Page images
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][ocr errors]

never punished the thieves when detected, they were considered as cowards; though their reason for forgiving them was, that they remembered that they were ministers of the gospel, whose office it was to save and not to judge.

Many of the natives were suffering from terrible diseases; so the missionaries prepared a place near their house for a hospital, and offered to nurse all who would come; but the same reasons that prevent men coming to Jesus, the great Physician, prevented the greater part of the sick natives from accepting the kind proposal. Some of them were afraid to come; and others refused to take medicine because it was not sweet, or to remain more than three or four days, which was not long enough to effect a cure.

Yet an hospital seemed very necessary, for it was sad to see how foolishly the natives treated sick people: as you will perceive from this little anecdote.

The missionaries employed native boys as their servants. One of them, while gathering some bread-fruit, fell from the tree, and broke his arm. Mr. Clode set it; but five days afterwards, the boy, through his own carelessness, broke it again. Mr. Clode tried to set it again, but could not prevent the boy feeling much agony. The father of the child then insisted on taking him home, saying, "I shall send for a

84

THE DEAD CHILD.

native doctor, and pray to our god, and the boy will soon be well."

The next day Mr. Puckey and Mr. Smith went to see the child, and were told that he had died the night before. They found that the father had put his child in cold running water, while burning with fever, and that the child had immediately expired. The father lamented with tears that he had taken him home. By the side of the child lay a piece of cloth steeped in the father's blood, which had been made to flow in torrents by a shark's tooth, and the cloth now was spread out as a proof of the father's grief.

The missionaries gazed upon the lifeless form of the child, as it lay decked with flowers, while the foolish natives crowded around them, admiring their clothes. The missionaries took this opportunity to remind them that death would one day overtake them, and to warn them that their souls must then appear before the only true God, who had prepared a place of happiness for the righteous, and of misery for the wicked.

While they were speaking, the natives ceased to laugh, and appeared for a moment struck by what had been uttered.

Mr. Puckey made a coffin for the child, and laid him in it the next day. Four little boys carried it to the grave, and several of the mis

THE CHILD'S FUNERAL.

85

sionaries followed it. Crowds of natives attended, who were filled with wonder at the coffin, (having never seen one before,) and exclaimed, "It would make a fine chest to put clothes in."

The father, according to the custom, made a long speech over the child's grave, describing how useful his son would have been had he lived, though it is to be feared he might more truly have said, how wicked.

The relations would have cut themselves again on the head, with sharks' teeth, but they were prevailed upon by the missionaries to refrain.

There were two cruel practices which the missionaries were exceedingly anxious to prevent: namely, offering human sacrifices, and killing infants. They spared no labour to persuade the people against them. I will give you an instance of the efforts they made to prevent human sacrifices being offered up.

Once Mane-mane told the brethren that Pomare was going to give a great feast in Papare, as he did every year, and had sent for him to offer up a human sacrifice. Manemane requested some of the missionaries to accompany him to the place, as he thought that Pomare would not repeat his request in their presence. It must not be supposed from this circumstance that Mane-mane had

86

THE STONING OF THE THIEF.

really repented of his wicked deeds; for it is more probable that he only sought the favour of the missionaries.

Mr. Cover and Mr. Main accompanied the old priest to Papare, where Pomare was preparing for the feast by making cloth. The missionaries passed the night at the house of Temari, the great chief, who had a bitter hatred against Pomare, as you have already heard.

The missionaries were here informed of a dreadful circumstance that had just taken place, though one very common in Tahiti. Temari's servants had just stoned a man to death, who had been caught robbing a plantation of ava. The missionaries were shocked to hear of such cruelty; but Temari's servants replied, that thieves ought to be punished. This answer showed that they knew that it was wrong for others to steal, though they chose to think it right for themselves to steal.

In consequence of this murder, many of the people of the place were angry. The missionaries were aroused that night by an alarm of war, and they remained till morning with their clothes on, and their guns by their sides; no war, however, was made. They passed the next night at Pomare's house, which was near to Temari's. This night also was full of alarms of war for Pomare was much displeased with

ATTEMPT TO PREVENT HUMAN SACRIFICES. 87

Temari for having murdered the thief, who was one of his servants, and he expected that Temari, knowing he was offended, would attack him. Therefore he slept with a spear by his side, and a man armed with a gun to guard him. The missionaries were glad to leave this terrible scene of strife. Before they went home, they obtained a promise from Pomare not to offer a human sacrifice—and also an assurance that there would be no war. Soon after their return home they heard that Pomare and Temari had made up their quarrel, but they had afterwards reason to fear that Pomare had, in spite of his promise, killed a man for a sacrifice. Mane-mane told the missionaries that he had refused to offer him to the gods, and that therefore Pomare had buried him: but perhaps this account was not true.

Another cruel practice, which the missionaries were anxious to prevent, was that of killing infants. They wrote down a speech, in which they entreated the chiefs to forbid the people following this wicked custom. In this speech they promised to build a house for the children that should be spared, and to instruct them in ship-building and other arts. They ended the speech by engaging to mend Pomare's gun, if he would exert his authority to stop these bloody deeds.*

* Was it wise to offer this bribe? Was it possible a promise

« PreviousContinue »