ANATOM. 197 



rect. Tliere is no drunkenness, or crime. There has not 

 been a case of murder for the last thirteen years. There 

 have been, howevei', a few cases of manslaughter, wliich have 

 been severely punished. Theft is of very rare occurrence. 



The entire population has been professedly Christian for 

 the last seven or eight years. The whole of the New 

 Testament has been in their hands for two years, with 

 detached portions of the Old Testament, as well as various 

 elementary books. Every person above five years of age 

 attends school, and can read more or less. Two-thirds of 

 the entire population are reading in the New Testament, and 

 one-fourth are members of the church. There are fifty- 

 three schools in the island, conducted by native teachers. 

 There is not a native living on the island more than fifteen 

 minutes walk from a school. A considerable number can 

 write, and a few can do a little arithmetic. 



According to the eulogistic testimony of Missionaries, war, 

 murder, and infanticide, as well as their peculiar customs 

 of cannibalism and strangulation of widows have been 

 abolished. At the time of our arrival, the last case of 

 cannibahsm had occuri'ed in 1852. Life and property 

 being everywhere secure, the people are all living in peace, 

 .and beginning to develop the resources of the island. 



Teachers from the eastern islands were placed on Anatom 

 in 1841. Two missionaries, Messrs. Gordon and Powell, 

 were located here in 1848. Considerable difficulties were 

 encountered in the first years of the mission, the natives 

 being as degraded and as savage as on any island of the 



