TREACHERY OP PETER THE SWEDE. 29 
residence of the Missionaries, Peter the Swede, 
who has been with him, has said, when the Mis¬ 
sionaries were kneeling down in prayer, at their 
morning or evening family worship, “ See they are 
all down on their knees, quite defenceless; how 
easily your people might rush upon them, and kill 
them all, and then their property would be yours,” 
And it is a melancholy fact, that the influence of 
unprincipled and profligate foreigners has been 
more fatal to the Missionaries, more demoralizing 
to the natives, more inimical to the introduction of 
Christianity, and more opposed to its establish¬ 
ment, than all the prejudices of the people in 
favour of idolatry, and all the attachment of the 
priests to the interests of their gods. 
However much those who remained might have 
been affected by the departure of so many of their 
companions, they felt no disposition to abandon 
the field, or relax their endeavours for the benefit 
of the people. Pomare had not only sent an atone¬ 
ment and a peace-offering, but, even before the 
Missionaries sailed, had made war upon the dis¬ 
trict, and had killed two of the men who had been 
engaged in assaulting them. This was, indeed, a 
matter of regret to the Missionaries; but it was 
also an evidence of his displeasure at the treatment 
they had received. On his assurances of protec¬ 
tion, those who remained reposed the most entire 
confidence ; which, during his subsequent life, his 
conduct uniformly warranted. Committing their 
persons to the merciful and watchful providence of 
God, and, under him, to the friendly chiefs who 
had manifested so much concern for their safety; 
they had sent all the fire-arms, ammunition, and 
other weapons, possessed by the Society, on board 
the Nautilus, excepting two muskets, which they 
