A MISSIONARY'S LIFE IN DANGER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9927, 17 September 1895, Page 5

A MISSIONARY'S LIFE IN DANGER.

The liife of a missionary in the Santa Cruz Group is not a very happy one, judging from a report received from the flagship Orlando,-which returned to Sydney from her island cruise on the 7th instant. The Orlando, in the course of her trip, cruised through the group mentioned and received a visit from one of the lay missionaries their. He stated that his life was in danger, and asked the protection of the Admiral from the hostile tribe. It appears that there was an epidemic of influenza upon the islands, and the missionary was singled out) as the evil spirit that had brought the malady there. The natives thereupon determined to kill the said missionary, and according to his report ib took him all his time dodging bullets and spears. On nine different occasions in a fortnight ho had been made the target for Snider bullets and poisoned spears, and he owed his life to the fact that the hostile natives proved indifferent marksman. An officer from the - flagship went ashore and cautioned the natives as to their future behaviour to the missionary, and probably one of the fleet will be sent up shortly to hold a full investigation into the matter. The natives are said to be very dangerous and treacherous, All their arrows are pointed with splinters of human shin bones.