The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1845-12-25


he missionary. and seek surh proiecliOn
as he could afford us Cor The night.
lnrFfaking mssses Of clouds rolling up
and spread over the SKY; and = We gEop-
"a our way through lie deep and tangled
forest, darkness like ihai 81 Egypt enve-
loped Us. Aiisr wandering about, we hard
IL knew where, for some time. we heard
cloud shouts Of sayagrs eiiheri in conflict
or in re,elry. Cautiously we approached
the sounds, ill we heheld large war par
q gathered aroana their fires, with the hi
deous trophies nj their recent ba lie, sni
exul,ing over their sieiOry. We thought
il wise 10 keep n far from ihem rs posi-
bic. and again TUNED from the light Of
their lire into the DARK forest, where we
could hardly see IN arms length from Us.
We al l,ngih came into little path. and
slowly following il along, stumbling in tie
darkness, over socks aud roofs Of trees. we
came in view Of The twinkling light nf a
lamp. !, with another one of the party,
was sent forward 10 reconnoiiFe. We soon
found that The light proceeded from Int,
but whether from the night FIRE Of a savage
New Zealander or from the lamp of
Christian missionary, we knew not; and
few can imagine the anxiety with which
we cautiously moved along to ascertain
how the fac! might he. Our hopes were
greatly revived by the sight Of a glazed
window. And when, through that win
dow, we saw man in the garb Of ciyiliz-
ed life, with his wife and one child, kneel-
ing in their evening prayers, our joy knew
no bounds. Waiting few moments I'LL
the prayer was closed, we entered the door,
and though the surprise Of the inmates was
very great in seeing two white sailors en-
ter their dwelling, we were most Hospital
bly, received. The missionary Immediate
Is lighted his lantern, and proceeded with
US, led the rest Of our parry TO his humble
abode. We all sleplupon his floor for the
night. Weary. however, as | was, found
but little rest. thought Of my quiet New
England home, from which had been
absent but few months. | thought of
my mother, and her anxiety about her sal
lor boy in this his first voyage. The scene
was indeed novel one 10 me. The SWELL
ing winds of the tempestuous night, the
wild scenes of man and nature all around
us, the vivid image of the bloody conflict,
with The remembrance of IFS hideous and
fiend-like outcrics, all united so to Cypress
my spirit that found but little repose.
My companions, however, perhaps more
accustomed to danger, and perhaps less
addicted to thought, were soundly asleep.
Early in the morning party of warriors
came TO the missionary's hut in search Of
us, having same how ascertained that a
boats crew were on the shore. The mis-
. sionary and his wife both in countenance
and manner, manifested the deepest anxi-
ETY. for orr safety. The savages were
imperious and rude, and 1t seemed to me
then, that nothing but the restraining pow
, er of God preserved this family uninjured
in the midst of such cruel and treache-
, rous men. While they had been some.
what subdued in spirit, by the kindness,
, the meekness, and utter helplessness Of
the missionary family, they considered
, US sailors fair game for plumber and abuse
, By the most earnest solicitations on The
; part Of the missionary, they were Undue
, ed to spare us. The missionary accom-,
, panied us TO our boat, and we had, for oul
: retinue, troop of rioting and carousing sa
, wages, brandishing their bloody war club:
J over our heads, to convince us that wi
{ were in their power. A walk of two
miles conducted lis TO the beach. II was
, fearful walk, and the watchful anxiety o
J our friend proved that he considered on
, danger to be great. When we arrived a
the beach, some of the natives manifested
| great reluctance to let us 60. Some took
J hold of the boat to draw it further upor
: the land, while they seemed to be earnest
t ly arguing with the rest upon the folly o
permitting our escape. At length, how
i ever, they yielded to the rcmonstrances O
; the missionary, and aided us in launching
: our boat, through the now subsiding surf
J As we rowed from the shore, and look
, ed back upon that devoted man, standing
t upon the beach in the midst of these rude
savages, and thought of his return to hi:
! solitary home, and Of the days, weeks, ant
: months, he must there pass in thankiess
: labours, thought his lot was, in a worldly
: point of view, one Of the hardest hat
: ever known: and l wondered that any
. man could be so hard-hearted as 10 speaE
9 in terms ofreproach, and point the finger o
: scorn towards the Christian missionary.
E In my last voyage, about two years ago
: again entered this same harbour. 1t i:
5 now called the Bay of Islands, and is ont
: of the most beautiful places unnatural see
merry on the surface of the globe. Icoulc
: hardly credit my eyes as l looked out up
s on handsome and thrifty town, with ma
r ny dwellings, indicative of wealth and eli
e gance. There were churches of taste
/. full architecture, and school children will
d their states and books. And there wer
to be seen New Zealand families dwell
d ing in cheerful parlors, sanciifed b.