116 Porter's Ventage 



perhaps the palmetto leaf, and the handles either of sandal wooi^ 

 toa, ivory, or human bones, neatly carved into figures of their 

 gods. These fans are held in high estimation,, and they take 

 much pains in preserving them clean, whitening them from time 

 to time with chalk, or some other similar substance. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



Fruit — Departure from the Island. 



Pine apples, of an inferior quality, for the want of proper cul- 

 tivation, and the castor-oil bean, are to be found on the island. 

 The first is confined to a few tabbooed spots in the valley of 

 Tieuhoy, the latter grows in the most flourishing manner, and in 

 the greatest abundance. These two plants were introduced^ as 

 Wilson informed me, by an English missionary, who,, about five 

 or six years ago, remained a short time here with a view of con- 

 verting the natives tcv Christianity. I could not learn that he had 

 any success in his undertaking ; if, however, he had while he re- 

 mained, all traces of it were completely worn off' when I arrived. 

 It seems he first endeavoured to convert Gattanewa''s wife, as be- 

 ing the most intelligent woman on the island. She appeared to 

 have a perfect recollection of some conversations he had with her 

 on religion, through the medium of Wilson, and among other 

 things, related to me, that he had informed her that our God was 

 the only God that every one should worship ; that he made the 

 island of Nooaheevah, and had sent down his Son to let us know 

 that he was the true and only God. He ridiculed their gods as 

 blocks, and stones^ and rags, which, said Taiea-taiaa was not 

 right, for we did not ridicule his God, who, if he wished us to be 

 convinced that we should worship only him, would also send his 

 Son to instruct us. We would not kill him, as did the tribe of 

 which the missionary informed me ; we would thank him for his 

 good intentions, and give him, as we gave the missionary, shelter 

 and food while he remained among us. Our gods supply us with 

 bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts, bananas and tarra in abundance ; we 

 are perfectly contented, and we feel satisfied there is no other 

 such island to be found as Nooaheevah, nor a valley more happy 

 than the valley of Tieuhoy. You who reside in the moon come 

 to get the produce of our island ; why would you visit us, if your 

 own gods and your own island could supply ail your wants The 

 gods of white men, we beheve, are greater than our gods, because 

 white men are themselves superior to us. The gods of white 

 men were intended for them alone. The gods of Nooaheevah 

 were intended solely for us. I must here remark that these peo- 

 ple are fully pursuaded that we reside in the moon, and th^t we 



