The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-08-07
MISSION OF
MICRONESIA
A Letter From Rev. A.
c. WaIkup.
A SAILOR MISSIONARY
People of Butaritari Crazy on Dane
ing and Spend Their Time
Waiting,

siOns, a late letter from the veteran
missionary Walkup, says the Friend
The Rev. A. G.. Walkup called at Ho-
nolulu last December with his gasoline
schooner Hiram Bingham, which has
received new and more powerful en-
CINE in San Francisco. He sailed from
here December %, reaching Tapiteuea,
the southernmost island in his field, on
January IS, having had a good passage
of twenty-seven days. We give the
larger part of his letters:
Hiram Bingham,
Nonouti, Feb Is, 1900.
The engine took us in the 18th
in a calm. We anchored well in and
set awnings and had a good night 8
rest. Both Tibwere and Abera came
aboard while we were anchored outside
on Peacock anchorage. They piloted
us in as L was in the engine room most
Of the time. Friday morning | went
ashore, but was on board again by
noon. This was fortunate as a squat
came and the wind changed to the
west. The anchor was dragging until
1 got the large anchor out and awning
down. We were too close in to let out
all the chain i wanted to, and in about
an hour the swells grew quite large,
went the large anchor chain. 1t was
raining and blowing hard, but L set
the mainsail and jib, then slipped the
chain and got away-not over q minute
to spare, as the second chain parted as
we were letting the chain run. We
were>out at sea three nights before the
natives found one anchor, and then we
had to run in and raise with the wind
lass as it was well buried in the slime.
The next day we got the second anchor
and slept better with the two anchors
out, as the westerly squalls still con-
tinued.
In fact, at daylight that next morn
ing, we had the heaviest one of all. but
having twenty-five to thirty fathoms
of chain we did not drag. They have
been having heavy rains all winter, but
very few nuts are ripe as yet, and very
little pandanus, and rough weather for
fishing-thus the people have been liv-
ing on toddy, and here at Nonouti all
except our Christians are drinking the
sour toddy. (Toddy is the rich sap
which flows from the growing flower
stem of the cocoanut, when the end is
cut off. When sour it intoxicates.-
ED
1 think the work at Tapiteuea is
growing some; few seem to have
dropped out, but twenty-seven were
admitted to the churches on January
2S. Here at Nonouti some of the mem
bers will he disciplined for the sour
toddy drinking, while some that have
not been attending the services are
coming again. 1 was glad to see about
twenty yesterday that came four miles
to the midweek service at Buota. The
schools seem to be about the same,
having sent eight at Kusaie, the last
trip of the Star. The II. c. Bishop has
been performing miracles at Apaiang
with his ring. Tobacco seems to be their
bait as the people have nothing to buy
tobacco with. The Bishop, as well as
the Commissioner, has gone to FIJI.
l have Boan (my second mate to San
Francisco in 1880 and one of Tapiteu
cas- home missionaries as helpers on
the Bingham, also Mr.. Harvey. The
steamer was at Tapiteuea day before
us. thus some two or three more
months before we can send a mail. The
engine is working well, and quite a
curiosity to the natives, as 1 have used
1t several times. They all want to see
the "iti' flash of electricity.
1 keep very well and do not get tired
as the weather is cool. I probably can
write more later to send with this at
the north end of the group, where the
Star left five new couples to work, but
two of the old teachers have fallen out
during the year, and thus only making
three after filling up the gaps. When
will we have eight or ten?
Butaritari, April 7, 1900.
No mail has gone as yet but Nep-
tune for Jaluij, and Loongana from
Sydney are expected now daily. Thus
I must have some general news ready
in these manifolds North winds have
continued, and / have had to use the
engine much. The 200 gallons of gaso-
line from San Francisco and so from
Honolulu are gone. The logs say $40
miles by engine, sc hours. l find only
rs gallons here. as one 100-gallon drum
has rusted out. l hope to go from here
to Marakei, Abian, Tarawa, Maiana,
and on to Banaba. The work at the
south flour islands) Is fairly encourage
ing. but here at these northern islands
the people are crazy for dancing, and
last year they danced from several
weeks to months before each holiday.
Here they have been told they could
only have a week to prepare, but the
dancers want no less than five weeks
to get the multitudes crazy. The Com
missioner went in Loongana last Mo-
yember To sydney, and the dancers had
n big time before last New Years day.
The attendance at the villages here
and at Maxim have been somewhat
smaller than last year, but at Apaiang
and Tarawa about the same. II was too
rough 90 anchor at Marakei, thus |
have not been ashore there, but Rey.
blribo said only Few had fallen by
dancing,
Has the Star reached san Francisco
all safe9 When VIII she sail again?
When win | hear from the old home
landf The ralnE have not been 90 heavy
tho last few weeks, but quite plenty,
Thus big crop Of nuts ID coming on,
and books VIII sell, N We can get the
people away nom the worldly craze,
and mora inlo the schools, ! trust Wn
can slYe a better report az the end ~
1900 We need your prayers and en-
nouragemeni oh 90 have the mind af
Christ and Pau, ia an things appr0Y
inH ourselves as the miuisiufs NJ and
IA much patience. ip aflll0llnns. IA nn
eassllles, ~ iislfessea
April aih Monday ~ ahips arrived
aH tri ihlfiYrnlnn pnmmunnd leslrr-
daSI bui anly ien fpm lhla iliiHss. Iba
ashefl nni allrnaania here Yantal had
40 hAlalh Nrhpnl bar elaep " flMH