1832.] 
SANDWICH ISLANDS. 
417 
jects, they present an interesting appearance, as a body of island- 
ers springing into existence. To watch the changes in their prog- 
ress — to see how, step by step, they advance, or why they are 
retarded — to watch the heathen mind opening into civihzed im- 
provement, will always be a matter of deep interest to every phil- 
anthropic mind. 
We have already said that we. thought the improvement and ad- 
vancement of these islanders had been considerably exaggerated ; 
and we still feel convinced that no just or true idea of the state 
of these people can be obtained from the works generally referred 
to as authority on the subject. 
The advancement in inculcating upon these people the genuine 
doctrines of Christianity, has been by far too highly coloured, ex- 
cept in a very few instances. The old queen, before her death, 
and the present queen regent, have been considered among the 
converts. The number of converts we do not know, and pre- 
sume that nobody else does. Their ancient religion, whatever it 
was, has been abolished ; and we believe that a bonfire of wooden 
idols was made before a missionary ever set foot on the island ! 
Christianity is the religion now established among them, in which 
all believe, so far as they have any ideas of religion at all. 
Some time before the arrival of the Potomac, a few Spanish 
missionaries of the Catholic faith came from the coast of Cali- 
fornia, with the view of establishing a school and church for the 
benefit of the heathen islanders. They were men of learning, and 
agreeable manners and conversation ; and, in all their acts and be- 
haviour, appeared sincerely pious. They brought with them funds 
enough to raise suitable houses, and soon learned the language so 
as to converse with the natives. 
Pleased with their manners and instructions, the natives came 
m numbers to be taught by them ; so that the school and place 
of worship began to be crowded. They followed the course of 
instruction, in some degree, laid down by the American mission- 
aries ; and never attempted to draw the natives to themselves, ex- 
cept by amiable and kind deportment. Indeed, they were exem- 
plary in all their actions. But their success was too great, and 
they were ordered to discontinue their worship. At first they re- 
fused, and informed the authorities that theirs was also the worship 
of the same God with the American missionaries, — the forms 
Dd 
