able, could be absolutely reposed in him;
and in trial or danger I was often refreshed by that old Teacher's
prayers, as I used to be by the prayers of my saintly father in my
childhood's home. No white man could have been more valuable helper to
me in my perilous circumstances; and no person, white or black, could
have shown more fearless and chivalrous devotion.

When I have read or heard the shallow objections of irreligious
scribblers and talkers, hinting that there was no reality in
conversions, and that Mission effort was but waste, oh, how my heart has
yearned to plant them just one week on Tanna, with the "natural" man all
around in the person of Cannibal and Heathen, and only the one
"spiritual" man in the person of the converted Abraham, nursing them,
feeding them, saving them "for the love of Jesus"--that I might just
learn how many hours it took to convince them that Christ in man was a
reality after all! All the skepticism of Europe would hide its head in
foolish shame; and all its doubts would dissolve under one glance of the
new light that Jesus, and Jesus alone, pours from the converted
Cannibal's eye.

CHAPTER XX.
A TYPICAL SOUTH SEA TRADER.

THE prejudices and persecutions of Heathens were a sore enough trial,
but sorer and more hopeless was the wicked and contaminating influence
of, alas, my fellow-countrymen. One, for instance, a Captain Winchester,
living with a native woman at the head of the bay as a Trader, a
dissipated wretch, though a well-educated man, was angry forsooth at
this state of peace! Apparently there was not the usual demand for
barter for the fowls, pigs, etc., in which he traded. He developed at
once a wonderful interest in their affairs, presented all the Chiefs
around with powder, caps, and balls, and lent among them a number of
flash-muskets. He urged them not to be afraid of war, as he would supply
any amount of ammunition. I remonstrated, but he flatly told me that
peace did not suit his purposes. Incited and encouraged thus, these poor
Heathen people were goaded into a most unjust war on neighboring tribes.
The Trader immediately demanded a high price for the weapons he had
lent; the price of powder, caps, and balls rose exorbitantly with every
fresh demand; his yards were crowded with poultry and pigs, which he
readily disposed of to passing vessels; and he might have amassed great
sums of money but for his vile dissipations. Captain Winchester, now
glorying in the