Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-11-23

circumstance connected with the meet.
ing On board the British ship, Bounty
Captain Blight how the captain and
some Of his men were forced into n
small boat by the mutineers, and after
most extraordinary and perilous voyage
reached the Dutch settlements in New
Guinea. after losing one Of their mum
hers tMr. Nortonl on the Friendly Is
lands; and how tho muiineefs headed By
Fletcher Christian afterwards settled on
Pitcarn's Islands. where a number Of
their descendants still reside.
Until late hour OF the evening the
native passengers on board the Oyalau,
entertained Us with singing, dancing and
athletic sports. They are a fine race Of
people, and resemble in color, build,
habits and movements the llawaiians
very much
Wednesday, August sfsL At sunrise
the Ovalau was sailing abreast OF the
little beautiful and green island Atata,
lying lew miles from the island Of
Tongatabu, and at 8 O'Clock a. M, We
arrived at Nukualofa, the capital Of the
Tongan kingdom. The fine whitcwash-
ed lumber houses which line the coast
give the town most beautiful and
attractive appearance from the sea, and
the extensive cocoa.nut and orange
groves, and the many other varieties OF
tropical trees, as well as plants, shrubs,
flowers, etc, surrounding the dwellings
aud standing Immediately back oi the
town produces picture upon which the
eye never tires Of resting. Among the
public and private dwelling which arc
strung along the beach, the king
palace, a fine two.story building with a
lofty tower, and the royal church by its
side, are the most conspicuous.
While eating breakfast la the vessel,
the ships pufscr, Mr.. a. c. Walker
entered the saloon aud introduced me
10 two Of our Elders, VINO are labonug
on the island OF Tongalabu. They were
Alfred VI. Durham, OF plrowan, Utah,
and James X. Walker, Of Layton, Au-
zona. The meeting with these brethren
was most oppoftunc aud desirable, as |
was about 10 leave the vessel IN search
for the mission house, which ! had al
ready been informed was several miles
away from the capital. | soon joined
the two Elders, and sending my valises
| by boat, the three Of Us started Tor
| Mua, the name Of the village where the
| TUngan missionary headquarters are
located. a two-milc walk through the
cocoa nut and orange groves brought
US 10 a lagoon or an inland bay, where
the missionary boat, little cfait about
thirteen feet long was anchored, aud
after boarding her We set sail Tor Mua
about four miles distant. The tide being
out aud the wind being somewhat con
trary. we had TO row a part OF the way,
a. our course was winding aud We had
10 double point from which a bar
spouts far out into the lagoon. On land
Ing Immediately 80 rear OF the mission
premises, | was introduced TO four other
missionaries from ZION, namely. Charles
| T.. Jensen, Of Nivsfton, Utah; Amos a.
Atkinson, OF Lyman, Idaho; George w.
Shill, OF L'hi, Arizona; and George NJ.
Leonard, 81 Pennington, Utah. The
six Elders now named are all labonng
on Iongalabu ani adj lcent Islands, and
there are four othtvs engaged In mission
AIRY work on tie Eaapal group.
The Eongan mission was established
four years ago or In 1891. Since thai
time seventeen missionaries (among
them two sisters) have labored ON the
group; but only fifteen persons hay,
been baptized so Tar, Of whom three OF
the Tongatabu part Of the mission ant
twelve IN the Haapai group. Two o
those baptized on Tongatabu have beer
communicated ior apostacy which
leaves only one member at present OF
that island. But the brethren tell mI
that they have made quite a number o
friends, many Of whom have acknowl
edged full belief In the principles ad
yocaied by the Elders, but who never
theless lack courage to obey.
The brethren made me welcome 4
their quite comfortable home. and at
a hearty supper with them, consisting O
"uh" (the main native Diet cocoa.nu
sauce, rice bread and oranges. Ate
supper ! read Tongan scripture togethe
with the Elders, and found that IN
little introduction to the Hawaiian
language while ON the Sandwich Island
enabled me to pronounce Tongan word
quite correctly, the novels having III
same sound as In that language, as ais,
most OF the consonants, After conyers
ing with the brethren ill late hour,
retired to enjoy my first nights rest Of
the island OF longatabu.
The distance from Suya, FIJI to Nei-ait
Navau, Is 40 nautical miles; from Nei.ai
to Nukualoia. Tongatabu 1t is 1850 miles
ANDREW lEssoN.
MUM Tongatabu, Tonga, August 99n
1895.