896 
MISSIONARY TOUR 
great body of the people of the miseries of the tabu, 
that it is very improbable it will ever be re-established 
among them. On the other hand, there is every reason 
to hope that pure Christianity, which imposes none 
but moral restrictions, and requires no appropriations 
but such as it will conduce to their own happiness to 
make, will eventually pervade every portion of the 
community; and that while it teaches them to render 
a reasonable homage and obedience to the only living 
and true God, and prepares them for the enjoyment of 
his presence in a future state, it will elevate the de¬ 
graded classes, especially the females,* to the rank 
and influence for which they were designed, and render 
their domestic society as rational and happy, as under 
the tabu it was abject and wretched. 
* Their degraded condition appears to have attracted the notice 
of the intelligent voyagers by whom the islands were discovered; 
for, speaking of the Sandwich Islanders, Captain King, in his 
Continuation of Cook’s Voyages, remarks, “ It must, however, be 
observed, that they fall very short of the other islanders, in that 
best test of civilization, the respect paid to the women. Here they 
are not only deprived of the privilege of eating with the men, but 
the best sorts of food are tabooed, or forbidden themand adds, 
“ In their domestic life, they appear to live almost entirely by 
themselves; and though we did not observe any instance of per¬ 
sonal ill-treatment, yet it is evident they had little regard or at¬ 
tention paid them.” Cook's Voyages , vol. iii. page 130. 
