the world and preach the gospel 
to every creature," had not been disregarded, 
even by the young children of his people. 

The scene thus exhibited was very unlike 
what had taken place in that valley a little 
while before. A bloody war had raged between 
the Anainoa people of the missionary district, 
and the Moaka, who lived in another valley. 
Many were killed on both sides. These were 
cut into small pieces and distributed equally 
among each tribe, to be devoured. Even the 
little children shared with the rest, and ate a 
piece of the flesh of their enemies. What a 
dark picture of heatlienism tliis is ! The Omoa 
people gained the victory, and resolved to de- 
stroy their enemies, the Moaka, entirely ; but 



THE TABU SYSTEM. 89 

Matunui, the chief, had friends in the other 
tribes, and wished to save them. So he went 
and persuaded them to send offerings to the 
Omoa gods ; and though tlie people did not 
like it, they were too superstitious to light 
any longer, and so tlie war ceased. 

In a valley about a mile from this bay a 
number of people lived who had made them- 
selves very disagreeable neighbors. The only 
entrance to their valley was by a well-guarded 
pass, and all attempts to drive them off had 
failed. The natives who came on board the 
Morning Star cautioned Captain Moore against 
them, saying, " When they come sell pig, you 
no buy him. They big thief; they kill man, 
eat him ; they no good. They be taipi ki-ki,'^ 
(i. e. devil's men.) 

One of the greatest hinderances to the pros- 
perity of missions in the Pacific islands was 
the tabu system. Tabu means proliibition, and 
consists in prohibiting to certain persons things 
which are allowed to others, under the penalty 
of the displeasure of the gods. When a man 
gets married, he builds two houses. The one 
for himself is tabued to his wife ; he must eat 
in his own house, and she in hers. A man and 
wife never eat together ; the son eats with his 
father, but never with his motber ; a daughter 
grown to maturity eats with neither. One part 



90 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

of a house is often tabued to the wife, and she 
is not allowed to go into it. A piece of ground 
is tabued ; no woman must walk on it. A tree 
is tabued ; no woman, and sometimes no per- 
son, may eat of its fruit; nothing even must 
lean against it, or be hung on its branches. A 
canoe is tabued ; no woman may step into it. 
Some kinds of food are tabued ; the husband 
eats of one kind of fish, his wife another, and 
his daughter a third, but no two may eat of the 
same. This must be very troublesome to the 
cook, in the absence of stoves, pots, or pans. 
These instances are enough to show how self- 
ish and miserable the whole system is. Any 
man may make a tabu law, but some chiefs 
have a special right. Matunui was called the 
*' Tabu Chief " on this account. 

The penalties for the violation of these tabu 
laws were very strict and cruel. The loss of 
an eye, sometimes both eyes, was commanded; 
even the penalty of death was not uncommon. 
Others were less severe ; as sickness or disease 
in some form or other. The superstitions of 
the people, encouraged by the priests, caused 
the tabu to be regarded as a religious rite, 
and until the light of the gospel shone upon 
them, it was most sacredly kept. 

At length the missionaries felt that the time 
had come to make a direct attack upon the 



ANTI-TABU FEAST. 91 

whole system of tabu^ and, if possible, abolish 
it altogether. Accordingly, during the visit of 
Rev. Mr. Smith from the Sandwich Islands, an 
anti-tabu feast was held. It was got up much 
like our picnics, each guest bringing some arti- 
cle of food. Invitations were given only to 
those who were ready to renounce the tabu 
which prohibited the woman from eating with 
her husband. Abraham Natua, the first con- 
vert from heathenism, performed his part ad- 
mirably. The feast was on the mission premi- 
ses, and between thirty and forty, including 
missionaries, sat down together. 

Mr. Smith read and explained Gen. 1 : 29. 
" Behold, I have given you every herb bcarhig 
seed which is upon the face of all the earth ; 
and every tree in the which is the fruit of a 
tree yielding seed, to you it shall be for meat." 
He said that God's tabu tree was in the midst 
of the garden, and was tabued to man as well 
as woman. Men and their wives sat side by 
side at the feast, cheerful and happy — a thing 
they had never done before. Matunui, who was 
something of a Mormon, had a wife on each 
side ; and when fruit was handed to him, he first 
took a bite, then gave to one wife on his right, 
then to another on his left. The tabu dishes 
were next passed about, and all ate plentifully 
of them. Instead of puddings and pies, of 



92 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

which they never heard, a few crackers were 
passed, and a little molasses poured upon their 
plates. 

After the feast was ended, Mr. Smith told 
them how much he wished to have them break 
away entirely from the practice of putting 
women on a level with dogs and pigs. " In 
Christian lands," said he, " men and women 
eat and drink together ; and what is tabu to 
one is so to the other. But here, I can not 
go forty rods in any direction without seeing 
something forbidden to women ; a pig yard, 
an eating house perched upon sticks for men, 
a burying ground, canoes, &c. When obliged 
to go from one part of the island to another, 
the women walk around all these obstructions, 
while the men lazily sail around in tlieir ca- 
noes. In Christian lands, men, women, and 
children all travel in the same boats or car- 
riages, all eat together, go to the house of God 
together, and together carry their dead to the 
same burying ground." 

Mr. Kekela was the interpreter on the occa- 
sion. Mr. Bicknell addressed the native breth- 
ren, and after singing a hymn with great spirit 
and melody, the feast was closed with prayer 
and benediction. Thus happily passed off this 
anti-tabu feast, and struck a great blow at the 
whole system throughout the island. 



KEKELA S REMOVAL TO HIVAOA. 



93 



CHAPTER YII. 



FIRST VOYAGE TO THE MARQUESAS, CONCLUDED. 




EKELA and his furniture left 
Fatuhiva in the Morning 
Star, on Monday morning, 
June 8, for his station at 
Paumau Bay. The three 
years of toil and prayer at 
Omoa were of great value 
to him as a preparation for 
his new sphere of labor. 
And his people, too, when 

jjreaa i: run. ^ , i • t , ^ 

they saw him depart, began 
to feel that they were about to sustain a great 
loss, and appreciated his labors better than they 
had ever done before. 

Though the tabu laws had been very strict at 
Fatuhiva, they were beginning to yield to the 
influences of the gospel. One of the sailors 
proposed to cut a stick from a tabu tree, and a 
chief named Kiekai, who gave evidence of being 
a Christian, was asked what would be the con- 
sequence if it was done. " Nothing," said he, 
" to a foreigner." *' What if it was a native ? " 
" Nothing, if it was a man." " But wdiat if a 



94 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

woman ? " " I do not know of any thing ; but 
the tabns are like an old man — dying without 
much trouble. Do not make too much of them, 
and they will die of themselves." 

As the time for the general meeting of the 
missionaries was near, twelve natives of Omoa 
embraced the opportunity of going to Hanahi to 
attend the meeting and witness the ordination 
of the first native preacher of the gospel. 

After a pleasant sail of twenty-four hours, the 
Morning Star stood in toward the mouth of Pau- 
mau Bay. A native was seen pulling off in his 
boat, whom Kekela recognized as a man that 
would show them the way to a good anchoring 
ground. So they took him on board, and reached 
the place safely. The scenery around the bay 
is grand. Mountain peaks, green to the very 
top, rise to the higlit of four or five thousand 
feet. Groves of bread fruit and cocoanut trees 
abound, beneath which hundreds of natives 
were seen hurrying to and fro, their speed prob- 
ably increased by the rare appearance of the 
beautiful little ship. The Morning Star, dressed 
out in her gayest colors, formed a pleasant fea- 
ture in the picture. 

It took but a short time to land the goods at 
the mission premises, and then the vessel passed 
on to Hanalii, Mr. BicknelFs station. Great 
caution is necessary in sailing along the shores 



MR. BICKNELL. 95 

of these islands. The rocks rise perpendicularly 
from immense depths in the sea, and around 
their sharp, jagged sides the waters rush with 
great force. At the same time the winds, 
sweeping over the high land, strike the sails, and 
make it very difficult to manage the ship. In 
nearly all the bays a heavy surf beats upon tlie 
shores, through which the landing is always dif- 
ficult and often dangerous. 

Mr. Bicknell was not in the service of the 
Hawaiian Missionary Society. He was an 
Englishman, a carpenter by trade, formerly con- 
nected with the mission at the Society Islands — 
an earnest man, who wished to do good ; and 
being acquainted with both the Tahitian and 
French languages, he accompanied the first mis- 
sionaries sent by the Hawaiian Missionary So- 
ciety to the Marquesas. There he labored faith- 
fully as a co-worker with them, having their 
entire confidence and the respect of the natives. 
As a physician, he had rendered the mission 
families great assistance ; with them he had 
learned to endure hardness as a good soldier of 
Jesus Christ, and to look with earnest prayer to 
the Saviour for success. 

Hanahi was but a few miles from Paumau. 
The Morning Star came to anchor in the bay, 
and the better to facilitate the landing of sup- 
plies she was made fast to a cocoanut tree. The 



96 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

decks soon presented a busy scene. Chests, 
trunks, mattresses, blankets, household furni- 
ture, boards, joists, cord wood, water casks, bal- 
last stones, pigs, fowls, and fruit, were mingled 
in confusion, while curious tattooed natives 
looked on in wonder, or expressed their feelings 
in loud and boisterous merriment. 

A curious incident occurred here, which, 
though trifling in itself, might have caused much 
trouble and even shedding of blood. Among 
the many natives who visited the vessel was a 
chief, who, after examining the vessel to his sat- 
isfaction, went on shore. When the others were 
about leaving, an old palm leaf hat was found, 
and, supposing that it belonged to one of the 
party, it was shown to them. One of them 
exclaimed, "Oh, yes — good hat — me." Of 
course they gave it to him. Soon after the chief 
returned, and demanded his hat. Being told 
that one of his men had taken it, he went away 
again. In the afternoon he returned to the ves- 
sel, and demanded another. One was offered to 
him, but it was not good enough. Then a new 
cap was brought ; but no, he did not like caps ; 
and off he went, still more dissatisfied than be- 
fore. 

When the sailors went on shore the next morn- 
ing for ballast, the chief came out of a thicket, 
armed with an old rusty sword, and ordered off 



THE OLD HAT. 



97 



the boat, saying, " I left my hat on board, and 
you gave it to another man. I no give you bal- 
last. I no come any more to your ship." Fearing 
that serious consequences might result from this 
trifling cause, Mr. Bicknell and Mr. Emerson 
were employed to arrange the matter to the 
chief's satisfaction, and after the payment of 
four times its value, the affair of the old hat was 
settled. 




THE OLD HAT. 



The Marquesan mission was found by the 
delegation to be in a prosperous condition ; but 
tlie missionaries themselves were in great desti- 
tution, and in need of almost every thing for 
7 



98 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

their comfort. Mr. Bicknell had been obliged 
to sell his tools to buy food, and to defray the 
expense of his journeys from one island to an- 
other ; the knives, forks, and spoons of the others 
had gone in a similar way. They had all been 
without shoes for nearly two years, and their 
clothing had become very poor. Tliey even had 
no salt for a long time, except a little obtained 
from a ship's captain, who found it in the bot- 
tom of some pork barrels. Fruit could generally 
be got, but they could not live on fruit alone. 
" The laborer is worthy of his hire ; " and it is 
hoped that in future their wants will be sup- 
plied, while they labor to give the bread of life 
to the heathen. 

This mission had now been established about 
four years, and great changes had taken place 
on the islands. Formerly this people, like the 
islanders generally, were great thieves. No 
clothing could be hung out long enough to dry 
without disappearing entirely ; now it was not 
molested, and even the mission premises were 
often left unlocked during the entire day, with 
perfect safety ; which is more than can be said 
of many places in Christian countries. 

Loud calls for teachers were coming to the 
mission from almost every island. " We want 
American missionaries, right from the Sandwich 
Islands," they said, meaning that they did not 



ORDINATION OF A NATIVE PREACHER. 99 

want papists. One chief urged his claim, say- 
ing, " Drunkenness, theft, and war are the pas- 
sion of my people ; send me missionaries, tliat 
these evils may be removed, and we will protect 
and feed them." Said a native of Fatuhiva, 
" Three long and almost fruitless years did the 
missionaries labor among us, with much endur- 
ance ; the wedge has entered, the gospel has 
taken root, it will grow. God will not forsake 
Fatuhiva." 

During the general meeting, which continued 
several days, various kinds of business were 
transacted. The services at the ordination of 
John Kaiwe were deeply interesting. He was 
not the first convert, but the first set apart as a 
preacher of the gospel to his countrymen. We 
can scarcely imagine even the joy of the mis- 
sionaries, as they welcomed liim among them. 

Chief Tohutete, who had given evidence of 
piety for two years, was baptized by the name 
Daniel Tohutete, and received to the church of 
Hivaoa. No olyection to this was made by any 
body ; even the heathen said, " He is really an- 
other man, unlike his former self, and unhkc 
us." After the chief was received, seventeen 
persons gathered around the table of tlie Lord, 
to celebrate his dying love. At this feast there 
were two Marquesans, (one named Abraliam 
Natua had been received before,) ten Sandwich 



100 HISTORY OP THE MORNING STAR. 

Islanders, two Americans, one Englishman, one 
Dane, and one Norwegian. All felt refreshed 
by this communion with their Lord and with 
each other. How sweet it was to sit at the table 
of the Saviour in those solitudes of heathenism ! 
How precious to join in that feast which is yet 
to be the feast of the world ! 

The people of these islands are not so de- 
graded as some others in the Pacific, as the fol- 
lowing fact will show. Some white men, who 
resided at Omoa Bay, introduced the making of 
intoxicating liquor from the juice of the cocoa- 
nut buds. The chiefs saw its effects upon the 
people, and immediately proclaimed a tabu law 
prohibiting its use. 

Five schools had been sustained among the 
people, at which pupils of all ages attended. 
These schools were destitute of books, and must 
have them, to be successful. As Mr. Bicknell 
was considered the most competent, it was de- 
cided that he should return in the Morning Star 
to Honolulu, and there superintend the printing 
of some adapted to their wants. While absent 
on this errand he was ordained a preacher of 
the gospel to the Marquesas, and his subsequent 
life was such as to confirm the hopes which 
were then entertained respecting him. 

So many calls for teachers, coming from va- 
rious places, made it advisable to increase the 



CHARACTER OF THE MARQUESANS. 101 

number of stations as soon as possible. Five or 
six pieces of land had been already given at 
Hivaoa for mission purposes, but there were 
none to occupy them. The Marquesans do not 
change their places of abode, as do the Sandwich 
Islanders. Every man remains in the tribe and 
valley where lie was born, and he is not willing 
to be taught by teachers of other tribes. Each 
tribe is independent, and often much hostile feel- 
ing exists toward their neighbors of other tribes. 
They are very lazy, and unwilling to work ; in- 
deed, there appears to be but little motive for 
industry. The ground is seldom cultivated ; 
scarcely an acre on all the islands could be 
plowed. The ravines are very rich, but if the 
trees and dense foliage that now cover them 
were removed, the ground would be too hot to 
produce much. There are lofty hills covered 
with beautiful shrubs and trees, but they are so 
steep that cattle could not climb them, so that 
there is no dairy to be attended to. Fruit grows 
abundantly without labor, and clothing, in the 
estimation of the natives, is neither a comfort 
nor an ornament. There is little, therefore, for 
men to do, except fishing ; and fish are not very 
abundant. 

A very curious fish was brought on board the 
Morning Star for sale. Its color was black ; it 



102 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

a sharp weapon that opened like a knife. The 
man who cauglit it showed the wounds it had 
made on his hands. Taking it up in both hands, 
he opened his mouth as wide as he could, thrust 
the back of the fish into it, and, bringing his 
jaws together, severed the back bone. " There," 
said he, " he no fight any more ! " 

The women have no clothing to make, and 
not much housework to do. Their principal 
employment is to make matting — tapa — a 
coarse kind to spread on the ground floor of the 
huts, and a finer, which is their only clothing. 
Much taste is sometimes displayed in tlie color- 
ing of the latter. A narrow strip worn about 
the neck and ankles is a mark of disthiction, 
and often pointed to as a reason why the wearer 
should be treated with unusual attention. Sew- 
ing and braiding hats have been taught them by 
the missionaries. 

The Marquesans are great smokers. Mr. 
Bicknell was once standing by the bedside of 
a native, who was dying with consumption, 
which is a prevalent disease. The family were 
weeping and wailing around him, and every 
moment was expected to be his last. Though 
unable to move, or scarcely to speak, the dying 
man called for his pipe, and puffed away his last 
breath ! 

The religion of the people is cc mmon, in many 



HANAKAHANA BAY. 103 

respects, to all the islands of the Pacific. The 
spirits of the dead are supposed to dwell in a 
certain mountain, which affords them all neces- 
sary food. At certain times they are allowed to 
go on errands of love to their friends in the form 
of huge cocoanuts or bread fruit, which are kept 
sacred. Another resort for spirits is under the 
island of Hivaoa. They are said to go over the 
hills with clubs in their hands, to defend them 
from other spirits who oppose their entrance to 
the passage under the island. 

AVhen tlie business of the missionaries was 
concluded at Hanahi, on the 1st of June, the 
Morning Star went to Hanakahana Bay. Rev. 
Mr. Kawealoha occupies this station, wdiich, for 
its location, is much more desirable than the 
others. A swift stream of pure water runs by 
the mission house. The bay has a beach of 
white, smooth sand, and is a fine harbor, except 
in winter, when it is exposed to tremendous gales 
of Avind, and is a dangerous place for shipping. 
Waiawoa, the chief, dined on board the Morning 
Star. He had great strength of character, and 
was of large stature. He was a very great war- 
rior, having received twelve names for having 
slain as many men. 

There is a cave on the shore of the bay, into 
which the water rushes with great force, and 
produces a sound like the discharge of a cannon. 



104 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

All the supplies which Captain Moore had 
carried to the Marquesas were at last landed. 
The business for which the delegation had been 
sent was finished. The missionaries had been 
cheered and comforted, and their wants relieved. 
Many delightful seasons of prayer and confer- 
ence had been enjoyed, and God's blessing had 
richly descended upon them. Bidding them 
farewell, with many prayers for God's blessing 
to abide still upon them, the visitors went on 
board the Morning Star, and set sail for Fatu- 
hiva, to land those natives who went as passen- 
gers to the meeting. As they approached Omoa 
Bay, several boat-loads of people came out to 
meet them, who welcomed them by pressing a 
hand of each, saying, " Kanoha, kanoha ! " — 
welcome. In a few hours the decks of the ves- 
sel were all clear, the anchor was weighed, and 
they bade farewell to the bold shores of Fatuhiva, 
having laid at anchor in the different bays six- 
teen days. 

The Marquesans have various amusements, 
singular indeed to us, but full of fun and frolic 
to them. They are very fond of the sea, and 
bathing in the surf is much enjoyed by both 
sexes, besides being a very healthful exercise. 
Wiiile the Morning Star was off Paumau Bay, 
three fourths of a mile from land, several fe- 
males swam out to the vessel in the evening ; but 



MARRIACxES. — GAMES. 105 

as they were not allowed to touch even a rope 
or spar, they were obliged to swim back again 
without stopping. It is said that they have been 
known to swim twenty miles. 

The young people are betrothed at any age, 
and when the marriage takes place, a feast is 
made. Presents are brought to the house of the 
bride, and laid in a conspicuous place. The 
refreshments are put on mats, and devoured 
greedily. Then, at a given signal, each one 
rushes to the spot where the presents are, seizes 
upon that which he covets most, and runs off 
with it. If caught, they are hooted at and 
ridiculed for their failure. In the midst of this 
confusion the married pair steal away to the 
house prepared for them. Thus, instead of their 
receiving the presents, as is usual in this country, 
they are all carried off by the guests. 

They have a game called the " pelii," which 
is very amusing. Men, women, and children 
come together, and arrange themselves equally 
in two companies. Then they gather a pile of 
bananas, oranges, and bread fruit, and pelt each 
other with them. This causes great merriment. 

The "hula-hula" appears to be the most 
popular amusement. The instrument of music 
used on the occasion is a hollow log, open at one 
end, and the other covered with a piece of hog's 
skin, the sides having small holes cut into them. 



106 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Tliis drum is placed in the center of the com- 
pany ; one person beats on it, and the rest keep 
time in a low chant, clapping their hands and 
arms. Sometimes these hulas are accompanied 
with drunkenness and excess of all kinds. The 
missionaries discourage them entirely. 

When a meteor is seen shooting in the sky, 
they say that one of the children of the gods is 
walking around to look at the world ! 

July 6. The Morning Star arrived at Hilo, 
in Hawaii, twelve days from Fatuhiva. Just as 
the day dawned, the sound of " Hokuao, ho- 
kuao!" — Morning Star — aroused the people 
from their slumbers, and all Hilo was awake at 
once. " Hokuao, hokuao ! " echoed and reechoed 
from mountain and hill, while multitudes of 
children ran through the streets, wild with ex- 
citement and shouting for joy. 

A public reception was given the next day. 
A procession marched through the streets to the 
shore to receive Captain Moore and the ship's 
company, who met them with the olive branch 
waving over their heads, and escorted them to 
the church. The pupils of the boarding school 
led the way, with banners and a band of music, 
followed by nine other schools ; then females ; 
and lastly men, each carrying in his hand an 
offering for the " Lord's ship " — a kala, a po- 
tato, a cabbage, a bunch of bananas, a plantain, 



RETURN TO HAWAII. 107 

onions, fowls, eggs, cocoanuts, sugar-cane, pine- 
apples, &c. ; none went empty-handed. The 
vegetables made a pile too large for a boat-load. 
The church was adorned with flags, and in the 
center two beautiful ones were displayed, having 
tlie dove and broad signal, " Morning Star," of 
the little mission ship. 

A great congregation filled the house. The 
music was performed by several choirs of sing- 
ers, and prayers and addresses by different per- 
sons were listened to with breathless attention. 
At the conclusion, all paid a visit to the Morning 
Star. Exclamations of " Very beautiful ! " were 
heard on all sides. " Glorious is tlie work of 
Jehovah to-day," and other similar expressions, 
were addressed to each other in the streets. The 
same evening the vessel took her departure for 
Lahaina, on the island of Maui, where an- 
other large meeting was held, and great re- 
joicings ; after which the anchor was again 
weighed, and in seven hours slie was safely 
anchored in the harbor of Honolulu, having 
been absent seventy-one days. 

Great and good results were anticipated from 
tliis first voyage of the Morning Star. The at- 
tention of the people at Fatuhiva and Hivaoa 
had been aroused. This ship, built on purpose 
to carry missionaries to them, was a wonderful 
thing. New ideas were awakened, which, it is 



108 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

hoped, may ultimately lead them to a knowledge 
of the true God. They witnessed the baptism 
of their chief, and learned to regard him in a 
new light, even as they do the missionaries — 
that of a Christian. To God be all the glory. 



MR. BINGHAM AT HAWAII. 



109 



CHAPTER YIII. 



VISIT OF MR. BINGHAM AT HAWAII. 



^T will be remembered by 
our young readers that 
Rev. Mr. Bingham, whom 
we left at Honolulu dur- 
ing the trip of tlie Morn- 
ing Star to the Marquesas, 
was born and passed his 
early boyhood in the Sand- 
wich Islands. It was with 
much interest that he saw 
again the scenes with 
which he had been once 
familiar. While waiting 
the return of the vessel, he spent a few weeks in 
visiting the Islands, and endeavoring to awaken 
a deeper missionary spirit among the people un- 
der whose patronage he was so soon to go forth 
to the still more needy islands of Micronesia. 

The missionaries who had been associated with 
his father at Honolulu, and the older people who 
remembered him as a lad, received him now with 
great affection. They showed him the improve- 
ments which had been made in the town, the 




Kanei's Present. 



110 IIISTOPtY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

custom house, post office, machine shop, grist 
mill, &c. One of the most interesting of all was 
the house in which he was born. "Mrs. Cook," 
he writes, (who then lived in the house,) 
" showed us through the apartments, the garden, 
and father's study. The rooms remain much as 
they were. The old kitchen, now occupied as a 
store room, with the old fireplace, the old 
east window, and west door, most forcibly carried 
me back to childhood's days. Metli ought I could 
see mother preparing some relishable meal for 
her dear ones, while I was near the west door, 
scraping kalo. The chambers remain as for- 
merly. The old stairs are as natural as ever. 
The old fig trees still stand. The hau trees 
appear much smaller than youthful imagination 
had fancied them. The study where my hon- 
ored father so arduously labored in the transla- 
tion of the Hawaiian Bible, and personal conver- 
sation with awakened souls, is now the crowded 
abode of Chinese. Peculiar feelings of sadness 
were experienced as I thought of the great 
changes wdiich had taken place among the former 
inmates of the old homestead." 

The same week, the monthly meeting of the 
Hawaiian Children's Missionary Society was held 
at Mr. Cliamberlain's. Some thirty-five were 
present. The exercises consisted of prayer, occa- 
sional singing, and reading of anonymous comj)0- 



VISITS FROM THE PEOPLE. Ill 

sitioiis. At the close, a quarto gilt Hawaiian Bible 
and hymn book were presented to Mr. Bingham, 
accompanied with an address and welcome, to 
which he responded. A young lady presided at 
the piano, and the singing was very good. 

On Sabbath evening Mr. Bingliam attended 
service at the First, or Stone Churcli, where his 
father had been pastor.* Here the king wor- 
sliips, but he is seldom present, and at this time 
was absent from the island. Victoria, his sister, 
was in the choir. She wore a yellow crape 
shawl embroidered in red silk flowers, with a 
small lace and ribbon bonnet on the back of her 
head. Mr. John li was also one of the choir. 
He had previously called to see Mr Bingham, 
who showed him a daguerreotyjDC of his mother. 
Mr. li wept as he looked at it. 

After the service, the people came forward to 
shake hands with Mr. Bingham and his wife, and 
bid them ''aloha" — peace. Many also called 
upon him at Mrs. Chamberlain's, where he was 
staying. He shook the hand of each, gave them 
the "aloha" which his father had sent them, 
and showed them tlie daguerreotypes of the 
family. One aged woman brought to him five 
dollars, as a present, and many others gave 
various articles as a token of their affection and 
regard for his mission. 

* See view of this church, p. 24. 



112 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Among those wlio came to see liim was Kanei, 
who had been a nurse in his father's family, and 
who was now eighty years of age. She, too, 
must bring her present ; and what do you think 
it was ? It was a nice, fat, young pig ! It was 
placed for safe keeping in an old lime kiln where 
Mr. Bingham had played when a boy, and which 
had been owned by his father. Besides the pig 
she gave him two silver dollars. A whole family 
also called and presented him kalo, eggs, mel- 
ons, a fowl, and several dollars in money. The 
man said that Mr. Bingham's father had taught 
him the carpenter's trade. On one occasion, 
three women gave him eight eggs, " which," says 
he, " I was obliged to stow in my pockety char- 
ging my memory not to sit down upon them." 
When it is remembered how poor most of the 
people were, these presents will appear very lib- 
eral indeed, and a striking evidence of the regard 
they felt for the son of their old teacher who 
first made known to them the way of salvation. 

Mr. Bingham had been at Honolulu but a 
short time before some of the people began to 
request him to remain there, and become the 
pastor of the First Church. The old lady who 
gave him five dollars said that his father had 
promised him to Queen Kaahumanu when a 
baby, as their future teacher. The governor of 
K.iuai also said he well remembered the elder 



CALLED TO BE PASTOR AT HONOLULU. 113 

Mr. Bingham calling on Kaahumanu, and re- 
questing her to come and see his child ; and that 
he, as one of her young men, accompanied her, 
and heard Mr, B. make the promise. They 
thought, therefore, that they had pretty good 
grounds for claiming of him now its fulfilhnent. 

One afternoon they attended a female prayer 
meeting, which had been originally established 
by Mr. B.'s mother. The Princess Victoria was 
there, and after the meeting she asked all the 
women who desired to have him remain at Hon- 
olulu, instead of going to Micronesia, to raise 
their hands. A multitude of arms rose at once. 
Several expressed themselves strongly in favor 
of it, and only one said that, as they had the 
light, they ought to allow him to go to those who 
still sat in darkness. 

Soon after, at a meeting of the directors of 
the Hawaiian Missionary Society, a formal peti- 
tion was sent to them by the First Church, ask- 
ing them to detain him there, that he might 
become their pastor. This petition was referred 
to a committee, who, after hearing all parties, 
reported that they did not "adyise that any 
measures be taken to divert Mr. Bingham from 
his mission to Micronesia and retain him at Hon- 
olulu, but would leave the siibject to be decided 
by the parties concerned." On the next Sab- 
bath a missionary meeting w^as held, at which 
8 



114 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Mr. Bingham expressed his strong desire to go 
to Micronesia. Kekiianana, the governor of 
Oahu, made some remarks, still insisting on his 
remaining, and calling upon the people who 
desired this to manifest it. A multitude of 
hands answered the call. Mr. li then addressed 
the people and Mr. Bingham. Believing that 
he had fully determined to go, he bade him God 
speed. The king's chaplain, Kuki, urged Mr. 
B. to remain, until he was, like Paul, "in a strait 
betwixt two." 

Another meeting of the church was held on 
Tuesday, and Mr. Bingham, in an address of 
more than an liour, stated the reasons why he 
thought he ought not to remain with them. 
One was, that the heathen in Micronesia were 
more destitute than they who already enjoyed 
the light of the gospel. Another was, that he 
had been appointed a missionary of the Ameri- 
can Board, and the children had built a vessel to 
carry Christianity to Micronesia, and if he were 
now to turn aside from that errand, both the 
Board and the children would be disappointed. 
He feared, also, that if he should remain to 
preach in their great church his health would 
fail him, as he had suffered much from a disease 
in his throat. His proposition to the people, 
therefore, was this: he would go on in the 
Morning Star to Micronesia, and if the natives 



VISIT TO THE KING. 115 

tliere would allow him to labor among them he 
would do so ; if not, he would return to Honolulu. 
At any rate it would be much easier for him to 
decide the question finally after he had thus 
acquired a more perfect knowledge of the field. 
With this conclusion they were at length obliged 
to be content. 

During the meetings of the Hawaiian Mis- 
sionary Society, the members, at the inyitation 
of the king, Kamehameha IV., waited upon 
him at the palace. One of them, on this 
occasion, delivered to him a beautiful Bible 
which had been sent for this purpose by the 
American Bible Society. His majesty acknowl- 
edged it in a very neatly-written speech — his 
own composition. Mr. and Mrs. Bingham were 
presented to him, and he expressed his pleasure 
at renewing his acqiiaintance with Mr. B., they 
having been boys together. Mr. B. reminded 
him that he had once presented his majesty a 
small box of tools. The latter said he distinctly 
remembered it. 

At Honolulu they became acquainted with 
two Hawaiians named Noa, and Hoe, who were 
recommended to them as domestics, and who 
agreed to accompany them, as such, to Micronesia. 
These were simple and excellent people, and 
their help was very valuable for years afterward. 

Several excursions were made by Mr. Bing- 



116 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

ham and his wife into the neighboring country, 
where some of the missionaries or other friends 
resided. One was to the beautiful Nuanu val- 
ley, a few miles distant, where Dr. Judd lived, 
formerly a missionary, but more recently an 
officer of the government. Here Mrs. Bingham 
took her first lesson in horsemanship, and suc- 
ceeded so well, that, as her husband said, she 
rode back to the town without falling off I An- 
other journey extended nearly around the island. 
On this occasion he was presented by a friend 
with a fine heifer calf^ four or five months old, 
which the donor proposed to keep for him one 
year, and then send it to Micronesia by the 
Morning Star. He thought it would be nice for 
them to have milk when so far away from sup- 
plies of food used in civilized countries. One 
night they slept in the house of a native, upon 
the floor. In the morning the host provided a 
breakfast of fish baked with hot stones, baked 
kalo, and poi, and would take nothing but " love" 
for pay. On returning to Honolulu, through the 
Nuanu valley, they heard the drums of the hula- 
hula dance in a neighboring house, and stopped 
to see it. This was a bad relic of the old heathen 
customs of the people, and Mr. Bingham re- 
proved them for returning to it ; but they urged 
in excuse that they were acting in accordance 
with tlic wish of the king. One old man said. 



EXCURSION TO THE ISLAND HAWAII. 117 

" While Bingham [the elder Mr. Bingham] was 
here, hula-hula was tabu; but when he went 
away, then we had hula-hula again." 

On the 28th of May, they embarked on board 
the schooner " Liholiho," for a visit to the island 
of Hawaii, in company Avith several missionaries 
living tliere, who had been at Honolulu attend- 
ing the meetings of the Missionary Society, and 
Evangelical Association. They landed at Mahu- 
kona, on the western coast, ten miles distant 
from Kohala, where Rev. Mr. Bond resided, and 
stai'ted thence to travel by land across the island 
to Hilo, on the eastern side. They had but two 
horses for four persons. Mrs. Bingham rode on 
one of them, and as they had no side-saddle, she 
was obliged to ride a la Hawaii, which she did 
Avith cheerfulness and dignity. The other horse 
carried the three gentlemen alternately. They 
reached Mr. Bond's house late at night, and 
the next day passed a pleasant Sabbath at that 
station. 

From Waimea, a few miles further, Mr. Bing- 
ham undertook to ascend the lofty mountain of 
Mauna Kea, which rises 14,500 feet above the 
level of the sea. Mr. Turner accompanied him, 
and two servants. They had three horses, two 
of Avliich they rode, and the third carried their 
blankets, calabashes of Avater, provisions, <fec. 
Mrs. Bingham did not attempt the fatiguing 



118 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

journey. Their way for many miles was through 
a country covered with bushes, and abounding 
witli wild cattle, whose paths they followed. 
Now aud then a huge bull would appear and 
stand gazing at them for a few minutes, then 
dash away at full speed. Wild hogs, too, w^ould 
start up with a loud grunt, and snort, and scam- 
per off into the bushes. Night overtook the 
party, and, wrapping themselves in their blan- 
kets, they lay down to sleep. 

The next morning they started at daybreak, 
and went on and up, from one high peak to an- 
other, till they reached the deep snow, over 
which they traveled wearily till 2 o'clock, P. M., 
without gaining tlie highest summit. Here 
clouds began to gather, and their strength to 
fail, and fearful that they might not be able to 
return if they went further, they reluctantly 
concluded to turn back. They were obliged to 
encamp that night also, and did not reach Wai- 
mea till 10 o'clock the next day. Though they 
did not succeed in reaching the hig-hesl peak, yet 
they were well repaid, by the sublimity of the 
scenery which they saw, for all the fatigues and 
dangers of the undertaking. 

Passing onward, the next day they came to 
the celebrated Waipio precipice, looking off east- 
ward into a beautiful valley that stretches down- 
ward to the ocean. This precipice is one thou- 



WAIPIO PRECIPICE. 119 

sand feet high. At its foot flows a small river, 
which falls in many a picturesque cascade from 
the craggy rocks, then winds its way through the 
dense vegetation to the shore. Here and there 
the houses of the natives appear, with their little 
mirror-like fish ponds, while in the distance the 
ocean, swept by the strong trade winds, dashes 
its waves upon the rocks, covering them with 
foam, and sending its hoarse roar up the narrow 
valley. On the edge of this precipice our party 
halted to rest, and gazed with admiration and 
awe on the wonderful scene. 

The journey from AYaimea to Hilo was very 
laborious, and even dangerous. They crossed 
more than seventy ravines ; and Mrs. Bingham 
was twice thrown to the ground by the turning 
of her saddle. Mr. Bingham's horse, when cross- 
ing the stony bed of a mountain torrent, fell and 
rolled over and over ; luckily, he was not then 
riding. One stream tliey crossed in a canoe, 
while their horses swam ; and several they 
forded, the water reaching to their saddles. 
Through all these perils, however, they at last 
arrived safely at Hilo, and received a warm wel- 
come from Rev. Mr. Coan, the excellent mis- 
sionary, and his family. 

During their stay at Hilo, they made a visit 
to the great volcano of Kilauea, one of the most 
remarkable in the world. This, though situated 



120 HISTORY OP THE MORNING STAR. 

high up on the flank of a mountain, is not a lofty 
cone, like Vesuvius and Etna, but rather a vast 
chasm in the earth, a thousand feet deep, and 
seven or eight miles in circumference. It is 
large and deep enough to take in, entire, the city 
of New York, the loftiest spires of which would 
not rise one third of the distance to the top of 
the walls. Six hundred feet below the brink, a 
ledge of lava extends around the crater, makuig 
a vast, black plain, on which an army of a hun- 
dred thousand men might stand. Within this 
is a deeper cavity, a part of which is also covered 
over with congealed lava, Avhile another is an 
awful lake of fire, boiling and tossing its molten 
billows with terrific force, while vast columns of 
vapor and smoke rise in clouds over the abyss. 
Often the rough floor adjacent to this lake breaks 
up, under the convulsions of the internal fires, 
and buries itself in the burning flood. Some- 
times the lava bursts through the sides of the 
mountain, and pours out a river of fire which 
rushes down to the ocean, destroying every thing 
in its way. Several such eruptions of this vol- 
cano have occurred within a few years past, sonic 
of which overwhelmed whole villages, and killed 
a great many people. 

This volcano in former times had been an 
object of great dread to the natives of the island. 
They believed that it was the home of a terrible 



PELE DEFIED. 121 

goddess, named Pele, who was angry if any body 
visited it. Hence the whole region was tabii^ and 
to approach it, much more to enter the crater, was 
thought to incur certain death from the goddess. 
In 1824, however, these superstitions received a 
death blow from the heroic conduct of Kapio- 
lani, a high chief who had been converted to 
Christianity. She was a woman of great courage 
and strength of character, and deeply compas- 
sionated the people, who still feared their heathen 
gods. So she resolved that she would show them 
the folly of their fears, by visiting Kilauea, the 
home of the dreaded Pele. Her people, and 
even her husband, trembled at the daring pro- 
posal, and urged her to desist, but in vain. As 
she drew near the volcano, she met a proplietess 
of Pele, who warned her away, and threatened 
her with death if she persisted. " Who are 
you?" asked Kapiolani; and producing a Tes- 
tament, she said, "I, too, have a message from 
God, which is true; yours is false." xVccom- 
panied by a missionary and her attendants, she 
went on, and descended to the black ledge of 
the crater. There, in full view of the boiling 
lava, she exclaimed, "Jehovah is my God; he 
kindled these fires; I fear not Pele; all the gods 
of Hawaii are vain!" Tlien they sung a hymn 
and prayed to Jehovah, while the roar of the 
volcano added its sublime accom])animent to 



122 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

their worship. The people, when they saw that 
no evil happened to her, were filled with aston- 
ishment, and from that time the power of Pele 
upon their superstitious minds was broken. In 
all the history of the world it would be difficult 
to find an instance of courage and true Chris- 
tian heroism surpassing this. 

After spending a day or two in examining the 
objects of interest connected with this great 
wonder of nature, the party, with the exception 
of Mr. Coan and Mr. Bingham, and two attend- 
ants, returned to Hilo, while the latter set out 
on a missionary tour of a week in the adjacent 
district. Many of our readers are aware that 
Mr. Coan is pastor of the largest church in the 
world, numbering five or six thousand members. 
These are scattered through all eastern Hawaii, 
and being too far distant to attend Sabbath ser- 
vices regularly at Hilo, Mr. Coan often makes 
pastoral journeys among them, preaching, re- 
ceiving members to the church, administering 
the sacraments, &c. A good old native deacon 
was now sent on before them to announce their 
pastor's approach, and call the people together 
in the different villages to meet him. During 
this journey, Mr. Bingham writes, " I preached 
to eleven different congregations, and in all to 
more than one thousand five hundred natives, 
and attended eleven celebrations of the Lord's 



RETURN TO HONOLULU. 123 

supper. Several persons at diiferent villages 
were admitted to the church, some restored, and 
and about one hundred and twenty-five dollars 
contributed by the people for benevolent pur- 
poses. It was a precious privilege to make the 
tour with one who, for a quarter of a century, 
has proclaimed the gospel to the Hawaiians in 
Hilo and Puna, and to be myself permitted to 
urge these recently converted heathen to remem- 
ber that 'to whomsoever much is given, of him 
shall much be required.' I saw much to cheer 
and encourage me ; some things to grieve and 
dishearten. Oh that I might in Micronesia be- 
hold such a change as has, by the grace of God, 
been wrought under Mr. Coan's labors ! " 

The time now drew near when the Morning 
Star was expected to arrive from her trip to the 
Marquesas Islands. She was to stop at Hilo, 
and Mr. and Mrs. Bingham, and Hoe, were to 
return in her to Honolulu, and thence to sail to 
Micronesia. On the morning of the 7th of July 
they were aroused from their slumbers by the 
cry of "Sail ho! hokuao ! Morning Star!" 
They sprang from their beds, and looking out, 
saw in the distance " the dear little vessel." 
There being not much wind, Mr. B. went off in 
a canoe to meet her — " glad," he says, " to step 
again on the planks which my feet have so many 
times trod." She brought good news from the 



124 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Marquesas, which she had left only twelve days 
previous. Mr. Bicknell was on board, on his 
way to Honolulu to procure some printing dona 
for those islanders. The day was devoted to 
rejoicings, pubUc meetings, visiting the vessel, 
&c., and that same evening all embarked again. 
She stopped on her way at Lahaina, where the 
missionaries addressed the people, and gave them 
their "aloha," and on the forenoon of the next 
day the Morning Star entered the harbor of 
Honolulu. 



FIRST VOYAGE TO MICRONESIA. 



125 



CHAPTER IX. 



MICRONESIA. — THE FIRST VOYAGE THITHER. 



ICRONESIA is a word 
signifying the small 
islands. It embraces 
the islands of the 
Pacific lying between 
3 degrees south and 
20 degrees north lat- 
itude, and between 
130 and 178 degrees 
east longitude. In the body of 
water contained within this boun- 
dary are perhaps more than two 
thousand islands grouped together, 
and known by different names, as 
Ladrones, Carolines, Mulgraves, 
Kingsmills, &c., with many sub- 
divisions. 

It will be remembered that in 
our first chapter mention was made of the de- 
parture of Rev. Messrs. Snow, Sturges, and 
Gulick for Micronesia, in the brig Caroline, a 
vessel chartered at Honolulu for that purpose, in 




The Cocoanut Tree. 



126 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

1853. The Caroline arrived at Pitt's Island, 
one of the Kingsmill group, in August. These 
islands are of coral formation, and lie on both 
sides of the equator. Fifteen islands compose 
this group, each governed by a king, and inde- 
pendent of each other. 

The missionaries had an interview with the 
king of Pitt's Island, and presented the letter 
written by the King of Hawaii. They explained 
to him their object in coming to Micronesia ; 
asked if he wished to have some of them stay 
and teach his people, and left the matter with 
him for consultation with his chiefs. 

The day following being the Sabbath, public 
worship was held, and the first sermon preached 
that was ever heard on Pitt's Island. Several 
foreigners resided here for trade. Cocoanut oil 
is the great article of export, of which more 
than twelve hundred barrels are sold annually 
from this small island alone. 

The difficulties in the way of establishing a 
mission appeared, on examination, to be not 
so great as had been anticipated ; but a good 
share of self-denial would be requisite, for com- 
munication with other islands was irregular 
and very uncertain. Fruits were abundant, but 
provisions generally must come from abroad. 
Milk, which is so necessary in a family, was 
not to be found, neither butter. 



strong's island. 127 

The Caroline did not stop long, but went on 
to Strong's Island, (so named after Governor 
Strong, of Massachusetts,) six hundred miles 
northwest of Pitt's. As they came to anchor 
on the Sabbath, they did not receive any vis- 
itors, nor go on shore. On Monday morning, 
when they went to visit King George, he met 
them at the door, and shaking hands politely, 
bade them " good morning." He had a pleasant 
countenance, looked well, and appeared intelli- 
gent. The missionaries made him presents of 
a red blanket, two red shirts, some red cot- 
ton, and a pair of scissors for the queen. Be- 
sides these, they gave him a Bible, a Hawaiian 
hymn book, and a few other things ; then the 
Hawaiian king's letter was read to him, ex- 
plaining their object in coming to his islands, 
and the willingness of the missionaries to re- 
main and teach his people the way of life and 
salvation. 

The king treated them very kindly, and was 
ready to give them a house and some land. 
He seemed to desire that his people should all 
share equally in the benefits of the instruction 
given. Many of the natives already conversed 
in broken English, and were very inquisi- 
tive. Mr. and Mrs. Snow decided to return 
to Strong's Island, after a visit to the other 
islands. When the kino; was asked what an- 



128 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

swer he would send back to the king's letter, 
he replied, " Tell him I will be a father to Mr. 
and Mrs. Snow." 

Some of the chiefs had reported to the king 
that if missionaries came they would inter- 
fere in the government, and lie would lose 
his authority ; but the missionaries told him 
that tliey came to teach the Bible, and not to 
rule. He immediately handed out the Bible 
that had been given to him, and the 13th chap- 
ter of Romans was read : " For rulers are not 
a terror to good works, but to the evil," &c. 
He was much interested, and said, " That first 
rate," as natural as any Yankee. 

The Caroline next visited Ascension Island, 
distant three hundred miles westward. The mis- 
sion company did not expect, from reports of 
this island, a pleasant reception there. Boats 
began to come about the vessel when it was 
fifteen miles off ; and when they anchored in 
Metalanim harbor, on the eastern coast of the 
island, it seemed that the whole people must 
have assembled. Dr. Gulick counted thirty- 
three canoes at one time. 

Among the visitors was the king, who re- 
ceived a present of a red blanket and a hatchet. 
His only article of dress was a skirt of cocoa- 
nut leaves. The missionaries stated to him 
their plans. He expressed himself favorable. 



MISSION BEGUN AT ASCENSION. 129 

and said " it would be good for them to stop." 
The king of the Kiti tribe, on the opposite side 
of the island, also wished for teachers among 
his people. 

Among this tribe is a young man, called " the 
Nanakin," who, by his talents and energy, had 
gained the entire control of the people. He is 
quite favorable to the whites. His people are 
very different from the Metalanim, and under 
better control When the Caroline anchored in 
Ronkiti harbor, on the south-western coast, all 
on board felt themselves comparatively safe, 
and the first Sabbath was one of perfect quiet. 
Public worship was lield on shore, and all pres- 
ent were very attentive. The object of coming 
to Ascension was explained, and some account 
given of the Sandwich Islands. 

On the following day the Nanakin accom- 
panied the brethren to select a place on which 
to build a mission house. While this was 
being built, a house was hired, the goods were 
brought on shore, and Messrs. Sturges and 
Gulick, with their wives, took possession, Sep- 
tember 20. Several chiefs immediately put 
themselves under the instruction of Dr. Gulick. 
The Nanakin's wife also received medicine ; and 
the old king, who was nearly helpless from 
palsy, removed to a house near the doctor, 
that he might see him often. The Nanakin 
9 



130 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

also brought his favorite niece to the mission 
family, saying that she wished to reside with 
them. They found her very intelligent, and 
were pleased to have her come thus early under 
their influence. 

Soon after the mission commenced, the Nan- 
akin called one day to see Mr. Sturges, who 
gave him an English spelling book, and assisted 
him to pronounce a few of the words. He 
thanked Mr. Sturges, and soon after said to 
some foreigners standing by, "I am going to 
learn English. I am going to make the cooper 
and others help me ; and if they don't, I'll 
pound them." He then said seriously, '' You 
must ask the missionary to pray God to help 
me learn English." 

Two couples presented themselves for mar- 
riage ; the husbands were foreigners, and their 
wives natives. Many of the people witnessed 
the ceremony, and a favorable impression was 
made. 

The Island of Ascension was comparatively 
unknown until 1828 ; since which time it 
has been frequently visited by whaleships and' 
trading vessels. The group consists of a large, 
high central island, not far from sixty miles in 
circumference, besides as many as ten smaller 
basaltic islands, and several coral or low islands, 
inclosed within a coral reef seventy or eighty 



DESCRIPTION OF ASCENSION. 131 

miles in circumference. The highest point is 
2858 feet above the ocean. 

This island is a paradise in its natural fea- 
tures, and is probably the third in importance 
of the high or basaltic islands of Micronesia. 
From the mangrove trees which line the shores 
to the pinnacles of its mountains, it is a perpetual 
succession of natural terraces. These are cov- 
ered with a vegetable growth as beautiful as can 
be conceived, and of almost endless variety, from 
the humble taro (a kind of potato) to the 
mighty bread fruit. The climate is one of the 
most delighful in the torrid zone. 

The mangrove tree is pecviliar in form, having 
strictly no trunk. The roots grow out a little 
below the lowest branches, extend down to the 
water, interlacing each other, and penetrate the 
soil. They are from five to ten feet high, and 
support the body of the tree, whose whole liight 
is from forty to fifty feet, and always green. 
These roots are a favorite resort for a kind of 
shell fish which cluster upon them, and this has 
given rise to the fabulous story of oysters grow- 
ing- on trees. 

There is a tradition among the natives of a 
boat's company having landed on the island, who 
had such peculiar skins, that they could only be 
killed by piercing their eyes. They were prob- 
ably Spaniards, clothed in mail. There arc also 



132 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

accounts of ships being seen, which were sup- 
posed to be islands, rising up suddenly out of 
the water, and then disappearing. While they 
were in sight the people fled from the shores, 
and the priests drank ava for the spirits, to 
entreat their interposition, until the dreaded 
object disappeared. Twenty years ago, a Chinese 
vessel was wrecked near the island, from which 
fowls were first procured. A few silver coins, a 
crucifix, and a pair of dividers liave been found 
here, and a brass cannon was discovered and 
taken away a few years ago. 

This island was once a dreary waste of rock, 
but decomposition has reduced to soil large por- 
tions of its surface, and in process of time it has 
been changed into its present form. At Jokoits, 
on the north-west coast, is a perpendicular basal- 
tic rock, five hundred feet high, standing in its 
majesty, as if to guard from aggression the rich 
hills beyond. 

The population of Ascension, or Ponape, the 
native name, is about ten thousand, and so scat- 
tered among this dense vegetation, that, were it 
not for a curling smoke, or an occasional canoe, 
a passing vessel would hardly think the island 
inhabited. 

In 1854, a vessel stopped at Ascension, which 
had the small pox on board. The captain sent 
the sick man ashore to a place where no person 



MISSIONARY STATIONS ON ASCENSION. 133 

lived ; but the first night he was there, some 
natives went to the place, and stole the sick man's 
clothes. A great scourge was feared, but for a 
time it was averted; the disease is said to have 
destroyed afterward nearly half the inhabitants. 

Mr. Sturges was located near the mouth of 
the Ronkiti River, a beautiful stream, whicli was 
navigable a short distance for boats. At the 
head of this stream, in a deep, dark gorge in 
the mountains, is a huge rock, said to be the 
head of a god, which is held sacred. A few 
years since, food was regularly placed before 
it, and such is still the reverence of the people 
for it, that few dare approach it. The finest 
feast house on the island stands on this river. 
Soon after the missionaries were located there, 
this house was taken for the worship of Jehovah. 

Dr. Gulick's house was on a small island 
in the Metalanim harbor. Its location was 
very eligible, being central to the whole popu- 
lation of that district. The soil was exceed- 
ingly rich, and the prospect delightful. " We 
have," he writes, " the landscape of nearly the 
whole inner harbor before us ; we look out 
upon the anchorage itself; and we have an 
open view to the windward, out of the mouth 
of the harbor. It is a very airy and healthy 
position." 

The Caroline having returned to Strong's 



13.4 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Island, King George cordially welcomed Mr. and 
Mrs. Snow, with the native Hawaiians, Opunui 
and his wife, to their future home ; and on the 
15th of October, the vessel returned to Hawaii. 
King George always remained a warm friend 
of the missionaries, who still speak of him as 
" dear old King George," and hope that he died 
a Christian. He was succeeded by his son, who, 
though he followed the example of his father in 
not allowing intoxicating liquors to be made or 
sold on the island, was very intemperate. He had 
been well instructed in the truths of the gospel, 
and made fair promises of reformation, but had 
no strength to resist temptation, and died sud- 
denly, after some days of excessive drinking. 

In November, 1854, Dr. and Mrs. Pierson 
arrived at Hawaii, on their way to Strong's 
Island ; but no passage could be obtained until 
May in the next year, when they found that the 
whaling bark Belle, Captain Handy, Avas about 
to proceed to the Kingsmill group. Captain 
Handy did not expect to stop at Strong's Island, 
but when Dr. Pierson applied for a passage, and 
told him that he vvas a missionary, he replied, 
*' I have a mind to take you to Strong's Island, 
for I love the missionary work. I want mission- 
aries to be placed on every island in the ocean, 
and am willing to do all I can for the cause. 
Whalers have been a curse to those islands long 



VOYAGE OF THE BELLE. 135 

enough, and I am determined to do what I can 
for their good, so as to have righteousness and 
justice established upon them." 

Captain Handy had regularly visited those 
islands for many years, was acquainted with the 
people, and partially understood their language. 
So he consulted his officers, and they were 
pleased with the idea of taking the missionaries 
as passengers, and were ready to do all they 
could to make the voyage pleasant for them. 

The Belle sailed from Honolulu, May, 1855, 
to cruise among the Kingsmill and Marshall 
Islands, and then go on to Strong's. Kanoa, a 
Hawaiian assistant, and his wife, accompanied 
Dr. Pierson. 

Captain Handy was a professor of religion, 
and habitually abstained from all unnecessary 
labor about the ship on the Sabbath, but kept a 
man at the mast head to look out for whales. 
More than a quarter of the whales he had taken 
were caught on the Sabbath. After the mission- 
aries came on board, he began to think seriously 
about Sabbath whaling, and resolved to abandon 
it. His men also soon came to the same con- 
clusion. Dr. Pierson preached regularly twice 
on that day, and a social evening prayer meeting 
was commenced. The sailors dropped in one 
after another, and the meeting was sustained 
with interest. Appearances began to indicate 



136 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

the presence of God's Spirit. Three brothers, 
Romanists, sought religious instruction, and 
wished to read, that they might judge for them- 
selves which was the true religion. Three mates 
consecrated themselves to God, and others 
anxiously sought the salvation of their souls. 

The vessel stopped at several islands long 
enough for the missionaries to become deeply 
interested in the people. At Apaiang they found 
two parties engaged in a bloody war. Captain 
Handy remained there several days, and en- 
deavored to make peace, but to no purpose. 
The king at Elmore Island sent his sister Ne- 
maira with them to Ebon,* to order his people to 
make oil for Captain Handy, and to protect those 
whom he left there to attend to the business. 
Her husband and five native servants attended 
her. She was a remarkable woman, about forty 
years of age, quick, modest, and anxious to con- 
form to the customs of the missionaries. She 
became much attached to Mrs. Pierson, who 
gave her some dresses, which she wore as nat- 
urally as though always accustomed to them. 
Wherever the vessel stopped, Nemaira spoke to 
the people in praise of the missionaries ; and this, 
coming from their king's sister, gained them 
favor every where. 

Dr. and Mrs. Pierson felt a strong desire to 

* Pronounced A-bone. 



DESTINATION OF DR. PIERSON. 137 

return to Ebon, and take up their abode there. 
Every thing, as they looked upon it, sho\Yed them 
that this was the post which the Ijord wouki have 
them occupy ; and when they reached Strong's 
Island, they made known their feelings to Mr. 
and Mrs. Snow. These devoted missionaries 
had been there alone three years, and rejoiced 
at the prospect of having fellow-laborers ; but 
when they heard Dr. Pierson's report, and saw 
the hand of God in so many incidents of their 
voyage, they were ready to give them up, and 
bid them God speed. Dr. Pierson would, how- 
ever, remain at Strong's until an opportunity 
offered to return to Ebon. Apaiang was also 
considered a very desirable place for another sta- 
tion. At several other islands, urgent appeals 
for a missionary were made. 

In October the tliree mates of the Belle, who 
were converted in the early part of the voyage, 
made a public profession of religion, and joined 
the Strong's Island mission church. Captain 
Handy's assistance was of great value during 
all the voyage, which continued from May to 
October. He left them at Strong's, and went 
back to Ebon upon his regular business. 

As we review the preceding narrative, we must 
be struck with the readiness of the people to re- 
ceive strangers, so unlike themselves in every 
thing, and their willingness to put themselves 



188 HISTORY OP THE MORNING STAR. 

Tinder instruction. This was something of which 
they had never heard before, and it would have 
been natural to be distrustful ; but many seemed 
to open their hearts at once. May we not be- 
lieve that God's Spirit thus prepared the way 
for those laborers who should come after them ? 

The Morning Star sailed from Honolulu for 
the Micronesian Islands on the 7th of August, 
1857. She carried Rev. J. B. Gulick,* delegate 
from the Hawaiian Missionary Society, and Rev. 
Hiram Bingham, Jr., with their wives ; J. E. 
Chamberlain, Esq., passenger; Kanakaole, a 
printer ; Noa and Hoe, their wives, and Alika, as 
domestics for the missionaries, and Hoe's child. 
Mr. Gulick's instructions from the Society di- 
rected him to visit each of the stations at Micro- 
nesia, and to make a thorough exploration of 
those islands, for the purpose of ascertaining 
what further laborers were needed there. The 
Morning Star would enable the missionaries to 
assemble and hold a general meeting, and by 
their joint action with Mr. Gulick, her move- 
ments were subsequently to be directed. To 
Captain Moore was intrusted the entire charge 
and management of the vessel ; he was to guard 
against surprises from the savage people, and 

* Mr. Gulick was the father of Rev. L. H. Gulick, already 
at Ascension Island. 



DEPARTURE OF THE MORNING STAR. 139 

bad foreigners who might be disposed to seize 
her and take tlie lives of all on board. In order 
to exclude such persons from the vessel, boarding 
nettings were provided, and every thing necessary 
to insure the safety of the passengers and crew. 

Mr. Bingham was obliged to leave at Hono- 
lulu several boxes that would not be wanted 
immediately, to be forwarded to him at a future 
time. Many farewell calls were made, and 
many presents received for himself and the mis- 
sion ; among them a coop of chickens, the goats 
sent by John li, good old Kanei's pig, &c. The 
ladies of Honolulu also undertook to raise 
money sufficient to purchase for Mr. Bingham 
a melodeon. 

The parting services were now held. The 
missionaries and many of the people were assem- 
bled on the deck. Prayer was offered in Ha- 
waiian and English, addresses followed, and the 
Missionary Hymn sung. Many a tearful fare- 
well was spoken, and the little company were 
assured of the continued sympathy and prayers 
of their Hawaiian friends. Tlie pilot gave his 
orders, the lines were cast off, and with a gentle 
breeze the Morning Star, with her precious 
freight, glided smoothly and gracefully out of 
the harbor. 

A part of the supplies were to be received at 
Koloa ; so the Morning Star first went to that 



140 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

place. Owing to the difficulty of landing, it 
was late on Saturday night before they could 
get to an anchorage ; so they stood off shore 
until morning. The Sabbath passed quietly. 
Mr. Gulick and Mr. Bingham went on shore, 
and addressed the people at the church of Rev. 
J. W. Smith. There Mr. Bingham found Pome- 
roy, the carpenter, who came with him to Ha- 
waii in the Morning Star. He was building a 
house for Rev. Mr. Dole. He said he was tired 
of the sea, and having commenced anew his re- 
ligious life, he had determined to pursue his 
trade hereafter on shore. He seemed to be doing 
well, and Mr. Dole spoke very favorably of him. 
Early on Monday morning the people came in 
from every quarter, bringing with them gifts for 
the missionaries. Beef, poultry, pigs, bananas, 
and kalo, (a kind of turnip,) together with 
twelve barrels of fine sweet potatoes, were 
speedily stowed away. A tub of butter, which 
could not be procured in Micronesia, was pre- 
sented to them. Mr. Chamberlain here con- 
cluded not to go further, and left the vessel. 
On Tuesday they went on to Waimea, where the 
missionaries delivered addresses in the beautiful 
new church of Rev. Mr. Rowell, one of the hand- 
somest in the Islands. At this place resided 
Mrs. Whitney, who came out with the first com- 
pany of missionaries in the brig Thaddeus, in 



VOYAGE TO MICRONESIA. 141 

1819, and who had never left the Islands in all 
that time. 

The same evening, August 11, they again 
weighed anchor, and directed their course to- 
ward Micronesia. The voyage was now fairly 
begun. " On Wednesday morning," says Mr. 
Bingham, " the peaks of Kauai had disappeared 
beneath the waves. Many years may pass away 
before our eyes shall again rest upon them. May 
our heavenly Father spare our lives, that we may 
behold Christ's kingdom established on the thou- 
sand isles of Micronesia. Thus far the Lord 
hath prospered us." Later, he writes, " During 
the present week our little bark has been rapidly 
wafted on with the news of salvation for the 
perishing heathen. These are, indeed, happy 
days. I love to gaze upon the white, swelling 
sails, and reflect that they are bearing us on the 
wings of the wind to those whose good we seek. 
God grant to protect this mission bark from 
dangerous reefs, and the violence of wicked 
men." 

The hours for worship and meals on board 
were the same as on the passage from America. 
The Hawaiians also met for worship in their 
own language at the same time. Every thing 
moved on harmoniously, and the passage was 
very pleasant. 

On the 21st of August they crossed the me- 



142 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

ridiaii of 180' longitude, in consequence of 
which they gained one day in their reckoning. 
This meridian is directly opposite that of Green- 
wich in England, from which place it has long 
been the custom of the civilized world to reckon 
time. Wiien it is precisely 12 o'clock at noon 
at Greenwich, it will be just 12 o'clock at mid- 
night in longitude of 180°. At that moment 
the new day begins, and the old one ends, there. 
While the Morning Star was east of that merid- 
ian, they were in a part of that day which be- 
gan at 1 80 the night before, and which passed 
on round the world westward. When they 
crossed the meridian of 180\ they came where 
a new day had begun. The 21st of August had 
then become the 22d, and of course their date 
must be set forward one day. 

The carpenter was very much troubled about 
this change of the day, especially because it in- 
volved a change of the Sabbath. He could not 
believe it right to observe any other day as sacred 
but that which they had kept before, and no ex- 
planations or arguments seemed to satisfy his 
mind. Captain Moore, however, told him that 
he need not work on Monday, if he had con- 
scientious scruples about it and this relieved 
him. He performed no labor on that day, after- 
ward, during the voyage. 

One day a beautiful land bird hovered around 



FIRST VIEW OF MICRONESIA. 143 

the vessel. It was caught at last, and one of its 
wings was clipped to prevent its escaping ; but 
after it had rested a while, and eaten some food, 
away it flew. The clipped wing disabled it from 
soaring aloft as before, and it soon sank in the 
wave, far from its island home. 

On the 26th the first of the Micronesian Islands 
appeared in sight. It was Uderick, the most 
north-easterly of the " Radack chain," so called. 
"Radack" and " Ralick " mean Eastern and 
Western, and are the names of two long groups 
or chains of islets running north and soutli. 
The sea between these ranges is three hundred 
miles long, and one hundred broad ; but owing 
to the dangerous coral reefs, it had been but 
partially explored. 

The Morning Star sailed slowly along, to avoid 
striking on the hidden reefs. The winds were 
light, and the weather warm. No houses were 
seen upon the islands, nor any canoes or natives. 
On the 28th the weather was thick and squally, 
and fearing for the safety of the ship, the cap- 
tain shortened sail and hove to. The sea here 
abounded with fish. A line was let down for a 
shark which was swimming about the vessel, and 
the voracious jaws came together with a snap 
that took off both bait and hook. Then another 
large hook was baited and attaclied to a chain. 
Poor sharkie took a firm hold, and could not let 



144 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

go if he would. With some difficulty he was 
drawn up over the taffrail. The steward re- 
covered the lost hook, and the fish was served 
up for all hands at supper. The other fish were 
shy, and would not take the bait. 

The next day they made sail at daylight, and 
soon saw land ahead. They ran along a reef 
for twenty-five miles, and counted seventeen 
islands, all beautifully green. Eacli was formed 
by a ledge of coral rocks rising to the surface, 
extending in a curve like a horseshoe, inclosing 
a body of water called a lagoon, and having one 
or more narrow passages leading into it from the 
ocean. In these lagoons vessels usually find a 
safe anchorage. 

On one of these islets natives were for the 
first time seen. One of them waved a bunch 
of dried leaves on a pole, which was taken as a 
signal of peace. The sight of the vessel, which 
passed close to the shore, appeared to please them 
greatly, and they danced and capered about in 
high glee. Soon after, a canoe, carrying four 
men, with a matting sail, shot out from behind a 
point of land, and approached the vessel. They 
were strong, healthy, fine-looking men, wear- 
ing only the grass maro or girdle. Their ears 
had a hole cut in the lower part, which had 
been gradually enlarged so as to receive an 
ornament of from two to five inches in diameter. 



FIRST VISIT OF A NATIVE. 145 

Sometimes the ornament was a flower or green 
leaf only ; sometimes a piece of tortoise shell or 
a tobacco pipe. When no ornament was worn, 
the part of the lobe hanging loose was sus- 
pended from the top of the ear. 

Presents were offered to these wild people, but 
they could not be induced to come on board. 
After remaining for a time about the vessel, they 
seemed to take fright, and suddenly left. One 
man. from the shore approached alone in his 
canoe, and Mr. Bingham gave him an old file, 
a jewsharp, and a letter which he had written 
at the suggestion of Captain Moore, as follows : 

Morning Star, Aug. 29, 1857. ) 
S. G. Moore, Captain. S 

To the Inhabitants of the Menzikoff Islands^ 
glad tidings : 

" Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, 
good will toward men." " God so loved the 
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that 
whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but 
have everlasting life." 

We hope soon to bring you the gospel of 
Jesus Christ, and some of his missionaries to 
teach you. 

Very truly yours, Hiram BinCxHam, Jr. 

In taking his file the native accidentally let it 
fall overboard. Quick as thought lie darted after 
10 



146 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

it, but the file went faster still, and he came up 
quite disappointed ; a few fish-hooks, however, 
comforted him. The other natives, seeing how 
well their friend had fared, came back again, and 
appeared harmless and inoffensive ; but their 
language was unintelligible. Finding no place 
to anchor, the vessel passed on. 

Just before sunset a man approached in a 
canoe, who proved to be the same one to whom 
the file had been given. He had paddled five 
miles to overtake them, and was highly delighted 
with some bread and boiled sweet potatoes which 
were given him. He kept pointing back to the 
shore, with a supplicating tone of voice, as 
though urging them to return, and did not leave 
them until quite dark. 

Sabbath evening, Sept. 8, Strong's Island 
was in sight. There being no whid to carry 
them into a harbor, they were obliged to lie olf 
shore ; and the next day they found they had 
drifted, by the force of the current, sixty miles 
to the eastward, requiring the whole succeeding 
twenty-four hours to recover their ground. Here 
a pilot — Mr. Kirkland — came off to the ves- 
sel, whom they ascertained to be the same that 
had conducted the Caroline on Mr. Snow's first 
arrival. The wind failing, he left one of the 
natives on board, and took Mr. and Mrs. Bing- 
ham on shore. Their meeting witli Mr. Snow 



ARRIVAL AT STRONG'S ISLAND, 147 

and Dr. Piorson and their families, may be bet- 
ter imagined than described ; it was one of most 
cordial welcome. The latter presented them to 
the king and queen, who received them sitting 
upon the floor, and spoke to them kindly in 
broken English. 

The intelligence that a missionary vessel had 
been built by the children of America, and was 
on its way to Micronesia, had been carried to 
Strong's Island by a whale ship. How the hearts 
of the missionaries, so far from friends and home, 
rejoiced at this good news ! Fifteen months liad 
passed since they had heard from America ; but 
when this news arrived, they felt willing even to 
wait cheerfully a few months longer. Dr. Pier- 
son wrote at this time, "Oh, how we thank you 
all, dear children ! We would clasp you in our 
arms, and ask God to bless you, and make some 
of you missionaries. Indeed, I think some of 
you will want to come out to look after your 
ship, and help us teach these poor heathen the 
name of that bright and Morning Star which 
has arisen on this dark world." 

But however willing they liad been to wait for 
the Morning Star, they were, as I said before, 
truly rejoiced to see her anchor in the harbor. 
For the last two months, the missionaries had 
lived in a state of constant excitement and alarm, 
owing to a savage war which had been raging. 



148 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

War is horrible in all its forms, luit among 
heathen nations it is doubly so. It appears that 
some people called Rotumas, natives of another 
island, but now residing on Strong's Island, had 
taken up arms against the king. At first a few 
foreigners joined them, and the party was com- 
manded by an American named Covert. They 
had resolved to murder the king and chiefs, and 
take possession of the island. The khig, being 
informed of the fact, sent armed men to kill or 
seize them. Five of the Rotumas were killed ; 
the rest fled to the house of Covert, who de- 
fended them, with the help of an Englishman 
named Johnson. The other white men, being 
unwilling to fight, were sent away. 

The king's party watched the house which had 
been fortified by a solid wall of coral rock six 
feet high, and when any one came out, as they 
were obliged to do, to get food, he was shot 
down. At this stage of affairs, a whale ship 
from Massachusetts, commanded by Captain 
Lawrence, arrived, and to him the foreign party 
made complaint. The missionaries, though they 
had taken sides with neither, felt that the cause 
of the king and the native party was just, and 
they gave Captain Lawrence their opinion of the 
matter, thus making him acquainted with both 
sides of the case. 

On account of this state of things it was feared 



PEACE MAKING. 149 

that it miglit be hazardous for the Morning Star 
to venture into the harbor; but Mr. Kirkland was 
confident she would run no risk in lying with the 
other vessels, and accordingly a boat from the 
whale ship assisted in towing her in, and she was 
anchored safely. A white flag was now seen 
flying from Covert's house. Mr. Snow and Dr. 
Pierson took a canoe and went over there im- 
mediately. Covert was desirous of peace, and 
requested that Captain Lawrence and Captain 
Moore would visit the king, and make arrange- 
ments for a meeting of both parties next day, 
on board the Morning Star. These gentlemen 
waited upon the king, who consented to the 
arrangement. 

On the next morning all assembled. Captain 
Lawrence presided, and Mr. Gulick opened the 
meeting with prayer, Mr. Snow acting as inter- 
preter. 

After a long talk between the parties, it was 
decided that the leaders in the rebellion, with 
the Rotumas, should all leave the island ; 
otherwise the king would not consider himself 
safe. Said he, " S'pose ships come — Covert 
speak sailors, ' Go kill king ; me give you plenty 
land.' Me no like Covert stop here ; better go." 
These men had property and families on the 
island, and made fair promises of good behavior ; 
but the king was firm, and they were obliged to 



150 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

yield. All were to be kept as prisoners until 
the departure of Captain Lawrence and Captain 
Moore, and then they were to be carried away 
to some other island. 

On the arrival of the Morning Star, the mis- 
sionaries were nearly destitute of provisions ; 
indeed, they must have suffered had they not 
received occasional relief from the ships that 
stopped at the island. 

It is difficult to see how these islanders could 
subsist, were it not for the cocoanut and bread 
fruit trees, which are always to be found. The 
bread fruit is about as large as a child's head, 
and grows on tall trees. When it is roasted, and 
the skin taken off, it makes as nice a loaf of 
white bread as one could desire. This, with a 
young cocoanut, juicy and sweet, and perhaps a 
fish, makes the daily food of the people. 

The cocoanut palm is a majestic tree, with a 
beautiful tuft of long, green leaves, like a crown, 
on the top. Under this tuft the nuts are found, 
sometimes two hundred in number, and in all 
stages of growth. These can only be obtained 
by climbing ; but the natives go up like squirrels, 
and almost as fast. The wood is very hard, and 
furnishes materials for clubs and spears, also 
paddles for boats. Sawed into posts, it supports 
the houses, and the branches afford thatching 
for the roofs. Baskets, bonnets, and fans are 



THE COCOANUT TREE. 151 

made of the leaves, and the rods are used for 
tapers. The shell of the fruit is filled with rich, 
sweet milk, and is itself converted into goblets, 
dippers, and pipes. Even the husk is of great 
value as fuel, and the long fibers are twisted 
into fishing lines and ropes. The juice of the 
young buds, when pressed out and fermented, 
becomes an intoxicating drink. A healing 
balsam is made from the juice of the nut ; the 
oil extracted from the fruit anoints their bodies 
and embalms their dead. No other tree in the 
whole world produces such an amount of fruit ; 
four hundred nuts have been taken from a sin- 
gle one in a year. Lastly, groves of these trees 
afford a grateful shade from the burning heat 
of the sun. 

Tliese dear missionaries, though so far away 
from their native land, did not forget that the 
American Board were now holding their annual 
meeting in Providence, Rhode Island. As the 
custom is at all stations, these missionaries met 
at Mr. Snow's on Tliursday afternoon, to pray 
for God's blessing upon the Board. Mr. Bing- 
ham preached on Saturday evening a prepara- 
tory lecture, and on Sabbath morning held a 
meeting on board the vessel. At 11 o'clock all 
attended the native service conducted by Mr. 
Snow. The king and queen were present ; the 
king wore a flowing dressing gown or wrapper. 



152 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

with a large hood falling back ; and the queen 
had on a tasteful looking dress. Most present 
paid good attention, but during the last prayer, 
several laughed aloud. 

In the afternoon the missionaries and the 
ship's company assembled at Mr. Snow's, and 
twenty persons, including the wife of Captain 
Lawrence, and the Hawaiian brethren, united in 
celebrating the Saviour's dying love ; and though 
most of them were recently strangers to each 
other, and in a strange land, it was a delightful 
season. 

The following incident will show that these 
rude, ignorant heathen gave better attention to 
the preacher, tliough they did not understand 
him, than is often given in Christian lands. One 
Sabbath, Mr. Snow had a very good congrega- 
tion ; but most of tlic people were natives of the 
Ralick Islands, and could not understand his 
language. " Not being able," said he, " to un- 
derstand the letter^ they went through the form 
to perfection, for when I put out my hands to 
pronounce the benediction, out went their hands 
too, as gracefully as those of any experienced 
parson. So we had a full benediction that day." 



FHOM strong's island TO ASCENSION. 153 



CHAPTER X. 



N Tuesday morning, September 
15, the Morning Star left 
Strong's Island for Ascension, 
taking as passengers Messrs. 
Snow and Pierson, their wives 
and children, two Strong's 
Island children belonging to 
Mr. Snow's family, a native 
of the Ralick Islands, in the 
Rub-nose Welcome. family of Dr. Plcrson, who 
wished to return to his home with him, and the 
four Rotumas. These, with her former passen- 
gers and crew, made thirty-six in all, crowding 
the little vessel full. She was towed out of the 
harbor by four boats, the king bidding them fare- 
well, and saying, '' Come shumi nga mutta " — 
You go, I stay. 

While they were off Wellington's Island, a 
boat, manned by several natives, and commanded 
by a man named Higgins, came out to meet 
them. These men spoke a little English. Mr. 
Snow and Dr. Pierson went on shore with them, 
and were highly pleased with their visit. The 




154 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

liouses were well built, clean and comfortable, 
and the women wore clothing, as well as the 
men. Mr. Higgins asked for a Bible, which was 
given him. On returning to the ship, they 
brought a fine lot of cocoanuts, and four large 
turtles. Two of the latter, and part of the 
cocoanuts, were sent by Mr. Higgins to the mis- 
sionaries at Ascension. 

Like all coral islands, the Wellington group 
are low, surrounded by a reef, in some places a 
quarter of a mile wide, inclosing a lagoon 
through which there is no passage for vessels. 
The circumference of the group is about fifteen 
miles. Mr. Higgins said the natives would like 
to have a teacher sent to them, and if one would 
come, either from the United States or Hawaii, 
he would give him a house, and supply him with 
food. He sent money by Mr. Gulick to sub- 
scribe for a Hawaiian newspaper, that he might 
not be ignorant of what was passing in the 
world. This island was considered a very invit- 
ing field for a native Hawaiian missionary, and 
as it lies directly in the route to Ascension, it 
can be visited without loss of time or expense. 

Just before the Morning Star reached the 
Wellington Islands, something was seen at a dis- 
tance, which at first resembled a large canoe full 
of men. As the vessel drew near, it proved to 
be the trunk of an enormous tree. A boat was 



METALANTM HARBOR. 155 

lowered, and several of the ship's company went 
off to it, being well provided with fishing tackle, 
in order to catch the fish they expected to find 
about the tree. Plenty of fish were there, and 
several sharks ; a small one was caught, but no 
other. Dr. Pierson thought the tree might be a 
bread fruit tree, but how came it there ? 

After remaining several days at Wellington, 
anchor was next cast at Metalanim harbor, on 
the Island of Ascension. The situation of this 
harbor is very picturesque. A rock, in the form 
of a sugar loaf, several hundred feet high, stands 
on the very shore. On the south-west side are 
two grotesque waterfalls, which add to the beauty 
of the harbor. The foliage is very dense. On 
the south side of the harbor is a small island, a 
point of which, called Shalong, stretches toward 
the north ; upon this point are Dr. Gulick's 
houses. They are built in the native style, ex- 
cept as they have doors and windows. The path 
leading to the point is bordered on each side 
with pine-apple plants, young cocoanut trees, 
flowers of various kinds, bananas, papaias, (run- 
ning apple,) bread fruit trees, &c. As the ves- 
sel was passing into the harbor. Dr. Gulick 
came on board, in a little boat presented to him 
by the Hawaiian Mission Children's Society, and 
was overjoyed at the unexpected meeting with 
his father. When the greeting was over, all 



156 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

knelt down on the deck and united in thanks- 
giving to God. The mission had been looking 
a long time for the Morning Star. They had 
heard of her voyage to Hawaii, but not to the 
Marquesas, and supposed she would first come 
to them. 

All the families were short of provisions, 
especially that of Mr. Sturges ; so much so as 
to affect their health. A boat was therefore dis- 
patched to each station with a supply for their 
immediate need. Mr. Snow and family went in 
one of the boats to Ronkiti, where Mr. Sturges 
was located, and Mr. Pier son to Jokoits Har- 
bor, for Mr. Doane. They were obliged to wait 
till near midnight for the tide, and the night 
being stormy, Mrs. Snow and the chihl were 
benumbed with cold. They did not reach Ron- 
kiti until 9 o'clock the next morning, and suf- 
fered from hunger, as well as cold. 

Great was the joy of the brethren and their 
families at this relief, and the visit of Christian 
friends. To live a whole year, and even more, 
in this far-off region, without any letters or words 
of cheer from absent friends, without hearing a 
syllable of what is passing in this world of ours, 
and then to receive a twelve months' mail at 
once, papers, letters, and pamphlets ! — my young 
readers can imagine better than I can describe 
it. Dr. Gulick's feelings on the arrival of the 



157 



vessel, were expressed in the following letter, 
which he sent home to her owners : — 

Dear Children: About noon on Thursday, 
Sept. 24, the Morning Star appeared off the Meta- 
lanim harbor, where I live ; and so great was her 
haste to deliver her messages and messengers of 
love, that she was already approaching her anchor- 
age before I could get on board. Need I tell you 
how my heart throbbed, as I embraced my aged 
father ? how I welcomed Captain Moore, and my 
oldest brother, mate of the ship, and my Micro- 
nesian fellow-laborers? Need I tell you how 
angel-like the Morning Star appeared to our 
Micronesian eyes, as she winged her way to 
within half a mile of our thatched cottage ? 
My father hastened on shore to see his daughter 
and grandchildren, and soon the whole American 
company was crowded into our hermitage, be- 
sides the king of the tribe, and a number of 
natives. We made haste to render thanks to 
tlie Father of mercies, the Giver of every good 
and perfect gift, for so good a gift as this Morn- 
ing Star, which renders such reunions as these 
possible to us who live in the very " end of the 
earth." The profound solitude of the mission- 
aries on these coral islands has been broken in 
upon with praise, and prayer, and mutual re- 
joicings, such as never before echoed through 
Micronesian groves. 



158 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Another letter was written bj a committee 
appointed by the mission for that purpose. The 
following is an extract : — 

" The missionaries upon the little islands of 
Micronesia, by the grace of God, to the multi- 
tude of owners of the ' Morning Star,' send 
affectionate and grateful salutations. 

" You have known something of the trials we 
have had to suffer because we had before no 
missionary vessel to go about among our islands, 
to bring and carry our mail, and to bring us our 
supplies. Only think, that one of our number 
had been waiting two years for opportunity to 
get to some islands a few hundred miles distant, 
where the people had expressed a desire to have 
him labor with them in the gospel. Then think 
how the hearts of those of us on Strong's Island 
bounded with joy the morning we saw your no- 
ble brig, with her white flag of peace, and her 
star of hope, just at the entrance of our harbor, 
with our two years' mail on board. 

" We love to tell the heathen, we love to tell 
their children, of this proof of your interest in 
til em, and of your love for our cause. Again 
we thank you for the Morning Star." 

While the Morning Star was at Metalanim, a 
general meeting of the missionaries was held, to 
decide upon the locations to be occupied, and 
the movements of the vessel. Mr. Doane's lo- 



A CONVERTED PORTUGUESE. 159 

cation was first considered. As the laborers 
were so few, and the places where it was very 
desirable to have a station so many, it was con- 
cluded that only two of their number could be 
spared for Ascension. Mr. Doane's station at 
Jokoits Harbor, being the least promising, was to 
be relinquished, leaving him to go with Dr. 
Pierson to the Marshall Islands. Mr. Bingham 
and Kanoa were assigned to the Kingsmill group 
in Eastern Micronesia. They also voted to ad- 
journ the meeting to Ronkiti, and that on the 
way the vessel should stop at Jokoits, and take 
Mr. Doane's goods. While the meeting was in 
progress, a converted Portuguese, who had been 
a Papist, died. He had lived some years on the 
island, was well acquainted with the language, 
and had assisted the missionaries in the transla- 
tion of portions of the New Testament. While 
thus employed, he was himself taught by the 
Holy Spirit, ceased to pray to Mary, and prayed 
to Christ, and to the Father in his name. At 
his earnest dying request, one of his children, a 
little daughter, was adopted by Dr. Gulick. For 
some time previous to the death of this Portu- 
guese, he gave himself wholly to prayer and 
reading the Bible. This one conversion would 
far more than compensate for all the labor and 
toil expended on these islands. 

The Micronesian mission had now ceased to 



160 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

be an experiment. Wicked advisers no longer 
held the controlling power; old religious sys- 
tems had been gradually giving way, and the 
missionaries had acquired the confidence of those 
in autliority and the respect of the people. 
Preaching on the Sabbath had been regularly 
sustained in various places. Many natives had 
ceased praying to the spirits, and regularly 
offered their devotions to the true God. At 
Shalong, about one hundred, including chiefs, 
were learning to read and write. Soon after 
Mr. Doane commenced his labors at Jokoits, a 
meeting was appointed to be held on the next 
Sabbath morning, and lo ! a congregation of 
from seventy-five to one hundred were at the 
door before breakfast. So Mr. Doane postponed 
his eating till after service, rejoiced to have such 
an opportunity to speak for Christ. 

Still the people were degraded, and multi- 
tudes of tliem were as vicious as ever. Though 
some of the chiefs were favorably disposed to- 
ward the missionaries, it was not on account 
of their religious influence, but because, if mis- 
sionaries were on the islands, ships might be 
induced to stop there. Shipping time is a 
harvest season to these people. By all natives, 
stealing from a ship is considered lawful, and 
the more old iron, ropes, clothes, knives, or any 
thing else a man can get, the greater man he is. 



THE STOLEN AX. 161 

One day, the cook's ax was stolen, and soon 
after the thief was pointed out to Captain Moore. 
Calling him, he inquired if he had stolen the 
ax. " Oh, yes, cap'in, I steal him." " Why did 
you do so ? " '- Oh, me like him." " Will you 
bring it back ? " " Oh, yes ; s'pose cap'in pay 
me." " The ax is mine ; why should I pay 
you ? " " No, him no cap'in's now ; him belong 
to me." "Go and get the ax, and I will give 
you a fathom of calico." " No, cap'in, one 
fathom no good. Me like ax plenty; s'pose 
cap'in give five fathoms, me go get him." 

Before leaving Shalong an interesting meet- 
ing was held on board to welcome the Morning 
Star to those seas. Several foreigners with 
their wives, and a few natives, were present, and 
all seemed much interested. After the exercises 
were concluded, several of the company visited 
the celebrated ruins two miles east of Dr. Gu- 
lick's house. They consist of a large, square 
inclosure, surrounded by a wall, which, near the 
entrance, is at least twenty feet high. Within 
this inclosure is another wall, and witliin that a 
vault, constructed in honor of the dead so long 
ago that a large bread fruit tree has grown upon 
the rocks that cover the vault. Tliese walls are 
built of basaltic rocks, one of which measured 
eighteen feet and another sixteen feet in length, 
and are supoosed to have been brought from the 



162 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

north side of the island. Religious rites are 
annually performed there. In the vicinity are 
several artificial islands, the borders being made 
of basaltic rocks, the interior being filled up 
with coral stones. When the company returned, 
it being low tide, they were obliged to haul their 
boats half a mile over the flats. This was only 
a specimen of missionary traveling in Ponape. 

In most heathen countries little girls are not 
accounted of much value. They tell, however, 
the following story of one at Ascension, who 
must have been a very brave child. Far away 
up in the mountains, the " spirits," as the poor, 
ignorant natives think, had their home. One 
time, when Mr. Sturges was there, his guide 
pointed out to him a huge rock. " This," said 
the man, " the spirits used to take with them 
when they went down to their habitations below, 
that with it they might kill the people who live 
there. At length this little girl was induced to 
go and keep watch by the stone, and she suc- 
ceeded in persuading the spirits to give up their 
terrible excursions." 

It is an interesting fact, that the people of 
Ascension use the same word for learning' and 
planting'. Those untutored savages reasoned 
correctly. " Whatever we learn, whether it is 
good or evil, we plant in the mind." But they 
did not know that all such seed produces its 



THE natives' love OF MUSIC. 163 

harvest of joy or sorrow. They had never heard 
those words of the apostle Paul, " He that sow- 
eth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corrup- 
tion ; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of 
the Spirit reap life everlasting." 

The religion of the island teaches that all men 
are judged after death ; that upon their trial, the 
test will be the singing of a song. All wlio sing 
well go to the good place, while all who fail 
must be tlirown into a deep, dark, muddy pit, 
there to remain for ever. May all the dear chil- 
dren in this Christian land learn the song of 
redeeming love — a far Svveeter song than any 
heathen ever sung ! 

The natives of all these groups are fond of 
music. One time, as the Morning Star ap- 
proached a savage island, the people came ofi" in 
their boats, in large numbers, singing and shout- 
ing. The deck of the vessel was full of them, 
and they were very noisy. Mrs. Snow, Mrs. 
Gulick, and Mrs. Bingham, who were sitting on 
the quarter deck, commenced singing, 

" There is a happy land, 
Far, far away." 

The effect on the natives was instantaneous; 
order and quiet were produced, and for once, at 
least, the savage was tamed. 

The visit at Metalanim was concluded by the 



164 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

celebration of the Lord's supper at Dr. Gulick's, 
which was a precious season to all. 

The contents of a box, which was sent to this 
mission by some kind friends in Hartford, Con- 
necticut, were divided among the different fami- 
lies. If the donors of boxes realized the benefit 
of such gifts, they would surely send them 
oftener. Such kindness is felt not alone by the 
recipients : — 

"It blesses him who gives and him who takes." 

The Morning Star now weighed anchor for 
Jokoits, on the north-west coast. They were 
obliged to proceed with great caution, and a boat 
was sent ahead to tow the vessel out of the har- 
bor. Perceiving that her progress was checked, 
the captain supposed that the tide had turned, 
and called out, " Pull ahead, boys ; pull strong." 
The mate just then looked over the side, and 
thought he saw bottom. Taking the lead with 
Avhicli they were sounding over to that side, the 
captain found that instead of ten fathoms there 
was only five feet, the reef being perpendicular, 
and the vessel lying by it as if alongside of a 
wharf. So they got out a kedge anchor and 
hauled away, and she drifted out. When in the 
night they arrived off Jokoits, the weather being 
squally and a heavy rain falling, it was not 
judged prudent to attempt the passage into the 



RONKITI HARBOR. 165 

harbor. The boats, therefore, were sent ashore, 
well manned, to brmg off Mr. Doane's goods. 
When the last boat returned it was accompanied 
by several chiefs. They examined the vessel, 
and were much pleased with it. Mr. Bingham 
played for them on his violin, and a song was 
sung. Mr. Doane offered a farewell prayer, and 
bade them good by. When it was found that 
Mr. Doane was leaving them, one of the chiefs 
commenced stoning the people, saying that Mr. 
Doane was going away because they did not go 
to hear him preach on the Sabbath. His ordi- 
nary congregation had been only about twenty- 
five, who assembled on the large verandah in 
front of his house. The Morning Star next 
passed around to Ronkiti, and anchored about 
half a mile from Mr. Sturges's house, in Ron- 
kiti harbor, Tuesday, October 6. The shore all 
around this island is lined with an almost im- 
penetrable growth of mangrove trees. The land 
rises abruptly in some places, and in others 
stretches away inland, covered with heavy tim- 
ber, and intersected by rapid streams, affording 
an immense water power, where mills might be 
erected. 

During this visit to Ronkiti, the missionaries 
were all accommodated at the capacious house 
of Mr. Sturges, built by the Nanakin, the most 
influential man in the Kiti tribe. Mrs. Sturges 



166 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

was ill feeble health, but generally able to meet 
the family at the table. The house is situated 
on a hill at the mouth of the Kit! River, and 
commands an extensive view of the ocean and 
the small islands south-west of Ascension. A 
smooth turf of grass surrounds the house, and the 
grounds are adorned with bread fruit and some 
cocoanut trees. The house of the Nanakin — a 
wonderful specimen of native architecture — 
stands on tlie same ridge, half a mile distant. 

The session of the general meeting was here 
resumed and continued until the 14th, when it 
adjourned to meet again, with the leave of Prov- 
idence, at the next visit of the Morning Star, iu 
1858. Sermons were preached, and daily prayer 
meetings held during the session. A ^^assage to 
the Sandwich Islands was offered to Mrs. Gulick 
and her children, also to some Hawaiian helpers. 
Mrs. Sturges being in poor health, she, with her 
husband, were advised to return to Hawaii for 
a few months, but as Mr. Sturges could not 
leave his post she declined going. Seldom did 
the Morning Star touch at any island on which 
foreigners resided without being applied to for 
a passage. It was, therefore, found necessary 
to adopt a rule, that unless in an extraordinary 
case, no passage during this trip should be given 
to any but those connected with the missions. 

Having been ten days at Ronkiti, the Morn- 



167 



ing Star returned to Metalaiiim for Mrs. Gulick 
and her children, from whence it was to start 
for Eastern Micronesia. Dr. GuUck's father had 
come to Shalong some days previously, to assist 
Mrs. Gulick in her preparations ; so when the 
vessel reached the station there was no delay, 
and they were soon taken on board. Hoe and 
his wife, also, who had been assistants in the 
family of Mr. Sturges, now accompanied Mr. 
Doane. It seemed, when tlie Morning Star had 
thirty-six on board, that the little vessel was full, 
but now the whole company amounted to forty- 
two. Early on the morning of the 16th, Cap- 
tain Moore attempted to get out of the harbor, 
but the wind failed. Another attempt was made 
at noon, and the little vessel struck on a coral 
reef, where it thumped about several minutes 
before it could be hauled off. As the tide was 
rapidly falling, fears were entertained that she 
would be obliged to remain some hours upon 
the rocks, but our heavenly Father, Avhose eye 
was constantly fixed on this, the children's ship, 
preserved it from harm, and before night it was 
again under way. Dr. Gulick here bade his 
family farewell, and returned to his lonely liome. 
On Monday, the 19th, the vessel arrived off 
Wellington Island again, and Mr. Higgins came 
out and received a welcome mail. He invited 
the missionaries to go on shore with him, which 



168 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

they did. AVhen they returned, the boat was 
sixty or eighty rods from shore, owing to the 
falling tide. As Mr. Bingham stood thinking 
how he was to get on board, a stout islander 
stepped up before him and presented his back. 
After being assured of the ability of the man to 
carry him such a distance, he mounted. The 
native trudged off, avoiding the holes he could 
see, and going into those he could not, he hang- 
ing to Mr. Bingham's legs, and Mr. Bingham 
hanging to his shoulders, and wondering which 
had the hardest time. At length they reached 
the boat ; and when Mr. Bingham patted him 
gratefully on the shoulder, he was much pleased, 
but did not seem to care much for the piece of 
money which accompanied it, perhaps because 
he knew not its value. 

Two days afterward they reached McAskill's 
Island, about one hundred miles from Welling- 
ton. Although the weather was rough and 
stormy, many boats came out very early to meet 
them, bringing cocoanuts and bananas to sell. 
The people were very wild and rude. A little 
band of grass, worn about the hips of the men, 
was their only covering, and children, even twelve 
years of age, had not so much as that. Upon 
their heads were wreaths of red and white flow- 
ers, and also upon their arms ; the last as a 
token of friendship. They readily came on 



RUB-NOSE WELCOME. 169 

board, upon being invited, and after looking 
around, formed tbcmselves into a circle, and set 
up a wild cry, or cliant, striking their breasts, 
and pointing upward and downward. This 
seemed to be an introductory ceremony, after 
which they were very familiar, throwing their 
arms, freshly anointed with cocoanut oil, around 
the strangers, and giving them the regular "rub- 
nose welcome." 

The old king amused them much. Captain 
Moore ordered the steward to bring a plate of 
food. The king received it ceremoniously, and 
after distributing its contents to his chiefs, 
leaped into his canoe, plate in hand, and made 
off, but seeing no one in chase, soon returned. 
Captain Moore made him a presentof a plane-iron. 
This called forth the most unbounded expres- 
sions of delight. He ran fore and aft, stopped 
and looked at it, turned it round and round, 
then ran to the captain, and rubbing noses, em- 
braced him affectionately. Then followed a 
present of a fish-hook, and another rubbing of 
noses. The smell of cocoanut oil, with which 
their bodies were anointed, made such demon- 
strations of friendship rather disagreeable than 
pleasant ; but to refuse them would have given 
great offense. 

This company were greatly interested in the 
white children on board. The mirror in the 



170 HISTORY OP THE MORNING STAR. 

cabin was also an object of wonder, and occa- 
sioned the greatest merriment. Probably they 
had never had a view of themselves before, and 
it is no wonder that they were amused with the 
spectacle. 

Messrs. Snow, Doane, and Pierson went on 
shore afterward, and the king received them 
with great joy. He was about sixty years old, 
exceedingly talkative, begging, singing, and 
dancing all at once. Here is a specimen of his 
English. " Cap'in go shore — me give cocoanut, 
banana, taro, all plenty — chicken, pig. Me like 
hatchet, tobacco, one file." The inhabitants of 
this island had been called treacherous, and sto- 
ries of the disappearance of whole boats' crews 
had been numerous. Nothing whatever of this 
was seen by the Morning Star. 

The people, amounting, probably, to five hun- 
dred, lived in one village, and manifested consid- 
erable industry ; all seemed healthy, sprightly, 
and friendly. When the king was on board the 
vessel, he inquired the name of every man, 
woman, and child, and where each one was go- 
ing ; and when informed of their various destina- 
tions, inquired, earnestly, " Where is the mis- 
sionary for Ringalap ? " (the native name of 
McAskill.) He said he would give a house and 
food to a missionary, if one would stay with him. 
All the brethren felt that a native teacher and 



171 



preacher ought to be sent speedily, before any 
" beach combers " (vile foreigners) should settle 
there. Many of the islanders were present dur- 
ing morning prayers on board, and though pre- 
viously very noisy, were now perfectly quiet and 
respectful. 

After leaving McAskilFs Island, they encoun- 
tered the severest gale of wind since leaving 
Cape Horn. The cabin and steerage were crowd- 
ed with passengers, and many were sea-sick — 
the babies, poor things, did not escape the gen- 
eral affliction. 

Monday, October 26, found our voyagers off 
Strong's Island, but being calm, Mr. Snow and 
his family, and Dr. Pieison and family, were set 
on shore in a boat. 

About 2 o'clock in the night, all hands were 
called to assist in working off the vessel from 
the breakers, toward which she was drifting. 
Eight persons manned one of the sweeps, which 
being thrust out of one of the portholes, served 
the purpose of a great oar. After they had 
worked three quarters of an hour, the roar of 
the surf died away, and a light breeze sprang 
up. In the morning it was ascertained that the 
vessel had drifted forty miles to the eastward of 
Strong's Island, and they were not able to regain 
their position until the next evening. 

On reaching the island it was found that the 



172 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

difficulties which had before existed there had 
ceased, and that quiet was again restored. Cap- 
tain Lawrence, as agreed, had taken away the 
two white leaders in the rebellion, and all the 
Rotumas left by the Morning Star. 

These white men had seemed determined to 
destroy the influence of the missionaries, and 
break up the mission ; and it was remarked at 
the time, that " one important design of Provi- 
dence, in all these troubles, may have been the 
removal of Covert and Johnson from the island, 
which could have been effected by no ordinary 
means." 

Several days were spent in getting on board, 
with their furniture, the three families of Dr. 
Pierson, Kanoa, and Dorka, who were to go to 
Eastern Micronesia. Timber was also bouglit 
for the houses of Mr. Doane and Mr. Bingham, 
which were to be built at the places to be select- 
ed for their residence. 

The vessel was found to be too small to carry 
forty-five persons and so much baggage. Every 
nook and corner was crammed. The larboard 
side of the quarter deck was full of lumber, 
while on the starboard side a row of water casks 
was lashed. The main deck was all taken up 
with timber, and on the forward house, besides 
the long boat, were four canoes. Said Captain 
Moore, "• She is much more deeply laden than 



WARNING OF DANGER. 173 

she was on the passage out. Her hull and up- 
per works, her masts and rigging, are all perfect, 
and she is the best sea boat there is afloat." 

On Sunday, Mr. Doane preached on the deck 
of the Morning Star to a considerable number 
of natives, and sailors from the ships in the har- 
bor. On shore, a meeting of Mr. Snow's congre- 
gation was addressed by several of the missionary 
company. The Lord's supper was celebrated in 
the afternoon, and the monthly concert was 
observed in the evening. 

Two captains of ships, on the Friday previous, 
took tea on board the Morning Star. One of 
them was recently from the Kingsmill Islands, 
and recommended Apamama as the most desira- 
ble place on those islands for a foreign mission- 
ary to reside. He thought that Mr. Doane and 
Dr. Pierson were headstrong in attempting to 
gain a foothold on Ebon at present, and the 
whole company, too, in allowing the Morning Star 
to go among the natives unarmed. The mate 
of his vessel was recently in a ship which escaped 
from the savages only by a squall that providen- 
tially sprang up. But the little company were 
not deterred ; they felt that they were com- 
manded to preach the gospel to every creature, 
and in so doing God would take care of them. 

Tuesday, November 3, at daybreak, they got 
under way and were towed out of the harbor. 



174 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Mr. and Mrs. Snow accompanied them for some 
distance. When they were about to leave, all 
united in singing the hymn — 

" Blest be the tie that binds." 

Mr. Gulick and Mr. Snow offered prayer, and 
implored a blessing upon those who were to be 
left, and those who were to go among savage 
islands. 

"Waft, waft, ye winds, his story," 

was sung, then Mr. and Mrs. Snow, after an 
affectionate farewell, returned with the king in 
his boat to their pleasant, but lonely home. 

Owing to bad weather the vessel did not 
touch at Pitt's Island, as had been intended. 
On the 8th they passed Namarik, a low, coral 
island, and the following morning reached Ebon, 
called also Covel's Island, the most southern 
in the Ralick chain, whore Dr. Pierson in- 
tended to remain. By 7 o'clock as many as 
seventeen canoes, with from five to ten men 
each, had come off to the vessel, bringing mats, 
mother-of-pearl, fish-hooks, fowls, cocoanuts, 
shells, &c., for sale. For twenty-five cents' 
worth of fish-hooks the steward bought two 
dozen fowls. Mrs. Bingham bought a beautiful 
mat, a yard square, for a fish-hook. 

It is always interesting to trace the leadings 
of Providence, and admire his protecting power 



EBON MEN AT STRONG'S ISLAND. 175 

and guidance. Doors of usefulness are some- 
times opened where least expected, and the path- 
way of duty, which seemed to be rough, has 
been made smooth. A few years before, a party 
of one hundred natives of Ebon were return- 
ing from Namarik, when they were caught in 
a storm. The proas, or boats, kept near each 
other and weathered it, but were blown far 
out of their course. They knew of the existence 
of an island away to the westward, so they 
steered for it as well as they could without any 
compass or knowledge of navigation. Guided 
by the stars by night, and the sun by day, they 
at last reached Strong's Island. 

The king took them to be enemies, invading 
his dominions, and made war upon the poor 
strangers. The missionaries exerted all their 
influence to save them from being destroyed. 
Some were sick, and Dr. Pierson gave them 
medicine ; they were hungry, and Mr. Snow 
gave them food. After waiting several months 
for the south-west winds, they departed in peace 
for their homes, their boats being loaded with 
provisions. After many long, dreary days and 
nights, and losing several of their number by 
starvation, they arrived safely at home at Ebon. 
Their high cliief, Kiapuka, was made acquaint- 
ed with the circumstances of their adventure, 
and the name of " Docortor," as Dr. Pierson 



176 



HISTOKY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



was called, became familiar in all parts of the 
island. 

When Captain Moore was about to proceed to 
Ebon, he mentioned it to another captain whom 
he met. " Do you go armed ? " he was asked. 
" No," said Captain M. ; " but I have boarding 



•#ii^ 




PISTOL PROTECTION. 



nettings." " Then put them np, and don't 
trust one of the wretches on board ; they are 
cannibals, and will be sure to take your ship if 
they can." So when Captain Moore approached 
tlie island, he put up the boarding nettings, and 
stationed his men fore and aft. First a canoe 



177 



appeared — then five — ten — fifteen — all black 
with men. Thmgs look suspicious. Captain 
Moore now remembered that he had an old 
rusty pistol somewhere below, which, perhaps, 
might be made to stand fire. 

A powerful man, of commanding aspect, stood 
foremost in the first proa. His head was en- 
circled with a wreath of white flowers, and rings 
a foot in circumference were in his ears. All 
were watching his approach, when Dr. Pierson 
exclaimed, " There ! I know that man ; let him 
come on board ; he was at Strong's Island." 
The man at the same moment recognized Dr. 
Pierson, and shouting to his comrades in the other 
boats, begged to be taken on board. " Docortor 
— docortor," he exclaimed, overjoyed at meet- 
ing his former friend. 

While they were on board, not the least in- 
decorum was manifested ; they were as orderly 
and well behaved as any men whatever. After 
breakfast, Captain Moore ordered some boiled 
rice to be placed before them. As they gathered 
round it, they said something which afforded the 
" docortor " much merriment. On inquiring 
what it was. Dr. Pierson said tliey were talking- 
over the captain's want of good manners in not 
providing them with spoons ! And these were 
the cannibals, the wretches, who would certainly 
murder them all ! 

12 



178 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

It Y/ould seem by this incident, that God 
brought about the visit of these people to Strong's 
Island, and made them acquainted with Dr. Pier- 
son, by giving him the power of relieving and 
comforting them in their destitution, and enlist- 
ing their gratitude toward him, that thus a door 
might be opened at Ebon for his missionaries to 
enter in and labor for him. 

After breakfast, the bell rung for prayers, 
when Dr. Pierson told the chief tliat they were 
going to pray, at which he sprang up on the 
quarter rail, and cried at the top of his voice, 
*' All keep still — all keep still; the missionary 
is going to keep Sunday," and all were silent 
until dismissed. Dr. Pierson told them that in 
about two moons, he and Mr. Doane were coming 
back to live witli them. After a kind good by, 
these " cannibals " went off in their boats, and 
the Morning Star sailed for Apaiang, which, 
owing to contrary winds, they did not reach 
until November 17. 




FIRST VOYAGE TO MICRONESIA, CONCLUDED. 170 

CHAPTER XL 

CONCLUDED. 

PAIANG, or Charlotte's Island, 
is one of the Kingsmill group. 
This group contains fifteen or 
twenty islands, with hundreds 
of smaller islets, and is con- 
sidered the most populous 
one in Micronesia. Mr. Bino:- 
ham says, " According to the 
lowest estimate, they contain 
^™*- thirty thousand people, all 

speaking the same language, which is similar to 
the Hawaiian. Hence it must be the field where 
Hawaiian missionaries will probably labor to the 
best advantage, and where most of them will for 
years to come be located. Thus does the Lord 
seem about to place me where I may labor with 
those of my Hawaiian countrymen, who, having 
been redeemed from heathenism, desire to ex- 
tend Christ's kingdom to other islands of the 
Pacific. Happy are we in the prospect." 

Apaiang contains a fine lagoon, in which Cap- 
tain Moore much desired to anchor. From the 
south-west point of the inland to the farthest 




180 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



north-east is a continuous reef of coral rocks, 
dotted here and there with small islets. Twice, 
at the approach of night, the vessel was obliged 




The thick, black line around the island represents the coral 
reef. The land is the white spaces next inside of this. The 
large, central space is the lagoon, with its islets and shoals. 
At the place marked by a cross, one of the vessels of the 
United States exploring expedition got agiound in 1841. 



THE LAGOON OF APAIANG. 181 

to lie to, when it was drifted by the current 
many miles from shore. It, however, got back 
again after many hours' labor, and anchored off 
the island, within a stone's throw of the break- 
ers. Then Captain Moore took p. boat, and 
sounded out a passage into the lagoon. 

As the Morning Star slowly wound its way 
along the strait for two miles, the bright sun, 
shining upon the water, made all the hidden 
rocks visible ; and when, after much toil and care, 
they were safely in the harbor, the beauty of the 
place was such as to make their hearts leap for 
joy. This was the spot where Mr. Bingham ex- 
pected to remain and take up his abode. The 
bottom of the lagoon is covered with white sand, 
and scattered patches of coral. 

When the vessel anchored, the sun was set- 
ting. Several canoes came alongside with fish 
and cocoanuts for sale, which were purchased 
witli fish-hooks and other trifling articles. Early 
the next morning the highe^st chief, Temana, 
came off in his canoe. He was presented with, a 

The Morning Star entered the lagoon at 1. Other passages 
are seen at 2 and 3 ; the latter is only deep enough for boats. 
The principal island on the south-east is about twelve 
miles long, and less than one mile wide. The star shows 
the place of Mr. Bingham's house, and the groups of dark 
triangles represent native villages. All this cluster of islets, 
reefs, and shoals, including the lagoon, is named, as if it was 
one island, Apaiang. 



182 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

sheath-knife, pLane-iron, file, small looking glass, 
and a bunch of beads. He expressed his will- 
ingness to have Mr. Bingham reside on the island 
and erect his house there. At morning prayers 
about forty natives were present. 

Our voyagers considered it providential that 
they should meet here a Captain Randall, an 
Englishman, who had lived several years on this 
and the adjacent islands, being engaged in the 
cocoanut oil trade. He was a respectable man, 
and had acquired great influence throughout the 
whole group. It seemed difficult for him to 
understand that the missionaries had no trading- 
purposes in view. They desired an interpreter, 
through whom they might make known their 
washes to the king ; and this gentleman, being 
well acquainted with the language, was ready to 
afford them his assistance. He introduced to 
them Kaiia, the son of the king, saying that he 
was the most popular man on the island ; and 
afterward procured for them a conference with 
the king himself. When the latter was informed 
of the desire of the missionaries to live on his 
island, he replied, " Many moons ago, American 
ship come ; one big ship outside the still water 
[the lagoon] — another little ship in still water. 
Little ship fall on reef — plenty kanakas [na- 
tives] go. Little ship speak, 'bang — bang — 
bang' — kill kanaka, big gun. White man 
black inside ; " [meaning not friendly.] 



SELECTING SITE FOR A HOUSE. 183 

But the interpreter said, " These men arc 
missionaries — no fight — no gun — no powder. 
You go on board, you no sec gun." 

Then the king said, " S'pose missionaries be 
all white inside, me like come live on my island. 
My people no kill — no steal. Give plenty 
cocoanut and fish. All right." 

Accordingly, in the afternoon, a party, con- 
sisting of Captain Randall, Mr. Doane, Dr. Pier- 
son, Mr. Bingham, Kanoa, Noa, and Kaiia, the 
chief, went on shore to find a suitable place for 
the mission premises. The king showed them a 
spot in the center of his village, which he would 
give them, with a house, which they miglit keep 
or remove, as they chose ; but they preferred a 
site in a more retired place. He then conducted 
them to another, just out of the village, with 
which they were pleased. Before they decided, 
however, to take it, they went to visit a large 
banyan tree, the only one on the island, growing 
on the lagoon shore, three miles further to the 
south-east. This tree they found to measure, 
with its branches, ninety feet in diameter. It 
was of symmetrical form, the exterior branches 
reaching to the ground, inclosing a space within 
which hundreds might sit in a close shade. The 
natives regarded it with superstitious veneration. 
Mr. Bingham would have been pleased to build 
his house near this tree, but for the fact that it, 



184 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

too, was in the vicinity of a large village where 
the king's son, Kaiia, resided. 

At length a site was selected, about a quarter 
of a mile south-east of the king's village, Koi- 
nawa, which pleased them all. It was a point 
projecting a little into the lagoon, and elevated 
several feet above the average height of the island. 
Near by was a large shrub tree, and a young jack 
fruit tree, and a large taro patch was in the rear. 
The cocoanut trees in the vicinity were lofty and 
numerous. The lagoon resembled a beautiful 
lake, sixteen miles long and six in its greatest 
breadth, in which several kinds of fish were to 
be found. On the reef which inclosed it were 
twelve small islands, covered with numerous lit- 
tle clumps of trees. 

After deciding upon the spot, and making it 
known to the king, he cheerfully consented to 
give it, and the party returned to the Morning 
Star, grateful to a kind Providence for the mer- 
cies they were receiving at his hand. 

The Morning Star was now got under way, 
and came to anchor near the edge of a coral 
shoal which extended out from the shore, within 
half a mile of the building site. The land was 
next marked out, which the king was to give 
them ; he was very liberal, even ready to bestow 
more than they were willing to take. Mrs. Bing- 
ham went on shore to assist her husband in fix- 



MR. Bingham's house begun. 185 

ing the exact locality of the house. They decided 
that it should face the lagoon, and the cook 
house, including a room for Noa and his wife, 
should be placed a short distance from the main 
house, and nearer the shore.* In the afternoon 
the crew of the Morning Star were occupied in 
landing the poles and lumber, and helping to 
make ready the stone for the underpinning of 
the corners. When the underpinning was com- 
pleted, every body on board, missionaries and 
crew, engaged in setting up the frame, which had 
been brought, ready prepared, from Honolulu. 
A large cocoanut tree, which leaned so much as 
to endanger the cook house, was cut down. It 
was sixty feet long, and made excellent posts. 
The native men and boys rendered much assist- 
ance in carrying the lumber and poles. 

Sabbath, November 22, was a day of rest. Dr. 
Pierson and Mr. Doane preached. Captain Ran- 
dall and some of his men attended the services, 
and listened attentively to the preaching of God's 
word. The prayer meeting in the evening was 
interesting and profitable. None of the natives 
were allowed to visit the ship on that day. 

On Monday morning, refreshed by the Sabbath 
rest, all were ready to go to work in good ear- 
nest ; but it being the carpenter's Sunday, they 
were obliged to do without him. The king and 

* See view of the premises, page 284. 



186 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

many of tlic natives spent the whole day in 
watching the progress of the honse. Every night 
he or his chiefs slept on the premises, to guard 
them from theft, and some of them remained 
also during the day. 

During the night and the next morning, rain 
hindered the work. Some of the company visited 
Koinawa, and took a walk through the village. 
Among other places, they visited the king's boat, 
which is thus described by Mr. Bingham : " This 
is the most wonderful specimen of naval archi- 
tecture among a barbarous people we have seen. 
Its length is nearly seventy feet, its depth about 
eight, and its width six. Not a nail was used 
in the whole structure, all the boards, which are 
wonderfully smooth, being fastened together 
with cocoanut cord. The top of each side, 
through the whole length, is lined with wliite 
cowries, and about each end they are attached 
in rich profusion." 

Wednesday the building progressed ; one side 
was covered, and a part of the roof shingled. 
In Mr. Bingham's journal of this date, he says, 
*' We think that the little owners of the Morning 
Star would be interested in watching the cheer- 
ful workmen of various classes who are engaged 
in the erection of this the first house brought to 
Micronesia in the Morning Star." 

On Thursday night all the house was inclosed, 



DRINKING " TODDY." 187 

and more than half roofed. Noa assisted Kanoa 
in his house building, and quite a number of 
women aided in preparing thatch for him. In 
the afternoon, a man came from the village to 
complain of one of the Hawaiian sailors, who 
had been drinking toddy — the fermented juice 
of the cocoanut — and beaten a man. Mr. Gu- 
lick went back with him to attend to the case, 
and as they were on the way, the native inquired 
if the sailors were not all missionaries, sup- 
posing that all the people who came there from 
Oahu were of that class. " Thus," said Mr. 
Bingliam, " we begin early, even with the crew 
of the Morning Star, to experience the trials of 
the missionary arising from seamen. May our 
hearts not yet despond." 

On Saturday the sliingling was continued, the 
sleepers for the lower floor were inserted, and 
the laying down of the floor commenced. The 
king engaged to build the cook house for twelve 
dollars, to be paid in knives, files, cloth, <fec. 
During the day a brig entered the lagoon, and 
came to anchor near the Morning Star. This 
was the Almeda, of Sydney, another of the ves- 
sels engaged in the cocoanut oil trade. Her com- 
mander, Captain Fairclough, was an English- 
man, and a very sociable and kindly disposed 
man. 

Sabbath, November 29, was another " sweet 



188 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

day of sacred rest." Dr. Giilick preached in the 
morning, ill the afternoon Mr. Bingham. "From 
the strong probabihty," says he, " of the occa- 
sion being the last one of the kind for some time 
to come, it was naturally one of special interest 
to me. It seemed, in a measure, as if I were 
taking leave of a parish over which I had been 
settled." 

The house being covered, the work next morn- 
ing went on, though the morning was rainy. 
The lower floor was laid, and the partition put 
up, which divided the house into two rooms, the 
larger, a sitting room, sixteen by fourteen feet, 
and the smaller a bedroom. There were two 
outside doors in the main room, and two win- 
dows with blinds. The bedroom had two win- 
dows — one looking toward the lagoon, the other 
toward the village. 

All this time, men, women, and children hon- 
ored the workmen with their constant presence ; 
and as beam after beam, and board after board, 
was carried to its place, their eyes opened wide 
with amazement, and their approbation mani- 
fested itself in significant exclamations. Many 
things must have been great curiosities to those 
people, and to covet them would have been 
natural. Yet they took nothing, which is won- 
derful, if we consider their thievish propensities. 
Would every thing have been thus safe in Chris- 
tian lands ? 



FAREWELL MEETING. 189 

The remainder of the goods, and also the pro- 
visions, were landed on the 1st day of December, 
and Mr. and Mrs. Bingham commenced house- 
keeping. After all their wanderings it was sweet 
to feel that they were once more at home. Just 
two weeks after landing, his house was com- 
pleted, also Kanoa's, and the cook house, where 
the provisions were stored, and in which Noa 
and his wife had a room. 

When every thing to be done for Mr. Bing- 
ham was finished, a meeting was held in his 
house, at which all the missionary company were 
present ; also the king, and some of his people. 
Through Captain Randall, as interpreter, Mr. 
Gulick commended Mr. Bingham to the king's 
care. He stated the object for which he had 
come to live with them, and at whose command 
he had come. Captain Randall said frankly that 
he did not know how to make them understand 
this, and told the people he could not, but that 
Mr. Bingham would do it when he had learned 
their language. Captain Randall did not pro- 
fess to be a Christian, and he probably spoke 
truly, for gospel truths are little known to worldly 
men ; they are " foolishness to them, and must 
be spiritually discerned." He was very atten- 
tive to the service on the Sabbath, and perhaps 
the establishment of this mission may prove a 
blessing to him, as well as the heathen. 



190 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Ill just one year from tlie day the Morning 
Star sailed from Boston, Mr. and Mrs. Bingham 
were settled at Apaiang, their Kingsmill Island 
home, and the day of their landing was the an- 
niversary of their marriage. Captain Moore, his 
officers and crew, presented them with ninety dol- 
lars, as a farewell token of their esteem for him 
and liis wife. Mr. Bingham left it with him to 
be forwarded to Boston, for the purchase of a 
boat, to convey him about among the islands. 
Captain Randall and Captain Fairclough iilso 
made him a present of paints sufficient to paint 
his house. 

Although many things remained to be done 
before our missionary families could be fully set- 
tled, it was thought advisable not to detain the 
Morning Star longer at Apaiang. Accordingly, 
orders were given to proceed with all dispatch 
to Ebon, there to establish Mr. Doane and Dr. 
Pierson. The farewell services having been held 
on shore, she passed slowly out of the lagoon ; 
all sails were spread, and soon Apaiang, made 
interesting by so many pleasant associations, 
sunk from view behind the waves. 

We add a few more particulars respecting the 
people of Apaiang. They very much resemble 
the Hawaiian race — are indolent, healthy, fat, 
and thievish. Both males and females wear the 
vialo^ which is made of grass or leaves ; but chil- 



HABITS OP THE PEOPLE. 191 

drcii under ten or twelve years of age, and many 
grown persons, go entirely naked. All have 
large holes in their ears, in which various orna- 
ments are inserted. 

One morning, as Captain Moore went up from 
his cabin, he found several of these naked beings 
on deck, and takhig a roll of calico, he called 
one after another, and fastened a piece about 
their waists like a malo. Proceeding in this 
way some time, with new applicants constantly 
approaching, his suspicions were aroused. On 
inquiry, he found that as soon as one received a 
piece, he went forward, took it off, dropped it 
into his boat, and came back for more. When 
they found themselves detected, they gave way 
to boisterous merriment. 

Cocoanut oil, which is almost their only arti- 
cle of traffic, is bartered for tobacco, of which 
they are very fond. No domestic animals of any 
kind, except dogs, were found on the island. Mr. 
Bingham brought with him goats, pigs, and 
fowls. 

A fair wind wafted the Morning Star speedily 
along, and on the 5th of December, Ebon, or 
Covel's Island, the southern extremity of the 
Ralick chain, appeared to view. When off the 
south-west point of the reef, the dove, flying at 
the main-top, was seen by some fishing boats, 
who hastened to the shore to spread the glad 



192 HISTORY OP THE MORNING STAR. 

news. This, it will be recollected, was the island 
from which the company of one hundred per- 
sons came, who drifted in their canoes to Strong's 
Island.* 

As the vessel rounded the point, it was met by 
fifteen or twenty canoes, containing probably one 
hundred and fifty persons. These manifested 
their joy at the arrival in all possible ways, 
shouting, singing, and dancing. The Morning 
Star, beating up toward the harbor, with a train 
of fifteen or twenty large proas in her wake, and 
all alive with laughing, sliouting natives, was a 
sight calculated to awaken the liveliest emotions 
in the hearts of both missionaries and crew. 

The king was among the first on board. He 
welcomed each person by taking one of his 
hands, and placing it on his breast, at the same 
time placing one of liis upon them, as a token 
of friendship. Both he and his people were 
deliglited to find that the two missionaries had 
returned to reside among them. As it was Sat- 
urday when the vessel came to anchor outside 
the lagoon, the people were told that the next 
day was Sunday, — a sacred day, — and it was 
desired that none should visit the vessel. Ac- 
cordingly not one approached until night, when 
the king sent to inquire when tliey might come. 

On Monday morning, at peep of day, they 

* Sec page 175. 



EBON. 193 

swarmed upon the deck like bees. The mission- 
aries went ashore with the king, and selected a 
spot of ground on which to build the houses. 

The passage into the lagoon was dangerous, 
being between two islets, with wide coral reefs 
on each side. Captain Moore went forward to 
select the way, and the Morning Star followed 
slowly. When they had gone some distance into 
tlie narrow passage, night came on, and it could 
be explored no further. This was a bad place in 
which to anchor, but there was no help for it. The 
current ran furiously, and heavy squalls of wind 
and rain were experienced. The harsh grating 
of the anchors, as they dragged over the rough 




This island is much like Apaiang — a long, narrow strip of 
land — with many small islets along a reef, inclosing a lagoon. 
The mission station is at the place marked by a star. The 
passage into the lagoon where the vessel entered is at 1. No 
ship ever passed it before the Morning Star. 

13 



194 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

coral bottom, sounded like distant thunder. 
Captain Moore, hearing of another anchorage, 
tried to find it, but none existed. 

Well, what was to be done? It was necessary 
for the vessel to remain at the island at least two 
weeks, in order to build the houses. The mis- 
sionaries must go on shore every morning to 
attend to business, and return at night. Water 
casks must be filled, and wood and ballast taken 
in. In order to accomplish all this, the vessel 
must go into the lagoon somehow or other. So 
Dr. Pierson made the king acquainted with the 
state of affairs. He said he would have men 
stationed on the reef, and haul the vessel through, 
if the wind continued unfavorable. At night 
the current drifted the Morning Star far out to 
sea, and all the following day was consumed in 
getting back again. 

Thursday morning rose bright and clear. The 
natives were seen gathering upon the reef in 
great numbers. When the vessel was near 
enough, ropes were thrown out, and as many as 
one hundred and fifty men seized hold of them. 
The word was then given, and aw^ay they went, 
some wading, some swimming ; now slacking up 
to let her escape the rocks, then towing again 
with all their might against the current, laugh- 
ing and shouting all the while, — till at length 
the straits were passed, and the little vessel 



ENTERING THE LAGOON. 



195 



glided safe and sound upon the smooth, still 
water within. So nicely was it done, that the 
vessel did not once touch either side. 




THE MORNING STAR ENTERING THE LAGOON. 

When the long, narrow passage was passed, 
Captain Moore came down from the masthead, 
where he liad superintended the operation, and 
said, " Come, my friends, let us liave a prayer 
of thanks to God for his kindness." The prayer 
was offered, and then he said, " Three cheers, 
sailor fashion, for our success ;" and jumping on 
the com{)anion way, he led off, " Hip, hip, hur- 
rah ! Hip, liip, hurrah ! " All hands joined, 



196 EISTOEY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

missionaries, seamen, and natives, and the Morn- 
ing Star took possession of the lagoon in the 
name of the Lord. No vessel had ever entered 
it before. 

When Dr. Pierson went on shore, an aged 
female chief, who had once been on the same 
vessel with him and his wife, on their passage 
from one island to another, came out to meet 
him. Taking both his hands, she affectionately 
led him into her house, and expressed her pleas- 
ure at his arrival. Many others whom lie mc't 
seemed to regard him as an old friend. Ar.d 
this was the people who had been reputed to bo 
cannibals, and whom Captain Moore had been 
cautioned not to permit to approach his vessel ! 
Truly, God had gone before, and prepared the 
way for his people. 

The chief ordered the natives to cut down 
trees, and clear the ground for the mission prem- 
ises. It was a beautiful site of several acres in 
extent. As soon as practicable, the timber for 
Mr. Doane's liouse was landed. Several of the 
crew aided the carpenter in framing the house, 
and preparing doors and windows. Dr. Pier- 
son's being in the native style, except doors and 
windows, the materials were collected on the 
ground, and it was put up entirely by natives. 
After Mr. Doane's frame was raised, that was 
also covered and thatched by natives. 



ISLAND SCENERY. 197 

The houses stand in a grove of lofty bread 
fruit and cocoanut trees, and are about twenty- 
five rods apart. A pandanus tree, scattered here 
and there, gives variety to the foliage. Glimpses 
of the ocean on the south and west are occa- 
sionally seen through the trees, while in full 
view on the north is the lagoon. This is a 
beautiful sheet of water, about eight miles in 
diameter — a quiet lake of varied tints, en- 
circled by a belt of emerald green, and bordered 
by a fringe of snowy breakers, wliere the cease- 
less waves are continually surging. The largest 
islands on the reef are three or four miles long, 
and generally covered with a deep-green foliage. 

The absence of water on these low islands has 
been regarded as forbidding the settlement of 
white missionaries upon them. On Ebon, how- 
ever, and some others, are wells of water, and 
Dr. Gulick thought them better than most at 
Hawaii. 

Near the village are two burying grounds, 
each containing a number of graves. One is for 
the high chiefs ; a low mound is raised over each 
grave, as in this country, the sides being sup- 
ported by flat stones, and the top covered with 
coral and gravel. At the head and foot is a pad- 
dle stuck in the ground, with the blade up. Tlie 
bodies of the common people are wrapped in 
mats, and thrown into the sea. 



198 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

These islanders love the sea, and in nothing 
do they manifest so much energy and skill as in 
building and rigging their proas. The mission- 
aries saw many of these on the stocks ; some 
were being built, and others repaired. They are 
often of great length, sometimes more than forty 
feet from stem to stern, with outriggers and [)lat- 
forms extending across, ten feet on one side and 
twenty on the other. Tlie masts are very high, 
supported by braces of cocoanut ropes. In the 
making of this cordage the people exhibit much 
skill. The sail is triangular in form, and at- 
tached to the top of the mast. As both ends of 
the boat are made alike, the sail is easily shifted 
as the wind may require. Paddles are used only 
for steering. These proas, being very sharp, sail 
fast ; but when a contrary wind arises, they are 
sometimes carried hundreds of miles away from 
their course. 

The missionaries thought there were probably 
a thousand inhabitants in the village, which ex- 
tended two miles along the shore. Among these 
were many sprightly children. The men had 
fine, athletic forms. They tattoo their bodies 
down to tlie waist, and the holes in their ears 
are very large. They wear a sort of skirt, ex- 
tending to their knees. A chief, full dressed, 
with lilies and other flowers on his liead, arms, 
and in his ears, presents quite a graceful appear- 



DEPARTURE FROM EBON. 199 

ancG. The women are iieat ; tliey comb their 
liair smoothly, and fasten it in a knot behind. 
They wear a prettily embroidered skirt of mat- 
ting from their waist to their feet, and appear 
modest and retiring. In general, the natives 
pronounce the English language with great fa- 
cility, and easily learn to understand it. 

On the 25th of December, Dr. Pierson's house 
being completed, and Mr. Doane's nearly ready 
to receive his family, the vessel made ready to 
depart. Great care was necessary to get out of 
the lagoon. The kedge anchor was carried 
ahead, and all hands were hauling away, when 
the rope parted. Then two coils of Manilla rope, 
that were brought from Boston, were got out, 
and with this they warped the vessel through, 
and hove to opposite tlie mission houses. Some 
of the company went on shore, where a short 
prayer meeting was held, and then took their 
leave. The anclior was raised, the sails spread, 
and the Morning Star departed on her home- 
ward voyage to Hawaii. 

On her way she passed between the Radack 
and Ralick Islands, in order to explore the Ra- 
dack Sea. Beautiful little islets, connected 
together like beads on a string, lay on each side 
of them. Some are inhabited by people who 
live peacefully together, without fear of other 
tribes. Here tliey eat and sleep, and listen to 



200 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

tlie roar of old ocean, as it beats incessantly 
upon their shores. 

On the passage, a severe storm was encoun- 
tered without damage, and the vessel had a good 
run. In two successive days they made two 
hundred and twenty-five miles. 

Much had been accomplished since the Morn- 
ing Star left Ilonoluhi. Mr. Doane wrote a let- 
ter liome at this time, describing the voyage, and 
the service which the vessel had rendered to the 
mission. 

" Let me tell you," said he, " what she has 
done. While at the Sandwich Islands, she took 
on board the mail and all the provisions for the 
missionaries on Ponape and Strong's Islands, as 
well as the goods for the new missionary, who 
was to go to some other island. And when she 
reached Strong's Island, taking on board the 
missionaries there, she sailed for Ponape, distant 
three hundred miles. Arriving there, she landed 
tlie goods of those missionaries who were to re- 
main on that island, and then, waiting for all to 
have a general meeting, she took on board one 
of the families there, which was to remove to 
another island ; visited Wellington and McAs- 
kill's Islands, to learn whether missionaries 
might not be wanted on them ; passed on to 
Strong's Island, landed the missionary who lives 
there, and took on board a Hawaiian family. 



MR. doane's letter. 201 

which had been appointed to one of the Kings- 
mill Islands. Then, sailing again, she went with 
two mission families to Apaiang, one of the 
Kingsmill Islands, remaining there nearly two 
weeks, to see them comfortably located, and 
sailed with two other families to Ebon or Covers 
Island, to locate them. Now, in all this circu- 
itous sailing, in providhig us an opportunity to 
hold our meeting, and get our goods, the little 
vessel has already performed a service tliat would 
Avarrant the wliole expense of building her. The 
practical value of tliis missionary packet to the 
cause of the Redeemer has been all that was 
expected. And now she is yielding a good per- 
centage. Dear children, your dimes are doing 
good ; they have not been spent in vain." 

This visit of the missionaries had brought joy 
and gladness to many hearts. They had helped 
to restore tranquillity to one island, whose in- 
habitants were engaged in a bloody war ; visited, 
in all, six islands : and found open doors for 
Hawaiian laborers, as soon as they could be sent, 
in some others. Tlie Morning Star had sailed 
about ten thousand miles, and arrived at Hono- 
lulu, without any disaster, a month earlier than 
was expected. 



202 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



CHAPTER XII. 



SECOND VOYAGE TO THE MARQUESAS. 



ARCH 16, 1858, the 
Morning Star com- 
menced her second 
voyage to the Marque- 
sas. She carried a 
Hawaiian missionary 
and several teachers 
for tliose islands ; also 
Mr. Bishop as a del- 
from the Hawaiian 
Missionary Society. On the 
25th of April, they reached 
A Native reading. ^^^q station at Omoa Bay in 

Fatuliiva, and were joyfully welcomed hy the 
people. 

Mr. Bishop, in one of his letters, wrote, " The 
arrival of the Morning Star was a great event to 
the natives, giving consequence to their valley, 
and the missionaries stationed there, which called 
forth a liberality never before exerted by that 
peojDle. On every side were greetings and ex- 
pressions of cordial esteem which I had never 
expected to witness. Hogs, bread fruit, cocoa- 




THE MISSION AT OMOA. 203 

nuts, and bananas were brought in, more than 
the missionaries and their families could possIl)ly 
consume. The surplus was sent off to the ves- 
sel, and we were all supplied in the greatest pro- 
fusion." 

But there were other hearts glad besides those 
of the natives. Mr. Bishop and those who ac- 
companied him were no less delighted to meet 
them, and see the evidence that the missionaries 
had not labored in vain and spent their strength 
for naught. The same evening that they arrived, 
five persons were proposed for admission to the 
church, and Kuaihelani, one of the new teachers 
from Hawaii, was examined as to his fitness to 
preach the gospel. The day following was the 
Sabbath ; about one hundred attended meeting. 
The five candidates were received to the church, 
and the Lord's supper was celebrated. In the 
afternoon Kuaihelani was ordained. 

Five years had passed since the commence- 
ment of the mission at Omoa. During that 
time, a little community had been gathered, who 
had forsaken their heathenish customs, and pro- 
fessed to believe in Jehovah. These attended 
the religious meetings more or less regularly, 
and a great part of them were learning to read. 
Seven had been admitted to a public profession 
of Christianity. 

One of the first difficulties which the mission- 



204 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

ary encounters, as he enters his field of labor, 
arises from the language. This is all new to 
him. He finds no written language at all, no 
grammar, no teacher. In some instances, months, 
and even years, have not sufficed to overcome 
these difficulties, and enable him to preach with- 
out an interpreter. The way he is compelled to 
learn the language is as follows : — 

When the natives talk, he endeavors to re- 
member and write down the words they use. 
Then, as he has opportunity, he inquires what 
tliose words mean. Perhaps tlie people jabber 
so fast that they do not speak the words dis- 
tinctly, and so he is not able to repeat properly 
what he has but half heard, and gets laughed 
at for his pains. At other times, when the 
meaning of a word is asked, the natives nod 
their heads in a peculiar way, and say they 
do not know. The missionaries are therefore 
obliged to follow them about from place to 
place, hoping at last to get some clew to what 
they are seeking. This process of learning a 
language must be very tedious. 

Mr. Doane, in referring to this subject, said 
that he had searched six months among his peo- 
ple to find a word expressing the idea of repent- 
ance, — the Bible signification of that word, — 
but all in vain, and he did not believe that such 
a word existed. They knew what it was to feel 



THE MARQUESAN NATIVES. 205 

f3ar and sliame for an evil act, but with this they 
never connected t\\Q forsaking- of the evil. They 
might be sorry or afraid, but this did not prevent 
them from doing the same thing again on the 
lirst favorable opportunity. 

The report of Mr. Bishop to the Hawaiian 
Missionary Society contained many statements 
of interest respecting the condition and charac- 
ter of the people. He describes them as gen- 
erally in the lowest state of barbarism. Their 
houses, thougli placed under the shade of the 
richest and most beautiful trees in the world, 
wliere every thing in nature is so charming, are 
constructed in the rudest manner : the thatched 
roofs are only tolerably tiglit ; the sides made of 
bamboos set upright, leaving openings between 
tliem ; the floors of rough stones, uncovered, 
without mats or other furniture except the 
wooden trays in which their food is kept. 

Tiiey tattoo their bodies horribly, from liead 
to foot ; no clothing, except the tapa girdle, or 
malo, is worn by either men or women. Their 
hair is tied in a knot on the top of their head. 
For ornaments they wear a bunch of featliers or 
human hair on each ankle, and a small sea shell, 
curiously wrought, in eacli ear. Their forms 
are fine, but they are so besmeared with cocoa- 
nut oil, mixed with turmeric, to give a yellow 
tinge to their skin, that they are exceedingly 



206 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

offensive to strangers, though, donbtless, highly 
agreeable to themselves. We are very fond of 
cologne, rose, lavender, and other perfumes; but 
these might be as disagreeable to a South Sea 
Islander, as cocoanut oil and turmeric paint are 
to us. 

The Marquesan is a warrior, and spends all 
lie can get in buying guns and ammunition from 
vessels that visit the islands ; but he is not very 
brave. He never faces his enemy in open bat- 
tle, but skulks behind a tree, points his weapon, 
loaded with a double quantity of powder, and 
an enormous slug rammed down, shuts his 
eyes, and pulls away. The discharge gives him 
a disagreeable kick in the shoulder, and makes 
a tremendous roar, doing little damage to any 
one but himself. If he happens to meet a 
man, woman, or child, of his enemies, alone and 
unguarded, he falls upon his unsuspecting vic- 
tim, cuts off the head, carries it home, and 
makes a feast, claiming the honor of a brave. 
He never takes a prisoner alive, unless to be a 
sacrifice to his gods ; then he feasts upon the 
flesh. 

The Marquesans are, in personal appearance, 
a noble people, full of good nature, lively in 
their manners, and kind to tlieir friends ; but 
they arc wholly averse to all labor, except what 
is necessary to procure or cook their food. They 



CLIMATE AND FRUITS. 207 

despise the idea of being sulTJcct to any one, and 
to call a man a servant, though of a chief, makes 
him very angry. Tlie missionaries can not hire 
the people to work ; when they need help, they 
are obliged to employ strangers, generally sail- 
ors who have deserted from their ships while 
stopping at the islands. 

Many foolish superstitions and tabus are 
cherished by them, which cause them much in- 
convenience and wretchedness. If any of these 
are ridiculed, they are offended. But these 
heathen characteristics disappear when tlie peo- 
ple come under the influence of Christianity. 
The missionaries have not literally pulled down 
idols, but they preached Jesus Christ crucified 
for sinners as the only way of salvation, and the 
duties of morality as exhibited in the gospel. 
The fruits of these teachings begin to be seen 
already, and the people will themselves pull 
down their idols and reform their lives, when 
they feel the power of God's truth in their hearts. 
The climate of these islands is very healthy. 
If they were, like the coasts of Hawaii, without 
trees, the heat would be intolerable ; but here 
are both delightful shade and cooling breeze. 
Vegetation is luxuriant ; the fruits drop from 
the trees, or the people have only to pluck them. 
Famine in such a spot is impossible. " Such 
delicious bread fruit and rich cocoanut milk," 



208 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



said Mr. Bishop, '' I never expect to taste again. 
In the enjoyment of these Inxuries our mission- 
aries have grown fat, and quite lost their desire 
for the poi of Hawaii." 



^'^N-"^' 




ISLAND SCENERY. 



A business meeting was held while the Morn- 
ing Star was at tlie islands, and missionaries and 
teachers were designated for each station. Thoro 
who had preceded them were contented and 
happy in their work. It was believed that Ha- 
waiian s were better adapted to that field than 
Americans, both from the similarity of the cli- 
mate and the language to those of Hawaii. 



RESIGNATION OF CAPTAIN MOORE. 209 

After remaining nearly two months at the 
Marquesas, the Morning Star bade them fare- 
well, and arrived at Honolulu, May 20. Some 
repairs were found to be necessary in her sheath- 
ing, and after these were completed she would 
be ready to depart again for Micronesia. 

Here we must take leave of Captain Moore, 
who now relinquished the command of the Morn- 
ing Star, and returned to America. How differ- 
ent the impression which had been made by him 
upon those heathen people, from that which has 
been made by too many American captains ! To 
the missionaries he had been a Christian brother 
and friend, and by his example had recommended 
the religion they taught. He will ever retain 
their grateful remembrance and cordial esteem. 
1-i 



210 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

SECOND VOYAGE TO MICRONESIA. 




Native Armor. 



HEN the necessary repairs had 
been made, the Morning Star 
set forth on her second voyage 
to Micronesia, on the last of 
June, 1858. She was now 
commanded by Captain John 
Brown, of New London, Conn., — 
an able seaman and a pious man, 
— who had been sent out by the 
American Board for that purpose. 
Mrs. Gulick, wife of Dr. Gulick, of Ascension 
Island, with her children, having been some 
months at Hawaii to recruit their health, now 
returned to her field of labor. Mr. and Mrs. 
Roberts, who had recently arrived from America 
to join the Micronesian mission, went passengers 
also, and with them some native helpers. 

After a pleasant passage of fifteen days, they 
arrived at Apaiang, in the Kingsmill group, on 
the 14th of July. This, it will be remembered, 
is the island where Mr. and Mrs. Bingham, 
with Kanoa and his wife, were left the previous 
year. They had found the people very friendly, 




a |5 













Wi 






■A 



^ 



WAR AT APAIANG. 211 

though they would steal from them whenever 
an opportunity presented. 

No vessel had visited the island for several 
months after their arrival. During this period 
they had been called upon to pass through a 
trying scene. A party of savages from the island 
of Tarawa, a few miles distant, came to Apaiang, 
in one hundred canoes, some of which were from 
forty to fifty feet long, and attacked the people. 
The natives assembled in haste, and a bloody 
battle was fought on the beach, about six miles 
from Mr. Bingham's dwelling. At one time 
they feared that the battle ground would be 
directly about their house ; but the little com- 
pany gave themselves to prayer, and trusted in 
the divine protection. All day long the contest 
raged, and they were in suspense as to the issue. 
At last they saw one boat push off, then another, 
and another, and soon learned that the Apaiang 
people were victorious, but their king and many 
of his warriors were slain. His son, who suc- 
ceeded him, was severely wounded. At the 
close of the fight he presented himself at Mr. 
Bingham's gate, and liis well known, friendly 
voice was heard, calling for " Bingham." One 
cheek had been dreadfully torn with a spear, 
and his whole person was drenched with blood. 
Mr. Bingham dressed the wound, and continued 
his care of it until it was healed. The king of 



212 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

the Tarawans was left dead on the field of battle. 
The Lord, in whom the missionaries trusted, had 
kept them safely, and nothing had been suffered 
to hurt them. 

The weapons of these savages are very for- 
midable. The most important is the spear, con- 
sisting of a shaft of cocoanut wood, ten or twelve 
feet long, one end of which is armed with four 
rows of sharks' teeth strongly lashed in grooves 
upon the sides. A thrust or blow from this 
inflicts a terrible wound. For defensive armor 
they have a curiously braided shirt of mail, and 
a helmet made of the rough, prickly skin of the 
porcupine fisli. This they remove entire from 
the fish, except the head, and gradually distend- 
ing the neck, make it large enough to admit 
their own head, in which shape it is dried. 
When worn, the tail and fins stand aloft like a 
crest, presenting a very singular and grotesque 
appearance. 

A second party from Tarawa, who were 
friendly, visited Apaiang soon after the battle, 
and were brought by the young king to Mr. 
Bingham's, that they might " see a great sight," 
viz., a little American built house, made of 
grooved boards. A small compass and an alarm 
clock were also objects of much wonder. While 
the party were at the house, Mrs. Bingham, who 
had been sick, was drawn out of her bedroom 



STUDY OF THE LANGUAGE. 213 

in a chair, to see them, and the white woman 
proved to be the greatest curiosity of all. Mr. 
Bingham's daguerreotypes excited a great deal 
of interest, especially that of the " old mission- 
ary at Oahu," Mr. Bingham's father. 

Immediately after his arrival, Mr. Bingliam 
began the study of the language. He first 
formed an alphabet, and commenced teaching it 
to some bright little boys who came about the 
house. In less than three months some of them 
could read words of one syllable. By picking 
up one word after another, as the noisy natives 
shouted in his ears, Mr. Bingham at length col- 
lected about eleven hundred in all. Assisted by 
Kanoa, he commenced public worship on the 
Sabbath, seven months after his arrival. 

"The sight," said he, "of naked men, girls, 
and boys, and more than half naked women ; 
the observance of tlieir utter poverty ; their 
worship of false gods ; their immodesty and 
licentiousness ; their unbounded lying and cov- 
etousness, theft, and warlike spirit ; and a real- 
izing sense of tlieir ignorance of a final judg- 
ment, of heaven, of hell, and of Jesus Christ, 
— have made me long to preach to thom Christ 
crucified." 

On Sabbath morning, Mr. Bingham held a 
regular service at Koinawa, the residence of the 
king ; in the afternoon, at Ewcna, distant a few 



214 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

miles in another direction. In these labors Ka- 
noa assisted him, and at the conclusion of the 
preaching service, a Sabbath school was held. 
Mr. Bingham sat down near the king, and taugiit 
all those who would listen ; and though not ad- 
dressing the king directly, the latter could not 
fail to share in the instructions. Kanoa taught 
another class of men, and Mrs. Bingham one of 
women. These were at times very interesting ; 
at others, the people walked about and talked 
among themselves, just as many do in this coun- 
try, instead of attending the Sabbath school. 
Some of the little girls attended also, but with 
no regularity. They needed the influence of 
their parents to encourage them to persevere. 

Sometimes persons would go to Mr. Bingham's 
house and ask to be taught the way of life. This 
would much encourage the missionaries, who 
felt at times disheartened, in view of the indif- 
ference of the people. Their prayers were fer- 
vent that God's Holy Spirit would crown their 
labors with success, for they had no hope in any 
power but his. 

Mrs. Bingham felt very deeply the degraded 
condition of the females. The greater part of 
their time was spent in lounging about, without 
any employment. They were mostly unclad, 
filthy in their habits, and grossly ignorant ; and 
though they sometimes looked at her employ- 



MR. Bingham's labors. 215 

ments with wonder, it did not stimulate them to 
labor themselves. She was anxious to com- 
mence a school for them, and sometimes would 
succeed in gaining the attendance of a few for 
a short time. They, however, grew weary of it 
very soon, and several days would pass without 
their being seen. A present of a piece of calico 
or some other article would influence them a lit- 
tle while, but that was all. A few commenced 
learning to sew, and performed their work very 
well. 

As an amanuensis Mrs. Bingham was a val- 
uable assistant to her husband. His eyes were 
at times very painful, especially when exposed 
to the heat of a tropical sun ; and at such times 
reading or writing was nearly impossible. The 
journals and letters to friends were mostly writ- 
ten by her, either alone or at his dictation. In 
his communications to his friends, Mr. Bingham 
often alludes to these labors of Mrs. Bingham 
with a grateful heart. 

Apaiang produces but three kinds of fruit — 
cocoanuts, pandanus nuts, and a coarse kind of 
root called ti-poi-poi. Bread fruit, yams, and 
other vegetables which grow in great abundance 
at Ascension and Strong's Islands, are not found 
here. Rice, flour, and salt beef were the chief 
dependence of the missionaries. ^Ir. Bingham 
had made a fair experiment of planting bananas, 



216 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

sweet potatoes, onions, squashes, and pumpkins ; 
but the soil, consisting solely of coral sand, with 
little or no vegetable mold, would produce noth- 
ing of the kind ; the plants lived, but did not 
grow. No fowls or hogs could be had, except 
those which were carried there in the Morning- 
Star. Captain Randall presented Mr. Bingham 
a pig, but the cocoanuts were poor fare for it, 
and the pandanus nuts it would not touch ; so, 
of course, it did not thrive. 

After a short stay at Apaiang, the Morning 
Star went on to Ebon. Mr. and Mrs. Bingham 
went in her to attend a general meeting at As- 
cension. Messrs. Doane and Pierson, with their 
families, were all in good health. Mrs. Pierson 
addressed a letter at this time to a lady in 
America, expressing her joy at the arrival : 
" The Morning Star came to anchor off the island 
on Saturday night. Dr. Pierson and Mr. Doane 
hastened at peep of day on board the vessel, 
while Mrs. Doane and mj^self prepared to re- 
ceive the expected friends. About 2 o'clock 
they came on shore. Then the greetings, the 
gushing tears, the overflowing of our hearts in 
gratitude, as we bowed together to thank our 
heavenly Father for this great mercy ! The 
wondering savages crowded around our door, 
gazing with astonishment upon the scene ; and 
when we bowed our heads in worship, they bowed 



MRS. pierson's letter. 217 

also, hushed to quietness by the voice of pmise 
and prayer, for they have ah'eady learned to 
stand in awe of the missionary's God. Then 
we recounted the blessings, the joys, the trials, 
the afflictions through which we had severally 
passed, and wept Avith Mrs. Bingham, wlio had 
laid her first born beneath the cocoa's shade, on 
the low coral isle. ...... 

" But we must prepare to entertain tliese dear 
friends wlio are fatigued with their voyage, and 
will remain on shore while the good ship unlades 
onr part of the provisions, such as salt beef, fish, 
and flour. A barrel of potatoes makes us almost 
forget we are on this sand isle, and a nice cook- 
ing stove is very acceptable, after cooking so 
long by a little fire built on the ground. 

" The many tokens of love, too, from dear 
friends, bring tears to our eyes and gratitude to 
our hearts. my friend, if you or any other 
builders of the ' Morning Star ' could have 
peeped in upon us, I think you would have wept 
with us, and thanked God for putting it into 
your hearts to send us this dear vessel." 

Though Ebon had been considered one of the 
most barbarous of the Pacific islands, the mis- 
sionaries had lived there in perfect safety. They 
found that their lot had been cast among an 
interesting people, and that the field was every 
way a desirable one. The savage king, who was 



218 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

a terror to his subjects, had protected the mission 
carefully and effectually. Several acres of land 
had been given for their use, and though some 
thefts had been committed, their property had 
not materially suffered. They had received 
nothing but kindness and respect from the na- 
tives ; yet they were the first foreigners that ever 
resided among them, and the Morning Star was 
the first vessel that ever held intercourse with 
them unharmed. The comparatively mild and 
friendly character of the people is attributed by 
Mr. Doane to the absence of intoxicating drinks, 
firearms, and tobacco, and to the fact that vile 
foreigners have not made their home there. 

The first Sabbath after the missionaries came 
among them, the natives assembled for worship, 
and Dr. Pierson addressed them in their own 
language. From fifty to one hundred attended 
regularly every Sabbath afterward. The king 
proposed to build a church immediately after 
the return of Dr. Pierson from the general 
meeting. 

Natives from several of the more northern 
islands had visited Ebon, and carried back to 
their homes some knowledge of the true God. 
The Ralick Islands are all under one set of 
chiefs, who have made Ebon their head quarters, 
because there is found the greatest supply of 
provisions. The people were sometimes trouble- 



RELIGION OF THE NATIVES. 219 

some about the house, being very ready to steal 
any thing they fancied, when the missionary's 
back was turned. They could not understand 
why they might not go any where they chose 
about the house, and share all the missionaries' 
food. But the protection of Kiapuka had al- 
ways been extended to them, and the expressions 
of pei'sonal regard from tlie people were frequent 
and strong. Dr. Pierson, being a physician, was 
highly esteemed, and probably this was one great 
reason for their kind feelings. 

The religion of the natives consisted in the 
belief of two supreme deities in heaven, and an 
evil spirit in hell. The soul, after death, went 
to a distant, earthly paradise, from which it 
occasionall}^ returned to visit friends. When 
the higii priest, who was a warm friend of tlie 
mission, was asked something about this para- 
dise, he replied that he did not know, as no one 
had ever come back from that land and told 
them. They seemed ready to believe all that the 
missionaries taught of the character of God, and 
the coming and death of Christ as the Saviour 
of the world. 

Good attention was always paid on the Sab- 
bath to the preaching of the word. " Those who 
are present," said Dr. Pierson, " repeat at home 
what they have heard ; it is often referred to in 
their conversation during the week, and 1 havo 



220 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

been surprised to hear the peojole express so 
miicli pleasure as they do, in the fact that we 
pray to our God in their behalf. They appear 
to feel this the more, as they learn more of God's 
greatness. Thus the light of truth is entering 
their minds, though tliey yet see but dimly; and 
probably their views of truth are somewhat dis- 
torted, for they will add their notes and com- 
ments so as to make it as consistent as possible 
with their own theories." 

The climate is pleasant, with abundance of 
rain. The missionaries liad had a good supply 
of such food as the island produced — bread 
fruit, pandanus fruit, cocoanuts, taro, and ba- 
nanas. It was found difficult to keep animals ; 
there was plenty for them to eat, but some 
noxious plant destroyed them. 

The mission had received some valuable pres- 
ents from two captains, a few months previous. 
One of these. Captain Chapel, besides some per- 
sonal gifts, presented them with " two lambs, 
male and female ; one noble sow, with a family 
of eight pigs about her ; two goats ; and a pit- 
saw, which Dr. Pierson at once put to ser- 
vice to work out flooring." Captain Milton left 
" some half-grown pigs and a pair of ducks." 
These were generous donations to the mission, 
and the visits of those captains will long be held 
in grateful remembrance. 



THE "PEACE-MAKER." 221 

The Morning Star, having completed her visit 
here, next proceeded to Strong's Island, or Ua- 
lan, taking thither Dr. and Mrs. Pierson. Mr. 
Doane remained at the station. They arrived at 
the island August 7, and had expected to proceed 
to Ascension, to hold the general meeting there ; 
but Mrs. Bingham, who had not been well for 
some days, on her arrival at Strong's, was sick 
with fever. So it w^as thought best that the 
general meeting should be held there, and that 
the Morning Star should go on to Ascension for 
Messrs. Sturges and Gulick. This was accord- 
ingly done, and she returned with those brethren 
on the 2Tth. 

A conviction had been wrought in the minds 
of the missionaries at Strong's Island, that the 
w^ar which was raging there when the Morning 
Star first arrived, had been the means of remov- 
ing many obstacles to the progress of the gospel. 
God had given tliem an influence w^liicli other- 
wise they could scarcely have gained. The na- 
tives realized that they were their friends, and 
often referred to tlie visit of the vessel as of the 
" Peace-maker." Her arrival will doubtless 
always be hailed with pleasure. 

Opunui, the Hawaiian teacher who assisted 
Mr. Snow, had died some time previously, and 
Mr. Snow now labored alone. Opunui loved his 
work ; his whole soul was engaged for the good 



222 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

of the people to whom God had sent him. His 
widow was a great comfort and assistance to Mr. 
and Mrs. Snow, both in teaching the natives and 
attending to the affairs of the household. 

Mr. Snow had commenced an English school 
with five boys and six girls, which soon increased 
to twenty ; but during the season when the island 
was visited by ships, the attendance became so 
irregular that it was suspended for a time. 
These visits were very detrimental to tlie people, 
leading them into all manner of vice, and caus- 
ing great grief to the missionaries. Said Mr. 
Snow, " When the books are opened, there will 
be a scene represented from these islands of the 
Pacific, where ships have been accustomed to 
touch, at which so-called civilization w^ill hang 
her head, and call upon the rocks and moun- 
tains to fall upon her, and, if possible, hide her 
shame from the gaze of the assembled universe ; 
for at the bar of God these men from Christian 
lands will find there is such a thing as shame 
and remorse." 

Mr. Snow had experienced the joy of receiv- 
ing two of his people — a man and his wife — 
into church fellowship. Ketuke, the man, was 
one of the first to welcome Dr. and Mrs. Pierson 
on board the bark Belle, and had taken a deep 
interest in all that concerned the mission. For 
some time he had given pleasing evidence of a 



SABBATH KEEPING. 223 

change of heart and life. Mr. Snow spoke of 
his delight in hearing the voice of prayer from 
some of the people, while others professed to 
pray, and abstained from labor on the Sabbath. 
Said he, " It is amusing to see how ciinJized 
some of them are in observing the day. They 
will wash up, put on a clean garment, and then 
lie down and sleep all day ! When I inquire 
why they were not at meeting, they will say that 
they kept the Sabbath at home in this manner, 
with all the apparent satisfaction of true keepers 
of holy time. It is no mystery where they have 
learned their lesson, for they have seen more of 
such Sabbath keeping than any other, and by 
those, too, who have had better instruction." 

Another woman gave pleasing evidence that 
she was a child of grace, notwithstanding much 
opposition from her husband. She was an in- 
valid, and could not attend church, but was able 
to enjoy the instructions of the missionary at 
home. It was also hoped that a work of grace 
had begun in the hearts of two other women 
who attended the weekly meeting; and others 
manifested much interest in the subject. 

The night after the arrival of the Morning 
Star, the king, who had been sick for some time, 
died, being the third king who had deceased 
while Mr. Snow had resided on the island. He 
was an efficient man, and always treated the 



224 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

missionaries with kindness. The first was King 
George, who promised the Hawaiian king that 
he " would be a father to Mr. and Mrs. Snow." 
In connection with his name, some reminiscences 
may be mentioned of the early days of the 
mission. 

The king, you know, promised to build a 
house for Mr. and Mrs. Snow ; but as it was not 
ready for them on tlieir arrival, they were obliged 
to take up with such accommodations as they 
could get. The servants of Christ learn, in 
whatsoever state they are, therewith to be con- 
tent ; but it would have been a hard matter to 
be content in such a house. In the temporary 
shelter afforded them, " such a mingling to- 
gether," said Mr. Snow, " of hogs, pigs, dogs, 
cats, rats, lizards, old barrels, old boxes, ropes, 
paddles, boxes, guns, rags, old bits of canvas, 
mosquitoes, and so forth, as there was in the 
house, we were never before accustomed to. And 
then the felicity of being in a rainy latitude, 
under a leaky roof, so that while eating, we 
would be obliged to get up and move our table 
to a drier spot ; and while sleeping, or trying to 
sleep, we would change our pillows to the other 
end of the bed, that they might be a little drier, 
and let our feet take the shower bath ! Add to 
this the necessity of boxing up every thing eat- 
able, or tying it up in a napkin to keep it from 



CONGREGATION IN SHIRTS. 225 

the legion of ants and other insects ; all tlie 
baking to be done in a little Dutch oven, over a 
fire of green wood on the ground, when at times 
you would have to edge jour way through a set 
of lazy ai. 1 dirty natives." 

When Mr. Snow had been three months at 
his work, the place of meeting for worship, which 
before had been at his own house, was changed 
to the king's cook house. Every thing was in 
readiness, and looked neat. Seats had been pro- 
vided with some ingenuity, but no desk for the 
preacher. Mr. Snow's seat was a native tub, 
turned upside down, and covered with a plaid 
blanket shawl. Mrs. Snow had an old, low 
rocking chair, the only one on the island, covered 
with a dingy white blanket. The king and 
queen sat near by, on native mats ; and the 
audience, numbering about one hundred and 
seventy-five, were in front. About twenty-five 
women had each a calico dress on, resembling a 
shirt, minus sleeves and collar. No woman at- 
tended without. 

Soon after Mr. Snow began his labors he 
taught the natives the impropriety of their at- 
tending public worship without clothing. He 
had received a box from some friends of mis- 
sions, in which were a considerable number of 
shirts. These were distributed among the peo- 
ple, and he wrote back to the donors, that if they 
15 



226 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



could only see that fine array of white cotton 
shirts at church on the Sabbath, they would be 
delighted, and encouraged to even greater effort. 
After this, the standing excuse for absence was, 
'' Me got no shirt." 




CONGRE(rATIOX l.\" SIIirT: 



In one box received by Mr. Snow was a letter 
from the pastor of the people who sent it. He 
wrote, " For the last three months I have been 
reminded of you every other Saturday, by a 
beautiful buzzing circle of about thirty girls, 
right under my study. The busy chat, the crack- 
ing laugh, and then the sweet closing song! 



ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES. 227 

Ah, if you could have looked in upon them — 
needles and tongues both flying ! ' Ah,' said 
one little one, ' shouldn't I like to get behind 
those little islanders and see them put on these 
garments ! ' Well, if your children are as happy 
in wearing as ours have been in making them, 
both parties will get a good bargain." 

" Well," says Mr. Snow, " the box was sent 
October^ 1855, and reached us in September^ 
1857 ; and I do not know how much longer it 
would have been in coming, had not the children 
built a missionary packet for us. The garments 
were very acceptable. Besides these were sev- 
eral pleasant little notes from the misses who 
made the garments, in which many questions 
were asked." So Mr. Snow sent a letter in 
reply, and answered the inquiries in the notes. 
Here are some of them : — 

Question. " Were the people as wicked and 
cruel as they are in many heathen lands, when 
you went there ? " 

Answer. They did not seem so. They cer- 
tainly did not eat one another. Nor did they 
kill one another, as they used to do years ago. 
I have never seen men fighting among them- 
selves, and very seldom have seen the children 
get into a quarrel with their playmates. But 
they think it no great harm to tell lies and steal, 
if they don't get caught ; and they are guilty 
of many other wicked things. 



228 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Question. " Did mothers murder their chil- 
dren ? " 

Answer. I have never heard that they did ; 
and from their exceeding fondness for children, 
I judge that they were never so cruel as to mur- 
der them. A good many years ago they had a 
very cruel king. He had a little child that he 
loved very much ; but it died. He felt so badly 
about it, that he couljl not bear to see any little 
children around, because they reminded him of 
the one he had lost. So ho sent about to have 
all the little children killed ! And very many 
were murdered. At Strong's Island, as " in 
Rama, was there a voice heard, lamentation, 
weeping, and great mourning." 

Question. " Did they worship gods of wood 
and stone ? " 

Answer. I think they have never had such 
gods here. By some process, they deify the 
spirits of some of their departed people, and 
worship them. I have a long list of such gods. 
Some of them have sacred places on this island ; 
some live on other islands; and some live in 
the sky. 

There is a salt water eel which they hold 
sacred. If one should injure it, or touch it, 
they think some terrible calamity would befall 
him — perhaps death. I have killed several of 
these eels, to show them that no evil would come 



MISSIONARIES HAPPY. 229 

of it ; but they get over this by saying that I am 
a foreigner, and they won't liurt foreigners. 
They propitiate their deities by offering the kava^ 
as at Ascension Island. There is a goddess, Sin- 
larker by name, who receives more attention 
than all the others, because her displeasure 
brings sadder consequences than that of all 
others. She gets up, they suppose, all the hur- 
ricanes, and famines, and sicknesses, and deaths 
of the country. 

One thing which was very encouraging to us 
was this : One of the notes said, " Your friends 
pray for you at the monthly concert, and at other 
times," and then asks, ^' Are you happy ? I have 
been told that missionaries are happy." 

Answer. Yes, we are happy. And I have 
seen other missionaries, and they arc happy. I 
know of a missionary whose house was burned 
up, and nearly all tliat was in it. Then he took 
his family into a place which would shelter them 
a little from the rain and the sun, and there they 
sat down to worship God. They sang, — 

<< Sweet fields, beyond the swelling flood, 
Stand dressed in living green," — 

and read, " The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall 
not want," <fec. I don't know how they prayed ; 
I suspect they wept some ; but I have no doubt 
they were happy, not that their house was burned. 



230 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

with their bread, their books, and their clothing, 
but that they knew there was a " house not made 
with hands," all ready for them, if they should 
get no other house or home here. 

While the general meeting was in session at 
Strong's Island, the missionaries were surprised 
to see so much interest manifested by the people 
in the deliberations. On one of the days all 
the high chiefs were present, and remained dur- 
ing the exercises. These people felt that the 
deliberations affected them, and began to appre- 
ciate the labors of those who had given up all 
the enjoyments of civilized life, to teach them 
the way to heaven. 



231 



CHAPTER XIY. 



SECOND VOYAGE TO MICRONESIA, CONCLUDED. 




IS mission at Ronkiti, and 
its condition, were report- 
ed by Mr. Stnrges to the 
general meeting. He was 
very much encouraged 
with the evidence that 
tlie truth was having its 
appropriate effect. He 
had not recently made 
so many excursions to 
distant parts of the island 
A Native looking at the Clock. as formcrly , but had been 
able to do more among the tribes near his sta- 
tion. Besides these, many from a distance vis- 
ited the Nanakin, both for friendship and for 
trade, and thus came within the reach of tlie 
missionary's influence. These visitors attended 
the religious meetings, called to see the teachers, 
and learned from the people much about them 
and their teachings. During the shipping sea- 
son, the congregation was numerous, and vice 
much more restrained than ever before. 

Much praise was due to the enterprising Nan- 



232 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

akin for this favorable state of things. He man- 
ifested a growing desire to please the missionaries 
and receive instruction. He refused entirely to 
feast the chiefs who visited him on the Sabbath, 
or to go to feasts elsewhere on that day. And 
when the captains of ships called upon him to 
trade, he declined to do so. This good example 
had much influence upon the people. 

The ex-queen, it was hoped, had also begun to 
love the truth. Morning and evening prayers 
were held at her house daily, at which time quite 
a number attended. The people were very fond 
of singing. When a tune was begun, the Nan- 
akin and his wife always struck in first. " At 
one of the out-stations of this tribe," said Mrs. 
Sturges, " I was not a little surprised to find a 
number of the congregation join in this part of 
worship on the Sabbath. One person had caught 
the tunes from the missionary, and from him a 
considerable band of singers was formed. Not 
many weeks after this they could and did do 
their own singing ; " and Mr. Sturges also re- 
marked, " Our songs are becoming popular. For 
more than two weeks past, our hall lias been 
turned into a place for musical concerts, and 
quite a company have assembled to practice." 

But among so many things to encourage, there 
were some also to discourage them. The oppo- 
sition of the priests had become more marked 



TRICK OF THE PRIEST. 233 

than formerly. At Inu the people began to 
build a house, and the materials were mostly 
ready for use. Just then the priest, who had a 
little land and a few followers at that place, un- 
dertook to defeat the work. He said that they 
had better repair the old feast house, where they 
had met before for worship, as that was large 
enough to hold them all, and the house they 
were about to build would be too small. Tliey 
did not understand the trick at first, and so fol- 
lowed the advice. When the house was done, 
the priest took possession, and prepared to hold 
a feast there. The missionary, when he went to 
his meeting the next Sabbath, as usual, saw what 
was going on, and passed to a private house. 
He was not a little encouraged to find the people 
gather around him, anxious to be taught. So 
they had a good meeting, in spite of the priest, 
though within sight and sound of the noisy crowd 
at the feast house. The next Sabbath all was 
quiet, and there was the usual attendance. , 

A part of the time Mr. Sturges had held a 
regular service for foreigners, when lie could do 
so without neglecting that of the natives. Some 
of these bad men had from the first stood in the 
way of the mission ; but their power was now 
diminished, and their business very much re- 
duced. Some had already left the island ; others 
were about to leave ; while a few had reformed, 



234 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

and become good neighbors. Though not per- 
mitted to see the overthrow of heathenism, as 
had been hoped, the missionaries rejoiced at the 
progress, though slow, which was apparent, and 
blessed God and took courage. 

Dr. Gulick, who was stationed at Shalong, in 
Matalanim harbor, reported that the progress 
among his people was silent, but perceptible. 
A few, he hoped, were children of God. Usually 
he held four services on the Sabbath, at different 
places, with small congregations. At Tolapail, 
on the opposite side of the harbor, most of the 
females had purchased either ready-made dresses 
or cloth whicli they had made up, and the great- 
est part of the children were also clothed. A 
large portion of the women there had learned 
to read ; and several, both adults and children, 
had learned to sing. Several families maintained 
family worship. 

Dr. Gulick's medical practice had increased, 
especially among those who were of the " Chris- 
tian party," and he had been much gratified to 
see the people always try to make some return for 
the medicine he gave them. They brought him 
chickens, fish, yams, and other articles of food. 
Greater progress in his work had been made 
during the last six months than at any former 
period. 

General intelligence had increased both at 



A PROSPEROUS YEAR. 235 

Ascension and Strong's Island, especially knowl- 
edge of religious subjects. Several chiefs and 
others were learning to read. Some printing 
had been done at Ascension, including a Primer, 
Hymn Book, and a volume of Old Testament nar- 
ratives — in all ninety-seven hundred pages. An 
illustrated Primer had also been printed at the 
Sandwich Islands, for the use of this mission. 

Some of the people already desired to read 
the Bible, but as yet none had been printed at 
Strong's Island. Mr. Snow intended to write 
out some translations of different portions. He 
wished very mucli for a small hand printing 
press, that he might strike off small editions of 
these, and thus save himself much time and toil. 
How much lighter the missionary's labor would 
often be, if he only had the necessary con- 
veniences for his work ! 

In view of all these reports from the different 
islands, the missionaries say, " We are filled with 
joy. No year of our labor has been more im- 
portant than the last, and from it begins a new 
stage in the Micronesian mission." 

With reference to the missionary packet the 
report says, " The coming of the Morning Star 
has borne an important part in opening this new 
stage. It has enabled us to meet each other, 
and pray and devise unitedly, and permitted us 
to execute our plans. Our day began to dawn 



236 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

when this Morning Star first gladdened our 
horizon, and we have at last reached that point 
in our mission history, toward which our hearts 
have been so long directed. Not that our goal 
has been reached, but we are now blessed in 
being able to labor directly for the larger popu- 
lation of Micronesia." 

The mission at this time addressed a letter to 
the many owners of the Morning Star ; they say : 

" Gladly would we take each of you by the 
hand, and tell you face to face how we love you 
for your generous attention to the call of him 
who loves little children. But for this, how 
many thousands of children, with their poor 
benighted parents, would still have been left to 
sit in darkness — would never have heard the 
story of Jesus and his disciples I 

" How joyous to us is the sight of the Morn- 
ing Star, booming over the sea, with her white 
sails set, and her white flag flying, bringing flour, 
potatoes, and beef, — food to eat, and clothes to 
wear, — and, best of all, the mail bag, full of a 
year's love and a year's news. When you pray, 
always have a place in your prayers for the poor 
heathen, that God will convert them, and that 
he will send a great many missionaries to all the 
islands of the sea, and all over the world." 

It was voted, at the meeting, that Mr. Roberts 
should be associated for the present with Dr. 



RETURN TO EBON. 237 

Gulick, at Ascension, with the expectation that 
the doctor would afterward remove to the 
Kingsmill Islands, and that any Hawaiians who 
might be sent the next year should also go to 
the same field. 

After the business of the general meeting was 
concluded, the Morning Star went again to As- 
cension, to carry home Messrs. Sturges and 
Gulick. Dr. Pierson and his wife also left for 
Ebon, in another vessel that had stopped at 
Strong's Island, rather than wait for the return 
of the Morning Star. As she approached Ebon, 
a number of proas came out to trade with her ; 
and when the people discerned Dr. Pierson, they 
joyfully shouted his name from proa to proa, 
accompanied with many expressions of joy at 
his return. On arriving at the beach, the mul- 
titude were wild with joyful surprise when they 
saw who was on board, for, the vessel having 
three masts, they knew it was not the Morning 
Star, in which they had expected him to return. 

Dr. Pierson found his house and property all 
safe, even to the fowls, although he had been 
absent more than two months. The house had, 
however, been entered, as the chiefs informed 
him ; at the same time they told him who was 
the thief, and returned the two articles which 
were stolen. These articles were an old penknife 
and an old fine-tooth comb ! This incident will 



238 HISTORY OP THE MORNING STAR. 

serve to show the interest felt by the natives in 
their kind, faithful missionary. It was not fear 
of the king or his authority, for Kiapuka and 
his chiefs v/ere absent at the time, on a visit to 
the nortli. On their return, they were attended 
by about twenty proas from all the different 
islands in the Ralick chain. These strangers 
had heard much of tlie missionaries, and had 
come to learn about the new religion, and see 
their curiosities. 

Many of the articles possessed by the mission- 
aries were objects of great interest to these peo- 
ple. Among them was the clock, whose strildng 
of the hour much astonished them. They soon 
learned how to tell when it was about to strike, 
and would stand and wait for it with eager ex- 
pectation. They were also very fond of pic- 
tures, especially portraits. Kiapuka, the king, 
was anxious to have the " docortor " make him 
on paper, in order, as he said, that his friends 
might see him after he was dead. One day a 
young chief went into Dr. Pierson's house, and 
taking up Webster's large Dictionary, turned to 
the portrait, and told those wlio were with liini 
that that was the missionary's God. He was 
immediately corrected, when he said that some 
of the people, then, had lied to him about it. 

One very interesting fact occurred at this time. 
Among the tabu laws of the island was one, that 



THE TABU LAWS. 



239 




THE "DOCORTOR" SKETCHING KIAPUKA. 

no labor must be performed within six days after 
the burial of a cliief. Dr. Pierson, in a sermon, 
told them tliat to obey talju laws was to obey 
their gods, which Jehovah had forbidden ; but 
he made no application to this particular case, 
though a cliief had been buried the day before. 
The priest of tlie island (who was a warm friend 
of the mission) and several chiefs were present, 
and heard the sermon. They went and told the 
people that they need not observe this tabu ; and 
they all resumed their work as usual. This was 
a great point gained. 

About the time Dr. Pierson returned to Ebon, 
a trading vessel lay off the island, and when her 
boat came ashore, it was armed. The mate vis- 



240 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

ited the mission houses, attended hy a man 
carrying a pistol ; and as he walked about the 
premises, he dared not take a step without its 
protection. He was astonished to find the mis- 
sionaries unarmed, and could not believe them 
when they said it was perfectly safe to go any 
wdiere on the islands. The people expressed 
much indignation at his conduct, and wanted to 
know if the presence and safety of tlie mission- 
aries were not enough to satisfy any body that 
there was no danger in coming unarmed. 

Having returned from Ascension, whither she 
had been to carry the missionaries after the gen- 
eral meeting, the Morning Star took on board 
Mr. and Mrs. Bingham, and brought them to 
Apaiang. Mrs. Bingham's health was now en- 
tirely restored, and they were glad to be at home 
again. A few articles had been taken from their 
house in their absence; but considering the hab- 
its of the people, it was surprising that any thing 
movable was left. 

A new source of anxiety now presented itself. 
" To-day," writes Mr. Bingham, " we feel in 
some trouble. The king sent a messenger to 
demand pay for the land upon which our house 
stands, and which was given to us by the old 
king, his father. We are much surprised at this, 
but we trust our heavenly Father cares for us. 
We do not tliink that the king will order us from 
the island. God will direct all things well." 



PAYING FOR THE LAND. 241 

A few clays later, Mrs. Bingliam says, " Cap- 
tain Faircloiigh, who dined with us to-day, has 
seen the king with reference to the land. The 
king said the report was false ; his father gave 
us the land, and he agreed with his father's 
tlioughts." 

In order, however, that this matter might be 
set for ever at rest, Mr. Bingham thought it best 
to pay the king something for the land, and 
called to see him for that purpose. He answered 
tlie same as before to Captain Fairclough. But 
Mr. Bingham invited him to come up to his 
house in the evening, to receive some presents. 
He came accordingly, attended by his three 
wives and a y^umg man. Mr. Bingham paid 
him for all t!ie land then occupied, and also for 
a site for a boat house. A part of the payment, 
which consisted of various articles of " trade," 
the king wished Mr. Bingham to keep for him, 
lest his people should beg it from him. And so 
the affair of the ground was satisfactorily settled. 

The Morning Star was now ready to return to 
Honolulu. Before she did this, however. Cap- 
tain Brown, in accordance with instructions he 
had received, determined to spend a few weeks 
in exploring some of the adjacent islands. Ac- 
cordingly, accompanied by Mr. Doane, he left 
Apaiang, November 13, for Mille or Mulgrave, 
one of the Marshall Islands, where they arrived 
16 



242 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

three days after. They found a largo, quiet 
lagoon, which they entered by a ship channel on 
the north side, the lagoon being surrounded by 
many small islets. Tho largest of these is about 
tln'ee miles long, and one third of a mile wide — 
" a little gem, with large groves of bread fruit 
and other trees, a carpet of living green, and 
thickly-matted foliage." The average hight of 
the island above the water is not more than five 
feet. 

The natives of this island had heard of the 
mission at Ebon, and Kaipuka had charged them 
to receive the missionaries and their ship kindly, 
if they should visit that island. This they did ; 
they came off to the ship for trade, but, at Mr. 
Doane's request, readily refrained from doing so 
on the Sabbath. They manifested no disposition 
to steal, or molest vessels or crews, without prov- 
ocation. The language was quite different from 
that spoken on the Ralick Islands, though the 
two chains are only about one hundred miles 
apart. It was difficult for Mr. Doane to make 
himself understood. The population of the 
whole island (cluster, or " atoll ") is about six 
hundred. 

Mr. Doane said, " I know of vessels whose 
captains would not trust themselves ashore here, 
and one small armed vessel Avhich did not dare 
even to enter the lagoon. But here is the Morn- 



EXPLORATIONS. 243 

ing Star unarmed, without one common pistol 
or saber, with her crew half natives, and yet as 
safely gliding about this great reef, and anchored 
for days within its lagoon, as if she were in the 
most civilized land. Surely the Lord has been 
remarkably with us, or else there has been fear 
with others when no cause existed for it. It is 
a matter of joy that our little vessel, on her mis- 
sion of love and peace, can, by a few friendly 
acts, get such access to these islands as she does, 
and open the way for the planting of missions, 
where vessels greatly above her in size, and well 
armed, do not, to say the least, feel it safe to go." 

The people were anxious to have the vessel 
and missionaries remain, and promised to do all 
they could for a missionary who might be sent 
from America. 

November 29, they sailed from Mille to Ma- 
juro or Arrowsmith Island, which they reached 
the next day. Captain Brown writes, " This is 
a magnificent island. It has elegant forests of 
bread fruit ; and pandanus trees and cocoanuts, 
of course, abound. We walked across the island, 
escorted by three or four hundred natives, men, 
women, and children, wlio appeared to be filled 
with wonder and joy. On the shore of the la- 
goon the prospect was most delightful." Tlio 
people have been in a great measure uncontam- 
inated by the influence of depraved foreigners. 



244 HISTORY OP THE MORNING STAR. 

How important that they should immediately 
have the gospel sent to them ! 

Their next stopping place was at Bonham's 
Island, or Cheluth. They anchored near the 
spot where a Captain McKenzie had been re- 
cently murdered. In the morning, prayers were 
had as usual on the deck, and many natives were 
on board, some of whom had been at Ebon and 
attended meetings there. " This island, or atoll, 
is of great extent, at least thirty-five miles long, 
and not more than ten or twelve wide. On all 
its sides, little islands crown the shore, some 
three miles long, some but a span, but all ver- 
dant with trees, vines, and bushes." 

When the Sabbath came, the natives visited 
the vessel as usual, but being told that no visit- 
ors could be received on that day, tliey imme- 
diately left. Mr. Doane spent here two Sab- 
baths, and tried to preach on both, to audiences 
of from fifty to one hundred and fifty people. 
The island is but about eighty miles from Ebon, 
and the population not more than five hundred. 

The vessel returned to Ebon December 15. 
Mr. Doane found his family well, and after this 
pleasant little tour, he resumed his labors with 
renewed strength and vigor. 

Having now completed all the purposes con- 
templated in this second cruise to Micronesia, 
the Morning Star left Ebon, and arrived at Ho- 
nolulu January 23, 1859. 



THIRD VOYAGE TO THE MARQUESAS. 245 



CHAPTER XV. 



THIRD VOYAGE TO THE MARQUESAS. 





ring t'.K- Ship. 



HEN the Morning Star 
reached Honolulu, after 
the second voyage to Mi- 
cronesia, a part of the ves- 
sel was found to be much 
out of repair. The " dry 
rot," which frequently at- 
tacks vessels in tropical 
regions, had got into the 
timbers and planks of the stern, making sad 
havoc among them. 

So the little craft had a thorough overhaul- 
ing, and where decay was found in any of 
the timbers, new ones were put in. As the 
other parts of the vessel were well ventilated, 
they appeared to be sound. She also received 
a new coat of paint throughout. The houses in 
which we live would not be very neat, if they 
were not thoroughly cleansed at least once a 
year, and paint and whitewash are also very 
necessary. If this is required for houses, which 
are constantly protected from the weather, how 
much more for a vessel, which is all the time 



246 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

exposed to the winds and waves, to the drench- 
ing rains and burning sun ! Captain Brown 
said, (and he surely ought to know,) that when 
she had been thoroughly repaired, he thought 
the little "Star" would be better than ever. 
" Her qualities," said he, " have been tried, and 
I think a more able and well-behaved vessel of 
her class, in heavy weather, is not yet built." 

On the 25th of April she was in perfect order, 
and her cargo being all on board, she set sail 
for the Marquesas, but a storm coming on, was 
obliged to return to Honolulu. She sailed again 
May 3, calling by the way at Kealekua, on the 
Island of Hawaii. " The people there were de- 
lighted with the visit, and loaded her with their 
good things." They also sent two young beeves 
to the Marquesas, hoping that they might ulti- 
mately become valuable to the mission. 

When our missionary packet arrived at Omoa, 
it was ascertained that an American whale ship, 
the Twilight, was wrecked, June 1st, off the Island 
of Hivaoa. After the disaster, the captain and 
crew had succeeded in getting some of their 
goods on shore, where they had built a rude 
shelter for their protection. The sight of these 
things excited the thievish disposition of the 
natives, who, in the language of one of the 
wrecked, " stole all they could lay their hands 
on." The different tribes had conspired to mas- 



THE WRECKED WHALE SHIP. 247 

sacre tlie crew, and then nothing could prevent 
their plundering tlie vessel. 

When the people had been drinking toddy 
they were most to be feared ; and at such times, 
seeing the defenseless condition of the poor 
mariners, thoy became bold, and threatened all 
manner of violence. A loaded cannon, belong- 
ing to the vessel, was therefore placed at the 
door of the hut, the better to protect its contents. 

Mr. Bicknell heard of the disaster, and has- 
tened at once to the wreck, twelve miles distant 
from his station. The crew had no expectation 
of seeing a white man at that inhospitable place, 
and his coming cheered and encouraged them. 
By his kindness to the natives, and his consistent 
manner of life, he had acquired an influence 
over them that was truly wonderful, and his 
presence at this time, and kindly interference, 
restrained their violence, and changed the aspect 
of things entirely. 

A boat was dispatched to Nukahiva, to see if 
there were any ships there, and obtain assistance 
from them. Soon after it left, the joyful cry of, 
" Sail 0," aroused all hands, and a vessel was 
seen in the distance, passing the island. Mr. 
Bicknell thought it might be the Morning Star, 
which was expected at that time, and went home 
to ascertain. It was even so. The little vessel 
had again arrived at a very critical moment; 



248 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



and wlien Captain Brown was made acquainted 
with the shipwreck, he did not wait to discharge 
his vessel, but, ever ready in the cause of hu- 
manity, hastened to the scene of disaster. Though 




THE WRECK OF THE WHALE SHIP TWILIGHT. 

the Morning Star had several passengers on 
board, and a large quantity of frciglit, they im- 
mediately commenced taking in the wrecked 
goods that remained. A Mr. Farnham, from 
the Twiliglit, wrote to the " Honolulu Friend," 
that, " owing to the crowded state of the Morn- 
ing Star, it took us three days to get our things 
on board, but the noble brig, like the hearts of 
her company, seemed to expand for our especial 
accommodation ; and on the 15th of June, every 
thing was on board, and we embarked ourselves. 



RESCUE OF OFFICERS AND CREW. 249 

We were received with the greatest kindness, 
and every thing that lay in the power of captain 
and officers was done, willingly, for our comfort. 
We have had a pleasant passage to Honolulu, 
rendered doubly so by the uniform kindness we 
have received since we came on board." 

Mr. Bicknell was spoken of in the highest 
terms. Says Mr. Farnham, " I feel assured that 
I may safely return him the sincere thanks of 
the whole company, for the kindness he extended 
to us during our stay on the island. He is one 
of nature's noblemen, and a man of the greatest 
self-denial, as all who have ever visited his field 
of labor will readily admit. I must also say, 
tliat I do not think the Board of Missions could 
have selected a person more competent to carry 
on the great work in which they are engaged, 
than Mr. Bicknell. Patiently and nobly is he 
dohig his Master's work in this difficult field. 
God bless him." 

Captain Hathaway, of the Twilight, grateful 
for the kindness he had received, wished to make 
some suitable return to Mr. Bicknell ; but with 
great difficulty he could only persuade him to 
take some comparatively worthless portions of 
the wreck. Captain Hathaway presented his 
ship's chronometer to Captain Brown, of the 
Morning Star. A salvage of thirty per cent, 
was awarded to the owners of the Morning Star, 
on lier return to Honolulu. 



250 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Some time previous to the arrival of the Morn- 
ing Star, the people of Heteani attacked a vil- 
lage of the Typees, and killed six men, one of 
whom was brought liome, cooked, and eaten ; 
and a boy, who was taken captive, was burned 
alive. Nothing short of the total extinction of 
their enemies seems to have been thought of. 

Some months afterward, a gale from the north 
broke up the Twilight, and a large amount of 
provisions, in a good state of preservation, was 
obtained by the natives and sold to the mission- 
aries. Previous to the breaking up of the ship, 
the French authorities at Tahiti dispatched an 
armed vessel to assist Captain Rousseau, who 
had purchased the wreck, in saving the property, 
and succeeded in taking out a large part of the 
oil, &c., with which she was loaded. The natives 
had been very troublesome, and had stolen a 
new whale boat from Captain Rousseau. 

On the arrival of the man-of-war, the boat was 
demanded ; they refused to give her up, and 
preparations were made to cannonade the place. 
Mr. Bicknell, happening there, succeeded in get- 
ting the boat restored to her owner without fur- 
ther trouble. The natives declared that if they 
had had powder, they would have fought the 
vessel, and Mr. Bicknell tliought a few hard 
knocks might have had a good effect in curing 
them of some of their propensities. 



TABUS AGAINST WOMEN. 251 

It was very evident that the missionaries were 
making inroads upon many of the wretched cus- 
toms and tabus. One of these tab\is teaches 
that if a woman enters a canoe with a man, he 
will become entirely blind. So the canoes are 
strictly tabued to the women. This is very cruel, 
for if they have wares to sell, and wish to visit a 
ship, they must swim to it with the articles in their 
hands. All females Avho came on board the 
Morning Star swam off to it. 

If a woman wishes to visit friends on another 
island, she can not do it, unless she can swim 
that distance. If she wishes to go to another 
valley, she must climb rugged mountains, and 
struggle over precipices which endanger her life. 
If the way by land be impassable, as is often the 
case, she must swim around the bluffs and along 
the rugged shores, in constant danger of sharks 
and the surf, until she reaches the place where 
she wishes to go, or perishes in the attempt. 

We should naturally suppose that women thus 
treated would not be very loving wives. How- 
ever this may be. Captain Brown says that once, 
when he was at Omoa, he found that the fight- 
ing men had all gone off to another bay, to join 
in a great feast. This feast was much talked of, 
and the hogs were tabued, so that none should 
be sold or eaten until after the feast day. When 
the men left, the Omoa ladies set up a loud v/ail - 



252 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

ing, cutting their foreheads and cheeks until the 
])lood flowed freely, and when Captain Brown 
arrived, the wounds were still unhealed. He 
asked one of the women who was badly cut, 
why she did it. " Kaoha nui te nata" — Great 
love for my husband — was her reply ! 

No person is allowed to put his hands on the 
head of a man. Captain Brown had often 
noticed, when he had done this, that the man 
would run from him, but he did not understand 
the reason. One day, a missionary from Hawaii, 
who was at the Marquesas, happened to put his 
hand on the head of a man sitting on the ground 
beside him. He instantly started, shook his 
head, brushed off the hand, looked wild, and ran 
away as if his hair had been fired with a match, 
and was seen no more. The missionary laughed 
at these fears ; and another man, more enlight- 
ened, took the missionary's hand and laid it 
on liis head, thus showing that some are brave 
enough to disregard this tabu. 

Some time after the return of the Morning 
Star to Honolulu, a letter was received from Mr. 
Bicknell, saying, " We are still hewing away at 
the roots of heathenism. Oh, how I long for the 
time to mount the tree and lop off its branches! 
Our work is only in its incipient stage, and it 
is likely to remain there until our patience is 
severely tried. There is probably no life more 



RETURN TO HONOLULU. 253 

wasting than that of tlie missionary to the hea- 
then. He must, if he does his duty, live fast ; 
cares hang thick upon him, from the fact that 
he has so many duties to attend to. He must 
be preacher, school teacher, and physician, and 
in addition to these he has his household cares 
to superintend ; his day's labor closes only at 
bedtime." 

The Gospel of John has been translated and 
printed in the Marquesan language. At each 
station is a school, and some are beginning to 
read. Though the missionaries grieve to see so 
little fruit of their labors, we have reason to 
believe that they will yet rejoice together over 
many souls redeemed by the blood of Christ, 
and made heirs of glory. 

The Morning Star reached Honolulu on her 
return from lier third voyage to the Marquesas, 
July 23, 1859. 



254 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



CHAPTER XYI. 



THIRD VOYAGE TO MICRONESIA. 



ROM what has been said 
of the Morning Star and 
her voyages, it will be 
seen that the missions in 
Micronesia and the Mar- 
qnesas could scarcely 
exist, much less prosper, 
w^ithout this or a similar 
vessel, to be a regnlar 
cliannel of communica- 
tion between them and 
The "Spirit stone." thc far-off world. The 

station at Apaiang was more isolated than per- 
haps any others. The only two vessels that had 
stopped there for more than a year, were those 
of Captains Randall and Fairclough, who col- 
lected cocoanut oil at the islands, and carried it 
to Sydney. The Morning Star, therefore, bring- 
ing Christian friends to aid and encourage the 
laborious missionaries, was watched for with 




In February, 1859, Mr. Bingham heard from 
the natives a report that a vessel, some two weeks 



EATING THE MAIL. 



255 



before, had touched at a distant islet of the 
group, and left there " te-boki " — the native 
name for every thing made of paper. He con- 
jectured that it might be a mail designed for 
him, and set out immediately to ascertain the 
facts, and, if possible, procure the precious pack- 
age. The report was found to be true. The 
mail had been put on shore, but the savages 
opened it, and supposing the letters and papers 
to be some kind of food, had eaten the greater 
portion of them I A few whole ones and some 




EATIXG THE MAIL. 



fragments only remained, and for these he was 
obliged to pay. It is not stated whether the 



256 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

natives found the " boki " to be a palatable diet. 
We can imagine what a disappointment this 
affair occasioned to the missionaries. 

September now had come, and the Morning 
Star had been looked for by tliem ever since the 
first of July. They had not learned of the de- 
tention at Honolulu for repairs, and began to 
feel much anxiety, fearing that some accident 
had befallen her, or that she was lost altogether. 

At length, on the 9th of September, a native 
came running to the mission house to tell the 
news ; a small vessel was seen approaching the 
island. All rushed toward the shore, earnestly 
hoping that it was indeed the Morning Star. It 
soon entered the lagoon, and proved to be the 
long-looked-for vessel. Mr. Bingham, with Ka- 
noa and Mahoe, put off in a boat to welcome 
Captain Brown and the new Hawaiian helpers 
for whom they had sent. They soon returned, 
bringing a precious load of letters and papers ; 
but they came alone ! No help had arrived, 
though, feeling the great need of the people, and 
the importance of their being taught without 
delay, they had sent for six new laborers, to be 
placed at different islets in the Kingsmill group. 
Their hearts were saddened in the midst of their 
joy, as they saw that they must still labor on 
alone. But the letters from parents and friends 
comforted their hearts, although, in some in- 



DEDICATION OF THE CHAPEL. 257 

stances, they told them of the removal of loved 
ones to the better land. 

Saturday was a busy day at Apaiang. A part 
of the provisions were landed, and the ship's 
company dined and took tea with Mr. Bingham. 
Mr. Garrette, an American naturalist, had gone 
out in the Morning Star for the purpose of 
making a scientific exploration of the Kingsmill 
Islands, intending to remain at Apaiang while 
the vessel went on to the other stations. 

On the Sabbath, September 11, the little 
chapel at Koinawa was dedicated. This was 
the first house devoted to the worship of God 
that was built on the Kingsmill Islands. Mr. 
Bingham preached from the text, " Take these 
things hence ; make not my Father's house a 
house of merchandise." In his discourse he 
spoke of the habits of the natives — talking, laugh- 
ing, running about, sleeping, &c. — as things 
which should be taken away from that house of 
God. Captain Brown, and his mate, Mr. Gulick, 
also addressed tlie people. The king and about 
one hundred natives were present, and behaved 
with greater propriety than usual. The children 
made special efforts to sing well, and succeeded, 
to the gratification of their teachers. In the 
middle of the day, an English service was held 
at the mission house, and the sacrament of the 
Lord's supper was celebrated in the evening. In 



258 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

the afternoon of the same day, the usual service 
was conducted at Ewena. When the mission- 
aries lay down at night, they felt that it had 
been a Sabbath long to be remembered. 

For many years a large " spirit stone," or 
" tabuariki," as it was called by the people of 
Apaiang, had stood in front of the council house, 
in the village of Koinawa, upon which they had 
been in the habit of placing cocoa and pandanus 
nuts, as offerings to their gods. This stone the 
natives had of their own accord thrown down, 
and afterward cast into the lagoon. They now 
said, " There is only one God — Jehovah." This 
important movement greatly encouraged the 
missionaries to persevere in their work. 

Mr. Bingham had commenced the translation 
of the Scriptures, and some of the people were 
reading Christ's Sermon on the Mount. A mis- 
sionary tour of a week was made in October by 
him and Malioe, during which time they preached 
in thirty large villages and many hamlets, to 
nearly sixteen hundred people. Mahoe en- 
deavored to take a census of the population, but 
found that some, distrusting his motives, were 
unwilling to tell him the number in their fami- 
lies. Some of the chiefs were anxious to have 
their people instructed, and that a missionary 
should come and reside among them. 

When the Morning Star was last at Honolulu, 



STORY OP ROLUA. 259 

three of the sailors which she had brought from 
Micronesia were present at the Bethel Sabbath 
school, neatly dressed in sailors' " rig." On 
being asked who they were and where they came 
from, one of them, whose name was Rolua, said, 
" He," pointing to one, " Ebon man. Miki [Mr.] 
Doane, and Miki Pierson, mikenari Ebon." 
[Missionary at Ebon.] Then, pointing to the 
next, " He Ualan [Strong's Island] man. Miki 
Snow, he mikenari. Me Hogoleu man ; me no 
mikenari. Me want mikenari ; me people want 
mikenari." 

Rolua was one of a company who several 
years before left Ualea, one of the small Caro- 
line Islands, in canoes, to go to the Ladrones, 
for the purpose of buying tobacco. A storm 
arose, the boats were separated, and all of them 
were lost, excepting Rolua's, which drifted sev- 
eral hundred miles, until it reached the Mul- 
graves. Many in his boat died from starvation, 
and few lived to reach the land. Captain Moore 
found Rolua at Ebon, and hired him as a sailor 
to go to Hawaii, where Captain Brown found 
him. He went one voyage with the latter to 
the Marquesas, and back again to Ebon ; but by 
that time he began to think so much about his 
home, that he was unwilling to remain any 
longer. Some of his people were still at Ebon ; 
so they all concluded to stay until an oppor- 
tunity offered of going back to their native island. 



260 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Captain Brown asked him how they knew 
which way to steer without any compass or 
guide. " Oh," he said, " look a star." " Sup- 
pose it is dark, and there are no stars ? " '' Then 
look a water" — meaning that they could tell 
by the currents which way to direct their course. 

When the Morning Star had finished her 
business at Apaiang, she proceeded to Ascension, 
where a meeting was to be held, stopping on her 
way at Ebon and Strong's Island. At this meet- 
ing, many of the missionaries were assembled ; 
they recounted the goodness of God to them 
and their people, and consulted upon the best 
measures for promoting the interest of the Re- 
deemer's kingdom. 

Dr. and Mrs. Pierson had become so pros- 
trated in health, especially the latter, that it was 
deemed uecessary for them to return for a season 
to Hawaii, and perhaps the United States. The 
refusal of the chiefs to allow natives to live as 
domestics in the families of the missionaries, 
threw upon the latter all the necessary house- 
hold work, by which labors, in addition to their 
missionary duties, they had been overtasked. 
When Captain Brown arrived at Ebon, Mrs. 
Pierson was confined to her bed, and the doctor 
was doing the housework. In the beginning of 
the year, an epidemic dysentery prevailed among 
the adult population of the island, and for want 



REMOVAL OF DR. GULICK. 261 

of proper care, many died. This sickness had 
greatly increased the labors of Dr. Pierson. 

At the general meeting the preceding year, 
it had been voted that Dr. Gulick should remove 
from Ascension, at the next visit of the Morning 
Star, to the Kingsmill group, to labor with Mr. 
Bingham. The population of that group prob- 
ably equaled that of all Micronesia besides, and 
needed much more labor than could be per- 
formed by Mr. Bingham and his two Hawaiian 
assistants. But, inasmuch as Dr. Pierson was 
now obliged to suspend his labors, leaving Mr. 
Doane at Ebon alone, Dr. Gulick was appointed 
to go to his assistance, thus postponing indefi- 
nitely his removal to Apaiang. 

Ebon, from the vigor and sprightliness of the 
people, and from their being, in the main, uncon- 
taminated with degraded whites, is a promising 
field for missionary operations. The same thing 
is true of all the Marshall Islands. These peo- 
ple are daring navigators, sailing fearlessly in 
their proas from island to island, often a distance 
of many miles. Dr. Gulick thinks a sailor mis- 
sionary would be well adapted to that field. 
Messrs. Doane and Pierson much desire a vessel 
smaller than the Morning Star, in which to hold 
communication between the islands, the popula- 
tion being scattered throughout the whole group. 

The Sabbath had been much better observed 



262 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR, 

at Ebon, for a few months, than at any former 
period ; it had become a sacred day, so far as 
labor was concerned. Many of the people would 
not trade on that day, even for tobacco, of which 
they are very fond. Mr. Doane deplored the 
visits of ships to the island, on that account, and 
feared they were to have a " tobacco-cursed com- 
munity." 

At Strong's Island, a little school had been in 
operation several months, consisting of a few 
adults and ten or fifteen children. One of the 
boys gave evidence of conversion ; several others 
were deeply serious, and this, too, at a time when 
there seemed to be quite a revival of heatli en- 
ism. The adults were learning to read in their 
native language, from books which Mr. Snow 
had written out for them, and the children were 
learning English. " The children," said Mr. 
Snow, " can read my books as fast as I can write 
them. In fact, they can teach the adults in their 
mother tongue, at sight." He had just taken 
the census of Strong's Island, and found that in 
January, 1859, there were seven hundred and 
forty-seven inhabitants — eighty less than the 
preceding year. 

At Ascension, a Primer of thirty pages had 
been printed, a compilation of Bible narratives, 
and twenty pages of the Gospel of Matthew. In 
all, thirty-two thousand one hundred pages had 



DEATH OF KAAIKAULA. 263 

been printed in the native language. Native 
girls were employed to set up the type, and some 
of them had become skillful in this employment. 
Much foundation work had been performed in 
learning the language, and teaching the theory 
of reading and writing, to a considerable num- 
ber of the people. They had been instructed, 
too, in the way of salvation, and many of them 
understood it as well as is possible until the 
understanding is enlightened by tlie Spirit of 
God. 

The mission had sustained a great loss in the 
death of the good Hawaiian brother Kaaikaula, 
who passed away to his rest and reward after a 
short sickness. He died, as only a Christian can 
die, much lamented by all his brethren. After 
his death, his widow, Deborah, returned to the 
Sandwich Islands. So much interest was ex- 
cited by the relation of her experience in Micro- 
nesia, that a series of meetings were appointed 
in Puna and Hilo, that all might have an oppor- 
tunity of hearing what God had wrought by 
their countrymen in those distant islands. An- 
other death had occurred at Ascension, differing 
widely from that of the devoted Kaaikaula. It 
was that of a negro named Johnson, who was spo- 
ken of as the " terror of the Pacific." For many 
years he had been a man of violence and blood, 
and in a quarrel with one whose brother he had 



264 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

killed, he was horribly murdered. Mr. Sturges 
wrote in regard to it, " God is wonderfully clear- 
ing these islands of the wretches who have been 
so long reveling among the poor, wasting na- 
tives." 

Dr. Gulick was now to leave Ascension. In 
speaking of his departure, he says, " Thus termi- 
nates a seven years' residence on an island in 
which our hearts are deeply interested. We leave 
our home with sadness and joy — sadness, that 
we have not been more faithful, and have not, 
consequently, led more from darkness to light ; 
joy, that the work will still go on under Mr. Rob- 
erts' prayerful care, and that our own mission- 
ary life may be prolonged on some other Micro 
nesian islet. 

" There are few men I would have taken more 
pleasure in introducing here than Mr. Roberts. 
He takes hold of the work like a true mission- 
ary. He has the frame of a large, substantial 
building set up and inclosed with boards ; he is 
a great worker, very ingenious, and has the in- 
terest of souls at heart." Mr. Roberts took Dr. 
Gulick' s place at Shalong Point. 

When the Morning Star last left Honolulu, 
she was expected to make an exploring trip west- 
ward before she returned ; but owing to the ill- 
ness of Mrs. Pierson her departure was hastened, 
and the westward trip relinquished. As soon as 



RETURN TO HONOLULU. 265 

the general meeting at Ascension was adjourned, 
she returned to Strong's Island and Apaiang. 
During Kanoa's absence, Mr. Garrette, the nat- 
uralist, had occupied his house. He had found 
the Kingsmill Islands abounding with new won- 
ders in every department of natural history, and 
felt himself compensated for all his labor by the 
valuable collections of shells, insects, fishes, &c., 
he had obtained. This collection was to be for- 
warded to America, for Professor Agassiz. 

From Apaiang, our vessel went on to Ebon, to 
leave Dr. Gulick and his wife, and take on board 
Dr. and Mrs. Pierson, and carry them to Hono- 
lulu. Noa and his wife also now returned to 
their home at Hawaii, much to the regret of 
Mr. and Mrs. Bingham. 

In passing through the narrow channel at 
Ebon, the brig met with a slight accident, losing 
a little of her copper sheathing. Excepting 
this, the voyage was very prosperous. Captain 
Brown's testimony at this time is, " The packet 
carries herself most admirably. The more I 
become acquainted with her, the better I like 
her, she carries herself so nobly in heavy weath- 
er. She is remarkably strong, and tight as a 
cup, and her model I consider perfect for a 
rough-weather boat. I have become very much 
attached to her." 

Having finished her third voyage to Microne- 



266 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

sia, the Morning Star reached Honolulu Jan- 
uary 11, 1860. 

We add some items of information received 
from the Micronesian mission since the com- 
pletion of this voyage. 

In the latter part of March, Dr. and Mrs. 
Pierson arrived at San Francisco, on their way 
to the Atlantic States. After remaining there a 
few weeks, the health of Mrs. Pierson, who was 
very feeble, began to improve, and at the solici- 
tation of a few friends, the doctor commenced 
preaching in California. Much interest was 
awakened by his labors, giving him the prospect 
of extensive usefulness in the ministry in that 
state. This, with the delicate health of Mrs. 
Pierson, rendered it probable that they would 
not return again to Micronesia, wliere their 
hearts were, and where, but for the overruling 
direction of Providence, they would gladly have 
lived and died. 

A letter was received from Mr. Snow, dated 
December, 1859, containing a few incidents of 
a pleasant character. " At our November con- 
cert," he writes, " the church members seemed 
greatly interested in the intelligence I gave them 
from the missionary papers, particularly from 
Mr. Grout, (Africa,) and from the Ceylon Sab- 
bath school concert. I had tried several times 
to get them started in the way of contributing 



A MISSIONARY CONTRIBUTION. 267 

something to indicato their interest in the mis- 
sionary work, and their love to their blessed Mas- 
ter, but had failed to effect any thing before. I 
had not urged it very much, fearing they might 
think what wicked men had so long told them, 
too true, — that ' missionaries only wanted to 
get their money.' " After hearing what the Cey- 
lon children had done, " they proposed to bring 
their offering the following Wednesday, when 
they should come to prayer meeting, saying tliey 
would like to do something, but they had noth- 
ing to do with. However, Wednesday came, 
and they, with their children, brought their first 
missionary contribution." It amounted to two 
dollars twenty cents in money, four chickens, a 
duck, some eggs, and some potatoes. And this 
from a few poor people wlio but recently were 
heathen ! 

The first attempt to preach Christ had been 
made by Ketuke, wlio, with other members of 
his family, had gone to Strong's Island on a visit 
to a dying brother. Each morning and evening 
they had worship, and their heathen friends w^ere 
present. On the Sabbath, more than forty peo- 
ple came together from the nearest settlements, 
and Ketuke went tlirough with tlie exercises as 
Mr. Snow was accustomed to do. The people 
were so much interested, that they prevailed 
upon him to remain longer with them. The 



268 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

others returned to Mr. Snow's station, as lie 
writes, " in season for our prayer meeting, and 
they occupied much of the time in telling us all 
things, ' both what they had done and what they 
had taught.' As that verse was the beginning of 
my expository reading for the meeting, I let them 
illustrate it practically. They made out a very 
interesting story of their visit. It has evidently 
done them good, and us, too. Ere long we shall 
see others following them in the good way." 



FOURTH VOYAGE TO THE MARQUESAS. 269 



CHAPTER XVII. 



FOURTH VOYAGE TO THE MARQUESAS. 




EAYING Honolulu, Feb. 
28, 1860, the Morning 
Star departed on her 
fourth voyage to the 
Marquesas, having on 
board Rev. Mr. Coan, of 
Hilo, as delegate from 
the Hawaiian Missionary 
Society. 

After a passage of 
twenty-four days, she 
dropped anchor at Yai- 
of Tauata, about thirty 
miles south-west of Hivaoa. This island, like 
the rest of the group, is " a mass of scoria, cin- 
ders, lava, and basalt, thrown up in wild confu- 
sion, bristling with jagged points, traversed with 
sharp, angular ridges, rent with awful chasms, 
and piercing the clouds with lofty pinnacles. 
Some of the ridges and precipices are naked 
rocks, but the slopes and little valleys, where 
rain falls, are perfect Edens of luxuriance." 
For more than sixty years, this island had been 



Visiting the Morning Star. 

tahu, on the Island 



270 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

at intervals the seat of missionary operations by 
the English and French, but was now entirely 
abandoned by them. Rev. Levi Kaiwi, a Ha- 
waiian missionary, was stationed there. The 
people seemed indifferent to instruction, but 
about twenty-five attended school, and two, who 
could read, gave some evidence of conversion. 
Several persons attended morning prayers at the 
station, among whom were the chief of the val- 
ley and his wife. 

After receiving Kaiwi on board, the Morning 
Star went to Hivaoa, and stopped at the beauti- 
ful little bay of Hanatetuua, where Kawealoha 
was pastor. This bay is small, but easy of 
access ; the valley, a mile in length, filled with 
trees and shrubbery, is beautifully luxuriant, 
while a little brook of pure water runs babbling 
through it. Half a mile up this valley, covered 
with lofty trees, stands the missionary's house, 
built of stone and mortar, with a cellar, floor, 
doors, and glazed windows. This is the best 
house in the mission, and was built by Kawea- 
loha himself. 

Here was a school of twenty-six pupils, all 
females, at the head of whom was Kahiani, the 
chief of the valley, a young woman of mild 
countenance and quiet temper. There were 
seven readers in this school, and their recitations 
of the Lord's Prayer and other lessons were in 



OMOA BAY. 271 

such perfect time, and melodious tones, as greatly 
to delight the hearers. 

The Morning Star remained at this place over 
the Sabbath. Three services were held under 
the trees, while forty or fifty people stood, sat, 
or lay around. Some talked, some slept, some 
lighted their pipes and smoked, while others 
walked to and fro with muskets, staves, spears, 
and bayonets fixed on poles. The men wore the 
malo, the women a light skirt of the paper mul- 
berry, made by pounding the bark until it is 
thin and soft. Some of these are white, others 
are colored yellow with turmeric. 

From Hanatetuua our vessel proceeded to 
Omoa Bay, on Fatuhiva. '■' As we landed on the 
beach," said Mr. Coan, " we were delighted with 
the jocund rush and the joyful gambols of the 
children, who crowded around with the hearty 
' kaoha,' (the ' aloha ' of Hawaii,) and pushed 
and struggled by the dozen to get hold of our 
hands. The adults also came out in numbers, 
and we were thus escorted, by a chattering, 
laughing tlirong, to the house of the missionary. 
Mrs. Hana Kaiwi was in waiting, and received 
us cordially. The house was immediately filled 
with natives, with eyes sparkling, and faces beam- 
ing with delight. 

" Here we found Abraham Natua and Re- 
becca Hoheniho, his believing wife. Here were 



272 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

the noble and amiable Joseph Kiiekai, with face 
beaming with smiles, and Eve Hipahipa, an 
aged saint, just on the borders of a ' better land ;' 
and here was Elizabeth Kahia, wife of our Ha- 
waiian Puu, and daughter of the famed Matu- 
nui. These five, members of the church at 
Omoa, were all with one accord in one place. 
Anotlier convert was absent with the chief Ma- 
tunui, and one had gone to his final rest — seven 
in all." 

" Never," adds Mr. Coan, " have I enjoyed a 
season of deeper, purer interest than in meeting 
these tamed savages, these happy Christian con- 
verts from amid darkness the most deep, de- 
pravity the most profound, and pollutions the 
most loathsome. Abraham is a noble, steadfast 
man, and is rapidly gaining in knowledge. His 
faith in Christ is rooted and strong, and the 
scoffs of European infidelity, like the wind upon 
the sturdy oak, only give it more vigor. Not 
long before, a sneering white man said to Abra- 
ham, pointing to his lips, ' You are a missionary 
only up there.' ' No,' he said, in strong Saxon, 
' me inissionary all over.'* This he related with 
corresponding gestures and great emphasis, while 
a glow of heavenly radiance shone through the 
sable cloud of tattooing which spreads over his 
face. ' Blacky but comely ^^ said my heart, as I 
gazed with admiring wonder upon him and his 
comrades in the Christian race." 



VALLEY OF HANAVAVI. 273 

In the school at Omoa there were thirty-eight 
readers, and twenty-live writers, besides several 
who studied arithmetic, geography, and other 
lessons. 

The little church assembled in the evening at 
the pastor's house, and commemorated the dying 
love of their Lord. Every thing at this station 
was found to be prosperous and promising. 

The next visit of the vessel was to Hanavavi, 
the station of Rev. Lot Kuailielani, four miles 
from Omoa. Here the scenery is wonderfully 
beautiful and majestic. The valley is exceed- 
ingly fertile, with a living stream of water run- 
ning through it. The war spirit raged between 
the people here and those at Omoa, and armed 
savages were seen patrolling in the day, and 
prowling around after dark. Ten or fifteen men 
watched in the jungle, on cliffs, and in guard 
houses at night, that the rest might sleep. There 
was no intercourse between these hostile valleys, 
except by the Christian parties, and under the 
protection of the missionaries. While the Morn- 
ing Star was there, Kaiwi wished to send Mr. 
Coan in his boat to Hanavavi, but no one was 
willing to go unless the teacher went too. He 
assured them they would be perfectly safe, as 
the missionary would accompany them ; but all 
shook their heads and refused. At last, a boy 
in Kaiwi's family consented to go, then a second, 
18 



274 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

and with a third from the Morning Star, they 
departed ; but on landing at Hanavavi, the boys 
clung close to the missionaries until they left. 

Paumau was the next station visited by the 
Morning Star. Mr. Kekela and his wife Naomi 
had spread a bountiful table for the visitors, and 
awaited their arrival. They lived in a thatched 
house without floor or glass windows, but ex- 
pected soon to build a stone house. An exam- 
ination of the school of twenty-six scholars was 
attended ; four were good readers, and others 
were progressing. Several at this station gave 
evidence of renewed hearts. 

Here the Morning Star and her company 
spent the Sabbath, and on Monday, Captain 
Brown sent his boats to Hanahi, to carry sup- 
plies to Mr. Bicknell, because of the difficulty 
of getting in and out of the small bay at that 
place. This is less inviting than the other sta- 
tions, but Mr. Bicknell selected it on account of 
its central position, there being three villages 
within an hour's walk of it. Daniel Tohutete, 
a convert, is the chief of this valley. Mr. Bick- 
nell has also commenced a station at Hanamanu, 
which is a fine valley and well watered. This 
is the place where the Twilight was wrecked the 
previous year. 

After taking on board the families at Paumau, 
the Morning Star proceeded to Hanatapa, the 



GENERAL MEETING. 275 

station of Rev. Mr. Kaukau, where the general 
meeting of the mission was to be held. Said 
Mr. Coan, " The bay is safe, the landing good, 
the valley most luxuriant, food abundant, house 
convenient, water exhaustless, and the host and 
hostess generous, polite, and attentive. From 
the shore to the clifiF the valley is an emerald 
bower, an Eden of shade enchantingly sylvan, 
with an ample brook murmuring all the length 
of the valley. Men, women, and children flocked 
out in numbers to see us, and hailed us wel- 
come." 

All the missionaries having assembled, the 
meeting commenced April 25. Eeports from 
the stations were read, committees appointed, 
subjects discussed, obstacles and encouragements 
considered. Owing to the expense and the em- 
barrassments of the Missionary Board, some had 
feared that it might be necessary to abandon the 
mission. This subject also was freely discussed, 
and all were found in favor of continuing it. 

One said, " God sent us here, not man. He 
has preserved us, our wives and little ones in 
perils by sea, in perils among robbers, and in 
perils by war. He has given us influence and 
favor among all the people, so that our names 
are sacred, and our persons safe. He has made 
us mediators between bloodthirsty and vindic- 
tive foes. He has drawn numbers from the 



276 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

tabus, and from all heathen orgies, and made 
them our docile pupils. Above all, he has given 
us souls. There is a churchy there are Christians, 
saints here. Gospel seed has germinated, and 
we must watch and water the tender plants, lest 
they wither and die. Christ has sheep and 
lambs here ; we must stay and feed them.'' 

Kawealoha said he could not put his hand 
to the plow and look back, and he must live 
and die in his work. If the Hawaiian Mission- 
ary Society reduced their salaries from two hun- 
dred to one hundred dollars, they would remain, 
and not murmur ; and if tliey abandoned them 
altogether, they would cast themselves on Prov- 
idence and their own resources. Finally, said 
he, " I was born in a malo, I was baptized in a 
malo, I can return to my malo, and die in a malo; 
but I can not abandon the people whom I love 
more than my earthly kindred and my native 
land. Paul knew how to be full and to be hun- 
gry. He was all things to all men, that he might 
by all means save some. We can do the same. 
The climate is mild, and it is no shame to wear 
a malo here. We can live on tlie fruits of the 
land. The question of support need not decide 
our stay or removal. The question of duty is 
the only one for us to decide. I move to sus- 
tain the mission." The assent was unanimous, 
and the tears of love and rejoicing flowed. It 



SCHOOL EXAMINATION. 277 

was a beautiful exhibition of devotion to the 
cause of the Redeemer. 

During the general meeting, some time was 
spent in listening to the recitations of Kawea- 
loha's scholars, who had come three miles by 
land for an examination. All were neatly dressed 
in the white wanke^ the native costume, and all 
appeared modest, attentive, and joyful. Captain 
Brown, his officers and crew, were present, and 
the captain, with others, addressed the scholars. 
After the examination, the company dined to- 
gether under a cool arbor. All classes of na- 
tives gathered around as spectators, from the 
prattling children to old, dark-visaged warriors 
with muskets, l)ayonets, and spears. It was a 
new and delightful scene on those heathen shores. 

The Sabbath was a memorable day. Two 
natives were received to the church, and twenty 
sat down at the table of the Lord. Two sisters 
of the mission and six native members were 
absent. 

At all the stations where the Morning Star 
anchored, she was visited by crowds of people, 
who were curious to see the vessel. Even the 
smallest little girls, as full of curiosity as those 
who were older, came for the same purpose. We 
asked Captain Brown how the little things got 
on board. " Oh," said he, " they swim oif to the 
vessel, catch hold of a rope, and crawl up the 



278 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

side as fast as any monkey." One day he found 
a little girl, seven or eight years old, on deck. 
He called her, and after talking a while, he got a 
piece of calico, and pinned it around her. She 
was delighted with her present, and soon swam 
ashore. The next day she came back again with 
a flock of little girls, all wanting calico. So the 
captain gave each of them, too, a piece, but when 
he landed, he found them running about as 
naked as ever. Though the natives are all 
anxious to get articles of clothing, they will not 
wear them : having been so long accustomed to 
the free use of their limbs, they will not be 
incumbered with what they regard as useless. 

After adjourning the convention till 1861, a 
farewell prayer meeting was held. Many suppli- 
cations ascended, many thanks were ofiered,many 
tears shed. All the brethren of Hivaoa went 
home in their boats, while the Morning Star ran 
back forty miles to Fatuhiva with those who had 
come from that island. Mr. Coan went with 
Mr. Bicknell and several others, in his boat, to 
Hanahi, and from thence, with a party of six, 
crossed over the mountains to Heteani, there to 
await the return of the Morning Star. "After 
two hours of great heat and exhausting toil," 
said Mr. Coan, " we stood on the dividing ridge 
of the island, some three thousand five hundred 
feet above the ocean. Our path had led up 



MOUNTAIN SCENERY. 279 

steep and sharp ridges, from which we looked 
into awful depths five hundred, a thousand, 
or fifteen hundred feet below. In one place I 
measured the width of the ridge on which we 
were walking, and found it two feet and four 
inches ; at another place it was just one foot. 
We followed on the crest of the spurs, climbed 
over cones, and threaded our way along the 
steep sides of the hills, holding on to grass and 
shrubs, and scarce holding on at that. From 
the central summit of the island the view was 
magnificent. Such a wild assemblage of hills 
and valleys, of spurs and ridges, of profound 
gulfs and yawning chasms ; of needles more 
wonderful than Cleopatra's ; of leaning towers 
outvying the famous one of Pisa ; of cones, 
rounded, rent, ragged, upright, inclined, trun- 
cated, inverted ; of precipices at every angle, 
bald, green-carpeted, festooned, grooved, fluted ; 
of rocks piled upon rocks, of mountain tower- 
ing above mountain, of battlement frowning 
against battlement, as if a sea of molten rocks 
had been suddenly solidified while rolling in lofty 
and elevated waves, sinking in awful gulfs, boil- 
ing in caves and domes, or spouting in fiery pil- 
lars and jets against the sky ! Tlie panorama 
was sublimely grand. It mingles features of 
the beautiful with the awful ; as if Pluto had 
melted the bowels of the earth, and Vulcan had 



280 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



forged and cast them into every conceivable 
figure." A wonderful description of a most 
wonderful place ! 




A MOUNTAIN PEAK, 120 TEET HIGH. 

On the top of this mountain is a level plateau 
of a mile in width, covered with dense jungle. 
After passing through this, all the southern slope 
of the island opened before them. The descent 
they supposed would be rapid and easy ; but they 
found it far otherwise ; for it was three and a half 
hours before they reached Heteani, covered with 
perspiration and mud, and well nigh exhausted. 
Men, women, and children flocked out to see 
them ; and nowhere did they meet a more enthu- 
siastic " kaoha." The missionary Paulo Kapu- 
hako is a self-denying, laborious man ; an origi- 



VISIT TO NUKAHIVA. 281 

iial, energetic, and acceptable preacher, and the 
people loved and honored him. In the school 
there were twenty-six scholars ; and two indi- 
viduals gave hope of conversion. 

Two days after they arrived, the Morning Star 
appeared in the offing, the boat landed the sup- 
plies for the mission, and Mr. Coan departed 
under a shower of " Kaoha ! kaoha ! kaoha 
nui ! kaoha mau ! " — Love, love, great love, 
unchanging love. Old and young followed them 
to the beach, and dozens crow^ded and pressed 
to give them the parting hand. Tears coursed 
down the cheeks of the missionaries, and their 
hearts left a blessing behind. 

Tiie Morning Star ran along the southern 
shore of Hivaoa, hove to off Vaitahu, and landed 
Levi Kaiwi, then passed on to Nukahiva. Here 
Mr. Coan and Captain Brown went on shore, and 
rambled over the village, which seemed to have 
been abandoned by the French, who had occu- 
pied it. Only four Frenchmen and one bishop 
were there; every thing looked "dirty, dilapi- 
dated, and poverty-stricken," though the valleys 
were beautiful and the hills sublime. But the 
visitors could not remain ; they returned to the 
Morning Star, which spread her white sails, and 
soon the Marquesas disappeared in the distance 
behind them. 

On her arrival at Honolulu, May IG, Captain 



282 HISTORY OP THE MORNING STAR. 

Brown relinquished the command of the Morn- 
ing Star. Most ably had he navigated her, and 
carefully watched over her welfare. He was 
succeeded by Captain Gillet, who is well known 
as an experienced shipmaster. Both these gen- 
tlemen were trained in the American whaling 
service, which is considered the best of all schools 
in which to learn practical navigation in the 
Pacific. May our missionary packet continue 
to be as successful in her subsequent career as 
she has been under the management of her first 
two commanders ! 



MISSIONAPY LIFE AT APAIANG. 



283 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



MISSIONARY LIFE AT APAIANG. 




OME of our young read- 
ers, we doubt not, will 
be pleased to learn more 
of the particulars of the 
missionary's life and la- 
bors on the beautiful 
islands of Micronesia. 
We propose, therefore, 
in our closing chapter, 
to introduce them to 
" Happy Home," Apai- 

On a Missionary Tour. ^^g^ whcrO dWCU OUr 

friends Mr. and Mrs. Bingham. We have before 
described the building of the house, and its 
pleasant situation, facing the Stillwater, — the 
lagoon, — and standing in a grove of cocoanut 
trees. Some of these are very tall, especially 
one upon which steps have been nailed, and 
which is used by Mr. Bingham for a lookout. 
On the top of it is a flag-staff, from which a flag 
floats upon the ocean breeze. 

Near Mr. Bingham's house on the right is a 
neatly-thatched cottage occupied by Noa and 



284 



HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 



Hina ; the cook house in which they first lived is 
nearer the water, and contains a room for the 
accommodation of friends. In one corner of 
the inclosure which surrounds these buildings, 
is a pen made for the special accommodation of 
old Kanei's pig, and others of the same species. 
On the opposite side of Mr. Bingham's house, 
and nearest the village of Koinawa, are the two 
dwellings of Kanoa and Mahoe, in an inclosure 
by themselves. Near these is the boat house, in 
which is sheltered a canoe, and the '' Alfred," 
a small boat presented to Mr. Bingham for his 
own use by Captains Coffin and White. From 
this little cluster of houses, a pleasant shady 
walk leads to the village of Koinawa. 




ME. BINGHAM S HOUSE. 



THE MISSION FAMILY AT BREAKFAST. 285 

There are no wells in Apaiang. The mission 
families are supplied with rain water, which is 
caught in two large casks. When these fail, it 
is obtained from the taro patch, by digging in 
the ground. This last is somewhat brackish, 
and Mr. Bingham says it resembles diluted Ep- 
som salts. Not very nice, certainly ! 

It is morning, and our friends have just taken 
breakfast. Some may have the curiosity to ask 
of what it consisted, but that would be difficult 
to say, at times. Their stores are flour, beef, 
pork, beans, potatoes, rice, <fec., which are brought 
from Hawaii in the Morning Star. Tliese articles 
are, for the most part, originally from the United 
States, and months, and even years, pass, before 
they arrive in Micronesia. Many things, from 
not being properly packed, become entirely use- 
less. Once Mr. Bingham received two barrels 
of Hawaiian beef, one of which was ruined, the 
other so bad that few would have eaten it, but 
it was all the meat the missionaries could have, 
except a few pounds of salt pork which Captain 
Brown sent to them from the vessel's stores, un- 
til he returned the next year. Once the year's 
supply of flour was all bad ; then Mrs. Bingham 
made ti-poi-poi bread, which, was a poor substi- 
tute for the wheaten loaf. 

When the Morning Star reached Apaiang, on 
her third voyage, the families were destitute of 



286 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

almost all provisions except flour ; but by Mrs. 
Bingham's good management, they had not suf- 
fered. In enumerating the few things that yet 
remained, Mr. Bingham mentions " some green 
tea, which, with the caddy containing it, was 
given to Mrs. Bingham at the Sandwich Islands, 
by Mrs. Cook, and was once my own dear moth- 
er^s^ For a time, fish were supposed to be 
plenty in the lagoon, but Captain Brown says 
this is a mistake ; they are very scarce, and sel- 
dom caught. Yet in all this destitution both of 
luxuries and comforts, the missionaries never 
complain. In writing to his father, Mr. Bing- 
ham says, " I have given you some particulars 
respecting our supplies. I hope you will not 
feel in any way anxious for us, for we trust in 
our heavenly Father, and if we love him, he will 
make all things work together for our good." 
Mr. Bingham has been repeatedly iirged to re- 
turn to Honolulu, and become a pastor there, 
but he gave himself at first to the Kingsmill 
Islanders, and with them he desires to live 
and die. 

Immediately after breakfast, all assemble for 
family worship. A portion of Scripture is read, 
and God's blessing and assistance are sought 
for the duties of the day. These are various. 
Sometimes Mr. Bingham studies two or three 
hours with a native teacher. He is translating 



mSSIONARY TOURS. 287 

the New Testament, and much labor is needed 
to secure its accuracy. A part of the Gospels 
have been already printed at Ascension. 

Or perhaps Mr. Bingham and one of his assist- 
ants are to leave home on a preaching tour 
among the people. Mrs. Bingham prepares the 
food and clothing which may be necessary ; the 
little " Alfred " is launched, and the travelers 
set forth. In order to protect his weak eyes 
from the heat and sun, the thermometer indi- 
cating sometimes one hundred and forty degrees, 
Mr. Bingham puts on his goggles, covers his face 
with a kind of mask which his wife has made 
for him, and with an umbrella tries to " keep 
cool" — a very difficult matter in that tropical 
climate. When tlie boat arrives at a callage, the 
people meet him at the beach and follow him to 
the council house. Such a house is found in 
every village, and there all business is trans- 
acted. A portion of Scripture is read and ex- 
plained either by him or his assistant, and much 
conversation often follows. The good seed 
dropped in this way will doubtless spring up, 
after being watered by the Holy Spirit, and bring 
forth precious fruit. Thus they pass from vil- 
lage to village, until the time allotted to the tour 
is exhausted. 

Owing to the fatigue attending these excur- 
sions, which unfits him entirely for mental labor. 



288 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Mr. Bingham more generally leaves them to Ka- 
noa and Mahoe, whose constitutions are better 
adapted to the climate. Mr. Mahoe is a man 
of fine talents and an interesting preacher. 

While the missionaries are absent on these 
journeys, their families are left comparatively 
unprotected, and sometimes are subject to dis- 
agreeable annoyances. Once an insane man 
repeatedly visited the premises, both in the day 
and night, and alarmed the ladies by throwing 
cocoanuts on the roof, and trying to get in at 
the windows. Sometimes he came armed with 
a knife, or spear, and threatened all sorts of vio- 
lence, but by the kindness of Him who " never 
slumbers or sleeps," the man was not suffered 
to do any injury. 

Mr. Bingham is physician as well as teach- 
er. A native has perhaps been suffering all 
night from toothache, and early in the morning 
comes to have the tootli extracted. This has 
been done so often that Mr. Bingham has be- 
come very expert in this branch of dentistry. 
One day, a wife of one of the high chiefs pre- 
sented herself at the house in a sad condition. 
She had a terrible gash, about five inches in 
length, across one shoulder, and another not 
quite as long, on her breast. These had been 
made with a jackknife, by another wife, in a fit 
of anger. Mrs. Bingham prepared sticking plas- 



A MURDERED MAN. 289 

ters, and Mr. Bingham sewed up the wounds 
and dressed them, and the poor woman thank- 
fully departed to her comfortless home. 

At another time, he was called to see a man 
who had been stabbed in the abdomen. The 
wound had been inflicted two days before, and it 
was now too late to do any thing for the sufferer ; 
he died in a few hours. In their ignorance of 
disease and danger, the missionary, frequently, 
is not called until the person is beyond the reach 
of medical aid. At such times, his heart is 
weighed down with sorrow, in view of the dread- 
ful eternity which awaits the poor benighted soul, 
and fervent prayers arise for the Holy Spirit to 
descend and reveal Christ to these dying heathen. 

It has been before said that the soil of the 
island is composed almost wholly of coral sand ; 
consequently is not at all adapted for gardening. 
To afford, however, something resembling it. 
Captain Brown brought three barrels of earth 
from Ascension, which Mr. Bingham placed in 
a cavity in the ground lined with stones. Here 
tomato and other seeds were sown, and some 
gooseberry plants from Strong's Island were set. 
Bread and jack-fruit trees had been brought in 
the Morning Star and placed near the house. 
All these were carefully watered and tended, but 
the heat and long drouth dried up the tomatoes ; 
the other fruit never matured. Some of the 
19 



290 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

trees lived, but the lieat prevented them from 
thriving. Such gardening was any thing but suc- 
cessful, and all the hard work of the missionary 
was in vain. 

On one occasion a party of natives from an- 
other island came to see the missionaries. After 
showing the curiosities, — a compass, magnetized 
knife, pictures, &c., — Mr. Bingham played upon 
the flute, and a few songs were sung. He exhib- 
ited, also, the Holy Bible, and explained in a few 
words its character and teachings. After being 
thus kindly entertained, what return do our read- 
ers suppose they made ? Why, the next morning 
Mr. Bingham found that they had entered the 
cook house in the night and stolen many articles, 
— saucepan, dishes, tumblers, &c., — besides eat- 
ables. This was rather too much to lose at once, 
so the king was made acquainted with the theft, 
and through his means, one covered dish, and 
some soda and ginger were brought back ; all the 
rest were hopelessly lost. To prevent such dep- 
redations in future, Mr. Bingham made some 
shutters for the cook house windows, and fas- 
tened them on the inside. 

The missionaries had long felt the need of a 
church at Koinawa. The council house, where 
the meetings were held on the Sabbath, was open 
on all sides, and people were constantly coming 
and going. It was believed that there would be 



BUILDING A CHURCH. 291 

much less disturbance during the service if it 
was not so easy to slip in and out under the low 
roof, and that a greater number would remain 
to the end. After much deliberation, it was 
decided to build a house. Mr. Bingham and his 
assistants, with but little help from others, bought 
the land, prepared timber, raised the house, and 
in two months' time completed it. 

The Sabbath at Apaiang is a busy day. In 
the morning there is preaching at Koinawa, at 
which all the missionaries who can leave home 
attend. Mr. Bingham or one of the Hawaiians 
conducts the service, and after prayer and sing- 
ing a passage of Scripture is read and explained. 
At first, the missionaries sang alone, but some 
of the children soon caught the tunes, and now 
sing very well. The natives seem to have but 
little idea of worship, or reverence for the Deity, 
and laugh, talk, and walk about, or do whatever 
they choose. Sometimes, on entering the church, 
they take off the mat, which is their only cover- 
ing, throw it on the floor, and then sit or sprawl 
at full length upon it, and soon are fast asleep. 
If, during prayer, any cover their faces with their 
hands, some roguish fellow will cry at the close, 
" uti," — wake up ! At times, when the confu- 
sion is great, king Te-Kaiia, who has become 
very regular in his attendance, commands 
silence, but he is seldom obeyed. An unprom- 



292 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

ising congregation, indeed ! Yet, if only one is 
observed to listen attentively, or at the close 
comes to the missionary and says he wants to 
be taught longer, it is remembered with devout 
thankfulness to God. 

A Sabbath school is held after service for those 
who are willing to remain, and while a few men 
gather around Mr. Bingham, as he takes a seat 
near the king, the women and girls sit down by 
Mrs. Bingham, and listen to the simple truths 
she teaches. In her journal, she writes, " Nei 
Kaubunan (the king's favorite wife) remained 
to-day, and I had a long and interesting conver- 
sation with her. The fact that Jesus rose from 
the dead greatly astonished her." Again: "At 
Sabbath school, I sat down among some women 
near the door. They were ignorant, but inter- 
ested." " I have had of late but few little girls 
from Koinawa in my Sabbath school. I in- 
quired the reason, and learned it was because 
they were ' e ko.' This signifies that they are 
shut up in their fathers' houses, in an apartment 
inclosed by mats, so that the light can not enter, 
for the purpose of ivhitening their complexions ! 
After several weeks' confinement they are cer- 
tainly fairer, but a few days' exposure to the 
sun is sufficient to darken them again. This is 
a singular custom, but I know not that it is any 
more strange than some of the customs that pre- 
vail in civilized society." 



GIVING BIBLE NAMES. 293 

The king, when he comes to church, always 
remains until the close of the Sabbath school, 
though not as a pupil. Many are the fervent 
prayers that he may be one of the first trophies 
of grace in that dark land. 

After the Sabbath school is closed, the mis- 
sionaries return to " Happy Home." In the 
afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Bingham, with Kanoa, 
go in the little boat to Ewena, about three miles 
distant in an opposite direction, where are a 
preaching service and Sabbath school as at Ko- 
inawa. Here the people generally seem more in- 
terested, and conduct with greater propriety than 
at Koinawa. A man named Te-Babua, with 
his wife, appeared to be sincere seekers for the 
truth, so much so that they even went to Ko- 
inawa by five o'clock in the morning, to attend 
the service there. Mr. Bingham related the 
story of Lazarus, one Sabbath, in which they 
were much interested. Shortly after, he asked 
Te-Babua why he did not give his children 
Bible names. He replied that he would; his 
little boy should be called Lazarus, and the two 
girls, Martha and Mary ! 

Mrs. Bingham says, " There was one thing at 
Ewena last Sabbath that was certainly encour- 
aging. A man from Dimai, about a mile beyond 
Ewena, came to attend the service. In the pre- 
vious week he had been at our house, and Mr. 



294 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

Bingham notched a stick for him, in order that 
he might count the days, and know when the 
Sabbath returned. After service, he asked if he 
should come to our house the next day and be 
taught. He was told that he might ; and the 
next forenoon he presented himself. He ex- 
pressed an earnest desire that Mr. Bingham 
would go to Dimai on the Sabbath, and teach 
the people there. Mr. Bingham told him that 
it would be well for the inhabitants of Dimai to 
come to Ewena, it being quite near." 

For some time Te-Babua has come to church, 
wearing a shirt, pantaloons, and hat; and his 
wife in her calico dress. He is probably the first 
native man on the island who bought a dress 
for his wife. This putting off the malo and 
wearing clothing, even if but one garment only, 
(as in the case of the shirts at Strong's Island,) 
is hailed as an indication of good. Few, how- 
ever, have done this. King Te-Kaiia is some- 
times seen dressed in a long, blue calico loose 
gown, which reaches to his heels, and the next 
day, perhaps, he lays it aside, and returns to his 
malo. Women, and some children, wear sacks 
or gowns of calico, or native cloth made of the 
paper mulberry. 

Another service for preaching is usually held 
on Sabbath afternoons at a large village still 
further from " Happy Home." Mahoe and Noa 



MUSQUITO HOUSES. 295 

attend it, and generally have a good congrega- 
tion. These journeys from one village to an- 
other make the Sabbath a wearisome day. 

We have given but a meager sketch of the 
employments of the Sabbath, as, indeed, any 
description which we can give must be imperfect. 
The peculiar trials, discouragements, and enjoy- 
ments of these missionaries can be fully known 
only by themselves ; but by our sympathy, our 
prayers, and substantial aid we may manifest that 
our hearts are with them, and that we will do 
what we can to assist them. 

The week days at Apaiang are occupied with 
various employments. Mr. Bingham had long 
wished his wife to visit a distant part of the 
island ; but when other things did not prevent 
the wind would be unfavorable. At length they 
started, accompanied by one of the natives. 
The day proved so fine, and the wind so fair, 
that they extended their trip to Takarano, a vil- 
lage near the north-west extremity of the main 
land. On the extreme point were a few huts, 
which they were told were " musquito houses." 
These were placed over or near the water, and 
so constructed as to admit the breeze from the 
ocean, whose waves break on the shore near by, 
and the musquitoes, so abundant every where, 
are driven out by the force of the wind. Our 
friends entered one of the huts, which was 



296 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

SO low that only small children could stand 
upright in it. A man was there who had been 
recently tattooed, and was suffering from the 
soreness attending it. A few people gathered 
around the visitors, and Mr. Bingham talked to 
them of the only true God. After a hymn was 
sung he offered prayer, and Mrs. Bingham con- 
versed with some of the women. 

A short walk from these huts brought them 
to the village. Here they found a fine large 
council house, with a neat floor of coarse gravel. 
They seated themselves in it, and a number of 
the people collected around. A native hymn 
was sung, and they were encouraged to join in 
it. Most of these people had never before heard 
prayer in their own language. Their appear- 
ance, their noise, and drunkenness were unmis- 
takable proofs that this was a heathen village ; 
and when Mr. and Mrs. Bingham again crossed 
the lagoon, and came in sight of the little white 
cottage, with its green blinds, and the thatched 
houses around it, embowered in cocoanut trees, 
they felt from the contrast that it was indeed a 
" Happy Home." 

Apaiang has not been exempt from sickness. 
Many a day, succeeding a visiting trip, has been 
spent by Mr. Bingham either on the bed or 
lounge, his eyes bloodshot and painful. " I 
have been poorly to-day," he writes, " owing to 



DEATH OP A BABE. 297 

a twelve mile walk yesterday, under a noonday 
sun, for the sake of visiting a man who had been 
pierced with a spear." Any unusual labor on 
the Sabbath often brought on a return of his 
bronchial difficulty. Death, too, with his icy 
hand, had been there, and taken away their first 
born babe, on whom had centered many bright 
visions and pleasing hopes. The oft-visited 
grave under the cocoa shade was a pleasant 
spot, where the bereaved parents loved to talk 
of their little transplanted bud, and commune 
with heaven. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bingham felt a deep interest in 
the children of their people, and improved every 
opportunity to instruct them ; but without any 
regularity or system, progress must of course be 
slow. At length Mrs. Bingham offered a reward 
to several little girls if they would learn to read. 
They all came to the mission house for that pur- 
pose twice ; and two or three came a few times 
more. Another time she promised to give calico 
for a dress, to three little girls, if they would 
learn a certain portion of a catechism, which was 
printed on a card ; only one persevered, and re- 
ceived the reward. The king agreed to send his 
little girls to Mrs. Bingham, as soon as some 
mats for them were finished. After coming 
once, the little royal children became weary, and 
were seen at school no more. 



298 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

We should suppose that after such repeated 
efforts the kind missionary would have been 
discouraged ; but not so. She persevered ; and 
among her last letters we find, " You would be 
interested in my little school, could you look in 
upon us. Our school-room is the platform of 
the inland verandah, protected from sun and 
rain by a mat curtain, and carpeted with mats 
braided of the fresh cocoanut leaf. There are 
two classes with whom I spend an hour or an 
hour and a half each morning, one class reading 
by themselves, while I am busy with the others. 
The whole number is usually less than twelve, 
all but one of whom are girls. After some time 
spent in reading, they are taught to repeat in 
concert the ten commandments, and four hymns 
in their own tongue, besides a little of geog- 
raphy and sacred history. We close with sing- 
ing one of the hymns and repeating together 
the Lord's prayer in Apaiang. For the last two 
Sabbaths they have attended the morning service 
at the chapel, and sat quietly near me. Some 
have attended school about six weeks, and seem 
interested ; yet, were the promise of reward at 
the end of the term withdrawn, the number 
would doubtless fall off. I would beseech my 
friends in America to plead most earnestly for 
the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon this my 
little girls' school." 



TEACHING TO SEW. 299 

Mrs. Bingham taught sewing and making of 
garments, too, to all who were willing to learn. 
Te-Babua's wife, Nei-Deiti, learned to sew very 
neatly, and after they were cut out, made a calico 
dress for herself, and a shirt for her husband. 
Some friends at Honolulu sent a few calico sacks 
to Mrs. Bingham for her little pupils. These 
sacks made the little ones look so pretty, that 
others were induced to learn to sew, that they 
too might have a dress. Foreign garments of 
every kind were much coveted. Two lads from 
Tarawa were betrothed to two of king Te-Kai- 
ia's little girls, ten and twelve years of age, and 
among the valuable presents sent by the king to 
the father of the lads were /or/// shirts. 

It has been said the natives of Apaiang were 
thieves ; they were also great liars. Mrs. Bing- 
ham says, " It does seem as though there was 
not one native man, woman, or child who would 
not sooner deny the truth than speak it, if he 
could gain any advantage thereby. We can not 
trust their word, nor do they any more believe 
one another ; for it is very frequently the case 
in conversation that they accuse one another of 
lying." Even Te-Babua, whom Mr. Bingham 
had almost believed to be a Christian, was found 
to be guilty of this sin. 

Drunkenness is another vice of these islanders. 
To this is to be traced most of the horrible mur- 



300 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

ders, the broken skulls, and wounded bodies 
that come under Mr. Bingham's surgical care. 
Even the king and one of his wives became 
intoxicated, and in liis jealous fury he beat her 
so unmercifully that she fled to Taboneapa, 
where the man lived of whom he was jealous. 
The king, and a multitude of men from the dif- 
ferent villages, pursued ; but learning that the 
man was not at Taboneapa, they soon became 
weary and returned home again, after sending 
a messenger to bring the wife back. For once, 
the affair which had promised to be so bloody, 
had rather a ludicrous termination. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bingham went one day to 
Ewena, to witness one of the native dances. It 
was performed at the council liouse, one end 
being occupied by the men of Koinawa, the other 
by that of Ewena. All the performers wore long 
mats tied about their waists ; also various decora- 
tions — necklaces of shells, sharks' teeth, and 
green leaves, — their bodies being profusely an- 
ointed with oil. The dancers stood and chanted ; 
keeping time by waving their hands, clapping and 
striking their breasts and hips, and by a sliglit 
motion of their feet. Their voices were well- 
nigh deafening, though in the most perfect time. 
Occasionally the excitement was great, the stamp- 
ing heavy, while the chant, in which often oc- 
curred some spirit's name, was vociferated with 



HEATHEN SPORTS. 301 

torrific power. The two parties alternated. After 
a while, six or eight little girls stood in front of 
the Koinawa performers, and accompanied them. 
Mr. and Mrs. Bingham did not remain to see 
the dance finished. 

Another of the native sports was the " te ur- 
vae makei," — a racing of miniature canoes, 
which our friends once witnessed. This pastime 
occupies much of the time and thoughts of the 
young and middle-aged men. The boats being 
very small, the sails immensely large, and the 
outriggers extending a long distance from them, 
their speed is sometimes twelve miles an hour. 
At the conclusion of the race, all met in the 
council house for one of their heathen songs. 
These songs are quite monotonous, mostly minor, 
and chanted in a low key. Mrs. Bingham says, 
" They keep most exact time, and it would bo 
amusing to see them, were it not that one must 
think of the waste of time involved, the neglect 
of every thing useful, and their sad indifference 
to their eternal welfare. Oh that tlie Spirit of 
God would open their eyes, and make them sen- 
sible of their utterly lost condition if they con- 
tinue as they are." 

This want of employment for the people is a 
sad thing. The old saying, 

" Satan finds some mischief still 
For idle hands to do," 



302 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

is true emphatically of this people. Some time 
is necessarily spent in making of cocoanut oil 
and fishing, but this is only for their immediate 
wants. Most of the oil is bartered for " te- 
baka " — (tobacco.) The children have nothing 
to do, and grow up as their parents have done. 
While Mr. Garrette was there, a new feature in 
Apaiang life appeared. At low tide the flats 
were scoured by people of all ages, in search 
of shells and other curiosities to sell to the 
naturalist. 

One day a great many people were seen going 
to Ewena, carrying in their hands large papal 
roots. The missionaries learned, on inquiry, 
that an infant child of the king's married daugh- 
ter had died. When a death occurs in any 
influential family, presents of te-papai are cus- 
tomary. The next day the baby was carried to 
Koinawa. Mr. and Mrs. Bingham were in the 
village, and the wailing at the council house 
attracted their attention. In the center of a 
group of people sat Nei-Kaubunan, the king's 
favorite wife, holding the lifeless form of the 
little one, and chanting a song of lamentation. 
Occasionally tears choked her utterance ; then 
she would wipe them away and commence again. 
The king and the parents of the child sat near. 
Mrs. Bingham went to the mother and tried to 
express her sympathy for her. " As we walked 



CUSTOMS AT FUNERALS. 303 

home," said she, " it seemed as though that 
heathen wailing could never be forgotten. How 
different from Christian grief! " 

An uncle of the king died at a distant village 
and was brought to Koinawa. After the Sab- 
bath service, the missionaries went to the coun- 
cil house, and there, under the same mat with 
the corpse — a loathsome object — lay the wife 
of the dead man. Our friends sat down by the 
king, and asked why they did not bury the man. 
He replied that they would when the '' tabunea" 
(incantations) had been performed. These are 
to prevent further deaths. Mr. Bingham di- 
rected their attention to the only true God, 
Jehovah, who holds life and death at his sov- 
ereign disposal. A few nights afterwards, the 
inhabitants of Koinawa attempted to " frighten 
away the spirit" of the dead man, by beating 
the ground with cocoanut leaves from one end 
of the village to the other. Fires were also 
kindled. In all this some took part who had 
listened again and again to what the Bible 
teaches of the state of the soul after death. 
AYhen asked why they did it, their excuse was, 
that they were in sport. God's word on this 
point was again explained to them, and our 
friends left for home. 

In February, 1859, an eclipse of the moon 
occurred. Mr. Bingham had no almanac for 



304 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

that year, and was not aware of the event 
until his attention was called to it by Mahoe. 
When the moon disappeared, the people were 
alarmed, and the poor women in their ignorance 
performed some sort of incantation for the relief 
of the moon, which they said was "■ dead, be- 
cause killed." " Who killed it ? " "A man," 
some said ; others, that it was " the mother of 
Ten-Tewaki," the leader of the Tarawan inva- 
sion. Mr. Bingham endeavored to describe an 
eclipse to the people, but they were too ignorant 
and superstitious to understand him. 

Living with such a people as we have de- 
scribed, it is not surprising that our friends at 
Apaiang rejoiced when any vessel came to the 
island, bringing news from afar. Captains Ran- 
dall and Fairclough, in pursuing their business, 
stopped here several times a year. They were 
always welcome visitors, and many an expres- 
sion of kindness, in the form of a present, found 
its way from the vessel to the mission house. 
Once Captain Randall gave ^Jr. Bingham one 
hundred dollars, telling him to use it for his 
own comfort. He sent it to Hawaii, to purchase 
a small printing press for the Apaiang mission. 
We hope it will not meet the fate of the surf 
boat which was bought with money contributed 
by Captain Moore and his crew, and was lost in 
the passage around Cape Horn. 



VISITS OP FRIENDS. 305 

When the Morning Star returned to Apaiang 
from her last trip to Ascension she brought Dr. 
GuHck and his family. How delightful it was 
to entertain these Christian friends and fellow- 
laborers ! Mrs. Bingham says in her journal, 
" The past fortnight has brought new experiences 
to us, in that we have been permitted to enter- 
tain for two weeks the family of a brother mis- 
sionary. The social intercourse wliich we have 
enjoyed with Dr. and Mrs. Gulick has been 
delightful, and the presence of ihe children has 
made a pleasant variety in our quiet life. To- 
morrow they will leave us ; but we may hope at 
some future day to welcome them as fellow- 
laborers among these Kingsmill people. The 
vessel leaves us in comfortable health, and with 
our prayers for her safe arrival at her destined 
port." 

Thus have we followed the Morning Star, the 
children's missionary ship, through her most 
interesting history and wanderings. We have 
given, also, some account of those islands for 
whose evangelization she was brought into being ; 
those islands which, for so many long years, sat 
in the region and shadow of death, but which 
have now received the light of the gospel. The 
work that has been accomplished is great ; it is 
the work of God, performed by his Jloly Spirit, 
20 



^6 HISTORY OP THE MORNING STAR. 

through the instrumentality of his servants. 
The command of Christ, " Go ye into all the 
world, and preach the gospel to every creature," 
urged them forward ; and the promise, " Lo, I 
am with you always, even unto the end of the 
world," has been their encouragement and sup- 
port. May their reward be that of those who 
turn many to righteousness, who shall " shine 
as the stars for ever and ever." 

In that reward may the dear children who are 
stockholders in this vessel participate. Who 
of them, as they read the story of her voyages 
amid those far-distant isles of the Pacific, do not 
rejoice that they were permitted to share even 
in so small a degree in this work ? And who of 
them, too, if life is spared, will give themselves 
to a similar service for Christ ; and when they 
hear the call from many a dark land for mission- 
aries to teach dying souls the way of salvation, 
will answer, promptly and joyfully, " Here am 
I ; send me " ? 

Besides the objects more directly in view in 
the sending of the Morning Star into the Pacific, 
certain incidental benefits have resulted from it, 
of great value to commerce and civilization. 

The introduction of missionaries and missions 
into those distant islands has done much for the 
protection of vessels and crews. Formerly it 



BENEFITS FROM THE MORNING STAR. 307 

was hazardous to visit them, even for the most 
necessary purposes, of refitting or procuring sup- 
plies. If a vessel was so unfortunate as to be 
wrecked among the reefs and currents, it was 
almost sure to fall a prey to the savage islanders, 
who knew but too well the luxury of feasts on 
human flesh. Now, so extensively have mission- 
ary influences pervaded the Pacific, that most 
parts of it may be visited with entire safety. In 
not a few instances has the wrecked mariner, 
driven upon one of these remote islands, as he 
has crept timidly along the shores, or entered 
some romantic valley, been suddenly transported 
from extreme fear to an assurance of safety and 
deliverance, as he has descried the missionary's 
house or the little island church, nestled under 
tlie thick foliage of the cocoa and bread fruit. 
In the accomplishment of such a work the Morn- 
ing Star has borne a foremost part. She has 
also explored extensive regions, discovered sev- 
eral new islands, surveyed shoals and reefs, and 
reported particulars of winds and currents, 
making most important contributions to nautical 
science, and rendering navigation comparatively 
safe, where before it had been extremely dan- 
gerous. 

She has also done much towards effecting re- 
forms in the morals of seamen visiting the Pa- 
cific. Once they seemed to imagine that thoy 



308 HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR. 

were out of sight of the rest of the world, and 
might abandon themselves to the vilest hists 
without the knowledge of friends or employers 
at home. No pen can describe the excesses 
which have been practiced there ever since those 
seas began to be visited from civilized lands. 
Since, however, the commencement of missions 
in the Pacific, the reign of crime has been broken 
in upon. Reports are made of tliese things, and 
the guilty have been obliged on their return to 
meet the condemnation and reproach of the 
public. Wrong-doers are made to feel that they 
can not escape the observation of the world, 
much less of Him who will " bring every work 
into judgment, with every secret thing, whether 
it be good or bad." No vessel, probably, ever 
sent thither, has done more in effecting this 
result than the Morning Star. 

In whatever light, then, she is considered, it 
is impossible adequately to estimate the services 
of this little vessel. In a merely commercial 
and scientific view, she has been worth many 
times her cost. It is a question deserving the 
profound consideration of merchants and ship 
owners, whether they would not do well to share 
largely in the expense of supporting her. That 
expense amounts to several thousand dollars 
annually, which at present must be defrayed 
from the treasury of the American Board. It 



SERVICES TO COMMERCE. 309 

would surely be a graceful acknowledgment of 
its indebtedness for her services, if the commerce 
of our country alone should voluntarily assume 
that expense ; as to the children must ever 
remain the honor, under God, of having first 
sent her forth, fully equipped, on her mission 

of LOVE AND GOOD WILL TO MEN. 



VALUABLE AND INTERESTING BIOGRAPHIES 

FOR YOUNG LADIES. 



THE SISTERS. A Memoir of Elizabeth H., Abbie A., 
AND Sarah F. Dickerman. By Rev. Israel P. Warren, Sec- 
retary of the American Tract Society, Boston, pp. 283. 16mo, 
cloth, 50 cts. ; gilt, 70 cts. 

The biography of three young sisters is given, who seem to have 
been eminent for their personal piety, and to have learned the secret 
of doing good. The story of their lives may be read with profit by 
all young people. — New Englander. 

A charming little book. It should go into every family, especially 
where there are daughters. — Congregational Quarterly. 

An interesting sketch of three young people, who learned and 
practiced the secret of doing ^oodi. — Xew York Evangelist. 

An interesting volume ; we hope our young friends will buy and 
read it. — Boston liecorder. 

The young women whose biographies are given by their pious and 
learned pastor, were bright liglits in the Christian church, and their 
examples must have a profound and permanent effect. Though dead, 
they yet speak. The author seeks to show, and Avith success, that it 
is in the power of all persons, in the ordinary walks of life, to accom- 
plish much for the cause of the Redeemer. — Boston Journal. 

A distinguished pastor in New York city writes : — 

" I was very much pleased with the Memoir. It seemed to me that 
so simple and beautiful an exhibition of the artless, unaffected work- 
ing of the Christian life, in persons so young, must do a deal of 
good." 

THE PERSIAN FIjO"WER. A Memoir of Judith Grant 
Perkins, Daughter of Rev. Dr. Perkins, Missionary to 
Oroomiah. pp. 204. 16mo, cloth. 50 cts. 

The following are extracts from a touching note of sympathy 
which was addressed to the parents of Judith by Mrs. L. H. Sigour- 
ney, after reading the " Persian Flower," when the work was first 
published : — 

" I have but just finished your sweet ' Persian Flower,' not having 
been able to lay it out of my hands until its last word was steeped in 
tears. Beautiful and lovely being ! What a privileo-e had you, for 
twelve years, thus to watch over and aid her developments lor a 
happy eternity ! But O, that mournful journey toward Erzoroom ! 
that fearful night at the savage Zorava ! My heart too much lingers 
there, for I too am a mother, and have laid my treasures in the grave, 
and can imagine how sharp the sword that passed througli your own 

souls Well, all is over ; and you have both been sustained. 

The good Lord bless and keep you. It is but a little while ere we go 
to those for whom we mourn." 

[33] 






;, ' .m^.^^ 



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'1^ 




ANNALS OP THE POOR; or, Narratives of The 
Dairy.aian's Daughter, The Negro Servant, and The 
Young Cottager. By Rev. Legh Richmond, M. A., late 
Rector of Turvey, Bedfordshire, England, pp. 320. 18mo. 

Half a century has abated nothing from the value or interest of this 
volume. These narratives are also bound up separately, ISmo. 

THE VOICES OP THE SEA. By Rev. A. B. Rich. pp. 

32. 18mo. 

A solemn and tender address to seamen, bidding them listen to the 
instructions of God in the objects that surround them at sea. 

[23] 










CAIN" AND PATSY; or, The Gospel Preached to the 
Poor. A Story of Slave Life. With Engraving, pp. 41. 24mo. 
15 cts. 

GRACE O'GARA, the Little Mountain GL^DE ; or, How 
TO BE Happy. With 5 Engravings, pp.288. 18mo, cloth. 40 cts. 

Little Grace was a safe guide, not only on the mountain, but to 
every traveler in search of happiness. Her example may be safely 
commended to the young, who will be charmed with her story. 

[25] 



!i@@Ki^©lE ©(H10[L[B)[M[1K1, 




THE CHUiD'S DAILY FOOD. pp. 192. 24mo. 15 cts. Con- 
taining a Text of Scripture, with Questions appropriate for Young 
Children, for every Day in the Year. Illustrated. 

THE BIBLE HOUR ; or, Scripture Lessons for the Lit- 
tle Ones at Home. By the Author of " Our Pastor's Visits," 
&c. pp. 268. 16mo, cloth. 75 cts. 

These Scripture lessons are given in a most interesting style, being 
perfectly adapted to the comprehension of children. The work is 
illustrated with 21 beautiful colored engravings. 

MATTY GREGG- ; or, the Woman that did what she 
COULD. 5 Engravings, pp. 170. 18mo, cloth. 30 cts. 
A graphic, pleasing story, showing the power oflove and kindness 

to reform the idle and vicious. 

YOUNG PILGRIM. A Story illustrative of the " Pil- 
grim's Progress." For the Young. By A. L, O. E. 4 Engrav- 
ings, pp. 354. ISmo. 40 cts. 

This interesting book brings the religious life down to the capaci- 
ties and experiences of children, and will be read with both eagerness 
and profit by all classes of youthful readers. 

[31] 



FOR CHILDREN^. 




FIKST LESSONS EST GENTLENESS AND TRUTH. 
By Aunt Alice, pp. 132. Square IGmo, cloth. .30 cts. 

Duties to parents and other friends ; kindness, gentleness, honesty, 
and kindred subjects, are treated in this little work in a manner cal- 
culated deeply to interest and greatly to benefit children. 




PEARLS 



PEARLS, pp. 128. Cloth. 10 cts. 
One Pearl, or text of Scripture, for each day of the year. 



WALKS AND TALKS. By Rev. W. T. Sleeper, late Chap- 
lain of the Mass. State Reform School, at Westboro'. pp. 18mo. 

[15] 



PEEP OF DAY. 




PEEP OF DAY; or, a Series of the earliest Religious 
Instruction the Infant Mind is capable of RECEi\aNG. 
pp. 148. 18mo, cloth. 25 cts. 

LOOK UPWARD; or, the "Working Boy's Own Book. 

pp. 159. lOmo, cloth. 30 cts. 

" Every working boy," says the author, " who is a true Christian, 
is an heir of heaven, and has a golden crown and lieavcnly inheritance 
oflTered to him. Tliere is but one way in wliich this can be obtained ; 
and I know many lads have missed that way, partly from not know- 
ing, partly from not thinking ; and, with God's blessing, I want to 
help you to find it." 

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PRINTED IN U.S.A. 



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AUTHOR 

The morning star 



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