ame!"

In fear and in joy we united our praises. Truly our Jesus has all power,
not less in the elements of Nature than in the savage hearts of the
Tannese. Precious Jesus! Often since have I wept over His love and mercy
in that deliverance, and prayed that every moment of my remaining life
may be consecrated to the service of my precious Friend and Saviour!

CHAPTER XLII.
"SAIL O! SAIL O!"

ALL through the remainder of that night I lay wide awake keeping watch,
my noble little dog lying near me with ears alert. Early in the morning
friends came weeping around us. Our enemies were loudly rejoicing. It
had been finally resolved to kill us at once, to plunder our house and
then to burn it. The noise of the shouting was distinctly heard as they
neared the Mission premises, and our weeping, friendly Natives looked
terror-struck, and seemed anxious to flee for the bush. But just when
the excitement rose to the highest pitch, we heard, or dreamed that we
heard, a cry higher still, "Sail O!"

We were by this time beginning to distrust almost our very senses; but
again and again that cry came rolling up from the shore, and was
repeated from crowd to crowd all along the beach, "Sail O! Sail O!"

The shouts of those approaching us gradually ceased, and the whole
multitude seemed to have melted away from our view. I feared some cruel
deception, and at first peered out very cautiously to spy the land. But
yonder in very truth a vessel came sailing into view. It was the _Blue
Bell_ Captain Hastings. I set fire to the reeds on the side of the hill
to attract his attention. I put a black shawl as a flag on one end of
the Mission House and a white sheet on the other.

This was one of the vessels that had been to Port Resolution, and had
sailed past to Aneityum some time ago. I afterwards saw the mate and
some of the men wearing my shirts, which they had bought from the
Tannese on their former visit. At the earnest request of Messrs. Geddie
and Copeland, Mr. Underwood, the owner, had sent Captain Hastings to
Tanna to rescue us if yet alive. For this purpose he had brought twenty
armed men from Aneityum, who came on shore in two boats in charge of the
mate, the notorious Ross Lewin. He returned to the ship with a boat-load
of Mr. Mathieson's things, leaving ten of the Natives to help us to pack
more and carry them down to the beach, especially what the Missionary
thought most valuable.

The two boats were now loaded and ready