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to except by traders from the United States of America, who, having discovered among them the sandal-wood, conveyed large quantities of it to Canton, where it was readily purchased by the Chinese, manufactured into incense, and burnt in their idol temples. Subsequently, when the South Sea whalers began to fish in the North Pacific, the Sandwich Islands afforded a convenient rendezvous for refitting and procuring refreshments during their protracted voyages, particularly since they have found the sperm-whale on the coast of Japan, where of late years the greater part of their cargoes have been procured.

So early as the year 1796, the LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY despatched the ship Duff to the South Sea Islands; and early in 1797, missionary settlements were established in the Marquesan, Friendly, and Society Islands. The missionary left at the Marquesas, after spending about a year among the people, returned. The establishment in the Friendly Islands was relinquished, though not till some of the individuals of which it was composed had fallen a sacrifice to the fury of the islanders in their intestine wars. The missionaries in the Society Islands have been enabled to maintain their ground, though exposed to many dangers and privations, and some ill-usage; but their labours were continued with patience and industry for fifteen years from the time of their first establishment, without any apparent effect. After this protracted period of discouragement, God has granted them the most astonishing success; and the happy change in the outward circumstances of the people, and the moral renovation which the reception of the gospel has effected in many, have more than realized the ardent desires of the missionaries themselves, and the most sanguine anticipations of the friends of the mission.

But though the efforts of the London Missionary Society were continued under appearances so inauspicious, with a degree of perseverance which has since been most amply compensated, various causes prevented their making any efforts towards communicating the know. ledge of Christ to the Sandwich Islands. While their southern neighbours were enjoying all the advantages of Christianity, they remained under the thick darkness and moral wretchedness of one of the most cruel sys

tems of idolatry that ever enslaved any portion of the human species.

The attention of the American churches was at length directed to the Sandwich Islands; and, their sympathies being awakened, resulted in a generous effort to ameliorate the wretchedness of their inhabitants. A society already existed, under the name of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, the chief seat of whose operations was in the city of Boston, Massachusetts, though including among its members many distinguished individuals in different states of the Union.

In the autumn of 1819, a select and efficient band of missionaries was appointed by this society to establish a mission in the Sandwich Islands. They landed at Kairua, in Hawaii, on the 4th of February, 1820, and had the satisfaction to find the way in a measure prepared for them, by one of those remarkable events which distinguish the eras in the history of nations, whether barbarous or civilized. This was, the abolition of the national idolatry, which, though it was closely interwoven with all the domestic and civil institutions of every class of the inhabitants, upheld by the combined influence of a numerous body of priests, the arbitrary power of warlike chiefs, and the sanction of venerable antiquity, had been publicly and authoritatively prohibited by the king only a few months before their arrival. The motives which influenced the monarch of Hawaii in this decisive measure, the war it occasioned, and the consequences which ensued, are detailed in the following narrative. The missionaries could not but view it as a remarkable interposition of Divine Providence in their favour, and a happy prelude to the introduction of that gospel which they had conveyed to their shores. They had naturally expected that their landing would be opposed by the institutions of a system which, however degrading and oppressive in its influence, had presented more than human claims to the support of its adherents, and to be withstood by a numerous and influential class of priests, whose craft would be endangered as soon as they should present the paramount claims of the true God to the homage of the heart and uniform obedience of the life. Instead of this, they found the laws of the Tabu entirely abrogated, and priests no

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longer existing as a distinct body, but merged in the other classes of the community. The whole nation was without any religion and in this respect, at least, prepared to receive the dispensation of the gospel, recommended as it was by an exemption from all the miseries of their former system, and the animating prospects of life and immortality. Notwithstanding this, the missionaries, in the commencement of their efforts to instruct the natives, met with some opposition from misinformed and jealous individuals, who entertained groundless suspicions as to the ultimate object of their mission. This, however, was overruled by Karaimoku, Keopuolani, and other leading chiefs, and the king willingly allowed them to remain at least for a year.

They were accompanied by several native youths, whom a roving disposition had induced to visit America, where they had been educated in a school for instructing the aborigines of various heathen nations, designated the Foreign Mission School, and who, having given pleasing evidence of piety, and understanding English, were qualified to act as interpreters, and assist the missionaries in the acquisition of the language. The difficult task of settling the orthography of an unwritten language required all their energies; but by diligent application, and the help of the elementary books in the dialects of the Society Islands and New-Zealand, they were enabled, in the beginning of 1822, to put to press the first sheet of a Hawaiian spelling-book, and to present the natives with the elements of the vernacular tongue in a printed form. Schools were established on a scale less extended than the missionaries desired, but not without advantage, as many of their early scholars, who made encouraging proficiency, have since become useful teachers. The more public instructions were generally well received by the people.

CHAPTER II.

Present from the British government to the king of the Sandwich Islands-Voyage to Hawaii-Appearance of the island-Intercourse with the peopleKearakakua bay-Visit to Kuakini, the governor-Voyage to Oahu-Welcome from the American missionaries-Detention in Oahu-Journeys and endeavours to instruct the people-Invitation to reside among them-Labours of Auna and native teachers--Destruction of idols-Observance of the Sabbath by the king and chiefs-Attention to religion-KaraimokuReligious services in the families of the principal chiefs-Effects of our visit -Departure for the Society Islands-Return to Oahu-Arrival of missionaries-Objects of the projected tour of Hawaii-Remarks on the orthography of native words.

Tamehameha, who had governed the islands thirty years, and whose decease had taken place less than twelve months before the arrival of the missionaries, had invariably rendered the most prompt and acceptable aid to those English vessels which had touched at the islands. In return for the friendship so uniformly manifested, the British government instructed the governor of New South Wales to order a schooner to be built at Port Jackson, and sent as a present to the king of the Sandwich Islands. In the month of February, 1822, his majesty's colonial cutter Mermaid, having in charge the vessel designed for the king of Hawaii, put into the harbour of Huahine for refreshments. The captain of the Mermaid offered a passage either to the deputation from the London Missionary Society, then at Huahine, or to any of the missionaries who might wish to visit the Sandwich Islands. We had long been anxious to establish a mission among the Marquesas; and as he intended touching at those islands on his return, it appeared a very favourable opportunity for accomplishing it, and at the same time for visiting the American missionaries, the intelligence of whose embarkation for Hawaii had been previously received. Two pious natives, members of the church, and one of them a chief of some rank in the islands, were selected for the Marquesas; and I accompanied the deputation on their visit to Hawaii, for the purpose of aiding in the establishment of the native teachers in the former islands, observing how the people were disposed to receive instructers,

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and obtaining such other information as might be serviceable in directing our future endeavours to maintain permanent missionary stations among them.

An account of the designation of the native teachers and our embarkation has been given in the preceding volume. On the 27th of March we came in sight of Hawaii, and were so near the land during the night as to perceive the fires on the hills. The next morning, when the sun appeared, and the mists, which for some time enveloped the land, had cleared away, the island spread before us in all its sublimity and romantic beauty. The summits of the central mountains were concealed among the clouds. The coast was lofty, and broken towards the northern extremity. In many parts the high grounds appeared clothed with verdure, and waterfalls were numerous along the coast. As we sailed along parallel with the shore, I could sometimes observe from the ship's deck above twenty beautiful cascades, of varied elevation and breadth. Passing the straits between Hawaii and Maui, we reached Towaihai. The same evening I accompanied the captain towards the shore, where, near the land, we were met by a little boat with five persons on board, who were the first Hawaiians that welcomed us to their countrymen. As our boats approached, one of the natives hailed us with "Aroha," peace, or attachment. We returned the salutation in Tahitian. Having inquired the name of the place, we asked where Tamehameha was; they replied, "He is dead."-" Who is king now ?" was our next inquiry; they answered, “His son Rihoriho." We then asked, "Is it peace?" They answered," It is peace; the king is at Oahu-he has missionaries there to teach the people." The chief then asked, " Are you from America ?" We answered, "From Britain." He then said, "By way of Tahiti ?" and, when answered in the affirmative, observed, "There are a number of Tahitians on shore." This conversation had been carried on as the boats lay alongside of each other; but as the chief proposed to visit the ship, we returned on board. There was a great degree of native dignity about this chief, who appeared to be about five-and-twenty years of age, tall, stout, well-made, and remarkably handsome. He told us his name was Kuakini; that his sister was the queen-dowager, his brother governor of the adjacent island of Maui, and himself governor of Hawaii. He