e whole village collapsed in a condition of
indescribable terror. Nowar, lame with his wounded knee, got a canoe
turned upside-down and sat upon it where he could see the whole
approaching multitude. He said, "Missi, sit down beside me, and pray to
our Jehovah God, for if He does not send deliverance now, we are all
dead men. They will kill us all on your account, and that quickly. Pray,
and I will watch!"

They had gone to the Mission House and broken in the door, and finding
that we had escaped, they rushed on to Nowar's village. For, as they
began to plunder the bedroom, Nouka said, "Leave everything. Missi will
come back for his valuable things at night, and then we will get them
and him also!"

So he nailed up the door, and they all marched for Nowar's. We prayed as
one can only pray when in the jaws of death and on the brink of
Eternity. We felt that God was near, and omnipotent to do what seemed
best in His sight. When the savages were about three hundred yards off,
at the foot of a hill leading up to the village, Nowar touched my knee,
saying. "Missi, Jehovah is hearing! They are all standing still."

Had they come on they would have met with no opposition, for the people
were scattered in terror. On gazing shorewards, and round the Harbor, as
far as we could see, was a dense host of warriors, but all were standing
still, and apparently absolute silence prevailed. We saw a messenger or
herald running along the approaching multitude, delivering some tidings
as he passed, and then disappearing in the bush. To our amazement, the
host began to turn, and slowly marched back in great silence, and
entered the remote bush at the head of the Harbor. Nowar and his people
were in ecstasies, crying out, "Jehovah has heard Missi's prayer!
Jehovah has protected us and turned them away back."

About midday, Nouka and Miaki sent their cousin Jonas, who had always
been friendly to me, to say that I might return to my house in safety,
as they were now carrying the war inland. Jonas had spent some years on
Samoa, and been much with Traders in Sydney, and spoke English well; but
we felt they were deceiving us. Next night, Abraham ventured to creep
near the Mission House, to test whether we might return, and save some
valuable things, and get a change of clothing. The house appeared to
stand as when they nailed up the door. But a large party of Miaki's
allies at once enclosed Abraham, and, after asking many questions about
me, t