350 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
rienced in the contemplation of it, was altogether 
of a temporal nature; that the progress made 
towards civilization and earthly happiness, in con¬ 
sequence of the moral influence of Christianity, 
was the cause of that delight. The hand of a 
superintending Providence is generally acknow¬ 
ledged, it is true, but it is so only with respect to 
the temporal state. So true it is, that the mind 
itself, untaught by the Divine Spirit, knows 
nothing of the awful and overwhelming importance 
of the eternal interests of the soul over the things 
of this short-lived scene.” 
In reference to Huahine, and the station now 
described, though not more forward than others in 
the same group, Captain Gambier observes : “ At 
about ten o'clock on the morning of the 20th of 
January, 1822, the ship being hove-to outside the 
reef, a party of us proceeded towards the village 
of Fare. After passing the reef of coral which 
forms the harbour, astonishment and delight kept 
us silent for some moments, and was succeeded by 
a burst of unqualified approbation at the scene 
before us. We were in an excellent harbour, 
upon whose shores industry and comfort were 
plainly perceptible; for, in every direction, white 
cottages, precisely English, were seen peeping 
from amongst the rich foliage, which every where 
clothes the lowland in these islands. Upon 
various little elevations, beyond these, were 
others, which gave extent and animation to the 
whole. The point on the left, in going in, is low, 
and covered with wood, with several cottages 
along the shore.* On the right, the high land of 
the interior slopes down with gentle gradual 
* This part of Fare Harbour is represented in the fron¬ 
tispiece to vol. iii. 
