Pacific Coast and Islands 159 



natives; and, struck by their manly bearing, and 

 a physical appearance fully equal to that of the 

 English, whom they also resemble in the fairness 

 of their complexion, and having also their com 

 passion excited by their total destitution of 

 Christian and moral instruction, they felt it to be 

 their duty to endeavour to introduce among them 

 the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ, under the 

 conviction that it would prove the surest and 

 most fruitful source of social improvement and 

 civilization, as well as of spiritual blessings in 

 finitely more valuable, and would be found the 

 only effectual antidote to the contaminating 

 vices which a rapidly-increasing trade, especially 

 with California and Oregon, is bringing in its 

 train.&quot; 



Ordered, unexpectedly, back to the North 

 Pacific, in command of H.M.S. Satellite, Captain 

 Prevost offered a free passage to a missionary and 

 his wife stating that &quot;he would himself introduce 

 them to their new station, and do everything in 

 his power to support them as long as he should 

 be in that neighbourhood.&quot; &quot;The man sent&quot; had 

 been one of the half-dozen people attending a 

 village missionary meeting in Yorkshire on a 

 drenching wet night when Charles Hodgson, who 

 was the deputation, insisted on going on with the 

 meeting in spite of the Vicar s proposal to abandon 

 it, and the speech that night to those half-dozen 

 listeners resulted in the offer to the Society of 

 William Duncan. At the dismissal meeting William Dun- 

 Captain Prevost was present, and a speaker|de- can 



