CHRISTIAN ISLANDERS. 29 



came out toward them through the surf, hold- 

 ing in his hand a book, and cried, with a loud 

 voice, "Missionary ! missionary!'' An answer- 

 ing shout of recognition, and beckoning from the 

 poor mariners, immediately brought the natives 

 through the waves to their aid, by whom they 

 were carried on shore in their arms, supplied 

 with food, and generously entertained with more 

 than human, with Christian kindness. 



It so happened, according to the captain's 

 statement, that this was an island whose in- 

 habitants had been first brought to the know- 

 ledge of Christianity by the brother of this 

 captain, who had been some years before cast 

 away on this very island, and with one other of 

 the ship's company, was saved. They were 

 taken by the natives to be offered up as a sacri- 

 fice to their gods. But while on their way to the 

 place where human victims used to be sacrificed, 

 they remembered the tradition that a god should 

 come to them from the sea. 



Overruled, doubtless, by a divine impulse, 

 they now entertained the white man as a god, 

 and he instructed them concerning the only 



