An Eventful Voyage 
THERE is no group of islands in the South Pacific in which 
it is possible to carry on missionary operations successfully 
without the use of boats, as missionaries in these lands must 
of necessity travel much by sea. The voyages undertaken 
are often made in small and poorly equipped craft, though 
the seas over which they sail are sometimes swept by the 
most dreadful storms. No story of pioneer missionary effort 
in those regions, would be complete if it failed to tell of 
the fearful dangers that are often encountered by the mis- 
sionary in his passage from place to place. The following 
account of a voyage from Fiji to New Britain shows the 
extreme peril through which the missionary voyager some- 
times must pass as he moves from place to place. 
On November 15, 1879, the missionary ship “John Wes- 
ley” left Fiji for the purpose of conveying Mr. Brown back 
to his field, New Britain. Contrary winds were experienced 
until December 6, when, with the sky heavily overcast, the 
wind veered to a favorable quarter, and gave birth to the 
hope that a fair run to New Britain would then be made. 
On December 8, however, a heavy squall struck the ship, 
and immediately the topgallant sails were taken in, and the 
upper topsails were lowered. After blowing stiffly for about 
an hour, the wind lulled, and once more the upper fore- 
topsail was ‘hoisted. Just then a poor exhausted and very 
much scared sea bird, which must have been conscious of 
the coming storm, took refuge on the vessel. It dropped 
on the deck, and hurried for shelter behind a spar. 
That evening the ship’s company had worship as usual 
in the cabin, and soon after its close the barometer was seen 
to be falling rapidly. With this change of “the glass,” the 
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