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THE MORNING STAR - MISSIONARY VESSEL

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AN EXTRACT FROM THE
ALFRED RESTIEAUX MANUSCRIPTS
 
Referencing the
Morning Star

In 1867 about Christmas, he sent George Bridges, his mate to Honolulu asking Mr. Williams to supply another schooner as the 'Blossom' could not do all the work. He also wrote for a trustworthy man to take charge of the station at Ponape. So Williams sent the schooner 'Malolo', about thirty tons and engaged me to go to Ponape. We left the 'Malolo' February lst, 1868 and arrived at Milli on March, lst.1868. George Bridges, Captain, Alfred Wright mate, myself passenger and a kanaka crew. At Milli, we found Pease had landed four hundred barrels of oil and as he had no on else he could trust, he had left his mate, Mr. Briggs in charge. Bridges asked me to take charge of the station.

As Pease had now no mate, I landed and Briggs went on board. When they got to Ponape, they found Pease had chartered the brig 'Annie Porter' and loaded her and gone to Shanghai, leaving instructions for Bridges to give the schooner to Briggs and take the 'Blossom', load her and go to Honolulu with letters to Mr. Williams. As the 'Blossom' and cargo were worth much more than the 'Malolo', Mr. Williams was not satisfied, so he sent Bridges back in the 'Morning Star' with power of attorney to act for him.

He met Pease at Ponape. Pease explained that by chartering the 'Annie Porter', he had taken his trade to a good market but said he, If Williams is not satisfied, Glover Dow & Co. of Shanghai are willing to pay so much for his interest in the business. This appeared to Bridges to be all right so he went back to Williams who was satisfied with the sum offered, but he wanted the affair settled at once. He was very religious and believed all the Missionary's lies about Pease. So he asked Bridges to go again and settled the affair, but Bridges did not like to leave his family so long.

So Williams sent Briggs who had been mate with Pease. Instead, Briggs met Pease and told him what he had come for. All right, said Pease, Come on board. I am going to Shanghai and we can settle this right away. When he arrived at Shanghai, Briggs found all as Pease has said. So the affair was soon arranged. But when Briggs wanted the money, Ah, No, said Pease. I do not choose to trust you with so much. But I have the power of attorney. I don't care a damn what you have, that money will be paid to the American consul, then I know Mr. Williams will get it. What, Pease told the consul, I do not know, but that is the way it was settled.

morning star

Missionary Vessel Morning Star

The Consul only gave Briggs enough to take him back to Honolulu. Mr. Williams was satisfied as he got his money. He wrote to me telling me he had sold out to Glover Dow & Co. and that I was to look to them for my pay. I did not like it but I had to put up with it. I never got a cent.

I will now tell you about the fight Pease had with the natives at Mia, Pingalap. I think that was the name but am not quite sure. The last voyage Pease made in the 'Blossom', the natives asked him to leave a trader, saying they had plenty of nuts to make oil. So he landed Dick Hamilton, a native of Victoria, Australia so he took a good stock of trade provisions and carted them on shore. I suppose the site of so much trade tempted them so they determined to have it without the trouble of making oil. But Dick Hamilton was a big stout young fellow and they did not like to tackle him. So they cooked a nice fish for his supper, he ate it and was soon helpless, poisoned. Then they took all he had, even smashed the casts and made knives off the hoops. When he recovered, he had nothing, only the clothes he wore.

He was a sensible man and he made the best of it. He made friend with the people. He told me they did not treat him badly. He got his share of what there was to eat, they gave him a woman, they even let him smoke some of his own tobacco. But when Pease came back, they ran him into the bush and kept him there. Where is Dick? Said Pease. He had gone to the other end of the Island to make oil with the King, his casks are nearly all full. We want you to land some more here, we had plenty of nuts.

Now Pease done wrong, he ought to have seen Dick before landing any more, but as he said he was in a hurry, so he landed another man with more trade and casks. They did not trouble to poison him, he was old and weak so they just took his stuff and laughed at his threats. When he and Dick met, Dick said, We are in a fix but do as I have done, make friends with them until we can get away. If no ship come soon, we will steal a canoe and get away that way. But the old man would not make friends. When they offered him a woman, he would not take her. Then he could not live on native food and was almost starved. Then the young fellows jeered at him and pushed him about. When he had occasion to go to the beach, the boys came behind and poked him with sticks and threatened him with their toy spears and altogether they nearly worried him to death.

Capelle's schooner came along at last and Captain Milne took them on board and gave them a passage to Maderu where they began trading for Pease. The schooner 'Spec' came to Milli to land Hazard who had been to Ebon on business. I was on board and they told me all about it. When Pease returned from China shortly afterwards of course. I told him what I had heard. I do not believe it, said Pease. It is one of Milne's damned lies. They would not dare to play such a trick on me. Well, said I, You can soon find out. You have a cargo to run over to Maderu.

That is what I mean to do, said he. The brig, she was the 'Water Lily' of London but he called her the 'Pioneer', when Hayes got her, he called her the 'Leonora'. She was well armed, having four guns, I think six pounders on each side, two guns swivel on each quarter and had a big gun on the station, he mounted that on the forecast - eleven guns in all. Then he had lots of small arms and cavalry sabers on board for trade. He went to Maderu and found what I had told him was true and more as the old man had died from the effect of the ill treatment he had received. Pease was furious, he took Dick Hamilton and Frank Coffin on board. He had already several white men there. Pease had a large crew, Malays or Manila men, he said, They were better and cheaper than kanakas and a lot of Gilbertese men. All ready for a fight, it was fun for them.

Dick had told Pease that the natives had told him they meant to take the next ship that came to the Island so he kept a long way off. A whole fleet of canoes came off. Pease said, He thought they meant mischief. Of course, they did not know it was him as he had a new ship. When he thought they were near enough, he turned on them and ran down as many canoes as he could shooting the natives in the water. They took about half a dozen prisoners. Pease then landed with a strong party. The natives stood firm but could not stand against fire arms so they soon ran. Then he burned the village, smashed the canoes, cut and hacked the trees, done all the harm he could until night, then they left. As Pease said, Giving them a lesson, they would not forget in a hurry. The prisoners, he treated well and told them, why he had punished the Islanders.

He landed them with traders at different Islands to learn white men's ways. He intended to take them back after a bit, but I do not know if he did so or not. I asked him if he would not get into trouble about it, he said, I must risk that. Our country will not protect traders so we must protect ourselves. He landed Frank Coffin with me, he and Dick Hamilton told me all about it. Pease then went to the Gilberts, arriving at Abaiang, he fell in with the 'Morning Star'. This was just after the row Mrs. Bingham had with the people there.

A native who spoke English, Holy Joe, I think it was, told Pease that the people meant to attack the 'Morning Star'. Pease went and told the Captain and asked when he would be ready for sea. Not before tomorrow afternoon as we are breaking up the Mission here for the present. Well, said Pease, I will stay until you leave and if the niggers want a fight, they can have it. He done so, then the 'Morning Star' went to Honolulu and said, Pease was cruising about the Islands with an armed brig, killing and robbing inoffensive natives. Another sample of Missionary gratitude, he said to me.

When he came first to the Islands where he told me his instructions from Mr. Williams were, Do not go against the Missionaries but help them all you can. He tried to do so. On his first voyage, he went to Maui and found them short of trade and provisions. You know they are traders as well as Missionaries. As he was going to Honolulu, he let them have all the trade he had and what provision he could spare all at cost price. As soon as he was gone, they started underselling him with his own goods.

This is what Pease told me, speaking of it in company with Capelle, Milne, Antoine and others. He said, To think of his playing me such a trick as that after I cured the son-of-a-bitch of the pox. Mr. Snow had a native sore that would not heal and Pease gave him some salve that did cure it. Milne trying to do all the harm he could, told Mr. Snow what Pease had said but gave the disease its scientific name. Antoine who was present blurted out, No, he said, You got the pox, by God. All right, said Snow, I quite understand, but it was not that. How could I possibly get that? Antoine said, I ketched it by Gaud. I suppose he thought, if Snow went where he was, he ketched it too, by Gaud.

Dan Hall who was trading for Pease wanted to get married so he went to the Missionary and said, Mr. Snow, I want you to marry me. Yes, Dan and who is the lucky lady? So and so, naming one of his pet pupils. Well, you can't get her! Why not? Do you want to know, well I will tell you. I do not think you are good enough to marry a good Christian girl. Don't you? Well, I shall go on fu----- her as usual. It was only in compliment to you, I offered to marry her. We were a rough lot then but if Missionaries insult people, they must expect to get nasty answers some time.

Pease might now have done very well. He had a good ship well found and capital behind him. Instead of attending to his trading business, he started a timber trade. He bought and leased all the timber land he could get at Ponape. He tried to do the same thing at Strongs Island (Kasai), but the natives would not sell for lease of land. He took samples of the wood to Shanghai and made a contract with the Chinese government for timber. The firm sent a Captain Coe to Ponape as manager. Coe brought a gang of Chinese woodcutters and a shipwright to cut timber and direct operations. But Coe and the shipwright done nothing but drinking. The Chinaman left to themselves done as they like which was very little.

When a big ship came, instead of having a cargo ready, there was not a stick cut. As the ship was on demmurage, they cut anything they came to and sent her back. The Chinese government rejected the timber as not according to contract and it had to be sold for firewood. It did not fetch what the freight came to so he went on. Coe at last drank himself and the foreman got very sick and went back to Shanghai. Pease trying to put things right at Ponape neglected his trading station. We were left without supplies. Other people got trade and other stuff.

Pease also picked up some drunken useless fellows in Shanghai. They robbed right and left too. This could not go on. The firm was ruined in 1869. The German trading brig 'Stella' Captain Hansen. Liveson who was afterwards killed in New Britain was mate, came into Milli leaking badly. They did not come to the station but as Hazard was away, they went to Ebon where Capelle then was. As they could do nothing to stop the leaking, the Captain decided to leave the ship in charge of the mate and return to Samoa for men and materials to repair her. Pease came in to Ebon and decided that he would go to Samoa too, so he offered Captain Hansen a passage which he accepted.

When they arrived at Samoa, Pease went and saw Mr. Weber, the Manager of Goddefrays' firm and propose that he and they should join and worked the Carolines, the Marshalls and the Gilbert Groups between them. Weber heard all he had to and said, Get all the information he could and then told them Goddefrays did not need partners, they had plenty of capital and had already made arrangements with Mr. Capelle to work the groups themselves. So Pease had his trip to Samoa for nothing, then worse still he fell in with Hayes.

After Hayes lost his vessel the 'Rona', he commanded his vessel for Macfarlane of Samoa, getting into some trouble with the natives, kidnapping I believe. The seized the vessel, made Hayes prisoner and handed him over to John Williams, the British Consul in Samoa. He put men in charge of the vessel and as there was no jail in Samoa, then Hayes was a sort of prisoner at large awaiting the arrival of a British Man-of-War to try the case. Meeing Pease, Hayes told him the fix he was in and asked him to give him a passage to Shanghai. Being a countryman, Pease agreed. So when the brig was ready for sea Hayes went on board with some friends to see Pease off.

When the boat was going on shore his friends said, Come Hayes, are you ready to go ashore? Not quite! Then to the pilot Hamilton, Can I go ashore in your boat? Certainly, said Hamilton. Then to his friends, Do not wait for me, I will come with Hamilton. When the pilot was leaving, He said, Come Hayes, let us go. Oh, no said Hayes, I am going to Shanghai. Give my love to all on shore, and tell him I will come back some day if ever I do. So the pilot had to go without him.

Then Hayes made a proposal to Pease. As he had been Master of Macfarlane vessel, of course he knew all their stations and traders, so he said, Let us go and get all the stuff and divide the blunder. Pease agreed. They stripped all the stations and got a lot of cotton fungus, bechedelamer? and left.

They then went to Wallis Island and Pease played the little game on Dorran I told you off. I asked Pease if he would not get into trouble for taking Hayes away. Oh, no said he, Williams the Consul knew all about it. Mrs. Macfarlane is his daughter and some say partner as well. If Hayes was convicted, the vessel would be condemned as well. So it is better for them all that Hayes should get away.

At Strongs Island, Hayes and Pease had a great row about the plunder of Macfarlane's stations. Pease claimed half of it was the agreement, he said. Hayes said, No, it was all his, he had shifted it as freight. Pease called him a liar and said he was a trader, not a common carrier. Hayes called him a bloody pirate. He said, Pirate or not, he was not a damned mean kidnapper. So it went on. At last Hayes said, You do not appear to know who I am. I know more about you than perhaps you are aware of, but I am Ben Pease and am not to be scared by Bully Hayes or any other Bully. Now Hayes was a much bigger and stronger man than Pease, but Pease always went around and was the best and quickest shot and Hayes knew it as they had been practising a few days before.

Hayes valued his carcass too much to run anywhere so he left the matter dropped. They did not speak for a few days, then they made it up and appeared to be better friends than before. A great many years ago, a Captain Cheyne or Shane was trading to the Caroline and Marshall Islands. It must have been eighty years ago at least as there was a man on Ponape when I was there in 1870 who had been there over forty years and was landed by Captain Cheyne or Shane on his last voyage.

Now, the Captain had bought a good lot of land at Ponape. Pease had got his firm to buy from his representative in China for a trifle all Captain Shane's rights at the Islands and had all the papers. Among the lands owned by the Captain was a fine piece of land at Port Modoc, Ponape.

The Missionaries wanted this land to build a station on. So they went to the chief and asked him to give it to them. No, he said, I cannot give it to you as it is not mine, it belonged to Captain Shane. Oh! but he is dead long ago, said they. Never mind, said the chief, Someone may come and claim it. So I am afraid to give it to you.

As the chief would not give it, they took it and built their station. When Pease heard of it, he went to the chief and asked him what he meant by giving his land to the missionaries. I did not give it, they took it. Pease went to the Missionary and told him if he did not remove the station at once, he would burn it. So they removed it and he built a trading station there and gave charge of it to John Silva a Portuguese negro.

In 1869, the United States Man-of-War 'Jamestown' visited the Islands. When she went to Ponape, the Missionaries complained to the Captain that Pease had taken their land by force and built a trading station on it. Without making any enquiries, he went to John Silva and told him, unless he removed it within two hours, he would set fire to the station. John Silva left and the Missionaries took the land again - a piece of injustice. He ought to have heard both sides of the question before deciding. The Captain then wrote a letter to Pease threatening all sorts of things. I heard the letter read, I forget the exact words but it was very strong. Hayes worked on this and made Pease afraid to go to Shanghai. So he decided to send the brig to Shanghai in charge of Pitman the mate and stay at the Islands until he saw how things went.

When the brig got to Shanghai, Hayes claimed all Macfarlane's stuff and got it and sold it well. So you see Pease got all the blame and Hayes the profit of that little transaction. Hayes also got the vessel and ran away with her to the Islands. But that is another story I think I told you something about it before. I have heard two stories about Pease's death. One was that he jumped overboard from a Spanish Man-of-War, the other, that he was killed in a fight with a negro at Bonin Islands. I do not know which is true, perhaps neither, but there is no doubt he is dead.

I will now tell you about trouble Mr. Bingham had at Abaiang. Mr. Bingham or as he was called when he was in Honolulu, the Reverend Captain Bingham was the son of the Reverend Doctor Bingham, one of the earliest missionaries in Oahu. He brought the new 'Morning Star' in 1866 or about that time. But although a good missionary, he was not fitted to be a Master of a ship. I have been told he was a first class navigator but no seaman and then there was no discipline on board. The men done as they liked, so after a couple of trips, he gave it up and took charge of the mission at Abaiang. The mission made nothing by that as they gave the vessel to a smart Swede who lost her at Strongs Island on his first trip.

Mr. and Mrs. Bingham done very well at first. They had a Girls' School and all was going well when a young chief got fond of one of the girls and was found out. Bingham was of course very angry. A few days after, as the young fellow was passing the mission, one of the Ohau assistants said, There is the fellow that seduced so and so. Catch him, said Bingham. So they caught and he gave him a sound flogging, tied up to a tree.

Perhaps he deserved it, that is a matter of opinion, but it was bad policy. If he had only been a commoner, but a chief, the island was up in arms. Directly, there was a fight, one of the Ohau assistants was shot in the shoulder. He recovered but lost the use of his arm. They burned the church and I think the school. Some of them said, You want to stop our f---ing do you? If you do not leave, we will serve your wife the same way. As I told you, the mission was broken up.

Then a complaint was made to the American Government that the natives had, without propagation, destroyed mission property to the value of so much. Now the mission was built by the native's own labour and money. No matter for that, the mission claimed it all. A Man-of-War was sent to investigate. The Captain heard one side of the question and a Yankee man decided for the missionaries and ordered the natives to pay the sum claimed. The natives protested. No use, might was right in those days. If the money was not paid by a certain date, the Captain would do all sorts of things.

Well, the poor devils raised the money. Hayes came along and heard of it and claimed the money for a debt they owed Pease. They said, it belonged to the Missionaries and told him what the Captain had threatened. No matter, the Man-of-War was not there and Hayes was and if they did not give up the money, he would do, I don't know what. Hayes got the money.

When the Yankee came, Where is the money? Captain Hayes came and took it away by force. Back to Honolulu then after Hayes. They caught Hayes in Samoa but Frank Benson and the mate both perjured themselves and got him off. Whether the Missionaries ever got their money or not, I do not know but they certainly had no right to it. This is the story as it was told me by several different white men and was confirmed by Holy Joe, a native of the Island. I will tell you about him, bye and bye.

Now, about the fellow, they called Holy Joe. He was a native of the Gilbert Group, I think of Abaiang. It was there, I saw him. He was a great pet of the American Missionaries. He read and wrote and spoke English. Possibly, he helped to translate the Bible so he told me. Then, they took him to Honolulu to help to write and get it ready for the press. He said, They fed and clothed him well but gave him no money. As they would not let him run round in the evening as he wanted to, but they kept him busy. They brought him forward all they could and showed him off as they sampled of what they could do with the natives of the Islands. It appeared to me, they made too much of him and spoiled him. They got up a great Missionary meeting at the biggest church in Honolulu and sent him up to preach. After the sermon and collection was made, of course, they got lots of money.

Next morning, a white man for fun or mischief said, Well Joe, you have plenty of money now. No, said Joe, I have none at all. Where is all the money you got last night for preaching? Was all that mine? Of course it was and do not let the missionaries cheat you out of it. Joe went to the Missionary and asked him for his money. What money? Said the Missionary. The money the people gave me last night for preaching. Oh, no! That is not yours, it belongs to the Society. Am I to get none of it? Certainly not, it all belongs to the Society. Joe said, If they did not give him his money, he would have no more to do with them. Joe got no money and left them. When he got back to the Islands, he was one of the most bitter enemies they had.

When I saw him on board of Hayes's brig, he said, the American missionaries were a set of damned rogues who only came to the Islands to rob kanakas. I do not know if that is true, but I fancy I have heard some white men say something very like the same about them.

In 1873, Joe went trading for Hayes and got into debt of course, so did everyone else who had dealings with him. Finding he could do no good trading, when Captain Peters came to the Island in the brig 'Swannie' in 1874, he engaged with him to go and worked on the plantations in Samoa for a term. When Hayes fell in with the 'Swannie' and hearing Joe was there, he went on board. He stormed and said, Joe was in his debt and that if he did not sign an agreement for Hayes to draw his wages until the debt was paid, he would take him out of the ship. Captain Peters said, Captain Hayes I will not allow Joe to sign any such agreement and you cannot take him, he is under contract with the factory for a term and I will keep him.

Hayes went on, at last Peters said, What is the use of talking like that, Come and have a glass of grog and say no more about it. When Joe told me about it at Nukufetau, he seemed astonished that anyone should dare to speak to the Great Bully Hayes like that. But that was the only way to deal with him. Appear to be afraid and it was all up with you. Joe went to Samoa and that was the last I ever saw or heard of Holy Joe. He was a rascal, no doubt but a smart intelligent fellow for all that. There are plenty worse than he was.

I will now tell you how Hayes got and lost he schooner 'Nova'. When I was in Ponape in 1870, the latter end of the year, the natives told me there was a schooner from China in middle harbour. I knew it was not for me or she would have come into our own harbour, Port Laud so I did not go on board. In the evening, two white men came to see me from her, one of the owners and the mate. They told me she was the schooner 'Theresa'?? from Japan on a trading and beche de la mer adventure. She was owned by two Frenchman and an Englishman.

The eldest and principal partner was an engraver by profession. The other Frenchman had been in Shanghai and was Captain. The Englishman was or had been a merchant clerk. They said, She had been a fine schooner, but was now getting old. The partners could not agree. The old man wanted to boss everything. Whatever one proposed, the others were against. Of course, things could not go on like that, so they went to Fiji and dissolve the partnership and the Englishman had her all to himself. I heard he was a great rogue and swindled both his partners. Now, he started on his own account.

All went well until he got to Milli where he fell in with Hayes. Hayes went on board, had a talk and invited him on board the brig. He told the Frenchman, he was quite independent of trading as he had enough to tie him on without it but said he, I was always led an active life and have better health on sea than on shore. So, if I can cover my expenses I am satisfied. This was about the time of the French and German War. Like most of his countryman, the Frenchman was very patriotic, especially at a distance and as Hayes quite agreed with him in cursing those damned Germans, they got to be great friends.

Hayes told him some of his adventures about the Islands. He could be very entertaining when he liked. In course of conversation, Hayes said, He knew of a place where beche de la mer was very plentiful in places almost knee deep. It had never been worked but I intend to work it when I get time but I am too busy. But someone else might find it, said the Frenchman. That is true, he said, but not likely, I must risk that.

What can I do, said Hayes. It is so hard to find a trustworthy man and although I do not need money, I do not like to be re-robbed. The Frenchman agreed and tried to find out where it was. Hayes laughed but would not tell him so the matter dropped. It was quite true, I believe about the beche de la mer but Hayes had never said it. I heard Pease tell him about it.

A few days after, the Frenchman made a proposal to Hayes that they should work the beche de la mer together and share the profits. Hayes hung back but at last they made an agreement. The Frenchman should make over the schooner to Hayes as a tender. She was to go to an Island, Hayes's own, near Pingalap for labour in charge of Captain Pitman. The Frenchman was to go in the brig to the borderland reef to manage the station. I can get all the labour we want at our own price, said Hayes. The Frenchman thinking he had struck a good thing, agreed to all and went on board the brig,

Pitman, taking the schooner. Hayes treated him splendidly, shared his house with him, gave him one of his women and anything else he wanted and told him he was his partner until the Frenchman gave up the ship's papers. That was all that Hayes wanted. Now, to get rid of him. This is how he managed that little job. Getting into a political argument one day, he called him a damned son-of-a-bitch. What, said the Frenchman. You dare to call me a French gentleman that. By God sir, If I had my revolver here, I will shoot you like the dog you are. My revolver is always ready, said Hayes and knocked him down with his fist. He then beat him and kicked him most unmercifully and almost killed the poor fellow and then put him on shore.

Billy the steward who was trading there took him in and done what he could for him and got him passage to Sydney with Eury. So much for the Frenchman! It was Billy who told me about it all.

Afterwards next morning, Hayes in the brig and Pitman in the schooner went for a cruise among the Islands. They met again at Milli. Then Hayes took Billy the steward and his family on board, gave instructions to Pitman and left provision to be back to Milli by a certain time instead of going to the Gilbert Group. He said, He came to Pingalap, took me away to Providence Island and robbed the trade there but I told you about that before and then went to Milli at the appointed time. So Hayes waited as long as his provisions lasted.

Hayes, he said, came like a wise man. He determined to look out for himself. He thought Hayes had come to grief as he knew a British Man-of-War was after him. So he consulted with his crew, raised all their wages so that they all had a good payday, then he went to all the stations, got what he could, which what he already had filled the schooner up. He then went to Henry Gustang and got what he said he could spare.

Then back to Milli, took pigs and fowls and all the native food he could get and off to Honolulu. Hayes was like a madman. If ever I get hold of that son-of-a-bitch Pitman, I will not quite kill him but I will leave him so that he wished he was dead. Perhaps he could, but Pitman was almost as bit a man as himself and at least ten years younger. However, they never met again. Then we went to Milli, found the station stripped, only a few pigs left. These, we took on board and went through the Gilberts to Samoa. We had been there only a few days when a ketch owned by Sam Dowsett of Honolulu came in. This was Christmas 1872. Captain English came and told Hayes and myself all about the schooner. Mr. Eldridge the mate and Hayes were not on very good terms. So he very seldom came in to the cabin.

He said, The schooner 'Nova' got to Honolulu all right, then Pitman went to the American consul and said, The schooner belonged to Captain Hayes but the cargo was his own. He had hired the schooner and that Hayes was to meet him at Milli at a certain time. That Hayes did not come and he was quite out of provisions and then the crew wanted their wages and refused to stay any longer and that he thought something must have happened to Hayes. He told a very plausible story which was confirmed by the men. So the consul took charge of the vessel. Pitman sold his cargo and went home to his own place near Cape Cod. The vessel was sold by auction and fetched just about enough to pay the men and other expenses. Hayes said she was rather old, but in good serviceable condition and would last for years.

The way he spoke about Pitman was something awful. He said, After all I have done for him to serve me like that. Pitman always said that Hayes was in his debt and that he only stayed with him to try to get some of it at least. I do not know which was right, but between the two men, I would rather believe Pitman. So you see rogues do not always prosper. Hayes robbed and beat the Frenchman to get the schooner and then, not only as he lost her but a full cargo as well. Pitman was the only one to make anything out of that transaction.

I will tell you next what I know about Henry Burlinghame. It is not very good that the first active missionary landed at Maiana? was a damned rascal and he used to amuse himself by breaking young girls. If he had been satisfied with commoners, there were not have been so much fuss made about it. But he interfered with the Chief girls who were tabu.

Henry Burlinghame was an American by birth, I believe a native of Rhode Island. He had been whaling then he was trading about Tahiti and had a pig station there. When I first saw him in Honolulu in 1866, he was working for an old fellow they called Captain Copper, a retiring whaling skipper who had the name of being the meanest Yankee in Honolulu and that is saying a great deal. But Henry was hard up and engaged with him for a year to work about the stable and make himself generally useful.

This old fellow let lodgings, kept a few boarders and had an old rattletrap of a carriage which he drove for hire. Altogether, he was doing very well, I believe. But Henry soon got tired of it and wanted to get back to the Islands, but he had engaged for a year and knew very well that if the old fellow let him go at all, he would not pay him his wages. So he played him a little trick. He was sent out somewhere with the carriage and was to meet Copper at a certain place. When he got near the appropriate spot, he put the old horse along at a pace which just about shook the old rattle trap to pieces.

Copper saw him coming and tried to stop him. Stop! Stop! Damn you, Stop! After giving the old fellow a bit of a run, Henry pulled up. What is the matter? said he. Matter? Here, give me the lines. What do you mean by driving at that pace? Ah, is that all? It will do the old pony good to wake them up a bit. Copper drove home very carefully to examine the carriage and horses, then had them put away. Then he said to Henry, Come in to the office and I will settle with you. What for? You carry too much sail for me. But I am engaged for twelve months, said Henry. Twelve months, be damned! In one mounting, I should have no carriage or horses left. So Henry got his discharge and wages too which was more than he expected. Then he got a passage to the Islands and stayed on Pingalap not trading but just staying until something better turned up.

In 1867, Pease opened several new stations in the Marshall Group and put Frank Benson and Harry Gardener and their wives on Maderu. But Harry was quarrelling and the women were jealous, so they could not get on at all with the people. So Pease engaged Henry Burlinghame and took them away. Frank, he kept as an interpreter and a very good one he was. Burlinghame was a good trader and got on well with the people. Frank Copper who was with him sometime setting up and returning casks always spoke very well of him. When Milne landed Dick at Hamilton and the other man, Henry done the best he could for them. Hamilton was all right, but the other poor fellow died. They buried him American fashion fully dressed.

A few days after, Henry saw natives wearing clothes very like what the man was buried in. He asked where they got them. Not being satisfied with their answer, he dug up the remains and found they had cut him up and taken his leg bone to make needles. They said human bones make the best needles. Burlinghame went to the chief who made them and told him to bring the bone back. They had tied them and sunk them in the seawater to clean. He then took the remains, bone, clothes and all and bury them in his yard.

When Coffen told me about it, all of us, that is myself, Coffen and growling Jack agreed that it either of us died, the survivors should take his body outside the harbour and sink it in deep water. Of course, it does not matter what becomes of a man's body when he is dead, but it is not a pleasant idea for a white man to bring his bones to the Islands for niggers to make needles of. At least, that is how I feel about the matter.

The first Ohau Missionary who was landed at Maderu was a damned rogue who amused himself by breaking in young girls. If he had been satisfied with commoners, there would not have been such a fuss made about it. But he interfered with some chief girs who were tabu. Then there was a row. They were going to kill him. He said, he came to teach them good customs, but they did not want a missionary to teach them to break in young girls. They knew that before.

When Henry found out they were going to kill him, he went and had a talk to the chiefs. He said, No doubt the fellow deserved death. But, if you kill him, the Missionaries will complain and a Man-of-War will be sent. They said they were not afraid of a Man-of-War. True, said Henry.

But a lot of you will be killed and he is not worth that. So let him live and send him away in the first ship that comes. After a long talk and a present of tobacco, they agreed, but if not Burlinghame, he certainly would have been killed. I say, Serve him right. The 'Morning Star' being the first vessel that came, he left on it. That is the sample of how traders worked against Missionaries. The American people would have only heard the Missionary's side of the question and if no one had been able to support the natives they would have been heavily fined. When Burlinghame left Pingalap, his wife had a young child. As it was too young to take on board, he left it with his mother.

Thinking about Pingalap, one day on board of Hayes's boat, he happened to say, I would give a portion if I had him here. He had no child living there. Hayes said nothing, but when he reached Pingalap, he asked, Has Henry Burlinghame a child here? Yes, I believe so, there is a little fellow they say is his. Can you get him, Henry wants him and as he is a first rate fellow, I would like to oblige him. I said, the only difficulty will be with the mother, but I think a present will make it all right. Well, get him if you can. I will give what they want. So I spoke to the people and made it all right.

Hayes gave them a little present according to Pingalap custom. It might have been worth five dollars. The child was taken on board. Riley the steward and the other woman put charge of him. He was naked of course so she made him some clothes and took good care of him. Hayes never took any notice of him except to keep him out of the way.

When we got to Maderu, Henry came on board. Hayes called the child and of course he ran away, he was afraid of Hayes so I brought him. Do you know this fellow, said Hayes? Henry shook his head. This is your boy, is he not? I said, Yes, so his mother said. Then Hayes told him, what trouble he had had in getting the presence. He had to make and so on all his clothes. Speaking at last, Henry said, And what am I in your debt for all that? You said, You would give me a ton of oil if I got him for you. Ton of oil, did I say that? Of course, you did, said Hayes. But come, I will not be hard on you. Give me fifty dollars and we will call it square. Henry hesitated a bit, then he gave Hayes ten sovereigns. Hayes took it and the child was sent on shore. A very mean trick of Hayes.

Frank Benson and Eldridge both told me Burlinghame had obliged Hayes on several occasions. Henry Burlinghame knew Frank Benson, myself and some others on board and hearing there was no trade or anything else on the Island, he gave us not Hayes a large square tin of copra. Frank said, It was ten pounds and some sugar and some other things. When it came on board, Hayes grabbed it and gave it to the steward for ship use. We did not object, Billy said he should have asked us for it.

I will now tell you how to make coffee for a ship's company. The steward used to take the coffee for all hands. Put water on it and draw off some good coffee for Hayes and Alvard and if he was not a damned fool, for himself also. Then he filled the kettle again and he gave it a boil for us white men, the mate and passengers.

Then threw it up again and served it for the men's breakfast. I asked the steward if that was Chinese fashion. No sir, said he laughing, I think it is American fashion. Hayes told me to do it that way, otherwise, it did not last long.

I never saw Henry Burlinghame again, but I heard he had a schooner of his own. I think it is he Louis Beck means by Bob Packenham. I do not know if he was a navigator or not, but I have always heard him spoken of as a very good fellow.

I do not know if you asked about Harry Johnston. He told me he was born in Cumberland but brought up in Scotland where his father, a customs house officer was stationed. When Harry left, he was at a place called Alled, his brother was a Church of England Missionary in Africa. He himself was an apprentice to an engineer but I think he dispensed his time getting into trouble.

He said, It was about a woman. His father packed him off to Hamburg, from there he came out to Samoa on one of Godefray's ships where he had two uncles living, Johnston the blacksmith and the other was a carpenter. Harry had no written agreement but he said the people in Hamburg promised him good employment at Apia. But the Manager there knew nothing about it. But they offered him some work to do. But it was not so good as he expected so he refused it and went to live on a piece of land near Apia. But seeing no chance of making anything, he soon left.

About that time, Willie Williams was starting business in the Ellice Group, so they asked him for a job. He said, He was an engineer by trade but also a good carpenter and handyman. Williams thought he would be a useful man and asked him what wages he wanted. Harry named a sum. Williams said, He would have been ashamed to offer a white man, so he engaged him and brought him to Funafuti. Williams ad a very poor opinion of Harry Johnston as a worker and he told me he was a batch lifter working some time at Funafuti. He came in the 'Matautis' on her first trip to trade at Nanumea. This was in June 1874 when he told me he was going to Nanumea. I said, Well, I started here at Nanumaga and Williams put a kanaka to oppose me then. I asked to be removed to Nanumea but it appears that I am going to be opposed there also. Williams laughed and said, Well, I will tell them you are coming. Of course, they did not. So shortly after the schooner 'Vavau' Captain Wolf came and I went to Nanumea.

When I asked Harry how he was getting on, he said I have bought all the copra there was and have advanced a lot of trade for the next boat. I said, Then I shall have to wait some time before I get trade. He told me he had lost his previous trade on shore, the boat swamped and he lost all. I said, I have plenty of provisions but I will not sell you any but I will lend you what you want and you can pay me back when your trade come.

He told me, I don't want any. Someone told me, if I want to get on at the Islands, I must conform to native custom. Besides, I am very anxious to make some money for a certain reason. He told me after that, when he got into trouble, his father advanced money to take him away and he wanted to repay him. That was only right of course. So Harry ate raw skipjack and other fish, nuts, in fact he lived just like a kanaka. Very soon, he got sick, broke out in absolutely nasty black boils. He must have suffered very much.

One day he asked what I thought was the cause of it. I said, I think it is living on native food. If you wanted to do that, you should have come down to it by degrees. He agreed with me and asked me if I would let him have some provisions. I said, Certainly, have what you want. I offered it before, but you refused. He took a tin of biscuit and a bag of rice but would not have anything else. He got a little better, but never got rid of the boils.

While I knew he would leave when the ship came in, he had had enough of the island. When the boat came, he told Williams he wanted to leave. Williams said, I cannot take you now, I have no one to put in your place. But I shall be here again in about two months, if you still wish to leave, I will take you away. So Harry had to stay.

When the ship came, he took his wife and child and went away. At Funafuti Captain Hassentine?? returned to take the woman to Samoa. Without payment, Harry went to Williams who said, I promised to give you a passage back to Samoa but I did not promise to take a woman to Samoa. Also,if the ship was mine, there would be no trouble, but you cannot expect me to pay her passage. As Harry would not pay, he had to stay also or leave her which he would not do. So he made a verbal agreement for another year. After some days, a schooner 'Coronet' came in to carry trade, so Harry went to him and asked for a job.

He said, he had been at Nanumea and thought he could do well there. Henderson engaged him, then he went to Williams and said he was going away. But you agreed with me for a year. Harry said, No, I have signed no agreement and I will not stay. William said, it was no use to keep a man against his will so he let him go. So Harry came back to Nanumea. I said, what? Back again? Yes. Williams asked like a damned rogue and I mean to oppose and do him all the harm I can. He reduced the price of everything. When I asked him why, he said, It was Henderson's order. I have a list of prices. My present price, if you come down to that, I am becoming lower. I am to get the trade at any price. I said, You are foolish, whatever price you sell at I must do the same, so you will get no more copra so he came no lower.

When the vessel came, Flower the supercargo came and asked me, Why I have reduced prices. I told him, it was Harry. Flower said, How am I to get the truth. Harry says, It was you, You say, it was him. I said, Why should I lie about it? Can I not sell at what price I liked? You have nothing to do with me, but if you want the truth ask Tupau Williams. Harry was a very unfair trader. He would make an agreement today and break it tomorrow. He was now living on ship's provision. When he had beef he would cut off two pieces, one for himself and one for Pepa. Her mother who lived with them never got any but sometime Pepa would give her a bit of hers unknown to Harry.

One day, I had been baking and as Litia and I were having tea, the old woman passed with the child. Litia called her and said, Come and have some tea. She said, she was not hungry. I said, Come in. Then she came in and had some tea and had some cakes and gave the child some. There was no harm in that surely, but a native went to Harry's house for something and he told Harry the old woman was in my house having tea. When she went home, Harry called her bad names and asked her if she was not ashamed to beg from me. She said, she did not beg, Litia called her. No matter, Harry went on abusing her.

At last she began and she did not whisper. She shrieked and danced and soon had a crowd of natives there. She let out what had been bottled up for months. She said, I am working all the time for you and you never gave me anything. The clothes I wear to go to church are Pepa's old clothes. You never give me any food and when Litia gave me a cup of tea, you are jealous. At last, Harry begged her to stop. After that, the old woman had a tongue and could use it. He treated her a little better. We got on fairly well together, the most serious quarell we had was about the spring balance.

One of the Faipule came with a bag of copra. After I had waited, he said, Your scales and those of Abemama's are alike. I waited there before I came here. I said, Of course, they are. If they are true, they must be alike. Then, how is it that Harry are not the same? I do not know what else could I say. Then Harry came and said, I had told the people these scales were wrong and that he was cheating them. They were, but I did not know it until he told me himself.

Afterwards, someone in Samoa had told him how to fix them with a strict of Index rubber and he had done so. His shrinkage was very heavy, he said thirty per cent. Now, said he, That is too much. I agreed, so then we both said we would buy no copra that had not had three days sun, that was fair.

Sometime after, a neighbour had a lot of copra drying. The second day, Harry looked at it. Whose is this? Mine, said the man. What are you going to do with it? Take it to Alfred to pay my debts. Will you weigh it tonight? No, Alfred will not take it until tomorrow. Oh, this is dry enough. If he will not take it, bring it to me. The man came. Shall I bring the copra now? Not, until tomorrow, said I. He said, No more but went and gave it to Harry. Of course, I was angry and went and spoke about it to Harry. He laughed at me, then I said, After this I will buy any copra they bring green.

One day, a few days after a Faipule asked me if I wanted the Missionary's copra. Of course, I do. Bring it along. So that afternoon, it came about 150 lbs. It had only had two day's sun. Harry came, Have you bought the Missionary's copra? Yes, said I. All of it? Oh, yes, I think so. He went and looked at it. Well, if you buy such copra as that you are welcome to it. Welcome or not, I have it. I told you, I would buy any that came and I always tried to keep my word. I lost nothing by it, my vessel came two days after and I shipped it.

I told the supercargo how it was and he said, I have done right. As I saw no chance of doing any more there, I asked to be removed next trip. De Wolfe had taken their trade away, the King of Abemama had lost his schooner, the 'Coronet' and Williams was neglecting his station. So it looked as if Harry would have the Island to himself. That was what he had been working for. So when the schooner 'Upolu' came, I left. Tupau Williams, trader told me that a big malago wished to go to Funafuti and asked me if they could go in the schooner. I spoke to the supercargo, he said, Yes, but they must pay in advance.

L. Dollanger's head, Harry advanced the money, but was very particular. They must get the first copra. They came back with dry copra and he also gave them a letter to give to the supercargo of Henderson's vessel telling him to bring them back and he would be responsible for their passage. There was over one hundred adults, I know because I collected the money. Children did not come. So this with some cargo made over five hundred dollars. We got to Funafuti after a long passage of fourteen days. In about ten days, the Samoan Orwell arrived. Flower was supercargo and they took the Malay. That was all right, but Flower told Harry the price of copra was reduced to one and a half cts. Said Harry, I have over five hundred dollars debts owing and can't help that. I would take no less, so poor Harry got no profit and lost shrinkage as well which was very heavy. Harry said, It was a damn mean trick of Hendersons but they done the same thing with me at Funafuti.

After I lost by it, as Kaas came and got my copra. Harry did not stay long at Nanumea. After that, Clark took his place and he went to Nui. Harry made up his mind to get square with Henderson, so having a good bit of copra he sold out to Sullivan and would take his pay in Samoa. But here luck was against him. Henderson's vessel came along and she claimed the copra as Harry was in debt. So they had to pay them instead of Harry. So after 4 or 5 years, he returned to Samoa quite as poor as he left it.

After you left Funafuti the old German Company chartered the 'Malawa' for a trip and Harry came to trade for them at Nui but did not stay long. There he went back to Samoa where he worked a while for the missionaries. Then he was in the Customs but you know more about that I do. Take Harry Johnstons, altogether I do not think he was a bad fellow but he was too keen to make money and not very particular how he made it, that is my opinion

Dear old Alvord, I forgot his first name, was an American by birth. His father was a judge in New York, his brother-in-law was Governor of the state of Massachusetts. He himself was educated at Harvard. What little I know of him was told me by Hayes. He was staying with his cousin in California who was the mayor of the city of Sacramento. He got into some trouble about money matters and had to leave rather in a hurry.

He went to Samoa. He had quite a good stock of jewellery and clothes but it did not last long. He was too generous and too fond of women and the bottle. When Doctor - the American Consul left Samoa he appointed Alvord to act. The United States Government would have appointed him Consul but he would not accept the position, so Mr. Coe got it. But Alvord acted as his Secretary and done most of the work.

For some time, he was almost everything, storekeeper, trader, bar keeper, auctioneer and at times made a lot of money. But he nor anyone else knows what he did with it, but he never paid his debts with it. When I went on board the brig at Pingalap, Hayes introduced me to Mr.Varick Alvord, United States Consul at Samoa, then on a mission to collect information about the Islands for the United States Government. Alvord laughed and told me the first chance he got that it was all humbug about he being consul. He was only a private citizen travelling for his health. He and I were very friendly on board. Where I slept was close to his room, so by opening the door, we could talk. He told me a good many stories but was shy about talking about himself.

Hayes told me that Alvord, going home one night, crossing the foot bridge by the Roman Catholic Church. The night was dark, a plank was gone and Alvord fell through and fell astride one of the stringers hurting himself badly. He recovered but he was impotent afterwards. So women did not trouble him after that. But the bottle remained and at times he made the most of it. I had been told when drunk, he was a great black guard, but while we were on board the brig, he did not drink and I always found him a civil spoken well formed American gentleman.

When I left Samoa, he was staying with Mr. Coe, the United States Consul and teaching school. I heard he was dead a long time ago. That is all I can think of at present.

I will now tell you about one of the meanest men I ever met, that was Mackenzie who relieved me at Funafuti. I do not know where he was born but he told me his father was a Scotsman and his mother was English. He said his father was a man of good family, in some way connected with the Duchess of Sutherland. He was a very handsome man but poor. A lieutenant in the army and had served with distinction in India. I think there was some truth in that as Mac showed me some medals. He was educated in Normandy where his mother lived for economy. His father died when Mac was young. His mother married again. Her second husband was an Irishman, a Colonel in a West India regiment and had been governor of one of the small India islands. Mackenzie could not get on at all with his stepfather and left home.

He was in California where he worked in a laundry, then he worked in a tinned can factory, then he was dishwasher in a restaurant kept by a namesake of his. Then he went to Tahiti where he had to work for his keep for a Frenchman who had a chicken ranch. He told me he could speak and read and write French as good as English, that is very likely if he was educated at Normandy. He says the Frenchmen were very stingy and he had to work all kinds of dodgers to save a few shillings to get a nip with. They, after quarelled, at last he had to leave.

He met Captain Scott of the 'Venus' who gave him passage and put him to trade at Nanumaga. But he could not get on with the people, so he left with a trader from Fiji named Beavor who put him on 'Harrari'. Beavor was coming again, he and Captain Trustel of the schooner 'America' took him back to San Francisco. His mother was a widow then so he wanted to go home again.

I was trading for the German Company. One day a vessel arrived. The Faipule had met her at Nukufetau. They came on shore with Sapolu and a big malago man from Nukufetau on board. I met the Captain who said, She was a schooner 'Venus' of Liverpool. Captain Scott said, I have plenty of stock of trade and provisions if you need anything. I have about everything except labour, I am sorry to say. I am well supplied at present, my vessel only left a few days ago. I have a little grog in the house, Come and join me.

He said, No. I never drink gin, Have you got anything else? But he came anyway, so we had our talk. He said, He represented a very wealthy family and that they wanted to drive those damned Germans out of the South Seas. I laughed and said, I am working for those damned Germans. But he said, No matter, you will soon be working for me. Plenty of time to talk about that, said I, The Germans are not gone yet. He said, But I will give you better than they do. Just then Harry Johnston came in and we had another drink. Then he said, you had better go and have a look at the ship. I cannot go myself, I must see the King about landing trade. Some traders are going to land.

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The King wants a white man there and all my relations will feed us (the King was not her father, she was his adopted daughter). So next time Hayes spoke, I said, Well Captain Hayes, if it will be any help to you, I will stay there until you come back from Samoa. You will oblige me very much by doing so and I will not forget it and that was settled. So when we got to Pingalap, it is not far from Ponape. The King and I let the kanaka come on board. When they saw the girl, they ran to her and asked her the news. She must have given me a good character for the King and rest of them came and shook hands with me. Some wanted to kiss me.

Then Hayes came back. The King asked him if he would land a white man here. Will this fellow do, pointing to me. That is the man I want, said he. I thought it was now time for me to talk, so I said, But what am I to eat? Plenty! Breadfruit, bananas, taro, boroki (it has another name there) ducks, fowls, fish, oh! plenty. How about turtle? If we eat turtle, we shall die, but all white men eat turtle and you sell them to ships. If you let me eat turtle, I will come on shore. So they had a talk, at last they said, Well, I and my family might eat it, but I must not give it to the people. Then said Hayes, I had not got much trade. I only want to keep the damn Germans and Missionaries away. All right, I will do my best, said I. All he could give me was one box of tobacco, twenty pounds, six pieces cloth, rubbish and six little boxes made by the Chinese carpenter.

I and Maria had about twenty pounds tobacco and a good stock of clothes for her. Then there was a box of beads and a lot of paint and there were other things not in the inventory at Ponape. So I had annexed them, the tobacco and cloth I had bought from ships. I asked Hayes, what about provisions? I have none for myself you know that, said he. You had plenty of rice, said I. Oh! I will give you some rice, so he did about twenty pounds. He had several tons of it.

So about five o'clock, we went onshore in the boat, I and Hayes. The King and people went before. When we got to the shallow water, they rushed into the shallow sea up to their necks. Got hold of the boat, shouting, yelling and laughing, dragged her onshore. I said to the girl quietly, what do they mean? Do not be afraid, it is only their play. Hayes said, what the hell is up? I said, Maria says it is all right. I am not too sure of that, he said. As soon as we touched bottom, they made a rush, one picked up a box, another a bundle, the boat was empty in no time.

Hayes said, Damn it! Do they mean murder? I said, the woman says, it is all right. Hayes said, To hell with your woman. How about me then? Oh! your woman says it is all right, so you must chance it. I am off. I laughed and said, Well goodbye then. That was the last I saw of Hayes until he came back ten months later. When I got on shore, Maria and her mother led me to a nice clean house. All the stuff was there. Is this my house? No. Our house is broken, but they will mend it tomorrow. This is my mother's house. We stay here until ours is ready. Well, I said, where is the bathing place? There is none. There is no fresh water here. But I want a wash.

She spoke to her mother who showed us an old canoe. There had been plenty of rain the day before and was half full of water. So we had a bath and then she washed my clothes and hang them on the canoe to dry. Are you going to leave them there? Won't the kanaka steal them? Oh! no, there are no Missionaries here. At Ponape the Missionaries had the name of being the biggest thieves on the Island.

When we got to the house, I said, You had better see about getting something for supper, I am hungry. That is all right. The meal is made long ago. Soon, they brought him a roasted duck, two fowls, some fish, breadfruit and taro. I said, what are we to pay for this? She said, Leave it to me, this from the King. I will give him some tobacco. So she did. Is that all, said I. Yes, I know what I am doing. This is not Ponape. The King took the tobacco and divided it with his people and went away. Then we got supper. When we have done, Maria put some away for breakfast, her mother and the girls finished the rest. After they had smoked and talked for a while, I said, Come I want to go to bed. So after a joke or two, they left. That finished my first day at Pingalap.

In two or three days, my house was ready. The King and chiefs came to see me. Maria filled the pipes and spread some mats under a big tree close to the house. After smoking a while, the King said, We want to ask you about the Missionaries. What will they do if they come here. Well, said I, they will take away all your women but one. I will not give up my women. Then, they will not allow you to smoke or dance. But I will smoke and I will dance, said they all. But I am King. Yes, you are King now, but when they come, they will be King not you. We shall have to make oil for them too. Then, said the King, We shall have trade here. Oh! no, said the kanakas. They will not pay for it at all. If we give one cask, they will want two. And when they get two they will want four, you cannot satisfy missionaries. So after talking a bit, the King said, While I live, no Missionary shall come to Pingalap. The other chiefs said the same.

Two or three days after that, they saw a schooner. A man ran up a tree and looked, then said, It is the 'Morning Star'. As there was a good breeze, she soon came up and lowered a boat. In the boat came the Reverend Sturgis and the Captain and several Ponape men and one woman. I went to meet them but they did not wait for me, but walked on. I went back to my house feeling rather small. After a bit, a lad came and said, the King wanted me. He told me when Sturgis went to see the King, he was sitting on a mat under a tree outside his house. Mr. Sturgis said, I tell the King I have brought you a Missionary. Can't talk until my white man come, said the King. I do not want the white man, said Sturgis. Can't talk, until he comes.

When I came, the King made room for me next to him and said, Now we can talk. Well, here is your Missionary. Don't want him, said the King. But last time I was here, you said, Bring him. Now, he is here, he must stay. If he stays here, he will die. What, said Sturgis. Will you kill him? Oh! no, but he will be hungry and die. This is a small Island and we cannot feed strangers. What does this man eat? said Sturgis. Rice, said the King. So I did, but very little of it. They talked a long time, they did not want him and cannot feed him. All this time, the Ponape men had been talking to the Captain. At last, they said to Mr. Sturgis, If they will not feed the man, he cannot stay. So Mr. Sturgis said to the Captain, We must take them on board again. We cannot leave them here to starve. Certainly not, said the Captain. Then, said Sturgis, there has been an evil influence at work here. But do not despair. We will have this Island yet. So they did, but not until the 'evil influence' myself had left. So the meeting broke up.

As we walked to the landing place, the Captain said, I am very thirsty. Can you get me a glass of water? No, said I. I have no glass and the water is very bad but there are plenty of young nuts. So I called Maria. Bring some young nuts here. So she came with a small hammer and two other girls brought a basket of nuts. She opened one and said, Here Captain, drink your nut. Then, she offered one to Sturgis. But he shook his head. Then, she offered it to the Captain, but Sturgis said, Do not drink any more. It may make you ill, as you are not used to them. So she gave it to the Ponape men. They were not long emptying the basket.

Then the Captain said to Maria, So you talk English, I hear? Oh, yes! Who taught you? This fellow! laughing and putting her hand on my shoulder. Is this your wife? One of them, said I. Dear me, she is very young. She is the eldest of the three, said I pointing to the other two who laughed. Dear me, said he. Let us go on board, said Sturgis. Will that boat never come. It is coming now. So they got in the boat, I shook hands with the Captain. I do not know his name, but he was a nice civilized man. I was sorry for his sake. They were treated so badly by the people. Never offered a nut or given a mat to sit on. That was the last I saw of the 'Morning Star'.

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Jane Resture
(E-mail: jane@janeresture.com -- Rev. 11th February 2005)