Native Service. 85 
bridegroom, who shortly afterwards left the building man and 
wife. When the marriage ceremony was over—and it was 
simple and short—a select company sat down to an elegant 
dgjeuner spread in the mission house, to which, as the papers 
would say, they did ample justice. When the feast was over, the 
company dispersed, and Anelcauhat once again resumed its 
wonted appearance of tranquil repose. 
The marriage took place on a Saturday, so that next day was 
the first day of the week, and I had then an opportunity of 
observing the natives on their Sunday behaviour. There was 
morning service in the big church at about half-past nine 9’clock, 
and to this we went. The service, of course, was conducted 
in the Aneityumese language, and was not very interesting to 
me ; so I studied the church and the people. 
The church is a massive building, with low stone walls and 
an immense thatched roof; it is large enough to hold about 
800.people, I should think. Great beams extend across from 
wall to wall, and upon these rest the principal supports of the 
roof; the fastenings seem to be all cord, no nails apparently 
having been used. It is quite a wonder of missionary archi- 
tecture and native workmanship, and stands a monument of 
the ingenuity and industry of Dr. Geddie, the builder of it. 
As for the congregation, there might be 150 altogether. They 
were seated mostly on mats spread on the floor—the men on 
one side, and the women and children on the other. On full- 
dress occasions like this, the men generally wear crimean shirts 
and pants, or shirts and lava lava, that being a sort of calico 
kilt hung round the loins; some of them have waistcoats, and 
a few come out in full suits. The fair (?) sex appear in their 
most tastefully-decorated grass skirts, a calico shawl or cloak, 
a plaited coal-scuttle bonnet—waving a fan gracefully with one 
hand and clasping a hymn-book with the other. None of them 
ever wear anything on their feet, and but few of the men any- 
