34 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES* 
CHAP. II. 
Interesting state of the people—Extensive prevalence of a 
severe epidemic—Former diseases in the islands com¬ 
paratively few and mild—Priests the general physicians 
—Native practice of physic—Its intimate connexion with 
sorcery—Gods of the healing art—The tuabu, or broken 
back—Insanity—Native warm bath—Occulists—Sur¬ 
gery—Setting a broken neck or back—The operation of 
trepan — Native remedies superseded by European 
medicine—Need of a more abundant supply—Former 
cruelty towards the sick—Parricide—Present treatment 
of invalids—Death of Messrs. Tessier and Bicknell— 
Dying charge to the people—Missionary responsibility. 
The same interesting state of the people by which 
the close of 1819 had been distinguished, marked 
the commencement of 1820. Never were our 
direct Missionary labours more arduous and inces¬ 
sant ; and yet, during no period of our residence 
there, were they more delightful. We beheld 
indeed the isles waiting for the laws and institu¬ 
tions of Messiah, and felt that we had been sent to 
a people emphatically prepared of the Lord, made 
willing in the day of his power. 
The inhabitants of the remote districts which we 
had periodically visited, were many of them no 
longer satisfied with an opportunity for conversa¬ 
tion on religious subjects once a week, but came 
and built their houses in the neighbourhood of 
Fare. We recommended those who remained, to 
