it; for these are the words of eternal life, able to make you wise and happy in this worldnay, wise unto salvation, and so happy for evermore, through faith in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Mr. Jones now gave out another hymn, and Mr. Wilson concluded with a short prayer for the king, for the nation, and for the church of God.

An herald now proclaimed freedom to all who were under the sentence of the law, saying, "Let those that have been banished return to their lands, and let every man and woman be freed from every penalty; and let all be exhorted to become good members of society."

The coronation being ended, the procession proceeded to the royal chapel to worship God.

The same order was observed in returning as in going to the place of coronation, only the king wore his crown in returning. On the arrival at the chapel, the Bible and the code of laws were placed on the tables in the pew prepared for the king. The king sat in his chair in the pew, and his crown was taken from his head and placed on the table before him. mother, and aunts, &c., sat with him.

His

Mr. Wilson commenced the worship of God by giving out a hymn, Mr. Crook read a portion of Scripture, Mr. Darling engaged in prayer, and Mr. Henry preached a short and appropriate sermon. Mr. Davies concluded with singing and prayer.

Public worship being over, all proceeded to the place appointed for the coronation dinner, where plenty of wholesome food was provided.

After dinner the brethren held a meeting with the members of the Deputation, in order to take leave of them, they being about to depart from the islands. It is with pleasure we look back upon the period these gentlemen have spent amongst us, and we trust their visit to these islands will be followed with lasting benefits to the mission. In the evening we returned to our lodgings, and the next day to our different stations."

CHAPTER XXXIII.

The Deputation take a final Leave of Tahiti, and proceed by Eimeo for New South Wales, touching at Huahine, Tahaa, and Raiatea-Anécdotes and a remarkable native Prophecy-Tides in the Pacific Ocean -An odd Incident in Fishing-A perilous Adventure -Borabora-Summary of Observations on the State of the Missions in the South Sea Islands by the Deputation.

1824. APRIL 24. This day we took our final leave of Tahiti, and arrived in the evening at Papetoai, in Eimeo.

May 8. After a brief sojourn with our friends here, to wind up some concerns respecting the stations, the cotton-works, and the seminary for the education of the children of Missionaries, and other European agents of the Parent Society, in the various Christianized islands, of both the windward and the leeward group, we went on board of the Endeavour schooner, to commence our voyage to New South Wales. We cannot express the pain which we felt at this parting; duty, however, calls, and we are

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going forth, not knowing what may befal us in the providence of God, but willingly and thankfully leaving the future in his hands, who has guided and protected, blessed and helped us thus far. Mr. Threlkeld, who has lately lost his excellent wife, accompanies us to the colony.

May 10. We went on shore at Fare Harbour, Huahine, to bid farewell to our brethren and sisters there. When we landed, a trial was being held on a charge of infanticide, by abortion, against a widow, who had unhappily abandoned herself to a loose life. Though acquitted, from a defect in evidence, the culprit afterwards confessed her guilt, and pointed out the placea land-crab's hole-in which she had deposited her untimely birth, wrapped in a piece of cloth. On examination the cloth was found, but the body had disappeared, having been devoured by the crabs. Circumstances of this atrocious nature were too common, under the idolatrous system, to excite attention, but now this crime filled every bosom with horror, and even the tranquillity of the island seemed to have been distressingly interrupted by its occurrence. Indeed the diminution of the human species by infant-murder was lately so notorious that a prophecy was remembered, and, to some extent, believed, among the islanders, which must have been fulfilled, at no very distant period, had not Christianity come to rescue the whole race from destruction: " Etupu fiau, etoro te farero, Eore te taata."-"The fiau-trees shall overspread the land, and the branching corals fill the deep; but extinct shall be the race of man." There is a dark and terrible sublimity in this prediction, rarely to be met with either in the eloquence or the poetry of a barbarous people, figurative as these almost necessarily are the earth covered with forests; the sea choked up with coral-rocks; and not a human inhabitant!-here is as perfect and appalling a picture of magnificent loneliness as imagination ever bodied forth.

Another frightful instance of depravity lately occurred here. An old man, who still adheres to heathenism, worships a human scull as his divinity, and sometimes eats his food out of it. This wretch lately coveted a fish-pond, in a piece of land occupied by a youth who was a relation of his. The boy refused to part with it, at which the other was exceedingly angry ; but choosing to conceal his chagrin, to make more sure of the objects both of his vengeance and his cupidity, he pretended such friendliness towards the unsuspecting lad that the latter presented him with some fish. This the villain accepted graciously, took it home, baked it, and sent a portion back, with fair speeches accompanying the perfidious gift-for the mess was poisoned. The boy ate, was seized with sickness, and soon died in excruciating torments. It is affirmed, and believed, that this was the thirteenth of the same family, his own kindred, who have, at different times, fallen victims to the arts of the same assassin. To the credit of the rest of the population of Huahine, it ought to be mentioned that he is the only surviving idolater in the island. When it is remembered

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that such as the woman above mentioned, the destroyer of her own offspring, and the hoaryheaded sinner now noticed, the murderer of his relatives, were the multitude of the people of these lands a few years ago, none but the enemies of man, both in this world and the next, can despise or hate what the gospel has done for them.

May 25. We sailed from Huahine to Tahaa, and on the following day reached Raiatea.

May 27. We have made arrangements to enable the brethren on the leeward stations to visit, once a year, the various islands to which the gospel has been sent by native teachers, and where it is yet impracticable to establish European Missionaries.

May 28. The sea, from some unknown cause, rising here and overflowing the low lands several times a year, whereby the dwellings and grounds at Vamara are frequently much damaged, the inhabitants have determined to remove to a more secure situation-a fertile tract, along a winding coast, nearly three miles in extent. There they have already reared a plastered house for Mr. Williams, and are proceeding with buildings and enclosures for themselves. There are no rivulets in the immediate neighbourhood, but a sufficient number of springs, which promise to supply the population with abundance of good water.-It is generally known, but may be repeated here, in connexion with the aforementioned periodical but irregular inundations of the sea, that the tides throughout the Pacific Ocean do not appear to obey the influence of the moon in the slightest degree. It is always high water about twelve, and low about six o'clock, day and night.*

An odd accident lately endangered the life of a native in a very unexpected manner. A party went out on a fishing cruise about the small islands adjacent to Tahaa, round which great draughts are often taken of the fries that haunt the shores of the coral motus. In the evening, according to custom, they had assembled for family worship upon the beach, close to deep water. The person whose office it was to read the Scriptures and engage in prayer had left his line afloat, after fastening it round one of his legs. In the midst of his exercises a large fish seized the baited hook, and, feeling itself entangled, plunged so desperately that the poor man was dragged by the sudden jerk into the sea, where he must inevitably have perished, from the impossibility of disengaging himself, and the strength of the creature, darting downward with headlong precipitation, had not his companions instantly rushed to his relief, and laid hold of him before he was engulphed.

Many remarkable perils and deliverances occur in these seas, when navigated by such frail vessels as are used by these insular mariners, who rarely from choice venture out of sight of land. About the time when the gospel was beginning to make its way in Raiatea, a canoe, with four men in it, was upset at sea,

See Mr. Bennet's remarks among the articles in the introduction to this work.

and the people were thrown into the water, where (though nearly amphibious) they must have been drowned amidst the everlasting waves, drifting them to and fro, unless speedily carried to shore or taken up by some vessel. Two of the men, having embraced Christianity, immediately cried, "Let us pray to Jehovah; for He can save us."-" Why did you not pray to Him sooner?" replied their pagan comrades; "here we are in the water, and it is useless to pray now." The Christians, however, did cry mightily unto their God, while all four were clinging for life to the broken canoe. In this situation a shark suddenly rushed towards them, and seized one of the men. His companions held him as fast and as long as they could; but the monster prevailed in the tug between them, and hurried the unfortunate victim into the abyss, marking the track with his blood. He was one of the two who were idolaters. After some time the tide bore the surviving three to the reef, when, just as they were cast upon it, a second shark snatched the other idolater with his jaws, and carried off his prey, shrieking in vain for assistance, which the two Christians, themselves struggling with the breakers, could not afford him. This circumstance very naturally made a great impression upon the minds of their countrymen, and powerfully recommended to them the "God that heareth prayer."

June 2. The congregation held a meeting to take leave of us, at which all the baptized were present. These had prepared presents of cloth, working-tools, &c., for their friends, the native teachers, residing on various islands at which we intended to touch in our voyage to the colony. There was a separate bundle for each; and all were delivered into our hands, with letters of affection from the church to them, as the absent and the beloved of this little community of faithful men, who, having received the truth in the love of it, had sent out their brethren to teach it to those who were yet ignorant and out of the way, in heathen lands.

June 4. This day we reached Borabora, where we tarried till the 7th, and then took the last of all our farewells in the Georgian and Society Islands; commending with tears, and prayers, and inexpressible emotions of gratitude, attachment, and regret at the thought that we should see them no more, all the people of all the stations, and all their faithful and devoted teachers, the Missionaries, "to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build them up, and give them an inheritance among them that are sanctified."

As a summary of our observations on the state of the Missions in these islands, we subjoin a copy of the circular which we addressed to the brethren, at all the stations, on our departure. From them, respectively, we received letters of the kindest character in reference to our transactions and conversation among them during our visits.

Extracts from the Farewell-letter addressed by the Deputation to all the Missionaries, of both the Windward and Leeward Missions, on their leaving the islands.

"May, 1824.

"Dear and much-esteemed Friends and Breth

ren,

"Having completed our official visit to these highly-favoured islands, and to the various churches and congregations over which you preside as their pastors and ministers, and expecting to take our leave in a few days, to proceed to visit our brethren in other countries, we cannot take our final adieu without addressing to you a few lines.-When that great Society whom you and we serve proposed to us this important undertaking, we found innumerable difficulties opposing a compliance with the duties which they proposed to devolve upon us. We had heard of this great change with our ears, in our own favoured country, and believed your report; but now our eyes have seen, and we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and unite with you, with the Society, and with the whole Christian church, in admiring and adoring that distinguishing and sovereign grace whose invincible energies have dethroned the powers of darkness, so long dominant in these islands, and established the glorious throne of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, against which the gates of hell shall never, we trust, again prevail. While we unite to admire this stupendous work, and seek in vain for its parallel in the history of the world, let us also unite in ascribing all the glory to Him by whose power and love these islands have been rescued from the foulest thraldom, and brought under the equitable reign of the King of kings. Let the Societylet the Missionaries unite in singing, 'Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be all the glory!'

"It is true, however, that though wonders have been wrought by the preaching of the gospel, and the power of the Spirit of God, everything has not been achieved that Christian philanthropy is anxious to behold. Though all name the name of Jesus, all do not depart from iniquity: while the appearance of religion is seen in the mass of the people, there are many individuals who disregard its solemn sanctions. Many have the form of godliness, but it is to be feared they are strangers to its power. But be not discouraged. Where but a few years ago nothing but crime was to be seen, and that of the foulest nature that men in their worst state could commit, you are not to be surprised at the few crimes, and these, generally, of no great aggravation, which are still committed :—where all trifled with religion, be not surprised that some treat it with neglect:-where all were cruel idolaters in practice, be not astonished that there are those who retain the world as an idol in their hearts :-where all were led captive by Satan at his will, be not disheartened be cause some are still willing to bear his yoke and remain under his bondage. That arm which has been so signally revealed before your eyes is sufficient to accomplish all you wish.

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While you feel that you are nothing, remember that God is all-sufficient. His past triumphs afford the pledge of future victories; and your past success should fill your minds with confidence that all the strongholds of sin and Satan shall fall before you. Is anything too hard for the Lord?

'Deeply convinced, as we are assured you are, that both the ability to preach the great truths of the gospel with acceptance to God, and success in the conversion of sinners, and in building up the saints in their most holy faith, are owing alike to divine influence, be it your daily prayer, both in private and in public, that He, with whom is the residue of the Spirit, would pour down that influence upon you and your congregations in still greater effusion.

"As God will never own anything but his own pure and unadulterated truth, hold fast the form of sound words which you have been taught; and let the unsophisticated doctrines of divine revelation, studied with diligence and prayer, and delivered with fervent zeal and humble faith, be still presented to the people. These you have preached, and these God has honoured. Guard, brethren, against the wily inventions of men, and do you pursue the good old way. It has afforded us no common pleasure to perceive that you hold alike the grand and distinguishing doctrines of the gospel; and, confident of the sincerity of your piety, and beholding its fruits and effects in your lives, we calculate on no departure from the truth in your sermons, resting assured that you will continue to feed your flocks with wisdom and knowledge; and, by a constant, faithful, and luminous exhibition of the doctrines of the cross, in connection with the law as a rule of moral conduct, you will commend yourselves to God as his faithful servants; and to men, as worthy of their love, esteem, and confidence :exemplifying in your own spirits and deportment the great truths which you enforce upon others.

"We have beheld with delight your numerous congregations, and your flourishing churches; and that air of holy seriousness, and reverential behaviour, which so well become the house of God, and characterise your several flocks; as well as that decency of dress which is everywhere apparent; and we are persuaded you will continue to guard against everything of a contrary nature, that all things may be done devoutly and in order, as becomes the house of God. We also approve of the method observed in conducting your various religious services, and the principles on which your several churches are established, and which we regard as both scriptural and adapted to the local circumstances of these islands. Using your best endeavours to ascertain the truth of the piety of those whom you admit to the Lord's table, to preserve the purity of your churches, a firm and vigilant discipline will be essentially necessary. With your greatest care, hypocrites and false professors will obtrude themselves into the church of God; but a wise and scriptural discipline will detect and remove them,