LIST OF NEW MISSIONARIES.

163

names of the eight newly arrived missionaries, I have added a list of them:

I WISH I could inform you of the chief things, that happened immediately after the arrival of the eight missionaries, but the accounts that were written by the brethren were lost at sea. I know, however, that the chapel was soon finished, and I believe that some of the brethren began to preach in it to the natives.

Mr. Shelley returned, as he had hoped, after six months' absence, bringing with him a wife, who had lived at Port Jackson, in the family of Mr. Hassel, one of the missionaries, who had left Tahiti, in consequence of ill-treatment.

I believe that Mr. and Mrs. Shelley took up

164

FIRST PREACHING TOUR.

their abode in an upper room of the new house; where nine brethren already dwelt.

Though war had not yet begun, it seemed more likely than ever, that it would break out. A great meeting was soon to be held in Atehuru, and then it was expected that either peace would be made, or war declared. The people of Atehuru had still got possession of the god Oro, whom they had stolen, and Pomare was much afraid of them.

Such was the state of things at the end of February, when the brethren agreed, that Mr. Nott should go round Tahiti, to preach to all the inhabitants the gospel of peace. Mr. Elder, who had not been long arrived, was appointed to accompany Mr. Nott. Of course, he knew little of the language, and therefore could not preach.

very

This preaching tour was an arduous undertaking. Wherever the brethren saw a few dwellings, they stopped, and went from house to house, entreating the people to come at an appointed time to a particular spot. It was often difficult to persuade them to engage to come, and, after all, the people often broke their promise, and did not come. Sometimes Mr. Nott preached three or four times in the day, and often he had above a hundred people to hear him. Sometimes they encouraged

BEHAVIOUR OF THE NATIVES.

165

him, by the attention they paid, for they were astonished by the new things he told them. They often answered the questions he asked in his sermon. When he said, "What is the true atonement for sin ?" a man once replied, "Hogs and pearls." Another time when he said, that the people had no desire to know the true God, one man interrupted him, by replying, "Do not say we have no desire. But perhaps we shall not understand about God, through the badness of our hearts." One chief said, that he felt a desire to pray to the true God, and asked whether his old gods would not kill him if he did.

The journey round the island was one hundred miles. The brethren went only a few miles each day, and lodged in the houses of the natives, who freely received them, for the brethren had nothing to give them. The people almost all lived by the sea-coast; but there were some narrow valleys, that ran up among the mountains; and Mr. Nott often went up these beautiful valleys to preach.

He took with him on his journey several natives, who had the advantage of hearing him preach many times, during their five weeks'

tour.

The last day of their journey, Mr. Nott was delighted to hear them, giving a clear account of the gospel to some strangers, whom they met. Just before he reached home, he

166

MR. NOTT'S REPROOF.

assembled them, and examined them, and reminded them what a great advantage they had enjoyed, in hearing the truth so often, while others had only heard it once, and warned them not to neglect such a great salvation. One boy said in reply, "If the Duff had been the first ship, that had come to the island, we should have thrown away the feather gods long ago."

During the last part of the journey, Mr. Nott passed through the district of Atehuru, just at the time when the great meeting took place, at which it was expected, either war would be declared or peace established.

The great marae was in Atehuru. No one was in it on the evening, that Mr. Nott passed by, but large hogs were lying on the altar, and dead men hanging in baskets on the trees. On going a little further, Mr. Nott saw a number of canoes by the shore: in one of them Oro was placed in his ark, and Pomare was offering up the heads of the slaughtered hogs on a little altar in the canoe. Mr. Nott faithfully told Pomare, that the true God would not accept hogs, as an atonement, and that he was angry at men being killed; that Jesus was the only true atonement, and that he would come one day to judge the world, and burn the disobedient with fire. Pomare did not appear to like to hear these truths; but those around

CONTENTION ABOUT ORO.

167

asked many questions, and at last Pomare said that he would attend to this religion. It is, however, to be feared that he did not speak sincerely. Pomare's men continued the next day to worship Oro, and the two brethren remained to observe what passed. The god was laid upon a stool on the beach, while the king and priests sat by and chanted to him. The day after, he was carried up and down the beach, and then taken to the marae.

Perhaps you may wonder that Pomare was allowed to worship Oro, as the rebellious Atehurans had him still in their possession. They consented, however, for some reason that I do not know, to permit him to enjoy this privilege.

Pomare and Otu were extremely anxious to have Oro restored to them. After the god was placed in the marae, they went there accompanied by many of their people, and sat down. The chief people of Atehuru sat down opposite to them. There were orators present, who spoke for each party.

Pomare and Otu desired that Oro should be given up: Pomare, who was much afraid of war, was inclined to permit the Atehurans to keep the god a little longer; but Otu (not regarding his father's wishes) insisted on Oro being delivered up directly. As the Atehurans