PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 269 



privations, which were endured by himself and his c ?,f p * 

 brethren, who, actuated by religious motives, were ^—~ <^~> 

 induced to sacrifice their own health, comfort, and ^S.' 

 worldly advantages in the attempt to ameliorate the 

 condition of their fellow-creatures. But complete 

 as that work is in many respects, it is nevertheless 

 deficient in some essential points. The author, with 

 a commendable feeling of charity, consonant with 

 his profession, has by his own admission in the 

 account of the biography of Pomarree, glossed over 

 the failings and dwelt upon the better qualities of 

 the subject of his memoir ; and pursuing the same 

 course throughout, he has impressed the reader with 

 a more elevated idea of their moral condition and 

 with a higher opinion of the degree of civilization to 

 which they have attained, than they deserve; or, at 

 least, than the facts which came under our observa- 

 tion authorise. There seems to be no doubt that he 

 has drawn the picture, generally, as it was presented 

 to him ; but he has unconsciously fallen into an 

 error almost inseparable from a person of his pro- 

 fession, who, when mixing with society, finds it 

 under that restraint which respect for his sacred 

 office and veneration for his character create. As in 

 our intercourse with these people they acted more 

 from the impulse of their natural feelings, and 

 expressed their opinions with greater freedom, we 

 were more likely to obtain a correct knowledge of 

 their real disposition and habits. 



To convey to the reader, who has not perused the 

 above-mentioned work, an idea of the political state 

 of the island, in which there has been a material 

 alteration since the period alluded to in the early 

 voyages, it will be necessary to state briefly that 



