Clara Doane's Journal [pp. 377-380]

CLARA DOANE'S _OUR.NAL.
town, the harbor, the peaceful valleys below us,
and the surrounding mountains. Such a beautiful picture itwas! I have no words to describe it.
ON BOARD THE PFEIL, Aug. 21, 1865.
It is two weeks last Saturday since we left
Honolulu, and they have been at the same time
uncomfortable and happy days, for I do think,
dear mother, when I have the most trials then I
have the most comfort, and it is such a precious
thing to bear any thing for Jesus.
We came on board Saturday noon, loaded
down with the kindness of friends, so many little
last packages of delicacies and conveniencies
for the voyage. Kind friends stood on the shore
to wave us a last good-by, and the vessel was
soon scudding out of the harbor with a good
breeze. Would not I like to have you take one
look into our little cabin! There is just room
enough to turn around in it, and more things
stowed away in it than I can mention. We
get some air from the skylight above, but when
it rains-and we have a great many showersit is very close and warm. Then our cabin is
dining saloon also; so you may imagine there is
not much superfluous room. But the little vessel
was not intended for passengers, and these accommodations answer very well when the captain is alone.
As usual I was sea-sick for the first few days,
for our little brig rocks in royal style. Fresh
air is most important in sea-sickness. So Edward made me a grand couch amidships, out of
a mattress the captain gave him, and I was so
happy and thankful to be up in the fresh air under
the shadow of the sails, and with the blue waves
laughing back at me. It seemed like being in a
little open boat at sea, the sides were so low.
Little Eddie had found a cocoanut which we were
enjoying, when a great salt wave came dashing
over the side, drenching my clean dress, to say
nothing of my fine couch. This was the end
of worldly delight for the present. Amidships
was pronounced unsafe for us, and we were sent
"up forward." But there was no shade here.
Edward spread me out to-day in the sun, holding an umbrella over nliy head. Do you see the
picture?
The heat of the sun soon drove me down
stairs. But do n't think me complaining. The
first few days were certainly trying, and I had
to pray from moment to moment for patience, it
was so close in the Cabin when I was faint from
sea-sickness, and there was no shade for us
above. But the dear blessed Master was with
me to help and comfort me, and I was happy.
Things have been mending every day sinceevery vestige of sea-sickness has disappeared.
They managed to put us up a little awning over
head, which broke the heat of the sun considerably. I sleep on a sofa in a half-uprighlt position; we are beset by cockroaches and bad odors,
and so exposed I have to sleep with all my
clothing on. This, considering the heat and
the lack of opportunity for bathing, is unpleasant, but it is nothing to living on a reef a while.
A week ago I managed to get a bath, and I
think it was the greatest luxury I ever enjoyed.
MILLE, A4gu'-Ist 291I.
Day before yesterday we came in sight of the
first Micronesian land my eyes had ever seen.
Mille, or the Mulgrave Islands, are the first we
touch at. The coral reef forms a great circle,
with here and there an opening where ships find
a passage. The lagoon in the center is so large
we can not see across it. We got inside the
reef in the lagoon about noon, and soon saw
two canoes making for us. You may be sure I
watched them with a great deal of interest, as
the natives here are very like those on Ebon,
and speak the same language., Indeed, we were
only two days' sail from Ebon, our intended
home.
Then, too, we were eager to get news from
the "Morning Star." She left Honolulu ten
days before we did, but she was to go farther
south to Apiang, so we were somewhat in hopes
of meeting her here. We watched the canoes,
spy-glass in hand, and were able to make out
that two men in them were in foreign dress, so
they must be white men. Nearer and nearer
they came till the dark forms in purely native
dress were plainly visible. Shall I confess that
I made an errand into the cabin, not from any
sense of fear, though?
Then came the questions and answers, and
we learned that the Morning Star had not been
there. Then the wild natives crowded on deck.
They were very glad to see the "mitionary,"
and soon they were peering down the passageway and through the sky-light at me. It was
not long before I was on deck in the midst of
them. I was happily disappointed by their
bright, intelligent faces, and I found myself saying, "Surely these souls are worth saving!" and
my heart swelled with joy that it was my privilege to labor for them. The white men were
traders stationed here. The next dlay we went
over in the ship's boat to the principal island.
A crowd of natives of all ages came down to
meet us, all nearly or quite naked. The little
wild things ran into the water to pull us upon
the beach, laughing and screaming with the excitement. 0, that beautiful beach, as smooth
and almost as white as a snowdrift, with the
grand waves rolling up!
Escorted by this wild band we went toward
379
I
I