DEATH OF MRS. ORSMOND. 303 
to hope that whatever difficulties may yet be 
encountered, the efforts made to introduce this 
branch of labour will be advantageous to the 
natives. 
In the month of December, 1818, when the 
Haweis sailed from Huahine, on her first voyage 
to New South Wales, Mr. and Mrs. Orsmond left 
us, as we mutually supposed, on a visit of a few 
months to the island of Raiatea, for the purpose 
of receiving Mr. Threlkeld’s attentions at a season 
of domestic anxiety. For two or three months 
contrary winds prevented any intercourse between 
us, when at length Mr. Orsmond’s boat arrived, 
with the unexpected and melancholy tidings of the 
death of Mrs. Orsmond, which had taken place 
on the 6th of January, 1819. She had survived 
but a few hours the birth of an infant daughter, 
by whom, in the space of five short days, she was 
followed to the eternal world, and, we believe, to 
the abodes of holy and unending rest. The dis¬ 
consolate partner of her days was thus left a 
widower and childless, far from all the alleviation 
which the sympathies and attentions of kindred 
and friends in such seasons impart. The kindness 
and the sympathy of his fellow-labourers miti¬ 
gated, however, in a great degree, the poignancy 
of his distress ; and the consolations of religion 
supported his mind under a bereavement, which he 
had sustained in circumstances unusually distress¬ 
ing. The people around were touched with a 
feeling of compassion; but although their com¬ 
miseration was fully appreciated, there was not 
that reciprocity of feeling which could lessen, in 
any considerable degree, the burden of his grief. 
In the family of Mr. Williams he spent the greater 
part of his time, when not engaged in public 
