together with the loud screams of the natives, which we heard in every direction, led us to think that all was not safe. The rain, too, poured through the roofs of our houses, and in a few moments the mats, which constitute our floors, (or carpets,) were all on float. As it is but a few paces from our houses to the bank of the sea, we soon succeeded in digging drains, but the water had risen, in some parts of our houses, more than a foot, before they were completed. The whole surface of the ground was completely covered with water, that it could hardly be distinguished from the ocean itself, except by the waves of the latter, which dashed impetuously on the beach It was near morning before the rivulets of water ceased running through our houses. We secured our clothes in our trunks, by placing the trunks on our tables and chairs. Some

SO

of the clothes, however, in the bottom of the trunks, were wet, before we were aware of the danger. On Sabbath morning our house would hardly have been recognized as the dwellings of human beings. The mats were torn up to prevent them from spoiling, so that the grass, mud, and water-courses were exposed to open view, and presented an appearance not much resembling the floors of houses.

Strong influence of Superstitious Fears.

The pule anaana, or death-prayer, and the fatal influence it is supposed, by the SouthSea islanders, to exert upon life, have been alluded to in past volumes of the Missionary Herald. Mr. Richards makes the following remarks, as illustrating this superstition.

18. We were called to attend the funeral of a favorite boy of prince Kauikeouli. The order and decorum observed on the occasion were more than usually pleasing. The prince appeared well dressed, and wore badges of mourning. His attendants walked in procession after the corpse, all dressed in black tapa, according to the native style. Called also to visit another sick lad belonging to the same family with the deceased.

20. We were called again to visit the sick lad of the prince. We last evening found him trembling, and his extremities cold, but these were nearly all the signs of disease which we could discover. On particular inquiry, we were told, that the lad, whose funeral we attended two days ago, was prayed to death, and that the same sorcerer was engaged in praying this one to death. All supposed, therefore, that he

must die of course, whatever remedies should be used. We gave him opium, and applied bottles of hot water to his extremities. His attendants seemed surprised, when they saw him fall asleep, and found his extremities gaining their natural warmth. The boy seemed not less surprised himself, when he awoke in the morning, and found himself nearly well.

The natives, who are acquainted with the case, entertain different opinions in relation to it. Some think there was an extraordinary efficacy in our medicine; but others suppose, that the sorcerer either stopped praying, or made a mistake in his prayer. It is the universal opinion, that if a priest hesitates, or makes the smallest mistake in his prayer, its efficacy is destroyed. So great was the effect of this boy's alarm, that had there been no remedy used, we have no doubt the end would have been serious, if not fatal.

A similar instance has once occurred in our own family. We had caught a man stealing a piece of cloth from our yard, and sent the boys living with us, to recover it. They succeeded; but in recovering the cloth, accidentally tore the thief's tapa. He immediately threatened to pray them to death, and all supposed that he could do it with perfect ease, in consequence of their having torn his tapa. Had it not been for this accident, his prayers could have had no effect; but this threw the boys completely in his power. They were all alarmed, and one of them, notwithstanding all our arguments, appeared to believe there was no hope for him, except by regaining the favor of the thief. This he tried in vain to do. After three days, he was taken ill, and supposed he had but a few hours to live. We examined him, but could perceive no signs of disease, except fear. He lay in his house rolled up fn his tapa. With considerable difficulty we compelled him to come out, and engage in hard work. After working an hour, or two, he was convinced that he was not sick, and concluded that not only foreigners, but also the men who live with them, are proof against the pule anaana.

In a subsequent part of his journal, Mr. Richards gives the following cases, which come properly under this head, and are therefore transposed from their original place of entry.

Kaiko, one of the highest chiefs of the island, being taken sick, sent for one of the old priests to know what was his disease. After consulting the priest,

he concluded that some person was praying him to death. He immediately removed to a distant part of the village, where he called on his priest to offer sacrifices, and thus ascertain by whose prayers he was afflicted. The sacrifices were offered according to the ancient form, but no discoveries were made, and his disease was not at all removed. He then returned to his other place of residence, but still believed that his sickness was the effect of some pule anaana.

His half sister, Kiliwehi, had before this been sick with a similar disease, but had now apparently recovered. As soon as she heard of her brother's return, she came to make him a visit. The second day after her arrival, she played in the surf, as usual, but had not been out of the water more than half an hour, when, without a moment's warning, she became a corpse. As soon as Kaiko saw that she was dying, he called on one of the old priests to save her. The priest immediately addressed himself to one of his old gods; to which I do not know; but as his prayer was not now answered, he determined to pray to them no more. He is now attending the palapala, and prays to Jehovah every morning and evening.

Last week, I was called to visit another chief in his last moments. He has been failing for several months, and has, from the beginning of my acquaintance with him, exhibited a great interest in the Christian religion, and I have strong hopes that he has exchanged these regions of darkness for the regions of light. Just before his death, he earnestly requested baptism; but as it was too late for him to be regularly admitted to the church, or even to partake of the sacrament, and as we have baptized one person on the sick-bed, and that too without her receiving the supper, I thought it unadvisable to comply with his request. I feared establishing a precedent, which would lead others to suppose, that they would be entitled to baptism, even though their lives should not have been co.formed to the Gospel.

The deaths of these chiefs, and the prevailing sickness of the last six months, are the common subjects of conversation among the enemies of instruction, and furnish arguments against all our operations.

The belief in this kind of sorcery, is still nearly universal here. The process, by which the sorcerers attempt to effect their purposes, is a long and tedious one. You have had some account of it in our journal of last quarter.* The sor

See vol. xxi, p. 280.

cerer never mentions the name of the man, against whom he prays, nor even describes his person. Were he to do this, he would of course lose his reputation, in case the person should not die. But when a man dies, there is almost always some enemy, who says he prayed him to death. Many persons have in this way got their reputation established, and they are able to affright almost any person they please by mere threats.

Confidence in Dreams.

There has been an unusual mortality among the chiets, within the last two years. Of the thirty principal chiefs, who were living two years ago, ten are now dead. Reports are constantly in circulation, that the spirits of those who are dead have appeared to one and another, and forbidden all attention to the palapala. There is, also, a class of persons, who put all their confidence in dreams, and another class, quite as large, who are constantly dreaming against all that is good. One boy dreamed, that the sickness is all owing to the prince's confining himself so closely to study; he dreamed furthermore, that if the prince would make the tour of the island, stop at every village, and have a public cock-fight, this would end the sickness through the whole island. The young prince was much pleased with the dream, and was anxious to put a stop to the sickness by the proposed method. All his attendants joined him in his wishes, as also did some of the lower chiefs. At length the guardian of the prince became so indignant at what was said, that, to put a stop to all further talk, he in a public manner, when all the chiefs were assembled, said to them, "I am the guardian of Kauikeouli. When he desires to go round the island for any good purpose, he may go; but he shall never go in obedience to the command of the devil."

About the same time another boy dreamed, that the sickness was in consequence of all the houses being filled with akuas.* As a remedy for the sickness, the boy dreamed that all the houses must be burnt. Kauikeouli said it would answer the same purpose to burn a little grass from every house, for this would affrighten all the ukuas. His men, as soon as they heard this speech, instantly commenced burning, and it was but a moment before all Lahaina was illuminated. There was a strong breeze from the sea, and yet the piles of grass were lighted directly in front of our

*This word is used for any supernatural appear

ance.

houses, and not more than twenty feet from them. It was with some difficulty that we could extinguish them, and prevent their being rekindled.

Besides these superstitions, to which I have referred, there are also many reports, constantly in circulation, which are perfectly false, and yet have no connexion with any of their former, or present superstitions. One day it is re ported, that all the missionaries at Kairua, and Kaavaroa, are robbed. Another day we hear, that the mission house at Honoruru is burnt- Another day we hear, that the chiefs are about to send us all from the islands.

All these dreams and false reports are evidence that our instructions are exciting attention among the people. This attention is unquestionably increasing, and as it increases its enemies are more and more on the alert.

It was only day before yesterday, that an old woman, whom I should judge to be at least sixty years of age, came in and said, "I have become an old woman, and am now very near the grave. My heart has been bad all the days of my life, and I weep when I think of my ignorance. I have heard that Jesus Christ can make me better, and I have come to you to be taught. Give me a spelling book, and learn me the palapala."

Instances somewhat similar to this, are not rare, and they do much to keep alive our spirits, and animate us in our work. The darkness, superstition, and depravity, with which we are surrounded, would quite discourage us, were it not for the faint glimmering of light, which we see dawning in the hearts of a precious few. Though it is but a few glimmerings that we see, yet we believe there are stars here, destined to shine with brightness in the kingdom of our God. A light is surely kindled here, and though at present it is scarcely sufficient to enable us to discern the surrounding darkness, yet this light is spreading and spreading so rapidly, that there is scarcely a month that we do not perceive its progress. All that is necessary, is faithfulness on our part; and that we may be faithful in sowing the seed in this widening field, we need the prayers of all who love Zion.

Intercourse with Foreigners.

21. The quietness of the day has been much interrupted, and the number of attendants at meeting much less, in consequence of there being a vessel in the roads, and the officers having been ashore trading with the natives. Such examples as this are common. Many of our most serious difficulties VOL. XXIII,

arise from the influence of foreign example, which is almost uniformly pernicious. To this, however, there are some most honorable exceptions.

April 7. The ships are now all leaving the roads. During the stay of the vessels here, we have been gratified to see the favorable influence, which some of the officers have exerted on the natives. Even though they barely touch at the islands, yet they are able to see the improvement of the people. Capt. Folger and capt. Paddock, in an especial manner, remarked, that they could scarcely enter a single house without noticing how differently the people spend their time from what they formerly did. Formerly they were all engaged in play, now they were all en gaged in reading their books.

Sickness.

June 1. A few days after the em→ barkation of Mr. Stewart and family, our infant son was taken so violently ill, that, after a few hours, little hope was left of its recovery. While we were anxiously watching its alarming symptoms, Mrs. Richards, already worn down with fatigue and want of sleep, was attacked with something like the cholera morbus. We were at once taught what it was to want physician, nurse, and friend, as well as to be in want of many of the common comforts, which we once thought indispensable in the sick room. After a night spent in waiting on the sick, and turning the pages of medical books, the Sabbath arrived, and I saw a large concourse of people assembling to hear the "Gospel's charming sound," but there was no one to proclaim it. As the church joins our yard, I ventured to leave our house a sufficient length of time, to go and tell the people our circumstances. I also sung a hymn with them and returned. After I left them, Taua prayed, and made an address to the people.

When meeting was closed, several of the chiefs called on us to express their sympathy for us. On the whole, however, they were miserable comforters, for they were all followed by a numerous train of attendants, whose noise was not a little troublesome. But their noise was not the greatest inconvenience. Constant watching was necessary to see that the spoons, cups, and such other things as are usually iying about a sick room, were not all taken away by them. The day was indeed dark, and we could not look forward even to the night as a time of rest. On the next morning, however,

19

round of servitude and drudgery. And shall it be always thus? Shall their daughters be trained to servitude only? No-is the response of every female breast. Let us send them the Gospel, that they too may become respected, and useful, and happy.

Sufferings.

Some seem to suppose the Indians are so hardy, that they are incapable of suffering. I have taken notice of this; and I see, that the Indian feels pain and sorrow, as well as other men. When he travels over the bleak plains, amid the rains and the cold of January, with only a single blanket to cover him by day, and make his bed at night; then it is that he suffers by the cold. When his family is without food, and his gun misses fire, and the deer leaps awayperhaps the only deer he has seen for many hours,—then it is he suffers by hunger.

And in sickness, they greatly suffer, for want of suitable medicine and care. They have doctors: but these doctors are only miserable conjurors, who, in their applications, occasion more pain than they relieve.

a

Their principal remedy for almost all kinds of diseases, is cupping. The perforations are made by the point of a large hunting-knife sharpened on stone. Then the small end of a buffalo horn is applied, and the blood drawn out by sucking with the mouth.

And they have another still more painful operation. The limbs are punctured over in stripes and checks, till the blood gushes out. The object is, by means of a composition of green powder, to imprint durable marks which shall designate the person as virtuous and honorable. But the poor patient suffers exceedingly, from the consequent swelling and inflammation.

I will mention another instance. A father sat in sadness on the floor of his lodge. I knew not the cause, till he opened his blanket, and shewed his infant emaciated to skin and bones. He sat expecting it would die. Our phy. sician gave the child some simple medicine, and we left the village. Two years after, I happened to enter the same lodge, and the father called a little playful child, and said, to my surprise, "This is the child your doctor cured."

In their wars, they suffer much for want of medical and surgical aid, and much more, by that universal tremor and distress, which fills their minds, and agitates even their little

children, lest their enemies should fall upon them in some defenceless hour.

Mourning for the Dead.

Another scene arises to our view. It is that of a son in the dying agonies. The wretched mother is now in the deepest distress. She cries, and howls, and tears her hair, and smites upon her breast, and wrings her hands. Then, for a moment, she ceases, until the conjurer has done his last office; which is, to paint the face of the dying youth, that it may be known in the other world to what clan he belongs, and that he may please his God, and be accepted by him. The young man dies. It is seen that he is gone. And now the lamentations of surviving friends increase seven-fold. And when one company of mourning women is exhausted, another comes, and takes up and prolongs the sad lamentation. Then they carry forth the dead, wrapped in the skin of a buffalo, lay him upon the earth, and raise over him a mound of earth or stone. From this time the father may be seen sitting by the side of the mound, day after day, fastinghis hair growing long-his face covered with earth. And so intent is he upon his loss, that he sees not the strangers, that pass by him into the town, though there is no event which attracts more attention from the Indians generally, than the approach of white people.

But this man is in sorrow. And he cries to his departed son: "My son! you make me unhappy-you are not with me-I must hunt and go to war alone.” Then raising his voice to his God, he says, "My God, have pity on me, my son is gone, I am poor, pity me, help me to go to war, and secure the scalps of mine enemies, that I may feast and make my heart glad again."

It has been the custom of these people, and is still, not to cease mourning till they have sacrificed some enemy. Many of their war excursions against the Pawnees, and indeed most of them, are to comfort some one that mourns, by preparing the way for a war feast.

Religion.

Whither goes the spirit of the dead? The Osage cannot tell you. No land of promise, no heaven of pure delight, rises before the dim vision of an Indian. All that he sees, is a dark and narrow land, a land of shadows and of ghosts. He sees something beyond the grave, but he sees it not distinctly. He knows not what sort of life it is. He