320 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES, 
destroyed their idols. The greater part of the 
inhabitants of the island, however, were exceedingly 
rude, vicious, and disorderly in their behaviour, as 
well as strongly attached to their superstitions. 
After remaining about a month among them, hold¬ 
ing repeated conferences with the chiefs and 
priests, Mr. Crook left the native teachers under 
the protection of a friendly chief in Tahuata, or 
Santa Christina. Their prospects of usefulness 
were at first encouraging; but the wickedness of 
the people was so great, their conduct so violent 
and alarming, even to the Tahitians, whom they 
threaten to kill and devour, that they were obliged 
to return. They were succeeded by others, who 
were obliged to leave in 1828. In 1829* Messrs. 
Pritchard and Simpson visited the islands, but 
such was the impression made upon their minds by 
the turbulent and repulsive conduct of the natives, 
that they deemed the establishment of a Euro¬ 
pean Mission impracticable, and returned, leaving 
the two native Missionaries, who had been already 
two years in Uahou, to prosecute their perilous and 
self-denying labours. A chief, whose name is Teato, 
received them with professions of friendship, and 
at first treated them kindly—but their privations are 
great, and prospects dark. These are the only indi¬ 
viduals at present employed in endeavouring to 
soften the savage character, and restrain the brutal 
and murderous habits, of the Marquesans. Their 
ferocity, insatiable desire of fire-arms and ammuni¬ 
tion ; their love of war, its sanguinary character, 
and the inhuman practice of cannibalism with which 
it is usually concluded; their inveterate attach¬ 
ment to a system which sanctions every vice, and 
encourages every cruelty; their abominable licen¬ 
tiousness, and natural fickleness of disposition-— 
