and at each station beat his head with a

club till the blood flowed down his shoul

ders. After this, brother Bowell, shock

ed, and unable to bear the scene any long er, returned home. Futtafaihe also came to our dwelling, and staid about two hours. At two o'clock in the afternoon four of us

went to the fiatooka, where the natives, of both sexes, were still at the dreadful work of cutting and mangling themselves."'*

Mariner, who resided several years at Tongatabu, was present at the death of Finou Toogahau, the successor of Moomooe, and witnessed the funeral ceremonies. Besides scenes similar to those above described, he informs us that some cut their heads with such strong and frequent blows, that they caused themselves to reel, producing afterwards a temporary insanity. It is difficult to say to what length this extravagance would have been carried, if the prince had not ordered Mr. Mariner to go and take the club away from them. "It is customary on such occasions, when a man takes a club from another, to use it on himself; but being a foreigner, Mr. Mariner was not expected to do this." The fishermen of the late prince came up, each bearing a paddle with which he beat his head. They were singular in another respect: that is, they had three arrows stuck through their cheeks, in a slanting direction, so that while their points came quite through the cheek and met in the mouth, the other ends went over their shoulders, and were kept in that situation by another arrow, the points of which were tied to the end of either arrow, passing over the shoulder. With this horrible equipment, they passed around the grave, beating their faces and heads, or pinching up the skin of the breast, and running a spear quite through it.†

In view of such evidences of the moral condition of the Polynesians,

* Missionary Voyage, London, 4to, 1799, p. 237.

↑ Mariner, Tonga Islands, vol. i, p. 328.

it is not to be expected that their conception of the Christian religion could be either very clear, or, dim and gross at best, could be very soon directed towards the spiritual doctrines of the Gospel. With what courage must those men and women have been nerved, and with what faith strengthened, who could look on such a pandemonium of savage emotion, and almost infernal passion, and resolve to lead these same individuals, gentle and subdued, to the foot of the cross.

The contagious nature, if we may use the term, of some of the awakenings among the Polynesians, might reasonably be anticipated when reasoning upon such scenes as those above rehearsed. That all should have an earnest appreciation and genuine experience of divine love, is asking too much under the circumstances, but that the large majority have some inward light, may be believed. Partial, indeed, it may be, but day is ushered in by the faintest change in the impending gloom, which gradually disappears before the unclouded sun.

Such a scene as that described by Mr. Melville, with the difference that in neither case was it occasioned by a desire to obtain favor with the missionaries, was witnessed in 1840, at Pagopago, Tutuila, Samoa or Navigator's Islands. The awakening there is described at considerable length in the proper journals. The following is the testimony of the witnesses.

Mr. Murray, the missionary, had preached but a few minutes,

Wo

"When the house seemed to shake, and the Spirit to dart his arrows of conviction with such a powerful hand, that the whole place was on the move. men were carried out by dozens, convulsed and struggling, so as to drive five or six men about like trees in the wind, who were exerting all their strength to hold and convey them away. I had heard of beating breasts and tearing hair before, but I have now seen and shall not soon forget it. The weaker sex was not alone affected; many men were carried

out lifeless as stones, and many could scarcely be removed because of their awfully convulsive strugglings."

Similar scenes of extravagance have been often witnessed among rude and uncultivated people, and even in our own country. Nor does such excitement prove the absence of some intelligent conviction of sin, and the renewing operations of the Holy Spirit. The fact recorded of this revival, that it was followed by the happiest reformations among thieves and polygamists, is a sufficient answer to the cavils of such

writers as Melville.

The reader will see, in the moral and intellectual character of the Polynesians, the gigantic labors which must be undertaken and the severe trials which must be endured, on the part of the Christian missionary. Is it not enough that he should be exposed to the ferocity of savages, and be buried in such a mass of cor

rupt and loathsome materials, without being vilified in his native land by the misrepresentations and detraction of his own countrymen ?

We all know the power of association, and have doubtless felt its influence in our own experience. How strong must this power be in retarding the development of spiritual religion among a people like the Polynesians, where the scenes of their former superstitions and crimes are still marked by the ruins of a bloody altar or a crumbling heiau, and where many of the present inhabitants participated in the abominations and cruel rites of paganism. While no one can be so irrational as to look for a genuine experience of religion in every individual, the surrounding grossness must be a serious obstacle to the advancement of those who profess the Christian name. Convert a heathen and leave him in the midst of his old idolatries and unholy associa

* Missionary Life in Samoa; or Life of George Archibald Lumlie. New York: R. Carter. Page 127, 128, et seq.

tions-expose him still to the allurements of licentious dances and games-tempt him with the lawless independence of his former condition, in place of the restraints and self-denial of Christianity-and it will be a miracle if he preserves his integrity. But if in addition to these temptations, visitors from civilized nations conspire to undermine his faith and virtue, and Tommos and Long Ghosts play their insidious words into the ears of the Ideeas and Loos of such communities, and with refined" hypocrisy," "devoutly clasp their hands and implore a blessing," the day may be long postponed before pure religion will become established in those lovely

isles.

Like all superficial writers, Mr. Melville leaves the greater part of his task unperformed. He does not allude to the former degradation of the female population, with its many consequent evils. But with a partiality quite characteristic, he quotes Kotzebue and Beechey in support of his positions. The first, though uttering in almost every page a host of misstatements, gives us the following information, after speaking of the reform in the thieving propensity of the Tahitians.

"Neither can I deny that the morals of the Tahitians were very exceptionable in another point, in which also the influence of the missionaries has been beneficially exerted."

The same author says:

"After many fruitless efforts, some English missionaries succeeded at length in the year 1797, in introducing what they in gaining over to their doctrine the king called Christianity into Tahiti, and even Tajo, who then governed the whole isl and in peace and tranquillity. This conversion was a spark thrown into a pow

Omoo, p. 348. "Hereupon, every body present looked exceedingly pleased; Po-Po coming up, and addressing the doctor [Long Ghost], with much warmth; and Arfretee, regarding him with almost maternal affection, exclaimed delightedly, Ah! mickonaree tata maitai!' in other words, 'What a pious young man !'"'

subjects secure. The heathen party, however, sought to destroy them in a great battle on the 7th of July, 1815, but the Christians anticipating an attack were all prepared to embark, and escaped in their canoes to Eimeo. The heathen party finding themselves foiled, in order to revenge themselves for old quarrels, fell into a bloody contest on the spot, when Pomare was soon after recalled by the conquerors. On the 12th of November, 1815, the last battle which stained Tabitian soil with heathen sacrifices took place, and Pomare was acknowledged undisturbed sovereign. The overthrow of idolatry immediately consequent on his accession, was the direct result of missionary labor. And so in every instance, with the exception of the Sandwich Islands alone.

Our author betrays another evidence of ignorance by saying, page 267, that the cocoa-nut and breadfruit trees were destroyed "in the sanguinary religious hostilities which ensued upon the conversion to Christianity of the first Pomare." The hostility was on the side of the heathen, who endeavored to destroy the Christians, and these girdled groves of bread-fruit are the sad evidences of the desolation which marked heathen warfare.

After Pomare had routed the rebels on the 12th of November, they took themselves to the mountains and caves, expecting to be pursued and put to death--their children slaughtered, their houses burnt to the ground, and their trees destroyed. But the stragglers after two or three days ventured to peep out, and finding every thing around them in peace, emboldened by their security, came out of their hiding places, and were met by assurances of protection. They could not believe their eyes and ears at what they saw and heard, but when they found that their families were safe, and their fruit trees uninjured, and that nothing but the great idol and the

false gods and temples were destroyed, they marched out in a body and submitted to Pomare, crying out, that the new religion alone could have produced this change. After this event, commenced those improvements which have resulted in making Tahiti a place where whites of all nations can resort.

of

This destruction of the groves bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees was one of the most deplorable features of heathen warfare. The people, as well as the chiefs, often spoke of it in allusion to the blessings of Christianity. Said one of the chiefs of Raratonga, to Mr. Williams—

"We were fools enough to fight with the trees as well as with men; since we cut many down ourselves, lest our enemies should eat the fruit of them; and others our conquerors destroyed. If it were possible I would put new bark on all these trees, and fill up the gashes in all the others; for, wherever I go, they stare me in the face, and remind me of my defeat. However, young trees are growing fast, and I am planting cocoa-nuts in all directions; so that my possessions will be equally valuable with those of our conquerors; and I am under no apprehension of having them again destroyed; for the Gospel has put an end to our wars."

These struggles, often resulting in the depopulation of whole districts, were frequent before the introduction of Christianity-but wherever the Gospel has been established, wars have ceased. Mauke, the island visited by Lord Byron, is another instance of the change. Two or three years before the teachers landed there, Ramo-tane, the chief of Atiu, one of the Hervey Group, in order to extend his dominions, passed over to Mauke, and destroyed the people, set fire to the houses containing the sick, and seizing those who attempted to escape, tossed them upon fires kindled for the pur. pose! Occasional famines and these horrible contests were leading motives for the infanticide so prevalent in Polynesia. It was indeed a spectacle morally sublime in the highest degree, that this same Ramo-tane, the murderous chieftain, himself be

came the first bearer of the words of Christ to the people of Mauke, after his conversion, and was one of the first company who united in that lovely isle, in celebrating the dying love of the Prince of Peace. While civilization has not yet taught the two greatest nations of the world to beat their swords and spears into ploughs and pruning-hooks, the ferocious and sanguinary idolater has learned the lessons of infinite love, and weeps over the desolation he has occasioned-" to learn war no more."

After the subversion of idolatry in the Georgian and Society groups, Kamehameha I, of Hawaii (Sandwich Islands), becoming acquainted with the advantages of Christianity, began to inquire what the new religion was. He however died on the 8th of May, 1819, eleven months before the American missionaries touched at Kailua. Liholiho, (not only unprincipled, but the victim of the base arts of foreigners, who made him drunk, and wrote "on paper and taught Kuakini the vilest words in the English language, and engaged in mock prayer before him,"*) feeling the restraint which the tabut imposed upon his women, resolved on its overthrow. This step being favored by the chiefs and others, he prepared a feast, and deliberately taking a forbidden dish, went over to the table with the women and partook of the repast. The cry went round, "the kapu is broken," and soon after the gloomy and bloody edifice of idolatry toppled to its ruin. The "long and civilizing intercourse with foreigners" had nearly defeated the Sandwich Island mission, had not providential circumstances prevented the success of perfidious and aggrandizing schemes of interested parties, whose cupidity or whose licentious propensities they

Jarvis's Hist. Hawaiian Islands, 241; Stewart's Private Journal, pp. 231, 232. Hawaiian, kapu.

"In all cases, they have striven hard to mitigate the evils resulting from the commerce with the whites in general. Such attempts, however, have been injudicious almost insurmountable is presented in the and often ineffectual; in truth, a barrier dispositions of the people themselves. Still, in this respect, the morality of the Islanders is, upon the whole, improved by the presence of missionaries.

"But the greatest achievement of the latter, and one which in itself is most hopeful and gratifying is, that they have guage of the island; and I have myself translated the entire Bible into the lanknown several who were able to read it with facility. They have also established churches, and schools for both children and adults; the latter, I regret to say, are now much neglected, which must be ascribed, in a great measure, to the disorders growing out of the proceedings of the French."

What the evils resulting from the "commerce with the whites" can be, the reader has no means of knowing from Mr. Melville, unless the abolition of idolatry, in consequence of the "long and civilizing intercourse with foreigners," be the leading feature. We presume, however, from what little we know of the subject, that the evil, so definitely hinted at, is the wholesale prostitution, in consequence of which the Tahitians and the Hawaiians have been swept off by a terrific scourge since their intercourse with the whites commenced, and which has been only stayed, and the hope of saving a remnant of these people fostered, by the establishing of Christian laws and Christian institutions. The "evils," which perhaps might be regarded as the chaffering and swindling operations of foreigners, are too momentous and significant to be passed over without a word. And yet this profound oracle of Polynesia and "Tahiti as it is," says nothing in refity of the islanders, is, upon the erence to it, except that "the moralwhole, improved by the missiona