assumed the name of Pomare, by which name, therefore, he who has been hitherto designated Otoo, will hereafter be mentioned in this narrative. The Missionaries were indefatigable in their labours to instruct the natives; and their endeavours to teach and catechise the children were truly laudable. During the years 1804 and 1805, they had to contend with many discouragements: the natives turned a deaf ear to their persuasions, and they were a long time without intelligence or supplies from the Board of Directors. A letter from the society of Missionaries at Otaheite, dated the 29th of July, 1805, is acknowledged by the Directors in London, on which the following remarks are made in the Evangelical Magazine for July, 1806. "From the general strain of their letters, it appears that the want of success, and the want of society, with their long continued disappointment in not receiving supplies and letters from England, have concurred to render them uncomfortable; so that some of them have entertained serious thoughts of leaving the island. Mr. Jefferson, we are sorry to hear, has but a very indifferent state of health. Peace is enjoyed; but the natives discover a violent propensity to procure implements of war. Another of Pomare's family is dead. Both the king and queen are in bad health. The Missionaries have sent a great curiosity, a short letter to the Directors, written by the king's own hand. He applies himself much to the attainment of the English language, in which he is likely, if he lives a few years, to make a tolerable proficiency: but

his subjects have not as yet discovered the same laudable disposition." The language of the Missionaries, in their letter, is, "Instructions continue to be given to the inhabitants of the land in the things of God, but apparently none savingly profit by them; so that, as we at first found them, they seem to remain, gross idolaters, enemies to God by wicked works, without God, without Christ and without hope; yet it must be confessed, that very many of them have a considerable, though unsanctified, knowledge of the doctrines of Christianity." A war of short duration broke out in 1807 between Pomare and the people of Attahooroo; several chiefs, and some hundreds of the people, were killed, before a peace was concluded. A regular vocabulary of the language of Otaheite, and an essay towards a grammar, were sent to England by the Missionaries. Mr. Jefferson, that devoted servant of his Lord, finished his earthly course on Friday night, September 25th, 1807. Death was not to him the king of terrors; he was a long time waiting for, and desiring his dismission from the body; and though he did not experience raptures of joy, he possessed a settled peace of mind, and a firm persuasion of his interest in Christ. Some of his last words were, "Comfortable, comfortable! sweet, sweet! glory, glory be to Him!" The instruction of the youth at the close of this year was much more promising than that of the adults. A spelling book and catechism, in the Otaheitan language, were printed in London by the society, in

order to facilitate the instruction of the natives by the Missionaries.

In the year 1808 a very serious war broke out in Otaheite, which for some time threatened the dissolution of Pomare's government, and the total overthrow of his authority. The brig Perseverance, from New South Wales, being in Matavai Bay, the greater number of the Missionaries went on board of her with their effects, and arrived on the 12th day of November, 1808, at Huaheine, leaving at Otaheite, with Pomare, four single brethren, Messrs. Hayward, Scott, Nott, and Wilson. In consequence of a severe defeat, Pomare and the four Missionaries were obliged to fly to the island of Eimeo. The rebels at Otaheite on this occasion burnt the houses of the Missionaries, destroyed their gardens and plantations, and seized all their property. Three of the brethren at Eimeo removed to Huaheine, leaving only Mr. Nott with Pomare. The people of Huaheine gave the Missionaries a very friendly reception, and Messrs. Davies and Henry made a tour round the island, preaching on every favourable opportunity. Mr. Nott passed over there also.

At Otaheite, the rebels took possession of the Venus from Port Jackson, killed the first mate, took the crew prisoners, and appropriated to their own use the powder, stores, &c. composing her cargo. Captain Campbell arriving in the Hibernia, warned by a letter written by the king and the brethren while at Eimeo, escaped the same fate, retook the Venus, and ransomed the prisoners.

Pomare went back to Otaheite, and was again defeated in the district of Farna; he retreated to Opare, and resolved to keep his ground, if possible, till the arrival of a reinforcement from Raatea and Borabora. The Hibernia touched at Huaheine, and informed the Missionaries there was no prospect of Pomare's regaining the sovereignty; upon which all the Missionaries, excepting Messrs. James Hayward and Henry Nott, embarked in the Hibernia, October 26th, 1809, and arrived at Port Jackson, in New South Wales, on the 17th of February, 1810. From thence the Missionaries addressed two letters to the Directors in London ; the last, dated Sydney, New South Wales, March 5th, 1810, concludes in the following manner :

"And now we are here, we are willing to wait to know your mind on the subject, and to return to our former station, in case such measures are adopted as are likely, in the common course of things, to secure the permanence of the mission. It is with grief of heart we look back and review the many years we have spent in it, the dangers we have gone through, the labour we have bestowed, and the expenses that have been incurred; and all, apparently, to no purpose! May the good Lord sanctify this painful dispensation both to you and us. This is the sincere prayer of, honoured fathers and brethren,

"Your unworthy brethren and servants.

"JOHN DAVIES,

"For the Missionaries."

How dark and distressing was such a state of things, as it regarded the south sea islands, the Missionaries, and the Missionary cause. The Society in London were long without any satisfactory intelligence after the receipt of this letter.

Darkness, as to this their first Missionary effort, shrouded their hopes, and made them tremble for its state; but HE who makes light to spring up in darkness, who often reduces his people to the verge of despair, that they may be taught their own weakness, and to rely wholly upon HIM, was pleased at length to send them accounts in a letter from Eimeo, dated the 21st of October, 1812, more cheering than any they had ever received from thence.

In the year 1811, the Missionaries, who had left the islands in consequence of the civil wars which prevailed in 1810, returned to Eimeo, and resumed their faithful labours there. They had written fully to the Directors in London, on the 24th June, 1812, but their despatches never reached their destination. In their communication of the 21st October, they give very interesting information respecting the religious feelings of Pomare: "On the 18th of July he offered himself as a candidate for Christian baptism, declaring it his fixed purpose and determination to cleave to Jehovah, the true God, and to us his people, &c., expressing his willingness and desire to receive further instructions in the things of God, and requesting us to pray for him. He gave us to understand, that this resolution was the result of long and increasing conviction of the truth and excellency of our holy religion.