Three Freds Roome

NORTH-EASTERN BRAZIL
AMAZON lA
THE JOURNEY OF THE
THREE MARTYRS INDICATED
BY DOTTED LINE A DISTANCE
1 - - - - - - . OF MORE THAN 750 MILES ---I
SHOWING
SPHERf 01'
OPERATIOHS
OF U.F.M.
The two Missionaries who went in search of " The Three Freds "
HORACE BANNER
WILLIAM JOHNSTONE
LEONARD HARRIS JOSEPH WRIGHT
May 1937· Went to meet the Has heard the call to go to

Kayapos when they emerged the Kayapos, the tribe that
from the ~ fares t. killed his brother
[Photo: Unevangelised Fields Missiot'
SUNSET ON THE AMAZON
THE
THREE FREDS
MARTYRED PIONEERS. FOR CHRIST
IN BRAZIL
By
WM. J. W. ROOME
F.R.G.S., L.R.I.B.A., F.R.A.I.
Foreword by
B. GODFREY BUXTON
M.C.,M.A.
MARSHALL, MORGAN & SCOTT, LTD.

LONDON & EDINBURGH
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
THE UNEVANGELIZED FIELDS MISSION
75, MILDMAY PARK, LoNDON, N.1
First Edition • .'fuly 1936
Sec<md (large) impression October 1936
Third (large) impression August 1937
MADE AlCD PRINTED JN GREAT BRITATK 'BY PURNELL A.MD SONS, LTD
PAULTON (SOMl<RSl<T) AND LONDON
.l2H17S
DEDICATED
TO THE MEMORY OF
THE THREE FREDS

COMRADES IN THE SERVICE OF THE KINGDOM
WHO BLAZED THE TRAIL TO THE WILD INDIANS OF
AMA.ZONIA AT THE COST OF THEIR LIVES
THE INDIANS OF AMAZONIA
(Tune-" Hark, the sound of holy voices.")
Oft we sing of China's millions,
Often hear of India's plains;
And we often hear of Satan
Binding Afric's sons in chains.
What of those beside the river,
Mighty in its width and flow;
Those wild Indians still in darkness,
Shall they not the Saviour know?
Amazonia, land of forests

Dark and dim, where lie concealed
Secrets past when tribes were vanquished,
When the truth was not revealed.
Hungry now, they need its telling,
Sow then, that the seed may grow;
Shall they not the Saviour know?
Lord, the time is quickly passing,

And Thou soon shalt come to reign,
Give Thy servants now a vision
Of Thy cruel cross and shame;
Call them, Lord, then send them forward,
Filled with Calvary love, to shew
That they can the Saviour know.
(RUTH E. PHILLIPS, nee BENNETT.)
FOREWORD
THE " THREE FREDS ,, both in life and death, showed

that certain strong principles governed their lives.
We would do well to consider these in relation to our
own lives, as we read this book.
They did not say with Jacob, "If God . . • will
keep me in the way . . . so that I come again in peace
• • . then shall the Lord be my God." But in glad
abandon they committed their lives to do His will,
although it meant death.
These men, seeing the possibility of death, bequeathed
their kit to those who should follow them and evangelise
the Kayapo. They understood the value of the souls
of the wild Indians of the forest for whom Christ
died.
They realised they might never complete, or even
begin, the work; so great was the danger. Yet they
believed God would fulfil His promise that some
from every tribe would be around the Throne; and
were ready to die in faith, not having received the
promises but being persuaded of them. They con-
sidered obedience to God's call their duty; and they
left the issue with Him to raise up others to fulfil
the work.
Fred Wright and Fred Dawson laid down their
lives on their first great expedition: a sacrifice God
permits from time to time as a testimony to the Church,
the World, and the Principalities and Powers of Dark-
ness. Their whole desire was to satisfy the heart of
vii
viii Foreword
God regardless of whether they, or their fellow men,

saw any profit. Their reckoning of true values was
correct.
On the other hand Fred Roberts, from his first
landing in South America, gave himself for over ten
years, to take the Gospel of Peace to Indians that shoot
at sight. In 1926 he went to Sapucaia, where Fenton
Hall, 'and later his own wife, laid down their lives, though
no Indians would accompany him because of the
murder of three different parties on the river that
month. In four years eighty responded to the message,
and some of these went out as evangelists. His second
expedition was in 1930 to the dangerous Guajas. Only
one Indian would accompany him and his colleague.
The 1935 Expedition was his third.
In the days of the martyrdoms of the Early Christians
we read, in 1 Cor. xv. 29, of those that were baptised
for (Gk. to take the place of, as in Philemon 13) the
dead. They gladly sts:pped forward to fill the breach.
Are there any who will quietly, and deliberately, seek to
be baptised with the Holy Ghost that they too may be
acceptable to take the places of the dead in ministering
the Gospel to those that have not heard?
B. GODFREY BUXTON.
Missionary Training Colony,
Pioneer Camp, Highfield Hill,
Upper Norwood, S.E.19.
CONTENTS
PAGE
CHAPTER
FOREWORD . vii
I. " IN THE TRAIN OF HIS TRIUMPH '' II
II. PIONEERING AMIDST PRIMEVAL FORESTS 24

III. THE CALL OF AMAZONIA I 34
IV. LAUNCHING THE VENTURE 48
v. FACING THE FOE! • 60
VI. GIVING THE WORD 71
VII. BURIED SEEDS! 77
'
't'III. GATHERED FRUIT!. 86
IX. SEARCHING OUT THE KAYA.l!OS 102
x. "THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE" u6
EPILOGUE 125
THE THREE FREDS
CHAPTER I
"IN THE TRAIN OF HIS TRIUMPH"
"The noble army of martyrs praise Thee, 0 God."

SOMEWHERE in the great ·dread forests of Brazil lies all
that is mortal of three brave pioneers for the Kingdom
of Christ. Their spirits have joined the host triumphant
around the Throne. The full story of their last days
may never be known to us in the Homeland. It is
known only by that band of wild, savage Indians,
the Kayapos, who, as far as we can gather, ambushed
and massacred them. For their murderers we can but
pray, "Father forgive them for they know not," what
they did.
THIS IS NOT THE DAY OF DEFEAT, BUT
THE DAY OF VICTORY. NOT THE HOUR TO
MOURN, BUT TO REJOICE. NOT THE TIME
TO HALT, BUT TO ADVANCE. The Call of the
Unevangelized Fields Mission is to stretch out to "the
uttermost ends" of the earth; to carry the message of
Redeeming Love to those dwelling in the darkest spots
on earth; to carry the Word of God, the one Story,
the one Hope, the one Faith that ~an lift them out of
degradation, to the feet of the Throne of God.
The Unevangelized Fields Mission has been doing
this for years. It has sought to carry that story of
Redeeming Love not only to the Indians of the great
Amazonian Forests, but to the wild cannibals of the
II
The Three Freda
Congo, and the head-hunters of the great Fly, river of

Papua, New Guinea.
In Amazonia we have to-day the remnants of races
who[are the wildest of the wild. There they live in
the haunts of that great mighty primeval forest. Their
only experience of the white man, in days gone by,
ha(been that of tyranny and brutality, even of torture
and:of death. They have not yet learned the difference
between the rubber hunter, and the seeker for
souls.
For some years the Une"Vangelized Fields Mission
has sent its pioneers up the mighty tributaries of the
Amazon. Most of their investigations have been carried
on along the Xingu, the Araguya, the Gurupy, the
Pindare, the Mearim. ', The last three, however, are
not actual tributaries of the Amazon itself, but are in
Eastern Brazil within the same water basin. For many
years efforts have been made to reach the Kayapos,
who are amongst the wildest, and most savage of Indian
tribes. In another chapter we give the story of the early
efforts of Mr. Wootton, and others, to get into contact
with these wild folk through their tamer brethren,
another section of the tribe that has lived more in
contact with the outposts of civilization.
For some twenty-five years Mr. Wootton has been
evangelizing in Brazil, and his story is a thrilling one.
He was busy collecting Kayapo words and phrases
when a Roman Catholic priest, true to the policy of
his Church, stirred up the people against him and made
it necessary for him to leave the district. Mr. Wootton
tells us that the "wild" Kaya po, as distinguished from
the "tame" ones, still constitute a menace to the white
population in their locality. While they have their
"In the Train of His Triumph" 13
villagest. and raise their own crops of mandioca, their

hunting and fishing expeditions take them far afield.
They roam about in bands, robbing, and occasionally
killing, Brazilians and kidnappit;i.g their women and
children. While we deplore this action we cannot but
recognise it is. the inevitable retaliation, as far as they
can understand it, for the atrocities that they have
suffered at the hands of white aggressors in the days
gone by. Unscrupulous agents employed by city firms
have penetrated into these forests in the search of
valuable products. They have treated the wild red-
men worse than animals, thus incurring their hatred
and revenge. Government officials establishing inspec-
tion posts, with a view to the pacification of these
uncivilized peoples, have found it necessary to put up
galvanized iron huts and to surround themselves with
barbed wire entanglements. The wild Kayapos shoot
at sight, and look upon white men as their lawful prey.
The Three Freds realised this, and in a letter written
on their last journey at the last outpost of civilization,
one of them said:
"BRETHREN, STAND BY US AS ONE MAN

-Continue to pray for us, and should the result be that
which I suppose we least want, pray and send others out
to continue what the Lord has commenced. Remember
He died for the fndians of South America."
The long months . of silence that followed made
any hopes for the return of the "Three Freds" sink
to zero. There were hopes expressed by friends at
home that they might either be captives held for ran-
som, or that they were alive and had accompanied the
Indians to their forest homes. To those who know the
The Three Freds
untamed Indian intimately these hopes would be with-

out foundation.
These wild Indians have no conception of holding
any to ransom, simply because there is nothing the
white man can give them that they want. Even if there
were, their own estimate of human life is so low that .
they would not realise that the lives of the "Three
Freds" were, to us, most valuable. With regard to the
second hope that they were still alive and w:th the
Indians, assuming that our missionaries had been able
to establish, at the very first, a friendly contact, in itself
an almost inconceivable thing, in view of the known
character of the Kayapos, and the smashed canoe;· it
would be difficult to believe that, even if the Indians
had tolerated their presence amongst them, our brethren
could have maintained life for a whole year under such
conditions.
The "Three Freds" would have been deprived of
everything they possessed that would enable them to
fend for themselves. The Indians would give them
nothing, and in their trekking from place to place it
would be a matter of comple~e indifference to the
Indians whether they were able to keep up with them,
or fell out by the way. They treat their own sick and
aged in this manner, then how could it be expected
that they would treat strangers differently? Lack of
this sense of hospitality amongst the Indians made it
necessary for us to fear the worst. ·
"SHOULD THE LORD WILL THAT WE BB TAKEN, OUR
PRAYER IS THAT MORE MEN AND MONEY WILL BE RUSHED
OUT TO FOLLOW UP THIS ADVANCE."
That message will inspire us for many a long day.
We shall hear the voice of the "THREE FREDS" ringing
down the years. No human selection had called together

these comrades with one ·"common name, "FRED."
That alone could have been by the Spirit of the Living
God. Their names will live not o~ly in our memories,
but in the memory of many others. Their names
were Fred Roberts, Fred Wright, Fred Dawson.
Roberts and Dawson were from the far-away land of
Australia. Wright came from Ireland. They were
the representatives of their own lands-men who
realised the call of God to the regions beyond !
They counted not their lives dear unto them. They
went forward in the full and certain knowledge that,
humanly speaking, their lives were forfeit. Their
journey would prove difficult and dangerous. Much of
it lay through the primeval forests, difficult at all times
for penetration. Much more so would it be under
present circumstances. Five days they travelled by
. steamer from the port of Para, or Belem. This brought
them to the small town of Altamira, on the River
Xingu. Thence they had four days by river launch
or fifteen by canoe. The last outpost of civilization
would then be reached at Nova Olinda. This Xingu
River, though a mere tributary of the giant Amazon
itself, is over a thousand miles in length. Its well
stocked forests have for many years afforded a happy
hunting ground to deported criminals, and political
refugees. Frequently the channel is unnavigable
for ordinary boats on account of the rapids. Even
canoes find these a serious obstacle. At such places
it is customary to carry the craft, when light, over
portages of a mile, or more. The heavier craft have
to be rolled over on logs. To provide a way for these
it may be necessary to clear the trail of undergrowth.
B
16 The Three Freds
At the fork of the Xingu, with its affluent the Fresco,

the missionaries would have to proceed up the latter
river. Then they would follow its tributary, the
Riozinho, towards their goal, the name of which
signifies "Headquarters of the Grass." The term
suggests that here the forest gives place to an open
plain, the abode of the wild Kayapo Indians.
Fred Roberts, with his ten years' experience of the
forests of Brazil, when on furlough, secured many
things necessary for such adventure. He realised the
advantage that an outboard motor would be, when
fixed to a canoe, and he was fortunate in securing a
41-h.p. Evin-rude make. He also had a microscope
and some other scientific instruments, a six-foot cross
saw, guns and some ammunition for hunting game.
He also took some galvanized iron sheets, rivets and
tin cutters. The last items were to form steel shields
by way of armour against the Indian arrows.
On their journey up the river, the passengers and
crew of the launch were greatly interested in the three
"mad" Britishers. They plied them with questions
as to their reason for thus putting their lives in jeopardy I
The answers gave an excellent opportunity for pro-
claiming the Gospel. When the boat pulled in to the
bank to barter with the little villages for nuts and
rubber the "THREE FREDs" treated the sick, extracted
teeth, and left Gospels with such as could read. In
one place they treated over a thousand sick people
and held meetings crowded to overflowing. Thus
they illustrated the nature of their mission in a way
that must have been more convincing than any argu-
ment. When they left the )aunch they had to help
to build their own canoe, as well as to fit the motor.
"In the Train of His Triumph" z7
This they were able to do and further report from
•the last post of civilization showed that they had
successfully negotiated some of the worst rapids.
After this they wrote :
" WE ARE TAKING EVERY PRECAUTION
THAT NEITHER FOOLHARDINESS, NOR NEG-
LIGENCE, MAY BE LAID TO OUR CHARGE.
BRETHREN, STAND BY US AS ONE MAN!
DO NOT CRITICIZE,- WE ARE BEYOND CRITI-
CISM AS WE GO FORWARD IN THE NAME
OF THE LORD, AND AT HIS COMMAND,
HAVING FIRST FULLY COUNTED THE COST."
Those who were awaiting their return never expected
that news would come through for possibly six months.
There followed a long time of hope-deferred. At
the base in Para, Brazil, and in the Council at home,
there were many moments of anxious thought, and
constant prayer, waiting for news that did not come.
After nearly twelve months of thus waiting it was
realised that the time had arrived to make all the
investigations that might be possible. It would have
been impossible to send a Search Party earlier, as
the state of the river would not have permitted the
party to have ascended by that means. As soon as
it was possible to make the ascent a Search Party was
organised consisting of one experienced missionary,
Mr. Horace Banner, who was to have a young Scotch
colleague, Mr. W. Johnstone, with such Brazilian
or Indian helpers as they might be able to secure on
the spot.
Mr. Banner has had a good deal of experience in
exploration work on the Gurupy River. He was well
18 The Three Freds
qualified as the leader of this difficult task. The fqllow-

ing cable was sent him from the Mission Headquarters:
" Council insists you must without fail employ, regard-
less of cost, sufficient men to maintain lines of com-
munication. Otherwise do not proceed beyond Nova
Olinda. Keep base informed every step."
These two missionaries left Para in May. They dived
into the unknown on their hazardous quest. There was
a great response to the Mission's appeal to Christians
to pray for safe keeping of the search party and the
recovery of their lost comrades if they were still alive.
Their search discovered all too truly the evidence of
their Great Call.
Out of their lettersicomes the call to us:
"IT JS WELL TO REMEMBER THAT CALVARY
WAS, AND STILL IS, THE GREATEST VICTORY
OF ALL TIME. DEATH TO THE CHRISTIAN
IS NOT DEFEAT, AND SHOULD THE LORD
WILL THAT WE BE TAKEN, OUR PRAYER IS
THAT MORE MEN AND MONEY WILL BE
RUSHED OUT TO FOLLOW UP THIS
ADVANCE."
The story of the Search Party is told elsewhere.
Here we can record that it was only by the Mercy
of God that our brothers, Banner and Johnstone,
have come back alive to tell the story. Indeed,
they say themselves they feel like '' resurrected men
allowed another lease of life." We have ample
evidence that their ascent of the River Riozinho was
known to the Indians. In all probability they were
watched by those who were responsible for the
glorification of the "Three Freds ?" At one point of the
jour~y a bottle was left in which they placed a letter.

On returning to the same spot it was found that the
Indians had extracted the letter without breaking the
bottle. Had not strong measure~ been wisely taken
on this second trip to protect their return by Brazilians
who guarded the lower rapid to ensure a safe passage
on the descent, this rapid might as easily have proved
a death trap to the two, as the upper rapid did to the
three. They mention these facts, and together we may
rejoice in answered prayer for the safe return of the two,
and their deliverance from the hand of the slayer.
What can be said of the three ? We can only quote
the words that have been the comfort of an innumerable
multitude before us. "Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of His saints." Pioneering has always been
dangerous. It always will be to the end of time. Parts
of Africa could only be opened after the deaths of
Livingstone, Bishop Hannington, and many others.
Chalmers was clubbed to death to open New Guinea.
Now we can place upon the honours list these of our
own brethren Fred Roberts, Fred Wright, Fred
Dawson. Amidst all our sorrow, and God knows how
sacred these days have been, we look up into our
Father's face and say: "Even so, Father, for so it
seemed good in Thy sight." "In our times of prayer
together, at Santa lzabel," writes Mr. Harris, our
Field Secretary, "God has been recommissioning us
to complete the task that they began, and to set our
faces as never before to the Indians of South America.
When the story is fully known their heroism will rank
with the records of many others. Their courage,
devotion and untiring service for the Indians must
ever prove a golden example to us, who have
20 The Three Freds
yet to be assured of a gained crown. The 'Three

Freds' have proved to be some of the 'Calebs' of
this mission, "Who wholly followed the Lord.'
"Let us not despair-the task to be accomplished
is great and dangerous, but God is greater than the
noise of many waters. True, we are standing by the
tomb of three of God's most devoted soldiers, but
tombs are never the end I Often at the place of burial
we see the Lord, and receive new commissions. It
was so with Mary. 'But Mary stood without at the
Sepulchre weeping, and as she wept she stooped • • •
she looked and saw two angels • • • and when she
had turned . • . she saw Jesus.'"
"Obviously someone must go in search of the 'Three
Freds.' I am sure that Johnstone will feel as I do,
that this is God's call to us, through you, to undertake
the task." This was the response of Mr. Horace Banner
to the proposal from the Council of the U nevangelized
Fields Mission that he should organize a Search Party.
The two missionaries constituting the Search Party
started from Para under instructions to take all possible
precautions for their own safety. On arrival at Nova
Olinda they secured two canoes, and with a crew of eight
men tliey were soon beyond the borders of civilization. On
the fourth day they reached the Big Rapid, where canoes
have to be dragged overland. Here they saw warning signs.
An Indian camp, suggestive of a population of at least
500, had been established at this point, where previously
there had not been any inhabitants. This consisted of
some ninety straw huts. Trees had been felled and
thrown across the tracks so as to bar passage. This was
a clear indication of hostility, and a threat to any who
would seek to follow along that track.
The Brazilian crew refused to proceed, and the two

missionaries were compelled to return to their base
at Nova Olinda in order to seek reinforcements. The
difficulty of obtaining these proved, great. This is not
to be wondered at, seeing the hazardous nature of the
journey. However, the promise of big money attracted
a band of "nervy" men, and the expedition started
afresh with three canoes. The missionaries discovered
the canoe and motor of the "Three Freds" smashed
to pieces. They also obtained information which
confirmed .their worst fears. They learned beyond a
doubt that their comrades had joined the noble army
of martyrs I The date of their death could not be proved,
but probably it was in May. It would seem that
they had not been more than a fortnight in the forest
when the end came. No details of their last hours can
be obtained, nor will friends wish to dwell upon these.
For them the trials are past, the reward has been given!
One of their last letters closed with these words:
"Yours, in the train of His triumph." They should
now be pictured, not against the dark background of that
dread Amazonian forest, but rather as taking their
places in the great procession in the triumphal throng
around the Throne. They will come, "in the train of
His triumph," when He returns to take His great power
and reign.
And the wild Kayapo Indians who have killed them,
are they to have the Gospel, or not? The "Three Freds"
still speaking, and'"may be watching in the cloud of
witnesses, say "Yes I" "Remember He died for the
Indians of South :,America." Even apart from this
supreme compelling motive of divine love, it can be
argued that something should be done for the Red
22 The Three Freda
Men of these Brazilian forests. Common humanity

demands it, for they have not had fair play. They have
been diabolically treated by the white man and his
traders of the days gone by, a story of horror and of
shame that, alas! is not too well known, but which is
bearing its fruit even to-day, in the hatred and antagonism
of these wilder races driven into the backwood forests
of their own land. We were told that when Europeans
first entered Brazil they were kindly received by the
forefathers of these very Indians. The discovery
of diamonds two centuries ago led to the influx of
adventurers. One historian attached to a military
company left this record: "We made a most dreadful
havoc. They were all put to the bayonet without mercy."
Even in our own time the Indians of South America
have been brutally treated and even tortured. The
agonies endured rival those of the Spanish Inquisition
itself. The story is a sickening one; women and chil-
dren were not exempt from these awful sufferings.
They may or may not have been experienced by the
actual tribe which was the objective of our "Three
Freds," but ill news travels apace I It is easy to
understand how Indians must hate, and fear all white
folk who are classed under the common name of
"Christians."
The Cross to the Indian is a symbol of devils
incarnate. The Red Men were made to lie down with
their arms outstretched to suffer death dealing strokes
from the terrible tapir-hide lash.
"Obviously someone must go in search" of the lost
and show them by self-sacrificing love how grossly our
Saviour has been misrepresented and the Gospel
travestied. Who will be the messengers? In due
"In the Train of His Triumph,. 23
course volunteers will come, of that we are assured.
From the great Captain of our Salvation they will
receive their personal commission. We shall look for
these volunteers, and we shall not look in vain. The
Unevangelized Fields Mission is prepared to send them
forth, with the fuller knowledge born of this sad
experience. Proceeding with caution, a step at a time,
seeking gradually to make contact with these wild tribes.
CHAPTER II
PIONEERING AMIDST PRIMEVAL FORESTS
FoR difficulty and hardship in travel it would be im-

possible to find a country to equal Brazil. Mr. Roberts,
in o.ne of his reports, speaks of his experiences in
travelling from the village of Sapucaia to the Southern
end of his district, a journey which occupied seventeen-
and-a-half days: "I have made this journey many
times with a pack on my back. In the old days it was
difficult to get Indians to go with us as they were
afraid of the Witch-Doctors in the many villages we
passed. In these later years it has been much easier
to secure Indian gui~es. Our mode of travel is as
follows: The guide walks in front seeking the almost
invisible trail through the forest. Besides carrying his
pack he also carries a muzzle-loading gun and a powder
horn. We follow with our packs containing our hammock,
mosquito net, waterproof sheet, change of clothes, a
little rice and farinha, and a small saucepan. Up and
down the steep hills we climb, often having to sit down
to wring the perspiration from our clothes. Many times
I have had to make this journey with a high fever and
a splitting headache. We are frequently overtaken by
a heavy tropical shower which wets one through, in
which condition one remains until the evening. It
might be asked why don't you take shelter. If we did
that, then some days we should do nothing but shelter,
and the little food we are able to carry would soon be
exhausted. Then one often comes to swamps that take
24
Pioneering Amidst Primeval Forests 25
half an hour or more to cross. We first put our pack

on our head, our trousers on top of the pack, our shoes
on top of our trousers and in we go, with the water
up to our chests or even our chins. We are glad when
we get to the other side to be able 'to crawl out of the
foul smelling water, infested, as it often is, by the
cannibal fish called the 'Piranha,' Electric Eels, Stinging
Rays, and the dreaded Anaconda Snake, so huge that
it is able to swallow a man with ease. Unlike the jungles
of India which teem with animal life, the dense forests
of Brazil do not yield very much to the sportsman's
gun. We may travel for hours, and sometimes for days
on end without meeting with an animal suitable for
eating." A very occasional deer may be met, but the
most frequently available is the monkey. It takes the
traveller a considerable time to reconcile himself to
the eating of monkey flesh; indeed it is doubtful if he
ever can be said to enjoy it. Only dire necessity forces
him that he may avoid the dread alternative of starvation.
The method of cooking a monkey is very primitive.
After it is skinned, the feet, hands, liver, and tail are
hung on sticks round the fire. The remainder of the
body is stewed in the pot. The roasted liver is the tit-
bit usually reserved for the squeamish Missionary
traveller, it being a little less suggestive than the other
parts. The easiest of victims is the lumbering tortoise,
for he has only to be turned over on his back to be
secured. The drawback in this case is due to the
weight of the animal, this being a very great considera-
tion if it has to be carried some leagues before reaching
the evening bivouac.
In the evening the camp is pitched. Darkness comes
on quite suddenly practically at 6 p.m. all the year
26 The Three Freds
round, after which travelling is impossible, unless it

be over well beaten tracks of which there are but few.
If possible the camp or bivouac is pitched near a river
or creek, failing this, then the traveller must depend
for his water upon vines or the roots of some trees.
Happy is the traveller who is not overtaken by the
violent rain storms that frequently sweep over the
land. The monsoon in India is supposed to be the·
last word in violence, but it cannot be compared with
that of the devastating tropical deluge in the Amazon
basin. If such a storm threatens the traveller, he at
once, if such are to be found in the neighbourhood,
gathers huge palm leaves with which to make a shelter,
if not, then he philosophically slings his hammock to
' the trees, and "waits until the clouds roll by."
Night time spent in a Missionary bivouac is an
experience that can never be forgotten, and yet it is
almost impossible to convey its impressions.
These impressions are greatly increased in poignancy
if the missionary is travelling unaccompanied by others.
When two or more missionaries are travelling together,
the strain is greatly lessened by the joys and the
reactions of companionship. On arrival at the camping
place the first and most desirable thing needed is a
bath, and how delightfully refreshing a swim in the
river is, can only be known to those who travel for
leagues under a burning sun. After a bath comes the
meal consisting invariably of the sawdust-like material,
farinha or rice; perhaps a little dry meat like the
biltong of South Africa, or monkey flesh, or if fortunate
enough during the journey to have shot a deer some fresh
venison. If life and health are valued, it is wise to eschew
pork, for the pig of Amazonia is the filthiest eater in
Pioneering Amidst Primeval Forests z7
the world. The meal is accompanied by black coffee,

sweetened or unsweetened according to the exigencies
of the portable larder. After the meal, before turning
in for the night there come the reading of the
evening chapter from the Word of God and prayer.
Before that, however, the Indians of the party are
gathered around the bivouac fire and the Old, Old
Story is told and re-told.
But for a missionary travelling alone except perhaps
for the company of an Indian guide, there is an altogether
different experience. As the night closes in and he
seeks to prepare his food, there steals over him an
awful sense of loneliness and dread. At such a time
he realises as at no other, the fact of separation from
all who love him, and whom he loves. Those terrible
thousands of miles by ocean, and the apparently never-
ending leagues by land, present themselves as an
insuperable barrier between him and everything he
holds dear. It is then that the enemy comes in like a
flood, the romance of the mission field seems to dissolve
into a shadow. The inspiration and glamour of the
missionary meeting, where are they? Gone. If the
missionary be suffering from feeble health due to
malaria or the thousand and one diseases so rife in the
Amazonian forests, his power of resistance to mental
exhaustion is reduced to the lowest. We have known
missionaries in such a condition to throw themselves on
the ground and sob after sob would break forth from an
overwrought heart. Their visions of perishing souls
have become dimmed. Their ears cannot discover the
Voice of God, and then, when they have been at their
extremity and nothing seems so desirable as to throw
it all up, and return to a comfortable home, the bright
The Three Freds
fireside and the company of loved ones, there has crept

into their hearts, and senses, a quiet calm, the physical
fever subsides, ears begin once more to hear the
Beloved Voice-"! will never leave thee or forsake
thee, I am with thee even unto the end." As the ears
once more take in the Divine promises, there comes the
human response with new hope and life-
" Lord it is I who need Thy Love,
Need Thy Strength, and Need Thy Power,
Oh, help me, use me, and hold me fast,
Each moment, each day, each ho1:1r."
To find a cause for this change from the deepest
despondency to the highest spiritual exaltation, we shall
have to seek perhaps where some saint on bended
knees, away in the far-off Homeland, has by the prayer
of Faith provided a channel along which God has
been able to bless the heart of the lonely servant of
God. Someday there will be revealed to us some of
the now unseen mysteries and power of such prayers.
If the traveller at the close of the day arrives at

his objective, a village, he, on arrival is taken to the
Chief's house. This probably consists of an erection
that is not much more than a roof of palm leaves
with walls of the same, on one or two, perhaps three,
sides. It would be difficult to speak of this house as
being furnished. For the most part the furniture
would consist of a hammock slung sometimes from
poles supporting the roof, or to trees around which
the leafy shelter has been erected. The only other
furniture would be a few scattered logs of wood, and
some cooking utensils and a calabash containing water.
Pioneering Amidst Primeval Forests :i9
Of house linen there would be nothing but some few
filthy rags and odd pieces of woven bark material.
This is the general appearance of a forest aldeia, or
village, occupied by nomadic or semi-nomadic Indians.
The traveller on reaching the Chfof's house takes his
choice of a seat either on one of the logs of wood, or in
the swinging hammock. Whichever he chooses he will
not be long before wishing he had chosen the other. The
final decision, however, will probably be in favour of
the comfortless, ill-shapen log rather than the evil-
smelling hammock with its permanent residents I The
Chief may, but by no means always will, offer hospitality
in the shape of a calabash of farinha. The traveller
can never be sure of hospitality being offered by the
Indians. There are two reasons for this, or rather one
great reason out of which the second has grown. The
Indians themselves live a hand-to-mouth existence.
They are never sure of their own daily bread, and
having none to spare for others, the instinct of self·
preservation makes them appear most inhospitable.
The contrast between the Amazonian Indians, and,
say the Bedouin of the East, is most marked in this
respect. The Indian if he ever possessed the spirit
of hospitality seems to have lost it entirely, and his
guiding principle to be that of every man for himself.
"As ye travel Preach ! "

This was our Lord's command to His disciples.
Our missionaries on the Amazon have accepted that
as a literal command and have sought to obey Him.
On arrival at the camping place after a wearisome
journey over hills, through forests and often under' a
blazing sun the first thought is for a swim in the river,
30 The Three Freds
or creek, then food and the slinging of hammocks I
then follows the preaching.
The skill of an artist would be required to paint the
scene-the missionary seated on a log with a Bible
in hand. For light, a piece of resin burning on the end
of a stick of wood. Around him the Indians with their
dark faces and brilliantly black eyes staring into the
missionary's face.
He teaches them to sing a chorus, they love singing,
and then they listen attentively to the Gospel message,
and often there is response, and an open confession
of their intention to accept Christ, but the experienced
missionary knows how little this may mean to these'
untutored savages, and that there lies before him many
weeks and months of teaching and training, before the
profession becomes an actual possession.
All such converts are urged to come in and stay
at the head station; there they may support themselves
and while under the direct eye of the missionary be
led on to know the way of God more perfectly. It is
essential, too, that a convert should be taught to read
that he may feed upon the Word. Anything short of
this counts for nothing, and produces no permanent
results. In the one station of Saupucaia to which the
Indians were invited, in less than two years there was
seen JilOrning by morning a prayer meeting attended
by some fifty to sixty Indians, men ~nd women, who
not only attended but prayed intelligently.
Mr. Fred Roberts in one of his reports writes:
"Fifteen of these young men and women had been
specially trained as they expressed a desire to become
Evangelists to their own people. The day arrived
when they were to go forth to this great task. This
PLATE I
[Photos: U11evangelised F ields Mis sion

FISHIN G WITH ARROW
[Photos: Unevang elis ed Fields Mission

THE RESTI N G P LACE OF FEN TO N HALL AND M RS. R OBERTS
was ·the day for which we missionaries had lo~ed

and prayed for years. There was no little opposition
from the old men of the tribe. They said they were
foolwh, to go and defy the witch-doctors in the other
villaies, and ~o be killed." A graphic' story is then told
by Mr. Roberts of how the opposition waxed greater
and greater until at last the missionaries were tempted
to physical reprisals, but the Grace of God triumphed.
"Early in the morning of the day before that in
which the Evangelists were to start, we were in my
room, I was sitting on my easy chair, a kerosene box,
Joe, my companion was seated on the table. We had
had little sleep that night. As I looked out of the
window I saw a number of the old Indians gathering,
some had bows and arrows, their leader had a large
P.Ufe. Down they came to the house. Those with the
jjOws and arrows remained .outside, the man with the
knife came into the room and stormed and raged like
a madman, flourishing his knife in front of our faces.
He was devil possessed I The temptation came to us
to stand upon our dignity and to put this wild savage
in his place. We could have done so, for we had a
sporting gun, then loaded. It would be so very easy to
teach them a lesson, but we recognised the voice of
the enemy, and were given grace to resist. If we.had
yielded to our natural inclination the whole work
would have been stopped. The Lord stood by us and
enabled us to sit tight and bear the insults, and in the
end off they went and the victory was the Lord's.
"We gathered the would-be Evangelists and had a
wonderful time of prayer and dedication. After prayer
we reminded them of what the old men had said, of
the danger from witch-doctors. Parachik, a fourteen
c
32 The Three Frede
year old lad, who was to go to the village most feared

by all, quickly stated that he was going to trust Jesus
to keep him, despite the witch-doctors and devil as
well. Matchi and Maria, a sixteen years old n;tarried
couple, were prepared to do the same, as were all the
others. Syriacco, the one-eyed, twenty-five year old
lad, the oldest of all, said: 'They only do that because
they don't know Jesus.' They were a gallant little
band; Maria, the sixteen year old wife, had been our
head cook for two years before being married. She
could point back to the time when we had a week's
convention and say: 'It was then I really found Jesus
as my own Saviour.' I remember it well. For two days
she went away crying, and when the way of salvation
was really understood by her a lovely smile came on
her face. She became a wonderful testimony for J esu~
Christ both in Christian living and in witnessing by
word of mouth.
"There was Chapie who came to us when he was
about fifteen years old. He learned to read well in
less than six months. A vessel chosen by God to be
a messenger of Jesus Christ to his own people. He
loved his little wife, Joana, despite the fact that he
was her seventh husband. When she was only a little
girl of twelve I remember her praying in our evening
meetings. She had had four husbands before then,
all old men. Fourteen of these young people all knew
their Saviour, they were not tine preachers but could
read the Scriptures in their own language and tell of
what Jesus had done for them. They had had exper~
ience in teaching in both Day and Sunday schools.
"Next day with much singing and praising, we set
off in a small canoe on our great undertaking for the
Lord. As we paddled down the river in our small

canoe for eight days the hot tropical sun beat down
upon us. By day the thousands of little sand flies
flew around us, biting little pieces out of one, and
leaving blood bubbles behind.· Many times wasps
from disturbed nests attacked us.
"After eight days' journey by canoe we commenced
our land journey, visiting all the villages on the way
and preaching the gospel. Our party became fewer
as we travelled, for at each suitable village we would
leave two Evangelists, there they would start schools
and preach the Gospel."
CHAPTER III
THE CALL OF AMAZONIA I
SOUTH AMERICA has an area equal to that of Europe
and the United States combined. It is three times the
size of China, and sixty times the size of Great Britain.
Brazil alone could almost cover India twice, having an
area of over 3,000,000 square miles. The magnitude
of the country can be better realised when it is remem-
bered that one state in Brazil, which is but one of
twenty-one, the State of Para, is nearly twice the size
of Germany, and well over three times the size of
England. The River Amazon, well known as the largest
river in the world, has some 4,000 miles in its main
length, with three tributaries, which attain over 2,000
miles each, and ten others exceeding a thousand miles
in length. This will give some idea of the problem
of distance that faces those who seek the evangelisation
of Amazonia. The main stream can be easily navigated
by ocean liners for 2,000 miles from its mouth. The
affiuents, however, are often obstructed by impassable
rapids. Along the banks of these rivers are to be found
the real forest dwellers, many of them being Brazilians,
while others are half castes, the offspring of mixed
marriages between Brazilians and Indians. Brazil has
by far the greater number of the population of South
America. This is estimated at about 42,000,000. In
round figures the missionary occupation of Brazil
may be stated in the following terms. Each missionary
34
The Call of Amazonia I 35
would have a parish of some 58,000 persons, scattered

over an area of 6,ooo miles.
Brazil is a land of extremes. Her towns boast highly
developed civilization, differing ,little from European
towns, while the interior of the North may be in
many parts as backward as Central Africa. Thus the
missionary in the town finds himself surrounded with
cultured people, the telephone and wireless are on
every hand. Travelling is done in trams. Cinemas
prove a dumping ground for films that would never
be allowed to be shown in England. The missionary
once he embarks to the interior discovers that civiliza-
tion, such as this represents, ends with the towns. Life
is primitive in the interior in the extreme. Few can
write their own name. Taking Brazil as a whole it is
estimated that the illiteracy is something like So per
cent. The interior dweller is often as ignorant as the
Indian. Indeed it cannot be said that he is one whit
better than his savage neighbour. The appalling
iniquity that exists among the Indians, and is proving
the death blight of the race, is to be found also amongst
the so-called civilized people. The law of the gun and
the knife is prevalent. It is the fittest who see most.
A Brazilian forest is no romance to the servant of
God. It is a merciful cloak hiding from the eyes of
mankind the depths of Satan.
Mr. Len Harris after many years of experience
writes: "Witchcraft is as real, and as much practised,
amongst Brazilians as amongst the Indians. As the
missionary enters the regions saturated with demon
powers a mist of iniquity doth already work I Imagine
the sensation when a missionary arrives upon the scene
minus protective guns and knives. He is literally a
The Th.ree F.reds
lamb amongst the wolves, and everyone thinks him a
fool, which indeed he is, for the Lord's sake, but they
rapidly change their minds when a native's tooth is
extracted, or some dear one raised from a lingering
illness. The missionary's pills are almost canonised,
and often they are named " Holy Pills." A missionary
is a passing flash of another world. It is often his
ideals are heavenly, but cannot be practised on a
wicked earth; mercifully the fruit does not depend on
those who sow. It is God that giveth the increase, and
often long after the first missionary has passed on to
some other region, a harvest springs up from the seeds
he has sown.
One of the biggest challenges in the State of Para is
the river Xingu which is over a thousand miles in length,
and which for many years was a resort for deported
criminals, and political refugees. It nearly cuts the
State of Para in two, and presents an irresistible chal-
lenge to the evangelist whose soul is on fire for God,
not only from the Brazilian standpoint, but from the
Indian. It is reckoned that in the head waters of the
River Xingu there are at least 9,000 Indians. There
are a few believers in the town of Altamira, but beyond
this and throughout all that region, there are no
organised workers or any effort made to save the lost.
It was to such conditions, and for such people,
that the call of Amazonia came to the late Fred Roberts.
The references in his letters tell continually of this
devoted service, and self sacrificing life :
"The time has arrived for me to be getting on the
track once again. The hills and muddy 'J ucerals'
do not help to whet one's appetite, but when the time
comes to start out, the Lord supplies the necessary
grace. We would willingly go through much more

if necessary to take the Gospel to the Indians. It is
now or never, as they are fast dying out.
"My Portuguese is not as good as it might be.
Someone in the city said that I speak like an Indian.
Of course I always have taken, and always will take,
every opportunity possible of gaining a better know-
ledge of it. However, our chief concern is the Indian
language. The Brazilian language is only useful to
us at present for trading or witnessing amongst the
Brazilians."
Later he wrote: "I held a large and powerful meeting
in the house where there was nothing to distract the
Indians' attention. The Holy Spirit worked mightily.
He led me to expound that man's righteousness is as
filthy rags. At the end many men and women got up
one after the other and prayed for Christ to cleanse
them from all sins, and that they might really be born
anew of the Holy Spirit."
The very first letter to be received from Fred Wright
after his arrival at Para, in Brazil, as a new missionary,
is interesting. It gives us an insight into his experiences
on that memorable occasion. He said, "It is to me a
great joy to be writing my first letter from Brazil.
Here at last I am, no doubt in the Lord's good time.
To find everyone in good spirits and comparative health
has further added to the joy. But I am not the only
animal to rejoice, I cannot help thinking that there
must be thousands of creatures rejoicing at my arrival.
Not being a mathematician I have not even attempted
to count the little swellings that cover my body, and
to add to the irony of the situation, nobody else around
here seems to be troubled by the pests-at least no one
The Three Freda
takes the slightest notice of them. Maybe I am more
succulent as a newcomer, so the others are left alone
for the time, I suppose by August it will be my turn
to assume a stony indifference.
"We are continually in prayer that it might be the
Lord's will to thrust out others in August.
"My brother Joe met the boat at Para. We had
to wait till the following day to have my baggage
released. On arrival at Sta lzabel, the believers turned
out to welcome, or to see, the new Missionary. I
do not quite know which I Everybody jabbered and
laughed at my expense, or so it seemed. I thoroughly
enjoyed it, and like a good Irishman returned the
'Marney. I discovered they were comparing me with
Joe. I won the beauty competition, but when I looked
at poor old Joe, I thought there was not much com-
petition-the only befitting epithet I could think of
at the time was, 'Alas, my poor brother I' Humblest
of apologies to Oxo, Ltd.
" I must say I like this place, not to mention the
morning coffee, and having got used to the food more
or less, I am settling down to the language, in which
I receive every help from others. Johnstone speaks
like a native, or so it seems to me. The other evening
when he was preaching, I hardly understood a word,
it must have been Portuguese. It was a great thrill to
me on my second or third evening here, at one of the
meetings, to see a young man walk up to the front,
and publicly accept Jesus Christ as his Saviour. He
was employed in a public-house. One day my brother
visited that particular public-house, and gave him a
tract, with the glorious result that he came to the
meeting. The Lord's arm was strong to save.
"We had a blessed day of prayer on the 1st of
the month, when we specially remembered those at
home."
He goes on to say "The Lord ~s blessedly near these
days, and I am realising something of the task as I
listen to all these people jabbering." He closes with
the promise, "He will rest in his love."
Some further extracts from Fred Roberts' corres-
pondence: "The river Pindare is inhabited by the wild
Indians of the Urubu and Timbira tribes. These
Indians were friendly towards the Portuguese at one
time, but some Brazilians committed such awful
atrocities amongst them that they became wild and
began to shoot at sight. These tribes were not friendly
towards the Indians around Sapucaia, known as the
Guajajara. Our plan was to reach the 'tame' Indians
first, and seek their assistance in winning the 'wild '
Indians.
"The day of our departure from Santa Ignez is
drawing very close but I must finish off this letter.
On Wednesday George and Jaco went to Colonia to
buy canoes for the voyage to Sapucaia. They were
unab]e to buy. them so had to hire one large one at the
rate of 10d. per day. This will be much cheaper, and
we shall be able to procure small ones for future use.
The journey will take probably about twelve days. We
anticipate the day when we shall have a small motor
to attach to the back of the canoe, this will quicken
the journey very much. It will also make it possible to
travel during the rainy season. Jaco has found great
difficulty in securing men to go with us. The risk from
the wild Indians is so great that it does not take
much to scare most of these people I
The Three Freda
"Of late the Indians have been rather active, killing
several men in three different lots around the river
this month. One cannot wonder at them getting scared.
Fina}.ly, an old man and a lad of twenty years,
volunteered. Since then the others have offered, so
the Lord has supplied us with enough. All preparations
are being made and we leave on the 2oth. Both Joao
and Domingoes are well known and loved by the Indians.
Well, brothers and sisters, I must close-keep your
eyes fixed on the Lord, and remember us before the
Throne of Grace. At the same time remember that we
are very short of men. P.S. A letter arrived this after-
noon saying that the men who promised to go with us
have got scared, and cannot come. Alleluia I We
shall go without them, to-morrow we leave here 9 a.m."
Fred Wright must have been about thirty years
of age when he was promoted to glory. One of his
referees writing in reply to inquiry on his application
to the Mission stated, "He has a good business training
and education. I have every reason to believe, if
accepted, he would make a very fine missionary."
Another referee stated that, "He has been engaged in
many ·different forms of mission work at home with
very good results. Souls have been saved through his
faithful work. In his home life he has carried out
'bear ye one another's burdens' in a way that very
few fellows do, giving a hand at anything to make
things easier for his mother, or sister. Fred Wright
is a self-sacrificing, conscientious Christian gentleman,
and with God's blessing continued, should make an
excellent missionary." Another wrote: "From all I
have known of Fred Wright I wish to testify to his
very fine qualities of character. He will prove straight,
and worthy, and devoted under all circumstances. He

comes from an excellent home, and has been a great
help to his parents."
How soon Fred Wright got down to duty, and the
character he manifested can be gleaned from the follow-
ing letter:-
"The family with whom I am stopping are the only

believers in the place and need much prayer, the head
of the house being a very crude and almost uneducated
man. Although very keen he is but a babe in Christ,
yet it has pleased the Lord to place such a witness in
this Roman Catholic stronghold, and praise God he
is known throughout the countryside. Ask anyone in
Vigia, and for miles outside the town, if there are any
believers, the name Christians are commonly known
by in Brazil, in Vigia, and immediately one is directed
to the house of Manoel Santos. Manoel is also weak
in body, and is receiving a small pension from his
recent employers. As the cost of living is cheaper in
these interior towns, our friend Manoel lives in Vigia.
How true, His ways are not our ways, and so it has
further pleased the Lord to send such as me to strengthen
their witness for a few months. In my weak efforts,
in, of course, as yet an elementary Portuguese, I have
thus helped to spread the Light where there is no
Light. Manoel is not able to preach, and it is doubtful
whether he ever will be able, so that part has been left
to me. We are holding meetings twice weekly in
his house, which are fairly well attended, even in
spite of my Portuguese. However, as the Word
says, it is not by might nor by power, but by My
Spirit. l have experienced the truth of these words and
The Three Freda
wish that you also might rejoice with me in the Lord's
triumphs. He has given me my first soul in the land
of my adoption. It so happened on our meeting-night
one of these hideous Roman Catholic carnivals was
proceeding, so no one turned up at the meeting. Such
carnivals are really a licence to sin. However, we
commenced, and before I began to speak, two young
men walked in, entire strangers to Vigia. When I had
finished speaking I appealed for souls. To our great
joy one accepted the Lord, ')'hile the other purchased
a gospel. Praise God for His ways ! We have also been
visiting other little places by canoe, spreading the
Word up and down the river. In some places the people
paid for the written Word in the form of eggs, which
we sucked as we tramped along with glad hearts, and
so our God continues to supply all our needs. I must
say here we find that whenever anyone pays for the
literature they receive, it is much more appreciated.
On the other hand, where it is given free, it may not
even be read.
"Believing the salvation of Brazil to a very large
extent lies with the children, I have been enabled to
commence a children's Sunday school, meeting in
Manoel's house every Sunday morning at nine o'clock.
This is about 1 p.m. in the home-land. I should like
especially to mention this class for your urgent prayers.
"It had a small beginning, with about twelve in
attendance, so also has the River Lagan of Belfast, the
beauty and commercial value of which most of my
friends are aware, as it trickles out of Slieve Croob, in
the County of Down, ever growing in beauty and value
until upon its banks, where it casts itself into the Irish
Sea, is seen one of the world's greatest shipyards,
The Call of Ama2:onia I 43
sending out seaworthy ships. May the Lord send out

from this small beginning, into Brazil's awful night,
vessels of Light, made seaworthy by the Master Crafts-
man, in answer to your prayers."
Mr. Stanley Phillips, one of the closest friends of
the late Fred Wright, who was with him for some time
in training for the Mission Field and subsequently was
his colleague in Amazonia, tells us that Fred was a
very dashing footballer, vigorous and forceful. This
was characteristic of his devotion and service to Christ.
In our games together he smashed one of my little
fingers in a practice match at the Colony. He was a
man with a great soul, always bubbling over with joy,
keen for souls and eager to serve the Brethren. Previous
to his leaving for Amazonia we spent the last four
nights together in 1932. We slept in beds opposite
each other and I watched him as he prayed for himself
and for the Red Indians to whom he was longing to go.
Soon after his arrival in Brazil he was the best man
at our wedding, and he also prayed at the beginning
of the service in the house, a prayer we shall always
remember, that our union might be as Christ and the
Church, thus revealing his own love-union with Christ.
His prayer still carries a fragrance to my wife and
myself.
The Reverend R. Gordon Williamson, of Belfast,
was an intimate friend of Fred Wright in their younger
days, and before he left for the Mission Field. He says:
"I knew Fred Wright for over twelve years. He was
always 'at home' in our house, he was the kind of
fellow who when he came, just came for the night. He
did not ask if there was a bed but would just go in
anywhere. I always returned the compliment at his
The Three Freds
home. He was great about the home, handsome in

appearance, and was continually being admired; but
he was capable in so many directions. He could cook
as well as any woman and he could lay a table that
would make one think that he had missed his
calling. In those early days, when he came home weekly
with his pay envelope, it was his rule to hand that
envelope unopened to his mother. She would give him
back some small amount for his week's pocket money.
"He was always very popular at ltusiness and even
if he were in the wrong he always maintained that he
was 'Wright'. He was light-hearted, genial, courageous;
he was essentially human. I often thought he was an
ideal boy-scout. He was a sport on the Rugby Field,
he was an all-round athlete, he was a good swimmer and
boxer. He did not know the meaning of the word
'fear,' and I am convinced that there never was a man
more eminently fitted for the work of a pioneer mis-
sionary than Fred Wright.
"After his conversion there was not much outward
change. I can remember well the first morning that
Fred came into business after his conversion. He was
anxious right away, to tell everybody about it, and
soon expressed his desire to do something for Christ,
his new-found Master. Together we began to read for
the ministry, Fred was the sort of fellow who did not
mind giving up his lunch hour to study Greek. We
studied languages together. About that time Fred's
brother, who was already in the Mission Field, was
writing to him stories that stirred Fred's imagination.
He longed to go out to Amazonia himself! The call to
this work came very definitely. At this time we
were working together in a privately owned mission
hall in Belfast. Fred was only beginning to speak in
public. One night when the missionary was taking the
service he suggested to Fred that he might help by
taking the opening prayer for .him, so while the
audience were singing Fred stepped on to the platform
and said to the missionary: 'Shall I pray for you?'
"'No,' said the missionary, 'pray for yourself!'
"Fred went from that period of study into the
Training Colony in London with one motto only:
'Let us press on towards the mark.' I can state with
all sincerity Fred's service for Christ, and his life and
character, in the locality where he was known in Belfast
will long be remembered."
Mr. Fred Dawson arrived in Para on December
24th. He wrote: "I have arrived safely and well and
happy embracing the Lord."
During his comparatively short stay in England, on
the way from Australia to South America, he proved
himself most acceptable as a speaker and deputation.
His messages were always sincere, and full of expres-
sion. They, in a very definite manner, indicated his
devoted character and his many capabilities, so promis-
ing in the life of a missionary. One of his last farewell
meetings in England was at Manchester. After that he
wrote: "I have just arrived back from Manchester. I
do indeed praise the Lord for the blessing received
there I At every meeting I was conscious of His
working in the people's hearts. I am sure that many
have taken our work to heart, and will hold us up
in prayer in the future. I was also touched by the
kindness of the people. They were most kind to me
in every respect, and I did no(feel strange at all."
· The referees for Fred Dawson remarked that he
The Three Freda
was highly esteemed, exceptionally strong in physical

health. " It gives me great joy to be able to say that
so far as I know there is not a single thing in his life
or walk that causes the slightest concern, but all calls
for deep thankfulness to God for such a devoted and
spiritual life. True in all fundamentals, his education
was above the average, his habits very regular, his
amusements healthy and in his home life he was
beloved by all."
Another wrote: "Most surely excellent in judgment
and patience, perseverance and adaptability. Cheerful
in a marked degree, above the average in ability to
learn the language. He has robust solidity, both of
physique and personal character, which with his
manifest devotion to Christ, qualify him in a special
way for hard, or dangerous, adventure in pioneer work.
Steady, settled, dependable, he has proved himself one
of the most capable and studious students we have."
That from the Rev. C. H. Nash, the Principal of the
Melbourne Bible Institute is a testimony of decided
value.
Fred Dawson, although an orphan boy, soon became
a successful farmer, and after some years began to
climb the ladder of prosperity. When the future was
full of high hopes, God laid the Indians of South America
on his heart. While he tilled his five hundred acre
farm with his modern motor-tractor engine, God
continued to deal with him. The burden increased
more and more, until finally, unable to bear the burden
any longer, he stepped down from the tractor engine
and knelt beside it, yielding his life to God, with
everything he possessed, and the future with all its
promises.
The Call of Amazonia ! 47
At Melbourne Bible Institute he was loved by all,

and acknowledged to be one of the most remarkable
personalities seen in that place. His sacrifice, and how
he had surrendered all unto Go<;l was known far and
wide.
Mr. Stanley Phillips recalls how Fred Dawson and
he met in March, i935, on coming from the Gurupy
River. He was a delightful fellow, huge physically .but
humble and full of faith as a child. It was a contrast
to see the chips of wood fly as he wielded his axe,
and the extraction of a tooth of a little child so gently
accomplished. He was a giant in strength and yet so
gentle.
One Sunday we went for a walk through the town
of Izabel talking about the Indians. He longed to
hear about the work, and told me how his life had
been influenced through reading the life story of Fenton-
Hall, who had then so recently laid down his life for the
Indians. My first call to the mission field I may say
came through reading this also. Fred asked me what
I thought of the proposed Xingu advance? I told him
"it would be a life-or-death job." He said he was
willing if the Lord called him to do so, to lay down
his life for Christ and the Indians. How soon this
was to be his reward! We may well say of the "Three
Freds "-for I knew them all so intimately-"they
loved not their lives unto the death."
D
CHAPTER IV
LAUNCHING THE VENTURE
"Rise from your dreams of the future,

Of gaining some hard found field,
Of storming some airy fortress,
Of bidding some giant, yield.
Your future has deeds of glory,
Of honour (God grant it may),
But your arm will never be stronger,
Or the need so great as to-day."
A. A. PROCTER.
THE day for the great adventure has arrived. Our

"Three Freds" cast off the ropes that bound them to
friends, to comparative comfort, even to civilisation
itself. They left messages that will live in our thoughts
and memories. These last sacred messages will speak
for themselves.
Fred Roberts on his arrival at Nova Olinda, a small
Brazilian village situated at the mouth of the Rio Zingu
where it enters the Rio Fresco, wrote: "Right along
the way from Australia here, the Lord has given me
signs of His guiding hand. It has been a great comfort
to us to know that Christian friends are with us in this
work, in prayer and gifts. In my meetings at home
(that would be Australia), I said that I needed to be
here in May. It seemed impossible, but nevertheless
here I am in the middle of May, praise God 1 My two
companions, Fred Dawson, of Australia, and Fred
48
Launching the Venture 49
Wright, of Ireland, and I are still in the best of health,

and full of the joy of the Lord. We are looking forward
to great things, as we believe that the time has arrived
for the savage Indians to receiv:e the good news of
salvation.
"The stories we have heard of the Indians since
we left Altamira, have been enough to turn one's hair
grey. This year they murdered four Brazilians with
arrows and clubs. We have before us a very difficult
job, but we know that God is with us, and with Him
nothing is impossible.
"On my arrival in Belem, that is the port, by the
s.s. Hilary, the Lord helped me through the customs
in a wonderful way. In three days, the Amazon river
steamer was able to take us to Altamira. We just had
time to purchase the necessary kit, to talk to missionaries
on the problems before us, and to prepare for our
journey.
"On arrival at Altamira, we only had to wait two
days for the motor launch to Sao Felix, a six days
journey. We had our first taste of piun (sand flies) on
that journey. They fly around darting under one's
clothes whenever they get a chance. Our faces and
necks were soon covered with lumps which itched
terribly. All along the river we kept calling at the
homes of the Brazilian rubber and nut gatherers for
trade. We took the opportunity to distribute gospels
among them. It was our hope to visit Flor de Oruo,
but at the last moment the owner of the launch changed
his mind. I recently met Sr. Constantino, the owner
of the place. We gave his son medicine. The old chap
invited us to his home and offered his help, which of
course was not worth much to us. These men are as
50 The Three Freda
ignorant of the gospel as the Indians, although they

are supposed to be ardent Roman Catholics. In Sao
Felix we bought the only canoe available, and had to
do four days' hard work in enlarging it, and setting in
the motor. The Brazilians thought us "mad" for doing
such hard work in the tropics, but nowadays one must
do everything possible to reduce expenses.
"Each evening, although very tired, we had our
gospel meeting. These increased in size till on the
last night we had our room crowded, and twice as many
outside. Three Scriptures were bought. The trouble
here is that few know how to read. The people are
very friendly towards us, as we have treated about
200 sick people. Something the priest never does I
"When our canoe was ready our little Chapman
motor surprised all the critics. The canoe is a bit
narrow, and rolls very easily when passing rapids and
going near to whirlpools. We had two days of this
sort of travelling from Sao Felix to here. None of the
rapids could beat the motor. Wherever we called they
brought the sick to be treated.
"The time has now arrived for us to advance into
the territory where the Indians hold sway. We shall
have to fight our way up dangerous rapids, and around
whirlpools. On one place alone, we shall have to drag
our canoe about a mile overland owing to an impassable
rapid. AT ANY TIME, ON THIS A.DVANGE WE
EXPECT ARROWS DOWN ON US; THEN
WHEN WE MEET THE INDIANS THE LORD
WILL NEED TO WORK IN A WONDERFUL
WAY TO SAVE US FROM THEIR CLUBS,
WITH WHICH THEY HAVE KILLED MANY
OTHERS. MAYBE YOU WILL NOT HEAR
FROM US AGAIN FOR SOME TIME, BUT

KEEP ON PRAYING, STAND BEHIND US AS
FELLOW SOLDIERS IN THE LORD'S BATTLE.
TO WIN THESE INDIANS FOIJ. CHRIST; PRAY
HARDER BRETHREN, NOT ONLY THAT GOD
WILL WORK OUT HERE, BUT THAT HE WILL
ALSO MOVE THOSE AT HOME TO DO THEIR
SHARE TOWARDS THE WORK; IF WE ARE
GOING TO REAP TOGETHER, WE MUST SOW
TOGETHER."
Fred Wright wrote, after he had started on the Great
Commission: "I do not know when you will receive this,
even if you receive it at all. I do trust that you will, as
you are a most important factor with us in the Lord's
work. We made such a hurried exit from Santa Izabel,
I had not time to write. At the moment of writing
we are at the last outpost of so-called civilisation.
Within two days from now we shall be up the Rio
Zinho, this means 'Small River,' hunting out the
Indians. We have now been over two weeks travel-
ling up the Xingu, and we are lumps from head to
foot from the bites of the terrible insects. A mere
detail!
"AS I AM ENCLOSING ANOTHER CIRCULAR,
I WILL NOT WRITE FURTHER HERE, EXCEPT
TO SAY: THE REASON FOR WRITING AN-
OTHER CIRCULAR SO SOON IS, IT WILL
PROBABLY BE MONTHS BEFORE YOU RE-
CEIVE IT, ALSO ONCE WE LEAVE CIVILISA-
TION, IT MAY BE MONTHS, OR YEARS,
BEFORE WE CAN COME DOWN WITH MAIL.
IT MAY BE WE SHALL NEVER GET DOWN
AGAIN, THE LORD HIMSELF ALONE KNOWS."
52 The Three Fred•
The following is the last letter written by Fred

Wright after the party had actually started on the
great venture. It is dated the 25th April, 1935:
"We have been sailing up the mighty Amazon
for the first two days, and this morning at 6.30 we
entered the Xingu. By midnight we shall have reached
Altamira, where we shall disembark. From there we
commence the Xingu advance proper.
"How did it all come about? Another long story,
so I am writing this in order that our many friends
may know what we are about, and that .they may
advance with us by intelligent prayer and its inevitable
outworking both here and at home.
"Fred Roberts, being in the way that the Lord
led him, arrived in Brazil again for the second time
on April 2oth. We were soon to learn that he had
with him an excellent kit, including a 41 horse-power
Chapman motor for our canoe, a microscope and other
scientific instruments, together with a supply of cash
to commence the much-prayed for advance to the wild
Kayapos of the Rio Xingu.
"So great was our joy in the Lord's abundant
answer to our prayer, we could only exclaim together
as one man: 'Hallelujah!'
"Still greater perhaps was my own inward joy to
learn that the Lord had honoured me and that I was
to be one of the party. We are thre~-Fred Roberts,
Fred Dawson and myself. Two Australians and an
Irishman, a strange combination. Still, without the
Lord even such a combination is doomed to failure,
so I correct myself-we are four!
"There is no time lost in getting off, Roberts arrived
on the Saturday and on the Tuesday immediately
following, we were aboard the launch Tuchaua. Mr.
Harris and the others at the base accompanied us to the
city to give us a last farewell. Mr. Motris, of the British
and Foreign Bible Society, and Mr. Hutcheson, of the
New Testament League of South America, bid us God-
speed as we steamed out of Belem at 9 p.m. bound for
the Xingu.
"The intervening time was taken up in packing and
making last purchases to complete our kit. On the
Sunday we gave our farewell messages to the Brazilian
Church of Santa lzabel. Amongst our last few pur-
chases was a six foot cross-cut saw, a good supply of
ammunition that we may not go short of food in the
forest. Six; sheets of galvanised iron, a supply of rivets
and some strong tin cutters. I asked surprisedly,
'What on earth are the rivets and sheet iron for?'
'To fashion for ourselves steel jackets,' was the reply.
'You may as well understand from the outset that the
Kayapos shoot at sight.' (The steel sheets may have
been for protection from the arrows of the Indians on
the river-banks.)
"We do not wish to unduly alarm anyone, neither
for the sake of the work or the success of this trip
do we care to minimise the dangers. We are taking
every precaution so that foolhardiness, or negligence, may
not be laid to our charge. Within a few weeks we shall
be outside the pale of civilisation, then we shall purchase
a canoe, fit the motor, don our coats of galvanised iron,
and the search for the Indian souls will begin.
" So far as we can ascertain, the Kayapos are
numerous. We shall be the first white men to have in-
truded upon their freedom. THEREFORE WE ARE
FULLY AWARE, THAT HUMANLY SPEAKING
54 The Three Fteds
ALREADY WE ARE AS GOOD AS DEAD MEN,
BUT BRETHREN STAND BY US AS ONE MAN.
DO NOT CRITICISE, WE ARE BEYOND CRITI-
CISM AS WE GO FORWARD IN THE NAME OF
THE LORD AND UNDER HIS COMMAND
HAVING FIRST FULLY COUNTED THE COST.
FINALLY, IT IS WELL TO REMEMBER THAT
CALVARYWAS,ANDSTILLIS, THEGREATEST
VICTORY OF ALL TIME. DEATH TO THE
CHRISTIAN IS NOT DEFEAT! SHOULD THE
LORD WILL THAT WE ARE TAKEN, OUR
PRAYER IS THAT MORE MEN, AND MONEY,
WILL BE RUSHED OUT TO FOLLOW UP THIS
ADVANCE. LET OUR GENERALSHIP BE
GREATER THAN THAT OF OUR GREAT ARCH-
ENEMY THE DEVIL, AND SET ASIDE ALL
SENTIMENT FOR THE SAKE OF THE SPREAD
OF THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
IN THIS OUR DAY.
"I should like to say that the day before we set out
I received a letter from my mother, who was then
totally unaware of our proposed advance, with this
command and promise contained in Joshua 1. II. 'Go
in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth
you to possess it.' Praise God for praying mothers!
Please remember daily the Three Freds I
"Yours, in the train of His triumph,
"FREDERICK H. WRIGHT."
Continuing another letter, he says: " During our

first day together on the Amazon we read the promise
of power, and afterwards. 'Ye shall be witnesses-
unto the uttermost parts.' We are going through the
Book of the Acts together; on board the little launch
Tachaua. Time passed quickly enough as we con-
tinually discussed together our pl,ans of advance. The
passengers and crew were greatly interested in the
three mad Britishers. Of course, their queries gave
great opportup.ities to preach the Gospel, as we told
why we had suddenly gone mad. April 26th, at 6.30 a.m.,
we reached the Xingu. I was thrilled, and tingled in
every nerve, with that glad joy that a fellow feels when
he turns out for the first time for the school in some
important match, that is important to him I
"All along the river the launch pulled in at the various
little villages to barter for nuts and rubber. This gave
further opportunity of gospel witness, and at these
places we left gospels with those who could read. We
also treated their sick. Our dental forceps did good
work, and not only forced open reluctant mouths, but
also the way to the hearts of some to hear the Gospel.
"We arrived at Victoria on April 27th, at 6 a.m.
Our first place to disembark. We were not surprised to
find that there did not exist an underground railway!
We pushed on to Altamira on the top of our luggage,
which was pitched into a lorry, together with other
junk. From Altamira we went on to Sao Felix, this
time in a much smaller boat, by name Dois de Junho,
the second of June. At Sao Felix we practically built
our own canoe as the canoe maker was ill. Together
we got her fitted, but I must say the setting of the motor
taxed our brains. Great was our joy as she gallantly
sped out to Sao Felix towards Nova Olinda, to the
great surprise of the Brazilians, who said we could
never finish her, and even if we did that she would
The Three Freda
sink. However, we have shot two or three of the worst
rapids of the river and our little motor canoe is still
on top.
"At Sao Felix we also treated over 100 sick, and held
four meetings, all of which were crowded to over-
flowing, many crowding round the doors. I may say
here that outside Sao Felix we met the notorious Indian
murderer, Constantino. We had two meals with him,
treated his son for a malignant disease, and thus made
a friend of him. He has left his house at our disposal
whenever we need it. Also from him we have gained
much information. It is said that he holds the key to
the Xingu.
"Well, here we are at last, at Nova Olinda after
twenty-three days. In a few more days we shall be
right in the heart of the Indian territory.
"Nova Olinda is our last touch with civilisation. It
~s to here that we shall return (D.V.) to receive and
send off letters. It may be months before we are able
to get word through as to our whereabouts, and the
Lord's doings amongst the Indians, but we would that
those at home fear not, but keep on believing.
"The tales we have been told about the Indians call
for much prayer. Quite recently many Brazilians have
been killed by the Indians, so it is reported. I may
say we are taking every precaution, and we are holding
it before the Lord. Once in the Rio. Zinho, we have
still two rapids to cross, one we can only cross by pulling
our boat by hand for a mile. The boat can load up to
fifteen hundredweight, so our work is cut out. BUT
THE LORD IS WITH US, SO WE NEED NOT
FEAR, CONTINUE BRETHREN TO PRAY FOR
US, AND SHOULD THE RESULT BE, THAT
WHICH I SUPPOSE WE LEAST WANT, PRAY

OTHERS OUT TO CONTINUE WHAT THE
LORD HAS COMMENCED. REMEMBER HE
DIED FOR THE INDIANS OF SOUTH AMERICA."
In the last letter from Fred Dawson, he writes: "The
assura.Q.ce of the call of God to this land is strong
indeed. I have never doubted my call, but now I am
more fully persuaded the call of God is a rock on which
I cast my anchor. I am sure, whatever the future
holds of difficulties and disappointments, I will remain
with the conviction that God has brought me here,
and is responsible for me and will keep me all the
days.
"A great thought to me is that God changes not. I
find as I travel to new places, and come into contact
with new circumstances, that His blessing is the same,
in this far-off foreign strand, if not indeed more,. than
in the homeland. I am much concerned about the sin
in this land. The Brazilian, spiritually, is dark as night.
There is much to be done amongst them. I believe
the harvest is ripe in many villages, and towns in this
country, but there are no reapers in so many of them.
Whilst my main vision is the Indians, I cannot but
help see the desperate need of the Brazilians. I long
to be able to speak the language and to be able to tell
the people of the Christ who is able to break the chains
of the sin that binds them. It is a hard experience to
have to remain silent, when one longs to speak of
Christ. My days are mostly filled with language study.
It is not easy, but anything that is worth while is not
easy, so I press on, little by little I am getting hold of
it, I can speak a little of what the others call 'broken
Portuguese,' and I can make myself understood a little,
58 The Three Freda
and can understand a good deal of what is being said.
I am sure the best way of getting hold of it is to stick
at it, which I intend to do.
"lam going on a journey with Mr. Harris to Chingipi
this week-end. I am quite looking forward to doing it.
There are about eighteen miles to walk, but walking
is nothing to me. I always enjoy it.
" I am remembering you much in prayer in these
difficult days, may the Lord guide you continually."
As month after month passed without news of the
Advance Party much prayer was offered and faith was
tested. Then after some six months the Council realised
that the waters of the rivers would be rising and the
possibility of a messenger getting down river was
increasing. Again patience was needed, but after nine
months the time for the organisation of a Search Party
came with conviction. The Council sent out instruc-
tions for everything possible to be done to find out
the news if any were attainable.
·Mr. Horace Banner, l1 missionary of much experi-
ence and also of initiative was chosen as Leader, with
" Jock " Johnstone as his Companion.
Mr. Horace Banner on receiving this summons,
wrote, "I cannot say that I was surprised at the request
for obviously someone must go in search of the Three
Freds. 'Jock' Johnstone has not arrived here as yet, but
I am sure that he will feel as I do, that this is God's
call to us, to undertake this task. The letter from my
mother is a very great comfort and inspiration to me;
for with the home folks so full of faith, hope and love it
is easy to go ahead. Arrangements have now been made
for Harold Smith to substitute for me, pro. tern., and
I hope to see him in Vizeu before he goes up the river
in the Crusader. I have read, and re-read your instruc-
tions, and Mr. Wootton's further note, with great care,
and give you the assuran1;:e that we shall take no un-
necessary risks. At the same ti~e we shall do our
utmost to fulfil the mission with which we have been
entrusted. You will, I know, not be slow to realise
that if something has happened either at the hands of
hostile Indians or treacherous rapids,· the odds are
terrifically against any definite information being ascer-
tained. Will you K.0.P. (keep on praying) for us,
that God will enable us to return safely, and that with
definite information."
CHAPTER V
FACING THE FOE!
EXTRACTS from letters written by Fred Roberts give
some vivid idea of the difficulties continually being
faced by the missionaries:
"On finishing my last letter to you a few days ago
I discovered that I had fever I That afternoon my
temperature went up to 101.6°. I took medicine and
it has not returned since. I was then at Criviri. That
day I had no tea! The next we only had one small
meal. The following day, yesterday, there was no hope
of getting food until midday, so I packed up and
returned to San Ignez to stay a few days with the
Doctor. Fever does not do me much harm when I'm
on good food, but fever combined with starvation
makes me weak and thin I I intended to have a few
days' spell, so I am having it now instead of later on.
That means that on July 8th, I had fever 100.f caused
through the extra long day's travelling. Then on
August 11th an attack of fever at 101.6° caused through
over-work. This is a great improvement for which I
praise God!"
"Pray for us, it is so easy to get cold and lazy nowa-

days. All the dear saints at home are writing 'go
steady.' Why, are we not going steady? One could
not take better care of our bodies than we do.
"Beetles, beetles everywhere. Thousands of them.
In our farinha bags, rucksacks, boots, packs, giving us
6o
Facing the Foe! 61
no end of a job to get rid of them. Beetles gone, the

flies come in their hordes from which the mosquito
nets, or the hot sun are the only refuge. Then a dose
of fever while the Indians, includi~g my own troops,
are away fishing. I have no quinine left. I ask Zame
if she has any, knowing how missionarified Indians
acquire the habit of carrying a pill or two. She rum-
maged in one of her cases, and produced from amidst
her sewing implements one dirty pill. I had to lick
it several times to verify its qualities, but the bitterness
under the dirt proved it to be the precious quinine I
By the afternoon I was better. It was a matter of
sticking it out until the fishermen returned.
"Evening brought more than enough fish, bananas,
potatoes, mandicoa forrage in abundance. I know I
ate too much, but I was obliged to make hay while
the sun shone I I hate these relays of too much, and
too little. The whole village was eager to hear what
I had to say at night. They were very loth to finish
singing. So was I as I realised that my long Gospel
campaign was closed. Thirty-three meetings amongst
Tembes, Guajajaras, Brazilians and Urubus, and in
these Urubu villages for the first time in history the
message of Christ has gone forth."
Another message from Horace Banner: "Greetings

from Amazonia. Christmas preparations are begun in
earnest. We hear that Indians are coming from far
and near. We are making a special house to hold them
all, while the station has been given an extra special
clean-up. The meeting room is decorated with the
flags of all nations, and the map of the world over which
is the Cross and open Bible.
62 The Three Freda
"On Christmas Eve the crowds are arriving. On
Christmas morning we start with special carols, includ-
ing a Tupi translation of the First Noel. The Christmas
dinner was a surprise for there was boiled pork, rice
and farinha for all. Eighty sat down to dinner, in
four sittings. Frank and I waited, doing the washing
up, and clearing the table in record time. We wanted
no dinner, for the sight of so many happy Indians, so
many professing Christians in desolate Boa Vista is
enough to take away our own appetites. That afternoon
we had sports, finishing with a tug-o' -war in which
the Indians beat the missionaries and several Brazilians.
How eighty people crowded into our meeting room
was a marvel, and even then many could not get near
for the night service.
"Just before the address, Apolinario and his Indians
arrived. They had been down to the coast to fetch
farinha. We had to move out in the open air for now
there were 120 of us. After the service Father Christmas
came from the forest, the part was played by a Brazilian
convert who until his conversion was the fiddler at
the Indian Protection Society dances. What delighted
the sixty children was the Christmas tree, which was
not only loaded with little gifts, but illuminated with
bulbs taken from our torches, and harnessed to old
radio batteries. Here I must thank all those friends
at home, whose gifts made it possible for every one of
the children present to get some small remembrance.
I wish I had taken a photograph of their faces for you
to see how delighted the tots were, on receiving a toy for
the first time. Later on the story of wedding bells!
Instead of an ordinary Sunday School we had the first
Christian marriage service our Indians have ever seen.
Facing the Foe!
Josefa, the eldest of our school girls was married to

Chico, and Caroline to Peter, so both my companions
of the Three River Trip have their reward."
When pioneering on the Pindare the two greatest,
we would almost call them twin evils, encountered by
the Missionary in Brazil are Witch-doctors and
Romanism. Without any question these are the
greatest enemies to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The
late Fred Roberts speaks of his experiences in dealing
with the many witch-doctors with whom he came
into contact.
" In the village of Sapucaia where we founded the
first Mission station among the Guajajara Indians we
found a large number of witch-doctors living. At
that time we were without a knowledge of the Indian
language, which had not then been reduced to writing;
this greatly handicapped us in our intercourse, but
fortunately the Indians had a knowledge of Portuguese.
This made it possible for us to hold a Gospel meeting
every evening. In the congregation sat a number of
witch-doctors, with almost naked bodies and evil
faces grinning into ours. It was difficult to preach
under such conditions. There were some among our
listeners who said they wished to become Christians,
but after a few days, when they discovered that this
meant giving up sin and witchcraft, they returned to
their allegiance to the devil, and from that time on
did all they could to get rid of us. They fought us with
lies, and when these failed they invoked the aid of
their demons. Night after night, these old witch-doctors
would sit in the centre ·of their village singing to their
evil spirits, beseeching them to enter and possess the
body of the Missionary, and to kill him. Their prayers
•
64 The Three Freds
not having been answered one of them was heard to

say, 'It is no use, for the Missionary walks with God
in front of him.' Having failed by incantations to get
rid of the Missionary they resorted to intrigue. Their
chief witch-doctor, by name Jose Macaco, which being
interpreted means Joseph the Monkey, with three others,
travelled for nine days over hills and through the forest
and swamps to the nearest Government post in order
to lay charges before the officials against us. They
were encouraged and helped by their allies, the Roman
priests, in so many false accusations against us that
they over-reached themselves, and told such manifestly
absurd stories that they were discredited in the eyes
of the officials. The witch-doctors, with their leader,
were sent home to their village, but only one of the four
ever returned, the remaining three having been killed
on the way. One night after the meeting this man
stepped to the front, and openly confessed his faith
in Christ. The others at once began to persecute him.
Just at this time the village chief died. The witch-
doctors saw their chance, and accused the former
witch-doctor of having caused his death. They obtained
an order for his arrest, but being warned in time he
managed to escape. The leader of the witch-doctors
came and threatened us with a long, sharp-pointed
knife, demanding to know the whereabouts of their
intended victim. The Indians with .him were armed
with muzzle-loader rifles, bows and arrows. It was
difficult to keep a stiff upper lip under such circum-
stances. My broµier missionary, and myself, were
most concerned as to the possible fate of our lady
workers who had fastened themselves in the house.
God, however, was watching over us, and gave
Facing the Foe!
confusion of counsels to our would-be murderers, and

they departed."
Some further experiences and explorations as given

by Fred Roberts: '
"On the 2oth July, 1926, we made ready for the
trip to try and find Sabutia, a village of the Indian
Guajajaras on the headquarters of the river Pindare.
Men came in to whet our appetite with tales of Indians
killing Brazilians on this river. All this is as nothing
to us I We are assured that God who led Joshua and
the Children of Israel through the Jordan and into the
land of Canaan, will lead us through Sapucaia; providing
we remain faithful, He will allow us to possess it. In
this place, whether you be a good man or one of the
vilest of the vile, when you are making plans, you must
put on a holy kind of look and say: 'If God wills,'
thus leaving room for change of mind.
"We were ready to leave on the date arranged.
Brother J oao had never done such a thing in his life
before. Our baggage was taken on to Colonia, half
a day's journey on horse, where we are to start on our
new journey to Sapucaia. Owing to the atrocities
committed by the Indians and Brazilians on this river
in past years, it is difficult to get Brazilians to paddle
our canoe. However, we are determined that if none
will go with us we will go without them. At daylight
all was astir. After packing, breakfast, Bible reading
and prayer, we loaded the horses, said good-bye
to our few friends and started on our way. We
arrived at Colonia about two that afternoon. We
quickly loaded the canoe with our personal baggage.
f arinha, rice and guns, the latter ' necessary for
66 The Three Freds
protection ', said the Brazilians. We did not ourselves

mind!
"A half-caste Indian sat and paddled in the poop,
two Brazilians paddled in front, whilst two of us paddled
from the middle seats. The surrounding country
through which we were passing is inhabited by the
'wild Timberas, who often raid the Brazilian houses,
killing women and children and stealing anything of
value. This was our first trip into the Brazilian bush,
so we were new to it all. At 5 p.m. we looked for a
suitable camping ground. When satisfied we ran the
canoe ashore, cleared the short scrub away and hung
our hammocks in the trees. We were blessed with
mosquito nets, but the Brazilians who had none received
a lively time from the mosquitoes. A fire was lit, rice
cooked in an iron pot, and beasts that we had caught
during the day boiled and roasted over the fire. When
all was cooked we all sat round the fire. We had our
first meal in the Brazilian bush. Then came Bible
reading, prayer, and bed. We were so tired with the
unaccustomed strain of paddling that we slept well
through the night, not even the tales about wild jaguars
could keep us awake. At daybreak all were up and anxious
to get away. However, we had a visitor, with whom
we had to deal. It was a fine big monkey of the Guariba
tribe. Apparently he had come to see if we were relations
of his I A few shots brought him to the ground, and
I know some may say 'Oh, how cruel,' but that evening
we put a bit of Mister Guariba below our belts. If
you had been there I have an idea that you would
have done the same. In the canoe we carried a small
quantity of salted meat, but it was green, stinking and
alive. Some sat down and ate this, we preferred the
Facing the Foe!
fresh meat, although an evolutionist would say we ate

our 'relation '.
"After breakfast, all bundled in the canoe, and we
were off again for another day's paddling in the blazing
hot sun. This went on for about five days, when we
arrived at the village of Caru. Here we found about
one hundred and twenty Indians. On our way up to
the village we saw a sight which made us think. Lying
beside the track was the form of a Guaja woman. She
was suffering from pneumonia, lying on her chest with
her arms stretched out. In four places the ground
was dug up where she had clawed the ground with
hands and feet. The trouble came through the visit
of a party of Brazilians, who had left influenza contagion
behind, and this woman who had been with another
tribe, happened to catch it worse than the others. They
threw her out to die, where others could not catch
her sickness. Cruel are the ways of the heathen I
"The usual to-day, cooking, giving out food to
the Indians, putting them to work, school, practical
work, language and Bible classes. I am finding the
way to get a lot done here is to take things easily.
"Being alone for some time is good, one has special
communion with the Lord and it helps one with the
language.
"Much time spent on language study, a good number
come to school each day. Domingos have started to
help me with the teaching. Owing to the irregularity
of the lads, ·we find it very difficult to grade them into
classes.
"With reference to the language, Portuguese is good
for most of the Aldeias on the Rio Gurupy and some
near Grajahu. But around Sapucaia, and on the Estrada
68 The Three Freda
from Grajahu to Santa Ignez, it is of no use. Our

only hope in giving these Indians the Gospel is with
their own language. We are teaching Portuguese and
learning Guajajara, which is quite in accordance with
our policy.
"Don't forget the Aldeias of Timbiras, Kanellas
Gavioes, down in the Sertas who speak the same
language. A party would start amongst these and
afterwards go to the wild Timbiras that do all the
killing around Santa lgnez. We are praying about
them.
"I lay on the bottom of the canoe all day to-day,
my temperature came up to 99.3. I had a good meal
of black monkey and farinha and the fever passed. We
travelled on in the moonlight, and arrived at the camp
of San Mondigo about 8 p.m. The camp was deserted
but we rested in Mondigo's house.
"We were on the river at daylight, arrived at Ealha
early. All were called together and we had a lovely
meeting. They begged us to stay long enough with
them to learn to sing. We cannot stay as our food
supply is getting low. They cooked two small roosters
for us, but could not give us any of their farinha.
We told them that although we go, Christ was
staying and they need to follow Him. Some said they
would. '
"At night-time the mosquitoes are thick on our mos-
quito net and sing so loudly that we can hardly go to
sleep. Praise God for our mosquito nets.
"When I first came here most of the women and girls
were afraid of me. Their fear slowly left them. Now
they are no more frightened of me than the men are.
They are very much troubled with lice in their heads,
Facing the Foe!
so this afternoon I had a little recreation washing the

heads of three women with disinfectant. Others are
waiting their turn. I believe it is the giving of medicine
that the Lord has used to win t~e confidence of these
women. For instance, the young woman who was most
afraid of me fell sick with fever. The elder women got
me in to see her; I gave her medicine. In a few days
she was better. Now she spends much time sitting
outside my door. Two young women came to me the
other day wanting lessons. Seeing that there is no
sensible reason why they should not learn, I decided to
give them an hour each afternoon. They are as intelli-
gent as the men. Others have come since, wanting to
study.
"Language study is going on well. I have got good
opportunity to practise what I already know. This last
three days in school, I have had the upper class reading
a portion of the Gospel according to St. John. They
have only had six weeks of school, so they do not know
much yet. Perhaps God will open the way for one of
us to come here next year to finish the work of
teaching them to read the Gospel. At present there
is not one man, boy or girl in the Aldeia that does not
know that Jesus died to save them from the penalty of
sin. They know that Christ is the son of God; that
they are all sinners condemned to death; that Jesus
died to redeem us of sin; facts regarding the new birth,
the Lord's return, the creation, and commandments, a
few stories of the old Testament, chapter of the Flood,
the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the account
of Jonah. I have no musical instruments and as yet do
not feel the need of one. Before starting the others
singing, I like to sing the first line softly, then ifl can't
The Three Freda
hit the right note, well I go up and down the scale and
all is wel.l.
"Well now, the time is drawing near for us to start·
on our journey. We are ready, I am looking forward
to going again to these Aldeias to tell them of God's
wondrous love towards us. The time is up so I must
close. One can spend too much time writing letters."
CHAPTER VI
GIVING THE WORD
In season, and we might say out of season, our com-

rades in Amazonia are seeking to spread the "good
news," in the Portuguese language and various Indian
dialects.
The task of learning a new language is usually long
and burdensome to missionaries even under the
favourable circumstances of having a grammar and a
literature to aid them in their studies. That is mere
child's play as compared with the lot of a missionary
to the Indians of Brazil, for he is faced with the fact
that the languages and dialects of the multitudinous
tribes are unwritten. This involves months, and even
years, of patient study to enable them not only to make
themselves understood, but for the sake of those who
shall follow them, to reduce the language to writing.
All the older missionaries of the U nevangelized Fields
Mission have shared in this task and, by their contri-
butions, have made it easier for the missionaries who
have succeeded them to acquire a working knowledge
of the tribal languages. Some of the experiences of
Fred Roberts were amusing, although at times
humiliating. He mentions on one occasion that he
had "learnt a new word which enabled him to
lengthen his sermon considerably." After he had
preached for an hour an Indian woman in the front
seat stretched her arms and yawned, and then said,
"All right, shut your mouth now and let us sini"
71
The Three Freds
He discovered afterwards that he had got the new

word all wrong and his hearers could make nothing
of what he was saying. But all the toil and weariness,
as well as many disappointments, were repaid when
two years later he was able to preach a sermon that
produced visible results. In one year he travelled
over a thousand miles on the rivers Grajahu, Pindare
and Gurupy, and at the end of his sermon men would
get up and say "That's what we want, we never heard
that before, but now we have heard it we know it
is true, God is just like that." And many times, men
at their first hearing of the Gospel have given their
hearts to Jesus, and have followed Him ever since.
Mr. Joe Wright, brother of Fred Wright, on a
recent itinerary when visiting the villages of the
Kanella Indians in company with others, describes
the difficulties of the journey owing to the floods. They
were caught in heavy rains in the course of the three
days' travel and had some exciting experiences crossing
the rivers with the animals. A stubborn pack-mule
resisted all efforts to make him cross a small bridge,
over a fairly deep river, and it had to swim across
with our cargo and hammock. It was remarkable that
he did not overturn and drown, as mules are apt to
do with top-heavy loads in deep water.
"We arrived amongst the Indians at the beginning
of their festive season. The hunters arrived from
every direction laden heavily with game. Women got
busy preparing their primitive stone ovens for baking
the huge pies for the feast. They, the women, decorated
the bodies of the men and children for the races which
are a special feature of these festive days. Everybody
looked very merry with freshly-painted bodies. The
~iving the ~ ord 73
presence of the two foreigners did not put them out in
the least-in fact, we were well-received. Everything
was performed with precision and ceremony. The race
of the league, in which two huge logs weighing as far
as we could judge 200 lb. each' were carried by the
competitors, and changed one to another during the
course of the race, was a wonderful sight.
"I was amazed at their speed and stamina, and as I
beheld them, I thought of the material there for the
working of the Holy Spirit. There were many other
items such as short and faster races for men, women
and children; chants and dances. The dances are quite
different from those of civilised parts. The women
all stand in single file, chanting and swaying their
bodies to the accompaniment of an Indian, who sings
and dances in a most graceful manner, playing the
Indian instrument called Maraka. The young men run
and dance in a fairy-like fashion.
"Sunday was our big day and by night almost
all the tribe had gathered into the centre of the village
for a big dance, some 200 souls in all. My soul was
greatly stirred within me, so I approached the captain
for permission to speak. He uttered something, and
a few young men silently moved off, only to return
in a few more minutes rolling a huge log into the
centre. A few more words from the captain and all
singing and dancing gave place to perfect silence.
My opportunity came. In a moment I was on the
top of the log,· and began to preach the simple Gospel,
while Sexton stood near by holding on in prayer.
We left them in a few days, but could not promise
them that we would commence work amongst them,
as we had still to visit the villages of the Gaviao Indians.
74 The Three Freda
"When seeking to interest these folk the course

followed is very simple, yet I hope it will prove effective
through the Holy Spirit in later years. Each child is
taught a verse of Scripture, a chorus and a verse of
a hymn every Sabbath. The lesson of the day is read
and explained, then read again and questions relative
to it are asked. The singing is restricted to the chorus
or hymns they are learning, which they sing and
re-sing lustily, until they know them by heart. The
following Sunday there are questions upon the previous
Sunday's lessons, and they are also expected to remember
the chorus and text of that particular lesson, also where
the text is to be found in the Bible. This class will
continue when I leave, as the daughter of the house
is now taking the entire meeting and is doing so
admirably. She is only about sixteen or seventeen
years of age and requires special prayer."
FRED WRIGHT's:
"I would like to tell in closing of one memorable
cap.oe journey, for which the Lord specially undertook
and answered prayer. After thirteen hours' paddling
we arrived at Sao Caetano, a little village along the
coast to the right, putting out from the River Para.
Arriving at night in pitch darkness we tied up our
canoe, only to be told that we were not wanted. The
place was Roman Catholic. The people would not
consent to anything we might wish to do in order to
propagate the Gospel. However, we inquired at the
house of the Chief of Police, he received us cordially,
and ordered coffee to be brought in. That night we
slept in the prison, which happened to be empty, and
like Paul and Barnabas, only under more congenial cir~
Giving the Word
cumstances, we sang praises unto our God. Next day
we did good business in Gospels and New Testaments.
We also discovered one Christian family in whose house
we held a meeting that night. It was a packed meeting,
the Chief of Police, a gentleman ·in a civil position in
the town, attended and gave us rapt attention.
"After the meeting we returned to our prison
lodging and retired to well-earned rest, and were
detained from sleep by a call from the Chief of Police,
and our civil friend. They had come to invite us back
again. The Chief of Police had come especially to
buy a Bible which we were able to supply.
"On our return journey, we were not without thrill.
After being swamped twice, it was necessary to put
into a river, the sea was running so high, but again
the Lord undertook and we were able to rest in the
deserted shack in the forest. We awoke next morning
to find our canoe gone. Owing to the fall in the river
caused by the receding tide, the moorings had snapped,
but the Lord, ever watchful, had a tree ready to stop
the canoe just as it was about to put out to sea. This
we discovered after a bit of hunting about, not knowing
what had really happened.
" From where we were positioned when we spotted
the canoe, it was necessary to swim across two rivers, the
second of which my companion was not able to cross, so
he waited on the bank shouting encouragement. However,
as I had taken the paddle in my mouth, it was not long
till we were both aboard our saucy mount, and within
half an hour, bound for 'blighty' once more."
And again the late Fred Roberts tells us :
"Whilst our boat was waiting to take on wood ~at
Barra Vermelho I was able to sell a Bible to the
The Three Freda
telegraphist, and explained the Scriptures to him. He

surrendered his life to Christ in prayer. I had spoken
to him on my way down to the city. The day before
arriving in Central I had some fever."
"Most schools for men and women have been held
regularly morning and evening. Evening schools are
really for those who cannot attend the morning schools.
Some of them are very enthusiastic, and attend both
schools regularly, but, even so, some cannot remember
the first half of the alphabet. Certain of them can
learn while others seem hopeless. However, while
they are ready to try we are ready to teach them. It
has been insinuated that ignorant folk like us are not
able to teach Indians, but while knowledge is good and
a thing to be sought after, it is love, grace, patience one
needs in dealing with these Indians. However, it is
very encouraging to see the way in which they are
coming along. With God's help we have been able
to ,make a little headway with the work of translation.
We have translated portions of the Old Testament
Scriptures, Stories on the Life of Christ, and other
passages we need for teaching these Indians. We
started on St. Mark's Gospel, and when the last chapter
was being written Mrs. Roberts went down with
sickness. I then went on preparing a vocabulary of
all the Indian words we have. Much of our time has
been taken up correcting translations on the Life of
Christ. We have also made a complete revision of the
Hymn Book with a couple more hymns. Our vocabulary
now contains 1,890 Indian words. This we have typed
out in book form. Owing to our slowness of typing
we have only been able to make five copies."
CHAPTER VII
BURIED SEEDS!
THE earlier story of the Home Call of those brave

pioneers, Fenton-Hall and Mabel Roberts, has been
given by their comrade in the service of the Kingdom,
Leonard Harris. If a corn of wheat do not fall into the
ground and die it will give no life, no sustenance, no
usefulness. Just so in the spiritual life we must be
prepared for the great Renunciation. We will not call
it "sacrifice," we must be prepared to renounce pro-
spects, to risk character, the loss of health and perhaps
property; the relinquishing of home ties and friend-
ships. These must "die" that the Gospel of Our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ may live. God has seen fit in
His infinite mercy, to take from our ranks two of our
choicest saints. They have become the dying seeds
from which a glorious harvest is being reaped to-day.
The first to be ushered into the presence of The King
was Ernest George Fenton-Hall; the other an Australian
handmaiden of the Lord, Mrs. Mabel Roberts, nee
Miss Mabel Green.
It was not at the hands of the Indians that they met
their end, it was simply the result of the hard, rugged life
of the interior of that great country for whose Evangelisa-
tion they gave of their best. The story of Fenton-Hall
has been the inspiration of hundreds, and has already
appeared in book form. God filled every part of Fenton-
Hall,' his pocket was the Lord's for he gave a
thousand pounds towards the Evangelisation of the
77
The Three Freda
world; his reputation and rank that he had won
so magnificently during the time he served his King
and Country, he lost completely at the foot of the
Cross. He tramped the forests of the Amazon bare-
footed, and stripped to the waist, that he might make
known the love of God to the Red men.
It has always seemed to us so strange that his
coronation should have come just before Christmas, 192.cf.,
the spirit of the time was upon him. Rt: wrote just before
his death: "And, oh, what a Christmas joy it will be if
at last, my much overdue mail has turned up." His .
was to be a better and supremer joy than that, his
Christmas was passed in the presence of His Lord.
England was gay, the spirit of giving was abroad,
holly, mistletoe and good-will everywhere. Fenton-hall
alone, with no other companions but the Indians,
was passing out from this world into the presence of
God. He actually died at a place on the river Pinda~,
in Maranhao, known as Sapucaia. Granted he play~d
dice with his life, yet did not the records that followed
prove it was worth while? It has to be ever borne
in mind that the existence of such a number of Indians
on· the River Pindare was practically unknown in
England until Fenton-Hall had been through that region.
A missionary in India has written: " God forbid
we should be too careful of our lives, or of what means
so immeasurably more, the lives. of our beloved."
It has been well said God never wastes a corn of wheat.
Fenton-Hall went forth joyfully, and with a smile
filled up some of Christ's sufferings for his Holy Body's
sake, the Church.
When we hear the Church triumphant burst into the
mighty Hallelujah Chorus of Heaven, will it appear waste
PLATE 2
ON THE XINGU RIVER
A BAPTISM IN AMAZONIA
[Photos : Unevangelised Fields Mission

AFTER CHURCH SERVICE-ALTAMIRA
Buried Seeds! 79
that the Church gave of her best to the Indians of South
America, that the chorus might not lack voices from
these well-nigh inaccessible parts of the earth.
His own poem seems almost pathetic, though penned
months before his death. ·
"And grant that if I die for Thee, 0 Jesus Christ

my Master,
Those who behold may by my death, Thy
Christhood come to know,
0 Christ my Lordi so dwell in me! that even
by my dying,
Those watching may be drawn to find Thy
Blood's redeeming flow."
Miss Mabel Green sailed for Amazonia in November,

1928, to unite in marriage with Mr. Fred Roberts, to
whom she had been engaged for some time. Few who
were present will ever forget the farewell meeting in
the Central Hall, London, when prayer was offered for
two ladies then about to sail for the Indians of South
America. How solemnly the saints were reminded
of the price they might have to pay, yet little did we
dream that so soon afterwards our fellow soldier was to
leave the fight.
After a brief time of language study in Barra-do·
Corda, in the State of Maranham, Miss Green proceeded
to the River Pindare, after her marriage in Sao Luiz
to Mr. Fred Roberts. Of that trip she wrote: "I
think you will be interested in an account of our trip
to Sapucaia, which was my first out here." Little
did she think it was also to be her last. "On Monday,
..
80 The Three Freda
June 17th, 1929, we prepared the canoe for the trip.

A floor made of saplings tied with vines was put into
the canoe, to keep the cargo off the water in the bottom.
The canoe was well loaded, evenly, both back and front,
between were the two middle seats. It was then covered
with palm-leaf mats securely tied with thin vines.
When completed it was about two and a half feet high
and was quite waterproof, which was proved by the
fact that in spite of the very heavy downfall experienced
for the first two days, everything was kept quite dry.
"The next mo~ning the men were up at daylight
and loaded the canoe, and we got away by 10.30 a.m.
Two Indians were in the front of the canoe, one in
the middle and two at the stern. Mr. Roberts, and I,
and a little Brazilian orphan girl of about fourteen
years, took our seats in the middle. So we started on
our trip, which was to tax to the uttermost our physical,
mental and spiritual make-up.
"The Indian falls an easy victim to 'flu as known in
civilisation, and only two of our Indians escaped catching
it. Though seemingly over the worst of it they had not
quite recovered and were weak for paddling. The
second day we had to travel until late to reach a suitable
camping ground. Just before 7 p.m. it thundered,
the lightning flashed and it really rained. Never shall
I forget those few hours. Edith and I doubled up under
the shelter of the canoe with a raincoat over us, and one
in front to keep the rain from beating in. The raincoats
kept out the fresh air as well as the rain, but not the
insect pests. We were nearly stifled and severely
bitten, and being cramped in so small a space we could
hardly move. After two hours' travelling like this we
arrived at Colonia. The landing place was in such a
Buried Seeds! 81
state that Mr. Roberts had to carry the girl and myself
through the mud and slime for about a hundred yards.
"Then we had to tramp on up to a house where we
intended to spend the night. We were tired, and
hungry, suffering from acute irritation from the insect
bites. The next morning it was evident that the rain
had freshened up the colds qf the Indians, and they were
not fit to proceed on the journey. However, we decided
to go for a few hours to a place known as Ilhinha, where
we intended to treat the sick Indians. This meant
re-arranging the crew. Mr. Roberts had to take the
stern, and do the steering. Guns were carried, though
not for protection, but to provide food for the journey.
We had bought seven pounds of salt beef, which were
soon consumed. The first time the guns were used was
for shooting mr.nkeys. Though at first I rebelled at the
thought of eating a monkey I pronounced it excellent,
when I had eaten some of it. They allowed it to cook
slowly overnight.
" It was interesting to watch the Indians as they
prepared the monkey, putting the tit-bits, the feet and
tail, as weU as the liver, on the fire to roast. The Indians
ate these tasty bits, often even the intestines. Fish
formed another source of supply. Rice was carried
though it was only sufficient for four days. The last
hour of the journey was an exciting one, especially
when the time came to blow the bugle and fire the
guns to let those in residence on a mission station
know we were arriving. Then some ten minutes later
we puUed into a river port with a song of praise welling
up in our hearts.
"The day to which I had looked forward so long
had actuaUy arrived. At last I was able to look into the
The Three Freds
faces of those whose names I had known so long, and

for whom I had prayed." That is her story.
Mrs. Roberts possessed, what is invaluable to any
missionary, a love for the natives. She loved the
unlovely. Of her first contact with them she writes:
"Naturally, I was very interested in the women. As
I looked upon them to whom the Lord has called me,
to see many of them wives before they were maidens,
there welled up in my heart a deeper love for them:
Some of them marry about the age of ten years, most
of them are mothers, and some of them are no more
than fourteen or fifteen years of age. The babies they
carried in a sling, and even when working in the fields
the baby is carried thus. Oh, you women in the Home-
land, as I compare the difference of their position
and yours! I remember much of the difference in
social standing is caused because you live in a land
where Christ is known and honoured. Those of you
who know Him, and love Him, will you listen to a call
that comes from these people? Sisters in Christ, they
are precious to Him Who died for them, as well as for
you."
The ministry of Mrs. Roberts, in the economy of
God, was to be a brief one. Towards the Autumn
of the same year in which she arrived on the station,
she was taken ill. The river had dropped almost to its
lowest ebb, which meant it was impossible to take her
down to civilisation. She rapidly grew worse. On
October 28th she called the missionaries into her
bedroom. She was very low, and she wished them all
good-bye. She said she could see the Lord's face,
He was smiling at her l Then she spoke of a city-it
was beautiful and had golden streets. She then sent a
Buried Seeds!
message to the General Secretary of the mission saying:

"Tell him I've done all I can." She then remembered
her former Sunday School and requested the following
message to be sent to them. "Now that I am face-
to-face with eternity the blood of Jesus avails."
During her illness Mabel greatly regretted being
out of action. She longed to preach Christ to these
Indian women. One day, when she was semi-conscious,
she preached a sermon in Jiria, and asked if the Indians
understood.
"During the last week both school and morning
Bible-Reading have been closed down owing to Mrs.
Roberts' illness. She has had to be nursed night and day.
Even as I write," Mr. Roberts wrote, "I am expecting
the Lord to take her at any moment. Her mind is a
blank. She is also blind and deaf. How hard it is to
sit and watch the one you love slowly sinking, knowing
that at the same time you cannot hel? her. However,
we would not say the Lord nay. Last Monday week
she called us all around the bed and said good-bye.
Early Monday morning we committed her body to
the ground. A number' of our Indians accompanied
us to the graveside where we held a service in Jiria
and Portuguese. We then laid the body alongside the
remains of Fenton-Hall, where they await the Great
Resurrection Day. What joy awaits us on that day when
we shall meet to part no more! "
Her husband, to whom her translation must have
been a grievous blow, conducted the Funeral Service.
At the graveside, with the Indians standing round, he
said: "In the midst of our sorrow we must feel proud
of our Mabel. During her life she sought to glorify
God, she did all she could for her Master's sake, to
The Three Preda
the laying down of her life, to preach Christ to the

Indians. We sorrow, for we miss one whom we love
so dearly, but we sorrow not as others Who have no
hope; we know we shall meet again where there will
be no more suffering or death." In the midst of her
husband's tears such words of encouragement could
be uttered.
Such lives give inspiring testimony, so it was with
Mrs. Roberts. Only a few months of residence among
the Indians, yet the influence of her life lived on after
her death.
A little Indian girl, whose mother had been shot
when she was a mere infant, climbed up on the knee
of one of the missionaries about to leave for furlough,
she said: "While you are away get me another white
mother like the las~ one" -meaning Mrs. Roberts-
"Jor she loved little girls."
Amongst the correspondence from Fred Roberts
we have been interested to find the enclosed. It is
only a short note, written, as it must have been, at a
time of intense sorrow, just after his dear wife had
passed away from him.
"The enclosed 500 milreis is a love gift from one

who is now in glory. If possible use it as a deposit
on the Base Property. Keep it quiet I"
How impressive, to find this short note after his own

call to the Great Reward. Now he, and his loved one,
have met amongst the redeemed. We who remain can
rejoice that it was her last wish, and one of his earliest
actions, after that wish had been expressed, that a small
sum of money, evidently meaning much to them at
Buried Seeds! 85
the time, should have been used to supply the necessary
deposit that enabled the property at the Brazil base
to be secured at that time. We do indeed thank God
for this little token of His grace in their united life.
Mr. J. Glenn, writing of these sad days, says:
"We settled down to the ordinary routine of the
station. During odd moments I noticed Fred working
at some wood, it was not long before I realised that he
was busy making a railing for his wife's grave. Knowing
what he had passed through and what it must have
meant to him I offered my help which he gladly accepted.
"A week later the railing was completed, and we
went together to put it in its place. To me it was a
solemn moment; quietly we worked, with just a few
Indians looking on, and then it was completed, nothing
much to look at, yet placed there in loving memory
of those who had fallen. (See photo, page 30.)
"We stood silently at the side of the grave. Glancing
at Fred I saw his strong lips quiver, my heart went
out to him and moving nearer I said, 'Fred, do you
think it is worth it?' Never will I forget his answer,
as he gripped my hand, looking me full in the face he
said,' Joe, if God should give you the privilege of laying
me to rest beside her I would count it well worth while.
It does not seem that we have accomplished much yet,
but I believe that God will give us to see the fruit
of these lives laid down.' Knowing that the Mission
had already tried to persuade him to return home I
said, 'Why not return home, you do not seem fit to
carry on?' He replied, 'I would gladly do so, but my
work here is not finished. I long to see the Guajaras
evangelised.' We then prayed together and left the
· spot so sacred to both of us.''
CHAPTER VIII
GATHERED FRUIT I
MANY are the weeks, months and · even years that

sometimes elapse before God's Sowers have the
joy of seeing fruit to their labours. We can imagine
the missionary's feelings when, in an unmistakable
way, he beholds the Word of God penetrating the
minds and hearts of his people. Sometimes the eviden9e
of this is startling in its unexpectedness. Fred Roberts
relates many such instances of which the following is
one:-
"There was a village situated about a day's journey

up-stream.. The chief of that village was an old man
seventy years of age. He came to our village and .
spent a few days there, and whilst there, he heard
the Gospel preached and HE LITERALLY FELL
IN LOVE WITH JESUS. There was no doubt :!$
to his conversion, but what could he, an old man, do
for Jesus? He was too old even to learn to read. He
set off for his own village, and brought all his young men
and boys to our school, that they might also learn
of Jesus. Needless to say that brought down upon
him the wrath of the witch-doctors. Sometime later he
fell a victim to influenza. He was brought to our
village to die. It was wonderful to see the work of
Grace that had been done in that old man's heart.
Each time during that night, and the following day,
when he died, it was only necessary for me to mention
86
Gathered Fruit!
the name of 'Jesus' for the old Chief's face to be

filled with a wonderful light, and he would whisper
over and over again the precious name of Jesus. How
we praised God for such a trophy. It gave us courage
to go forward and showed us ·again, just when our
hearts were about to fail, that we were in the place of
His choice for us. We shall see dear old Mearim
again. ONCE A SON OF THE FOREST-NOW A SON OF GOD I
"Again I had the privilege of giving the Message,
based on the words 'Until He Come,' turning our
· thoughts to that glorious day when He shall appear,
then amidst a silence that only His Presence can
bring, we remembered Him. Pray for us, and those
who are taking such a step-a step that means so
much to them.
cc Since my last letter home, we have journeyed to
the Head Waters of the river. This journey, indeed,
was full of encouragement. In the two villages we
visited, we were gladly received and had full liberty
for the preaching of the Word. It was truly an answer
to prayer, for until now these two villages were more
or less closed doors to us. We praise God that they
are now open, and pray that the seed sown may find a
resting-place in many a heart.
cc We were unable to visit the other villages owing
to health reasons, which has not been so good of late.
However, we look forward to visiting them later.
May I once again urge all to continue in prayer, that
. God may continue to bless, and sustain us in health
that we may accomplish His Will."
In the midst of danger and perils oft, of trials and
difficulties and of disappointments, we have received
many a glorious message from those who see the
88 The Three Freda
triumph of the kingdom of Christ amidst all this
darkness and degradation of the wild forests of
Amazonia. " Here on the station we have had a great
day. On March 1oth, after much preparation and
prayer, those who have been preparing for baptism and
confession of their Lord and Saviour, were received. In
the morning we had the usual service, I gave the message
on the words 'Follow me,' then we all went to the
riverside and after singing the hymn 'In the Sweet
by-and-by,' the words in Indian being very suitable
for the occasion, one by one they followed their Lord
and Master. A great joy I said. Yes I Sometimes I
think that we are too much inclined to look at the life
of a missionary as that of one long term of hardship,
difficulty and trial. No doubt it all comes into it, but
the joy that fills one on such an occasion as this, sur-
passes all; my heart surely burned within me as I
baptised each of the seven, for whom I have long
prayed and worked.
"The evening came, again our hearts were filled as
we joined with these Sons of the Forest, around the
Lord's table. This may seem a small matter on paper,
but. to those of us who have had the experience, we
realise what it means. Picture the occasion, the small
straw room, mosquitoes buzzing around, occasional
howls coming from the surrounding forest, yet nothing
seems to distract as we sit round the table with expectant
hearts."
Joe Wright, the elder brother of Fred Wright, had

been in Amazonia already some eight years when
Fred Wright landed for his first tour, which by the
Providence of God was to be cut short so soon in the
Gathered Pruitt
land of his adoption. In a recent letter Joe Wright

states: "It is simply glorious to be God's servant
out here in these sin cursed regions. Yesterday I
returned from a speedy evangelistic trip to the village
of Taboquinha which is twice the size of Sao Felix.
When we entered the forest it was necessary to traverse
many flooded creeks before we reached the upper
waters of the River Pindare. It was with mixed
feelings I crossed over. I could not but remember the
two whose bodies lay some three hundred miles, or more
down stream; the bodies of Fenton Hall and Mabel
Roberts. Still wondering, I thought of my brother
Fred, and his two companions who left almost a year
ago for the Xingu. A silent prayer ascended as I
quietly passed on. Truly, Indian evangelisation demands
that the corn of wheat die! Between 8 and 9 p.m. I
realised that I was entering the village of Taboquinha
of the Karikati Indians for the first time. It lies some
twelve leagues in a westerly direction from Sao Felix,
and is between Grajahu and Imperatrix. I remained
there Tuesday and Wednesday engaged in personal
work, and treating the sick. These Indians are really
given up to diabolical sins. Opium drinking, smoking
and whisky drinking is very common. What a task
is ours. Who is able for it? I climbed one of the banks
near by, and poured out my soul in prayer. I finished
by jumping in the air with a shout of Glory! Hallelujah l
In the evening I was down in the valley again amongst
the sick and sinful. I sat for a long time with them.
For some time I sat with poor Caitano whose prostrate
form lay on a straw mat by the fire. A sickness is
slowly killing him. A few weeks ago one of his brothers
died, and is it possible that I have arrived in time to
The Three Freda
speak to poor Caitano? I believe I have I He strained

his ears and eyes in my direction as I slowly told him
the sweet story of salvation. I prayed and asked him
if he would trust and accept. I shall never forget
the look on his sick face, and the answer. 'I'll confide
and accept Jesus because I know I am a sinner.' If
one can judge from facial expression, and from the
intonation of the voice, then I believe he meant it.
We have a big field which can only be efficiently itinerated
during the summer months. Travelling north, south,
east and west of Sao Felix we meet with needy souls
at every tum."
Fred Roberts has left many an interesting story
of his early efforts at Evangelisation amongst the
wild Indians, and the response of the people that he
gathered around him in many different parts. In
visiting the village of Tauari where he had been working,
he says: " I left the Evangelist Matchi and his wife.
The Indians in this village had been crying out for a
teacher for a long time. The men got down to work,
and a school was soon built, while seats and desks were
made out of saplings. Early next morning fifty Indians
turned up at the school. Large placards containing
the Indian alphabet and syllables were hung on the
wall, and Matchi started to teach his own people to
read the Word of the Living God. I then went on to
help his wife with her teaching of the women but she
had already hung the placards up· and commenced.
Around her there was a group of Indian women shouting
out the names of the letters. After two days of Gospel
meetings, Bible readings and times for prayer I left
them, commending them to the love of God, that I
might visit other villages.
Gathered Fruit! 91
"I journeyed backwards and forwards, from one
village to another, helping where I could and holding
Gospel meetings. I found the Lord had been doing
a wonderful work among these Indians. Schools had
been maintained, Gospel services 'had been held. Many
of the resident Indians could now sing a number of
the hymns in Tupi, while Matchi had read to the
Indians various portions of the Word of God and
explained parts of the story to his listeners. The
surprising time came when we had prayer. One after
another got up, and prayed that God would cleanse
away their sins, and give them strength to lead the
Christian life. After three months I left them to the
care of others.
"At the close of a dry season we decided to bring
the Evanglists home for further training. When those
Evangelists withdrew they left behind them over
twenty-five converts, some of whom could read
a little. When these converts were visited a year
later most of them were still standing firm in the
Lord. When the call for volunteers, to fill the place
of another Evangelist, was made, a lad of only thirteen
years of age volunteered. He did good work leading
other souls to Christ, and teaching them to read."
The first attempt to reach the Guaja Indians was
made in 1930. Special prayer appeals were issued
in England for the missionaries about to enter
the trackless country of this nomadic ~ribe. Reach-
ing the mouth of the River Karu the missionaries
carefully prepared food that might be needed on the
return, they then attempted to enclose their canoe
with wire n~tting to afford some protection in the
case of an unexpected attack. Pioneering in these parts
The Three Freda
is always dangerous: it may be successful or it may ·

end as suddenly as it began, as it did in the Isle of
Gali on the .East side of Java.
As we quote from Fred Roberts' own journal we
can picture his actual meeting with the Guajas in
their own village. "What confusion reigns in my
head," he says, "we laid our loads down as the Indians
went to hide the guns. I opened the front of my shirt
and went near to them, yet remained hidden by bushes.
People were laughing and shouting, breaking nuts,
babies crying, monkeys chattering and when I shouted:
'Katu, Katu pezari pehoho-zu ure katu maewe
chezeeng putari peme' which means, 'It is good,
it is good, don't be afraid, don't run, we are good, we
want to speak to you,' the result was absolute silence.
Even the monkeys stopped their chattering, and one
could have heard a pin drop. I then shouted again
and again, hands open, and held up, and marched
up to the captain's house.
"Confusion reigned, men ran everywhere with bows
and arrows, women and children and monkeys darted
off into the bush, the men following and dogs barking.
My attention was fixed on the captain. He had a large
bow in his hand. He would go to his arrows, gather
them up together but would not pick them up. Then
he would rush back to me, and hit his chest and shout,
while I was trying to say all the nice things I could
think of.
"By this time the others arrived and also tried to
calm him. He then told us to go away, the strain seemed
to be too much for the poor old chap. His eldest son
then returned armed, and put in a few sentences we
did not understand. He told us to go, so we said:
Gathered Fruit! 93
•iAJl right, good-bye.' This surprised him. Our
Indians said to him: 'We are good.' At last he seemed
to brighten up, and he said he also was good and showed
us his body that was free from scars, also a spear of
which he seemed to be very proud. He kept repeating:
'laboba.' Just what that means I do not know, our
Indians could not understand it.
"We sat down and presented the captain with 6ur
big bush knife. He gave a shout and ran about cutting
down twigs and palms with great joy. This heartily
amused us and we laughed. This had a good effect
and then we saw the grandfather of the Aldeia
creeping back. All the full-grown men were six
feet high, well built and strong. They reminded us of
pictures we'd seen of the Ancient Britons, some asleep
in hammocks made from the bark of a palm, others
on the ground. The women have short skirts made
from the bark of the palm. Their food consists of wild
animals, fish, babasu nuts and other wild fruits. The
points of their arrows are about twenty inches long,
made out of large bamboos.
"They brought us some roasted fish which tasted
well although it was somewhat decayed. We hung up
our hammocks next to the captain's house, and went
to sleep. During the night I was awakened by men
laughing. The captain began to sing, then the whole
village began to sing-at least began to groan and
grunt-I've never heard such singing and dancing
before, and never do I want to hear it again. I wondered
whether they were going to kill, and eat us, during
or after the feast I I prayed hard, and after a while
the confusion left me, and in the midst of all the grunting
and groaning I went to sleep again.
The Three Freda
"Early the next morning the Indians were anxious
to be going. They wanted us to go and return with
knives for the others. We travelled hard all day and
that night it rained. We still pushed on, and after a hard
day's travelling with a heavy pack and tortoises carried
for food on the top of our packs we again arrived
back on the Pindare. We recovered our buried food
and were soon drinking hot coffee and eating farinha.
We refloated the canoe, and reloaded it, and were off
again down stream. Praise God for all His goodness
to us on this journey, and for the way in which He
prepared the Indians to receive us.
" Send forth Thy Gospel, mighty Lord,
Out of this care bring to birth,
Thine own creation promise hope,
The better days of heaven on earth.
Send forth Thy Gospel, Holy Lord,

Kindle in us Love's Sacred Flame,
Love giving all and grudging nought,
For Jesu's sake, in Jesu's name."
"At the village of Sacco," writes Fred Roberts, "I
was well received and all day they kept me answering
questions, and reading our translations to them. In
the evening we had a meeting, after which they started
to sing. I stood it as long as I could, and then shouted
out: 'Oh men, how long are you going to sing to the
devil? Silence.' Then an indignant reply: 'This is
not the devil's song. It is a good song. We are the only
ones who know it. Our grandfathers taught it to us.
God never taught us how to sing to Him.' I explained
as well as I could, telling them that God was not far
Gathered Fruit! 95
away, that He had given them all things, that they had
never spoken to Him or given Him thanks.
"They left off singing and went to rest. Next
morning I left. On our second visit twelve months
later we went back, and were well received, and well
treated. They wanted us to stay longer but there
were other villages, and other tribes, and labourers
alas all too few.
"As a rule the Indian is willing and ready to listen

to the Gospel story but he may not be so willing to
follow it. He is a big sinner, but does not know it.
These things are open and can easily be shown to
him, but it is difficult for him to see the exceeding
sinfulness of sin. There are no idols to bother one
but his superstitions are deep-rooted. His belief in
God and the devil help one and he quickly takes to
the joy of the future life. They find no difficulty in
believing God's Word to be the truth, and our appeal is
ever to Him.
"In teaching them one has to be careful as they
are ever ready to agree with all you say, and believe it
in their heads, but their hearts are still far away. They
are willing to make a profession and even to pray,
but not to turn from their evil ways. They may also
believe just to please the white man. In this as in
every other work, great patience is needed. They are
slow to learn, tense to live as they've always lived.
They want to learn to read and write, but have not
the patience to stick at it day by day, and often will
throw it up after a week, or a few months.
"It was on the Sunday of the last Indian Convention
in Altamira that those who were to be baptised told
G
The Three Freda
why they were taking this great step to those of their

tribe who were gathered in the little mud building
which served as a school during the week, and a church
on Sundays. Then we all trooped down the hill to the
river bank, where with reverend simplicity, a little ser-
vice was held, which was the result of years of patient
and faithful work on the part of those who had initiated
that work years ago, at such a cost. So that morning
each of those sixteen Indians and Brazilian girls went
through the ceremony of baptism, to the accompani-
ment of hymns and choruses in their own language.
"That same night in the little hut those who had
been baptised gathered together again, this time for
the Sacrament of Holy Communion. We will never
forget the solemn hush of that little service, but what '
was even more remarkable was the silence of those
who had not yet been converted but were looking on.
" One story comes from a burnt-out village where
the Indians had been repairing their plantations. A
family came to the Mission House for shelter that night.
During the evening they became conversational, as
Indians do at night. He told me that a long time ago he
had made a journey away to the old station at Sapucaia
and there he had heard for the first time the good Old
Story of Jesus and His Love, and that since then he
had altered his life as best he knew how. He had given
up what he felt to be wrong. I knew this was so for
I had been able to see something of /his character as
witnessed by his life."
" And they preached unto them Jesus." Darkness was

long set over the village of Colonia, newcomers had
,.
just arrived from a village sixteen miles away and were
Gathered Fruit! 97
making themselves busy around the bright fire. The
missionary, remembering that this was his off night, was
preparing for the English mail a letter to his loved ones.
Suddenly the door opened to thr~e of his recent bap-
tised Indians. They were the first fruits of Indian
Evangelisation in the Ba:rra Region. They quickly told
their mission. Will the missionary have a special
meeting in honour of the arrivals ?
He pleads inability that night, and reminds them that
tlie night before they had had a meeting and this was
his night off to write to the home folks. They refused
to be put off. He suggested that they should conduct
it themselves. After some hesitation they agreed. A
table, benches and a lamp were soon supplied, a crowd
gathered in front of the mission station, one Indian
presided at the meeting, two others gave the message
in a simple yet eloquent way; with sincerity and passive
appeal the message is proclaimed. The chairman tells
the meeting how to follow in the Way of the Lord-
and then aska if there is one prepared to accept.
One Indian lad rises to his feet, then another, these
are followed by thre~ more, and when the net is finally
drawn in, there are about fourteen souls seeking
Christ.
Again the sun has set on the village of Colonia, dark-
ness is coming on, suddenly there is a shout from the
Indians: "Caraiu "-Brazilian horse: and rider draw up
at the Mission House and after the usual salutations
he is shown into the missionary's home. His story is
soon told. He comes from Bellos Sqnhos fifty miles
diatance, the message is a very urgent one. From his
pocket he draws a scribbled note written in Portuguese:
"Will the missionary come at once to the writer's home,
The Three Freda
he is dying, and desires to hear the wonderful message
that the missionary has brought."
Early next morning, with saddled mule, the mission-
ary begins his fifty miles journey to one dying man.
The first night he rests at an Indian village, there
to pass on God's message. The following morning he
sets off again, at evening draws near to Bellos Sonhos.
As he approaches the home there comes a pitiful cry:
"Tenha misericordia sobre me, senhor." (Have mercy
upon me, Oh God.) Entering into the home of the
sick man the missionary is taken to him. There upon
a hammock a terrible sight meets him-a man covered
with leprosy. Since the hour the messenger had set off,
with a message to the distant missionary, this leper had
anxiously awaited the arrival of one whom he felt could
give him the message of peace to his soul.
Around him had gathered his little children who are
so soon to be fatherless. Near by stands the wife, close
to her their eldest daughter. God's word is read and
in simple language the Gospel is told. A hymn is then
sung. What a message! The words are carefully
explained, and then sung again:
"There is a fountain filled with blood,

Drawn from Emanuel's veins,
And sinners plunged beneath that blood,
Lose all their guilty stains."
That face, drawn by pain,' now lights up as the

Holy Spirit makes the words clear to his soul, the
refrain is repeated and yet again repeated, until all join
in. Before leaving the next morning the missionary
again visited the sick chamber. What a change! Yes,
Gathered Fruit! 99
he is now trusting in the Lord who has shed His Blood
for him.
As the missionary rides away from that sad, and yet
wonderful scene there wafted across the air the voice
of the eldest daughter singing so' sweetly and clearly in
her own tongue.
"There is a fountain filled with blood,"
Fourteen days later he went to be with his newly-

found Saviour.
Old John, one of the oldest of Tembe Indians, came to
live in the Mission Station from up river. A lone Indian
except for a sister and daughter who had little love for
him, or he for them. His loneliness should have invoked
human sympathy but the love of Christ in the missionary
was even greater, longing to see this old Indian trans-
lated into the Kingdom of God. In conversation with
John, the missionary, seated on the stump of a tree,
while John squatted outside his straw hut, found that
John's condition was as dark as the darkness of a forest.
This old Indian had no other opportunity of hearing
of the Light of the World. Laid low with fever, for
two days unknown to the missionary, medical aid came
too late, for within three hours of this second visit old
John had passed on. His only religious belief had been
in witchcraft, and it fell to the lot of the missionary,
with the help of a semi-witch-doctor, to lay John's
body in the earth. John had padsed on without Christ I
But the sequel to the above: Peter who was the
witch-doctor but had great respect for the missionaries
and always liked to journey as a member of their
canoe ere~ to and from the coast. He lived some five
IOO The Three Frede
hours up the river and was not happy there, and

although invited to live on the Station preferred to
go an hour's journey farther down river below the
Station, to live in the witch-doctor's village. He
also loved to smoke a weed called diambe, the effect
of which is similar to opium, and to drink fire water.
Witch-craft blinded him to spiritual things, darkness
being in his soul. God, however, moves in mysterious
ways.
While on a journey one of his daughters sought to
rid the straw hut which he had built in the witch-doctor's
village, of an invasion of ants, using a flaming torch,
but the whole caught fire, and was soon a heap of
blackened ruins. On Petcr's return he saw in this
calamity the judgment of God, as the God of the white
man. ·On being invited once again to live on the Mission
Station he accepted, but held on to his vices of witch-
craft. God had begun a work, however; a shaft of Light
had already pierced the gloom. God was blessing the
work. A few had professed the name of Christ. This
impressed Peter with the reality of the Christian life.
A Bible study class was started for these few converts.
Peter attended, being very interested to hear an exposi-
tion of the second commandment-the putting away of
witch-craft by those who chose to follow Christ. This
was Tuesday, and on Thursday, after hearing of Christ
the Way, the Truth and the Life, Peter stood up to
confess Christ as his Saviour, his face being lit with
the light and joy of Christ; a great contrast to his pre-
vious sullen unhappiness.
Next morning he came into morning prayers proudly
carrying his youngest child, a baby, whose neck used
to be adorned with numerous witch-craft charms, but
Gathered Fruit! IOI
now without any such things. The Light of the glorious

Gospel had dispelled the darkness of Satan and witch-
craft and there was joy in the presence of the Angels
of God.
One of the leaders in the village of Colonia was keen

on witnessing for Christ. Business took him down-
stream to a neighbouring village where several of the
dreaded witch-doctors held sway deceiving the people.
He defied them, telling them that he was now a Christian
and had no fear of their witch-craft. This angered the
witch-doctors. They influenced a villain who had a spite
against him to wait on the river bank and shoot him
on his return later in the day. Rejoicing in the Lord, he
set off with four young men. On his return journey,
little thinking of what awaited him, he was slowly pass-
ing a small rapid, and hugging the bank. Suddenly there
was a report of a gun, and a sharp pain, as the bullet
tore his arm at the elbow, which fortunately sheltered
his heart. Think of the effect of this incident upon
our village. In other days sons and relatives would have
vowed vengeance and a terrific fight would have ensued.
Now God had so worked in his heart that he told his
sons not to be revengeful but to forgive.
After a few months the wound was completely healed.
He is still testifying, frequenting the meetings, en-
couraging his sons to learn to read and write, that
they also may be Evangelists.
CHAPTER IX
SEARCHING OUT THE KAYAPOS
.MR. E. J. WooTTON is the veteran missionary of the
Unevangelised Fields Mission. He has spent some
twenty-six years in the service of The Kingdom in
Brazil. His testimony, after all these years, is that he
desires to praise his Master for all that he found in
Him, for His grace and goodness, faithfulness and
Fatherly care during that time. He proved by experience
that He is indeed ever faithful, ever true. He says " He
tested me, taught me, and disciplined me with much
patience and tenderness. Having lived in reliance upon
the rich promises of His Word, I can testify, as did
Joshua, that none of them failed, that they were all
fulfilled over and over again." During the early years
of his service for Christ in Amazonia, he was engaged
with another mission. Later, he joined the ranks
of the Unevangelised Fields Mission. He brought
long years of valuable experience, the knowledge of
language, and many other valuable aids to the service
of the Mission.
During these years he travelled considerably in
Brazil, engaged in evangelistic efforts, and in the dis-
tribution of the Scriptures. He records, "I visited the
town of Rosario several times in successive years, and
after distributing Scriptures, and preaching the gospel
in the house of a believer, who had gone from the city
to live there, I began to extend my journeys to out-
lying places, and along the railway which was then in
I02
Searching out the Kayapos 103
construction. I distributed many Scripture portions,

and sold many cheap gospels to the men employed in
that work. A rough class of men they were, drawn from
other States, as well as from the State of Maranham.
There was only one believer among them, and he suffered
much persecution, for he was only a humble workman.
We had meetings in his house also, on the outskirts
of the town in a plantation which included fruit trees.
Later he was baptised, in a stream which ran through
his own plantation. There are now two congregations
of believers in Rosario, some of whom received the
Word of God for the first time from my hands, and
others have been won by the testimony of those first
humble believers.
" I would follow paths to outlying houses in order
to offer the people the Word of God. I had many
interesting, and sometimes trying, experiences. It was
not pleasant to be looked upon as a despised 'Protes-
tant,' a dangerous heretic, a servant of the devil,
seeking to turn people away from the true religion of
God, the religion of the anti-Christ, a distributor of
false Bibles, etc., etc. The priests had warned the
people not to receive the books, and if any had received
them, to burn them and destroy them. The people
were so afraid of the word 'Protestant' that if they
had received a Gospel, and had even found it good,
they would throw it away, or let the children play
with it until they destroyed it. I know that if anyone
said it was a 'Protestant' book. Many books were
burnt. The priests themselves would go round to
collect the books that the people received, or bought
so that they might burn them, sometimes publicly;
but not all the precious seed was destroyed. Some of
The Three Freds
it fell on good ground, and it still continued to bring
forth fruit in the salvation of other souls. To-day
public opinion has changed, and people are no longer
afraid to receive Gospel books and tracts, and evan-
gelical meetings are well attended in most places.
There is of course, still a certain amount of opposition
on the part of the fanatical and ignorant people. The
uneducated people are very superstitious. The festivals
in honour of favourite saints are still very popular, for
they provide the amusement and the excitement in
which people delight. With all this show of religion,
immorality, drunkenness, fights and murders abound.
" I used to return physically refreshed to more routine
work in the City, and always glad to be back in the
pure society of Christian fellowship with fellow mission-
aries and believers, after those seasons spent among
people of dark and corrupt minds.
"So I continued to work in the City and the surround-
ing places, until I had visited all those within reach as
God guided me. The promise in Joshua has been
gloriously fulfilled, for in every one of those places,
there are now at least a few believers, or small con-
gregations, as the fruit of the Word sown in those early
days." The work is being continued by others. During
these long journeys, Mr. Wootton sought every oppor-
tunity of visiting the villages of the various Indian
tribes. His thoughts were early turned to the wild
tribes of the Kayapo. This tribe, according to the most
reliable information, was not onlyscattered, butnumerous,
even though its numbers could not be actually esti-
mated. The tribe may be divided into two sections,
those known as the "tame" Kaya po, and the "wild"
Kayapo, the difference being that the one section of ~he
Searching out the Kayapoa 105
tribe has been brought within reach of, and in touch with,
the Brazilian part of the population. The others, the
' wild" section, are still in the far-off unreached parts.
4
He records that when he paid his first visit to these

Kayapo villages, he did so in company with a friendly
Brazilian. He says:
"I was able to make friends with the Indians, and

also with a Brazilian neighbour and his wife. On that
occasion I stayed only a short time, teaching them to
sing a few choruses, and taking notes of their language.
On the second journey my wife accompanied me, and
we had with us a girl whose parents had given her
into our charge, to teach and train her; and also a
young Brazilian believer. The Kayapos were living in
two small groups. We visited both of them, staying a
short time with each village. We also visited the
Brazilian neighbours, some of whom were friendly,
but others were very fanatical. We were getting on
very well in the second village, when the friars received
the information that we were there. They sent a letter
to the headmen ordering them not to allow us to
remain.
"The letter stated, 'You are Catholics and good children
of the church, these men are enemies of God and of
our Lady. You are the owners of that land and have
the power to send them away.' Of course the Indians
were scared by the letter. It would have been dangerous
to resist the friars, where they had the people so com-
pletely under their influence. So we moved on, I
believe to the regret of the Kayapos, as well as our own.
"We continued to evangelise amongst the Brazilians
as far as the little town of Santa Maria, then we turned
Io6 The Three Freda
back, by river to Porto Franco. During the following
rainy season, as we were not able to continue our
investigations amongst the Kayapos, I resolved to reach
the village of the Apinages, who were closely related to
the former, and of the same linguistic stock. We des-
cended the Araguaya in a boat or barge, full of skins
and goods as well as other passengers. We called at
a Caraja village one evening, when some from another
village were visiting these people. They had a wrestling
match which sport they love, and also their usual
dancing. Some of the men had the Indian rattle, a
sign that they were also addicted to witch-craft, and
were dressed in a palm-leaf mask, which covered them
completely. I asked one of the men if he knew who
God was, but he said with an air of indifference, 'My
boy knows,' pointing to him, 'he's been to school,'
meaning the friars' school.
"The next season we made another attempt to
reach the wild Kayapos. Money had been sent for
this particular advance.
"We saw that it was impossible to go forward that
summer. We went on a tour in the neighbourhood of
the 'tame' Kayapos, and evangelised amongst the
Brazilians in the direction in which we are hoping
to advance in the next dry season. There was a time
when a revolutionary band, which had revolted from
the army, was making its way through the intedor,
causing depredations and terror by its wild doings.
We were often taken for members of this band,
especially because my companion was dressed in
khaki. We did not attempt to visit the 'tame' Kayapos
on that journey, because we heard that they were
moving their village. We distributed Scripture portions
~ongst the Brazilians at many scattered farmsteads

and houses.
"During the next rainy season, Mrs. Wootton went
down the Araguaya with a company of friends. I
continued the evangelistic work in Porto Franco.
Before starting off on the Kayapo advance, I went on
a short visit to the 'tame' ones again, to see if I could
find anyone willing to go with me to reach the others.
But on that occasion no one was willing. Although
they were still friendly, they were evidently afraid of
their wild relatives. My health was not in good condition
after various bouts of malaria, but I finally set out on
my journey to the Xingu, reaching it in August. We
had arranged to go with a woman who had traded in
that region, and they agreed with the man who was
going with her to take charge of her mules and cargo,
that he should help us also. We were to pay our share
of the expense.
"In this connection, I hope that those who read
this story will notice how true it is that when 'He
putteth forth his sheep, He goeth before them' and
always opens up the way, however strange the means
may appear. All the promises to shield and protect
His servants have proved to be true.
"Our journey lay through the forest, though the
path was over-grown and very tortuous because of
fallen trees. We had to do it in the usual stages of
about ten leagues a day, because at these points there
had been Brazilian dwellings with grass enclosures, to
allow teams of mules loaded with rubber to travel.
These dwellings had all been abandoned after the
fall in the price of rubber. We only found a few
inhabited houses about half-way through the forest.
108 The Three Freda
It took us five days to get through with our loaded

mules. There were streams without bridges to be
forded, and high hills to be climbed before we reached
the open fields on the other side.
"We arrived at the little settlement of Novo Horizonte,
which had been a flourishing rubber station but was
now almost deserted. However, there were still a
number of inhabitants and we found a house where
we could stay and have food by agreement with the
people living in it. The first thing was to get in-
formation as to where it might be possible to reach
the Kayapos, the best way to go, and where their
villages might be situated. Rumours of bands of
them appearing at different points were frequent.
We found the people lived in fear of being attacked
by them. The men never went outside their houses
without their rifles, and we soon found how difficult
the task would be, because of the enmity existing
between the two parties. There had been conflicts
between the rubber men, and the Indians, from the
very commencement of the rubber trade.
"We soon saw that it would be almost impossible
to find anyone willing to go with us as guide.
"The waiting time was filled up by having meetings
in the evenings. These were well-attended, and these
rough people heard the Gospel for the first time. It
turned out to be the only opportunity for many. Most
of them were soon scattered, and more than one dark
deed of murder occurred during the following months,
which caused still more scattering.
"I managed to gather together a few children for
reading lessons, in order to occupy the hours during
the days when the people were at work. After a while
there came an opportunity to descend the river with

a woman who was going on business and who had
become friendly. She had a small farm and used to
invite us to drink fresh milk. We journeyed in a canoe
down-stream, touched at different points for the
midday rest or to spend the night, and so getting to
know some of the people. All had some interest in
the rubber trade, and many had plantations near their
dwellings.
"The largest settlement visited was Nova Olinda,
just opposite the mouth of the Riozinho, which we
afterwards found to be the most direct route to the
region where the wild Kayapos lived. We descended
the river Fresco to its junction with the Xingu, where
there is the village of Sao Felix. Sao Felix is the patron
saint of the rubber men, supposed to defend them
from snakes, wild Indians an<l other dangers. Hearing
of a man at a rubber settlement up the River Xingu,
who had had dealings with these Indians, I determined
to ascend that river to see if I could obtain information
and help. It would also be an opportunity to witness
to the very needy, and very sinful inhabitants of that
region, who had never once heard the gospel. I still
had some Scripture portions which I was able to
distribute among them.
" I journeyed in a passing launch, which had difficulty
in negotiating some of the many rapids, and stayed
for a short time with the boss of that region, who was
not only an c;p:lployer of a large number of rubber-
collectors, but also the political chief. He was a very
intelligent man, and developed his settlement in a
wonderful way, with large clearings in the forest for
plantations, where he had also grown grass in order
IIO The Three Freds
to have cattle at hand to provide milk. He had a number

of boys at school under his own supervision, and I
had the opportunity of singing and speaking to them,
as well as to the adults while I stayed there. I spent
Christmas of that year, 1927, with them. But this
man was of the same opinion as the others-it was wasting
effort, and money, to try and reach and tame the wild
Kayapos. I found very, very few people with friendly
feelings towards them. Most were of the opinion that
only rifle bullets would tame these wild beasts.
"From there I went on to the house of one of his
tenants, an hospitably inclined elderly old man, a
widower with a grown-up son. He complained that
some of these Kayapo Indians had robbed a few
vessels from his kitchen when everyone was busy
out on the plantation.
"One day we were all quiet after the midday meal
when suddenly the dogs began to bark furiously, and
the men looked scared at once as they said 'caboclos'
(Indians). They prepared their rifles, and began to
shout to the Indians, who immediately rushed off up
a hill at the back of the house through the bushes.
They returned about the same hour on the next day,
when everything was quiet, but again they ran off
through the bushes when the dogs barked, and the
men shouted to them.
"The old owner of the house became fearful at
these signs that the Indians were lurking in the neigh-
bourhood. I continued the journey up-stream in
another passing launch, and I was beginning to feel
more and more discouraged by all this hatred manifested
towards the Indians. Everyone had stories to tell of
the. mischievousness and treachery of the Indians. Of
Searching out the Kayapos III
course, I did not tell of the many wicked things that

the rubber men had practised against the Indians.
At last I met the man who had had Indians, J urunas,
woiting for him. He also said that it was impossible
to reach the Kayapos' village, and that I should find
no one willing to go with me. About the J urunas he
told me that he had some of them on his station, ancl
in cabins near him. When they came on one occasion
complaining that they had been attacked by other
wild Indians named 'Thick lips,' they sent a party of
men with them, and they exterminated that village!
"Then he said that the Jurunas had done something
which displeased him, and that he had had some
of them shot. The few remaining ones had been
scattered, and that is how the 'civilised' intruders have
treated the Indians nearly everywhere, since the
Portuguese began to colonise Brazil.
"I turned down-stream, sick at heart, because of all
these terrible conditions, and the spiritual darkness
and gross sin in which the people live.
"At Sao Felix, I joined the canoe going up the
Fresco, and after a trying journey, reached Novo
Horizonte once more. My companion was waiting.
He had once been out to the Araguaya for supplies.
I took my turn of going home after an absence of nine
months. I had a month's rest, and then went once
more to the forest, visiting the 'tame' Kayapo villages
on the way. This time I was able to persuade one
of them, a young married Indian named J acintho, to
accompany me. His wife insisted on going with him,
as she said there would be no one to hunt for her if
she did remain at home. When we reached the house
where a rubber man had promised to meet us, to guide
H
II2 The Three Freds
us through the forest, he was not there, so we did the

first day's journey alone, very slowly. He met us
before we reached the halting place. We were very
glad to have a guide who was accustomed to the forest.'
When we reached the dwellings in the centre of the
forest the next morning our man noticed jaguar foot-.
prints on the path. He, and another man, went after
it with a dog and killed it, bringing it on a stout pole
to be skinned; praise God for keeping our mules saf~
that night.
"Arriving at Novo Horizonte we had to wait for a
convenient opportunity to descend the river. At last we
joined another party who were going down to Nova Olinda.
"One morning soon after we had entered tpe canoe
after sleeping on land, we saw an Indian wading in
the stream, fishing. As soon as he saw us, he scampered
off into the woods, and no shouting of our 'tanie'
Kayapo produced any answer. A little further down
we saw footprints on the sandy beach, for we were now
in the dry season again. Presently J acintho shouted
again. An answer came from among the trees on the
opposite bank. After shouting to one another, J acintho
got out of the canoe, and crossed the sand to speak
at close quarters. Soon after his wife followed and
I went also, but the Indians said to Jacintho that
they were afraid of me until I showed them my hands ·
to prove that I had no firearms. Then a tragedy
happened, quicker than I can describe it in words.
While the attention of the husband was turned another
way, speaking to some of the Kayapos, another one
came down from the bushes to where the wife of
Jacintho was sitting on the sand. He asked her to
stand up, flattering her he stroked her with his hands,
Searching out the Kayapos n3
then he invited her to go up where the others were,
10 that they could see her, too. She, forgetting all
fears and warnings, went up with him. The others
immediately surrounded her, and carried her off. She
screamed when she realised what 'was happening. Her
husband shouted for a rifle. The men in the canoe
shouted to us to hurry back, fearing the Indians might
attack us. There was nothing to do but continue the
journey down-stream without the poor girl. When
we reached the great rapids, everything had to be
taken out of the canoes, and transported along a by-
path. The canoes themselves had to be rolled over
logs to a point above the rapids.
"After a very difficult journey we reached a point
where the rubber men decided to make their camp.
At week-ends the two men we were staying with made
short trips up the river with us to look for traces of
the Indians. We found many signs that they frequented
the margins of the river. Jacintho discovered a path
used by them. We followed it for a good distance,
and found it must be one that led to their villages
far away towards the headquarters of the river.
"Near another rubber camp we later found nutshells
and a grove of Brazil-nuts, so it was clear that at certain
times the Kayapo came there to gather nuts. After
long delays one of the rubber men agreed to go with
us several days' journey up-stream, to see if we could
reach any of these Kayapo villages. Unfortunately for
us the rainy season was beginning. We got drenched
every night, camping on the river bank, where there
were no leaves suitable for making a shelter. On the
third or fourth evening we were excited by reaching
some huts, with evident signs that a group of Kayapos
The Three Freda
had lived there while fishing not long before, having

gone back to their village.
"So we missed them. What a pity we had not been
able to come sooner! We were obliged tO return
without meeting the Indians with all these proofs that
we were on the right route to their villages. I also met
rubber men who had crossed through the forest from
the Xingu, abandoning their unjust employers, who
said that they had seen Kayapo villages. Others said
that they had seen wide, well-kept paths leading in
the direction where, according to general opinion, the
principal Kayapo villages are situated. When Jacintho
asked the wild Kayapos by what name they called
Riozinho, they gave a name which means 'Headwaters
in grass,' that is fields, so the probability is that their
villages are situated beyond the forests, and in the
open plateau; the custom of all Indians of that stock
is to build their villages on the grassy plains, rather
than in the forests.
"Greatly disappointed we returned to Novo Olinda,
and joined another party who were going to the Araguaya.
So God provided a safe journey back to Novo Horizonte
and through the forests to Conceicao and Porto Franco.
"I had been absent a year and four months. I
arrived home very run-down in health, a large ulcer
on my left leg, which had been, and continued to be,
a great handicap on my journey. Jacintho had suffered
from malaria more than I had. He had been very
ill for a time, but was better when he reached home.
He afterwards returned to his village. A priest got hold
of him, and secured all the information he had. They
went with some of the 'tame' Kayapo in search of
the .. 'wild' ones, but they failed to reach them after
Searching out the Kayapos u5
two attempts. They had speech with a group of them
on one occasion and appointed a time for return, but
missed meeting the Kayapos on the second journey.
They did not go very far up the river but left some
presents for them. This is what· the people at Nova
Olinda told Fred Roberts.
"At the beginning of 1930, we left the Araguaya,
returned to the Barra do Corda region. Before leaving
we had the joy of baptising four members of a family
who had accepted the Gospel. Father, mother and two
daughters confessed their faith in the Lord Jesus as
their Saviour. They were baptised in the river in the
presence of a large number of spectators, some mocked,
others were well-impressed. A young woman, who had
lived for about two years with Mrs. Wootton, also
desired to be baptised but as her father strongly opposed
it, we desisted."
CHAPTER X
"THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE"
"We do not attempt to account for it,
We only know the outskirts of His ways;
And how small a whisper do we hear of Him.
"As well try to capture the motif of a symphony from
a few bars imperfectly heard . . . as presume to
imagine that we, who only see a fragment of the thought
of God, can understand the whole or interpret it to an-
other. But we shall not be disappointed when we are told
the mysteries of this present. . . . Faith sees GOD."
{"Gold by Moonlight"-AMY CARMICHAEL.}
HORACE BANNER GIVES HIS REPORT OF THE

SEARCH PARTY:
"I AM writing from the deck of a river steamer which
is rapidly approaching the mouth of the River Amazon.
For over two months, Jock Johnstone and I have been
engaged in a search for the 'Three Freds' who dis-
appeared into the wilds of the Upper Xingu more than
a year ago. To-morrow, with our return to civilization
and to safety, it falls to us to announce the dread news
that our search has confirmed, rather than dispelled,
earlier fears that our three fellow missionaries have
been martyred by hostile Indians. Here is the story,
brief as it needs must be for the present.
"The Xingu is one of the main tributaries of the
Amazon, a giant river in itself, whose forests are reckoned
u6
"Their Name Liveth for Evermore" u7
amongst the richest in Brazil. The civilized population,

almost exclusively engaged in the extraction of rubber
and Brazil nuts, have for years been in constant conflict
with wild Indians, chief of whom are the Kayapo,
who threaten to make their labours impossible by a
relentless campaign of murder and pillage. Their
forest villages abound with the spoils of a thousand
raids. These include innumerable rifles, and many
Brazilian children. They seem to delight in clubbing
to death defenceless women and carrying away into
captivity their little ones. The Brazilians have taken
to reprisals, often shooting Indians at sight, and so the
war goes on.
"It was to the task of reaching these Indians with
the Gospel as far back as 1927, our veteran missionary,
Mr. E. J. Wootton, dedicated himself, after spending
some time among a 'tame• section of the same tribe
on the neighbouring river Araguaya. This section was
pacified by R.C. Priests. Mr. Wootton with a 'tame'
Indian, who acted as his interpreter, met with the
'wild' Indians who carried off the interpreter's wife.
He never saw her again. Bad health compelled Mr.
Wootton to abandon the attempt. In later years a
Roman Priest has made several contacts with the 'wild•
Kayapos, distributing generous supplies of axes, knives,
etc., in his attempt, at Government expense, to pacify
them.
"In April, 1935• Fred Roberts, Fred Wright and
Fred Dawson, set out from our Mission base in Santa
Isabel, with the Kayapos as their objective. The
Mission knew that long weeks would elapse without
news of the party, but with the passing of months,
anxiety increased, until in February of this year, Jock
us The Three Freda
and I were called from our respective stations to form

a search party.
"We left Para on April ']th. Five days up the Amazon,
nine days up the Xingu, two days up the Fresco, which
is an affluent of the latter, and we reached Nova Olinda,
the last Brazilian village and the terminus of organized
river transport. There we found the extensive kit
belonging to the 'Three Freds,' including the metal
sheets with which they had hoped to protect them-
selves. We learnt that last May the party had left in
their small home-made motor boat, on what was
intended to be an exploration of the Rio Zinho, a
tributary which joins the Fresco at Nova Olinda. It
is well known locally that the lair of the Kayapos
lies beyond an enormous cataract known as the 'Smoke
Falls,' in the headwaters of the Rio Zinho.
"At the foot of these Falls the R.C. priest usually
distributes his presents to the Indians, though last
year, following in the wake of the 'Three Freds' for
some mysterious reason the Indians insisted on him
returning when within a kilometre of his goal. We,
therefore, felt that·' Smoke Falls' held the key to the
mystery of the disappearance of the 'Three Freds'
and· began to arrange men and canoes for our journey.
"All was ready by April 28th, and with two canoes,
manned by six well-armed Brazilian recruits and a
Peruvian volunteer, we began our ascent of the Rio
Zinho. On the second day we began to find recent
traces of the Indians, including many rafts, and on
the fourth day we arrived at the foot of what is the
first of a long series of rapids, quite unnavigable. The
'Three Freds' had cleared a track through the forest,
for about half-a-mile, to a point above the rapid, where
"Their Name Liveth for Evermore" 119
navigation was again possible. To transport their motor

boat overland, they had constructed, with no little
effort and ingenuity, a wooden trolley. We were not
long in discovering that others had passed that way
since the three Britishers. Numerous trees had been
felled in a deliberate attempt to block the track, while
the trolley had been taken far from its hiding place
and hacked into small pieces. Scores of rustic houses,
which had until quite recently accommodated anything
up to a thousand Indians, stretched away into the
forest on either side of the track. Had we arrived a
couple of months earlier we should have found our-
selves in a veritable hornets' nest, and that without
warning. It was quite obvious that the Kayapos had
intendP.d that no one should pass that rapid. We were
not in the least surprised when most of our local
recruits refused to proceed. What they most feared
was an attack by the Indians, who were evidently not
far away, as we dragged our heavy canoes overland.
Before leaving, we left in a sealed bottle, conspicuously
displayed, a record of our venture, so that in the
case of it being all well with our colleagues they might
eventually know of our vain attempt to reach them.
"In Nova Olinda, contrary to expectation, we were
able to enlist new men, and ,in a few days we were
away again, this time with three canoes, nine men,
and a definite plan of action. On arrival at the rapid,
we discovered that the Indians had been investigating
during our absence, and had taken possession of our
letter. We decided on an armed occupation of the
canoe track during our absence beyond the rapid,
and left three of the men, securely entrenched, with
a big canoe, below the rapid-in case of emergency.
120 The Three Freda
Having thus prepared for a possible attack by the

Indians, we carried the two small canoes overland'
and proceeded up-stream with six men, our hammocks,
rifles, ammunition and a week's rations of farinha,
which was as much as the canoes would hold. Dis-
comfort was the chief feature of the next few days.
A roasting sun, from which there was no shelter,
swarms of giant 'piun,' which brought blood with
every sting, mosquitoes which drove us to our mosquito
nets at nightfall, rapids which necessitated scrambling
from rock to rock while the Brazilians hauled up the
canoes. The freshest of traces of the Indians abounded
on every hand, yet, if the Indians had s.een us they
deliberately refrained from making themselves seen.
We spent hours learning snatches of their dialect
from notes provided by Mr. Wootton, occasionally
shouting a few words intended to be friendly into the
silent forests on either bank.
"Our next clue was the point where the 'Three
Freds' had slept. Their initials were cut into a tree,
and a heap of boards indicated that they had for
some reason demolished the cabin of their boat, which
had sheltered both motor and passengers from sun
and rain, and which might have afforded some small
protection from arrows in case of an attack. We also
found a petrol tin of farinha, which the missionaries
had hidden in anticipation of their return to Nova
Olinda. The farinha was stale and smelly and we
returned it to its hiding place, wondering why· the
sharp-eyed, ever hungry Indians had overlooked it.
"The next five days were devoid of clues. With a
food supply almost exhausted and unable to shoot
game for fear of angering the Indians, it seemed
"Their Name Li veth for Evermore" 121
inevitable that we should return without definite news.

However, on the 12th day from Nova Olinda, tired and
hungry, we reached 'Srlioke Falls,' the last navigable
point on the river. At the foot of the Falls, waterlogged
and half hidden in a creek, we espied the motor boat
of the 'Three Freds.' While two of the Brazilians
mounted guard with rifles at the ready, the other men
somewhat unwillingly dragged the boat from its hiding
place and began to bale out the water. Our words were
few as the receding water revealed what had happened.
The mutilated boat and motor spoke of savage blows
with axe, knife and club. Could the 'Three Freds'
have fared better than their goods? A search of the
surrounding bush revealed but a heap of what had
been clothing, the cloth now almost destroyed by white
ants. The ground upon which we stood seemed holy,
as we sought to visualise the scene enacted there a whole
year ago. The roar of the cataract, swirling at our
feet, became the voice of a great multitude, as the voice
of many waters in a ceaseless pren over the depths
which may have become the sepulchre of the dauntless
three. We found nothing more, not even a sign to
indicate that the brethren had camped there for a
single night or even a meal. A curtain of doubt for
the present at any rate, must conceal that meeting with
the Indians, though it would seem that the roar of the
motor had angered them, serving to gather them together
in great numbers to await the Missionaries' arrival at
the foot of the Falls.
"Certain it is that the Indians have done everything
possible to hide their crime. The rudder had been
wrenched from the boat to enable them to drag it into
the creek. The Priest was not allowed to visit the Falls,
I22 The Three Freda
lest he should discover other evidence of what they had

done. Incidentally we heard from various witnesses
that the Priest in the past instructed his interpreter
to tell the Indians that any other man but himself, who
sought to reach them, was not a friend but an enemy,
but even so they were not willing that he should know
how literally they had believed his words.
"Our next thoughts were for our own safety. We were
in Indian country, without food, and some two hundred
miles from the stale farinha left by the 'Three Freds.'
Combined hunger and fear is a great antidote to sleep
and our crew paddled for thirty-eight consecutive
hours, though Jock and I managed to snatch a few
hours' sleep in our respective canoes. Our most anxious
hours were those preceding our arrival at the rapids,
where we had left the sentinels. We passed what were
obviously riverside approaches to nearby villages,
places where conversation and comment was only
possible in whispers and where even the paddles were
silenced as we glided by. In my own opinion, remorse
and fear of the spirits of the dead, may have resulted
in the Indians abandoning the vicinity of 'Smoke
Falls,' moving their villages to the locality of the lower
rapids, which would account for the abundance of
fresh trails in that region. Were the 'Three Freds'
merely prisoners it is unlikely that the Kayapos would
abandon their traditional hunting grounds, from which
distance alone would render escape impossible, they
being hundreds of miles from safety. From the present
location of the Indians, it would be comparatively easy
to escape, seeing that Nova Olinda is so near. Great
was our relief to find that our three sentinels had been
left unmolested during our absence, and their willing
"Their Name Liveth for Evermore" 12.3
hands and sturdy shoulders were soon helping to trans-
port the canoes over the half mile of land track which
separated us from safety. Nova Olinda was reached on
the I 5th day, our arrival being followed by that of a
destitute Brazilian family, whose home, some distance
away, had just been raided by the Kayapos; the mother
having been saved from being kidnapped by a timely
rifle bullet.
"Some, in the absence of proof positive to the contrary,
will yet conserve the hope that the Three are still alive,
though prisoners and unable either to escape or even
to gain the river bank to leave some indication of their
existence. While quite conscious that the evidence
might admit the slight possibility of this, Jock and I
are convinced that the brethren are with Christ. To
obtain positive proof, nothing short of a regiment to
invade the villages themselves would be sufficient, but
this would involve such a conflict that all chances of
pacification would be for ever lost. The more excellent
way is to continue the attempt to evangelize the Kayapos
though by other methods. This was the last written
request of the 'Three Freds' discovered when we
opened their baggage. They had bequeathed all their
kit to those whom God may raise up for the continuance
of the task, which cost them their all.
"The journey back to Para has taken us three weeks.
Remember with us the sorrowing ones, for they had
many loved ones. One thing we know that while on
earth hearts may ache, and even question, there are
those in heaven who would envy both the 'Three
Freds' who have endured all for Christ's sake and the
Gospel's as well as those whose honour it is to give
their sons for the evangelization of the world.
The Three Freda
"Jock and I are very conscious that it is of the Lord's
mercies that we are not consumed. We are grateful
for your intercession and throughout a long and arduous
journey your prayers have prevailed.
" Let us pray and not faint for the grave will surefy
be swallowed up in victory.
" Yours sincerely,
" Still for Christ and the Indians,
(Signed) " HORACE BANNER
"WILLIAM JOHNSTONE"
EPILOGUE
Their last request to us
"BRETHREN, STAND BY US AS ONE MAN-
Continue to pray for us, and sho11ld the ,,esult be that whi'ch
I suppose we least want, pray and send others out to continue
what the Lord has commenced. Remember He ditd for the
Indians of South America."
Our response
THE "THREE FREDS" MEMORIAL FUND
We feel that the death of these three young men is a
challenge to us to go forward, and occupy the hostile
territories ot South America for Christ.
It is therefore proposed to institute a Memorial Fund,
which will commemorate those faithful servants of Christ,
and at the same time provide the means for an advance into
Unevangelized Fields.
A gift of £100 has already been received, and we accept
it as a sign that God would have us go on with this venture.
Our object will be to send out men, who shall take the
place of those who have laid down their lives, but as we are
very conscious that time is precious, we do not propose
to conserve the Fund until these new helpers are ready,
but we shall designate one or more of our present workers
to lead the advance and seize the occasion "while it is to-day."
It has been considered as very fitting that the first "THREE
FREDS" MEMORIAL MISSIONARY should be MR. JosEPH
WRIGHT, the brother of Fred Wright, who is already
occupying an advance post among the Indians at Sao Felix.
By this appointment, a memorial is at once raised which
may be rapidly extended throughout the land.
Here then is a great opportunity of demonstrating to
the heathen world that the love of Christ does indeed
constrain, and we invite you to have fellowship with us
in this glorious adventure.
What better or more fitting memorial could they have?

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NORTH-EASTERN BRAZIL

LEONARD HARRIS JOSEPH WRIGHT

May 1937· Went to meet the Has heard the call to go to

MARSHALL, MORGAN & SCOTT, LTD.

THE THREE FREDS

Amazonia, land of forests

Lord, the time is quickly passing,

THE " THREE FREDS ,, both in life and death, showed

God regardless of whether they, or their fellow men,

II. PIONEERING AMIDST PRIMEVAL FORESTS 24

"The noble army of martyrs praise Thee, 0 God."

Congo, and the head-hunters of the great Fly, river of

villagest. and raise their own crops of mandioca, their

"BRETHREN, STAND BY US AS ONE MAN

untamed Indian intimately these hopes would be with-

down the years. No human selection had called together

At the fork of the Xingu, with its affluent the Fresco,

qualified as the leader of this difficult task. The fqllow-

jour~y a bottle was left in which they placed a letter.

yet to be assured of a gained crown. The 'Three

The Brazilian crew refused to proceed, and the two

Men of these Brazilian forests. Common humanity

FoR difficulty and hardship in travel it would be im-

half an hour or more to cross. We first put our pack

round, after which travelling is impossible, unless it

the world. The meal is accompanied by black coffee,

fireside and the company of loved ones, there has crept

If the traveller at the close of the day arrives at

"As ye travel Preach ! "

[Photos: U11evangelised F ields Mis sion

[Photos: Unevang elis ed Fields Mission

was ·the day for which we missionaries had lo~ed

year old lad, who was to go to the village most feared

Lord. As we paddled down the river in our small

would have a parish of some 58,000 persons, scattered

grace. We would willingly go through much more

and worthy, and devoted under all circumstances. He

"The family with whom I am stopping are the only

sending out seaworthy ships. May the Lord send out

home. He was great about the home, handsome in

was highly esteemed, exceptionally strong in physical

At Melbourne Bible Institute he was loved by all,

"Rise from your dreams of the future,

THE day for the great adventure has arrived. Our

Wright, of Ireland, and I are still in the best of health,

ignorant of the gospel as the Indians, although they

FROM US AGAIN FOR SOME TIME, BUT

The following is the last letter written by Fred

Continuing another letter, he says: " During our

WHICH I SUPPOSE WE LEAST WANT, PRAY

"Pray for us, it is so easy to get cold and lazy nowa-

no end of a job to get rid of them. Beetles gone, the

Another message from Horace Banner: "Greetings

Josefa, the eldest of our school girls was married to

not having been answered one of them was heard to

confusion of counsels to our would-be murderers, and

Some further experiences and explorations as given

protection ', said the Brazilians. We did not ourselves

fresh meat, although an evolutionist would say we ate

from Grajahu to Santa Ignez, it is of no use. Our