asked God's help, and determined to
strike a blow against it.

A woman was standing near with a bunch of native fruit in her hand, like
our plums, called quonquore. I asked her to be pleased to give me some;
and she, holding out a bunch, said, "Take freely what you will!"

Calling the attention of all the Assembly to what I was doing, I took
three fruits from the bunch, and taking a bite out of each, I gave them
one after another to the three Sacred Men, and deliberately said in the
hearing of all, "You have seen me eat of this fruit, you have seen me
give the remainder to your Sacred Men; they have said they can kill me
by Nahak, but I challenge them to do it if they can, without arrow or
spear, club or musket; for I deny that they have any power against me,
or against any one, by their Sorcery."

The challenge was accepted; the Natives looked terror-struck at the
position in which I was placed! The ceremony of Nahak was usually
performed in secret,--the Tannese fleeing in dread, as Europeans would
from the touch of the plague; but I lingered and eagerly watched their
ritual. As the three Chiefs arose, and drew near to one of the Sacred
Trees, to begin their ceremonial, the Natives fled in terror, crying,
"Missi, Iawe? Alas, Missi!"

But I held on at my post of observation. Amidst wavings and
incantations, they rolled up the pieces of the fruit from which I had
eaten, in certain leaves of this Sacred Tree, into a shape like a waxen
candle; then they kindled a sacred fire near the root, and continued
their mutterings, gradually burning a little more and a little more of
the candle-shaped things, wheeling them round their heads, blowing upon
them with their breaths, waving them in the air, and glancing wildly at
me as if expecting my sudden destruction. Wondering whether after all
they did not believe their own lie, for they seemed to be in dead
earnest, I, more eager than ever to break the chains of such vile
superstition, urged them again and again, crying, "Be quick! Stir up
your gods to help you! I am not killed yet; I am perfectly well!"

At last they stood up and said, "We must delay till we have called all
our Sacred Men. We will kill Missi before his next Sabbath comes round.
Let all watch, for he will soon die and that without fail."

I replied, "Very good! I challenge all your Priests to unite and kill me
by Sorcery or Nahak. If on Sabbath next I come again to your village in
health, you will all admit th