and the Captain were greatly enraged, and the latter, on leaving Tahiti, threatened to send immediately from Valparaiso a man-of-war to enforce by violent measures his demand of $2,000 from the queen.

In the investigations connected with this transaction, a fact was ascertained which plainly showed the intention of the priests to remain at Tahiti, and not to proceed to Valparaiso as the Captain had stated. It appeared that at Gambier's Island, where they had stopped before going to Tahiti, there was a French vessel bound direct to Valparaiso, on board of which, had the priests desired it, they might have taken a passage. Another circumstance which confirmed the belief that the Catholics designed to establish themselves in Tahiti, was the statement of the second officer of the Columbo to Mr. Pritchard, one of the missionaries. He said that the Brig was bound "direct to Valparaiso" and added that there were on board two Catholic priests, whom, if not allowed to land at Tahiti, the Captain had engaged to take to Valparaiso.

In connection with these facts it ought perhaps to be mentioned, that the carpenter who accompanied the priests to Tahiti, on account of his being a layman, was permitted to remain on the island. He immediately commenced operations, and prosecuted them so successfully, that in the course of three months after his arrival, he had completed a bowling alley for the use of seamen and the natives. This is probably the first establishment for gambling ever erected at Tahiti.

Soon after the events which have been related, the queen of Tahiti addressed a letter to President Van Buren, informing him of the conduct of the Consul in regard to the Catholics, and requesting that he might be removed from office. With a promptness which does him honor, the President displaced him, and appointed Samuel R. Blackley in his room. *

* The English and American prints for 1839, contain accounts of a visit of the French frigate La Venus to Tahiti, in consequence of the refusal of the natives to receive the Catholic missionaries. It is stated that Mr. Moerenhaut was rewarded for his zeal with the French Consulate, that the Venus was ordered to proceed from the South American station to punish the insults offered at Tahiti to the subjects of His Most Christian Majesty, that the Captain on his arrival ordered the Queen to send on board his frigate $2,000; to write to the King of France a humble letter of apology, and to permit all French subjects to reside hereafter on the island, on the most favorable terms. It is further stated that the deck of the frigate having been cleared for action, the requisitions which have been specified, as well as some others, were enforced by threats of the immediate destruction of the town, in case they were not complied with; and that the Queen was obliged to borrow the money to meet this unexpected demand. These acts of high handed oppression, which are as contrary to the laws of nations and the plainest principles of justice, as they are derogatory to the honor of the French name, are the more readily believed to be correctly stated, because an outrage in every respect similar, has since been committed by the French frigate L'Artemise, at the Sandwich Islands. But as authentic documents to substantiate the particulars of the transaction, are not at hand, the substance of the account is here given, as originally published in the English papers.

We shall close this account of the Georgian Islands with an extract from a letter from Captain Hervey, master of a whaling vessel, dated Tahiti, May 5th, 1839. "This is the most civilized place," says Captain H., " that I have been at in the South Seas; it is governed by a queen, daughter of old Pomare, a dignified young lady about twenty-five years of age. They have a good code of laws; no spirits whatever are allowed to be landed on the island; therefore the sailors have no chance of getting drunk, and are all in an orderly state, and work goes on properly. It is one of the most gratifying sights the eye can witness on a Sunday in their church, which holds about five thousand, to see the queen near the pulpit, and all her subjects around her decently apparelled, and in seemingly pure devotion. I really never felt such a conviction of the great benefit of missionary labors before. The women are all dressed in bonnets after the fashion of some years back. Their attire is as near the English as they can copy."

* London Missionary Chronicle, December, 1839.

CHAPTER X.

INTRODUCTION OF THE GOSPEL INTO THE LEEWARD OR SOCIETY ISLANDS.

Station commenced at Huahine-Renunciation of idolatry-Destruction of the gods-Attack on the Christians-Defeat of the idolaters— Clemency of the victors-Station commenced at Raiatea-Printing office at Huahine-Translation of the Scriptures-Change in the habits of the natives-Cultivation of the Cotton Plant-Abandonment of the Plantation-Manufacture of Sugar-Missionary Society formed in Huahine-Change in the appearance of Raiatea— Erection of dwellings-Ingenuity of the natives-New Chapels in Raiatea and Huahine-Schools-Improvement in the FemalesAdoption of the English mode of dress.

IT has been stated in a preceding Chapter that when the missionaries were obliged to flee from Tahiti, in 1808, several of them took refuge in Huahine, and remained there till their departure for Port Jackson. In 1814, after the return of the missionaries to the Georgian Islands, Messrs. Nott and Hayward, who had before visited Huahine and Raiatea, made a second visit to those islands and also to the neighboring island of Tahaa. Wherever they went they were welcomed and entertained with hospitality. The inhabitants frequently assembled to hear their in

structions, and many listened with attention and apparent seriousness to the tidings of salvation by the death of Christ.

In the autumn of the same year, Mr. Wilson and Pomare, while sailing from Eimeo, were driven to the island of Huahine, where they were detained nearly three months by contrary winds. During this time Mr. Wilson was employed in preaching the Gospel to the natives, and Pomare exerted all his influence to induce them to abandon their idols, and embrace Christianity. It was not, however, till 1818, on the arrival of a reinforcement of missionaries from England, that a mission was commenced in the Society, or (as they are more frequently called when spoken of in connection with Tahiti and Eimeo) the Leeward Islands. In June of this year, Messrs. Davies, Williams, Orsmond, and Ellis, accompanied by a number of the principal chiefs of Eimeo, sailed from that island to Huahine for this purpose. On landing, the missionaries found that with one or two exceptions the natives had renounced idolatry, and, in profession at least, had become Christians. Infanticide, and some of the most degrading vices had been discontinued. The people, however, were not yet fully acquainted with the nature of Christianity, and were only partially under the influence of its moral restraints. The outward change which had taken place was owing to the example and efforts of Tamatoa, the king of Raiatea, and certain other chiefs who had been with him at Tahiti and Eimeo.