The Fruit. 27 
But he met all oppositions with a brave heart, and took meekly 
wrongs which he would have visited with death when he was a 
heathen. One Sabbath he went to Ametch, to speak to the 
people about God. There had been a severe storm, the blame 
of which they put upon him, and drove him away with their 
clubs. Next Sunday, however, he insisted on returning—when 
the people admiring his boldness, received him kindly. On 
another occasion, while going to Ametch, a man who had con- 
cealed himself near the path came upon him—armed with a club 
—and, in great anger, threatened to kill him. Ten days before, 
the tide had overflowed this man’s garden, and destroyed his 
taro. He believed that Waihit had sent that destructive tide. 
He told him that he was no ruler of the sea now—God was. 
But the man would not listen to him. ‘“ Well,” said the chief, 
“J will not run away from you. You can kill me if you will— 
I am not afraid to die.” By this time some of the people came 
up, on their way to the service, and interfered. This exhibition 
of gentleness on the part of this once-fierce chief, I need 
scarcely say, gave him mighty power as a preacher of the 
gospel, and fitted him for going forth, in 1853, to Fotuna, the 
first-fruits of Aneityum unto Christ in the field of evangelistic 
work. 
Nohoat—the ruler of the land—was perhaps less savage, but 
was more crafty, than Waihit.° He welcomed the first missionaries’ 
visits because he expected temporal good from them ; especially 
his heart was set upon getting some pigs from them with long 
ears; and whenever he met them he put his hands to his ears 
to remind them of his wish. When Mr. Geddie landed he pro- 
fessedly gave him a welcome ; but he told his people they might 
get rid of him by stealing from him. Finding, however, that 
the residence of the missionary increased his importance, he 
afterwards extended to him (as we have seen) a very effectual 
protection. The turning point in his history seems to have been 
the death of his child, when Mr. Geddie saved him from mur- 
