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time immemorial.

RUGGED PATHS IN TAHITI.

At the general overthrow of idolatry, this image and the house in which it was kept were secreted, by some of her priests, in a cave among the mountains, and not produced till lately, when the whole was brought to market and sold, not for its value, but for its curiosity, as a signal memento of human folly and wickedness, when "such things were, and were, to" rational beings, "most dear and precious," yea, most sacred and awful.

Oct. 14. Yesterday and to-day we have been travelling up the interior valleys, gradually ascending among the rocky eminences, to visit a famous lake, called Pape Hira. The road, towards the higher regions, was exceedingly bad, being a mere foot-track, by which the people find their way to the forests of fei, or mountain-plantains, the most delicious of native fruit-trees, which grow in millions, all over the high lands, without cultivation, and, indeed, defy its restraints, refusing to thrive unless in the wild freedom of nature. This path runs over stony ground, through bogs, and across streams, in some places rapid currents, and in others sluggish drains that scarcely move along their deep channels of mud. In the course of thirteen miles we crossed the water seventythree times, occasionally wading, but more frequently carried on the shoulders of our attendants, till these (cheerful and patient as they always are) began to cry out, "Mea rahi te mauiui," great labor, great pain; whereon we took the hint, and plunged through thick and thin as well as we could. At length, leaving the river, we began to climb the precipitous sides of the mountains, tacking to and fro on rugged zig-zag lines scarcely broader than the sole of the foot, and where it was equally fearful for a light brain to look upward, downward, or onward, where the abrupt abyss, the pendent cliff, or the winding way, that seemed to lead to a point in the sky and there to break off, were unexpectedly disclosed, through vistas, or chasms, in the immensity of plantainfoliage, which, happily, so overclad the horrors and perils of the scene that our prospect was generally circumscribed, and we could find sufficient employment for our eyes in picking our steps. Here, too, the fern became a tree-a tree of tropical beauty, rising to the height of twenty-five feet, and spreading aloft a graceful tuft of plume-like leaves.

At the distance of fifteen miles from our starting-place we reached the object of our search-a lonely tarn, or lake, about a mile in circuit, of an oval form, and filled with ill

colored though sweet-tasted water, of a dirty green and not clear, probably from being stagnant and having little vent or supply, except when inundating rains swell it above the brim and flood the steeps, which roll their burthens down to the valley in numerous cataracts; the depth is very great. Pomare is said to have caused this gulf to be sounded, when, from what we can learn, it was found to be from five to six hundred feet. We understand, however, that a French officer who fathomed it found it not more than one hundred feet. It is probably a volcanic crater where water has usurped the former seat of fire. The banks, from the margin, dip very abruptly within the basin, while, on every side, the peaked and wooded hills tower with imposing grandeur, especially towards the north and west, where, to the probable altitude of two thousand feet, they seem to stand upright all the way, so imperceptible is the angle of incidence. Our companions say that this lake contains eels of enormous bulk, growing to the thickness of a man's thigh, and to six feet in length; but they are exceedingly fierce and difficult to catch-as may, indeed, be well imagined-if their existence be not rather traditional than authenticated, no other fish inhabiting these waters. In journeying from the northern to the southern divisions of the island, the natives sometimes choose to take this way, but the banks not being accessible, under many of the heights that hem the verge, they make rafts of the stems of plantains, two of which (the substance being porous and light) are sufficient to support a man's body. Having fastened these together, by means of a transverse stick, the person lies down upon them, at full length, and with his arms easily paddles himself across, and leaves his raft for the next traveller who wishes to return by the course that he came. Many of these slight conveyances being 'scattered on the shore, when we arrived, five boys, in our train, immediately selected each his raft, flung himself upon it, and sailed exultingly to the opposite side. All our men followed their example. A gun being fired, a hundred echoes chased each other round the hills; and the wild ducks, that brooded in their quiet abodes on the water-side, rose on the wing in flights that surprised us by their unexpected appear

ance.

We spent some delightful hours in this magnificent retirement, where, when the moon found us, about seven o'clock in the evening, we seemed to be out of the world,—so se

198

A NIGHT ON THE MOUNTAINS.

questered was the place, and so unearthly, to our excited minds and straining eyes, seemed the lights and shadows of those mighty forms, that stood, as they have stood for ages, here the forests, crags, and mountain-cones. On a mass of basaltic rock, impending over the lake, we sang hymns of praise to that great and gracious Being, in whose presence we found ourselves as truly here, as when we have seen his goings in the sanctuary. Here, too, we remembered those who were dearest to us, beyond the seas and continents of that world which Columbus discovered; and never were they dearer than when, in this wilderness, we gathered their spirits around our own, and, in fervent prayer, offered both, as living sacrifices, to Him with whom both were equally present, though separated from each other at the distance of half the globe.

Here, to close the day, we enjoyed the privilege of family worship, which was conducted in the Tahitian language by Mr. Davis. Afterwards, under a temporary shed, partly erected by our ingenious companions, we lay down to rest, spreading our mats and blankets on the ground. The natives reposed in conical tents of leaves which they had constructed for themselves. Meanwhile, during the nightwatches, and even till dawn of day, the birds sang among the branches. Their notes, indeed, were few and inharmonious, but we were in solitude, and their society was pleasant.

CHAPTER XXXI.

The Deputation at Eimeo-Discontents in Tahiti-A Cow slaughtered at Eimeo-Roby's Place-Style of Ancient Kings-Meridian Rainbow-Old Superstitions--The Deputation sail for the Pearl Islands -Chapel at Raivavai-Taro-grounds-Chapel opened-Interchange of Presents-Visit to Tubuai-Gospel introduced at Tubuai-Difficulties about the Sabbath.

Oct. 30. HAVING visited all the stations in Tahiti, and settled with the missionaries (so far as was practicable, and within the duties of our commission), all concerns, referring either to temporal or spiritual matters, we embarked on board the Endeavor schooner, lying here, this day, for Eimeo. The wind was favorable at setting out, but scarcely had we cleared the reef, at the entrance of Papeete harbor, when

STYLE OF ANCIENT KINGS.

199

the vessel was becalmed. As it appeared by the rippled water, at a distance of about two miles, that there was a lively breeze abroad there, we waited for some time, in hope that the wind would come to us, but, as it did not, it became necessary for us to go to it—that is, to use a ship's phrase, go to sea to seek a wind. This we did, and succeeded ;-a boat being employed to tow us towards the current of the gale, which blew fresh and strong, within a well-defined space, from the east; though a few yards beyond, on the southern side, whence we had come, the motion could not be felt. In the afternoon we reached Eimeo. Here there is but one missionary settlement-near the harbor of Taloo, originally called Papetoai, but now Roby's Place, in honor of the Rev. W. Roby, of Manchester-where most of the population reside.

Nov. 5. If, in the old religion of these islands, the very name of religion was desecrated through all its rites and ceremonies-for doctrines and precepts of morality it had none, -the natural pride of man, in every state of society showing itself in one fantastical form of folly and absurdity or another, here caricatured royalty with its puerile and preposterous assumptions. The king of every span of land was lord of the lives of his two or three hundred subjects, and assumed titles of distinction worthy of the Great Mogul, or the Emperor of China. Nothing in public was said or done by him, or to him, in the ordinary way. His house was called by a word which denotes the clouds of heaven; his canoe was the rainbow; when he went to any place he was said to fly thither. He and his queens had the sole privilege of riding across men's shoulders, which was their usual mode of travelling. No person was suffered to sit or stand above him, either within doors, or on board a vessel, whether canoe or strange ship. When he succeeded to the supreme authority, he altered according to his caprice a number of words in the language, rejected others, and substituted new ones of his own invention. Circumstances sometimes caused him to change his name. Old Pomare, the grandfather of the present infant king of Tahiti, having lost a son, was about to bury him on the shore, when the sea suddenly rushed in, and filled the receptacle prepared for the corpse, which the father was thereupon obliged to hang upon an aito-tree. After this, in memory of the incident, he chose to be called Vairatoaa, the exact signification of which we

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DISCONTENTS AT TAHITI.

have forgot. But besides their proper names, both the kings and chiefs had official ones, by which they were always addressed when exercising their rights or duties. Thus Pomare has become the sovereign title of Tahiti ; but when the king of Tahiti is in Eimeo, he is styled Teraitua, which is the sovereign title here. These are trifles, certainly, but they are characteristic of human nature itself, infatuatedly fond of singularities, however petty, provided they imply superiority of rank. Man is every where an aristocrat; the tyrant and the demagogue are only varieties of the species.

Nov. 7. Tidings are just arrived which we are grieved to hear. It is reported that there have been some alarming symptoms of popular commotion in Tahiti, since we left that island; that a few days ago, a chief there had objected to comply with the enactment in the revised code of laws, whereby the people are required to pay a quarter of their produce to the governors of districts, in addition to their ordinary tribute to the royal family. For this and some other refractory conduct, he was summoned to take his trial, in the usual way, at Papaoa. He sent back an answer of contempt, or rather defiance, saying, haughtily, "If I come, my friends shall come with me, and know what offence I have committed." A general meeting of chiefs and people was forthwith assembled at Pare, whither vast numbers resorted, many of whom brought their spears and muskets with them, which they hid in the neighboring bushes, to be ready, in case hostilities were commenced by any party. The affair, however, was happily compromised, after much altercation, and the multitude dispersed peacefully to their homes, in the evening.

While we were here, Mr. Henry, whose herd of cattle (a bull and seven or eight cows) we mentioned formerly, proposing to treat us with something like an old English dinner, had one of his cows slaughtered on the outside of his compound, or inclosure about the house. This was the first event of the kind, the stock having hitherto been carefully bred up. The skin of the slain animal was stretched upon the branches of a tall tree, about four hundred yards from the slaughtering-place, and the carcass was removed to an out-building to be cut up. Soon afterwards, while we were sitting in the house, we heard a singularly low, then loud and lamentable, noise; and going out to see what was the matter-there stood the bull, amidst his family of cows, near the spot yet stained with blood; all seemingly mourning in