192 TAHITI. 



sions, which I took from the two last authorities, was 

 decidedly incorrect, viz., that the Tahitians had be- 

 come a gloomy race, and lived in fear of the inis- 

 sionaries. Of the latter feeling I saw no trace, 

 unless, indeed, fear and respect be confounded 

 under one name. Instead of discontent being a 

 common feeling, it would be difficult in Europe to 

 pick out of a crowd half so many merry and happy 

 faces. The prohibition of the flute and dancing is 

 inveighed against as wrong and foolish ; the more 

 than Presbyterian manner (jf keeping the Sabbath 

 is looked at in a similar light. On these points I 

 will not pretend to offer any opinion in opposition 

 to men who have resided as many yeai's as I was 

 days on the island. 



On the whole, it appears to me that the morality 

 and religion of the inhabitants are highly creditable. 

 There are many who attack, even more acrimoni- 

 ously than Kotzebue, both the missionaries, their 

 system, and the effects produced by it. Such rea- 

 soners never compare the present state with that 

 of the island only twenty years ago, nor even with 

 that of Europe at the present day ; but they com- 

 pare it with the high standard of Gospel perfection. 

 They expect the missionaries to effect that which 

 the Apostles themselves failed to do. Inasmuch 

 as the condition of the people falls short of this high 

 standard, blame is attached to the missionary, in- 

 stead of credit for that which he has effected. They 

 forget, or will not remember, that human sacrifices 

 and the power of an idolatrous priesthood — a sys- 

 tem of profligacy unparalleled in any other part of 

 the world — infanticide, a consequence of that sys- 

 tem — bloody wars, where the conquerors spared 

 neither women nor children — that all these have 

 been abolished, and that dishonesty, intemperance, 

 and licentiousness have been greatly reduced by 



