want of food, that I have no doubt of their eating them; for the adverse parties actually kill and eat each other! An Otaheitan (one of Otoo's fervants) had been left at these islands by a whaler; and not being ufed to fuch hard living, begged earneftly for me to take him on board: to which in gratitude to his country, I confented. He reported their being Cannibals; and faid, he had often feen them eating men. On the 25th I weighed, and was failing out of the harbour, when a large failing canoe arrived from Hapae, or Harby, and and feeing one like a European on board of it, I fent a boat, which they endeavoured to avoid; but the man leaped into the fea, and fwam to us, and proved to be Mr. George Veefon. He differed little from a native in any thing, and could hardly be perfuaded to speak English. His account confirmed all that I had heard before of the ftate of Tongataboo, and faid it would be of no use to go there, as none of the Chiefs were left; that the people were fo miferably poor, I could get no fupplies for either the crew or the flock. I would, however, have gone, but the enfuing night proving tempeftuous, and the wind contrary, I bore up, and fhaped a courfe towards China. Mr. Veefon came away with me. He reprefented himself in continual danger of his life; and faid, That he was certain, that had he not got into the ship's boat, they would have killed him to prevent his coming to speak against them. From Vavow, I paffed the islands of Latte, Amargura, Onooafow, where I fpent a day; and on the 31ft fell in with the Hoorn Islands, and continued near them five days. These were difcovered by Schouten and L'Maire in 1616, and had not been feen fince. They afforded me plenty of provifions. A Chief from Tongataboo had taken refuge here. Veefon knew him; and but for this man, myself and a boat's crew had been cut off, when bartering with the natives. I next faw the island of Rotumah, which was the last, till we came in fight of Tinian and Saypan, between which as we paffed, we beheld more than 1000 cattle feeding on the former, and a few on the latter. the 17th of October, I arrived in Canton river, all well; not having loft a man, by fickness, from the time of leaving Port Jackfon; for which mercy,-for many that I have omitted in this long letter, and for fignal prefervations of myself and those under my care,-to the Lord and Giver of Life, the Over-ruler of all events, my everlasting praise is due. It hath pleafed him eventually to profper his work in my hands, who am fo unworthy, that the wife and the pious will be hereby constrained to confider it a mark of his gracious approbation of their efforts, to communicate the knowledge of his mercy and goodness to thefe diftant reigons of the earth. Great indeed is the undertaking; and as the fcene is fo diftant, great difficulties will long attend it. It will require great faith and much perfeverance in all who have put their hands to this plough, whether Supporters, Directors, or Miffionaries, before their eyes or ears fhall be gladdened with the pleasurable fruits of their labours: but, if I may be allowed to ufe a text to exprefs my opinion, I believe, "they fhall reap in due time, if they faint not." I feel pained, Sir, for troubling you with fo long a letter: but, before I clofe it, beg leave to fay, that, I hope, none of the Directors will think my going to New Zealand detrimental to their affairs; for, though it prevented the Brethren from joining those at Otaheite fooner, they certainly derived advantages from the expedition: befides gaining a more enlarged acquaintance with the Heathen character, and obferving the effect of foil and climate on the human mind and frame, they will be enabled to make fuch comparifons as may reconcile them to the place in which Providence has placed them. Otaheite not only produces food more abundantly than any in this quarter; but its inhabitants are more mild, generous, and hofpitable, and have fewer horrid cuftoms,-as Cannibalifm, human facrifices, and exterminating wars,-than the reft in this fea. The New Hollanders are wretches, driven forth from among men: they are below a state of nature many degrees. The New Zealanders fleep on their patoo and fpear; and to repel or deftroy each other, feems chiefly to occupy their thoughts; and the Friendly Iilanders are at prefent much like them. Please to prefent my beft refpects to the Directors. Perhaps, before you have time to read this, I fhall have the pleasure of putting the Brethren's Journals and Letters into their hands; and as, I understand, great care has been obferved, by Mr. Jefferson, in keeping that for Otaheite, I hope, it will be a good guide for future measures. With my best refpects to Mrs. Hardcaftle and family, I beg leave to fubfcribe myself, Dear Sir, Your obedient fervant, Royal Admiral, at Sea, March 15, 1802. To the Rev. John Eyre, London. Dear and Rev. Sir; my honoured Father in the Gof pel of Jefus Chrift, WITH WITH pleasure I avail myfelf of the kindnefs of Capt. Wilfon, who hath promifed to difpatch this by the firft opportunity, with his private letters. Suffice it in this to fay, dear Sir, that, notwithstanding your many fears, and the many falfe and prejudicial reports concerning our fafety, we are, to the praife and glory of God's good nefs, in prefent peace and fafety, enjoying every temporal favour and fpiritual privilege which comports with our fitua tion and character. Yesterday, after my letter for you was packed up in the cafe, I took in my hand vol. vii. of the Evangelical Magazine, in which I faw the public letter fent by the Brethren at Port Jackfon; and was amazed when I faw how very unjustly matters here, and the caufe of their departure, were ftated. As I have written more largely of affairs in my other letter, entering into particulars here is unneceffary, and, as my time is fhort, impracticable. I intend, as I have an opportunity, to fend an exact copy of my other by his Majefty's fhip Porpoife, which will fail for Port Jackfon in a few days. To come, dear Sir, to the particular intention of these few hafty lines :-From a general, yea, an united perfuafion of the fafety and special benefit which will, we truft, accrue from an addition to our number, we have written for a reinforcement; not to render us more fafe, either in our perfons or property, but for the benefit of this and the neighbouring iflands. This will, we truft, agree with the origi nal intention and fcheme of our dear, zealous, and venerable father, Dr. Haweis, who, with yourfelf, my honored father and friend, was for all the Millionaries to fettle on this Iland. Be not discouraged by the fhocking affair which took place at Tongataboo. Confider how widely different our fituation has been at Otaheite from that of our dear Brethren there. There is an almost unpardonable flander concerning Pomaree, in the public letter fent from Port Jackfon. Though we cannot rank a poor Pagan's motives VOL. II. L with a Chriftian's, yet he is, beyond expectation, our protector: he never has expreffed a wifh for our private property; and though he has frequently come to us, asking for prefents, we have been at liberty to deny when we thought proper, without any hazard to our fafety. He is more and more convinced that we are his friends; and he and Iddea come into our apartments more like our fubjects than our lords. As we have, from experience and judgment fomewhat mature, recommended twenty or thirty to join us, the greatest part families, I here take the liberty, dear Sir, to recommend, if he should make application, my dear, known, and faithful, friend and brother, Mr. Bowen; I should be happy to have him here to labour in the Lord's vineyard. But I pray to fubmit to our Heavenly Father this and every relative and perfonal concern; to whofe fpecial direction I recommend you dear Sir, and yours, in every relation. My dear wife (whofe reafon for ftaying is very falfely repre- . fented in the letter from Port Jackfon) joins with myself in acknowledging to be yours in duty, love, and affection. Mrs. E. defires her moft fincere love may be given to Mrs. Eyre, and acknowledges the claim which fhe, and the ladies who interested themfelves on her behalf, have upon her, never to forget, but always to acknowledge their very generous concern which was fo kindly fhewn towards her. Permit me, dear Sir, to fubfcribe myself inviolably yours, In the best bonds, 12 13 O Collection at Kelfo, North Britain Rev. J. Wilson and Congregation, Market Drayton 12 12 AFRICAN MISSION. Letters from Dr. Vanderkemp. Graaff Reinet, Feb. 1, 1802. Dear Sir, and beloved Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ. HE kindness of Mr. Brefler, Landdroft of this colony, gives me an opportunity of fending the inclofed jour nal, from October 6 to December 1801, to the Cape; to which I have annexed a copy of the first lines of a Plan for the Miffionary fettlement, which General Dundas has been pleased to approve, as you will fee by the copy of his Excellency's answer to my letter; and I request you to communicate these papers to the Directors of the Miffionary Society. His Excellency continues to favour our defign with his protection; but though his Excellency, by feveral fubfequent letters, has urged, as much as poffible, the speedy execution of his plan, and fent a fhip with provifion, for the ufe of the fettlement, to Algoa-bay; promifing, at the fame time, to fend the materials, utenfils, and inftruments, which we stand in need of as a prefent for the new inftitution,-feveral obftacles, arifing partly from the disturbances in the colony, and partly from the uncertainty in which we are hitherto involved, in refpect to what power the fovereignty of this country fhall, by the definitive treaty of peace, be allotted; on which account, the Governor confiders it adviseable to poftpone the final adjustment of the propofed Hottentot establishment till the conclufion and ratification of that treaty. His Excellency, however, recommends us, in the strongest terms, to continue the instruction of this people in the neighbourhood of Graaff Reinet, and to transport thofe who cannot be kept conveniently here, to Algoa-bay; referring us, in this refpect, to Major Sherlock, commanding-officer in this colony, who has already offered to facilitate our proceedings, by giving us every af fiftance and protection. It will, perhaps, not be amifs, if the Directors fhould think proper, to fignify their gratitude in an address to Governor Dundas, on account of his benevolent and liberal conduct; and alfo to Mr. Maynier, Member of the Court of Juftice, and Commiffioner of Go |