The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-07-13
GILBERT ISLANDS
Continuation Of Mr.. SViltOl's
Narrative.
WORKING TO MAKE CHRISTIANS
Changes Wrought During
Past % Years.
WORKING TO MAKE CHRISTIANS
Valuable Results of Training
School Work-Children Happy
and Learning Civilization.

The company came on board at 8
p. m. Some of the school boys and
girls who belong to this Island were
allowed to go home with their folks
and to remain with them until the de-
parture of the Star.
Next day being Sunday we went
ashore with the crowd, after breakfast,
TO attend divine service. Found on
landing that the teacher was located in
the old Bingham premises, little way
to the left of where the church is stu
ated.
On entering the teacher led US upon
the platform, where were seated Mr..
Channon, Mr. Mitchell Mr.. Walkup,
Mr. de la Potte and your humble ser
want Below the platform on our left
were Mrs. Channon, Miss Wilson and
the school girls. From our position we
had a good view of the congregation.
The church was pretty well filled.
Mr.. Walkup told me they were going
through their Sunday school lesson
for the quarter ending December. To
judge by the way the children answer
ed the questions put to them they must
have had the answers well committed
to memory When we considered that
the lessons were for our whole quarter
it was something surprising to us to
hear them answering as quickly as the
questions were put to them. These were
given without the least bit of hesitancy.
The singing, too, was fine. To my mind
it showed conclusively that those who
had the training of them in Kusaie
and the ones who had them in hand
before the Training School was insti-
tuted, had taken great pains to teach
them, otherwise the results would not
have been as apparent as we found
them
As looked on the audience I could
hardly believe I was in Apaiang Every
one in the audience was neatly dressed.
Did not see one with that unsightly
garment they use to wear twenty-five
years ago, and their behavior was all
that could be desired morally and spi-
Titually. Mr. Walkup told me, however,
that there were a good many on the
outskirts of the village who were still
heathens and still wearing those I'M
slightly garments of which I have al
ready spoken. Nevertheless. the change
made in the last twenty-five years is
very gratifying to me and to all those
who are interested in mission work in
Micronesia.
When the Sunday school was over
each one of us on the platform was
called upon to speak. All except my
self spoke in the Gilbert Island tongue.
My address was in English and this
was translated by Mr.. Walkup. After
the services were over every one in the
audience came and shook hand with
us.
Referring to Mr.. Walkup, I would
say HE is a whole team himself" Be
sides being the head of the Gilbert ISL
and mission. he is also Captain of the
schooner Hiram Bingham" The way
he takes her around the group amongst
the shoals and ever-shifting currents
for which the Gilbert Islands are noted
would do credit to an old sailor who
has followed the sea as a profession.
He is splendid navigator and went up
to San Francisco in his little schooner
from his Island home some two years
ago, making the passage in forty-five
days. This is quick trip for this little
craft. 1t would be considered a quick
passage for large vessel.
Mr.. Mclean, Mr.. Mitchell and myself
went aboard after the morning service,
leaving the rest of the party ashore,
this on account of the fact that they
were to have a general meeting in the
afternoon. They arrived aboard at
5:15 D. m.
Next morning. 9:15. weighed anchor
for Tarawa, passing out of the lagoon
at 10 a. m. Just a mile or two after
clearing the passage, we encountered a
squall from the westward, accompani-
ed with a good deal of rain. We had
Just stopped steaming and had set all
sail A little while before the squall
struck us we cleared up the royal and
foretop gallant sail and lowered down
the upper topsail. With the lower top
sail, foresail, mainsail, spanker and
the two jibs. 1--WE let her bile" The
squall did not last very long and when
it was over, we made all sail again,
arriving in Tarawa same day at 4:10
p. m, distance of twenty miles or so.
Anchored abreast of the inlet where
the English Commissioner is. located.
The Captain, Mr. Channon, Mr.. Walk
up and Mr.. de la Potte went ashore in
the little boat to pay their respects to
and few others on board got letters
from home They had been left there
with the commissioner by steamer.
The steamer referred to runs through
this group and the Marshall Islands
from Sydney regularly every three
months.
Lay there all night. Next morning
about o'clock got under way for the
mission station on the other side of
the lagoon. We had on this island two
stations, some seven or eight miles
apart; one of the teachers boarded us
while we were at an anchor off the
British Commissioners station.
Came to an anchor 1880 that same
morning, abreast the mission station.
We were not anchored long before the
other teacher came on board. Several
canoes also came alongside.
They do nOt hiring Tnuch trade with