48 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
Captain Wilson sailed from Matavai on the 31st 
of July. With him, Mr. Broomhall left Tahiti for 
China or India. He had been above five years on 
the island, having arrived in the Duff in 1797. 
He was an intelligent, active young man, 24 years 
of age, had been highly serviceable to the Mission, 
and was respected by the natives, until about 
twelve months prior to the arrival of the Royal 
Admiral, when he intimated his doubts as to the 
reality of Divine influence on the mind, and the 
immortality of the soul. His companions endea¬ 
voured to remove his scepticism ; but failing in 
their efforts, he was separated from their commu¬ 
nion, having on several occasions publicly declared 
his sentiments to be deistical. He then lived some 
time with a native female, as his wife, but was 
soon left by her ; and, on the arrival of Captain 
Wilson, requested permission to leave the island 
in his ship. His departure from the island under 
such circumstances, although desirable on account 
of the influence of his principles and conduct on 
the minds of the inhabitants, could not but be 
peculiarly distressing to those he left behind, 
They followed him with their compassionate regard 
and their prayers, and, after a number of years, 
learned that he had been engaged in a vessel 
trading in the Indian seas; that he had at length 
made himself known to the Baptist Missionaries at 
Serampore, from whom they heard that he had re¬ 
nounced his erroneous sentiments, and professed 
his belief in the truth of the Christian revelation. 
The circumstances which follow relative to the 
penitence of this unhappy man, are taken from the 
‘ Circular Letters” published by the Baptist Mis¬ 
sionary Society. In one of these, dated Calcutta, 
May 8, 1809, the writer says— 
