ile we ran the
British ensign up to the peak and cast anchor. The commotion on shore
showed us that we had struck terror into the hearts of the natives; but
seeing that we did not offer to molest them, a canoe at length put off
and paddled cautiously towards us. The teacher showed himself, and
explaining that we were friends and wished to palaver with the chief,
desired the native to go and tell him to come on board.

We waited long and with much impatience for an answer. During this time
the native teacher conversed with us again, and told us many things
concerning the success of the gospel among those islands; and perceiving
that we were by no means so much gratified as we ought to have been at
the hearing of such good news, he pressed us more closely in regard to
our personal interest in religion, and exhorted us to consider that our
souls were certainly in as great danger as those of the wretched heathen
whom we pitied so much, if we had not already found salvation in Jesus
Christ. "Nay, further," he added, "if such be your unhappy case, you
are, in the sight of God, much worse than these savages (forgive me, my
young friends, for saying so); for they have no knowledge, no light, and
do not profess to believe; while you, on the contrary, have been brought
up in the light of the blessed gospel and call yourselves Christians.
These poor savages are indeed the enemies of our Lord; but you, if ye be
not true believers, are traitors!"

I must confess that my heart condemned me while the teacher spoke in this
earnest manner, and I knew not what to reply. Peterkin, too, did not
seem to like it, and I thought would willingly have escaped; but Jack
seemed deeply impressed, and wore an anxious expression on his naturally
grave countenance, while he assented to the teacher's remarks and put to
him many earnest questions. Meanwhile the natives who composed our crew,
having nothing particular to do, had squatted down on the deck and taken
out their little books containing the translated portions of the New
Testament, along with hymns and spelling-books, and were now busily
engaged, some vociferating the alphabet, others learning prayers off by
heart, while a few sang hymns,--all of them being utterly unmindful of
our presence. The teacher soon joined them, and soon afterwards they all
engaged in a prayer which was afterwards translated to us, and proved to
be a petition for the success of our undertaking and for the conve