THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE 



437 



judgment would necessarily be very imperfect. First im- 

 pressions at all times very much depend on one's previously 

 acquired ideas. My notions were drawn from Ellis's " Poly- 

 nesian Researches " — an admirable and most interesting 

 work, but naturally looking at everything under a favourable 

 point of view; from Beechey's Voyage; and from that of 

 Kotzebue, which is strongly adverse to the whole missionary 

 system. He who compares these three accounts will, I think, 

 form a tolerably accurate conception of the present state of 

 Tahiti. One of my impressions, which I took from the two 

 last authorities, was decidedly incorrect; viz., that the Ta- 

 hitians had become a gloomy race, and lived in fear of the 

 missionaries. Of the latter feeling I saw no trace, unless, 

 indeed, fear and respect be confounded under one name. 

 Instead of discontent being a common feeling, it would be 

 difficult in Europe to pick out of a crowd half so many merry 

 and happy faces. The prohibition of the flute and dancing 

 is inveighed against as wrong and foolish; — the more than 

 presbyterian manner of keeping the sabbath is looked at in 

 a similar light. On these points I will not pretend to offer 

 any opinion to men who have resided as many years as I 

 was days on the island. 



On the whole, it appears to me that the morality and 

 religion of the inhabitants are highly creditable. There are 

 many who attack, even more acrimoniously than Kotzebue, 

 both the missionaries, their system, and the effects produced 

 by it. Such reasoners never compare the present state with 

 that of the island only twenty years ago; nor even with that 

 of Europe at this day; but they compare it with the high 

 standard of Gospel perfection. They expect the missionaries 

 to effect that which the Apostles themselves failed to do. 

 Inasmuch as the condition of the people falls short of 

 this high standard, blame is attached to the missionary, in- 

 stead of credit for that which he has effected. They forget, 

 or will not remember, that human sacrifices, and the power 

 of an idolatrous priesthood — a system of profligacy unparal- 

 leled in any other part of the world — infanticide a consequence 

 of that system — bloody wars, where the conquerors spared 

 neither women nor children — that all these have been abol- 

 ished; and that dishonesty, intemperance, and licentiousness 



