I bid the folks good bye and went up to South Weber
Canyon with Wm. Belknap. We arrived at Robert Wat's place at 10 o'clock
and found that he had just gone up Weber Canyon. We followed him and found
him fishing. After returning to his house, we spent the night with him.
Next morning, he brought me down to Ogden, where I found that Gilbert Belknap
and his wife had just left for the dedication of the Manta Temple. At 3
o'clock, a fellow missionary, James S. Nye, came to see me, telling me
that he also was ordered to the same mission as I.
Elyzabeth Merriot sent three parcels and twelve
dollars to her son, M.S. Merriot, who was already in New Zealand.
May 23, 1888
I went down to the depot with Nye who was on his
way to Salt Lake City to be set aside for the New Zealand mission. As I
was coming home on South St., I met old Tom Hellar going down the street
in his one horse shay.
May 24, 1888
Gilbert and his wife returned from the dedicating
of the Manti Temple, next morning. He showed me the program of the singing
and I copied some of the songs. I made arrangements with Uncle Gilbert
to forward all letters and money that arrived after I was gone. I borrowed
$25 from G.R. Belknap to make myself safe. At 9 o'clock, I went down to
Hooper to take another farewell of Uncle Gilbert and family. I arrived
there at 11 a.m. Adie went down to the Hammons place with me to take dinner
with them.
While I was at Uncle Gilbert's place, I got the names of his children
and the number of grandchildren. They are as follows:
Gilbert R. Belknap
|
Sarah Coal
|
4 |
Reuben Belknap |
Lucina Hammons |
3 |
Jane Belknap |
Levy Hammons |
6 |
Joseph Belknap |
Ninerva Howard |
7 |
Hyram Belknap |
Annie Christenson |
4 |
Agustus Belknap |
Mary Read |
1 |
Vincent Belknap |
Evelyn Hardy |
1 |
Ansy Belknap |
|
|
William Belknap |
Eliza Wats |
7 |
Frank Belknap |
Seily Roberts |
2 |
Dorah Belknap |
John Stoddard |
7 |
Oliver Belknap |
Margeret Maning |
2 |
May 25, 1888
Sam Browning gave me a pocket compass to see if
the magnetic attraction of the south was the same as that of the north,
after crossing the Equator. I borrowed $25 from my cousin Gilbert and he
gave me $5 more than I asked for. The first thing I did was to buy me a
pair of boots for $4.25. In the evening, Hyram Belknap made me a present
of $5 which was very acceptable to me.
May 26, 1888
I went down to James Nye's and we both went on down
to the Z.C.M.I. to see Heber Sears. He gave us some very valuable information
on what we would need for our trip. While we were there, John S. Bingham
came in and I took him up to dinner with me. After dinner, we went down
to the Cooperative and saw Thomas Young. At 5 p.m., we went down to the
depot and there we ran across Walter Reed and J. N. Heywood. I did not
expect to meet him until I got to San Francisco, but nevertheless, I was
very glad to see him. We also met another New Zealand missionary by the
name of Dame, also one by the name of Peter Reed. We stood around the station
and if the rest of them felt like I did, we were a passable imitation of
a flock of lost sheep. Walter's father secured our tickets and then we
returned to our various stopping places to wait for 11 p.m. to arrive as
that was the train we were to leave on for San Francisco. I took Heywood
to my Cousin Gilbert Belknap's place to supper. I found some things there
from my dear old mother and I can assure you it was a comfort to get them
knowing they were from her own hands. After packing my trunk, I spent a
very agreeable evening, until the appointed hour. When it was time to leave,
Nye arrived with a wagon to take our things to the station. I bid the folks
farewell and went to the station and found the rest of the boys waiting
for me. I checked my baggage to San Francisco and at 12:15, the train pulled
out, leaving Utah and the scenes of my boyhood behind me.
May 27, 1888
Next morning at 9, I ate breakfast at the Wells,
218 miles from Ogden. We passed over some very barren country but after
reaching the Humboldt River, it began to improve. At 5 p.m., we were 419
miles from Ogden at Humboldt Station, where we had supper at 6. We saw
a good deal of wild game just before we arrived at Trucky River, the principal
kinds being pheasants and elk. At 12, we reached the river. The Trucky
River heads in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and flows down the west slope,
watering a good deal of forest. One would judge by the sawmills that it
is quite a timber country.
We reached the Summit Station at daybreak. This was the highest point
the railroad reaches in this locality, having an elevation of 7017 feet.
From there we began to descend into California and the scenery began to
take on the beauty and colors which make California famous. Houses, orchards
and vineyards were perched right on top of the mountains. On every side,
one could see the marks of the gold diggers. At length we reached the foothills
where the rolling slopes melted away into a plain covered with grain and
greek oaks as far as the eye could see. All-in-all, it was a sight worth
looking at. We got to Sacramento at 9 a.m., 744 miles from Ogden and 140
from San Francisco. As we crossed the Sacramento River, I saw my first
steamboat, that is, to be close to one.
The country here seems to be a great farming district. There are orchards
and vineyards in quarter sections, one right after the other. It was a
beautiful sight after seeing some of the raw, rough country of Nevada.
When we came to the Bay Station, the train was divided equally and half
of it was run on each side of the ferryboat, so as to balance it properly.
On each side of the boat were four large boilers, each one as large as
four ordinary boilers, and in the center were the large engines that furnished
the propelling force. When it shoved off, it seemed like a floating island.
As we crossed, I noticed that the bay was covered with small fishing boats.
We arrived at Oakland at 1 p.m., the cars having come 14 miles across
the bay. We checked our baggage at the Brooklyn Hotel, got off the train
and went on the Oakland ferry. This was more like a ship than the one that
ferried the train over, being equipped with life preservers and other regular
ship equipment. After completing the three mile voyage from Oakland to
San Francisco, we landed on the wharf and were almost deafened by hotel
barkers shouting out the names and marvelous qualities of their respective
hotels. A policeman asked us which hotel we wished to stop at and we told
him the Brooklyn. He hailed a cab for us and we piled in and rattled off
to the hotel over the rocky streets. We secured rooms at $0.50 a day. The
principal part of the city is made up of business houses, built of stone
and from five to seven stories in height. Most of them are fireproof.
That evening, I went to the Bell Union Theatre with Walter Reed but
after the show was over, I couldn't find him, so I returned to our rooms
alone. There I found Heywood fast asleep with the light out and the gas
still turned on. He would have smothered if no one had found him in time.
I turned the gas off and woke him up. I took him outside and waited an
hour for the gas to air out so that we could go to sleep.
May 29, 1888
Next day, I went up to the Woodard Gardens to see
the animals. They had a great variety, including lions, tigers, kangaroos,
leopards and many others, also a large collection of birds. When I returned
to the hotel, I found the boys were all there, having just returned from
buying our tickets on the "Alameda," the ship on which we were to make
the voyage to New Zealand. We got a discount of $10 thus reducing the cost
to $90.
May 30, 1888
I went up to the jeweler's store and bought a gold
watch and chain. It cost me $40 at a bargain price. In the evening, I went
a wax figure show, portraying the dangers and ravages of the Venereal diseases.
The figures were very lifelike and was just about the most sickening sight
I ever saw or ever expect to see.
May 31, 1888
This morning, we made arrangements so that we could
have our prayers and then, we went up to the Cliff House. On the beach,
we could see the seals and sea lions laying around on the rocks, some of
them as big as an ox. They made noises similar to those made by a hog,
only much louder. They were very active creatures. In spite of their size
and awkward shape, they would climb with ease on rocks and boulders where
it would have been impossible for a man to have gone. It was an awe-inspiring
sight to see the great ocean waves dash themselves against the rocks and
throw spray many feet into the air. From there, we went up to the Sutru
Heights Gardens and found them to be very beautiful. From there we went
down to the beach, where I found some seaweed and I gathered some to send
home in my next letter. After that, we went down into the thickly populated
Chinatown. Everything there was the same as in the American quarter except
that everything was carried on by Chinese. It amused me to see them shaving
each others heads in accordance with the prevailing Oriental custom.
Mon. June 2, 1888
I wrote some letters home and ordered more money.
I bought some oranges to take on the voyage with us as we are leaving the
American continent tomorrow. It will be a great pleasure to me to get away
from San Francisco.
Tue. June 3, 1888
We were up early this morning getting things ready
for our departure. We settled our account at the hotel and then went down
to the wharf. I checked me trunk to Auckland, N.Z. and made arrangements
for our berths. We got them close together, Walter taking No. 1, I No.
2 and Heywood No. 3. After making all the arrangements, we went ashore
to get our breakfasts and then returned from up town. On our way, we met
Dame and another man named McDonald, who said he was going to New Zealand
also. he said he had some freight he wanted to get out but didn't have
the money to pay the charges and tried to borrow some from us, or to pawn
a watch he had in his possession. He turned out to be a snide, so we dropped
him like a hot potato.
At 11 a.m., the ship's crew started getting up steam. The ship is 345
feet in length, 40 in width and 30 deep. She is an ironclad steamer. Steerage
passengers were not allowed in the fore part of the ship.
At 12 o'clock, I mailed some letters I had written and at two, we shoved
off for the ship. This was evidently the signal for the handshaking and
weeping to begin for it commenced immediately on all sides of us. As we
climbed on board, we were saluted by the whistling of the engines and the
shouting of the people.
It seemed heavenly at first to be gliding so smoothly
over the water, but as soon as we got outside the bay, the ship began to
pitch and rock, causing my head to whirl. Every thing I looked at was going
around in circles and such a feeling swept over me that cannot be described
on paper. About an hour after we got under way, Dame began to vomit and
an hour later, Heywood joined him. Young made an unwilling third and before
I knew it, I was outdoing the best of them. At 4 o'clock, I took my last
look at America and began to wish that I was back in St. Johns. At nine
o'clock, we went down to our berths, which were on the third deck, but
as there was no ventilation, the smell of rotten vegetables nearly smothered
us and worst of all, there were sick people spewing on every side of us.
How I did long for old St. Johns.
Nothing of importance occurred unless an argument
the boys had with two Josephite missionaries, who were going on missions
to Australia, could be called that. One of them was Leimon White's son.
The argument did a lot more harm that good.
Sat. June 9, 1888
We passed through a bunch of flying fish today.
They will raise up out of the water and fly for a hundred yards or more
and then drop back into it like a stone.
Sun. June 10, 1888
I was awakened this morning by the boys shouting
land ahoy. I went up on deck and there I could see the Sandwich Islands
away to our right.
We arrived at Honolulu at 6 o'clock and while we were at breakfast,
two gentlemen arrived and inquired for Dame. They turned out to be two
missionaries, Matthew Noal and Dean. On our way up town, we met another
missionary who was working among the Kanakas, Davis by name. I posted a
letter to my mother as I went up to the elders' stopping place. As I moved
along, I noticed many queer trees and plants that I had never heard of
before. When we reached the house, I asked for a cold drink of water and
was told that there was no cold water on the island. The spring and well
water was all alike. Here I met the wives of Noal and King as well as two
other missionaries, King and his wife, who was a daughter of Mr. White
of St. Johns, and Barrell. We attended meeting and were all called on to
speak. After it was over, we all had the luxury of a shower bath, and as
soon as we were through, dinner was announced and how we did eat. I thought
I never would get enough, but I finally succeeded. I left the table and
went out on a little rise that overlooked the town. It was a grand sight
to me who had never seen anything like it before. I went back and thanked
my hosts, took leave of them and went our to see the sights of Honolulu.
As I walked down through the streets, I noticed the orange and banana mangoes
(Mark Twain's Muskmelons) hanging high in the tops of the trees. I went
on down to the King's Palace, a beautiful building enclosed by a ten-foot
stone wall. After looking the Palace over from there, I went around to
the public buildings in front. On the lawn, there was a statue of a native
over seven feet tall and well proportioned in other ways. He had been a
king and was noted for his great strength. The natives said that he could
take two common men by the necks and knock their heads together and kill
them with the same ease that you or I could a rabbit. His name was Kamehameha.
I arrived at the wharf in time to board the ship. There I found that the
missionary named Dean and his wife and baby, were taking passage to Samoa
to open up a mission among the natives there.
After they had raised the anchor, we took our way straight into the
southwest. We had traveled 2100 miles since leaving San Francisco. The
food that was served to us steerage passengers was very unwholesome, in
fact it was so bad that I made arrangements with the second baker for two
decent meals a day. He would not accept more that a dollar. I got word
of Erastus Snow's death. I have known him all my life, but I guess it's
waiting for all of us sooner or later. The steerage was so uncomfortable
that I slept on deck. During the night, the wind raised and blew my hat
overboard, so I had to buy me a cap. In the evening, a school of porpoises
began playing around the ship. It was very amusing to watch them.
They got up some amusements on deck today. First
they started some sparring, but one couple went at in earnest and hit everybody
and thing that got within a rod of them. Then they started skating and
tried many other things to try and help the time to pass off smoothly.
We arrived at Tutuwila at 2 p.m. Two skiffs and a
sailboat came out to the ship, bringing fruits, sea shells and curiously
carved pieces of wood to sell to the passengers.
Dean and his wife and two other passengers went ashore
here.
The natives seemed to be an intelligent race of people.
Their hair was of a yellowish color but it might have been dyed for all
I know about it. I noticed that their hair was not all the same color.
It ranged from yellow to black. When we started off, they swan around us
like so many ducks.
When we were under way again, the ocean seemed agitated
with some of the largest swells hitting the ship that I have seen yet.
In traveling from the sun, we have lost a day, so we have to turn the calendar
from the 20th to the 22nd. It rained quite a bit today. We passed several
light houses.
Sat. June 23, 1888
We arrived at Auckland at 9 a.m., completing a 3950
mile voyage form Honolulu to Auckland. Met George Romney of Salt Lake at
the wharf. I got my trunk by the customs house and hired a cart to take
it up to Frederick Rogers' place on East Street. We went afoot to a Mr.
Norstrand's and then on down to Mrs. Rogers'. This lady had joined the
church in England twenty-four years ago and has been trying to get to Zion
ever since. Her husband does not belong to the church. She gave us a very
good dinner.
We received a letter from President Paxman appointing us to our fields
of labor. Dame and Young were sent to Wiurapa; Walter Reed to the Bay of
Islands; Heywood and Nye to Hawks Bay and Bingham and myself to Poverty
Bay.
Sun. June 24, 1888
I was feeling quite well when we left, but when
we got out to sea again, it made me seasick. I attended Sunday School and
two meetings during the day and I had to preach twice.
Tue. June 26, 1888
Dame and Yound started for their field of labor
today. After seeing them off, I went to the Union Steamship Co. and got
me a ticket to Gisbourne, which cost me two pounds. That evening, Reed
and Romney left for the scene of their labor, just one month from the time
we met at Ogden until we parted at Auckland. I bought me a Maori testament
and Williams' "First Lessons in Maori" and a book sack and then returned
to Mrs. Rogers' place. I found a young lady there named Eliza Wade, who
spoke very good English.
Wed. June 27, 1888
This morning, we went upon Mount Eadon and got a
very good view of the city. Houses are built all over the country in clusters,
some of them in lava beds. The timber is the same way. It is scattered
around in groves. From where I stood, I could count eight extinct craters.
In ages gone by, this must have been a dangerous country to have lived
in. The country is covered with clover and many other kinds of grasses
that are green the year around. While we were there, two young ladies came
up to the top of the mountain to see the country. We also noticed two little
boys working in a fenced in lava bed. They were piling fragments of the
lava rock up on the ricks to sell.
In the afternoon, we went down to the dock to make arrangements for
our berths, but the "Stuart" (the ship on which we were to take passage
to Gisbourne) was not at the dock yet, so we returned to our hotel. As
we passed the railway station, we noticed a crowd gathered there, so we
stopped to see what the excitement was about. We elbowed our way into the
crowd and found out that the point of interest was a French lady who claimed
she was a marvelous doctor and healer. Her husband, a French Canadian
was with her, acting as her assistant. The lady doctor was working on an
elderly lady doctoring her for a paralytic stroke. When the doctoress was
through with her, she moved her out of the chair and had an old man lifted
into it. The old man, she said, had not walked a step for seven years on
account of his weak back. She offered five hundred pounds to any man, woman,
or doctor present who could cure him until he would be able to get up and
dance, but as no one accepted her offer, she started to work on him herself.
She gave him a dose of medicine and then turned him over to her husband
and turned her attention to the healing of an old man who was so deaf that
he couldn't hear a thing and had been that way for the last twenty years,
but this marvelous lady cured him in less that twenty minutes. All that
I saw her do was to blow in his ear with a little tin instrument and then
saturate some cotton and put it in. When she pulled the cotton out, she
took a quill and stuck it in his ear and pulled something out and the poor
old sufferer was completely cured. By this time, the husband was through
with his patient also. They left them sitting there for about fifteen minutes
and then the lady had the band strike up a lively tune and ordered the
erstwhile invalids to get up and dance. They did so and when it was all
over, the old crippled man went off and left his crutches.
Thur. June 28, 1888
I bid my new friends farewell this morning and went
down to the wharf and went on board the "Stuart." We got underway at 12
o'clock and shortly after, the dinner bell rang. As they had a lot better
food on this ship than they did on the "Alameda," I ate a hearty dinner
and supper, but during the night, the waves got so rough that it made me
seasick.
Fri. June 29, 1888
I felt so tough today that I couldn't eat any breakfast
or dinner, but we reached Gisbourne at 2 p.m. and as soon as I got ashore
again, I felt much better. The "Stuart" anchored outside the bay and a
small steamer came out and took the passengers off and landed them. The
first people I met when we got ashore was some of the members of our church.
I got my first experience in "hunying" (rubbing noses). I pulled my hat
off and stood there ready for anything. My nose is rather small in comparison
to those of the Maoris, but if our noses won't touch, our heads will. As
we walked along toward the hotel, we met two missionaries, Angus Wright
who was president of my district and J. E. Nagle who was president of Bingham's
district. A Maori, Wirihana Topeka by name, met us with his cart and we
got in and left our baggage and in a few moments, we were at his house.
We were completely tired out when we reached there, but after eating a
good supper, I felt much better. Supper over with, we had prayers and the
Topeka got up and welcomed us to New Zealand.
Sat. June 30, 1888
I was furnished with a horse and saddle and went
down to Tawhao, a branch of the church. I arrived there at 4 p.m., a distance
of 16 miles. They gave us a good supper consisting of good meat and fish
and Irish and sweet potatoes. The Maoris are great vegetarians. We had
our supper off by ourselves, but I noticed that the Maoris all ate in a
group, sitting around on the floor and eating out of the dished with their
fingers. We held a meeting that evening and it seemed that a very good
spirit prevailed among the people.
Sun. July 1, 1888
Today being Sunday, we gathered the people together
and held Sacrament meeting. Having no benches, they all lay down on the
floor. The deacons all had long sticks in their hands and were stationed
around among the congregation. If one of them should go to sleep a deacon
would punch him in the ribs and wake him up. We also held a meeting in
the afternoon, at which Mr. Wright baptized a child into the church. We
held another meeting in the evening and there I met two European members
of the church, named Murtagh.
Mon. July 2, 1888
Pres. Wright and Magel went to Bokoututu, another
branch of the church, while Bingham and I returned home to Kaiti.
Tue. July 3, 1888
We went down to the beach gathering shells and when
we returned, we found that Wright and Nagle had returned.
Wed. July 4, 1888
Early this morning, Nagle and Bingham left for the
district of Waiapu, leaving Wright and I here alone. Having nothing to
do, I went down to the beach on the east side of the island and gathered
some very nice shells. The island is about one mile wide at Kaiti.
Thur. July 5, 1888
Today we went down to Tawhao Branch, the same place
where we held our meeting on July 1st, and held a meeting again. We excommunicated
a priest from the church while there.
Fri. July 6, 1888
Today we went to another branch of the church called
Muriwai. On our way down, we stopped and looked through the Church of England
which had been built by the natives. The walls and roof were made of thatching
and the inside was painted very nicely. We arrived at Murimai at 3:30 p.m.
The church members here are building a house of worship. They have it nearly
finished.
Sat July 7, 1888
This morning, I went down to the beach ???
the evening, James, the son of our hostess Caroline, came in from a successful
pigeon hunt.
Sun July 8, 1888
We had James' pigeons for breakfast, boiled with
the entrails in them. I found them to be very good served that way. I attended
church at 10 a.m. this morning and at 2 this afternoon.
Mon July 9, 1888
Jim (James) gave me a book to write Maori words
in. After breakfast, we saddled our horses and returned to Kaiti.
Tue. July 10, 1888
Wirihana Topeka has got him some lumber to build
him a house. I helped him cut out some of the more difficult parts of it
and in so doing, I learned a good many words of the Maori language. He
also bought a large water tank to catch rainwater from the eaves of his
house, but when he tried to get it under the eaves, he found that it was
too large, so in order not to make another mistake, he is building the
house to fit the tank.
Wed. July 11, 1888
We went to Gisbourne today and then Wright went
to Muriwai to arrange for a wedding between Wirihana's son and a girl living
in town, while I rode on to Bokoututu. I didn't know the road, but I fell
in with a man named Jacobs and he showed me the way to the Murtagh brothers'
place. When I reached there at 5:30 p.m., there wasn't anyone home, but
half an hour later, Mrs. Murtagh arrived and by evening, George and Thomas
were both there. We spent a very pleasant evening.
Thur. July 12, 1888
This morning, I walked up to the sawmill with the
Murtagh brothers. On the way up, we passed a Maori gathering, a denomination
called the Hau-Hau. They meet on the 12th of every month and celebrate
it as their Sabbath. We got back home at 12 o'clock and shortly after,
Wright came. We held a Thursday night meeting and we all enjoyed ourselves
greatly. We took up a donation to help translate some of our church works
into the Maori tongue.
Fri. July 13, 1888
We started on our return trip this morning. We were
accompanied as far as Gisbourne by George Murtagh. I called at the post
office and found a letter from Elder John Manning, in answer to the one
I wrote him from Auckland. He gave me a hearty welcome to New Zealand.
He also said that Elder Dame is resting up from his voyage.
Sat. July 14, 1888
John Morris and several other Maori church members
arrived from Rockaitutu to attend meeting tomorrow.
Sun. July 15, 1888
We held two meeting today and as the members seemed
to be quite firm in their belief, a very good spirit prevailed. In the
evening, we had quite a rain. Wirihana returned from Muriwai with the girl
that his son is trying to marry. He was successful this time. He
brought his mother and his cousin Caroline with him. We held an evening
testimony meeting and afterwards, the young couple were congratulated.
Mon. July 16, 1888
I sat around the house all day and didn't do a thing
but eat and study the Maori language. In the evening, I walked down to
the beach and out on to a promontory that jutted out into the ocean and
watched them getting out rock for the wharf at Gisbourne.
Tue. July 17, 1888
When I got up this morning, the women were getting
ready for the wedding of Edward and Matamoana. It took place at 9 a.m.
There were a number of saints over from Rockaitutu, so when the ceremony
was performed, they all went home and prepared a wedding supper, which
was served at 4 p.m. As the bridegroom was not present, they gave me the
seat of honor at the side of the bride. Afterwards, we had prayers and
sang some hymns and then the talk drifted to the Maoris of America, the
Indians. They showed me several modes of dancing that were practiced by
the Maoris. Taking them as a race, they don't seem to be as ambitious as
the American Indian.
Wed. July 18, 1888
We put up two sides of Wirihana's house today. It
rained off and on all day, so I passed the time away copying down some
verses from the Maori bible to read at our next meeting.
Thur. July 19, 1888
I worked on the house today and spent the rest of
the time toasting my shins and studying Williams "First Lessons in Maori."
In the evening, the Murtagh brothers came down.
Fri. July 20, 1888
Thomas Murtagh returned home today, while George
went on to Napier for his health. I sent a letter to J.S. Nye by him.
Sat. July 21, 1888
I wrote to James R. Hay in Auckland, asking him
to forward my mail if there was any there. I worked on Wirihana's house
in the evening.
Sun. July 22, 1888
Wirihana was sick so we administered to him this
morning. Today being Sunday, we held two meetings and enjoyed them very
much. I was very lonesome in the evening, due to the fact that I haven't
received a letter from home for such a long time.
Mon. July 23, 1888
The bricklayer was here and at work before we were
out of bed this morning. He is building the chimney to Wirihana's house.
In the evening, the moon went into a total eclipse. I first noted it at
5 p.m. and it lasted until 7 p.m. The old lady said that it was a sign
of the last days.
Tue. July 24, 1888
We finished the chimney and the roof of the house
today. At dinner, the conversation turned to polygamy and to my surprise,
I found that the people know more about it here than the church members
do at home.
Wed. July 25, 1888
I left Kaiti at 12 a.m. and started going around
to the Branches. Conference had been postponed for a week. When I got to
Gisbourne, I got a letter from Elder Meriot, stating that Heywood had got
through all right. Wright went to Muriwai while I went by Rockaitutu with
Wirihana, his wife Horiana, his son Joseph and his daughter-in-law Matamoana.
I met the members at Rockaitutu and then went on up to Ivapas and stayed
there that night. We are on our way up to Tanga, up at Pakahai, a Hau-Hau
church. I slept with Joseph at night.
Thur. July 26, 1888
This morning at eight, I started traveling up the
Mangatu Arua (river) and arrived there at 11:30 a.m. They fired a couple
of shots as we came up. When we got off from our horses, the all began
to cry in a kind of a whining tone. After we got inside of their church,
they all began to speak in turn. As I stepped inside, I noticed in the
center of one of the "bareingo" was a hideously carved wooden idol, formed
crudely in the shape of a human being. At noon, we had a regular Maori
dinner consisting of mutton and potatoes. Afterwards the church bell rang
and the Maoris came together again and were having a grand time at "cracky,"
when an Englishman came in and asked if there was a preacher there. The
natives told him there was. Having read so much about missionaries being
flogged, shot up, burned or hanged and not being able to imagine what his
business was with me, I began to wonder if he had unhealthy motives in
coming there, but to my relief, I found that he had come to discuss the
principals of my church. We discussed the doctrine of the New Testament
and he denied the Bible, but yet he believed there was a God. When he started
off, he said that his name was Oliver Goldsmith. After he was gone, we
all laid down together and I spent my first night in a Maori "cracky."
Fri. July 27, 1888
This morning, I met a man named William Farr who
had been in this country for 45 years. He told me a lot about the customs
of the natives. He said that the first time it ever snowed in that country
was thirty years ago and he said that the natives attributed the death
of a white man (who died shortly before the snow fell) as the cause of
the storm. We left there at 12 o'clock and followed down the Mangutuwhare
to where it emptied into the Waipana until we came to Hoapo's place. We
were invited over to Harry Thompson's place to spend the night. I had calculated
to come on down to Wirihana's place that night, but he wanted me to stop
and administer to a sick child that lived in the neighborhood. Harry Thompson
was very kind to me.
Sat. July 28, 1888
A church member named Murter was here this morning
so I saddled up my horse and rode down to Rockaitutu with him. We arrived
there at 12 a.m. and found everybody well at the Murter's. I went up to
see the president of the branch and as I found him ill, I administered
to him. At 4 in the evening, Wright came down and spent some time administering
to the sick people in the neighborhood. We had a rain during the night.
Sun. July 29, 1888
We held two meetings today. I spent some time learning
parts of the scripture in Maori. I did not feel very well, owing to a pain
under my left shoulder. I rained again and kept it up all night.
Mon. July 30, 1888
It rained all day today. I went down to Betty Morris's
place and from there to John Morris's. We bore our testimonies and left
some tracts and other literature of our church.
Tue. July 31, 1888
We were ready to start home when Hoope came down
and wanted us to go up to his place and administer to his sick child. On
the way up, we passed a large party of Maoris, about sixty in number, dragging
a forty foot log behind them. They were starting to build a church and
were having a great time turning work into play. We returned here about
12 a.m. and spent the rest of the day studying Maori. I have traveled 179
miles this month.
Wed. Aug. 1, 1888
We left Rockaitutu at 10:15 and started for Kaiti,
accompanied by Thomas Murtagh. W could not cross the Waipana River, so
we had to go around by the bridge, a distance of 30 miles, arriving at
Gisbourne at 2 p.m. The first thing I did was to have a tooth pulled and
then I weighed myself. I have gained fifteen pounds since I left America.
I called at the post office and got a letter from Elder Boyd Stewart, at
Greytown, Wairarapai. I was sure glad to hear from him. We arrived there
at 4 in the evening and found a white woman at home, who was looking for
a Maori husband. Maybe I can find one for her.
Thur. Aug. 2, 1888
I went to work on the house today. In the forenoon,
Edward rode a wild horse. Their method of breaking a wild horse is quite
different from the one we use in Arizona. He saddled it and then put his
foot in one stirrup and rode on one side of it until it was tired out.
We held a meeting this evening which was very successful.
Fri. Aug. 3, 1888
We finished the house today, so now we will be able
to live more comfortably than we were before.
Sat. Aug. 4, 1888
They got a new supply of fish this morning. Among
the lot was one called the devil fish or octopus. It had six long tentacles
or arms. At the end of each arm was an air cup with which it could exert
a terrific power of suction, thus enabling it to hold its prey with ease
until it had killed it. It was one of the most frightful looking things
I have ever seen. In the evening, the people began to gather to prepare
for the arrival of President Paxman who is coming tomorrow.
Sun. Aug. 5, 1888
It rained nearly all night. This morning at 5 p.m.,
Wright and Murter went down to the wharf to meet President Paxman and George
Murtagh, who is returning from Napier. At 7 a.m., they arrived there and
the Maori began shouting "Haeremai." When they rode up, I met them and
shook hands with President Paxman. I was very glad to see him as he was
the first elder we had seen since the 4th of July. We held our usual meetings,
President Paxman occupying most of the time. Just as we were finishing
supper this evening, there came a cry at the door. Wright and I went to
see what was wrong. When we got outside the door. he heard screams like
that of a mad person coming from away out in the brush. We went running
out to where they were coming from and found Wirihana's son Edward and
his wife Matamoana struggling like mad. Wright and I separated them and
tried to carry Matamoana to the house, while she fought, scratched, bit,
and tore her hair like one possessed. She had evidently gone stark mad.
We called Paxman and had him administer to her, but when we went to give
her the oil, she would hit the spoon with her hand and knock the contents
all over, but finally me managed to force some down her and administered
to her several times. Then we left the room and held prayer and then returned
and administered to her again before she went to sleep. We moved into the
new house and had prayers and the retired to rest at 9:30.
Mon. Aug. 6, 1888
I got up before Paxman and the others did this morning.
I saw Matamoana leave the house but did not think anything of it until
quite a bit later. After some time, I went in to see how she was and found
that she had not returned yet so I told Edward about it and we both went
out to find her. After a short search, we found her and brought her back
to her room. A little bit later, I found out what was the matter of her.
It seemed that she had had some cross words with her husband and had gone
out in the brush to sulk awhile and some evil power had taken a hold of
her. We administered to her again after breakfast and she seemed to be
a lot better. This is the first case of this kind that I have ever saw
and I sincerely hope that it will be the last one also. We administered
to her again in the evening and she seemed all right, thusly manifesting
the power of God over the powers of darkness. I can plainly see how necessary
it is that we should live in such a way that evil will find no dwelling
place in us.
Tue. Aug. 7, 1888
In the morning, she was still slightly affected
in her head. At 12 a.m., we saddled up our horses and started out to visit
the branches. Paxman and Wright went to Roackaitutu, while I went to Tau
Fau. I arrived there at 3:30 p.m. and found everything all right. They
were all busy making mats for use in the church. In the evening at prayer
time, I was called on the read a chapter in the Bible in the Maori tongue,
so I selected the third chapter of Matthew. It was the first time that
I have ever been called on to use the Maori tongue in public.
Wed. Aug. 8, 1888
I came to Muriwai and found everything all right
there. The men have all gone hunting wild pigs so as to have meat during
conference. I attended a meeting in their church this evening. They had
just finished it. I met a man yesterday, whose face from the eyes down,
was one huge scar. Whether is was a burn of the ravages of disease, I couldn't
say. He was sure one frightful looking object.
Thur. Aug. 9, 1888
I expected to meet Maroni Meriot here and then go
up to Tawhao with him to attend meeting, but he didn't show up. We were
to have met Paxman and Wright there.
Fri. Aug. 10, 1888
The members began to gather for conference today.
Paxman, Wright, Meriot and the Murtagh brothers held an evening testimony
meeting. We had a very agreeable time.
Sat. Aug. 11, 1888
We held two meetings during the day and a priesthood
meeting at night. Some very good teachings were given to those who spoke
in the afternoon. Administered to two children today. We collected four
pounds, twelve shillings and a fourpence from the congregation to add to
the funds for translating the church works into the Maori tongue.
Sun. Aug. 12, 1888
We held prayers this morning at 9 o'clock and at
10, we held sacrament meeting and at 2 in the afternoon, we held conference.
The president of the church, the apostles and all the leading authorities
were presented and sustained. We held another meeting in the afternoon
at which there were twelve ordinations of priests, teachers and deacons.
In the evening, we held a testimony meeting and forty members got up and
bore their testimonies. Everything went off all right excepting that Wright's
and my horses got loose and we had to return some distance to our sleeping
place, afoot. It wouldn't have been so bad, but it was still very muddy
from the recent rains and the night was pitch dark. We finally had to make
us a lantern out of a bottle before we could go any farther.
Mon. Aug. 13, 1888
We got up a little earlier that usual this morning
and went back to the church. When we reached there, we found that all of
the members who were leaving, had their horses saddled and were waiting
for breakfasts. After we had eaten and were ready to start, Wright borrowed
a horse from Hamy Rakeni and went to look for our lost horses. I came back
to Kaiti in the cart with Mary Baker. It rained on us off and on until
we reached home at 2 p.m. Wright arrived shortly after with the horses,
having found them at Tau Fau. I received a letter from James Hays in Auckland,
stating that Elder George Romney was sick.
Tue. Aug. 14, 1888
It rained off and on so we had to lay around Kaiti
all day. I went walking down to the seashore and found a large open spot
that looked like it had been a camp ground. There were so many human bones
lying around that it wasn't a pleasant sight to look at. The native say
that they were poisoned from drinking water out of a poison spring nearby.
That evening, I had to administer to Opidity who was ill with fever.
Wed. Aug. 15, 1888
Opidity wasn't any better so we administered to
him again. At 8 o'clock, Paxman, Meriot and Wright went up to the Waiapu
conference while I went to Muriwai and took the horse Wright had borrowed
back to Hamy Rakeni. We held our regular meeting here.
Thur. Aug. 16, 1888
I left Muriwai at 9 a.m. and arrived here at Tawhao
at 1 p.m. I baptized a man and his wife and confirmed them as members of
the church. I also administered to a sick child. I held our regular Thursday
night meeting at which the new convert got up and bore his testimony.
Fri. Aug. 17, 1888
We had prayer this morning and then I administered
to the same child that I did last night. The men had all gone to Falskebay
at 8 a.m., so I started for Rockaitutu and arrived there in time for dinner.
I found George Murtagh quite sick.
Sat. Aug. 18, 1888
In the afternoon, I went up to Karakia, about four
miles above here, to see Sears who was getting a little careless in his
duties. he promised to come down if it was a fair day.
Sun. Aug. 19, 1888
The day was fair but Sears did not come, but we
did not need him as we had two substitutes. Two gentlemen of the Salvation
Army, Jerry Malan and Nicholas Gibbons. They came in while I was speaking,
so I lengthened my remarks and spoke on our first principles of the gospel
for their benefit. We had quite a little argument with them, but we held
our own with the assistance of Thomas Murter. I got a few points that will
be of great benefit to me if I study up on them.
Mon. Aug. 20, 1888
I committed the 15th and 16th verses of the 16th
chapter of Mark to memory and selected a whole lot more for the future.
I went over to Betty Morris's place and spent the evening with her. I improved
considerably in my ability to speak the Maori language today.
Tue. Aug. 21, 1888
I went over to Betty's for dinner today. While I
was there, I made the acquaintance of James Morris, Betty's brother, and
James's daughter Charlotte. While I was there, John Morris returned from
Waiapu with a young man, the intended husband of Charlotte. He said that
they had had a very successful conference, having made eight converts.
Wed. Aug. 22, 1888
I left Rakaututu early in the morning and reached
Kaiti. Some of the Hau-Hau Maoris were having a tangy. Shortly after,
Wright, Ezra T. Stevenson, the new president of the Waiapu district, and
Elder Magle, the ex-president arrived from Waiapu. Mangle was on his way
to the Bay of Islands to put in his last winter there. He is going home
in the spring. In the evening, I received a letter from James Nye, who
was at Hastings, Hawks Bay, stating that all was well with him. We administered
to Opidity again. He seems to be quite sick.
I went out walking on the beach today and found
some small crawfish. I spent part of the day studying up on the gospel.
We held a meeting in the evening.
After breakfast, Stevenson, Wright, Magle and myself
caught a ride on the gravel train into Gisbourne. I had my usual luck at
the post office. From there, I went down to the wharf and watched the heavy
waved rolling in and dashing themselves upon the beach. The ocean is exceptionally
rough today, owing to the high wind that has been blowing all day. I arrived
home at sundown and the others came shortly after.
I went out on the beach and tried to watch the Maoris
fishing, but it was too windy, so I came back to the house and wrote a
letter to President Wilford Woodruff on a little private business and also
sent one home. In the afternoon, I went down to the beach again and watched
some small boys catching bubus, a small shellfish that makes a very good
food.
Early in the morning, we got up and helped Magle
get ready for his voyage to the Bay of Islands where is to continue his
labors with the Maoris. We reached the wharf at 7 a.m. and bid Magle good
bye and Stevenson also as he was returning to Waipu. We went to Tawhao
and arrived in time for sacrament meeting. We held another meeting in the
afternoon. We retired at 8 p.m.
THROUGH NEGLECT, I HAVE NOT KEPT A JOURNAL FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS. I
HAVE COMMENCED FROM AUGUST, 1890, TO KEEPING DAILY JOURNAL AGAIN, I WILL
FILL UP THE SPACE BY KEEPING MONTHLY JOURNAL.