CHAP. VI. gospel to those who are, as we were, living in darkness, having no God and no hope; this is a new and a wonderful event brought about by the great love of the Almighty."*

communi

cants.

Proportion of It deserves to be mentioned, that the proportion which the number of communicants bears to the large congregations who attend divine service is very small. Indeed, it was not until the missionaries had laboured ten years among the heathen of Cook's Islands that a church, in their sense of the term, was regularly constituted, or any natives admitted to the more solemn sacrament. Even then, not more than six were thought sufficiently instructed to commemorate with due knowledge and devotion the death of the Redeemer. At present, the members may be stated at three hundred, most of whom have been regularly catechised and watched with a vigilant eye by the several ministers, whose cause and character are felt to be at stake. Concerning Ngatangiia, the superintendent writes that the congregation amounts to about eighteen hundred, and that since the formation of the church in 1833, a hundred and sixty-eight baptized persons have been received into its fellowship. Of these, twenty-two have been removed by death, and seven have Statistics of been sent forth as native teachers. The schools, including those held on Sunday, contain a thousand children; and in the adult seminaries, the number under instruction is three hundred and eighty. At Titikaveka, another station in the same island, the congregation is not less than seven hundred; the children at school are four hundred and ninety, and the adults upwards of two hundred. At Avarua, a third station, the congregation amounts to thirteen hundred; the members to ninetyone; the young pupils are five hundred and ninety-nine; and the older ones are rated at four hundred and ninety. The congregation at Arorangi is given at eleven hundred; the communicants fifty-six; the children under

the stations

Forty-seventh Report of the Missionary Society, for the year 1841, p. 4.

instruction five hundred and twenty, and the adults four hundred and fifty-five. Similar statements might be given illustrating the progress of divine knowledge and civilisation in Aitutaki, Atiu, Maute, Mangaia, and Mitiaro. In the smaller islands, indeed, all the inhabitants are Christians; give due heed to the ordinances of religion; and manifest an eager desire to have their children instructed in the principles of their creed, as well as in the arts which minister to the happiness and embellishment of social life.*

CHAP. VI

provement

The attention of the reader must have been arrested General by the fact, that the blessings conveyed to the natives of social imPolynesia are not confined to benefactions of a purely spiritual nature, but have extended also to commerce, manufactures, and general improvement. It is indeed manifest that, while the missionaries devoted their best energies to the instruction of the people in the truths of the christian faith, they have at the same time been anxious to impart a knowledge of all that is calculated to increase their comforts and elevate their characters. It is maintained, with considerable force of argument, that until a people are brought under the influence of religion, they have no desire for the arts and usages of civilized life. The English teachers were in Otaheite many years, during which they built and furnished houses in the European style; but though the natives saw these, not one of them imitated the example. As soon, however, as they were brought under the influence of Christianity, the chiefs and even the common people began British to erect neat cottages, and to manufacture bedsteads, seats, and other articles suited for domestic accommodation. The females had long observed the dress of the missionaries' wives; but as long as they continued heathens, they greatly preferred their own, and there was not a single attempt at imitation. No sooner, however, were they converted to the laws of the gospel, than they all aspired to the possession of a gown, a bonnet,

Forty-fifth Report of the Missionary Society, p. 14-16.

Adoption of

customs

CHAP. VI. and a shawl, that they might appear like christian women. In a word, while the islanders were under the influence of their superstitions, they were bound by a feeling of torpor from which no stimulus was found sufficiently powerful to rouse them, until the new ideas were Wide sweep imparted to their minds by European evangelists. Hence of missionary there is reason to expect that the experience of a few more years will remove all doubt as to the fact that missionary enterprise is the most effectual means that has ever been employed to advance the social, civil, and commercial, as well as the moral and spiritual interests of mankind.*

Ifluence.

All their pursuits, indeed, in their unconverted state, were regulated and inspired by a religious feeling. Even their most atrocious crimes, human sacrifice and infanticide, had a reference to the authority of the gods and the practice of their deified chiefs. The sanction of heaven was supposed to warrant the darkest scenes that clouded the intercourse of their countrymen in their heathen state; hence, when they adopted a new faith, they were prepared by their former association of ideas to admit a change of habits, extending even to dress, food, and habitations. One style of apparel suited the pagan votaress; another was required as more suitable to the christian worshipper.

Williams' Missionary Enterprises, p. 581.

CHAPTER VII.

Tonga, Fijee, and Navigators' Islands.

Tonga or Friendly Islands discovered by Tasman-Visited by Cook-Amiable Qualities of the Natives-Improved State of their Country-Conspiracy against Cook-La Perouse, Edwards, and D'Entrecasteaux-The Ship Duff arrives there in 1797-Missionaries landed-Intrigues of Connelly, Ambler, and Morgan-Generous Conduct of Moomooe-The Chiefs Finou and Mytyle-The Duff leaves the Islands-Death and Funeral of Moomooe-Toogahowe protects the PreachersAmbler and Morgan-Details relative to Inhabitants-Warlike Habits derived from the Fijces-Civil War, Toogahowe murdered-Character of Toobo Nuha, and of Finou his Brother-Speech of Young Finou-Attack made upon Missionaries-Error as to the Number killed-Friendly Islands visited by Williams-Declaration of Finou-Wesleyan Missionaries had already begun their Labours-Arrangement with those of the London Society-Fijees a distinct Race from the Friendly Islanders-Christianity introduced-Cannibalism-A native Feast-Navigators' Islands discovered by Bougainville-Visited by La Perouse, and by KotzebueIncidents mentioned by the latter-These Islands extremely important-Exertions of the Chief Fauea-Progress of the Missionaries-Conduct of Malietoa-Motives of Conversion -Number of professed Christians-Beneficial Effects of the Gospel.

Ir must be considered entirely as a matter of convenience CHAP. VII. on what principle the numerous islands in this part of Classification the South Sea shall be distributed; for, except the date of the groups. of discovery, there is no particular in which one cluster can be said to differ from another. The Tonga, the Fijee, and the Navigators', for example, are so closely

P

CHAP. VIL associated in regard to position and physical character, that it seems impossible to assign any other reason why they should not all be considered as one group, than that they have been variously named by successive visiters.

Discovery of

Islands.

Following the usual arrangement of geographers, we the Friendly shall begin with the Friendly Islands, the principal members of which, it is well known, were discovered by Tasman, a Dutch seaman, in the year 1643, and afterwards more minutely examined by Captain Cook. In the eyes of both these distinguished voyagers the inhabitants of Tongataboo appeared extremely amiable and generous, whence originated the complimentary epithet applied by the Englishman to their country. The former, secing no arms among them, was thereby induced to believe that the reign of peace must have been for ever undisturbed in those happy regions; an impression which a more minute acquaintance with their habits and the course of subsequent events have altogether removed. On grounds equally fallacious, Tasman concluded that, being ignorant of all religion, they were strangers to the practice of worship in any one of its forms. He saw no temples, no idols, no priests; but observed that they had a devout veneration for the serpent-brood. One of them took up a water-snake, and with great reverence put it upon his head, and afterwards replaced it in the sea. They seem, indeed, to have carried their respect for life so far as not to kill even a fly, though these insects were exceedingly numerous, proving an actual plague to the island. It is stated that the natives had made considerable progress in agriculture; that the ground was divided into portions of a regular shape, where fields and gardens were neatly laid out; and that the latter were filled with plants and trees, which, besides being pleasing to the eye, diffused a delightful odour.*

The state of agriculture.

Tasman's Voyage is described in Dalrymple's Historical Collection of Discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean, vol. ii. p. 63. His relation is derived from the work of Vallentyn, who is supposed to have had access to Tasman's original Journal.