nary, the chiefs met and decided that it
should be given up, which it was forthwith without a word of complaint.
Here the brown Christian set an example to the white man, virtually a
heathen.

The new post to which my brother was appointed was on a lovely island,
fertile in the extreme, and thickly populated. Indeed it might have
been said of it, "that only man was vile." No natives appeared on the
shore to welcome him, but after a time the teachers came off in their
canoe, and gave us accounts which were far from cheering. Chiefs who
had appeared friendly had turned against them, and some had prohibited
their people from listening to the Word of God, or attending school or
chapel. I suggested to my brother that under the circumstances it might
be wiser not to land.

"What, because the enemy begins the fight shall the soldier desert his
standard?" he asked, with a look of surprise. "No, David, you would not
counsel such conduct."

I could say nothing. The teachers were of opinion that he would be
treated with indifference rather than actual hostility, at first, by the
great mass of the people, and that his life at all events would be
perfectly safe. They mentioned one chief who appeared to be more
friendly disposed towards Christianity than the rest, and to him
accordingly, we at once went to pay our court. The chief looked like a
perfect savage, with his hair long and frizzed out, his eyes rolling
wildly, and with scarcely any clothing on his dusky body. Still he
received us politely, and not without a certain dignity, and promised if
the missionary now remained he would be answerable to me for him, should
I again visit the island.

The man was still a heathen, and I felt very unwilling to put any
confidence in his promises. It was too evident to me that he wished for
a missionary for the sake of axes and saws, and other articles he
expected to obtain, rather than for any spiritual benefit he hoped to
derive from his presence. I had, however, no alternative, than to land
my dear brother with his wife and little ones, and household goods. My
only consolation was that I was able with my crew to assist in putting
up a house for him, many of the parts of which we had brought with us.

The teachers were good carpenters, and had already, with the aid of some
natives whom they had instructed, prepared some stout uprights and beams
and planks. Notwithstanding this, the rapidity with which we got up the
house