irst
that we were compelled to leave our own land because of hunger!

Teachers were placed amongst the people; many sickened and died. There
was a time of great trial, but how changed is everything now! Four years
pass on, and, in 1882, we visit them. We left Port Moresby, and arrived
at East Cape on a Sunday. Morning service was finished, and, from the
vessel, we saw a number of natives well dressed, standing near the
mission house, waiting to receive us. The teachers came off, and with
them several lads, neatly dressed. After hearing from them of the work,
and of how the people were observing the Sabbath, we landed, and were met
by a quiet, orderly company of men, women, and boys, who welcomed us as
real friends. The first to shake hands with us was a chief from the
opposite side of the bay, who in early days gave us much trouble, and had
to be well watched. Now he was dressed, and his appearance much altered.
It was now possible to meet him and feel he was a friend. We found Pi
Vaine very ill, and not likely to live long; yet she lived long enough to
rejoice in the glorious success of the Gospel of Christ, and to see many
of those for whom she laboured profess Christianity. We were astonished,
when we met in the afternoon, at the orderly service--the nice well-tuned
singing of hymns, translated by the teacher, and the attention, when he
read a chapter in Mark's Gospel--translated by him from the Rarotongan
into the dialect of the place. When he preached to them, all listened
attentively, and seemed to be anxious not to forget a single word. Two
natives prayed with great earnestness and solemnity. After service all
remained, and were catechised on the sermon, and then several present
stood up and exhorted their friends to receive the Gospel. Many
strangers were present, and they were exhorted to come as often as
possible and hear the good news. Then, again, others offered prayers. We
found that numbers came in on the Saturday with food and cooking-pots,
and remained until Monday morning. They lived with the teachers, and
attended all the services, beginning with a prayer-meeting on Saturday
night.

During our stay of a few days, they all remained at the station, and we
saw much of them. The teachers said there were twenty-one who professed
faith in Christ and had given up heathenism and desired baptism. We
visited further on to the east, and we were a week away on our return to
East Cape, and after