POWER OF CONSCIENCE. 79 
yet he knew the eges were not his; and so power- 
_ful was the impression of the impropriety of the 
action, that he returned to the nest, and very care- 
fully replaced the eggs. 
A similar course was pursued by a native with 
whom I was once travelling across the island, with 
regard to a pocket-knife that he had picked up, 
but afterwards threw down, near the same place, 
simply because it did not belong to him. 
These facts are most pleasing and decisive illus- 
trations of the power of Christian principles. Yet 
avery individual is not influenced by them. These 
were Christian men; there are others who are such 
only in name, and who are addicted to the prac- 
tice of pilfering and theft, especially at those 
stations near the harbours which are the most fre- 
quent resorts of shipping, where the temptations 
are greatest, and the influence of foreign inter- 
course most injurious. . Nevertheless, when we 
consider that they were formerly, as every navi- 
gator by whom they were visited has testified, 
almost a nation of thieves—that Hiro, the god of 
thieves and plunderers, occupied a place in their 
mythology, and had a temple and priests—we can- 
not but admire the operation of Christian princi- 
ples in producing, in such a number of instances, 
a conscientious regard to justice and honesty. It 
was, there is reason to believe with many, the 
result, not of an apprehension of detection, but of 
a strict regard to moral rectitude, and the declared 
will of Him who said, ‘“‘ Thou shalt not steal.’ 
Towards the close of the year 1820, Mr. Davies 
left Fare, to supply the station at Papara, in Tahiti 
which had been destitute of a Missionary since the 
decease of Messrs. Tessier and Bicknell. The 
management of the press, supplying the books for 
