id, pardon would
be theirs; if not, they would be hunted down until all were
destroyed.

Next morning the assembly took place in front of the castle gate.
The King of Ternate, surrounded by all his principal councilors and
warriors, took his place, while the fighting men stood around him.
The priest mounted on the platform of the wall, the governor
standing beside him to interpret.

The Englishmen, much amused at the ceremony, stood at a short
distance off. They did not wish to be recognized by any of the
people of Ternate, as it was possible that some English vessels
might again come into these seas, and they did not desire that the
pleasant remembrance of the visit of the Golden Hind should be
obliterated, by the sight of some of its crew in alliance with the
Portuguese.

The priest began an elaborate explanation of the Christian
religion, which he continued for the space of two hours; to the
surprise and astonishment of the natives, who could not, of course,
comprehend a single word that he said. Then he paused, and turning
to the governor said:

"Will you translate this, for the benefit of these benighted
heathens?"

"I fear," said the governor, "that it will be impossible for me to
do full justice to your eloquent words; and, indeed, that these
poor wretches would scarcely take in so much learning and wisdom
all at once; but in a few words I will give them the sense of what
you have been telling them."

Then, lifting up his voice, he addressed the king.

"There is only one God. These idols of yours are helpless, and
useless. We have brought ashore those from your war canoes, which
my men will now proceed to burn, and you will see that your gods
will be unable to help themselves. Indeed, they are not gods, and
have no power. God is good, and hates wickedness. All men are
wicked. Therefore He would hate all men; but He has sent His Son
down, and for His sake pardons all who believe in Him.

"Now, if you believe in Him, as I tell you, you will be pardoned
both by us and by God. If you do not believe, we shall kill you
all, and you will be punished eternally. Now you have the choice
what to do."

The matter, thus pithily put, did not require much consideration.
After a short consultation between the chiefs, the king demanded
what ceremonies would have to be gone through, to become
Christians; and was informed, by the governor, that the only
ceremony would be that he would have to declare himself a
Chris