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There was the usual proportion of lads from various islands; but the most troublesome member of the community seems to have been Wadrokala's three years old daughter. 'I have daily to get Wadrokala and Carry to prevent their child from being a nuisance to everybody. But this might have been a difficulty had she been white.
The first week in July, with Wadrokala, Mark, and two Malanta men, Mr. Patteson set forth in the boat that had been left with him, for an expedition among the other islands, beginning with Saddle Island, or Valua, which was the proper name.
Wadrokala, with entire conviction, declared that one of his father's wives had thus been made a cripple for life.
Nevertheless, I doubt very much whether other Melanesians live in the same familiarity with their missionaries e.g., Carry, wife of Wadrokala, writes thus: "I tremble very much to write to you, I am not fit to write to you, because, does an ant know how to speak to a cow? We at Nengone would not speak to a great man like you; no, our language is different to a chief and a missionary."
The great majority do their best to make me think they are listening. Meanwhile, much goes on in the island as of old. 'Sunday, July 28th, 11.45 A.M. I have much anxiety just now. At this moment Wadrokala is in an ague fit, five or six others of my party kept going by quinine and port wine, and one or other sickening almost daily.
Dudley and Wadrokala being left sitting in the boat, which was, as usual, a short distance from the beach. We had walked about half a mile before I noticed something unusual in the manner of the people, and I overheard them talking in a way that made me suspect that something had happened which they did not want me to know.
But I thought of what my feelings would be if it were the Devonshire coast, somewhere about Sidmouth, and no landing! However, they, as well as the three Nengonese, Wadrokala, Harper Malo, and Martin Tahia, went on contentedly. 'Off Mai, May 19th. Mr. Kerr has been busy taking bearings, &c., for the purpose of improving our MS. chart, and constructing a new one.
Now were I alone, I should be as brisk as a bee, but I feel weighed down somewhat with the anxiety about all these fellows about me. 'I must balance considerations, and think it out. It requires great attention. It is at times like these that I experience some trials. Usually my life is, as you know, singularly free from them. 'July 31st. Henry died on Sunday about 4 A.M. Wadrokala is better.
'After a while I walked back to the beach, no indication having been made of unfriendliness, but I had not gone more than a quarter of a mile when three men rushed past me from behind, and ran on to the beach. Meanwhile Mr. Dudley and Wadrokala in the boat were rather uneasy at the manner of the people standing near them on the reef; and they too suspected that something unusual had occurred.
Wadrokala and his wife and child were brought away, making up a number of 65 black passengers, besides the 60 scholars already at Norfolk Island. The weather throughout the voyage had been unusually still, with frequent calms, the sea with hardly any swell.
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