282 
MISSIONARY TOUR 
dark mind of the dying chief, on points of the last 
importance, again directed him to that compassionate 
Saviour, who invites all to come unto him, receives 
even those who apply at the eleventh hour, and is able 
to save to the uttermost those who trust in his mercy. 
I afterwards prayed with him and his family, and then 
bade them farewell. 
The situation of Kinao was affecting. He appeared 
in the midst of his days, probably not more than thirty 
or forty years of age ; and though formerly robust and 
healthy, he was now pale, emaciated, and reduced 
almost to a skeleton. Enveloped in all the darkness of 
paganism, and perhaps agitated with fearful uncertain¬ 
ties respecting a future state, he clung eagerly to life, 
yet seemed to feel a conviction of his approaching end 
daily increasing. Like his countrymen in general, he 
supposed his disease inflicted in consequence of the 
prayers of some malicious enemy, or the vindictive dis¬ 
pleasure of the gods of his country; hence he had con¬ 
sulted the sorcerers, expended on them his property, 
and attended to all their injunctions, if by any means 
his life might be spared. 
The popular superstitions of the islanders lead them 
to imagine, that an individual who possesses the means 
of employing a sorcerer, may afflict with painful disease, 
and even occasion the death of, any person against 
whom he may indulge feelings of hatred or revenge. 
They also believe that the sorcerers, by certain incanta¬ 
tions, can discover the author or cause of the disease, 
and refer it back to the party with whom it originated. 
So prevalent are these notions, that the people gene¬ 
rally believe every individual, who does not meet his 
death by some act of violence, is destroyed by the im- 
