I 



466 SUNDAY AND MONDAY. [1830. 



the general confusion, had come near the Antarctic. A waist-boat was 

 immediately let down, and picked up the straggler, while the others 

 were permitted to make as precipitate a retreat as they pleased. 



A few days anterior to this incident, we had, under similar circum- 

 stances, picked up a native belonging to another group of islands, about 

 three hundred miles distant from the one just described. These two 

 groups are so nearly alike in every respect, that for the present what 

 I have said of one will apply to both, with the single exception of the 

 language spoken by the natives. Our two captives could not, for some 

 time, interchange their sentiments verbally, though they could sympa- 

 thize with each other by signs and looks. 



My object in bringing these two men to the United States is already 

 known to the public, and is, I trust, duly appreciated. In the year 1830 

 they were ferocious savages, and, as they now confess with horror, even 

 cannibals ! In the year 1832 they are civilized, intelligent men, well 

 fitted for becoming proper agents, or interpreters and missionaries to 

 open an intercourse with their native isles, which cannot fail of result- 

 ing in immense commercial advantages to the United States, and also 

 incalculable civil and moral blessings to a portion of mankind never 

 before known or heard of by the civilized world. They have become 

 familiar with the superior arts and enjoyments of civilized life, and are 

 very anxious to return and communicate the same to their benighted 

 countrymen. One of them, who was a chief in his native country, has a 

 great taste for the mechanic arts, particularly such as require the use 

 of machinery and edge tools. He visits, of his own accord, the differ- 

 ent factories and workshops, with the inquisitive eye of a philosopher, 

 and is never satisfied until the use and principle of every operation 

 have been explained to him. 



If there be sufficient commercial enterprise in the United States to 

 fit out an expedition to these islands, and thus enable me to restore 

 these civilized cannibals to their own islands, the stockholders of the 

 concern would not only realize incalculable profits by the first voyage, 

 but might monopolize the invaluable trade as long as they please ; 

 because / alone know where these islands are situated. 



If these two natives are enabled to return, they will also be prepared 

 to instruct their countrymen in the art of agriculture, of which they are 

 now entirely ignorant. By this means thousands of infants would be 

 preserved, which are now doomed to perish, lest the population of these 

 islands become too great for their means of sustenance. Was their 

 rich, mellow, luxuriant soil only partially cultivated, it would produce 

 sufficient for ten times the population which now occupies it. These 

 two natives, whom I call " Sunday" and " Monday" will also prepare 

 the minds of their countrymen to receive and protect missionaries; 

 they will report how kindly and tenderly they have been treated here ; 

 how much more comfortably we live than they can without some of the 

 same means ; and how pleasant it is to attend the worship of the Great 

 Spirit in a Christian temple, where his praises are chanted by hundreds 

 of sweet voices, borne to heaven on the breath of the pealing organ ! 



November 26th. — On Friday, the 26th, we took the north-east trade- 

 winds from east-by-north, in latitude 6° 0' N., long. 144° 55' E. ; and 



