4"94 



TAHITI. 



Nov. 1835. 



coast^ he will most devoutly pray that the lesson of the 

 missionary may be found to 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 practice, or to a religion 

 which they undervalue, if not despise. 



Sunday 22d. — The harbour of Papiete, which may be 

 considered as the capital of the island, is about seven miles 

 distant from Matavai, to which point the Beagle had returned. 

 The queen resides there, and it is the seat of government, 

 and the chief resort of shipping. Captain FitzRoy took a 

 party there to hear divine service, first in the Tahitian lan- 

 guage, and afterwards in our own. Mr. Pritchard, the lead- 

 ing missionary in the island, performed the service, which 

 was a most interesting spectacle. The chapel 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 be- 

 lieve my expectations were raised too high. At all events 

 the appearance was quite equal to that in a country church in 

 England. The singing of the hymns was decidedly very 

 pleasing ; but the language from the pulpit, although fluently 

 delivered, did not sound w^ell. A constant repetition of 

 words, like lata ta, mata mai^^ rendered it monotonous. 

 After English service, a party returned on foot to Matavai. 

 It was a pleasant walk, sometimes along the sea-beach and 

 sometimes under the shade of the many beautiful trees. 



