MISSIONARY NOTICES, RELATING PRINCIPALLY TO THE FOREIGN MISSIONS CARRIED ON UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE METHODIST CONFERENCE. POLYNESIA. MISSIONS IN THE FEEJEE ISLANDS. "Do NOT THINK THAT ALL THE EVILS OF FEEJEE HAVE BEEN TOLD YOU." So says the Rev. Thomas J. Jaggar, in one of the subjoined communications; and so will our readers say, when they have perused the horrifying details given by Mr. Hunt and Mr. Jaggar. Well may the Missionaries in those "dark places of the earth, full of the habitations of cruelty," call for the sympathies of the church, and the prayers of God's people. They, of all men, require to be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves;' "blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation." It is with deep reluctance that we place on record the shocking facts of Feejee life and Feejee warfare. But how otherwise shall the state of the Heathen be known and commiserated? And how shall our Missionaries be remembered with the love, and sympathy, and help which they ought to have from the churches at home, unless their circumstances and trials are exhibited? It is a miracle of grace that, in ferocious and cannibal Feejee, one thousand persons should have embraced Christianity: let us hasten to sustain and extend these useful and much-needed Missions, until the Feejeeans "shall learn war no more," but shall be "seated at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in their right mind." FEEJEE ISLANDS.-Extract of a Letter from the Rev. John Hunt, dated Vewa, May 15th, 1844. THE time is now come when we expect a visit from the "Triton," all being well, and, of course, an opportunity of forwarding letters to you. It is cause of much regret that we do not communicate with you more frequently. We have many questions to propose, which we know would be answered much to our advantage, and the advancement of the cause, if we were in circumstances in which we could write oftener. The appointment of Mr. Waterhouse seemed to bring you nearer to us; but he was soon removed; and Mr. Cross being dead, we are, humanly speaking, orphans, all young, and comparatively inexperienced. Thank the Lord, our little strength is delightfully united, so that it is used, we trust, to the best advantage. We know we have your prayers, though we are almost entirely deprived of your counsel. Vewa has been like an hospital. They have come from various places, but principally from Bau. Two of my principal patients have been a daughter of Thakobau's, the son of Tanoa, King of Bau, and a young man, the son of a Chief of some rank. Both of them have recovered, and have embraced Christianity. The only way of obtaining access to Bau appears to be by giving medicine; and this means has been evidently owned of God during the past year. Besides the two above mentioned, several others, principally the wives and children of Chiefs, have become Christians by profession, on account of the benefits they have derived from medicine. We have now our regular services in Bau twice on the Sabbath; and those who have renounced Heathenism attend regularly, and are very attentive to the preached word. This is cause of great thankfulness to Almighty God. Many are favourable to Christianity in Bau, and none oppose it openly that we know of; I have had abundance of employment, especially with the sick, who have been very numerous during the year; so that nevertheless, we have no prospect of having a Mission-house built in Bau. In answer to a question proposed to Thakobau on the subject, a short time since, he said, "We are at war, and cannot attend to Christianity at present." I mentioned Ovalau as a place we thought of for a Mission-station: he said, "Ovalau and Kew are our lands: you can go to them; but we shall not become Christians at Bau at present." This is the Chief whose daughter embraced Christianity some time since. The old King is agreeable to almost any thing in appearance; but he is not so sincere as his son, nor has he so much influence in an affair of that kind. Bau and Rewa have been involved in a most bloody and malignant war during the whole of the past year. Most people consider that Rewa is the aggressor, and that Bau could not have maintained its national honour without coming to hostilities. Both parties are determined to continue the war until some of the Chiefs are killed. It may be years before peace is restored such is the determination on both sides to conquer or die, that to talk of coming to terms seems quite out of the question. The Bau people have killed a great many of the allies of Rewa; but the latter is far from being conquered. Besides the war between Bau and Rewa, the Lasakau people, who constitute a part of Bau, are at war among themselves. Indeed, things in this part of the group, politically speaking, wear a gloomy aspect, and some great revolution is expected by many. The war between Rewa and Bau has prevented us from having any intercourse with our dear friends at Rewa; for, although we are neutral parties, we cannot obtain persons to work our canoes in time of war, especially in one like this, in which all parties are involved. It is not an affair that affects one district only, as is often the case all are engaged in it; and even the white men living in Rewa have assisted the natives, so that they are afraid to go backwards and forwards. The Vewa people have not been much involved in the war, which is cause of thankfulness. Some have been occasionally obliged to go; others have risked much rather than go. It is a difficult affair with some of them. They have a great objection to engage in that in which they formerly delighted; yet, if they refuse to go when requested, it is considered rebellion against their Chiefs. Namozemalua has not, to my knowledge, forced any of them to go: those who are directly connected with him have joined him, as have some others who felt it their duty to do so. I shall now give a few extracts from my journal, which may be interesting to you, and show how my time has been employed. Oct. 8th, 1843.-My regular work is now as much as I can possibly get through. I have generally four or five services on the Sabbath, of one kind or other. On the week-day I have an English school in the forenoon, a writingschool directly after dinner, and then the regular native school at four o'clock. Attending to the sick takes up nearly every moment of my spare time. writing I do, is done during the English school-hours. I have five coloured boys, four of them from Lemka, one man, and a native boy, learning English; and they are getting on very well. The boys from Lemka will be useful as Monitors, should a Missionary be stationed there next year. What I had a conversation with some natives. Among other things, we talked of England and liberty. They seemed to be much pleased with liberty, England's boast; but they know very little of it in Feejee. It is remarkable how little either of liberty or loy. alty there is among them: indeed the two seem to go together. Not one of them is so loyal to their own Chiefs as we foreigners are. A free-born Englishman can afford to be loyal anywhere; a Feejeean gains but little by it. He cannot say of his country, "It is my country: even his private property is not his own. Dec. 21st.-Last Sunday I visited Ovalau, preached three times on the Sabbath, and met the classes. We called at Ugavo, a town on the opposite side of Ovalau, where a Catechist has been doing a little for some time. A short time since I sent a young man from the Native Institution to his assistance, and a few young men have since renounced Heathenism. We had a good wind, and reached home in safety. Captain Clayton, lately from New-Zealand, accompanied me to Vewa. He went to Bau the next day, to ascertain the mind of the Chiefs as to the appointment of a British Consul to the Feejee Islands. Thakobau was pleased with the proposal, and signed in my presence a written request to the Queen of Great Britain, to appoint Captain Clayton to the office. 25th.-Christmas-day. I gave notice to the boys that it was the custom in England to sing on a Christmas-day morning. Very early in the morning we heard a whole choir of them strike up under our window, which reminded us much of our dear friends at home, as well as of by-gone days. The boys went through the town, singing at every house, except those in which there were no Christians. They had no Christmas carol; but a translation of a part of the first hymn in our Hymn-Book answered well. Indeed, it is worth ten thousand of the trash that is put into the hands of children at home for Christmas occasions. It is a lamentable thing that children are often taught what every one who wishes his children to have any taste, hopes they will forget in after-life. Jan. 15th, 1844.-A day or two ago several Tokaloka men, a town belonging to Rewa, were killed by a party of Bau warriors, from a town called Namato. Among other advantages gained by the Bau party is, the death of the Chief of Tenga, a town belonging to Rewa. He had gone to Nakase to engage the people to join Rewa. The Nakase people were assembled in the market-place to offer their services, according to Feejeean custom, which is as follows: The warriors assemble, and sit facing the Chief who has come to request their services. He then stands up, and addresses them in a low tone of voice, requesting them to espouse his cause, at the same time holding a whale's tooth in his hand, which is a pledge on his part to reward them if they espouse his cause, and, when received by them, a pledge on their part to be faithful to him. While the Chief is still holding the whale's tooth, the warriors rise, and run towards him with their clubs raised, as if to fell an enemy; and when they come within a yard or two of the Chief, they strike the ground with their club, or brandish it in the air, promising with it to defend him against all his foes. Some go through their evolutions with muskets, others with spears; but most of them with clubs. It generally happens that the whole of the inhabitants of the town assemble to witness or engage in these scenes, and applaud one another's bravery. While an affair of this kind was going on at Nakase, the Nailasive people, a small kingdom in the interior of Nuritilevu, who are the determined enemies of Rewa and allies of Bau, entered the town without being observed. Their bodies and faces being covered with soot and vermilion, they were not known, and proceeded to the market-place to join the Nakase warriors. One of them ran up to the Chief of Tenga, with his club raised; and instead of striking the ground with it, took a fatal blow at the head of the Chief, and laid him dead at his feet. The confusion in the town may be imagined. Those of the people and warriors who could, fied; but several were killed. The Feejeeans are very clever at a thing of this kind. Indeed most of the conquests are gained in this way.* The remainder of Mr. Hunt's journal has not reached the Mission-House. FEEJEE ISLANDS.-Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Thomas J. Jaggar, dated Rewa, July 9th, 1844. As the "Triton" has arrived at Tonga on her way to Feejee, I, with great pleasure, sit down to write some communications to forward by her return from these islands. The year which has just passed has state of peace. nevertheless, blessed be God, war cannot prevent or hinder. It would be incorrect were I to say that we did not feel the peculiarity of our circumstances: the responsibility attached to me was heavy on my mind, though I was kept from everything like fear. Being alone on my station, and having so much Mission-property under my care, without being able to advise with any one, made it press heavier on me. We have been kept from anxiety respecting ourselves, and, in the heat of the war, and the near approach of the enemy to our little settlement, when we believed it to be quite possible for fire to consume our premises, yet we did believe that the Lord would deliver us from our temporal enemies. The Rewa Chiefs were very earnest in entreating us to leave the Missionpremises, and take our property into the fortress. A small town just below our premises has been abandoned, and several foreigners who were formerly living on our side of the river have all left us, and are residing at Rewa. Some of these, if not the whole, were afraid of remaining, and most of them were forbidden so to do by the Chiefs. Our lotu people have hitherto continued to keep possession of our town. I was quite firm in opposing our going to Rewa, as I could not see my way thither at all clear, and am persuaded that it would have been a great evil, and could not have been accomplished without a risk and loss of property. My resolution was fixed, therefore, to abide where we are, and by no means to remove or leave the valuable property, unless our lives were at stake. To have gone to Rewa would not have been the least security we should have gained nothing, and perhaps have lost much. : Our family circumstances were at this time peculiar. Our house, as far as the roof was concerned, was in a very rotten state; so that we were much exposed to inconvenience, and were uncomfortable through the inclemency of the weather. We, however, trusted in our God, and were saved from repining; and endeavoured to learn, like St. Paul, in whatsoever state we were, therewith to be content. The Heathen were quite astonished at our ease and apparent unconcern, while they remained in a state of constant terror, excitement, and alarm. "The se cret of the Lord is with them that fear him." "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." "I will say of the Lord, He is my fortress." The Psalm from which the quotations are made afforded me much comfort under our circumstances. The war has been carried on with much spirit by both parties: very many have lost their lives; and it is not at present easy to know how or when it may terminate. There is, however, no present prospect of peace being established. The youngest brother of Tuindreketi has joined the Bau party, and is now residing at a town a short distance from Rewa. In consequence of this circumstance, several large towns have turned also to the assistance of Bau. The Bau people do not seem to gain any ground, neither do this party. They are both powerful districts; and to destroy Rewa would be a difficult task, if it does not divide, which event, it is feared by some, will take place. The Chiefs of Bau have said, that if we go into the town of Rewa to live, they could never take it: others have remarked in our house, that Christianity makes the war weak. The populous island of Kandavoo is at war also with 'Mbengga, an island belonging also to Rewa. We feel the evil effects of these hostilities much more here than the Bauans. We are, as it were, surrounded by the enemy, and our limits are thereby circumscribed. In consequence of this, and the destruction of food by the enemy, provision is scarce, and will be more and more so as the war is prolonged. This is not the case at Bau. The enemy are at some distance from them, and are not so situated as to prevent them from sailing about at their will to the windward islands, or so as to shut up the communications to those towns which are subject to them. The attacks have been principally made from the Bau-party: the Rewa people have therefore been engaged in the defensive, and driving back their enemies. Towns on both sides have been destroyed, and many persons have been killed. Latterly there has not been any regular attack; but people are now and then taken by surprise, through parties forming ambuscades, and thus taking their enemies as in a net. They are continually going out on such errands; and sometimes they kill and bring home their prey, whilst at other times they return unsuccessful. Several white men have been joining the Feejeeans in their wars here; which circumstance has caused a bad feeling, and has tended more closely to block up our way to and from many parts of the group. One young man has entered so fully into the spirit of the Feejeeans as to throw off his clothes, blacken his body all over, and, with a strip of native cloth twisted round his waist, according to the native fashion, to go day after day with the natives to the fight. It is to be regretted that there is not some restraint put on such characters, which would prevent them from placing other white people in perilous circumstances through their impropriety and wickedness. It is rather remarkable that many of the Priests of the Rewa party have been cut off in the war. They have, in their fits of inspiration, declared certain success; and the people have at their instance gone cheerfully to the attack; but the Priests have frequently fallen victims. January 13th.-Several of the allies of Rewa were cut off to-day. The night before, the god said to the people of a certain town, "Come, let us go to such a town, and bring my dead men away from thence." They went and lay in ambush; and while yet in their concealment the enemy found them out, and killed thirty of them. Among the number was the said Priest who had the previous night promised them success. 14th. This morning, whilst we were engaged in the public service of the Lord's day, amessenger came from the King and Chiefs, requesting us not to sing, as he was afraid of his god being angry, because a Chief had died, and it was unlawful for them, in consequence, to talk aloud, or to make a noise; so that they were afraid lest their god should punish them. He further stated, that His Majesty also feared very much because of the God of the lotu; and that both things were difficult for him. I could not but admire the attention which they paid to that which they believe their god disapproves, while I pitied their superstition and their ignorance. I begged the messenger to return and tell the King, in a respectful manner, that it would be difficult for us not to sing, as we were worshipping the true God, and singing praises to his name, which was very right and becoming, as it was the Lord's day whilst, on the other hand, the gods in whom they trusted were false: we therefore could not cease our worship to Jehovah, in order to cringe in any way to lying gods and vanities, which would bring down on us the anger of God. The man said all was true, and it was good only; for the Chief feared the God whom we worshipped. The messenger returned, and we continued our worship, but heard nothing further about it. The Feejeeans connect everything with their gods; and did they but worship Him that is true, what a pleasing trait in their character would this circumstance be! Christians, however, may learn a useful lesson in this respect even from these heathen tribes. 22d. This day the Chiefs and people of Rewa, and their dependencies, went to prepare a town by throwing up mounds, and building fences; when a kingdom of some importance, which had heretofore sided with, and in a certain way been subject to, Rewa, rose up against them as an enemy: seventeen men were killed, and the others put to flight. The whole was done by treachery, and the murderers thus declared that they had turned to the Bau party, and become hostile to the Rewa district. Our party burnt their town to ashes, but were obliged speedily to retreat. They appear greatly disconcerted. One of their Chief Priests was shot whilst swimming across the river, and, together with his musket, sank to rise no more. Poor fellow! I knew him well: he called on me two days before his death, to talk about some fowls he wished to sell me. He informed me. that his temple had been just prepared, and meat-offerings and drinkofferings, &c., had been presented to the sacred edifice, for success in the war. I gave him a little advice, which he acknowledged to be good; but how far he was sincere in his remarks, I cannot pretend to say. I little thought, or he either, how near he was to another world. From what I can learn, a plot was laid for some of the Rewa Chiefs to be killed on this occasion; but from some cause or other it did not succeed, though many of the native carpenters were clubbed. The Rewa people seem very much scared by their friends having been killed, and the towns turning from them to Bau. February 1st.-The King gave orders this evening for our fence to be taken down, fearing that the enemy would come and take up their abode within it, and fire from thence upon them. I sent to say that it was just as he pleased: he might take it down if he wished it. Some men were sent accordingly, and commenced their work. Nggaraningio, the King's younger brother, disapproved, and ordered the men away. Some supposed that the Chief's youngest brother, who was always very friendly and kind to us, would come and take up his residence with us, and that we should side together, and our fence prove a shelter for him. Nggaraningio said to the people, "If you think the Missionary's fence is erected for the enemy, then go and fire on the Tonguese who reside in the town, for they erected the fence." The King has since expressed himself as sorry that any part of our fence had been injured. 2d. This afternoon the dead body of a man was brought here, who was slain yesterday. Our Teacher heard a man of great influence giving orders about the cooking of it; saying, "Let it be roasted quickly do not throw any part of it away take care of the entrails, that we may eat them also." 8th. Since the last date, several of the enemy have been devoured at Rewa. This evening a Chief from the leeward, who has been residing at Rewa for some time past, and who, it is suspected, has |