310 
MISSIONARY TOUR 
duals. But here, alas ! ignorance, cruel idolatry, and 
familiarity with vice, appeared to have destroyed 
natural affection, and all the tender sympathies of hu¬ 
manity, in their bosoms. The wife beheld unmoved 
the sufferings of her husband, and the amusement of 
the mother was undisturbed by the painful crying of 
her languishing child. 
The state of domestic society in Tahiti and the 
neighbouring islands, only a few years ago, was even 
more affecting. There the sick were often removed 
from the house in which they had been accustomed to 
reside, and placed in a miserable hut a few yards dis¬ 
tant, and were sometimes starved to death, or mur¬ 
dered, or buried alive, from motives of covetousness or 
idleness ; children frequently declaring it was too much 
trouble to attend to the wants of their parents. But 
what a pleasing change has the introduction of Chris¬ 
tianity effected among them! So far from being un¬ 
willing to take care of their sick relatives and friends, 
a number of individuals, at several of the missionary 
stations, annually devote a part of the produce of their 
labour, to erect houses, purchase medicine, and pro¬ 
vide for the comfort of those who are sick and indigent. 
It is impossible for any people to be more attentive 
and kind than they now are. Many a time the friend 
of some one who had been taken ill has called me up 
at midnight to ask for medicine; and often have I 
seen a wife or a sister supporting in her lap the head 
of a sick and perhaps dying husband or brother, night 
after night, yet refusing to leave them, though almost 
exhausted with fatigue. 
Leaving Maaro, we returned through a highly culti¬ 
vated part of the district. Every thing in nature was 
