REMARKABLE PRESERVATION.

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CHAPTER XXIV.

Return to Huahine-Native Missionary Seminaries-Means of Grace— Deputation proceed to Raiatea-Conference-Ribbons of Bark—A Borabora Convert-Dungeons for Criminals-Tobacco, Sugar, and Salt prepared-Tamatoa, King of Raiatea-Trial and Punishment for Tatooing-Yoke-fellows-Pic-nic Parties-Superstitious Respect for a Scallop-shell-Raiatean Mythology-King formerly worshippedFeat of Juggling-Traditions-Investure of the Kings-Local Falls of Rain-Native Prediction.

Oct. 2. YESTERDAY evening, after taking a cordial farewell of our new friends in Rurutu, and each having planted a cocoa-nut, in the inclosure before the chapel, in memorial of our visit to this lovely little island, we re-embarked for Huahine, with a favorable breeze, south-east, which continued with us all day, and has already brought us far towards our desired and destined haven.

Oct. 8. We landed, on the 4th instant,-amidst thousands of welcomes from natives, hastening in canoes to meet us, or standing in crowds on the shore to receive us,at Huahine. The vessel in which we had performed this voyage or rather these two voyages-to the Sandwich Islands and back hither (between six and seven thousand miles), was scarcely eighty-four tons burthen, and by no means in the best condition. But the Lord led us all the way, and mercifully hid from us some of our greatest perils until He had delivered us from them. Then, indeed, we trembled to look back upon our very escapes, so signally was his good hand discovered-not when He stretched it forth, but as He withdrew it, after having accomplished our rescue. For example; -it was not till three days after our arrival here, that one of our crew, bathing and diving under our little bark, perceived that the rudder had broken two of the hinges or pivots on which it turned. Had the third yielded, we must have drifted over the trackless ocean, till we had been carried to some friendly port, wrecked on some hideous reef, had foundered in the fathomless abyss, or perished for want of food; wood and water had actually failed when we reached Rurutu-and our vessel might have been cast (as native canoes on these seas occasionally have been) upon some barbarous coast, with "all dead men" on board.

Our friends at Huahine, both Europeans and natives, have been overwhelmed with joy, astonishment, and thankfulness, to

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learn the extraordinary circumstances of our late unintended visit to the Sandwich Islands, and those blessed results, on which we may confidently calculate, in the establishment of Christianity there.

Oct. 15. The people presented captain Kent, of the Mermaid, with what is called a feeding here, in consideration of his attention to us, on our late voyages with him to and from the North Pacific. This feeding consisted of six large hogs, a great quantity of cocoa-nuts, some bread-fruit, and other presents of native growth or manufacture.

Oct. 16. At Mr. Barff's we held a long conversation on the importance of establishing a seminary in one of these islands for the education of native youths, expressly for the missionary work, as there is likely to be a great demand for such to carry the gospel to stations unvisited yet by European missionaries, and where indeed the latter cannot be spared to settle. Four promising boys, each about fourteen years of age, were mentioned by Mr. Barff as suitable candidates for such training, in which it was especially deemed necessary that they should be taught the English language. We have also held confidential conversations with the missionaries on various subjects connected with the economy, domestic and spiritual, of these remote establishments, which we trust will hereafter be benefitted by the results of our personal observations on the spot, and our communications with the directors of the Parent Society.

The Sabbath and daily devotions of the Christian converts here, including morning and evening family worship, and personal private prayer in retirement, being nearly the same in order and character with those which have formerly been described in Tahiti and Raiatea, need not be recapitulated here, further than by saying that, besides the public preachings and congregational assemblies for prayer, there are special meetings for children, for females, for married persons, for candidates for baptism, and other means of grace suited to all classes of the community. Huahine, indeed, is "a field which the Lord hath blessed."

Oct. 21. This day we sailed on board of a schooner, belonging to Tamatoa, for Raiatea, which we reached in safety, after an exceedingly pleasant cruise, having the islands of the leeward group, with their numerous motus, continually changing attitudes to our eye, as we changed place, and viewed them from new points, by morning, noon, and evening

lights and shadows, till the moon, rising from the ocean as night came on, threw all the mildness of her beauty over the scene. These volcanic islands appear to have been, as it were, flung upon the deep; but the hand that moulded their majestic forms by the agency of fire, and rooted them in darkness, has, since the conflagrations became extinct, been clothing them with verdure, and crowning them with fruits, while sun and stars have brought uncounted seasons;-till now they sit upon the waters, and tower to the heavens, among those mighty works of wisdom and goodness in which man, were he not himself both evil and foolish, would at once acknowledge and adore the eternal power and godhead of the Creator.

Oct. 22. Messrs. Orsmond, Barff, and Bourne, having arrived from Tahaa, and all the missionaries of the leeward group being present, we held a solemn conference with them on the various concerns of this station, especially on the removal of Mr. and Mrs. Ellis to the Sandwich Islands, and the establishment of two seminaries here, or at Huahine; one for the education of the children of the missionaries, and another for preparing natives themselves to go forth as missionaries to heathen lands, which our brethren were too few to visit and care for on the spot. It was unanimously decided that Mr. and Mrs. Ellis should be appointed to the new field of labor so providentially opened for them, and they were accordingly invited to undertake that charge by a letter, under the hands of the deputation and all their brother missionaries. No final determination could be adopted respecting the projected schools at present.

After the close business of this day, we were glad to refresh ourselves with an evening-walk along the southern beach. The neatly constructed houses of the settlement, in this and the contrary direction, are scattered amidst trees and plantations to the extent of two miles. Two streams fall into the sea in this line, over one of which a bridge, with wooden arches, has been thrown. On every hand we remark increasing evidences of enterprise and industry, of peace and plenty, of social order and religious principle. Observing on the bonnets of many of the females bows of ribbon, of different tints and curious patterns, some of which were exceedingly rich, we inquired how they had procured such ornaments, and were amusingly surprised to hear that these gay articles were nothing more than slips of the flexile inner bark of the purau

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tree, stained with various brilliant colors; and, moreover, that this discovery in native manufactures was the happy thought of a little girl at the school here, who had been rewarded with a real English ribbon for her ingenuity.

Mr. Orsmond mentioned a pleasing circumstance respecting an old man, of Borabora, who, under the idolatrous system, had been a famous priest, and enjoyed great wealth in land, hogs, and all the produce of the soil, as well as exercised corresponding influence by power and terror over the minds of the superstitious people; the kings and chiefs themselves. living in awe of him. This man has heard the voice of Him who said to Matthew, the publican, "Follow me;" and he rose up, forsook all, and followed Jesus. In consequence of this, he is become comparatively poor, and no more than an ordinary person. Being asked, afterwards, whether he did not repent of having embraced a religion which had cost him so much, he calmly replied, "Oh, no!—while I was an idolater and a priest, I could never lie down to sleep in peace. I was always in fear of being robbed or murdered before morning. Often have I awoke in the night, trembling with horror; and then I have sprung up and run among the bushes to hide myself, lest any one should come to kill me. Now I go to rest without suspicion; I sleep soundly, and never run into the bush for safety, because I know no danger. I might lie on my mat till it rotted beneath me, before any one would hurt me, by night or by day. I am happy; and therefore I do not repent of what I have done."

Oct. 26. As we were walking along the slope of the adjacent mountain, at the height of about three hundred feet, we found two pits, fifteen feet deep, each the width of a common draw-well at the top, and widening downwards. We were informed that these had been dug, as dungeons, for two refractory and profligate persons till they should be brought to repentance. The one was a woman, who had run away from her husband, and got herself tatooed, contrary to the law. When she was let down into this solitary place, she was told that she must remain there till she asked forgiveness and pledged herself to return to her husband. She continued contumacious for upwards of two days, when some of the loose earth, from above, falling in upon her, she was frightened, and thought it must be a papau, or ghost, that was coming to torment her. She therefore made a desperate effort, escaped from her confinement, and returned home, well

TAMATOA, KING OF RAIATEA.

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disposed to submit to her offended partner, who received and forgave her. The other culprit was the man who had tatooed her, and he was kept in captivity till he manifested satisfactory signs of contrition. The sustenance of each had been a small portion of bread-fruit and water while they were in durance.

Around the dwellings and up the valleys there are about a hundred and forty plantations, on which tobacco, recently introduced, is cultivated. A person named Scott, has come hither, from the colony of New South Wales, to instruct the inhabitants in the art of growing and curing this valuable article of commerce, as well as boiling sugar and preparing salt from sea-water on several of the coral motus off the shore. The fences of the inclosures are of bamboo, which thrives amazingly on this soil, overrunning the unbroken ground, and frequently shooting to the height of from seventy to eighty feet.

We are told that Tamatoa, the king of Raiatea, in his youth was sovereign also of Tahaa, Borabora, and Huahine, not only possessing the lands, as royal domains, but the absolute hau, or government. Some years ago, a chief, called Tapoa, made war upon him and conquered him; but, with extraordinary magnanimity, left the vanquished sovereign in possession of the lands, usurping only for himself the government, which he exercised till his death. Since then Tamatoa has recovered his authority in this island, but has given Huahine to the sister of Pomare's widow, and resigned his nominal sway over Borabora and Tahaa to their respective kings. Tamatoa is of the genuine royal blood, which, from time immemorial, has supplied princes to all these islands, both windward and leeward. He is a personage of most imposing presence, being six feet three inches high, and amply proportioned he has three brothers, of equal stature and corpulence, named Tahitoi, Taita, and Pahi. Since the gospel has been received here, a code of laws has been instituted, whereby life, liberty, and property are secured to all the people, and neither chief nor king can violate either of these. In lieu of the power of spoiling his subjects, at his pleasure, the king receives for himself and his family three annual contributions of cocoa-nut oil in January, of arrow-root in June, and of hogs in October. The chiefs are paid their rents in similar commodities.

Nov. 4. We were present at a court of justice, at which the king took his seat beside his brother Pahi, who is the chief