Dr. Bromhead determined to go also; and at length we all concluded to go, and ordered our muleteers to be ready; but the animals, which Messrs. Fisk, Lewis, Dalton, and myself had engaged, were not brought till in the evening, so that we could not go with the consul. who set off in the afternoon, with Messrs. Madox, H. Lewis, and Dr. Bromhead, escorted by several soldiers from Aboo Ghoosh.

Sandwich Eslands.

MAUI.

LETTER FROM MR. RICHARDS TO THE

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

THE history of this interesting and highly favored station, was brought down, in our last volume, to the month of August 1825. We have now the means of carrying it forward to a period somewhat later.

ed in Arabic. In the afternoon Mr. Fisk preached for the first time here in Greek. Eighteen Greeks were present, of whom ten were priests. This was one of the most interesting Sabbaths which we have had at Jerusalem.

9. In the morning, our mules were brought, and we were told, that affairs had been arranged between the convents and Aboo Ghoosh, and that now we could go to Ramla without any difficulty. Just before we were ready to set out, Aboo Ghoosh, to our surprise, entered the convent where we were.

On entering, he said, in a stern voice, "Why were you afraid to come to my village?"

After conversing a few moments, and receiving from us some trifling presents, he asked for ink and paper, and wrote the following letter, which he gave to me for his brother.

"Our Brother, Abd Er Rahman, may God, exalted be he, preserve him. Amen.

"We make known to you, that our friends, the English, are going from this quarter. Our desire from you is, that you honor them, and that you do assuredly stand up for their rest, and that you be not burdensome to them. "We command you, and peace, friend, IBRAHEEM ABOO GHOOSH."

With this letter, we set out for Ramla, without any guard whatever, except our muleteers, and passed through the village of Aboo Ghoosh, without the least molestation, and without_paying a single para. We arrived at Ramla, a little before sunset, where we found the gentlemen who had preceded us, who had been obliged to pay to the Nakeeh Effendi of Jerusalem, to Aboo Ghoosh's men, &c. near twenty dollars each.

The adventures, which imparted considerable interest to the journey from Jerusalem to Beyroot, will be narrated in a future number of our work.

At the close of my last letter, we were living on the sea beach, a spot rendered

surf, which dashed within a few feet of our doors, but also, by the numerous houses recently erected on every side, and by the constant running and noise of the natives. Our houses, too, had become so bad, that they were a very indifferent shelter from the storm, and we were daily expecting that the wind would take them entirely away. Having tried in vain, to procure a better site for building, I communicated to the people my intention of removing from the station, as soon as the rainy season should commence. The public excitement on the occasion, was such, as convinced us more than ever, that our pupils are sincere in their professions of friendship. I have since learned, that several prayer meetings were held, and a number of letters written to the chiefs at Oahu on the subject.

Generosity of the Chiefs.

Nearly all the chiefs of distinction were absent from this station; those who remained, made us such offers as they could. I have seen the copy of one letter sent to Kaahumanu, which was as follows: "If you have more love for the dirt on which our teachers live, than you have for the teachers themselves, yet do have compassion on the people of Lahaina; for when our teachers are gone, the dirt will not be worth living upon or cultivating." In another letter it was said, "We do not ask you to give land to our teachers; we only wish you would permit us to give them the land, which you have given us." The chiefs were by no means deaf to these calls: Kaahumanu soon wrote to me, that she had ordered the governor of Lahaina to make over to me, a small piece of taro and potato ground, and also a garden and building spot The latter is inclosed in a large yard of hers, and is far the best site for building in Lahaina. Two large well built native houses were standing in the yard, to which we

immediately removed, and in which we now live. Directly in front of us, are several taro gardens and fish ponds, surrounded with cocoa nuts, hala, and kou trees, in the midst of which stands the brick house erected by Tamehameha, and called by Vancouver, "the royal palace." Back of our houses, and inclosed in the same yard, is about an acre of excellent land, designed for a garden. It contains three bread fruit trees, and on its borders, are a few cocoa nuts. It is now covered with bananas, plantains, and sugar cane, interspersed with melons, cucumbers, beans, cabbage and yams. These present a very beautiful appearance; the sugar cane being more than twenty feet high, and the plantains and bananas much higher. The houses which we Occupy, will afford us a comfortable dwelling for a year to come. By this act of generosity, we are unexpectedly saved an expense of more than one hundred dollars, which we must unavoidably have incurred before the present rainy season, had they merely given us a building spot without houses.

Examination of the Schools.

The schools are still as flourishing as formerly, and much more numerous. On the 26th of October, the schools of Lahaina were all publickly 'examined. There were present, nineteen schools, containing nine hundred and twenty-two scholars. Of these, more than five hundred were found able to read and spell correctly in the spelling book, and three hundred passed a good examination in all the printed books of the language. The school of Nahienaena, in a particular manner, distinguished itself for its improvement. It consisted of an equal number of males and females, thirty-six in the whole. They entered the house, with the princess at their head, with as much order and regularity, as the best regulated school in America would have done. Their movements, their dress, and every thing about them, had so much the appearance of refinement, that all present felt, for the time, that they were in civilized society. They were examined in all the printed books of the language, and also in a manuscript translation of a Tahitian catechism on scripture names. During the whole of the examination, there was only one word missed. The school repeated the whole of the scripture tract catechism, all the reading lessons that have been printed, also the Tahitian catechism on scripture names, and each repeated several hymns. Several of the scholars

could have repeated ten, others twenty, and one, the whole forty-seven hymns. The examination was closed by a dialogue, spoken handsomely by Nahienena, and Kaloa, one of her attendants.

The whole of the examination, was of such a character, as to afford great pleasure to all who witnessed it; and could our patrons have been present, they would have felt, that their exertions for the people of Lahaina, had not been in vain. Since the examination, additions have been made to the old schools, and I have formed some new ones, till the whole number of scholars in Lahaina, amounts to about 1,400. The schools have also increased in other parts of the island. The whole number of scholars on the island at the present time, probably exceeds 3,000. Morokai and Ranai, have also received their proportion of teachers and books; but the number of pupils on those islands, I cannot well estimate; it cannot, however, be less than 1,000. I have been thus particular in the account of schools, that you may see more clearly, how loud the call is, for missionary labor.

Outrage of the Master and Crew of the English Whaleship Daniel.

A general statement of the transaction, which is minutely described in the following paragraphs, appeared in the Missionary Herald for last July. It seems proper, however, that all the circumstances of the case, so far as they are communicated by the missionaries, and so far as decency permits their publication, should be known by the friends and patrons of missions.

Silence has generally been observed, in regard to the enormities practised by some English and American captains and crews in their visits to the islands of the Pacific. But there is a limit, beyond which, silence is not a duty; and to this limit the missionaries at the Sandwich Islands have arrived. They have always spoken, in terms of grateful affection, of the kindnesses received from many captains, other visitors, and occasional residents, at those islands. They have celebrated, with the most hearty commendation, signal efforts made by some captains to preserve their crews from disorderly conduct, and to stem the tide of licentiousness, which was bringing such intolerable evils upon the people, and upon the seamen themselves. They have wept in secret over the sin and misery thus attempted to be made inveterate and perpetual. They have expostulated with the criminal authors of so much ruin. and

have warned them of their guilt, and told them plainly of the treasures of wrath and shame, which they were laying up for themselves. They have been grieved to see their own pupils, for whom they have labored with the greatest care, and whom they have taught with parental fondness, seduced away from their protection, and brought, at an early age, into the lowest haunts of vice. All these things they have done and suffered, with a prudence and a firmness deserving of the highest praise.

But when their lives are assailed by brutal mobs, which had been licensed and stimulated by those who ought to impose the most salutary restraints upon their crews; and when there seems no probable security against similar outrages, except by an appeal to the humanity of the Christian world, and by exposing to public reprobation, wherever civilized man is to be found, deeds so atrocious;— || the missionaries and their patrons feel impelled to avail themselves of this painful remedy. A remedy, they have no doubt, it will prove; for though abandoned men may have no fear of God before their eyes, and may be sunk to a great depth in moral debasement, there are few hardened enough to be willing that their vile conduct should be known in the four quarters of the globe The publication of these transactions is, therefore, strictly a necessary measure of selfdefence;-of defence against the most lawless violence offered to unarmed men and women, who are engaged in the noble and divine work of raising poor, ignorant debased strangers and pagans from the mire of pollution and the bondage of Satan, and bringing them to the enjoyment of Christian privileges, and to the hope of heaven.

It is not often, in modern times, that missionaries are in danger of martyrdom; or that their readiness to die for the cause of their Lord is brought to the test. It was eminently so, however, in the case of Mr. Richards and his wife; and their decision and composure, in that trying hour, should call forth thanksgivings to God, that his grace was sufficient for them. Better, a thousand times better, to have suffered death, than to have consented for a moment to the perpetration of wickedness.

It is difficult to say when or where, since the days of primitive Christianity, the heroism of Mrs. Richards has been surpassed. When she had great reason to expect, that Mr. Richards would be murdered before her eyes, and that, in a few moments, she and her infant boy, would be left to the tender

mercies of monsters whose hands were reeking with the blood of her husband; when there was no missionary brother or sister within a hundred miles, and no human protectors, on whose timely aid any reliance could be placed; and when a single word of assent to the abrogation of a law in favor of public morality, would have removed all danger; in these circumstances, she was firm and faithful. O, if she had then failed;-if she had exclaimed, "We cannot resist this torrent of iniquity; these guilty men will have their way; let us not lose our lives, in this desperate struggle, for we cannot prevail,-at least save my life, and the life of your child."-if, through feminine weakness, she had yielded in this manner, with what indescribable anguish would the soul of her husband have been tortured; and what could he have said, and what could he have done, in such a distracting exigency? But she was sustained. The Lord was her protector; and the missionary cause was not tarnished.

It is hoped, that this whole transaction will long be remembered by other missionaries, and that they will all be confirmed in the determination never to yield an inch to the enemy.

Without delaying our readers longer, we proceed with the journal.

In our letters to you, we have frequently spoken of the kindnesses we receive from the numerous whaling ships that semi-annually visit these islands. The same kindness, from most of the ships is still continued. It has heretofore been our practice, to mention the names of those who have done us favors; while we have carefully concealed the names of those who have done us injuries. The case that I am about to relate, is one of so aggravated a nature, that we think not even a name should be concealed.

October 3. The ship Daniel, of London, Capt. Buckle, arrived, and anchored off Lahaina. The ship had no sooner anchored, than the officers and crew began to perceive the effect which Christianity is producing on the polluted islanders. A law had been passed by the chiefs, prohibiting abandoned females from visiting the ships which touch at the islands. Three ships had recruited at this place, and the law had been regarded.

October 5. A little after sun set, two men from the Daniel called, and expressed a desire to converse with me alone. I unhesitatingly followed them to the door. They immediately introduced the subject of the new law;

and said the law was an improper one, and that I was the means of its being passed. I entirely disclaimed having any thing to do in enacting this, or any other law of the nation, except, that, to the best of my ability, publicly and privately, I inculcated on the chiefs, and on the people, the principles of the scriptures, among which, I, of course, included the seventh commandment. They said, I could, if I pleased, procure a repeal of the law. I replied, that I could do it in no other way, than by telling the chiefs, that the law was inconsistent with the law of God, and that God would be angry with them, if they kept this law in force. I then appealed to them, whether, in speaking thus to the chiefs, I should be speaking the truth, or acting in the character of a Christian missionary. A full half hour was spent in conversation, during which time, I had some reason to believe a good impression was made on their minds. They had just left the yard, and I had taken my seat at the table, when several more entered the yard, and one called at the window, to know whether he might enter the house. I opened the door, but the language of those who remained without, was such, as I should expect from a determined mob. The man who entered the house, immediately demanded the repeal of the law, at the same time uttering the severest threats. I conversed with him much as I had done with the other two, but not with so good effect. I tried to reason, but it was in vain. During the conversation he threatened, at one moment, my property, then my house, then my life; and last, the lives of all my family. I told him distinctly, that there was only one course for me to pursue, and that, I had already mentioned;-that we left our country to devote our lives, whether longer or shorter, to the salvation of the heathen;-that we hoped we were equally prepared for life or death, and should, therefore, throw our breasts open to their knives, rather than retrace a single step we had taken.

Mrs. Richards, who had thus far listened to our conversation, then said to them, "I am feeble, and have none to look to for protection but my husband and my God. I might hope, that in my helpless situation, I should have the compassion of all who are from a Christian country. But if you are with out compassion, or if it can be exercised only in the way you propose, then I wish you all to understand, that I am ready to share the fate of my husband, and will, by no means, consent to live npen the terms you offer." The ada

TOL. XXIII,

mant seemed a little softened. He said, he should have nothing to do in any abuse, but he thought we had better look out for others. As he was about to leave the house, we earnestly entreated that he and his shipmates would have compassion on themselves, even though they had none on us, and that they would conduct in such a manner, that they could justify themselves before that tribunal, to which we appealed, and before which they must surely be brought.

During the whole of this time, the company without, were uttering the most horrid oaths and threats; but after the man left the house, they all left the yard. One more came during the evening, but we did not admit him to the house. We employed several men to watch through the night, but sleep forsook our eyes.

Thursday 6th, two men in a state of intoxication, came to the gate, and talked in the most insulting manner. The natives prevented their entering the yard. I informed the officers of the Américan ships, who were present, what threats had been made, but it was a subject in which they felt no interest. I then addressed a letter to Capt. Buckle, stating what had taken place, and requesting him to call and see me, as it was improper for me to leave my house to call on him. He did not call, but wrote, in reply, that all his men were on shore, with a determination not to go off to the ship, until they obtained females to accompany them.--He, therefore, gave it, as his opinion, that I had better give my assent, after which, he assured me, all would be peace and quietness. All hope of receiving any protection from the Captain, was now at an end: indeed, I had, previously, but little ground for hope, for he had already a mistress on board, who had accompanied him a six months voyage. She had been one of our most promising pupils, but, last March, was sold by Wahine Pio, her chief, for 160 dollars. She was so unwilling to accompany him, that after she was taken on board, three different messengers came to me, at her request, earnestly entreating, that I would use my influence to procure her release. The law on the subject, was not then passed, and there was no chief of sufficient authority, in Lahaina, to whom I could apply. She was, therefore, compelled to go, notwithstanding all her entreaties.

On Friday morning, I rose earlier than usual, and walked out in the yard; but had scarcely reached the gate, when I saw a company of sixteen men approaching the house. They passed B

had been unable to attend public worship. The church was near half a mile from our house; and to leave Mrs. Richards alone, during worship, ap

ures. The whole appearance of the men, was such, as plainly told us, that they were ripe for the blackest crime. This company returned to the ship; but, about 9 o'clock, a boat was seen approaching the shore full of men, and having, what the natives call, a black ensign. The trees in front of the house obstructed the sight, so that I could not see the boat; but as soon as it reached the land, about fifteen or twenty men were seen approaching our house, some of them armed with knives, and one, or more, with pistols. As they approached the gate, one of our small guard stepped up, shut it, and attempted to hold it. The foremost of the mob came up and ordered it to be opened, but was not obeyed; at which, he drew a knife, and made a thrust at the guard; he started back, and thus avoided the thrust. The sailor then attempted to enter, but the gate being again closed upon him, he made a second thrust, but the gate received the knife, which entered the wood more than an inch. The guard being only four or five in number, and they unarmed, were then obliged to retreat.

I had witnessed this at the window, but seeing the guard retreat, I retired to the back part of the house, where I could have a better opportunity to defend myself, in case the house should be broken in. One of the mob came up to the window and asked "Where is the ——missionary?” No answer was given; but the man stood looking and threatening; during which time, the natives were collecting from every quarter, with stones and clubs; and before the sailor had left the window, not less than thirty natives had entered the house at the back door. The mob then retired without offering any further violence. Through the day, however, and the forepart of the night, we were constantly disturbed by sailors who were skulking about the yard, and frequently coming to the door with professions of friendship, and earnestly entreating to be admitted to our house. As soon as the mob retired, the chiefs increased the number of the guard, and also gave them weapons, which they had before refused to do. On Saturday, all was still, excepting, that reports were every where in circulation, that, on Sunday, the whole crew were going to make an united attack upon us. We knew not what to do. The health of Mrs. Richards had Deen such, that, for three months, she

fore mentioned to the chiefs on Saturday evening, that worship would be conducted under the kou trees in my own yard. The morning dawned, and among the natives, all was as still and quiet, as a New-England Sabbath. We Could not bear the thought, that on that day, the church must be deserted. Instead of being worn down with anxiety, Mrs. Richards exhibited much more than her usual strength and firmness. She had been entirely deprived of rest for four successive nights, and had not, for many months, been able to walk away from our door; but early on this morning, she proposed to accompany me to the house of worship. I immediately gave orders counter to those I had given the evening before. The bell was rung, and the people assembled in their customary place, and in their usual numbers. Having committed our house to the care of the guards, and ourselves to the care of an Almighty Protector, Mrs. Richards and myself repaired to the church. We saw sailors in every direction, but did not receive the slightest insult from any individual. Whether the men were deterred by their fear of the natives, or more directly, by that Power, which secretly, but constantly, controls the heart, we are unable to say. The day was so quiet, that at night, we were relieved from much of our anxiety, and retired to rest at an earlier hour than usual. We had just fallen into a quiet sleep, when Mr. Stewart arrived. One of our guard heard him at the door, and immediately called out to know who was there. The answer was, Mr. Stewart. The guard was suspicious, and therefore took a lamp, and raised a window a little, pointed out his musket, and then ordered Mr. Stewart to come to the window, that he might see him. As soon as he saw who he was, he opened the door. After this, we received no more threats or insults. Capt. Buckle and his men, however, seemed determined that the law should be repealed, and frequently went to the chiefs on the subject. They said, that they were never in so religious a place before in all their lives. But, after all their efforts, they could not procure the repeal of the law, nor could they procure a single female to carry with them to the ship.

After this, a considerable number of American whalers visited us, and were as polite and kind as usual. By them