PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 309 



the amusements of the people, and taught them chap. 

 such parts of the Christian religion as were intel- v-^-y-^ 

 ligible to their simple understandings, and were ^gjj' 

 most conducive to their moral improvement and 

 domestic comfort, these zealous and really praise- 

 worthy men would have made greater advances 

 towards the attainment of their object. 



If in offering these remarks it should be thought 

 I have been severe upon the failings of the people, 

 or upon the conduct of the missionary gentlemen, I 

 have only to say, that I have felt myself called upon 

 to declare the truth, which I trust has been done 

 without any invidious feeling to either ; indeed, I 

 experienced nothing during my stay that could 

 create such a feeling, but very much to the contrary, 

 as both my officers and myself received every pos- 

 sible kindness from them. And if I have pour- 

 tray ed their errors more minutely than their virtues, 

 it has been done with a view to show, that although 

 the condition of the people is much improved, they 

 are not yet blessed with that state of innocence and 

 domestic comfort of which we have read. It would 

 have been far more agreeable to have dwelt on the 

 fair side of their character only, but that has already 

 been done, and by following the same course I 

 should only have increased the general miscon- 

 ception. 



At the time of our arrival, the rainy season, which 

 had been somewhat protracted, was scarcely over. 

 Its proper period is December, January, and Fe- 

 bruary. So much wet weather in the height of 

 summer is always the occasion of fevers, and toge- 

 ther with the abundance of vee-apples (spondias 

 dulcis), which ripen about that period, produce dy- 



