England to Fort Vancouver. 301 



an opportunity was afforded for determining whether Christiani- 

 ty had permanently affected the minds of these islanders, or 

 whether it was a forced state, in obedience to example and com- 

 mands of their chiefs, for political purposes. A state of un- 

 bounded licentiousness certainly prevailed at the period of our 

 visit, and some attempts were making to revive the native games, 

 dances, &c. for many years entirely suppressed ; but no one could 

 walk through the streets of Honorara, especially on a Sunday, 

 without being convinced that a permanent change had been ef- 

 fected in the religion of the island. Once, in a council of the 

 chiefs, the question of the abolition of Christianity was started, 

 but it was opposed by all those of greatest weight, even by the 

 old Nevor-neva, or high-priest himself, whose influence has suffer- 

 ed such a blow by the new religion, and who, consequently, 

 might have been supposed most interested in its extinction. 

 Till, however, the sacredness of property is secured by positive 

 laws, these islands can make few or no advances in civilization ; 

 the question was in agitation when we were there, and it was 

 said that an enactment to that effect was shortly to be passed.* 



I took advantage of the ten days that we staid in Oaho to make 

 a pedestrian tour through the interior of the island. The results 

 of my observations I take the liberty of presenting to you, in 

 the brief physico-geognostical sketch appended to the letter, as 

 far as the island has been opened to my inspection. It is very 

 imperfect, chiefly for three reasons : the hasty progress of my 

 tour ; the unfavourable influence of a tropical sun on geognos- 

 tic pursuits ; the density of vegetation, which, in many places, 

 concealed the subjacent rock from view. But, as being the first 

 of the kind on this interesting group of islands, it may be deem- 

 ed worthy of notice. Any errors in the designation of mineralo- 

 gical characters you will be able to rectify, by means of the 

 series of specimens I now send you, per the Ganymede barque 

 of the Hudson Bay Company. 



We arrived off the bar of the river Columbia on the 1st 

 May, and, on the 4th, reached Fort Vancouver where I have 



• I pass over unnoticed the differences between the white residents, with 

 the British and American Consuls at their head and the Missionaries, and re- 

 fer you to the Rev. Mr Stewart's recent work, whose observations, as &r as 

 my knowledge extends, are generally correct. 



VOL. XVI. NO. XXXII. APRIL 1834. X 



