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28 October 1848 — Father Prosper Goujon to Father Benoît Lagniet, Isle of Pines

Translated by Mary Williamson, October 2018

Based on the document in the handwriting of Poupinel, APM ONC 208 Gougon.

Two sheets of paper, forming eight pages seven of which are written on, the eighth having only Poupinel’s annotation; the annotation in another hand, at a later date, is at the top of the first page.

[p.1, at the top of the page][at a later date]

prepared by Poupinel.

[p.8][in Poupinel’s handwriting]

Isle of Pines 28th October 1848 / Father Goujon to the Reverend Father Lagniet, Provincial.

[p.1]

Apostolic curacy of New Caledonia.

Letter from Father Goujon, apostolic missionary of the Society of Mary to the Reverend :Father Lagniet, Provincial of the same Society.

Isle of Pines, Our Lady of the Assumption, 28th October 1848

My Very Reverend Father,

[1]

It is a duty for me, but also rather a consolation, to write to you from the very situation of my mission. It pleases me to tell you that from the start providence has led us here by the hand. Thanks for this be returned to her a thousand times. Her gentle and merciful solicitude towards us is a powerful sign of encouragement and hope. Before speaking to you about the Isle of Pines, where I am situated, I will tell you about the attempt that we made to establish ourselves, before coming here; your fatherly concern will see in this account a striking proof of the thoughtful protection with which divine providence covers us.

[2]

On 27th May, the eve of our arrival at Anatom, Father Roudaire left aboard the Arche d’ Alliance for Ouvea or Halgan, ^[1] one of the Loyalty Islands, situated at 20° latitude south, in the hope of founding a mission there. The occasion seemed very favourable for our introduction to this island; Mr Marceau had, several months before, brought back to Halgan several inhabitants from this island, who he had found scattered here and there around Oceania. He was received as a benefactor, he was given gifts, I do not know whether he was perhaps even carried along triumphantly. On his second trip, which I am about to tell you of, he took back to Halgan several of the unfortunate inhabitants that the English had removed by force, to use them as slaves in the colony and who, halted in their plan by a recent law, abandoned them in the streets of Sydney. Among these natives from Halgan, that Mr Marceau had had the kindness to take on board, there was the son of the chief. One would naturally think that this chief would show himself generous and that such a service, rendered to his country, would stir in his heart some sense of gratitude. Mr Marceau having been well received, Father Roudaire should have also been welcome.

[3]

       On Anatom, we were acquainted with all these positive signs.  The Reverend Father Rougeyron, Provincial and Superior of the mission, believed that he could immediately send some colleagues to Father Roudaire.  I had the privilege of being chosen with Father Chatelut and Brother Joseph Reboul.  We sailed, for two days, with a favourable wind and on 6th June, in the morning, when we were ready to enter the port, we suddenly saw  the Arche d’Alliance, which was sailing out, coming into view.  Flags were raised by both of us; the two ships approached each other; how astonished we were when we heard a voice shout:  The settlement here is not tenable; go about.  We sailed off in convoy and during the day Mr Marceau was kind enough to come aboard, to inform us of what had just happened.  

[4]

Far from receiving the Halgan natives with the signs of gratitude that they had the right to expect, they wished to thank them with the worst kind of ingratitude. So as to successfully carry out their ghastly project, they had invited Mr Marceau to a feast that would take place during the night. They would have massacred him along with his companions and, at the same time, other cannibals would have seized the men left on board the ship. Fortunately, Mr Marceau had wind of their unspoken machinations and indignantly refused their treacherous invitation and ordered all the natives who, from curiosity or other less innocent motives had come aboard, to be sent ashore and he immediately raised the anchor. He was leaving the port, as I have told you, when providence allowed us to meet him. I do not know to what extent we would have been respected, if we had landed on this barbaric land, but for sure our few goods would have vanished through pillage.

[5]

That, my Very Reverend Father, is what the majority of the islanders who inhabit the three archipelagos that comprise the curacy of New Caledonia are like. For the moment, there are perhaps only two spots where we might be able to safely stay, and we occupy these two places, which are: Anatom in the New Hebrides and the Isle of Pines, which could be regarded as a dependence of New Caledonia.

[6]

About two months after our return from Halgan, we left for the Isle of Pines. We should have easily been able to reach it after two days of sailing, but a contrary wind kept us at sea for 6 days. Father Chatelut, continuously tormented by seasickness, did not know whether he was alive of dead. When we began to breath in the smell of land, he appeared on his feet on the deck and it was not possible for him to retain for long the serious expression of an invalid. As soon as the natives saw our ship, they started to swim out and already 3 of them had reached the ship; Father Chatelet, armed with his eye glass, inspected the land and for their part, the 3 natives looked with astonishment at this little device, which seemed to them rather curious; they wanted to touch it and even tried to use it. The first one shut his eyes tight then aimed the eyeglass, turning and re-turning it in all directions and was very surprised to see nothing. The second was cleverer, he worked out the secret; he opened the right eye and held the eyeglass up to the left, which he carefully kept firmly closed and he could not understand why he saw nothing at all. At our shouts of laughter, the third understood their mistake, he seized the glass, opened both eyes wide and saw passing in front of him some wonderful things, which drew exclamations of joy and admiration from him.

[7]

We took possession of the island on 15th August and on this day we consecrated it to Mary, queen of heaven. The island is about 10 leagues in circumference, but the population is not very numerous; situated at 22º latitude south and 165º longitude east, it is at the south-east tip of New Caledonia. So here we are at the tip of this hostile land, all ready to bring back to it the light of the gospel if God, through the mouthpiece of our bishop, should send us there. Our island no doubt gets its name from the forests of pine that cover its shores. Very near to us, on the slopes of the mountains, there are a large number of pines that seem to have grown providentially for our current needs; it is there that, turn about, woodcutters and pit sawyers prepare the wood that is necessary for our house. This construction work will be our main activity for almost 6 months. You will agree, my Reverend Father, that it is thus that we head, in a rather roundabout fashion, towards the goal that has brought us here. We need to begin here; the huts that the natives offer us are, so to speak, uninhabitable. The country is healthy and we are enjoying good health. Here we are accepted and included. It seems that this is a great advantage; add to this that the high chief, during our first interview, allowed us a site for our house and the cultivation of a garden, as well as the freedom to cut the wood that we would need and you will thus see the measure of the favours that we are enjoying here.

[8]

The high chief holds all authority in his hands and he is treated with almost extraordinary honour. We were astonished, on our first visit to him, when we arrived on the island, to see the expressions of respect that he received. A crowd of natives, old people, men, women and children were assembled in his yard to see us; our clothing, our pale skin, our ease in conforming to their customs, all that elicited their admiration. But when they presented themselves before their chief, they approached deeply bowed, heads lowered and both hands clasped behind their backs. When he came to pay us a visit, we were out in front of our house, ready to exchange a few words with him, whilst a mother passed by on the shore with all her family; one of the children, more interested in satisfying his curiosity than in paying homage to l’Ariki, (chief), walked thoughtlessly with his head raised. His mother noticed this, took several paces back and struck her son a hard slap, which jolted him from his inattention; immediately, he began to grovel like the others. Nevertheless, the chief had nothing in his demeanour to inspire fear. He is tall and does not lack a certain dignity, but otherwise he is simple like his subjects and easy to approach. As he is well disposed towards us, the influence that he has over his people could be advantageous to our mission.

[9]

Whilst awaiting the time when later, we might be able to acquaint you with our people, I can provide you with the following small details that I believe to be accurate. The inhabitants of the Isle of Pines seem to belong to the Polynesian race, the most intelligent and least ferocious of the Oceanic races. They live amongst themselves in peace and unity. This is a consolation for the missionaries, who thus hope to convert them more easily to Jesus Christ; it is a great advantage for them, far from war, as they can devote more time to the cultivation of their fields and protection of their harvests. Their plantations are of yams and sugar cane, which does very well in this climate. They also live on fish and shellfish. (A. The paragraph which is at the end of this letter should go here). Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag

[21]

For some time they have badly neglected their plantations and food supplies begin to be lacking. Here is the cause. Their island produces a lot of sandalwood, a type of pale wood that has an aromatic odour and that the Chinese use to make small curios, or to extract its perfumed oil. Our islanders harvest this wood with great care and sell it to: English sandalwood merchants for a few metres of fabric, a pipe, a small amount of tobacco, etc…. nothing in their eyes outdoes these trifles. So they forget the cultivation of their fields in order to carry out this commerce. The high chief recognises this abuse; he has just gathered together all his people for a public festival at the end of which he is going to issue the order to no longer, henceforth, occupy themselves except with the care of their plantations.

Notes

1. ↑ The Island of Ouvea (cf. doc. 694, § 1; 701, § 1; 712, § 7)