bling at this place, Neiafu, and each section, whether of children or adults, presenting their offering of love to us at their examination. Some brought a yam, a piece of cloth, a shell, an egg, a fowl, and others a basket, or a mat. Each section was headed by its Teacher and Chief. They sang a hymn as they approached, and as they retired from, the Mission-house; and all were beautifully dressed and oiled. The Queen was among those who approached with her thank-offering,-a fine bleached and ornamented mat. I was struck with

the change which I now witnessed in this people. At my first visit I saw these offerings brought and laid at the shrine of their false gods, and connected with much that was immoral and cruel. They have now changed their object of worship, and their mode of conducting this ancient practice. The Missionaries have done wisely to control, but not to destroy, the thank-offerings of the people. I observed that many aged persons, who were very poor, laid down their shell, or an egg, with all the majesty and air of self-complacency peculiar to these singular people. These mea ofa have little value, only that they are intended to express the obligation of the people to God, and to his church and Ministers.

The same ceremony was gone through at Hapai, where the schools also appeared in excellent order, full of interest and efficiency. The result at this place was a mea ofa (or "thank-offering") of a ton and a half of yams, and forty fowls and turkeys, which were sent on board the "John Wesley," to be used on the voyage.

4th-A wedding took place to-day in the large chapel here, between Naphtali (the son of the late King, and grandson of Feenow, the celebrated warrior mentioned by Mr. Mariner) and Virginia, a Chief of high rank, and each about seventeen years old. At midnight there was a cry made, which continued till daybreak, to this effect: "Lift this food to the house of the bride." In all directions Vavau was vocal with the song of the multitudes who were bearing, or drawing on slides, ponderous burdens of food, consisting of pork, turtle, fish, and fowl, and yams without number. The bales of native cloth and mats were piled aloft in ample plenitude. Presents passed freely from Chief to Chief. The dresses of this gracefully-formed people were ample, flowing, and rich, as the Tongans count riches. Their heads and faces were profusely anointed with sweet

scented cocoa-nut oil; while rosettes and odorous strings of flowers were the ornaments of their necks and shoulders.

The ceremony was performed with all proper solemnity by the Rev. Peter Turner, in the midst of an overflowing congregation. The feasting lasted three days. In the afternoon we met a selection of the various adult and children's schools in the same very large chapel; but such was the crowd on this high day, that the walls of cane were removed, and the multitude under the roof and in the lawn could now see as well as hear the organized masses performing their recitals, drawn up in rows, about fifty in a row, the males facing the females, and all rehearsing portions of the New Testament, a lesson in numerals, and the Conference Catechisms; closing with a native hymn, which they sang with zest and unity, producing a very powerful thrill. As I sat in the large pew which surrounds the pulpit, and looked at the regular columns of scholars, with their numerous Teachers, bearing each his staff of office; then extending the view to the great multitude beyond, who were joying and beholding their order; and then still further to the gorgeous foliage of natural scenery beyond the lawn, formed of the cocoa-nut, breadfruit, and banana trees, with many others still more lofty and wide-spreading, all waving in native grandeur and luxuriance; I could not help wishing that some landscape-artist had been there, such as Baxter, and that loveliness so exquisite, combined with objects so deep in interest, might be conveyed to my friends at home. These schools are coextended with our Missions in the South Seas, and will most assuredly exert an influence upon the rising generation of these lands such as New-Testament truths only can beget, and the fruits of which it is cheering to contemplate.

5th. We sailed for Hapai, with Mr. and Mrs. Turner, having landed at Vavau Mr. and Mrs. Rabone and family in their place. We had on board, for the out-islands, one Assistant Missionary and three native Teachers. The parting of these from their friends, especially of Jehoshaphat, was very touching. Those who were going were melted, but not shaken; while their friends, some afloat, and others on the beach, set up such a cry as pierced our hearts, and echoed from shore to shore among the islands in the harbour. "Our love is too great, we cannot let you go: have you not been our Teacher? and are not our hearts cleaving unto you? are not our

breasts full of sharp pain? and will you leave us behind as orphans to pine in sorrow until our day goes down? Full of anguish are we! O why will you leave us weeping till we have no tears ?" Such were the expostulations of these children of the wood.

These, however, were not the only sounds audible to us on the deck of our vessel. In the evening, from the time the light died away till eleven o'clock, we could distinctly hear the children of the respective schools repeating their Scripture-lessons, and singing, as their manner is, what amount of knowledge they possessed of figures. These sounds reached us from this small islet, and from that large valley. It was heard also again as early as three in the morning; and then followed their morning devotion,-singing, reading the Scriptures, and prayer. This is the island of Vavau !

17th. We are at sea, on our way to the islands of Niua. The wind was high, and the sea tossing so boisterously, that all of us, who were prostrated by sea-sickness, agreed not to call this the Pacific Ocean. In the morning we passed close under the lee of the remains of that very extraordinary island, Funua-lai. Although suffering severely in my berth below, I resolved at all risks to go on deck, and see this great sight.

Funua-lai presented the most awful and terrific appearance, in the form of a natural phenomenon, that it had hitherto fallen to my lot to witness. It was a round and rather high volcanic island, about ten miles round, until it became so frightfully convulsed, that it was turned inside out, and split into two parts ! God had sent such clear warnings by the heavy earthquakes which preceded this eruption, that the people had left the place, and had gone to Vavau, where they are now living. To us on our ship's deck it now presented an appearance of desolation, which filled us with awe, and caused a sigh to escape from every beholder.

The sailor, the native Teacher, the Missionary, all exclaimed, "Come, see the desolations which the Lord hath made!" The idea it impressed upon our minds was that of a ruined world. It smelled very strongly of sulphur; and exhibited rents, and piles of burnt sand and vitrified matter, as if the bowels of the earth had been turned outside. Volumes of smoke were pouring forth at twenty places, sometimes closing here and opening there. The openings of crater after crater were seen in all directions; and the sea, for a great distance, was discoloured by the

floods of lava poured forth. The light of the flame caused quite an illumination at Vavau, distant thirty-five miles; and the noise of this fiery disgorge was distinctly heard for three successive days at Niua-Foou, distant one hundred and thirty miles! The dust and vitrified matter were discharged from this deep volcano to such a height, that we saw much of it and its withering effects, thirty-five miles off, at Vavau, where the damage was very considerable, both to the trees and to the crops generally. Persons who were passing about the time of the phenomenon have recorded the following particulars :

:

"Captain Samson, on his way from Tonga to Vavau, entered a shower of ashes. At the time it was a doublereefed-topsail breeze from the north-east; but it was a beautiful, clear, starlight night. As he approached, it appeared like a squall; and as soon as he entered, the eyes of the men on watch began to be covered with fine dust. Captain Samson put the ship about, but being persuaded that there was no land near, he continued his course. So soon as the sun arose, the dust appeared of a dark red colour, rolling over like great volumes of smoke, presenting an awful appearance. At eight o'clock it was so dark, that candles had to be lighted in the cabin. At eleven A. M. it began to clear a little, the sun appearing occasionally. By noon they had got out of it, being then in 170° 45' west, and 11° 2' south, having sailed across the shower at least forty miles. Captain Cash, of the ship Massachusetts, got into the shower about the same time, though at least sixty miles to the east of Captain Samson, and not far from Savage-Island. The ashes penetrated every crevice of the ship, and fell in such quantities, that Captain Samson believes that tons fell on the deck, which had to be cleared from time to time. The question is, How could such a shower be carried so far, right in the teeth of the prevailing winds? It can only be explained, I think, by supposing that the ashes had been thrown at once with great force to a very great height, into an upper current of air, and, after being borne several degrees to the east, had then fallen into the under-stratum, and so been carried back again towards the island whence they came. The dust is of a dark grey slaty colour, of specific gravity 1.076, containing a large proportion of sulphur, and so much of free sulphuric acid as to give it a sharp taste. It also contained a small proportion of iron. No doubt a minute

sermons amounted to £21. On Monday, the 6th, a public tea-meeting was held in the chapel, which was attended by above two hundred persons. Ample provisions had been gratuitously furnished by the friends, and the entire proceeds of the tickets (about £16) were given to the chapel. After the tea, a public meeting was held, when some addresses were delivered, and resolutions passed, bearing on the erection of the first place of worship in that part of the colony; and at the close about £24 more were subscribed. The entire proceeds of the opening, including the above sums and a few private subscriptions given on the following day, (amongst which was £5 from William Lang, Esq., Police Magistrate,) amounted to nearly £70. There is no place of worship within seventy miles of this which has now been opened; indeed, there has been no population near the spot until within two years. Now it is fast increasing, and at present there cannot be less than fifteen hundred souls. Many of them are from Cornwall, a considerable number of whom were members of our society at home, but had, in various instances, become totally careless and worldly. I rejoice to add, that the Lord is working amongst these, and several have already found their way back to the fold of Christ. We have at present fifty-nine members here and at the Princess-Royal Mine, which is seven miles distant; and the number, I am persuaded, would be doubled in a short time were a Minister living amongst them. The whole expense of the building, including the chapel, and two rooms behind for a Schoolmaster's dwelling, has been about £240. No debt at present exists; but the chapel is not finished, and a school-room must be built before we can complete it. A very good day-school is commenced, and the Sunday school contains nearly one hundred children.

You will, I dare say, have heard, before this reaches you, that Mr. Thrum has been appointed by the DistrictMeeting to labour with us in South Australia. He arrived here early in October, and is well received by the congregations. An attack of erysipelas laid him aside a week or two; but, thank God, he is now quite recovered. Mr. Harcourt has good health, and labours hard. The heat is now very great, and the travelling very fatiguing; but we have hitherto been preserved.

We were surprised, on the 11th, by the arrival of the Rev. Nathaniel Turner, by the "Juno" steamer, from Syd

ney. It seems his health had suffered, and a voyage was recommended. His stay with us was but a week, during which he was able to preach twice. The sea air appears to have benefited him greatly; and he has returned to Sydney, I think considerably invigorated.

We have of late been much engaged in endeavouring so to fix ourselves as that we may best supply the growing wants of the colony. We recommended to the District-Meeting that the Circuit should be divided into three; and I find our request has been complied with. We have not yet been able to settle a Minister at each of the places, but have now, I think, made such arrangements as will meet the case. Next month Mr. Harcourt will go to the Burra, one hundred miles north, taking under his care a few other mines within fifty miles. Mr. Thrum will also then remove to Willunga, thirty miles south, and take under his care several places between Adelaide and his head-quarters. I shall thus be left alone in town with sixteen places to attend to, at eight of which we have chapels. I shall have to work excessively hard, until I am assisted by another young man, whom Mr. Boyce has promised to send me as soon as possible; but such is my conviction of the importance of taking possession of these places, that I am willing to exert myself to the utmost, and make many sacrifices, that their case may be met. The colony requires five Ministers at least, in order that our Society may exert its legitimate influence. I rejoice that at so early a period there are three of us here with strength to labour in the vineyard of the Lord. I cannot, however, be satisfied until we have five in South Australia, stationed as follows:-Adelaide, two; Willunga, one; the North Mines, one; and Mount-Barker, one. My heart would rejoice if, on the arrival of the Stations of the Conference of 1848, the above scheme should be fixed, and a reinforcement sent out to enable the District to arrange it. It is possible that this would involve a small annual charge for a year or two, besides the passages; but I am certain it would be very trifling, and would soon cease altogether. Should I be permitted to witness this, I shall indeed rejoice in the assurance that I have been sent to this Circuit for a most important and valuable end. Numbers of those who are scattered up and down this colony are from your own congregations in England. Their condition is awful. Our hands are full, improperly so; as to our health, dangerously so. "I speak as a

fool:" we work as hard as any Preachers under heaven; but still there are many places which cannot be reached by us. Do, I beseech you, use every means to supply our wants; and generations yet unborn, in one of the most important of British colonies, will bless you. We have now about four hundred and sixty members in the society, scattered over a

Circuit one hundred and thirty miles long by forty miles broad.

Mr. Boyce has promised to visit us early in the year. hope nothing will prevent his doing so. I am ashamed that nothing has of late been sent to the General Fund from this colony. I have reason to expect £100 for you by the next District-Meeting.

You will observe, by the heading of this letter, that I write you from a new station, this being the first letter I have addressed to you from hence. The above is the native name of the place; and, being casily expressed by Europeans, I hope it will be retained. The station is situated about fourteen miles from Pieter-Mauritzburg, the seat of the English Government; and forms a part of the native settlement, known to the Government and Europeans as the "Zwaartkop Location." I have already informed you that there are residing in the Natal territory about one hundred thousand natives; and, in order to provide lands for their occupa tion, the Government have placed them throughout the district in ten locations, or native settlements, each containing about ten thousand inhabitants. These native settlements are to be placed under the care of a Civil Agent, possessing magisterial authority, who is to administer the laws in a great measure through the agency of the Chiefs and Head-men of the different clans, who are to be invested with a limited degree of authority over their retainers. We, as Wesleyan Missionaries, have become responsible to the Government for the moral and religious culture of three of these settlements; relying, as we do, upon the Committee enabling us to fulfil this engagement in a manner honourable to our church, and efficient as to the labour bestowed. You have at present, in the Natal District, four Missionaries: one of these is stationed at D'Urban, and another at Pieter-Mauritzburg, the former a rising European town at the port of this District, the other a delightfullysituated town about fifty miles from the Port at which the English Government have established their seat. At both these places a very promising native field of labour presents itself; and these openings are very zealously entered, and the field assiduously cultivated, by the brethren Holden and Richards, who are

there stationed. One native settlement is occupied by Mr. Allison, and another by myself, while the third is at present under the care of a devoted native Teacher. I trust you will not for one moment lose sight of the great importance of this field of labour, as it regards the native population. This population is now brought suddenly and unexpectedly into contact with European settlers; and as civilization, with its superior knowledge and advantages, together with its vices, is thus brought into collision with barbarism, with its darkness, ignorance, and depravity, the issue must be disastrous, both to the Europeans and the natives, unless the latter be speedily raised from their present degraded situation, by the blessings of that system of light and salvation imparted unto man through the Gospel. The Government here are fully awake to the importance of means being adopted to Christianize and civilize the natives. They are, therefore, anxious to afford every facility to Missionaries who may settle among them, and to assist them in the prosecution of their great work. A plan has also been submitted to the Home-Government, recommending the adoption of measures calculated to have a civilizing influence among them; such as the establishment of schools, the introduction of an improved mode of agriculture, the erection of European dwellings, &c.; but, desirable and important as this all is, I can say, without hesitation, from an experience of eighteen years amongst these people, that all these plans will fail of their object, unless a large leaven of Christianity be spread first among these

nations.

We ought to have two Missionaries for each of the three locations we have under our care. The American Board of Missions have at present three of these settlements under their care, and on one of them they have three Missionaries;