THE MARQUESAS IN THE FAIRWAY TO HAWAII. 131 



to geography in 1774. There followed fresh discoveries of Ingraham in 

 1 79 1, Marchand in the same year, and Hergest in the year following. 



We have already seen the Duff with her freight of missionaries at 

 Matavai in Tahiti requiting praise with prayer. Her commission went 

 farther afield. A mission party was landed in Tongatabu ; two were to 

 be settled in the Marquesas, and the choice had fallen upon Mr. Crook 

 and upon Mr. Harris . They were representative of the motley character 

 of that first modern apostolate to the nations ; the former was but 2 1 

 and is set down in the roster as "gentleman's servant and since tin- 

 worker, " the latter had reached the age of 39 and had been a cooper. 

 Than these three professions none could have been imagined less valu- 

 able in the conditions of island economy. The younger man went 

 ashore with alacrity, we can easily see in the somewhat solemn narrative 

 his gaiety on finding himself on the beach, for we find him making 

 friends with the chief of the bay, Tenae, and in this company scamper- 

 ing over the hills and exploring the shaded valleys. But Harris was 

 evidently afraid; he remained aboard the Duff until Captain Wilson 

 practically forced him ashore to carry out the errand upon which he had 

 come. When the first gray of morning made it possible to see the land 

 the miserable cooper was found in bitter plight of distress. It was not 

 easy to rescue him ; the sea was high and the surf upon the rocks pre- 

 cluded a landing at the point, from which he would not stir ; he and his 

 box were hauled through the breakers at the end of a heaving line. His 

 tale was sad. Tenae and Crook had gone off on yet another excursion; 

 Harris was left behind to take care of the queen. Early in the evening 

 the question arose as to whether he were white all over and it was settled 

 by what we may call laboratory methods. The gentle inquisition 

 clearly scared the pious cooper, and his terror reached frenzy when the 

 rollicking queen turned her maids of honor loose upon him. Seizing 

 his box and his few possessions, he rushed forth into the night and sat 

 upon the beach resolved to save his life and to preserve that which he 

 held dearer. With mingled cowardice and piety he sat on his box 

 through the night, bewailing his sad plight given over to the torment of 

 these daughters of Belial. Toward morning the merry band of girls 

 found him ; he forsook his little all, and from a hiding-place in the rocks 

 witnessed the glee with which they robbed him of his few poor goods. 

 No considerations of duty could induce the wholly terrified man to set 

 foot once more upon the all too hospitable shore. Crook remained, 

 but his mission was fruitless; his hardships became so great as his 

 novelty passed away from his savage hosts that a year later he was glad 

 of the opportunity to make his escape. Thus ended the second attempt 

 of the Church upon the Marquesas. 



The first attempt of the State upon these islands is one of the least- 

 known chapters in our national history. It is well known that in the 

 War of 181 2 Commodore Porter pushed the Essex around Cape Horn 



