Lord. It was
when Nourai, one of Nasi's men, struck at me again and again with the
barrel of his musket; but I evaded the blows, till rescued by the
women--the men looking on stupefied. After he escaped into the bush I
assembled our people, and said, "If you do not now try to stop this bad
conduct, I shall leave Aniwa, and go to some island where my life will
be protected."

Next morning at daybreak, about one hundred men arrived at my house, and
in answer to my query why they came armed they replied, "We are now
going to that village where the men of wicked conduct are gathered
together. We will find out why they sought your life, and we will rebuke
their Sacred Man for pretending to cause hurricanes and diseases. We
cannot go unarmed. We will not suffer you to go alone. We are your
friends and the friends of the Worship. And we are resolved to stand by
you, and you must go at our head to-day!"

In great perplexity, yet believing that my presence might prevent
bloodshed, I allowed myself to be placed at their head. The old Chief
followed next, then a number of fiery young men; then all the rest,
single file, along the narrow path. At a sudden turn, as we neared their
village, Nourai, who had attacked me the Sabbath day before, and his
brother were seen lurking with their muskets; but our young men made a
rush in front, and they disappeared into the bush.

We took possession of the Village Public Ground; and the Chief, the
Sacred Man, and others soon assembled. A most characteristic Native
Palaver followed. Speeches, endless speeches, were fired by them at each
other. My friends declared, in every conceivable form of language and of
graphic illustration, that they were resolved at any cost to defend me
and the Worship of Jehovah, and that they would as one man punish every
attempt to injure me or take my life. The orator, Taia, exclaimed, "You
think that Missi is here alone, and that you can do with him as you
please! No! We are now all Missi's men. We will fight for him and his
rather than see him injured. Every one that attacks him attacks us. That
is finished to-day!"

In the general scolding, the Sacred Man had special attention for
pretending to cause hurricanes. One pointed out that he had himself a
stiff knee, and argued, "If he can make a hurricane, why can't he
restore the joint of his own knee? It is surely easier to do the one
than the other!"

The Natives laughed heartily, and taunted him. Meantime he