26 THE WHALEMAN'S ADVENTURES. 



" Oh, at what time soever thou 



(Unknown to me) the heavens wilt bow, 



And, with thy angels in the van, 



Descend to judge poor careless man, 



Grant I may not like puddle lie, 



In a corrupt security, 



Where, if a traveller water crave, 



He finds it dead, and in a grave ; 



But as the clear running spring 



All day and night doth flow and sing ; 



And though here born, yet is acquainted 



Elsewhere, and, flowing, keeps untainted 



So let me all my busy age 



In thy free services engage. 



And though (while here) of force I must 



Have commerce sometimes with poor dust, 



Yet let my course, my aim, my love, 



And chief acquaintance be above ; 



So when that day and hour shall come 



In which Thyself will be the sun, 



Thou 'It find me dressed and on my way, 



Watching the break of thy great day." 



How different now our reception here by 

 islanders that had been blessed with the Bible, 

 from that which a whale ship had while sail- 

 ing along in this same Pacific in the year 

 1835, from barbarians that had never received 

 the Gospel. A large number of natives came 

 off, as to us, for purposes of trade. No trea- 

 chery was suspected, and all for a while went 



