· CHAPTER XIX. THE NEW HEBRIDES: SANTA CRUZ AND SOLOMON ISLANDS. Vaté-Horrible outrage-Sualo-Ill-success of the native teachers Conversion of the Erakorites-Santa Cruz Islands-Missionary FORTY-FOUR miles to the north of Erromanga lies the fine coral island of Vaté, named Sandwich Island by its discoverer, Captain Cook. It is probably not less than eighty miles in circumference, and contains a population estimated at 12,000 inhabitants. The shore is indented with magnificent bays and excellent harbours, while the scenery in the interior is described as exceedingly diversified and picturesque. The people are taller and stouter than the Tannese, with short, woolly hair, but of a lighter complexion than either the Tannese or Erromangans, and far more decently clad. Their features, too, are more regular, with straight or nearly aquiline noses, good foreheads, and beards of moderate length. Tatauing is not practised, though the chest and arms are frequently covered with raised figures. Though quite as truculent as their neighbours, they are less addicted to war with one another, and intermarry all over the island. The body of a vanquished foe may usually be redeemed by a pig, or some other offering of equal value; otherwise, it is placed in the T oven. Human bones are often suspended from the rafters of their houses, together with those of inferior animals. "Here," says Captain Erskine of the house in which he was lodged, "hung strings of the vertebræ of pigs, there the joints of their tails; whole dozens of merry-thoughts of fowls, and every conceivable bone of birds and fishes, mingled with lobster-shells and shark's fins." As the women are constantly employed in field labour, they have little time to devote to the nurture of their own children, and seldom spare the lives of more than two or three, the others being buried alive as soon as they are born. The sick and infirm are also buried alive, themselves intimating when the proper time has arrived. "When an old man," says Mr Turner, "feels sick and infirm, and thinks he is dying, he deliberately tells his children and friends to get all ready and bury him. They yield to his wishes, dig a round, deep pit, wind a number of fine mats round his body, and lower down the poor old heathen into his grave in a sitting posture. Live pigs are then brought, and tied, each with a separate cord, the one end of the cord to the pig, and the other end to the arm of the old man. The cords are cut in the middle, leaving the one-half hanging at the arm of the old man, and off the pigs are taken to be killed and baked for the burial-feast; the old man, however, is supposed still to take the pigs with him to the world of spirits." In cases of delirium the patient is invariably buried to prevent infection, and it is related how a young man in the prime of life was twice buried, and in his frenzy twice burst up the grave. He was then lashed to a tree, and left to die of starvation. Idolatry is unknown, but worship is paid to the spirits of deceased ancestors. The first intercourse held by these islanders with Europeans was of a lamentable character on both sides. The odious sandalwood trade here, as elsewhere, led to frequent collisions, usually traceable in the first instance to the foreigners. In 1842 a peculiarly horrible tragedy was enacted. Three vessels arrived about the same time, whose crews rivalled each other in their cruel treatment of the natives. They had also some sixty Tongans on board as woodcutters, who showed no ruth in stealing pigs and plundering plantations. A fight ensued, in which twenty-six of the Vatese were shot, while not one of the others was seriously injured. The fugitives hastily threw up some rude fortifications, which were stormed with great slaughter of the defenders. The survivors then fled to an islet, and hid themselves in a cave with their women and children, but were closely pursued by the victors, who pulled down a number of huts, and blocked up the entrance with the materials, which were set on fire, and fresh fuel added, until not a single Vatese was left alive. By way of reprisal, the friends of the murdered islanders surprised two English vessels, and destroyed them and their crews. It happened, however, that in 1845 Messrs Turner and Murray were informed that a Samoan named "Swallow," who had been settled for many years in Vaté, had expressed a strong desire to have Christian teachers placed in his district. Eagerly availing themselves of this favourable opportunity to gain a footing on an island hitherto regarded as inaccessible to missionaries, those gentlemen directed their course thither from Erromanga, reaching their destination on May-day. With some difficulty they satisfied the natives that their motives for visiting them were purely disinterested, and at length established friendly communications. The Samoan of whom they had come in search turned out to be a native of Savii, named Sualo, who twenty years before had sailed from that island for Tonga in a double canoe, with about fifty companions. An adverse wind, however, drove them to Tongoa, or the "Three Hills," an islet to the north of Vaté. Landing, club in hand, they conquered the inhabitants, and took possession of two villages. Two years later they again put to sea in the hope of making Tonga, but were blown into a bay on the coast of Vaté, where they resolved to settle themselves. Many of them dying, however, of ague, the others removed to Erakor; but by 1845 only nine of the original band survived. Sualo had made himself a great name as a warrior, and was often induced by the promise of a pig or two to join the neighbouring chiefs in their frequent fights with one another. His prowess was so great, that he had more than once turned the scale of victory with his long-handled tomahawk. He had three wives, and was a heathen to the backbone. Nevertheless, he was deeply affected by the teachings and admonitions of the Samoan teachers landed by the missionaries, and avowed his readiness to embrace the new religion. Encouraged by the hopeful commencement made at Erakor, Mr Turner and Mr Murray left four Samoans on the island, and only regretted that they could not leave forty. Their expectations of success were not justified by the result. Although the number of teachers had been increased to nine in 1846, only five were alive in the following year, and these were unable to point to a single genuine case of conversion. One teacher had had his |