lities. Home business claimed me one
day; the next morning I set out on my mission, with one or two
Christian natives. The desolations of war soon met our eyes, in
destroyed crops and a deserted village. Nobody was to be seen. I and
those who were with me sat down in the shade of some trees, while a
native went to find the inhabitants who had hid themselves in a thicket
of mangroves. As soon as the chief heard that I was there, and what I
had come for, he declared he would be a Christian forthwith; and four
or five of his principal men followed his example. They came to me, and
entered fully into my object; and it was decided that we should go on
immediately to the fortress where those who wished to carry on war had
intrenched themselves. We got there just as the sun was setting; and
from that time till midnight I was engaged in what I saw now for the
first time; a savage council of war. Grim black warriors covered with
black powder sat or stood about, on a little clear spot of ground where
the moon shone down; muskets and clubs and spears lay on the glass and
were scattered about among the boles of the trees; a heathen-looking
scene. Till midnight we talked, and hard talking too; then it was ended
as I had prayed it might. The party with whom I was had suffered
already in battle and had not had their revenge; it was difficult to
give that up; but at last the chief got up and put his hand in mine. 'I
should like to be a heathen a little longer,' he said, 'but I will
_lotu_ as you so earnestly entreat me.' _Lotu_ is their name for
embracing Christianity. Another young warrior joined him; and there
under the midnight moon, we worshipped God; those two and those who
were with me. In another part of the village a dozen women for the
first time bowed the knee in the same worship.

"So far was well; but it yet remained to induce the opposite hostile
party to agree to peace; you understand only one side was yet
persuaded. Early the next morning I set about it. Here a difficulty met
me. The Christian chiefs made no objection to going with me to parley
with their enemies; but I wanted the company also of another, the chief
of this district; knowing it very important. And he was afraid to go.
He told me so plainly. 'If I do as you ask me,' said he, 'I am a dead
man this day.' I did my best to make him think differently; a hundred
men declared that they would die in defence of him; and at last I
gained my point. Tui Mbua agreed to