138 ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTH SEAS 
endurance. A particular account of the dangers and trials 
which these devoted laborers encountered would fill a vol- 
ume, and could be given only by themselves. 
“The task that now devolves upon the writer has exclusive 
reference to the early years of the mission and the native 
pioneers, who, with a short interval, occupied the island 
alone for many years: three of these, Lalolangi, Salamea, 
and Mose, all from Samoa, were placed on the island by 
Mr. Williams. After a few months the mission was visited 
by the Rev. Thomas Heath, in the mission brig ‘Camden,’ 
and re-enforced by the addition of two more teachers from 
Samoa—Pomare and Vaiofanga. 
“This visit, with the addition made to the number of 
teachers, appeared to exert a favorable influence, and the 
prospects were decidedly encouraging, when, in the inscru- 
table providence of God, the teachers were all taken ill; no 
one was able to help another, and but for the kindness of 
a few of the natives who had attached themselves to the 
teachers before their illness commenced, it seems as if all 
must have died of starvation. The natives were unaccount- 
ably kind throughout their whole illness, and when, after 
they had suffered for about six weeks, Pomare and Salamea 
died, they performed for them the last offices of friendship, 
which their own brethren were unable to do. 
“After a while the remaining three teachers recovered, and 
were able to resume work. Alas! however, there was no 
missionary work for them to do. The natives pitied them 
during their illness, but they were wholly indisposed to re- 
ceive their instructions or embrace the religion they had 
come to teach them. They attributed their illness and the 
death of those who had died to the anger of Alema, their 
principal god, and thence inferred that he must be more 
powerful than the God of the teachers. The consequence 
was that the missionaries were entirely deserted, and were 
often in great straits; they managed, however, to struggle 
on till succor came. 
