Pages From The Past

The Fall of Thomas Lewis in Tahiti

By Eric Ramsden

all the stories associated with the fascinating Hstory of Tahiti none is more poignant than that of the fall of Tb o mas LeWlS ’ ° ne ° f . th , e °i’ 1 f m f 1 ,P a L nd of Duff missionaries, who landed at Mata vai Bay in 1797.

Only recently the grave of Lewis was r r?i SC w er wT th ,f ks J ° A the persistence of Mr. W W Bolton, M.A., a British rest dent of Tahiti Lewis rests besides his supenor Rev. J. Jefferson; neither grave is marked. The natives nearby on Point Venus knew that some old missionaries were buried m the vicinity; but who they were, or what was their story had long since been forgotten. In one of his last letters Lewis spoke of Jefferson s “in stilled venom ; it is indeed curious that for a century and more these two men. so antagonistic in life, should lie side by side, forgotten and neglected, on foreign soil— far from the Britain they had left with such high hopes and which they were fated never to see again It is only as a result' of delving into the records of the London Missionary Society in the Mitchell Library, Sydney, that one has been able to ascertain the true facts. Apart from Mr. Bolton, there is, perhaps, not a single person in Tahiti to-day acquainted with the story.

The career of Lewis in Tahiti is an interesting psychological study. The prob lem that he faced (and which resulted in his death), has been the problem of many men in different parts of the Pacific since his day. Lewis, sex-hungry, a victim of repression, took the normal course—to the horror of the co-religionists—and lived with a native girl. He died under a solemn ban of excommunication. v , , . . ‘ , t e early chronicles of the missionary

band Lewis does not play a very import ant part . He preached occasionally, and participated in the usual duties of the artisan-clerics. The Duff departed on August 4, 1797, and the missionaries were left to their own resources on that turbu lent island, where the Pomares were struggling for supremacy, On November 17, Brother Oakes (whose descendants are in New South Wales to day), brought forward two subjects for discussion: one was what would they do in tbe even t of a hostile attack?

Secondly, he desired to know: “If any brother shou ld find himself disposed to marry one of the native women would it be thought by the soc ietv to be an im act?” After much discussion, it was decided) “beginning alphabetically,” that .< to marry a heath en woman was directly contrary to the word of God.”

K was resolved, with the Lord’s strength, to -. abide as they were .” The meeting concluded with p y rayer Brother Lewis signified his agreement with the decision.

In March the Nautilus arrived, and as some of the band had been roughly treated b Y the natives, several of them decided to leave for New South Wales. Those who remained were: B. Bickae l l - B -. Br ° Ol ? T hi ”’

J ‘ J Jefferson. T. Lewis, H. Nott, and John Eyre and his wife. The majority of those who left were married men, Lewis’s name is mentioned in an entry in their journal on June 18 of the follow ing year; “ . . . Otoo (Pomare II.) has ? een u ? f t la * e asking Brother Lewis to * each hlmtke Hebr( r w language, and has been , in Q ulsltlv e to know if the King of England 18 with Hebrew . . or l the Ba ™ date 18 a more significant ®ntry. Brother Lewis went to his friends ho ™ e laland< . . T . . , The followin & month Lewis informed hl s colleagues that he was determined to quit their company, and reside perman ently at Ahonoo, whence he later removed some of his property. “He was left to

The dislrict of Matavai, Tahiti, as it is to-day. Cook, Wallis, and all the early navigators anchored in the bay, also the missionaries of the Duff. This is one of the most historic spots in French Oceania.

follow his determination,” says Jefferson.

On August 1, he wrote stating his “fixed determination to take to wife one of the natives and abide faithfully towards her until death, thinking it the most eligible step in the present circumstances.” . . , , That intimation brought matters to a head. His colleagues refused to marry Lewis. Further, they excommunicated him. Bicknell did not agree with the decision; he thought suspension would have met the case. Both Bicknell and Lewis had been members of Lady Huntingdon’s

evangelistic society and had made an attempt to go to Tahiti with Bligh. Lewis replied on August 4 expressing surprise at “the boldness and confidential air of the communication, and advised tne brethren “not to be too hasty in such matters as these.

The missionaries met again and re solved to make a formal record in their journal, wherein they said: “The unbe coming behaviour seen in Mr. Lewis by many of the brethren and ourselves was frequent and indecent.” They would not,

however, make any specific charges as the details “would be extremely offensive to the feelings of the delicate reader.”

Harris declared that “on account of his voluntary nocturnal visits there were many rumours among the natives, and many thoughts of heart among ourselves.”

Lewis warmly contested the allegations, and from then on bombarded his old col leagues with letters. The missionaries found it a great sacrifice to their feelings not to invite Lewis into their homes when he called to see them, but felt that they “must act according to church discipline.”

Poor Lewis!—he persisted in attending the usual services, and brought his lady friend with him.

The Tahitians were amazed at the atti tude of the missionaries. Jefferson says; “Our conduct herein appears strange to the natives, and we find that they are scrutinisers of every part of our civil and religious behaviour, and they among themselves make observations upon each, either in a way of contempt or ridicule, for the novelty and singularity thereof.”

Towards the end of October the mis sionaries learnt that Lewis’s new home was “a place of discord, that the man called Mr. Lewis’s friend, with his woman’s parents, often abuse him ...”

Lewis’s letters are pathetic. On several occasions one finds notes begging a little tea or a book. In May he was plundered of some hogs.

Two months later he wrote to the society asking to see the journal for July, 1798. “May I, .or may I not,” he asked, “entertain some hope for the accommoda tion of the difference which hath, hitherto, so unhappily disturbed our peace.” Both requests were refused.

On July 26, he asked for a little more tea, and, at the same time, requested Jef ferson to afford him “a little private con versation.” The tea was sent, but the second request was not complied with.

Lewis addressed a long letter to the mis sionaries on July 30 in which he spoke of Jefferson’s “instilled venom.” It was not answered.

Early in November he asked for some more tea —it was the last letter he ever wrote. Towards the end of the month he called to use the precious grindstone, and begged a little Peruvian bark to dose himself with.

On November 28, 1799, the missionaries were informed that Lewis had died after sunset on the previous day. Bicknell, Nott, and Harris, on being sent to investi gate, were informed that Lewis had dash ed his head against some stones. The demeanour of his Tahitian wife was sul len and “hardened.” The reports of the natives were so contradictory that foul play was suspected. The missionaries were in such a precarious situation, how ever, that they did not wish the death of Lewis to cause complications among the chiefs; neither did they want Pomare to vent his anger on innocent people in the district.

After exhaustive inquiries, Broomhill was satisfied that Lewis was murdered.

An entry on November 29 said: “. . . .

After morning prayer the manner of Mr.

Lewis’s interment was considered, when it was concluded that a spot of land a few yards to the south of the four brethrens’ dwelling should be enclosed for a burying place, and that the corpse of Mr. Lewis should be there deposited; also, that three brethren should go to Ahonoo, and, with the assistance of the natives, bring hither the body” (to Point Venus). This was also the site of the future church, of which now not a vestige remains. On February 6, 1800, Jefferson wrote: “Fixed on the spot for the intended place of worship

near where Mr. Lewis is interred: a small court that is to surround the house ,will enclose his grave.”

The missionaries also had trouble with Broomhill. The latter fell a victim to the charms of a young woman of degree from Raiatea. His colleagues recorded the fact in June that he had “fallen into a very dreadful snare of Satan.” He, too, was excommunicated. The following year they had the satisfaction of recording: “The young woman whom Mr. Broomhill co habitated with has quitted him for another man.”

Neither had Lewis’s girl proved faith ful. On the night previous to his death, it was stated, she had been intimate with a native. The ex-missionary’s jealousy was responsible for the tragedy that fol lowed.

On March 3, 1801, Jefferson penned the final entity in the pathetic story of Lewis: “It has latterly been reported to us that Mr. Lewis was actually murdered by some persons of the place where he resided, and, on account of the woman that he had so unhappily united himself with . . .

It appears that some of the party, having quarrelled, one said to the other: ‘lf it had not been for you, the man (meaning Mr. Lewis) would not have been killed.’ ”

Some years later Jefferson was himself placed beside Lewis in the grove of coco nuts [EDITORIAL NOTE.—Since the above article was written information has been received in Sydney that the trustees of the Mitchell Library have purchased Lewis’s original journal. Together with other important South Sea mission material it should arrive in Sydney from London in the course of a few weeks.] Mr. Robert Crompton, C.8.E., K.C., of Tamavua, Fiji, sailed from Suva for New Zealand by the Zealandic on March 10.