ll find a way to preserve him
from the danger in which he is placed." Thus conversing, and often
kneeling down to pray, we passed the hours of darkness.

As dawn approached, the hurricane began to abate; and by the time the
sun rose out of the eastern ocean, it had entirely ceased. As we opened
the door and gazed forth we had reason to be more than ever thankful
that we had escaped destruction. Several tall trees, a short distance
from the house, lay torn up by the roots, and huge boughs strewed the
ground in every direction. The chapel and school-house had escaped
injury; but Nanari, who went out to ascertain whether any of the people
had suffered, came back with a sad report. Several of the cottages had
been blown down, two people had been killed, and many more injured.

Leaving Maud and Lisele to attend to the house, I accompanied Nanari to
visit the sufferers. While receiving instruction as a missionary he had
been taught the simple methods to be pursued under such circumstances.
Abela, I was thankful to find, had escaped, and she assisted us in
bathing and binding up the wounds and setting the limbs of those who had
been hurt. There was sorrow for those who had been killed, but it was
not such sorrow as the heathen would have shown who have no hope.

"Jehovah is merciful, and has called our brothers to a better and
happier land than this," exclaimed those who stood around, preparing to
carry the dead to their graves.

We were not aware of it at the time--but we learned afterwards--that on
that very night a band of savage heathens were on their way to attack
the settlement with the intention of killing Nanari, and carrying off
Lisele and us as prisoners. How dreadful would have been our fate had
they succeeded, and, unwarned as we were, we should have been taken by
surprise without the possibility of escaping.

The volcano continued raging during the day, but the natives, accustomed
to see its fires burst forth from time to time, were less alarmed at it
than they were at the appearance of the comet. As I watched it, I
conceived the hope that a stream of lava, flowing down between us and
the more hostile heathen tribes, might prevent them from approaching to
attack us.

CHAPTER SIX.

LISELE AND I FEEL GREAT ANXIETY ON ACCOUNT OF OUR FATHER'S NOT
RETURNING.--TOFA ALSO HAS NOT APPEARED.--WE ARE ASSEMBLED IN THE CHAPEL,
WHEN TOFA, WITH A WHITE STRANGER, ARRIVES AND WARNS US THAT THE HEATHENS
THREATE