EBAMANGA. 313 



boclieS*^^f the missionaries had been buried not only Avithout 

 any adverse manifestation, ' but amid the tears and lamenta- 

 tions of all around.' And farther, that the ' peal of the 

 church bell and the sound of morning and evening prayer ' 

 every Sunday continued to be heard as before.-' 



Now it is utterly incredible that this should have occurred 

 in the midst of an ill-disposed and ferocious people con- 

 nected either by deed or sympathy with the authors of the 

 recent crime. That nothing had occurred to induce the 

 natives to abandon their peaceful policy is clear, but it is 

 also clear that it had been resolved in missionary quarters 

 that the murder of the Gordons should be regarded and 

 punished as a general offence. Soon after it occurred 

 H.M.S. 'Pelorus ' was, as has been observed, sent to enquire 

 into the state of affairs ; but, as her commander, Commodore 

 Seymour, did nothing in the way of punishing, the pre- 

 sumption is he discovered nothing to justify a general 

 punishment. But when the approach of the ' Cura^oa ' 

 presented an opportunity of carrying out the retributive 

 system, then were active preparations made for biassing the 

 Commodore's mind in the desired direction. The resolu- 

 tions already referred to, passed at Anatom, together with 

 ' memoranda ' affirming the commission or intent of outrages, 

 though resting on no better authority than that of ex- 

 aggerating teachers, made their appearance. Indeed nothing 

 had been left untried. Mrs. Henry, apparently pressed 

 into the service, was induced to write a letter to Sir John 



' Iliid. p. 423. 



