Dec. 1835. 



WAIMATE. 



509 



honest. When walking in the fields^ a young labourer came 

 up to Mr. Davies^ and gave him a knife and gimlet^ saying 

 he had found them on the road^ and did not know to whom 

 they belonged ! These young men and boys appeared very 

 merry and good-humoured. In the evening I saw a party 

 of them at cricket : when I thought of the austerity of which 

 the missionaries have been accused^ I was amused by observ- 

 ing one of their own sons taking an active part in the game. 

 A more decided and pleasing change was manifested in the 

 young women^ who acted as servants within the houses. 

 Their clean, tidy, and healthy appearance, like that of dairy- 

 maids in England, formed a wonderful contrast with the 

 women of the filthy hovels in Kororadika. The wives of 

 the missionaries tried to persuade them not to be tattooed ; 

 but a famous operator having arrived from the south, they 

 said, "We really must just have a few lines on our lips ; else 

 when we grow old our lips will shrivel, and we shall be so 

 very ugly.^^ Tattooing is not nearly so much practised as 

 formerly ; but as it is a badge of distinction between the 

 chief and the slave, it will not probably very soon be dis- 

 used. So soon does any train of ideas become habitual, 

 that the missionaries told me, that even in their eyes, a 

 plain face looked mean, and not like that of a New Zealand 

 gentleman. 



Late in the evening I went to Mr. Williams's house, where 

 I passed the night. I found there a very large party of 

 children, collected together for Christmas-day^ and all 

 sitting round a table at tea. I never saw a nicer or more 

 merry group : and to think, that this was in the centre of 

 the land of cannibalism, murder, and all atrocious crimes ! 

 The cordiality and happiness so plainly pictured in the faces 

 of the little circle, appeared equally felt by the older persons 

 of the mission. 



December 24th. — In the morning, prayers were read 

 in the native tongue to the whole family. After breakfast, 

 I rambled about the gardens and farm. This was a market- 

 day, when the natives of the surrounding hamlets bring 



