m SSSBSffih"t„ 1M n fir^up THE S A MOANS. Their ancient region. 



been much nided by native assistants, who have 

 l»e«.-n both industrious an. I successful j ami among 

 IT Will, those of Rarntnnga have the merit of having 

 led the way. They have acted under the direction 

 of Mr, William^ am] hi was Laid in praise of their 

 exertions. 1 witnessed a most interesting meeting 

 of these native missionaries, for the purpose of 

 selecting nine from their number to accompany Mr. 

 Williams to the New Hebrides, which has per- 

 haps left a more deep impression on my mind Trom 

 the melancholy result of that attempted mission. 



Great anxiety was exhibited by the candidates; 

 and I have never sccu ft more proper state of 

 feeling, or listened to mere correct, sentiments, 

 than were expressed on this occasion. All ap- 

 peared devoted to their culling, and some of them 

 were quite eloquent. After the choice was an- 

 nounced, those upon whom it had full en manifested 

 a cheerful but not unbecoming triumph, while tlie 

 rejected candidates were evidently grieved and 

 disappointed. The former were now Invested with 

 new apparel, which, although no more than a 

 striped cotton shirt *, gave them an air of conse- 

 quence among their brethren, which was amus- 

 ing ti> us ivlioconld draw comparisons between this 

 simple etirment and prouder kinds of canonicals. 



Kiu'h "f (lie resident missionaries now delivered 

 a long harangue, which was replied to by one of 

 the selected. The subjects of these discourses 

 were, on the one hand, advice in reference to the 

 duties about to be entered upon, and on the other 

 a reeoiTnition of the weight of the responsibility 

 iucurred by the successful candidates. 



Most, if not all, of those selected for the new 

 mission were, fine-looking men, and they were 

 chosen out of ninny applicant*, for their steady 

 habits and strict moral conduct. Tim term of 

 their engagement on the new duty was three 

 years, nfier which they were to return to their 

 wives and children, who were not to accompany 

 them. 



The extent and influence of the labours of the 

 missionaries may be best understood by a compa- 

 rison between the whole population of the islands, 

 with the numbers of those who have embraced 

 Christianity, and attend the schools. 



The entire population of the group is estimated 

 at 56,600, or whom N.hoO have embraced Chris- 

 tianity, and 12,1100 attend the schools. These 

 numbers are thus distributed : 



Inland i. 



Population. 



Prnfraion of 



Christianity. 



Pupilt. 



Eastern Group . 



1,0110 



150 



l.-.o 



Tutuila . . . 



H.O00 



2,200 



1,900 



Upolu • • < • 



25.000 



8.000 



6,2<jO 



brail .... 



ao.onfl 



4,000 



3,700 



Mariano . , . 



1,100 



•too 



230 



Apolimt . , . 



£00 



100 



120 



ToUil 



JfljCOO 



1 l.s-fl 



12,300 



• Thli garment is I he only remuncrnl ion Hint lliey receive 

 during enrli year from the mUsfonory fund., ami with it 

 they fee! thrin&elve* well requited. 



1 have in acknowledge the obligation under whir li [ feel 

 mynclf to the mUakmarieii. both individually and collectively, 

 for their kindness and attention. They did all in their 

 power to further the object* of the expedition, and to Hum 

 tho aquadron ii mainly Indebted for a great part of the 

 facilkiei we enjoyed of becoming acquainted with the mtui- 

 ner», lutbita, and cimum* of the Samoana. 



The whole number of foreign missionaries is 

 eleven, of whom one resides in Tutuila, six in 

 Cpi-lu, three iti Su\aii, and one in Mauono. 



The number of native teachers is one bundled 

 nnd thirty-right, of whom five are in the Eastern 

 j Group, thirty-one in Tutuila, fifty in L'polu, thirty- 

 six iu Savaii, twelve in Manono, and four in Apo- 

 linia. 



Derides those counted as having actually cow 

 braced Christianity, it is said that two-thirds 

 of the whole population belong to the Christian 

 party. 



Of those who attend the schools, about ten 

 thousand read, and this newly-'mtroduced habit 

 has of course made a very great change in the 

 habits of a majority of the people, but the num- 

 ber of heathen still left is sufficient to furnish 

 an idea of their original manners and customs, 

 which will in a few years be either entirely lost, or 

 so modified by the spread of the Gospel as to 

 change th. ir character entirely. The rapidity 

 with which this change is going on, rendered it 

 I desirable to obtain as much information as pos- 

 sible in relation to the pristine manners of this 

 people. 



As respects their ancient religion, we have ob- 

 tained the following particulars of the heathens. 

 They acknowledge one great god, whom they call 

 Tangaloa-hnri, but pay 1e-s worship to him than to 

 their war-gods Tauiafaiga, Siuleo, and Ouafanun. 

 The first entices them to war, the second leads 

 them to it, and the third is a female goddess, who 

 encourages them to fi^ht. 



Marine is their god of earthquakes, who was 

 deemed to possess great power, but has, according 

 to the Samoans, lo&t much of it. The way in which 

 they say this occurred is as follows. One Tniugo, 

 who possessed a charm capable of causing the earth 

 to divide, coming to a well-known spot, cried, 

 " IWk, divide ! I am Tnlago ; come to work 1" 

 Tho earth separating nt his command, he went 

 down to cultivate his taro-patch. His sou, whuse 

 name was Tittii. became acquainted with the 

 charm, ami watching his father, saw him descend, 

 and the earth close after him. At the same spot, 

 Tiitii said, '* Rock, divide ! I am Talago ; come to 

 work I" The rock did not open, but on repenting 

 the words, and stamping his foot violently, the 

 earth separated, and be descended. Being a young 

 man, he made a jjreat noise and bustle, notwith- 

 standing the sal vice of his father to be quiet, lest 

 Miifuie would hear him. The son then asked, 

 " \\ ho is Mafuie, that I should be afraid of him f" 

 Observing smoke at a distance, he inquired the 

 cause of it. Talago said, " It is Mafuie heating his 

 oven." Tiitii determined to go and see, notwith- 

 standing all the persuasions of his father, and no t 

 Mafuie, whi) inquind who he was. "Are you a 

 planter of tarn, a builder, or a twister of ropes V* 



1 am a twister of ropes," said Tiitii ; t; give me 

 your arm, and I shall show you." So inking the 

 arm of Mafuie, ho twisted it off iu a moment. 

 Such a practical illustration of his powers soon 

 made Mafuie cry out, " Na fia ola, tin fia obi I"— I 

 desire to live, I di'sire to live ! Tiitii thou took 

 pity upon him, and let him go. The natives, on 

 feeling an earthquake, exclaim, " Thanks that 

 Mafuie has but one arm ! if he had two, he would 

 shake the earth to pieces." 



The god Sal. fu supports the earth. They have 



