A Remarkable Example of Decline. 



Although there is only one mention of this 

 vice (self-abuse) made in the Report, I think it 

 very likely to have been in practice among them at 

 the time, for wherever we find a loose morality, 

 this vice is almost sure to be prevalent. This 

 would also account to a very large extent for 

 the rapid decline of physique. 



" The principal charge against tobacco is that 

 pregnant women and nursing mothers smoke 

 immoderately to the detriment of the infant, 

 and, in many cases, cause the death of the 

 children." 



These people were addicted to the use of 

 tobacco long before they became British subjects, 

 and at that time it would have been difficult to 

 find healthier babies than theirs, so that, although 

 smoking is a bad habit, and one likely to cause 

 a slight degeneration, it is hardly significant 

 enough to offer as a solution of the problem. 



Some of the missionaries themselves seemed 

 to recognise that a mistake had been made in 

 forcing our ideas of morality on them, and 

 acknowledged their belief that immorality was 

 the principal factor in the decline of the race. 

 The following is a remarkable admission made 

 by one of them Rev. W. Allen, Wesleyan Mis- 

 sionary which reflects credit on the integrity of 

 the writer : 



" It is to be feared that a great deal of im- 

 morality, at the present time, exists with married 

 women as well as single. ... I am inclined 

 to think that since the introduction of 

 Christianity and settled government, illicit in- 

 tercourse among the sexes has very greatly in- 



67 



