of the American frigate Vincennes, will supply the most recent and distinct account. The vessel remained among the Islands from the 2d of October to the 24th of November, 1829.

"The very advanced stage of the people of the Sandwich Islands, in the points involving civilization, religion, and learning, is so well established, so generally known and admitted, that I forbore to give statements of them equally minute with those I had made respecting Nukuhiva, Tahiti, and Raiatea. Their civilities, letters of correspondence, and transaction of business with me, place them in a just light, and will enable our Government to appreciate and judge them properly, without my saying a word in their favour, beyond the simple declaration, that they are much in advance of the Society Islanders, cheeringly and agreeably enlightened, acquainted limitedly with their own interests, capable of extending them, and sensible of the value of character as a nation. Their indolence of habit, and amiability of disposition, misled the judgement of persons who deny their pretensions to intelligence and capacity for self-management or government. The first being overcome, and their knowledge fully aroused to the advantages which their locality affords, the latter objection will manifest itself to be erroneous. To aid in every way to elevate and instruct them, and increase their self-pride and confidence, ought to be a source of pleasure, as well as the policy of those foreigners who are amongst them; but such, I am satisfied, is neither the design nor practice of those persons: they pursue, on the contrary, a short-sighted course, watchful of their own immediate gains or advantages, apparently regardless and thoughtless of those who are to succeed them, and whose security, comfort, and prosperity, may be increased or diminished, by the judicious or unwise plans they at present or may hereafter adopt. The gentlemen now at the Sandwich Islands forget that the natives are not the same naked, uninstructed creatures which they were when they first went among them; and in this forgetfulness, intentional or not, it is immaterial, treat them almost precisely as they did formerly, and contemn their pretensions to knowledge and improved condition. Human nature cannot, nor will the chiefs much longer bear or tolerate such arrogance and injustice. The more the respectability and importance of the chiefs and people are increased by voluntary and generous attentions from foreigners, the greater will be the security insured to themselves. Why will they continue to enjoy the hospitality of the natives, contract engagements to large amounts with them, with full reliance upon their integrity, and yet treat them in a contumelious manner, or with indifference? Such is, nevertheless, the inconsistency I observed.

"I am at a loss to decide wherein the foreign residents have just cause to complain of, or to contemn the government of the Sandwich Islands. They affect to believe, that all its measures are dictated by the Missionaries. I really do not think so: they doubtless, in their station as teachers, have influence; but I rather believe, it is confined as closely as is practicable or possible to that relation, and no other. Unless it was perceived by them, that the Government was about committing an act of indiscretion, or gross blunder, I doubt if their voice

would be heard. It is a most lamentable fact, that the dislike of the Missionaries by the foreign residents, has a tendency, as yet, to paralyze the efforts which the natives are so laudably making, to render themselves worthy of the support and confidence of enlightened Christian and other nations; and this one circumstance will render, for some time to come, the visits by our ships disagreeable to the officers who have to make them. The constant complaining against the Missionaries is irksome in the extreme, and in such contrast with the conduct of the Missionaries themselves, that I could not but remark their circumspection and reserve with admiration: the latter never obtruded upon my attention the grounds or causes they might have to complain; nor did they advert to the opposition they experienced, unless expressly invited thereto by me.

"If the understandings of the natives are imposed upon by the religious injunctions of the Missionaries, the evil will ultimately correct itself, by the very tuition which they afford the inhabitants, more certainly and effectually than by the denunciation and declamation of foreigners, who are interested and temporary sojourners, without other than moneyed transactions to engage the confidence of the natives, whereas the Missionaries have adventured their families among them, and stand pledged as to the issue of their undertaking before not only the American public, but the world at large.

"So great was the friendship and correctness of deportment of the chief islanders, that I could scarcely suppose myself to be among a people once and so recently heathen. Variance of language and complexion alone reminded me of it. These views may very widely vary from the opinions of those who have preceded me only a year or two; I can well believe that we do not keep pace (by means of our intercourse) with their improvements. Intervals of three years make wonderful changes, and for the better; careful and recorded observations only will assure us of the reality of them. The present king, as he advances in years, will, I feel pretty well persuaded, be a blessing to his people; his usefulness will, however, depend, in a great measure, upon the choice which he may make in a companion of his power and the cares inseparable. A doubt and difficulty rests upon this interesting point, which cannot too early be removed.

By the diffusion of knowledge among the islanders at large, I can readily suppose that the influence of the resident whites, and the abject and slavish adulation and distinction heretofore paid to them, have been diminished in some degree. Will not this circumstance, to a limited extent, serve to explain the sourness and bitterness which the whites cherish, and, on many occasions, display towards the chiefs as well as the Missionaries? Vindication, pp. 131-135.

In the Islands of the Northern Pacific, however, the moral revolution which has taken place, is not only more recent, but far less complete and more partial in extent, than in the Southern Islands. It was not till the year 1819, that idolatry was suppressed by the enlightened policy of King Rihoriho; soon after which, the first American Missionaries landed on the

shores of Hawaii. But, long after the suppression of the infernal worship, the idols were secretly preserved, the priests cherishing the hope of a counter-revolution. When Messrs. Tyerman and Bennet visited the island in 1822, the moral improvement which had taken place, was very slight and partial, and the manners of the natives presented a disgusting contrast to those of the Christianised islands of the Southern Pacific. The Deputation found the American Missionaries struggling with great difficulties and disadvantages. They had not as yet acquired the language sufficiently to be able to address the natives without an interpreter; and the most injurious misrepresentations had been industriously propagated by the enemies of Christian Missions, respecting the state of things in the Southern Islands, with a view to prejudice the minds of the king, chiefs, and people of Hawaii against both the Gospel and its ministers. The arrival of the English Deputation, with Mr. Ellis, was singularly opportune, and indeed providential. A short time before, the American Missionaries had actually projected a voyage to Tahiti, in company with some of the native chiefs, for the express purpose of ascertaining the real state of things there; but the foreigners opposed to them, had, by their influence, prevented the vessel from sailing. At the time of our arrival', say Messrs. Tyerman and Bennet,

the people were labouring under the influence of the prejudices which the foreigners had produced among them. But our testimony to the wonderful work of God in the South Sea Islands, together with that of the people who accompanied us, appears to have confounded the opposers, and confirmed the king, and chiefs, and people, in the confidence that the prejudices which had been excited were false and unfounded. We had no idea that this important object was to be answered by our voyage.' Journal, Vol. I. p. 407.

This will explain the origin of the fabrications and calumnies transmitted to this country from the Sandwich Islands, where the report of the revolution in morals that had taken place in the Southern archipelago, had spread jealousy and alarm among the foreign adventurers, heathenized Christians from Great Britain and America. This will account too for the peculiar anxiety which is shewn to depreciate and misrepresent the proceedings of the Missionaries in the South Sea Islands. It is, accordingly, in reference to Tahiti chiefly, that Captain Kotzebue has set himself to compose his elaborate and malicious slanders. Tahiti is, from the very completeness of the triumph which the Gospel has there signalised, from the perplexing, inexplicable change which has banished its voluptuous dances, its Eleusinian orgies, its Paphian abandonment, and naturalised there the simple worship and puritanized morality of the New

Testament, a stumbling-block and an eye-sore to the infidels, learned and vulgar, of the nineteenth century. Before we proceed to notice a few of the misrepresentations which Mr. Ellis has argumentatively refuted, and which find in the Journal of the English Deputation, so triumphant an exposure, we must place the qualifications and character of the Russian Captain in their proper light.

In the Missionary Journal kept by the late Mr. Tyerman, the following notices occur under the date of March 27, 1824.

March 27. The Russian ship, Enterprise, Captain Kotzebue, came to anchor in Matavai Bay. He and several of his officers came on shore, and visited the Missionaries, by whom they were hospitably entertained.

March 29. We paid a morning visit to Captain Kotzebue, on board his ship. ... Mr. Nott had a long conversation with the Captain, concerning the relation in which these islands stand towards England; Russia apparently coveting the petty, but merely nominal distinction of adding these green specks within the tropics to the measureless deserts of snow-land which constitute her Asiatic empire. There is no disposition at all, however, on the part of the natives, to acknowledge such dependence, under the pretext of alliance with the Autocrat of all the Russias; whereas they would be glad to put themselves under the direct guardianship of England.

In consequence of the Russian vessel being in the harbour, the schools are forsaken, and almost every ordinary occupation suspended. The people are crowding about the strangers, both on shipboard and on shore, with their fruit, hogs, and other commodities for sale. But it was gratifying to observe that not a canoe went out yesterday, and the Sabbath was as sacredly kept by the Tahitians (both converts and halfheathens) as though there were no temptation at hand to break it for the indulgence of curiosity and the profits of commerce; eager as they are to visit the strange ships, and traffic with the strange people. Very differently and very disgracefully, on the other hand, have those bornChristians, the Russians, employed their Sabbath, which, with the exception of a formal and customary service performed on board, could not be distinguished from a day of labour and dissipation.

April 5. Captain Kotzebue dined with us. He is, no doubt, an able navigator, but is not possessed of those social habits and friendly feelings which we have been in the habit of meeting with in all the commanders of the ships of other countries which we have met with. He did not even shew us the attention of inviting us to go on board his ship.

6

April 6. Captain Kotzebue called upon us to take his leave. At his request, Mrs. Wilson had provided him several articles of provision, which were to be ready by 4 P.M.; but he got under weigh before that time, and went without them. The squally state of the weather was probably the cause of his hasty movement. The Captain did not appear to think the better of these islands on account of their having renounced idolatry and embraced Christianity, though he had every rea

shores of Hawaii. But, long after the suppression of the in fernal worship, the idols were secretly preserved, the priests cherishing the hope of a counter-revolution. When Messrs. Tyerman and Bennet visited the island in 1822, the moral improvement which had taken place, was very slight and partial, and the manners of the natives presented a disgusting contrast to those of the Christianised islands of the Southern Pacific. The Deputation found the American Missionaries struggling with great difficulties and disadvantages. They had not as yet acquired the language sufficiently to be able to address the natives without an interpreter; and the most injurious misrepresentations had been industriously propagated by the enemies of Christian Missions, respecting the state of things in the Southern Islands, with a view to prejudice the minds of the king, chiefs, and people of Hawaii against both the Gospel and its ministers. The arrival of the English Deputation, with Mr. Ellis, was singularly opportune, and indeed providential. A short time before, the American Missionaries had actually projected a voyage to Tahiti, in company with some of the native chiefs, for the express purpose of ascertaining the real state of things there; but the foreigners opposed to them, had, by their influence, prevented the vessel from sailing. At the time of our arrival', say Messrs. Tyerman and Bennet,

the people were labouring under the influence of the prejudices which the foreigners had produced among them. But our testimony to the wonderful work of God in the South Sea Islands, together with that of the people who accompanied us, appears to have confounded the opposers, and confirmed the king, and chiefs, and people, in the confidence that the prejudices which had been excited were false and unfounded. We had no idea that this important object was to be answered by our voyage.' Journal, Vol. I. p. 407.

This will explain the origin of the fabrications and calumnies transmitted to this country from the Sandwich Islands, where the report of the revolution in morals that had taken place in the Southern archipelago, had spread jealousy and alarm among the foreign adventurers, heathenized Christians from Great Britain and America. This will account too for the peculiar anxiety which is shewn to depreciate and misrepresent the proceedings of the Missionaries in the South Sea Islands. It is, accordingly, in reference to Tahiti chiefly, that Captain Kotzebue has set himself to compose his elaborate and malicious slanders. Tahiti is, from the very completeness of the triumph which the Gospel has there signalised,-from the perplexing, inexplicable change which has banished its voluptuous dances, its Eleusinian orgies, its Paphian abandonment, and naturalised there the simple worship and puritanized morality of the New