Jan.] THE MISSIONARIES. 373 



New-England farmers, until the hour of midday, when they all par- 

 take of an excellent dinner, preceded by prayers, and followed by a 

 brief return of thanks. After this, they again repair to the field, and 

 continue to work until four o'clock, when the labours of the day are 

 finished, the two following hours being appropriated to amusements 

 and recreation. They assemble at six o'clock, and partake of a light 

 supper, after which the natives receive lessons in reading, writing, 

 and arithmetic ; or hear a religious lecture. At nine, P. M., the day 

 is closed with prayer, when a sweet night's rest recruits their health 

 and spirits, and fits them for the exercises of the following day. 



While the missionaries are thus occupied with the male natives, 

 their wives and daughters are equally busy with the females, teaching 

 them to read and write, and also the art of needlework. Thus these 

 good people devote their whole time in labouring to promote the tem- 

 poral as well as the eternal welfare of the natives of New-Zealand. 

 Several handsome specimens of their writing were shown us, together 

 with some pieces of original composition that evinced no ordinary 

 degree of genius and talent. I heard some of them read, also, with 

 great accuracy, both in English and in their own tongue, which the 

 missionaries have so reduced to a grammatical system, that it has 

 become a written and printed language. Mrs. Morrell examined sev- 

 eral specimens of needlework executed by the female natives, which 

 she pronounced to be equal to any thing of the kind she had ever 

 seen. 



A very pretty village encircles the mission, the buildings of which 

 are mostly framed and built like the houses in our country villages. 

 The better sort, however, are built of stone, and handsomely painted. 

 All of them are whitewashed, and have beautiful gravel walks in front, 

 with neatly cultured gardens in the rear. Some of the natives have 

 become ingenious mechanics as well as experienced and skilful 

 farmers. Thus those plains, which but a few years ago were the scenes 

 of bloodshed and human sacrifices, have been converted into culti- 

 vated plantations and fields for innocent amusement ; where the horrid 

 rites of pagan superstition were once performed, are now erected altars 

 consecrated to the one true and only living God. 



After spending a few hours at this delightful establishment, which 

 my wife reckons among the pleasantest of her whole life, we took an 

 affectionate leave of our excellent friends, and proceeded to the beach, 

 attended by several of the Christian natives, who parted from us with 

 great reluctance. On shoving off, they exclaimed, as with one voice, 

 " Farewell ! good Americans ! Gentlemen and lady, God bless you!" 

 Our honest tars seemed inspired by this ebullition of feeling from the 

 natives ; and with their muscular arms caused our little boat to skim 

 like a swallow over the waters of the bay, whose bosom seemed as 

 placid as our own. Not a soul left the beach till they saw us in 

 safety on the Antarctic's deck. 



We reached the vessel just before dark, where I found that my ex- 

 cellent officer, Mr. Hunt, had as usual been prompt and vigilant in the 

 performance of his duty, and every thing was ready for sailing. I 

 was met at the gangway by my royal visiters of the morning, old 



