COPY OF A LETTER FROM Dr. W. H. HARVEY, 
Of Trinity College, Dublin, Professor of Botany, &c. Se. 
Dated Toneatasoo, Frrenpty Istanps, 
July 29, 1855. 
My pear Warp, 
I have become much interested in the missionary work which is now going on in 
these Islands, since I have seen for myself some of the fruits already gathered in by the 
Wesleyan Missionary Society here. You know my predilections are not in favour of sectarianism, 
and hitherto [ have abstained from supporting any but the Missionary Societies of the English 
Church; nor should I now depart from this line of conduct, did I regard the Wesleyan 
Missionary Society as a sectarian body. Here, at least, the mission is conducted in a truly 
Catholic spirit; the natives hear only the plain unadulterated Gospel which we all receive, nor 
would they be aware (but for the presence of a Jesuit mission among them), of the unhappy 
differences which have rent the Christian Church. The Missionaries take the New Testament 
in their hand, and expound the truths of Christianity in their fulness and broadness, without 
troubling the natives with curious questions and speculations. They have also translated into 
Tongese an abridgement of our noble liturgy, which is always used in the Chapel Service. The 
result has been the ¢o¢a/ extinction of heathenism in these Islands, accompanied by a change in 
manners truly wonderful, considering the short time that the mission has been established. 
The last human sacrifice occurred but fourteen years ago; previous to that time they were 
common, and always on the death of a high chief, either one of his children or wives was 
strangled, and others of his relatives often maimed or grievously wounded: at that time too, 
the natives (with all their “friendliness” to strangers) were thieves and liars, and though less 
savage than the Feejeeans, were living in the habitual sins of heathenism. Now they are a 
quiet, peaceable, and well-ordered Christian community, and many have given unmistakeable 
evidence of the reality of their conversion, and become able assistants to the Missionaries in 
carrying on the work of Christianization. Recently (comparatively) the Society has established 
a mission in the Feejeean Group, where already the converts number 10,000, including several 
chiefs. The Feejee Islands are said to contain nearly 200,000 inhabitants, and those not yet 
under missionary care are savages of the worst character. They are cannibals to a fearful 
extent ; habitually feeding on human flesh, not from revenge or from necessity, but because 
they prefer it to other food. They eat their enemies or prisoners when they can; but if 
unsuccessful in catching these, their lawful prey, they will cook their own wives or children. 
Not long ago a case occurred at Feejee, when a wretch ordered his wife to heat the 
oven, and when she had heated it, she asked him “ Where is the food?” “ You are the food!” 
was the savage reply, as he instantly clubbed her, and then cooked her for himself and party ! 
The captain of our vessel tells me that the last time he was in Feejee, in 1847, he saw a hundred 
human bodies laid out at one time ready for cooking, at a great feast. Sometimes they cook a 
man whole (which they call a “ long-pig”), then put him in a sitting posture, with a fan in his 
hand, and ornamented as if alive, and thus they carry him in state, as a grand head dish for a 
feast. Others chew little bits of raw human flesh, (as sailors chew tobacco), and put them into 
