314 THE CRUISE OF THE 'VUBAQOA.' 



Yoiino' complaining of the natives, and of their ill-inten- 

 tions towards herself, though she and her husband had 

 lived unmolested there since 1 861, and slie had herself, only 

 the year before, in a letter to Mr. Inglis, expressed her- 

 self as follows : ' With regard to personal safety I 

 think there is no danger on this side of the island. We 

 have lived in perfect peace amongst them, and we find 

 them a quiet and inoffensive people. I am at present 

 almost alone with them, Mr. Henry being in Sydney.' A 

 more effective attestation in favour of the natives, confirmed, 

 moreover, by what I find recorded in my journal of Mr. 

 Henry's unconsciousness of any danger, coidd not possibly 

 be desired. And yet we are to believe that in a single 

 year, without provocation, without any alleged cause, they 

 should have become malevolent, mischievous, and mur- 

 derous. But it is ol)vious that Queen Mab, in the shape of 

 Ml'. Gordon of silent celebrity, had been at work with Mrs. 

 Henry getting up this and other materials to justify an 

 appeal to British guns. A paper, by this gentleman, 

 dated Eramanga, September 25, 1865, and presented to 

 the Commodore as ' information only,' will furnish an 

 excellent illustration of the quality of the information con- 

 cocted for the guidance of our officers. 



Beginning very solemnly Avith a quotation from ' Hodge 

 on Cor. xii. 11,' affirming it to be every man's duty to 

 ' vindicate the righteous,' it proceeds with much imper- 

 tinence to contradict Messrs. Henry and Edwards, who, 

 being at Sydney Avhen two missionaries, misled by teachers, 



