'"
We all heartily agreed with the missionary in this sentiment, and felt
not a little gratified to find that the opinions which Jack and I had
been led to form from personal observation on our Coral Island were
thus to a great extent corroborated.
The missionary also gave us an account of the manner in which
Christianity had been introduced among them. He said: "When
missionaries were first sent here, three years ago, a small vessel
brought them; and the chief, who is now dead, promised to treat well
the two native teachers who were left with their wives on the island.
But scarcely had the boat which landed them returned to the ship, than
the natives began to maltreat their guests, taking away all they
possessed, and offering them further violence, so that, when the boat
was sent in haste to fetch them away, the clothes of both men and women
were torn nearly off their backs.
"Two years after this the vessel visited them again, and I, being in
her, volunteered to land alone, without any goods whatever, begging
that my wife might be brought to me the following year--that is,
_this_ year; and, as you see, she is with me. But the surf was so
high that the boat could not land me; so with nothing on but my
trousers and shirt, and with a few catechisms and a Bible, besides some
portions of the Scripture translated into the Mango tongue, I sprang
into the sea, and swam ashore on the crest of a breaker.
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