this morning for a great feast. It is to reconcile Tribes
that have been at war, and to allow a banished Tribe to return in
peace."

I learned that the leading men had in council agreed upon this
sacrifice, but the name of each victim was kept a secret till the last
moment. The torture of suspense and uncertainty seemed to be borne by
all as part of their appointed lot; nor did they prepare as if
suspecting any dread assault. Before daylight, the Sacred Men allocated
a murderer to the door of each house where a victim slept. A signal shot
was fired; all rushed to their doors, and the doomed ones were shot and
clubbed to death, as they attempted to escape. Their bodies were then
borne to a sacred tree, and hung up there by the hands for a time as an
offering to the gods. Being taken down, they were carried ceremoniously
and laid out on the shore near my house, placed under a special guard.

Information had reached me that my Teachers and I were also destined
victims for this same feast; and sure enough we espied a band of armed
men, the killers, despatched towards our premises. Instantaneously I had
the Teachers and their wives and myself securely locked into the Mission
House; and, cut off from all human hope, we set ourselves to pray to our
dear Lord Jesus, either Himself to protect us or to take us to His
glory. All through that morning and forenoon we heard them
tramp-tramping round our house, whispering to each other, and hovering
near window and door. They knew that there were a double-barreled
fowling-piece and a revolver on the premises, though they never had seen
me use them, and that may, under God, have held them back in dread. But
the thought of using them did not enter our souls even in that awful
time. I had gone to save, and not to destroy. It would be easier for me
at any time to die, than to kill one of them. Our safety lay in our
appeal to that blessed Lord who had placed us there, and to whom all
power had been given in Heaven and on Earth. He that was with us was
more than all that could be against us. This is strength;--this is
peace:--to feel, in entering on every day, that all its duties and
trials have been committed to the Lord Jesus,--that, come what may, He
will use us for His glory and our own real good!

All through that dreadful morning, and far into the afternoon, we thus
abode together, feeling conscious that we were united to this dear Lord
Jesus; and we had sweet communion with Him, m