EK YOO, OF BATAVIA, JAVA By the power of God, he gave up opium at the age of sixty.
With New Hebrides Cannibals
By C. H. Parker
Experiences with Men Who Eat Men
—First White Man's Visit
C. H. PARKER
THE Big Nambus dwell in the north-western part of Malekula, and they are the fiercest, the most cannibalistic, and the most numerous of all the tribes on the island. All the other tribes fear them.
For a long time, we have wanted to get in touch with them. The way was finally opened by our meeting the head chief's brother at a bush village, where he attended our service. He seemed affected, and asked us to visit the Big Nambus.
In the Leading Cannibal Village
After we had visited a few of his people at the water's edge, and held service with them twice, he made arrangements for me to visit their head village, which is situated inland, on the top of a mountain over two thousand feet high.
The morning arrived, and I landed at seven o'clock. The head chief's brother, Kambi, was waiting for me. A few of his men acted as a bodyguard, while he led the way. It was a steep and heavy climb of ten miles, which we accomplished in three hours. On the way, we passed numbers of bushmen coming down. Kambi would explain to them that I was the missionary. I wondered why he stopped and watched them out of sight at each meeting. He finally told me he was afraid they would shoot me as soon as our backs were turned.
On the Feasting Ground
Reaching the town, which was surrounded by a high reed fence, with numerous openings, just large enough to squeeze through, they led me to their heathen dancing and feasting ground. Here was gathered a large company, mostly old men. A stone was placed for me to sit down on. They then came and felt me over, under shirt sleeves and trousers legs. They found no meat, but a heart beating with love for them.
The head chief, Nikabert, who has fifty wives, greeted me warmly, and we talked in broken English, and a few words I had picked up. They wanted a service, which I held. They retired to a safe distance, as they were suspicious. When we prayed, they sat down with their backs to me, and covered their faces. They took great interest in the picture roll, and in my medicine bag.
"Come and Make School for Us"
After I had treated a large number of their sick, seen some of their houses, and shaken hands with some of their women, the head chief and his brother led me out to a beautiful site, overlooking the great bosom of mother ocean and its coast line for miles, and then inland over the tops of mountains, plateaus, plains, and gullies. "This," they said, "we will give you, if you will only come and make school for us. You can have as much ground as you like, for it is ours; and we will build the church building." We felt that it was God's hand opening the door, and His voice saying, "Come in; I have need of you here among this people."
