The Mission

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER XI.

  The caravan proceeded on the following morning, and by noon they arrivedat the Mission station of Butterworth, which was about one hundred andforty miles from the colonial boundaries. This station had only beensettled about three years, but even in that short time it wore an air ofcivilization strongly contrasted with the savage country around it. TheMission-house was little better than a large cottage, it is true, andthe church a sort of barn; but it was surrounded by neat Caffre huts andgardens full of produce.

  On the arrival of the caravan, Mr. S., the missionary, came out to meetthe travelers, and to welcome them. He had been informed that they wouldcall at the station, and bring some articles which had been sent for. Ithardly need be said that, meeting at such a place, and in such acountry, the parties soon became on intimate terms. Mr. S. offered thembeds and accommodation in his house, but our travelers refused; theywere well satisfied with their own; and having unyoked their oxen, andturned them out to graze with those belonging to the station, theyaccepted the missionary's invitation to join his repast.

  Alexander having stated the object of his expedition, requested theadvice of Mr. S. as to his further proceedings, and asked him whether itwould not be advisable to see the Caffre king, and make him a present.This Mr. S. strongly advised them to do; and to ask for a party ofCaffres to accompany the caravan, which would not only insure themsafety, but would prove in many respects very useful. All that would benecessary would be to find them in food and to promise them a present,if they conducted themselves well. "You are aware," continued he, "thatHinza's domain only extends as far as the Bashee or St. John's River,and you will have to proceed beyond that; but with some of the Caffrewarriors you will have no difficulty, as the tribes further will notonly fear your strength, but also the anger of Hinza, should they commitany depredation. But things, I regret to say, do not look very peaceablejust now."

  "Indeed! what is the quarrel, and with whom?"

  "Hinza has quarreled with a powerful neighboring chief of the name ofVoosani, who reigns over the Tambookie tribes, about some cattle, whichare the grand cause of quarrels in these countries, and both parties arepreparing for war. But whether it will take place is doubtful, as theyare both threatened with a more powerful enemy, and may probably becompelled to unite, in order to defend themselves."

  "And who may that be?"

  "Quetoo, the chief of the Amaquibi, is in arms with a large force, andthreatens the other tribes to the northward of us; if he conquers them,he will certainly come down here. He was formerly one of Chaka'sgenerals, and is, like him, renowned for slaughter. At present he is toofar to the northward to interfere with you, but I should advise you tolose no time in effecting your mission; for should he advance, you willbe compelled to retreat immediately. I had better send to Hinza to-morrowto let him know that strangers have come and wish to see him, that theymay make him a present. That notice will bring him fast enough; not butthat he well knows you are here, and has known that you have been in hiscountry long ago."

  "It will be as well, after the information you have given us," said Mr.Swinton.

  "What is your opinion of the Caffres, Mr. S., now that you have residedso long with them?"

  "They are, for heathens, a fine nation,--bold, frank, and, if any thingis confided to them, scrupulously honest; but cattle-stealing iscertainly not considered a crime among them, although it is punished asone. Speaking as a minister of the Gospel, I should say they are themost difficult nation to have any thing to do with that it ever has beenmy lot to visit. They have no religion whatever; they have no idols; andno idea of the existence of a God. When I have talked to them about God,their reply is, 'Where is he? show him to me.'"

  "But have they no superstitions?"

  "They believe in necromancy, and have their conjurers, who do much harm,and are our chief opponents, as we weaken their influence, andconsequently their profits. If cattle are stolen, they are referred to.If a chief is sick, they are sent for to know who has bewitched him;they must of course mention some innocent person, who is sacrificedimmediately. If the country is parched from want of rain, which it sofrequently is, then the conjurers are in great demand: they are sent forto produce rain. If, after all their pretended mysteries, the rain doesnot fall so as to save their reputation, they give some plausiblereason, generally ending, however, in the sacrifice of some innocentindividual; and thus they go on, making excuses after excuses until therain does fall, and they obtain all the credit of it. I need hardly saythat these people are our greatest enemies."

  "Are you satisfied with the success which you have had?"

  "Yes, I am, when I consider the difficulty to be surmounted. Nothing butthe Divine assistance could have produced such effects as have alreadytaken place. The chiefs are to a man opposed to us."

  "Why so?"

  "Because Christianity strikes at the root of their sensuality; it wasthe same when it was first preached by our Divine Master. The riches ofa Caffre consist not only in his cattle, but in the number of his wives,who are all his slaves. To tell them that polygamy is unlawful andwrong, is therefore almost as much as to tell them that it is not rightto hold a large herd of cattle; and as the chiefs are of course theopulent of the nation, they oppose us. You observe in Caffreland, aselsewhere, it is 'hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom ofheaven.' I have asked the chiefs why they will not come to church, andtheir reply has been, 'The great word is calculated to lessen ourpleasures and diminish the number of our wives; to this we can neverconsent,'"

  "But still you say you have made some progress."

  "If I have, let it be ascribed to the Lord, and not to me and myotherwise useless endeavors; it must be His doing; and without His aidand assistance, the difficulties would have been insurmountable. It isfor me only to bear in mind the scriptural injunction, 'In the morningsow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowestnot whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they bothshall be alike good.'"

  "But have they no idea whatever of a Supreme Being, either bad or good?have they no idea, as some of the African tribes have, of the devil?"

  "None; and in their language they have no word to express the idea ofthe Deity; they swear by their kings of former days as great chiefs,but no more. Now if they had any religion whatever, you might, bypointing out to them the falsity and absurdity of that religion, andputting it in juxtaposition with revealed Truth, have some hold upontheir minds; but we have not even that advantage."

  "But can not you make an impression upon their minds by referring to thewonders of nature,--by asking them who made the sun and stars? Surelythey might be induced to reflect by such a method."

  "I have tried it a hundred times, and they have laughed at me for myfables, as they have termed them. One of the chiefs told me to hold mytongue, that his people might not think me mad. The Scriptures, indeed,teach us that, without the aid of direct revelation, men are alsowithout excuse if they fail to attain to a certain knowledge of theDeity,--'even his eternal power and God-head,'--by a devoutcontemplation of the visible world, which with all its wonders is spreadout before them as an open volume. But beyond this, all knowledge of theorigin or manner of creation is derived, not from the deductions ofhuman reasoning, but from the Divine testimony; for it is expresslysaid, 'Through faith we understand that the worlds were made by the wordof God.'"

  "Nevertheless you must admit that, among the civilized nations ofEurope, many who deny revelation, and treat the Bible as a fable,acknowledge that the world must have been made by a Supreme Power."

  "My dear sir, many affect to deny the truth of revelation out of prideand folly, who still in their consciences can not but believe it. Here,there being no belief in a Deity, they will not be persuaded that theworld was made by one. Indeed, we have much to contend with, and perhapsone of the greatest difficulties is in the translation of theScriptures. I sit down with an interpreter who can not read a singleword, and with perhaps a most erroneous and imperfect k
nowledge ofdivine things. We open the sacred volume, and it is first translatedinto barbarous Dutch to the Caffre interpreter, who then has to tell ushow that Dutch is to be put into the Caffre language. Now you mayimagine what mistakes may arise. I have found out lately that I havebeen stating the very contrary to what I would have said. With thistranslation, I stand up to read a portion of the Word of God, for myinterpreter can not read, and hence any slight defect or change in asyllable may give altogether a different sense from what I desire toinculcate."

  "That must indeed be a great difficulty, and require a long residenceand full acquaintance with the language to overcome."

  "And even then not overcome, for the language has no words to expressabstract ideas; but the Lord works after His own way, and at His ownseason."

  "You do not then despair of success?"

  "God forbid; I should be indeed a most unworthy servant of our DivineMaster, if I so far distrusted His power. No; much good has been alreadydone, as you will perceive when we meet to-morrow to perform Divineservice; but there is much more to do, and, with His blessing, will inHis own good time be perfected; but I have duties to attend to whichcall me away for the present; I shall therefore wish you good-night. Atall events, the Mission has had one good effect: you are perfectly safefrom Caffre violence and Caffre robbery. This homage is paid to it evenby their kings and chiefs."

  "I will say, that if we are only to judge by the little we have seen,the Mission appears to have done good," observed the Major. "In thefirst place, we are no longer persecuted, as we have been during ourjourney, for presents; and, as you may observe, many of the Caffresabout are clothed in European fashions, and those who have nothing buttheir national undress, I may call it, wear it as decently as they can."

  "I made the same observation," said Alexander. "I am most anxious forto-morrow, as I wish to see how the Caffres behave; and really, when youconsider all the difficulties which Mr. S. has mentioned, it iswonderful that he and those who have embraced the same calling shouldpersevere as they do."

  "My dear Wilmot," replied Mr. Swinton, "a missionary, even of the mosthumble class, is a person of no ordinary mind; he does not rely uponhimself or upon his own exertions,--he relies not upon others, or uponthe assistance of this world; if he did, he would, as you say, soonabandon his task in despair. No; he is supported, he is encouraged, heis pressed on by faith--faith in Him who never deserts those who trustand believe in Him; he knows that, if it is His pleasure, the task willbe easy, but at the same time that it must be at His own good time.Convinced of this, supported by this, encouraged by this, and venturinghis life for this, he toils on, in full assurance that if he failsanother is to succeed,--that if he becomes a martyr, his blood willmoisten the arid soil from which the future seed will spring. Amissionary may be low in birth, low in education, as many are; but hemust be a man of exalted mind,--what in any other pursuit we might terman enthusiast; and in this spreading of the Divine word, he meritsrespect for his fervor, his courage, and self-devotion; his willingness,if the Lord should so think fit, to accept the crown of martyrdom."

  "You are right, Swinton; nothing but what you have described could impela man to pass a life of privation and danger among a savagerace--leaving all, and following his Master in the true apostolic sense.Well, they will have their reward."

  "Yes, in heaven, Wilmot; not on earth," replied Swinton.

  The next day, being the Sabbath, with the assistance of Mahomed, who wasvalet as well as cook to the whole party, they divested themselves oftheir beards, which had not been touched for many days, and dressedthemselves in more suitable apparel than their usual hunting costume,--arespect paid to the Sabbath by even the most worldly and mostindifferent on religious points. The bell of the Mission church wastolled, and the natives were seen coming from all directions. Our partywent in, and found Mr. S. already there, and that seats had beenprovided for them. The numbers of natives who were assembled in thechurch were about 200, but many more were at the windows, and sitting bythe open door.

  Many of them were clothed in some sort of European apparel; those whowere not, drew their krosses close round them, so as to appear morecovered. A hymn in the Caffre language was first sung, and then prayers,after which the Litany and responses; the Commandments were repeated inthe same language. Mr. S. then read a chapter in the Bible, andexplained it to the assembly. Profound silence and quiet attentiongenerally prevailed, although in some few instances there was mockeryfrom those outside. Mr. S. gave the blessing, and the service was ended.

  "You have already done much," observed Mr. Swinton. "I could hardly havebelieved that a concourse of savages could have been so attentive, andhave behaved with such decorum."

  "It certainly is the most difficult point gained,--to command theirattention, I mean," replied Mr. S.; "after that, time and patience, withthe assistance of God, will effect the rest."

  "Do you think that there are many who, if I may use the term, feel theirreligion?"

  "Yes, many; and prove it by traveling about and sowing the seed. Thereare many who not only are qualified so to do, but are incessantlylaboring to bring their countrymen to God."

  "That must be very satisfactory to you."

  "It is; but what am I, and the few who labor with me, to the thousandsand thousands who are here in darkness and require our aid? There arenow but three missions in all Caffreland; and there is full employmentfor two hundred, if they could be established. But you must excuse me, Ihave to catechise the children, who are my most promising pupils. Wewill meet again in the evening, for I have to preach at a neighboringvillage. Strange to say, many who doubt and waver will listen to methere; but they appear to think that there is some witchcraft in theMission church, or else are afraid to acknowledge to their companionsthat they have been inside of it."

  The missionary then left them, and Alexander observed--

  "I don't know how you feel? but I assure you it has been a greatpleasure to me to have found myself in this humble church, and hearingDivine service in this wild country."

  Both Swinton and Major Henderson expressed the same opinion.

  "I am not afraid of being laughed at," continued Alexander, "when I tellyou that I think it most important, wherever we may be during ourtravels, to keep the Sabbath holy, by rest and reading the service."

  "With pleasure, as far as I am concerned, and I thank you for theproposal," replied Swinton.

  "And I am equally pleased that you have proposed it, Wilmot," said MajorHenderson; "even we may be of service to the good cause, if, as we passthrough the land, the natives perceive that we respect the Sabbath asthe missionary has requested them to do. We are white men, andconsidered by them as superior; our example, therefore, may do good."

  The evening was passed away very agreeably with Mr. S., who wasinexhaustible in his anecdotes of the Caffres. He informed them thatHinza intended to call the next morning to receive his presents, andthat he would be interpreter for them if they wished it.

  Alexander, having thanked the missionary, said, "I think you mentioned,sir, that some of your brother missionaries have their wives with them.Since you have told me so much of the precarious tenure by which youhold your ground here, and I may add your lives, I think that the wivesof the missionaries must have even more to encounter than theirhusbands."

  "You are right, sir," replied the missionary; "there is no situation sotrying, so perilous, and I may say, so weary to the mind and body, asthat of a female missionary. She has to encounter the same perils andthe same hardships as her husband, without having the strength of oursex to support them; and what is more painful than all, she is oftenleft alone in the Mission-house, while her husband, who has left her, isproceeding on his duty, at the hourly peril of his life. There she isalone, and compelled to listen to all the reports and falsehoods whichare circulated; at one moment she is told that her husband has beenmurdered; at another, that he is still alive. She has no means ofhearing from him, as there is no communication throughout the country;thus
is she left in this horrible state of suspense and anxiety, perhapsfor many weeks. I have a letter from a brother missionary which is in mywriting-desk, wherein the case in point is well portrayed; I will getit, and read that portion to you." Mr. S. went to the other end of theroom, and came back with a letter, from which he read as follows:--

  "Having been detained among those distant tribes for nearly two months,report upon report had been circulated that the interpreters and guides,as well as myself, had all been murdered. On my arrival within fortymiles of the station, I was informed that all doubt upon the subject hadbeen removed by a party of natives who had passed the Mission station,and who pretended an acquaintance with all the particulars of themassacre. We had been traveling the whole day, and night had come on; Iwas most anxious to proceed, that I might relieve the mind of my dearwife, but the earnest remonstrances of my little party, who representedit as certain death to all of us to cross the plains, which wereinfested with lions and other savage beasts who were prowling in everydirection, at length induced me to wait till the next day. But scarcelyhad day begun to dawn when I sallied forth, without either arms orguide, except a pocket compass, leaving my fellow-travelers to bring onthe wagon as soon as they should arouse from their slumbers. Thisimpatience had, however, well-nigh cost me my life; for having to wadethrough many miles of deep sand with a vertical sun over my head, I hadnot accomplished half the journey before my strength began to fail, andan indescribable thirst was induced. Nevertheless, I reached the Missionin safety, and with truly grateful feelings to the Preserver of men. Afew minutes prior to my arrival, the wife of one of my brothermissionaries, little imagining that I was at hand and alive, had enteredour dwelling, to apprise my wife of the latest intelligence, confirmingall that had been said before respecting my fate, and to comfort herunder the distressing dispensation. At this affecting crisis, whileboth were standing in the center of the room, the one relating, theother weeping, I opened the door, bathed in perspiration, covered withdust, and in a state of complete exhaustion. 'Oh, dear!' cried ourfriend; 'is it he--or is it his spirit?' I must, my dear sir, leave toyour imagination the scene that followed."

  "Yes, sir," said Mr. S., folding up the letter, "a missionary's wife,who follows him into such scenes and such perils and privations, does,indeed, 'cleave to her husband.'"

  "Indeed she does," replied Mr. Swinton; "but we will tax you no longer,my dear sir. Good-night."