PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 243 



with three violent blows of his fist. Thus tyran- CHAP 

 nised over, debased, neglected by the male sex, and v— v-i. 

 strangers to social affection, it is no wonder all those JJJjj 

 qualities which in civilised countries constitute the 

 fascination of woman are in these people wholly 

 wanting. 



The supercargo of the Dart, to forward the service 

 he was engaged in, had hired a party of the natives 

 of Chain Island to dive for shells. Among these 

 was a native missionary,* a very well-behaved man, 

 who used every effort to convert his new acquaint- 

 ances to Christianity. He persevered amidst much 

 silent ridicule, and at length succeeded in persuad- 

 ing the greater part of the islanders to conform to 

 the ceremonies of Christian worship. It was interest- 

 ing to contemplate a body of savages, abandoning 

 their superstitions, silently and reverently kneeling 

 upon the sandy shore, and joining in the morning 

 and evening prayers to the Almighty. Though 

 their sincerity may be questioned, yet it is hoped 

 that an impression may be made upon these neo- 

 phytes, which may tend to improve their moral 

 condition. • 



Previous to the arrival of the missionary, every 

 one had his peculiar deity, of which the most com- 

 mon was a piece of wood with a tuft of human hair 

 inserted into it ; but that which was deemed most 

 efficacious, when it could be procured, was the thigh 

 bone of an enemy, or of a relation recently dead. 

 Into the hollow of this they inserted a lock of the 

 same person's hair, and then suspended the idol to a 



* We were told that at Chain Island there were thirteen houses 

 of prayer under the direction of native missionaries. 



K 2 



