DEPARTURE FOR ENGLAND. 221 delightful intercourse with our missionary friends and the kind people of the settlement. Early in the month of November we again took leave of our friends and fellow-labourers, hoping to revisit them when we should return to the Pacific; feeling, at the same time, that with regard to some, perhaps many, we should not meet again in this world, but cheered with the anticipation of meeting in a region where parting would be unknown. When our anchor was raised and our sails spread, the vessel moved slowly out of the harbour. The day was remarkably fine, and the wind light, and both these afforded opportunities of leisurely surveying the receding shore. As the different sections of the bay opened and receded from my view, I could not forbear contrasting the appearance of the district at this time with that presented on my first arrival in 1818. There was the same rich and diversified scenery; but instead of a few rustic huts, a fine town, two miles in length, now spread itself along the margin of the bay; a good road extended through the settlement; nearly four hundred white plastered native cottages appeared, some on the margin of the sea, others enclosed in neat and well-cultivated gardens. A number of quays were erected along the shore; the schools were conspicuous; and prominent above the rest was seen their spacious chapel, since rebuilt, and now capable of accommodating 2000 worshippers. The same individuals who on the former occasion had appeared uncivilized and almost unclothed islanders, now stood in crowds upon the beach, arrayed in decent apparel, wearing hats and bon. nets of their own manufacture; while beyond the settlement their plantations and their gardens adorned the mountain's side. These were but indications of a greater change among the people. All were professing Christians. Most of them could read the Bible, and between four and five hundred had been united in churchfellowship. This number has been increased to five hundred, who are walking in the ordinances and commandments of the Lord blameless. Agriculture has since increased, and some acres are now planted, or preparing for the culture of coffee. Such was the state of general improvement in Huahine when we paid our last visit, in the close of the year 1824; and although the subsequent accounts have been at times of a checkered complexion, they have not been more so than might be expected, and have, upon the whole, been such as to afford matter for sincere gratitude to the Most High, and encouragement to all interested in the moral and spiritual improvement of mankind. CHAPTER XI. Efforts of the natives to propagate Christianity-Amount of early contributions-Effect of annual meetings-Exertions of the first converts-Description of the Paumotus, or Dangerous Archipelago-Visits of the people to Tahiti-Their reception of Christianity-The number and situation of the Marquesas-Their appearance and productions Population, dress, and figure of the natives-Tatooing-Disposition--Government--War and cannibalism-Attempts to introduce Christianity among their inhabitantsPitcairn's Island-Descendants of the mutineers of the Bounty-Waihu or Easter Island-Cape Horn-Juan Fernandez-Alexander Selkirk. CHRISTIANITY, universally received, and, we have reason to believe, firmly established, in the Georgian and Society islands, having overcome the combined opposition of idolatry, priestcraft, interest, and pride, with the barriers of depravity and abomination, which so long despised its authority, and resisted its appeals-and having survived the more fatal treachery of the enemies that have adopted its name and assumed its garb-has not been confined to those islands. Acknowledging the command of Christ to "teach all nations, and preach the gospel to every creature," to be obligatory on all his disciples imbibing somewhat of the true spirit of Christianity, which is not restrictive and selfish, but expansive and communicative-animated by the spirit of the primitive Christians, and imitating their example-the members of the first Polynesian churches no sooner enjoyed the advantages of religion themselves, than they adopted vigorous measures for imparting them to others. Some notice of their efforts to communicate a knowledge of Christianity to other tribes in the Pacific, of the islands to which they have sent their missionaries, and others more or less connected with these, will, it is presumed, not be unacceptable, as presenting a more distinct view of the relation these islands bear to Tahiti and the adjacent group. An account has already been given of the formation of missionary societies in Tahiti, Eimeo, and Huahine. Others were afterward established. Their first remittance to London was in 1821, and amounted to nearly 1900l. The Raiatean society, besides maintaining at its own expense six native missionaries, sent to England, in 1827, 300l. This sum, and the liberal contributions from other associations, would have been greatly increased, could the productions in which the native subscriptions were furnished have been disposed of to the best advantage. The anniversaries of the native societies, and their public missionary meetings, continue to prove to the inhabitants seasons of delightful satisfaction. At these meetings their pleasure has been heightened by the details of native missionaries who have returned from distant islands, and the exhibition of rejected idols from countries where formerly they had been worshipped. Inhabitants of remote islands have appeared at their meetings, as ambassadors from the tribes to which they belonged, requesting that books and teachers might be sent to their native land; and chiefs and kings have also at these periods publicly, with gratitude to the true God, returned the native churches their acknowledgments for sending them instructers. At the missionary anniversary held at Raiatea, in 1828, the king of Rarotoa, an island seven hundred miles distant, and containing six or seven thousand people, stood up, and, in his native dialect, thanked the Raiatean Christians for sending the gospel to his island, and delivering him and his people from the bondage of idolatry, and sin, and death. ent befor The native churches are daily extending the range of their benevolent operations; their vessels penetrate where no ships ever went before, and their missionaries land where no foreigner has dared to set his foot on shore. Yet, wherever they have been, the merchant or the sailor may now safely follow, and he will meet with hospitality and kindness. The following account will appropriately illustrate this remark. On his passage from Tahiti to New South Wales, in 1825, in the brig Brutus, Mr. Nott touched at Aitutake (the Whylootakie of Cook). Native teachers had been there above three years. The inhabitants were Christians. The passengers landed; and when the natives found a missionary among them, they requested he would preach to them, and about 1000 soon assembled. The islanders showed their visiters every possible kindness, accompanied them to the ship when they embarked, and carried a number of supplies as a present to the captain. After stating these facts, Mr. Nott, in a letter, dated May, 1825, continues : "The next island we called at was one of the Friendly Islands, Eooa, as written by Cook, and as we have it written on the charts, but which should be Ua. At this island, also, as there is no anchorage, we were obliged to stand off and on while the boat went on shore. Here a circumstance took place which, among many others, might be brought forward to show the value of missionary establishments. The boat reached the land with Capt. Forbes, the chief mate, and Mr. Torrance. They began to barter with the natives, and obtained several pigs, some plantains, cocoanuts, &c., but suddenly they were seized, and every thing was taken from them, without any offence being given. Axes were held over their heads, and knives applied to their throats; a rope was also brought, and formed with a noose, and hung over their heads, to signify to them what they must expect, if they offered to escape or resist. A ransom was then demanded, before they would let them return to us on board the brig, and the chief mate was sent off in the boat to fetch the property. But as it was dark when the boat reached the brig, it was not proper that she should return to the shore until morning. During the night, the prisoners, Capt. Forbes, Mr. Torrance, and another of the boat's crew, were kept in the greatest terror, with a strict guard, and continual threats. In the morning, the boat was sent on shore with muskets (or rather fowling-pieces of considerable value), powder, and cloth, to the amount of 30l. or 40l., and a NewZealander, who was on board with us, was sent to negotiate the affair, the people being afraid to venture on shore again. The chief received the property, and Capt. Forbes was permitted to come on board the brig, but Mr. Torrance was detained till more property should be sent on shore, which was done by the boat, and taken on shore by the New-Zealander. Mr. Torrance was then permitted to come off to us. At this instant Capt. |