UPOLV. 69 



tall, thin, upright, with a quick eye, and a long beard 

 almost white. Tliis strilcing looking prelate has been en- 

 gaged in missionary duties for thirty years in the Soutli Seas, 

 and by his chance intercourse with Englishmen, whom he 

 lias met on their way, lias leariit to speak English tolerably 

 well. He received us very politely, insisted on our drink- 

 ing a glass of Bordeaux, and chatted agreeably with us on 

 mattere of local and European interest. In the rear of the 

 mission houses is a garden of large extent, very pretty and 

 picturesque. His church, which is built of stone, with a 

 spire of some heiglit, has a very effective appearance. 



On leaving the Eoman Catholic missionaries, I paid a 

 visit to the chief of the Protestant missions, Mr. Murray, 

 who had also spent thirty years of his life in this region. 

 He is a tall, spare man, intelligent, and agreeable. He is the 

 author of a book entitled ' Missions in Western Polynesia ' 

 (8vo. London, 1863). His wife, who is in very deheate 

 health, has kept her bed for three years. Tlie incrimina- 

 tions and recriminations which are perpetually going on in 

 these islands between the missionaries of different sects 

 are in general not worth reporting. But a chai'ge is pre- 

 ferred by Mr. Murray against the Cathohc missionaries in 

 reference to an asserted practice, which must be so very 

 tempting to a religious beUigerent as to favour the pre- 

 sumption of its probable occurrence. It is that, whenever 

 a chief gets tired of the matrimonial bonds which the 

 Protestant missionary has imposed upon him, and is anxious 

 either for freedom, or a change of servitude, he goes to the 



