MORALITY OF THE NATIVES. 193 



the introduction of Christianity. In a voyager to 

 forget these things is base ingi-atitude, for should 

 he chance to be at the point of shipwreck on some 

 unknown coast, he will most devoutly pray that 

 the lesson of the missionary may have extended 

 thus far. 



In point of morality, the virtue of the women, 

 it has been often said, is most open to exception. 

 But, before they are blamed too severely, it will be 

 well distinctly to call to mind the scenes described 

 by Captain Cook and Mr, Banks, in which the 

 grandmothers and mothers of the present race 

 played a part. Those who are most severe should 

 consider how much of the morality of the women 

 in Europe is owing to the system early impressed 

 by mothers on their daughters, and how much in 

 each individual case to the precepts of religion. 

 But it is useless to argue against such reasoners : 

 I believe that, disappointed in not finding the field 

 of licentiousness quite so open as formerly, they 

 will not give credit to a morality which they do not 

 wish to practise, or to a religion which they under- 

 value, if not despise. 



Sunday, 22d. — The harbour of Papiete, where 

 the queen resides, may be considered as the capi- 

 tal of the island : it is also the seat of government 

 and the chief resort of shipping. Captain Fitz 

 Roy took a party there this day to hear divine ser- 

 vice, first in the Tahitian language, and afterwards 

 in our own. Mr. Pritchard, the leading missiona- 

 ry in the island, performed the service. The chap- 

 el consisted of a large, airy framework of wood, and 

 it was filled to excess by tidy, clean people, of all 

 ages and both sexes. I was rather disappointed in 

 the apparent degree of attention, but I believe my 

 expectations were raised too high. At all events, 

 the appearance was quite equal to that in a coun- 

 II. 13 



