heathens, and he had expected to find them in the same condition. Two
native catechists had, however, been for some time among them, and an
English missionary had a few months before arrived, whose house was
situated on the shores of another bay at a little distance; he had been
sent for, and would probably, ere long, be on board. Peter, knowing the
treacherous character borne by many of the South Sea Islanders, had
resolved not to allow his crew to go on shore, or permit more than a few
natives at a time on board; he had now, however, no fears for the safety
of his ship.

Peter was in his cabin, when a message was brought him that a canoe was
coming off, with a white man in her.

"He must be the missionary," he said, and hurried on deck to welcome
him. The canoe came alongside, and an old man in a seaman's dress, with
white hair streaming from under his hat, stepped on board. Peter,
shaking him by the hand, inquired whether he was the missionary he was
led to expect would pay him a visit.

"Oh, no, sir! he is a very different sort of man to me; I only wish I
was him," was the answer. "He will be here soon, I doubt not. I came
aboard to ask whether the ship was homeward bound, and you would let me
work my passage in her; I have got some strength left in my old arms
yet."

"I'll gladly give you a passage, my man," said Peter, "if you desire to
return to England. Have you been long out in these parts?"

"Ay, sir, many a year--I forget how many, for I lost all count of time
when I lived among the savages, but I reckon it carefully now since I
have been brought to my right mind by Mr Wilson, the missionary you
have heard tell of."

"I should have thought that at your age you would have been content to
remain with him and lend him a helping hand," answered Peter, trying to
restrain hopes and feelings rising in his breast which he feared might
be disappointed. "The assistance of a Christian white man would be of
great value to him."

"That maybe, sir," answered the old man, "but there are those at home I
long to see again. I left them years ago, and was shipwrecked upon
these islands. For some time I had no chance of escaping. Living among
the savages here, I grew to live as they lived, and forgot my home and
friends. Since I have learned to love God I have been longing to see my
family again, but I have not been able to get back, for I have been away
on the other side of the island each time a ship has