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DISTINGUISHED NATIVES AT HUAHINE.

white, and the chapel, a noble edifice, in the centre. A lofty mountain rises in the background of this expanded picture, between the foot of which and the sea there runs a narrow border of low land, rich in tropical trees, pleasant to the eye and good for food.

Fronting this station, which is on Fare Harbour, where Captain Cook formerly anchored, we could discern, towards the northwest, the adjacent islands of Raiatea, Tahaa, and Borabora, beautifully displayed between the level ocean and the bending sky, that seemed to enclose them behind and above with an invisible fence. The morning was delightfully serene, and with a gentle breeze we were soon wafted through an opening of the reef into the calm and safe lagoon. This reef of coral extends across the bay, having two passages through which entrance or egress may be made, each about a quarter of a mile in breadth, with great depth of water; while upon the rocky barrier itself the surge is for ever rolling and retreating in foam and spray, through which no bark, however light or strong, can live to carry a crew or cargo. The bay here is a mile wide, and about as much inward from the reef to the shore; and anchorage is so secure that vessels generally lie close upon the beach, and are moored to a tree, head and stern. Two streams of fresh water, one at the south and the other at the north side, flow into the harbour, and fertilize the land round the settlement.

Mr. Ellis and Mr. Barff, the Missionaries here, sent their boat to bring us on shore, and gave us a most cordial welcome to Huahine, on which we were glad to set our feet, as on a field which the Lord had blessed. By the time when we had reached Mr. Barff's house, hundreds of the natives had assembled to greet us, whose Iaoranas "all good be with you" rang in our ears; but to shake hands with all that offered was almost more than our strength could endure; many children were among them, and shouted for joy with the rest. With the first whom we saw came Mahine and Mahine Vahine, the king and queen of Maiaoite, who have great influence in this island, where they usually reside. Mahine, when an idolater, was a mighty man of valour, and rendered essential service in raising Pomare to his dignity in Tahiti. In the last conflict, also, with the heathen insurgents, he had distinguished himself pre-eminently. He commanded the third division in the order of march to battle, and when the first and second were compelled to fall back he firmly advanced to charge the enemy, whose chief leader was soon afterwards slain by a shot from one of his men : total discomfiture soon followed. On Mahine's return to this island, after the war, as he leaped on shore he exclaimed, "The idolaters were conquered by prayer." He seems about sixty years of age, a tall and venerable man, and generally dresses in European costume. He might at the time above mentioned have obtained extensive dominions, with great civil power, bnt he nobly resigned the whole into the hands of others, saying that he would have nothing to do

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thenceforward with political affairs, but should give himself to hearing the word and obeying the will of God during the remainder of his days. His consort is a woman of royal blood and majestic presence, with courteous manners. She dresses in the English fashion. This exalted and good man has lately sustained a severe stroke of affliction in the death of his son, by a former wife, who, had he lived, would have been king of Huahine. He was cut off by rapid consumption in his twentieth year. To aggravate the grief of the aged parent and the community at large, who had a national interest in his life, the youth was the last branch of his family that had seen the light. He left, however, a wife far advanced in pregnancy; and on the expected birth of a grandchild the poor bereaved father hangs his hope of reparation of the ruin of his house. In this prospective solace all the people affectionately sympathise. His son died about a month since, and was buried in the chapel-yard; on which occasion, close by the grave, Mahine had a little hut erected, wherein he remained, night and day, sorrowing and seeking resignation, till a few days ago, when he came forth as one who could say, Father, thy will be done." Our next visitor of rank was Pomare Vahine, sister to Pomare's queen, and herself the queen of Huahine. Her robe was a long shirt, which reached nearly to the ground. She is an agreeable woman in person and manners. Next came Hautia, another princely personage, with his wife, a helpmate worthy of him. He is prime minister to the queen-in fact he is regent, and governs on her behalf. He was followed by Taua, who was once the chief of all the soothsayers, but who now appears a pious and exemplary Christian. The deacons of the church, and many of the second rank of chiefs, who are the landowners, also waited upon us with their cheerful congratulations. This hearty reception of ourselves, as the representatives of the Parent Society, was the more peculiarly gratifying to us because it proved the high esteem in which the resident Missionaries are held here. Mr. Bennet was invited to take up his abode with Mr. Barff, and Mr. Tyerman with Mr. Ellis. These excellent men, with their amiable wives and families, occupy comfortable dwellings, built in the English style, surrounded by neat and well-stocked gardens; and while they zealously devote their talents to the service of man and the glory of God, they enjoy the filial affection of the people among whom they labour. Similar testimonies we can bear in reference to all the faithful Missionaries whom we have yet seen on the other islands.

Dec. 8. Being the Sabbath, we went to the early prayer-meeting in the chapel, and were astonished to find not fewer than a thousand persons assembled to pay their morning vows to God. These devout exercises, as in Tahiti and Eimeo, were conducted entirely by natives, and consisted of singing, praying, and reading the scriptures. About twelve hundred men, women, and children, afterwards constituted the congregation, at the public service in the forenoon.

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MEETING TO WELCOME THE DEPUTATION-SPEECHES.

The chapel is very compact and commodious, and as many as sixteen hundred auditors have occasionally been crowded into it. The pulpit stands on one side of the square area. Around it are placed the pews of the royal family and those of the principal and secondary chiefs, according to their rank; beyond these are the forms on which the commonalty sit, and also the Sunday scholars, of whom there where four hundred present. Among these were the children of the royal line, and of the great chiefs, prettily attired, as their only distinction, in purau-mat tibutas. After the sermons, in both parts of the day, it was difficult for us to escape from the good folks who thronged around us to express their gladness at our arrival. But what pleased us most was a notice, given out after service, that to-morrow there would be a public meeting of the islanders to aroha us among them. The word aroha strictly means to compassionate, but it is used also to signify love and delight, as well as earnest desire, towards an object. Here it implied, to give us a fervent welcome-a welcome in which the tenderness of affectionate hearts should be mingled with the joy of grateful minds, on seeing the representatives of those Christian friends, in a far country, who did not neglect to aroha them in their low estate, but sent the messengers of the everlasting gospel to raise them from the dust and set them among the princes of the Lord's people, yea, to make them sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus.

Dec. 9. Agreeable to the notice yesterday, the people assembled in the chapel at three o'clock this afternoon, to aroha us on our arrival. The royal princes, chiefs, raatiras (landowners), and other persons, of both sexes, all ages, and divers classes, were present. A beautiful, heartmoving spectacle it was, to look upon a thousand human beings, so changed, as the adults all were, from what they and their fathers had been, through untold generations, and especially to meet the lovely countenances and gazing eyes of four hundred children among them, now training up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord-who, had the gospel not found them on the threshold of life, and rescued them, would (for the most part at least) have been murdered, at their birth, by the parents to whom they owed their existence, and from whose hands, perhaps (as idolaters, wallowing in all manner of abominations), death was the best boon they could have received. After singing and prayer, we each addressed the assembly on what God had done for them, in them, and by them; exhorting these Christian professors, not only to hold fast that whereunto they had attained, but to go on to perfection, following after holiness with entire devotion of heart, soul, mind, and strength to the Lord's service. We also explained to them the purposes of our visit, as a deputation to these islands from the London Missionary Society. Several speeches were then addressed to us; our good brethren, the Missionaries, acting as interpreters to both parties. We shall record specimens of these as translated for us on the spot. Auna, one of the deacons of the church, said: "Brethren, our hearts rejoice exceedingly on

in

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account of the great goodness of God in bringing you among us this day. Our hearts are filled with love and affection towards you, though we never saw your faces before yesterday. My tears of gladness almost prevent my saying more. You come from a very far land, on an errand of good-will to us, and we desire that your visit should be such an one as that of Barnabas to Antioch, who, when he had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should cleave unto the Lord. We, here, were in darkness, without the knowledge of God or the way of life, when you, your country, turned your eyes towards us. But it was God who inclined you to think of us, and send teachers to instruct us in the good word, and lead us into the way to heaven. We now, with you, look to that Saviour who gives endless life to those who believe in his name; and we, as well as you, love Him because He first loved us, and sought us out when we were running along the road to destruction. We are pleased to find that you have received our little property, which we sent to the Society to help them in causing the word of God to grow in every country; and we pray that we may never be weary in thus well-doing, but go on and increase in our endeavours, that others may be made as happy as we are. Pray you, dear friends, for us, that we may hold on to the end; and if at any time we faint in this work, may we remember the word of Him who hath said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Narii, a church-member, next spoke:"Friends, elder brethren, fathers! Peace be unto you, on coming among us, from God and from Jesus Christ! Our prayers have been answered, and you have been brought hither in safety to the delight of our hearts. We long ago learnt that you were on your way, but now we have heard your voices and seen your faces, in the midst of us and our teachers, in the house of our heavenly Father, yours as well as ours. Our faith is confirmed this day, by hearing from you the same things which we hear from our teachers; because we see that your word and theirs is one. Some of our brethren, who had heard that you were coming, have died without seeing you. It is the goodness of God which has lengthened our breath to bid you welcome. These children, on whom you love so much to look, we also rejoice to behold alive at this time; they are property given unto us of the Lord, which we dearly prize, and which we are determined to dedicate to him; in former days they might have been all murdered! But they and we now meet you in the temple of Jehovah! Ah! it was not so once. Pray then for us, that the Spirit of Christ may dwell in our hearts, and we will pray for you. If we never meet you again on earth, may we meet you and all our friends beyond the sea, at the right hand of our Redeemer, in the kingdom of God."

Mahine, king of Maiaoite, then rose and said: "We were on the brink of the fire of hell when the first English captain found us; and when the second came we were all leaping down the

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SCANDALOUS REPORTS OF VISITORS-DESERTED DWELLINGS.

precipice of death. The ship Duff brought us the love of God, and the message of mercy. And yet we continued in the same wicked way. That time however is past. The grace of God has turned our feet into the paths of peace and endless life. We never thought of looking to Him; we desired neither Him nor his salvation; but He sought us, He called us, and He made us to hear his voice. We old people well remember what we formerly were. We hated, and hunted, and killed one another. We once fed on husks, but now we feast on the ripe breadfruit of the word of Christ. Through God's love alone that word was brought to us, by our kind friends and teachers, who leaped hither over the tops of the breaking waves to help us. May we then be faithful and steadfast to the end; never may you hear, after your return to Britain, that we have gone back to our evil ways! never may you have cause to exclaim- Behold, the land which we so much rejoiced to see is become a land to be sorrowed and wept over! This is truly a harvest of joy. We have long waited for it, and it is come at length. I am an aged man, and I trust I am going to Jesus had I died before I saw your faces, I should not have died so happily as I shall

now."

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Teaua, one of the raatiras, made the following remarks:-"Friends, you have come from a very far country, out of love to our kings and chiefs, and to us raatiras, and to all our people. By the goodness of God you are come. not love you; we did not send anybody to you to show you kindness. We never had such friends before. The former king of Tahiti saw your former brethren, and died. He is no more; but we live to see you among us and our rulers; and having seen you, they and we rejoice and are happy together. Our kings are glad; our chiefs are glad; our raatiras are glad; our people are glad; and we all bid you, our two elder brethren, welcome to Huahine, with praise and thanksgiving to Jehovah for conducting you safely hither."

It may be observed that these four persons addressed us in the name of their respective ranks which they represented. They all spoke with ease, animation, and fluency. No translation can be expected to convey more than the sentiments that were delivered, which, clothed in their native idioms, possessed a grace and simplicity not easily transferable into the diction of a more polished tongue.

Dec. 8. At six o'clock this morning we visited the schools, and were surprised to find two large rooms well filled: the one appropriated to men and boys, the other to women and girls, all attentive to their teachers, and employed upon their various branches of learning. Among the rest were the old king Mahine and his queen, who, with their class-fellows, were couning their Scripture lessons verse by verse, and answering interrogatories which were put to them as they proceeded. This is the exercise of every morning in the week, except Saturday and Sunday. Some were learning their letters, others spelling, many reading, and several were writing.

Mai, king of Borabora, has arrived here from Tahiti, with tidings of the death of Pomare on Friday last. The island was in great sorrow and anxiety. Many rumours were afloat, and fears excited, as to the result of this momentous event. The mission is in the hand of God, and we are content that He should do what seemeth Him good with his own work and his own

servants.

Dec. 10. To show how little confidence is to be placed in the reports of worldly-minded strangers, who visit these islands, and are ill disposed towards the moral revolution which has taken place since the old licentious times, we state the following circumstances. Captain R. having given out that one of the principal chiefs here had asked him for rum, which is a prohibited liquor,-on investigation of the fact we found that the chief had inquired if he had any wine, the Missionaries having advised him to obtain some, to take medicinally. The captain thereupon insidiously set before him a glass of rum, which the honest man, as soon as he perceived to be spirit, set down upon the table, and resolutely refused to taste it, notwithstanding the importunity of the captain.

Too many seamen who touch at these islands, expecting to revel, as of old, in all manner of impurity, are ready, in their rage and disappointment, to propagate the most atrocious slanders against these islanders and their Christian instructors, through whose influence they are almost wholly prevented from alluring females on board their vessels. A Captain P., of the ship W., was so horribly provoked, when he was off here, that he threatened to fire a broadside, at his departure, on the innocent inhabitants, because they were more virtuous than himself, impudently telling them, that if any of them were killed, the Missionaries must bear the blame. While this profligate fellow was lately at Eimeo, he wrote a letter to a brother captain, at Tahiti, at the foot of which was this postscript: "This is a desperately wicked island; there is not a

to be had for

love or money." These things would be too disgusting to record, but truth and justice require that the British public should know of what spirit those men are who bring home evil reports of these Christian converts, and vilify the change of character and manners wrought by the gospel upon these quondam idolaters, who then were all that reprobate visitors could desire, and now are all that they hate.

We took a walk this evening up the side of the mountain. Many traces of houses are scattered abroad, the foundations of which only remain. At a considerable height are the ruins of a marae. Here, as in Eimeo and Tahiti, we find similar proofs of a population, in former years, far more abundant than at present. Huahine was subjected to the same devastating system of superstition and licentiousness as the other islands. There was not, indeed, comparatively, so much of war, human sacrifice, and pestilent disease, but infanticide was awfully frequent. An old chief informs us, that his father told him that this was a modern practice,

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