File #18: "Armstrong, Richard_1831-1834_Journal_v. 1_Typescript.pdf"

JOURNAL
of
RICHARD ARMSTRONG, l805-l860
OF THE VOYAGE OF A GROUP OF MISSIONARIES
TO HAWAII AROUND CAPE HORN IN THE WINTER
OF 1831-32,
The original is written in a small
notebook, or album, which had been presented
to Richard Armstrong "as a small token of
remembrance and friendship”by JOHN R. AGNEW.
As a fellow student at Princeton Theological
Seminary, John Agnew’
s inscription in the
album indicates the dedication to high
purpose in the missionary movement of the
time, and reads as follows:
"Princeton, Oct.31:1831
"Finally, brother, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort;
and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
2 Cor.13:11
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh,
receiveth; and they that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if
his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a
fish will be give him a serpent? If £e then, being evil, know how
to give good gifts unto your childrenT~~how much more shall your
Father which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him.
Mat.7:7-11
God is not a man that he should lie. Num.23:19* God is your
Father. John 20:17. Christ is your brother Mat.12:50. He has
said, If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. John l1*:!1*.
I ask you to pray for me, you promise, I have not the least hesitancy
in believing you. I put entire confidence in you, & shall we who
are not brothers, who have not the same Father put more confidence
in each other's word, than in the written promise of God our
Father, and Christ our brother? "Finally, brother, pray for me"
Thes.3sll Thes.!?:25.
John R. Agnew
MsT
Artt

McConnellstown, Bedford Co., Pa."

RICHARD ARMSTRONG
Born McEwensville April 13, 1805
Prepared for col. under David Kirkpatrick Milton Academy.
Left April 25, 1826.
Graduated at Dickinson Col. September 27, 1827.
Entered Princeton Seminary November 6 , 1828.
Graduated Sept. 6 , 1831.
Licensed by Presbytery of Baltimore, Baltimore City, April 28, 1831.
Ordained by Pres. Baltimore, Oct. 27, 1831 in ch. of Rev.Dr.Nevins.
Married Clarissa Chapman Sept. 25, 1831 at Bridgeport, Conn.
Arrived in Honolulu May 17, 1832. Remained a year in Honolulu and
on Molokai, learning language & teaching.
Sailed to Marquesas July 2d, 1833*
Returned, arriving in Honolulu May 12, 183*+.
Stationed at Haiku one year in 1835*
Removed to Wailuku where he labored 5 years.
ojf
In July, I 84O was called to Kawaialm Church where he remained until
November l8*f7 when he enterea on duties of Min.- Pwb Pet.
temporarily - afterwards fully appointed & remained in Govt,
service until his death Sept. 23, i860.
Notes

The above chronology is from notes, presumably in the
handwriting of Clarissa, his wife, in the fly leaf of a
small diary kept by Richard Armstrong, begun February k.
1831, but with only sporadic entries, ending November 18
1838

.

JOURNAL KEPT ON MI VOYAGE TO THE
SANDWICH ISLANDS
Dec. 7th, 1831
At sea on board the Averick, in lat. 30°-l8' N. long.5l°-l8l
in the Atlantic. We have been at sea now 11 days during all of wh.
time the sea has been more or less rough and the weather sometimes
exceedingly stormy— The rocking of the vessel has been so incessant
day and night as to produce the most distressing sea-sickness in
our company. But few of us, I believe had an adequate idea before
of the distress occasioned by this kind of sickness. For one I
had not although I had been sea sick once or twice before. My
strength was at once prostrated, and the use of almost every faculty
both of body and mind were for a time suspended, while I lay in­
sensible to a great degree in my birth for several days. For want
of necessary precaution in fixing the goods in my stateroom, owing
to my ignorance of a life at sea, many things were broken and others
considerably injured. All of this might have been avoided by a
little previous care, and I would advise every one going to sea as
a passenger to have all his trunks, Boxes, etc. fastened by cleets,
ropes or something else, so that they cannot move from their places.
On Sat. night the 26th of Nov. the same day on which we
embarked the storm commenced and continued to increase in violence
until Sunday night when it reached its highest point. The winds
and waves were let loose upon us in all their fury, and continued
to rage for two or three days. The waves rolled in torrents over
our deck, and down our hatches, companionways etc. until some of our
staterooms were flooded with water and some of our goods completely
wet. During the storm, the vessel "Shipped the sea”three times;
the officers were rather fearful that she would not rise, or that
her foremast wh. was defective, would give way. The goods of most
of my brethren were even more injured than mine. One of the most
unpleasant annoyances during our sickness was the smell of bilge
water. This is, of all things most intolerable to a sea sick
stomach. It is water wh. collects in the bottom of the ship and
the closer the ship the greater the difficulty is there in the way
of this water making its escape. Another unpleasant circumstance
attending our situation was the want of room, as well as of a
circulation of fresh air. The Steerage or half-deck also in which
my stateroom stands, presented a perfect chaos; being literally
filled with bags, barrels, boxes, ropes, sails, canvass, etc., thrown
together in the most perfect confusion; so that when I wd attempt
to leave my room, in the first place I must have a struggle to get
my door open, and then although scarcely strength enough to drag
one foot after another, I had to climb over or rather crawl over
said chaos, which scarcely left room for me to pass between it and
the deck: and when my dear C— (his wife, Clarissa, just married
in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It was their honeymoon), who suffered!
much more from sea-sickness than myself, and needed even to be
lifted in and out of bed, would attempt to get on deck to enjoy the
fresh air, she was obliged to pass along the same way. The effort

- 2 frequently exhausted her strength, and aggravated her sickness.
For several days we were both sick together, and whilst wd hold
the head of my C. with one hand and a tin vessel with another, I
would be obliged to empty the contents of my own stomach at the same
time intG the same vessel. I feel in reflection upon the scenes of
last few days, that I have great cause for humility. Even in these
first and light trials, I have not manifested that meek and sub­
missive temper which I ought to have done. These are only the be­
ginnings of my sorrow, and if in these I faint and murmur how shall
I withstand the trials that may hereafter press thick and hard upon
me? But why are thou cast down, my soul? Hope thou in God, for in
him is everlasting strength. The reason why earthly trials affect
us so much, is because we are so earthly-minded; Our minds are so
feebly fixed on God and heaven— Then
’
’
Rise my soul and stretch thy wings
Thy better portion trace
Rise from transitory things
To heaven thy native place.”
But the storm seems to have subsided and to-day has been to
me as the coming of Spring after a long and dreary winter. Sea­
sickness has vanished like a vapour before it— All our sick folks
have been able to get on deck and enjoy the fresh (air), which is
truly reviving after the unpleasant stench and close confinement of
our state-rooms— While sick I had no appetite but it has returned
with double keenness, and if I can get to the table and hold on with
one hand, and manage the knife with the other, I can relish even a
piece of dry sea-cracker, as hard as limestone very well— Much of
our table furniture had been broken and we are obliged sometimes to
eat without knives or forks, sometimes two off one plate, and
sometimes with no plate at all— Our table being small our company
is divided into two parts, each sitting down first for a week
alternately. The Capt. always with the first table— His officers
eat by themselves in the steerage.
It is becoming here to record the kindness of Capt. Swain
during our sickness. He spared no pains or stores to render us
comfortable . This was unexpected by me and therefore an agreeable
disappointment-- Building my expectations on the treatment some
other missionaries received on their way to the Pacific, I had
anticipated but little kindness on the part of the Capt. and his
officers, but God has done more for me than I expected he would do
which is a reproof to my unbelief.
Many of the sweetmeats kindly furnished us by our friends in
Germantown, Pa. were of great service to us. Something sour, such
as prunes, tamarines, cranberries, or such articles as the essence
of chickerberries, tanzy, peppermint are peculiarly reviving to a
sea-sick stomach-- As to diet the best I could find was corn-meal
gruel, arrowroot with a little wine in it, or hasty-pudding,

- 3 commonly called mush. But nothing was more reviving than a bottle
of current-wine put up for us by some good friend in Westfield. I
regreted exceedingly that we had not more of it; indeed most of what
we had was accidently spilled to our great regret— Persons going to
sea for the first time, I think had better always have a little wine.
Our emotions of gratitude to God for past favours have been
deepened by the sight of a wreck of a vessel wh we beheld on the fourth
day after our imbarkation. It was a fine brig with the inscription
on its stern "Corsair of Charleston1’
. It was filled with water to
the brim and seemed to have been loaded with cotton. It doubtless
met its misfortune in the recent storm and probably all its crew
perished, and perhaps some of them or all of them without hope. What
a melancholy endj to be hurried into the depths of the ocean amidst
the fury and terror of a storm, there to lie until the sea shall give
up its dead— But the Judge of all the earth will do right, although
his ways are unsearchable.
My Journal has hitherto been
sickness, my attention to my wife,
place for writing— And now I only
important occurrences of my voyage
and gratify a few of my friends by

neglected, in consequence of my
and the want of a convenient
expect to record a few of the most
to assist my own memory in future,
its perusal sometime hereafter.

DEC. 8th:
My health is still improving: I have an insatiable appetite,
but am afraid to gratify it, especially by eating salt meat, of
which we are obliged to make so much use on board. But some of the
sisters have volunteered their services in preparing pies, puddings,
cakes, dumplins and other good things, which remind us of the
luxuries of home— Our Steward too has been very good so far in
cooking them— Today for the first time I have ventured to ascend
aloft as high as the top of the misen-mast. One great difficulty
I find will be a want of proper exercise, but climbing the rigging
will answer, if I have energy enough to do it.
So far the sailors are very obliging to our company but how
long this will continue is hard to tell. They are about twenty-nine
in number, and generally very dissipated and thoughtless men, some
of them deeply and dangerously tainted with universal!sm— that
horrible doctrine which gives licentiousness loose rein, and leaves
men secure in their sins. I am aware that our responsibility in
regard to them is very great. However ignorant and degraded they
are, still their souls immortal and invaluable: Still they are on
their way to judgement and how they shall fare in that solemn hour
may depend much (on) our conduct towards them and our walk before
them— All our levity, and conversation whether proper or improper
will be observed by them and will more or less affect them. This is
a prevailing sin among Christians, and doubtless very much retards

-

If

-

the growth of grace in their hearts and weakens the influence of
their example on others.
One great inconvenience attending our present situation is the
want of oil. Being placed on deck rather insecurely, it was all
swept away during the storm, and we have no light except what is
made of some dirty butter or some lard put amongst our stores and do
not expect to have any oil until the crew can succeed in killing a
whale, or the ship puts into some South-American port.
Dec. 20th In lat 10.50. Long 31-jjr
Although we are within the tr6pics the weather is exceedingly
pleasant. We have generally a good breeze on deck But those of our
company who are unable to leave their rooms, feel the heat to be
quite oppressive— It often rises in our rooms to 80° Farenheight—
During last week we had several squalls, and most of us had a return
of sea-sickness— We are now wafted by the trade-winds. wh always
blow in one and the same directions, and extend as far as 30° N. lat.
and 30° S. Why they are called Trade-Winds, I am unable to ascertain
probably because they are so advantageous to trading ships— Our
Capt. intended to have called at the Cape De Verde Islands off the
coast of Africa, in order to replenish our stores with a supply of
fruits, but the winds being adverse, and all being desirous of pro­
ceeding on our voyage, it was deemed expedient not to call at the
Islands.
Most of our company have recovered from sea-sickness, but Mr.
Alexander and Mrs. Lyman are both very ill, the former being attacked
by an intermittant and the latter by a bilious fever. Their con­
dition is rather sad as their accommodations are poor, and they
suffer much from want of room, air, as well as from the intolerable
stench of the ship. No one who has never been to sea can have a
proper idea of how much sick persons suffer from these causes—
But it is a great mercy that we have a physician on board belong­
ing to our own company. I know not what would have been the conse­
quence had we been without him: Several others of our company are
yet unwell. My dear C- has suffered excessively from sickness as
well as other causes: She is yet quite feeble, especially in the
morning, She vomits excessively. But we have all reason to bless
God for his mercy constantly shown to us— The enterprise in which
we are engaged is and ever has been attended with trials, and those
who engage in it should expect to meet with them at every step. Such
were the accompaniments of prophetic and apostolic labour in this
same enterprise; many of them dwelt in caves, holes and dens of the
(?), being persecuted, afflicted, tormented: yea, and such were the
trials of Him who is greater than Prophets and Apostles. He
suffered from all the calamities, wh are incident to human life,
from hunger, thirst, cold, heat, sickness and from death itself—
And why should I expect to be freed from these sufferings: It is
enough for the servant that he be as his Lord: And besides, these

- 5 light afflictions are not worthy to be compared with the glory that
shall be revealed: They are to work for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory- Why then should I feint or grow weary under
them?
Let cares like a wild deluge come
And storms of sorrow fall.
If they but waft me onward and upward to my home and my crown in the
skies.
We hold worship morning and evening, on deck when practicable;
The Capt. always attends when his duties will allow him, but scarcely
any of the officers or crew attend. They are all men who seem to
care for none of these things; The first mate has shown a marked
contempt for the worship of God, although he is very willing to con­
verse on the subject of religion. We have preaching also twice on
the Sab. and a Bible class in the afternoon among ourselves for our
mutual improvement in a knowledge of the Scriptures, which is a most
pleasant and profitable exercise-- A Bible-class has also been
formed amongst the sailors which is attended by about two thirds of
them. This is now our principle hope of showing them good: the word
of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, and
may it prove the power of God and the wisdom of God to the salvation
of some of these poor sailors.
Although we have been more than four
seen a living thing off the ship, save one
chickens, and a few flying fish. They are
pan fish. I had one of them which flew on
for C-’
s breakfast, and she relished it as

weeks at sea, I have not
or two of Mother Careys
small but an excellent
deck one night cooked
the best of luxuries.

I intended to have given much of my time while on my voyage
to study and writing, but find it rather difficult so to do- The
rocking of the vessel is so incessant, the deck is too much a
scene of bustle and interruption for study, and my state room is so
small and has so little air circulating through it as to be incon­
venient for study, and the cabin is quite crowded, being a general
dining and sitting room.
It is difficult also to keep the heart right anywhere but
particularly so in such circumstances as those in which I am placed.
In order to preserve the graces of the heart in lively and vigorous
exercise, the soul must be alone with God where it may in solemn
silence turn in upon itself and become acquainted with its own evil
propensities, the out and inlets of sin, and place a double guard
upon them where it may rise and dwell upon the majesty and glory
of the invisible yet omnipotent God, and thus be filled with the full­
ness of his love, and be affected with the glory of his majesty.
But this retirement cannot be had on board a vessel where there (are)
so many passengers, so much baggage, stores, etc. When I retire to
my room- the air is so confined and the stench is so unpleasant as

st» to prostrate my faculties almost at once, and the only method
I have been able to adopt has been to ascend the rigging to the
(?) of the mast- a semicircle at the top of the mast with rungs
across it and fenders around it so that a person may sit or stand
upon it safely and somewhat comfortably. But when the vessel rocks
much it is but a poor place for meditation. I usually ascend to it
just before retiring to bed at night.
Dec. 26th Lat. 3°.8* Long. 2V3.
For want of a convenient place to write I am obliged to be rather
irregular in keeping my journal; so that many of the small incidents
noted are not recorded immediately upon their occurence, but the
events of several days are often put down at once.
For several weeks after we sailed we saw scarcely a living
thing, but since we have seen multitudes of flying fish (these are
about
inches long, and small, like the chubb found in the small
streams of Penna, and have wings resembling in some measure those
of the bat, but are much more delicate and beautiful. There is no
way of catching them, but they often mistake their course in the
night and fly on board vessels). Porpoises, sharks, albicores,
dolphin, skipjacks, bouvettos(?5 and whales. Some of all of these
have been taken by our crew. The flesh of the porpoise was quite
palatable to us, especially the liver, wh can scarcely be distinguished
from that of a hog. We all eat of it heartily and it didus no harm.
But it is not to be compared with the meat of the Albicore or
Dolphin; these followed our vessel for a number of days in countless
millions: They swam with great swiftness close in along her sides,
and so thick that they seemed scarcely to have room to swim, and
in the night the ocean seemed to be illuminated by the phosphor­
escence which emanated from them— Our Capt. and brethren caught
them in great quantities— indeed, more than all on board could use.
We almost lived on them for a while, but some got tired of them.
But it remained for Saturday the 2*fth of Dec. to bring with
it one of the most interesting scenes I ever beheld either on sea
or land. About 9 o'clock in the morning, while we were all lounging
about the sides of the ship, and hanging listlessly on our seats
passing away a beautiful clear morning, some reading, some talking
and others brooding over the blessedness of a sea-sick stomach
(for we are not all clear of sea-sickness yet) suddenly a cry was
heard and re-echoed fore and aft, a sperm whale.* A sperm whale.1
I looked and looked again but could see none. The Capt. however
and crew who are close observers of such things saw the spouting
of the whales distinctly. This is the only way by wh whales can be
seen at a distance, and the sperm whale is distinguished from all
others by its spray being thrown rather out before it than per­
pendicularly. I too could soon see through a large spy-glass, at
a distance of perhaps two miles, the spray arising from the spout
of the whales, and once in a while the large hump on their backs—
Soon the boats were lowered, manned and fit(t)ed out with harpoons,

- 7 lances or spears, ropes, etc. and set off in pursuit of the whales.
I ascended the foremast and with a small glass had a full view of
the whole scene— I saw the boats row out with six men in each,
until nothing could be seen of them but a dark spot floating in the
waves. I saw them approach and sink the harpoons into the monster
of the deep (this is an instrument about
feet long made of the
best of iron, and shaped somewhat thus
). A struggle
then commenced. The whale after receiving the harpoon often
endeavors to make its escape, and swims so fast as almost to snatch
the breath from those who are in the boat, for a long rope is
fastened to the harpoon, and also to the boat, and after striking
with the harpoon it is necessary to come up close along side the
monster and sink a lance into it that it may bleed to death— This
is an instrument about the same length of the harpoon and formed
thus:
.— * It is necessary that this be sent into the vital
parts of the whale, and then you may at a distance of a mile (see)
the blood thrown out his spouts into the air, and then he will soon
turn over upon his side and give up. He is then towed alongside the
vessel and lashed by ropes until he is cut up for boiling. The
crew brought in two which were about 30 feet long and afforded
about 33 Bis. of oil; In the course of three hours while the whale­
men were off in the boats, several whales came close along side
the vessel all heading their way to the field of conflict. Besides
the two that were brought in another was killed but was lost for
want of proper care in the whalemen. These were small whales in
comparison with many of this species. Some were caught as much as
90 and 100 feet long and afford 100 or 115 Bis. of oil.
After the whales were brought in commenced the process of
cutting them and extracting (trying) the oil. The cutting is done
by a spade resembling a very large pruning hook with a long handle
wh enables the one who handles it to stand on the side of the vessel
and cut off the blubber or rind of the whale which is the only part
except the head wh is taken; to this blubber when partly cut loose
a large hook with pully (pully scratched out and tekle written in)
is fastened, and by means of a win-less, it is drawn on deck, where
it is cut in small pieces and thrown into large iron kettles, and
thus the oil extracted. The scraps or pieces from wh the oil is
taken serving as the best of fuel to boil the rest. The head is
the most valuable part of the whale; out of it a quantity of pure
oil can always be bailed without any further trouble.
VJhile the work of cutting the whales was going on it was
interesting to see the sharks pack around and even spring on top of
the whales or throw themselves under the spade of the whaleman—
Capt. Swain threw his harpoon into one and drew it on deck. It
was about six feet long and had a skin like a rasp. The jaws of
this animal are very powerful.
The whales were killed on Saturday, but the principle part
of the cutting and boiling was done on Sab. This was Christmas
day, but our company scarcely appeared on deck at all; we had

- 8 preaching in the cabin conducted by brother Forbes twice— On
Christmas day of 1830 I made an address before the society of
Princeton in behalf of Missions to the Heathen, now I am on my way
to carry them the gospelJ Who can tell what a day or a year may bring
forth.
Dec. 27th Lat. 3°.M3*. Long. 20°
As we approach the Equator the weather grows warmer. We have
suffered considerably for a few days from heat, yet while on deck
we always have more or less of a breeze. Today we have but little
wind: the sails are flapping uselessly about the timbers and the
vessel scarcely moves. As the surface of the water is quite smooth
the Capt. proposed to those who wished to go out with him in a boat
and bathe in the salt water. Some were afraid of the sharks but some
ventured, among whom were Brs. Forbes, Emmerson and myself. But we
had not all yet gotten into the water about 1/2 mile from the ship,
until a shark appeared in the midst of us— I had bathed to my satis­
faction as I was first out of the boat, and just returned to it with
Capt. Swain, Bro. Emmerson yet remaining a short distance from the
boat, when the shark came swimming leisurely around the end of the
boat. The alarm was given and brother Emmerson made his escape.
The Capt. sunk a spear into our unwelcome visitor, and dismissed
him no more to disturb our amusement. Whether he is living or dead
I know not, but I have not seen him since— We returned to the ship
feeling that we had made a narrow escape from the jaws of death, and
thankful for the deliverance.
Dec. 31. Under the Equator

Long.23°.3'

Another year is just now closing— a profitable time for
reflection— Look which way I will, backward, forward or around,
the prospect is fraught with interest— In looking over the events
of the past year, I see much cause for gratitude, love and humility,
as well as for increased confidence in the wisdom and goodness of
God. How many and how great mercies have I received at his hand.
To attempt an enumeration of them is vain. They are more than I can
number,- Health, friends, comforts, food and raiment have all been
mine. While others have been sick, I have been well: while others
have died, I have lived,and last though not least during the last
year (on the 25th of Sep) the Lord bestowed upon me the blessing of
a beloved companion, for which I can never be sufficiently thankful;
In looking forward my soul is filled with apprehensions: Events new,
and probably trying and dangerous await me. Shd my lot be cast in
one of the dark places of the earth, wh. is filled with the habita­
tions of cruelty am I prepared for the worst? I feel doubtful about
it: my heart is so cold, and my faith so weak, that I cannot but fear—
But I will try to east all my cares for the future upon him who
careth for me, and who has promised that his grace shall be sufficient
for me. The commencement of a new year is a way-mark along the
journey of life, and how natural it is for the traveller to pause
at such a point and consider his ways— look back and mark the diffi­
culties and dangers of the way in which he has come, the delusive
by-paths that have led him astray: and lay also plans and form new
resolutions for the rest of his journey. Such is now my case. May
the Lord teach me wherein I have erred in the past, and give me

- 9 wisdom and strength to guide and support me for the future- Lord
impress upon my heart the value and rapidity of time; the weight
of eternal things, and inspire my soul with courage for the per­
formance of every future duty.1
The kindness of our Capt. and officers still continues, and
even appears to increase. The Capt. appears indeed to be attached
to many of our company; as evidence of this he has made several of
them small presents as tokens of his kind regards- To my dear Che gave a beautiful copy of Youngs Night Thoughts, and today he gave
me a fine hair-brush- But so far as I can see neither he nor any of
the crew are in the least impressed as yet with the power of divine
truth. Doubtless much of the fault is to be laid upon us, who
ought to be as lights in the world- Our lives at least mine is not
sufficiently holy, and my conversation is not sufficiently heavenly,
to evince to those around me the reality of religion.
Jan 2nd 1832. Lat. 1°.5’
Today we are surrounded above by clouds of sea-gulls and below
by Albicors, Dolphin, etc. It affords me much pleasure to behold
these multitudes of living creatures, here amidst the wide waste
of waters, where such an air of sameness meets the eye everywhere,
and no variety appears, save once in a while the dashing surf,
and long successions of mountain waves rolling before the storm, and
the endless varying clouds in the distant sky- Many evenings have I
sat, and with pleasure contemplated the vast variety of forms, of
beasts, birds and creeping things, formed by the wild evening clouds
at sea- This is a good means of relaxing the mind for those who have
a taste for it, and I cannot see that the pleasure derived from it
is at all different from that derived from paintings, flowers, land­
scapes or such things. To-day some of us have amused ourselves by
shooting at a mark with a light fowling piece belonging to our Capt.
This has been an evening of uiiugual interest to us, being the
monthly concert for prayer. How sweet & yet how humiliating is the
reflection that many of our dear friends at home have this evening
met to pray for us. Surely there may be among so many an Elijah
or two whose prayers will bring down showers of blessings upon us.
We passed an hour together in the cabin and seemed to have Gods
presence.
The plan we have recently adopted at our evening worship we
find to be both interesting and profitable. I mean, each one
repeats a verse of scripture immediately after singing and just be­
fore prayer. This has many advantages- It gives variety and interest
to our worship, fills the mind with scripture-truth and affords
proper topics for the prayer that is just to succeed.
Sister Lyman is yet very ill with a bilious fever, but there
is a prospect of her recovery. We are obliged to watch with her
constantly day and night and we take it in rotation. For want of
air, she must be fanned constantly. This is no small task. Several

- 10 of our company are 'unwell, but we have a good physician with us wh.
is a great blessing.
Jan. 18th Port of Rio de Jeneiro.
On Sab morning the 15th we entered this harbour: about 10
o clock in the morning and the anchor was cast near the fort, where
we remained until the customary formalities of the port were gone
through- These were by no means few, neither were they quickly dis­
patched- Not until tuesday morning were we permited to run down to
a more convenient place in the harbour in order to have the ship
repaired.

?

It is wrong at any time to murmur against the will of a wise
Providence, but I cd scarcely avoid feeling regret that it was on
Sab. morning we entered this harbour. On that day our thoughts
ought to be peculierly occupied with divine things, and not left to
wonder after vain curiosities and selfish gratifications; But I
found amidst such wild, beautiful and sublime scenery, it was ex­
tremely difficult to have it thus occupied. I endeavoured however
to connect the contemplation of natures works, with thoughts of
natures God, and author- When the lofty peaks of the Sugar-loaf,
and the Corcovado, with the scarcely less magnificient hights that
surround them— all covered with a mantle of green shrubbery, and
fanned by spicy breezes from every quarter, while heavy clouds, of
shades both light and dark stretched along their sides and hung
around their tops, arose before the eye, who could help exclaiming,
f,how manifold are they works 0 Lord, in wisdom hast thou made them
all.' Such scenery I have never behold or even imagined as that wh.
surrounds Rio. Stuarts description of it is fine but no pen can
do it justice.
Owiiig to the confusion on board and the visits of the Custom
House officers we were unable to assemble for worship until nearly
12 o.clock when we met in the cabin (as it rained very heavily) for
a short season of prayer. Capt. Fisher of N. Bedford Mass. who had
just come on board and Capt. Swain attended- In the afternoon we
assembled again, and it fell to my lot to preach. My subject was
Heb. 11.7. The subject was a profitable one but my faith was too
weak to enter into it with spirit. On Sab. evening, as a vessel
was about to sail for Boston next morning, most of us were engaged
in writing to our friends in U.S.
On Monday morning Dr. Chapin & myself in company with Capt.
Swain went on shore in order to see the city and provide lodging for
our mission family, if possible. But how were we at once filled with
astonishment at the sights and sounds which we saw & heard.1 Negroes
nothing but negroes, could be seen look what direction you would;
some carrying barrels, others boxes, but more generally bags of
coffee on their heads- Again companies of them could be seen walk
(ing) in the palace-square and the streets chained together by a
heavy chain with long links, passing from one of their necks to the
other. These it seems are the convicts, who have been guilty of
murder, theft or some other offence. There are, I have several times
been told, about 3 slaves to one citizen in Rio de Jeneiro, and their

- 11 condition is truly deplorable- They serve the place of beasts of bur­
den entirely almost. Every article of transportation is carried or
hawled by them through the city, and they are sent out in the morn­
ing by their masters and required to bring in a certain sum of
money before night or be punished. The money they must get whether
honestly or dishonestly, it makes no difference to the masterThey are liable too to be whipped to death, starved to death or
worked to death, at the will of the owner and no one notices it0 Slavery thou scourge of the poor African, how my soul hates thee.1
What heart will not bleed over the condition of the poor slave who
is bought and sold and fed like a beast, doomed to ignorance and
oppression and ignominy, just because his colour is black, and he
has not the power to resist oppression.
The houses of the city are generally made of stone and
plastered and covered with tile. They are low except the public
buildings and unhandsome on the outside. The furniture also is
coarse- Immediately in front of the landing stands the Empyrial
Palace. On the adjacent side of palace-square stands the Empirial
Chapel. The former of these buildings is very capacious, tho not
very high, not outwardly very splendid. The churches are generally
large, and inside are very splendid, being adorned with costly
images, chandeters, organs, pictures, alters and guilded archi­
tecture. I several times visited the Empirial Chapel as the citizens
every day visit it more or less to say mass and was astonished at
the costliness of dressing. There are no seats provided for those
who enter, and visitors are going and coming constantly, the cere­
mony to be observed being to take off the hat. The number of
worshipers however is small as all religion is held in contempt by
most of the people of Rio.
I soon became acquainted with Mr. Wright the former American
Consul, and Mr. Lewis, of Westfield, Mass. Both of them are Com­
mission Merchants, and the latter was polite to me in going with me
to seek for boarding, and procure some articles in the stores.
Boarding at the Hotel being very expensive, above $1.00 per day
for each, we concluded it was best not to engage it, and live on the
vessel while in port. After taking a cup of coffee with Mr. Lewis,
we walked through the market. I was surprised to see its barrenness
in a city of above 150,000 inhabitants. In one part of the market
were fruits, bannanas, plantains, cucumbers, squashes, cabbages,
water & musk-melons, oranges, etc. The money occasioned one some
inconvenience. The only circulating media being coffier and paper.
The names of the coper pieces
rtes
Vintous a
v
Patac
= 25 c
Millres = 50-60
Patagoons (?)
The value of this money is however constantly varying, and it is im­
possible to fix its value except at a given point.

12 Tuesday,(Feb.)17, 1832 (?)

All our company went on shore and after walking the streets
and attracting the gaze of the people by taking our wives with us,
we assembled at Mrs. Jonson's Hotel and resting an hour or two, and
talking with a pleasant and pious gentleman Capt. Briggs of
N. Bedford, Mass. we dined. After this we separated into companies,
some went to view the churches etc. in the city, by Capt. Briggs,
Br. Spaulding & w. & myself & w. & Mr. Lyon ascended a high hill on
wh. stands the church of St. Sebastian, from whom the city was
named; From the top of this eminence we had a fine view of the
harbour, the city, the Aqueduct, and the grand scenery around- But
a more delightful view still is had from that part of the hill on wh.
the Telegraph stands. This I visited on Wednesday and also an
adjacent guarden wh. lies on the side of the same hill, in which
grow a beautiful variety of shrubbery, flowers and fruits, such as
the following, oranges, lemons, limes, coffee, mango, pome granate,
mammon (?), grapes, bread fruit, with corn cabbage etc. See page
from the end.^*«9 <w72V)
Lat.33°- Long. 79°• 6'
Masa Fuero full in view; the wind rather contrary, but the
weather exceedingly fine- All the crew except the first mate and
the Capt. who are both slightly indisposed, are well: Most of the
Miss, family are well, but Mrs. Emerson and Mrs. Chapin are still
confined to their births. The former has not enjoyed any good health
since our departure from Rio owing to a stubborn diarhea, induced
probably by bad water and an imprudent use of fruit, and aggravated
by the rocking and other inconveniences of the vessel: The latter
has suffered severely for five or six weeks under a bilious cholic,
induced probably by the same causes as in the former case; She has
been much reduced both by the desease and the medicines administered
for it, but has partially recovered. Mrs. Spaulding has also
recently been ill but is now convalescent. None of the females in
our company have escaped being more or less sick since we left Rio,
but none of them have been so seriously affected as those just
specified- The brethren have been more or less sea-sick but that is
all- I never enjoyed better health than I now do, and Br. Alexander
never looked so well as he now does, since I first knew him.
We have been most happily disappointed in our passage around
Cape Horn where we expected winds adverse, gales and tempest with
hail, and snow and cold, we have enjoyed fair winds, and moderate
weather, without even a squall ahead; At no time did I find it uncom­
fortable walking on deck with my cloak around me. Before our
arrival at the Cape we met with two severe gales, the one in L a t A l 0^•2'- the other off Staten Land. The vessel "lay to" about five days
at each of those points, but sustained but little damage at either
of them; it may be said that we were not more than 16 days doubling
the Cape- Upon the whole we have enjoyed many comforts more than we
anticipated. The Lord has been better to us than our hopes and

- 13 expectations. One thing added much to our enjoyment while doubling
the Cape, was a stove. This served not only the purpose of warming
us, but answered also the important end of warming and cooking many
drinks and diet for the sicks On this account it was of incalculable
benefit. It tended too to promote our social comfort very much.
Our days and nights had been tedious and dreary, but for the stove.
It was a rallying point. There we assembled at our leisure moments,
and as Capt. Swain says, "spun our long yarns"s Every one has his
story to tell- Sometimes the conversation was grave, sometimes cheer­
ful, and sometimes dry. But it is not often that a man who has any
elasticity in his soul, will stand on deck and witness the dreary,
agitated ocean, while the fierce winds of Cape Horne howl through
the rigging, and around his ears, until he is pretty thoroughly
chilled, and then sit down by a warm stove and feel its gently re­
laxing heat, penetrating and soothing his system, will be dry and
husky. Could one of our American friends have visited one of our
social circles, instead of lamenting our desolate and perilous con­
dition, he would have congratulated us in view of our cheering com­
fort. He would have thought that all the stores of science, poetry
and wit, as well as the rich treasures of memory, and the deep
fountains (of) religion were opened and spread out before us to re­
gale and animate the soul, while the combined influence of light,
heat and wind, fair and fresh tended to strengthen the body. My
exercise has hitherto been walking the deck, climbing single ropes,
and the rigging. But a few days ago I ventured as high as the top
of the Main-Royal sail, which is the highest sail on the ship except
one, that is the sky sail and is more than one hundred feet from the
deck.
Capt. Swain still continues his kindness to us all. He is
always cheerful and denies none of our requests, that he can avoid.
The first note I often hear in the morning is, "Well, my son oome
out of that. It is time you were on deck, or examining the rigging."
But poor man, he has his failings, and one particularly which injures
himself more than anybody else. Br. Alexander had a serious conver­
sation with him last night, and thinks he feels some. But the be­
setting sin renders it discouraging-- 0 that God wd his own truth
to his salvation- The first mate is sometimes serious, but deeply
effected with prejudice and universalism. The remaining officers
and crew are hardened and rebelious. Blasphemy can be heard occasion­
ally to fall from every mouth, and from some of them it pours forth
daily as deadly as poison and as black as the pit. They treat our
worship and our warnings with perfect contempt; poor souls they know
not what they do! Much seed has been sown amongst them by the Bibleclass, private conversations and public preaching, but none of it
yet seems to have taken root. It may however when they are far from
us spring up into everlasting life- If so, glory be to God.
In our meeting last evening the CXXI Ps. was read, which is
exceedingly appropriate to the circumstances. He that keepeth
Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps- The Lord has been our keeper;

- lb He has been a shade upon our right hand. Nothing remarkable has
occured since we left Rio and therefore I have written nothingThe only living things taken were a porpoise and two Albertrosses,
which are large sea fowls of the size of a swan. They were caught
by a hook with a piece of bacon for bait.
March 31 st
Off Juan Frenandez. Two days ago we fell in company with the
Friendship from Farehaven Mass. commanded by Capt. Merchant, with
whom one of our brethren have a slight acquaintance. This same
vessel has sailed in co. with us more or less for eight weeks; we
first observed her just after leaving Rio, and have seen her
several times since. It is remarkable that two vessels traveling
such a broad road, under different commanders should meet so often.
Her 1st & Vth mate came on board the Averick before we arrived at
the cape, and got some oil as none had yet been taken by the Friend
ship, and this morning Capt. Merchant visited us. He appears to be
a generous and active man. He sent us a small quantity of crockery
wh. is very acceptable as our misfortunes have not left us a plate
apiece.
This morning all the males of our company went on shore to
gaze upon the spot so long celebrated as the solitary residence of
Alex. Selkirk. Capt. Swain Br. Chapin & Br. Spaulding having gone
on shore early had prepared the way for our introduction to the
Governor, who is a Chilian by the name of Joseph Larrien. He can
speak but little english but treated us with kindness and attention
and conversed with us through an interpreter, who is an English
resident here for the purpose of taking seales.
When we first entered his palace, he and his companions were
dining together with Capt. Swain, the Doctor & Br. Spaulding having
taken a long excursion into the mountains. He politely arose
shook hands with us all, and invited us to gather around his table
and partake of his repast. As there were so many of us and no
preparation had been made for us, we at first thought best to de­
cline and begged to be excused. He then invited us to take some
wine & water; This request was complied with; The water was ex­
cellent but the wine was miserable- The company having now finished
dining, and we being again requested by the Gov. to draw around
the table, and Capt. Swain having suggested that he might not be
pleased with a further refusal, we took our seats at the table.
Fresh and pretty good wheat biscuit, fresh butter, dried ham im­
ported from America, sallad dressed with sweet oil, and fried eggs,
constituted the substance of our repast, the meats and vegetables
having been previously removed by the servants- The Gov. not being
able to speak English, some of us attempted to converse with him in
Latin, But he understood no more of this than what resembled the
Spanish tongue. An interpreter however was soon brought in, and
throgh him he informed us that”He was the gov. of the Island,
or the King”
— that he had been there about a year- that it was

- 15 a poor time with him, as produce was rather scarce- and that he was
happy to see us all at his house- Being informed that we had ladies
on board of our vessel, he wished them all to come on shore and see
him. But as the (boat) was only to remain until evening & being
now mid-day, and wished to travel into the mountains and get some
fruit & moreover not being aware that boats were at our command,
the idea of having our wives go on shore was dropped. The Gov. also
invited us all to stay with him awhile, and he would send us to the
Sandwich Islands after a while.
After dinner I informed the Gov. that we now wished to walk
about a little and see the Island. He consented to go with us and
show us his caves which were dug in the side of the mountain for the
confinement and employment of the convicts wh. are banished hither
from Chili for various crimes. The island seems to be devoted to
this object at present, e.i. a place of banishment for criminalsof these their are now 105 on the island but they were nearly all
on the mountains in pursuit of wild goats- The caves are large
some of them being 120 feet long & perhaps 20 ft. high: In one a
blacksmith was at work, which was a ludicrous sight indeed: the
whole apparatus partaking more of the character of the early ages
of the world when civilization was in its infancy and the arts were
unknown- Another cave was used as a carpenter-shop, but as in the
former everything was rude in the extreme- Another was used for a
chapel- Yes even here are to be seen the marks of the beast.* The
chapel however was not very splendidly adorned, a few crosses,
candlesticks & pictures constituting the amount of its furniture.
In the other caves were some beds lying on the ground a few pots &
cooking furniture, and a few women and children. The caves are dug
in the side of a steep hill one row above the other being 9 in all,
and it requires considerable effort to ascend to the upper row from
the lower- It was fine sport for the Gov. to see us scramble up,
on our hands and feet but he ascended with us, scrambling, & laugh­
ing with all his might, all the while. He is a short hulk of a man
& had I not had so much to do myself, I should have been disposed
to laugh at him.
After returning from the caves we left the Gov. and started
in search of some fruit. We traveled some distance along the deep
and fertile glens through the mountains, which are covered with
matts of the rankest herbage such as spearmint braken, etc. and a
variety of spicy shrubbery, and peaches in abundance, and also many
quince trees, but few quinces. The peaches are all cling-stones,
and posess a pretty good flavour, tho not so good I think as the
peaches in Penna, U.S.- We took as many of them as we could carry to
our boat without charge or molestation— plumbs, nectarines & apricots
are also said to grow here but we saw none. These deep vales are
extremely fertile, being covered with a black rich loam. It afforded
me no small delight to take my stand upon one of those lofty peaks
and contemplate just beneath me, scenery so luxurient and productive

- 16 and inhale the fresh sea-breze that gently swept along the side of
the mountain. The day too was very pleasent- the sky being cloud­
less and the weather quite temperate. The side of the mountain
which I ascended was covered with a variety of foliage & also
herbage- such (as) the laurel, white-wood, rhue, and balm in
abundance- of the two last I procured a quantity for use. Sandelwood formerly grew on the isl.but does not now. There is yet how­
ever a little that is dry. Radishes also grow in abumdance also
potatoes, cabbage, pumpkins, onions, beans, figs, etc. But there is
a manifest want of proper attention to the cultivation of these or
any other productions of the island. With proper cultivation an
amazing amount of produce might be secured as is evident at a moment’
s
glance. I have seen fine large and beautiful radishes growing on
the very side of the mountain. Capt. Merchant of the Friendship,
told me he thought everything on the island was degenerating. He
was here ten years ago and produce was more abundunt and cheaper
than it is now. Onions are now sold for six pence each, potatoes
for from $3 to $&-- and other vegetables with proportionable extravigance- There are cows, sheep, hogs, goats both wild & tame, asses,
mules and fine fowls on the island. But with suitable attention
the land would support a great many more- They can now only be pro­
cured at a high price. Fowls are sold generally at $1 per each;
but Capt. Swain got 9 for $5 from the Eng. Interpreter: Eggs cost
3 cts per each, and milch is very expensive, but a small portion
of each were procured. The Gov. in fact sent
bottles of milk and
a few apples which were imported from the main, on board our vessel
as a gift to the ladies.
There are at present 386 persons on the island, 73 females,
105 prisoners, *f6 soldiers, 2 officers, 160 farmers, if they may be
so termed. Among the convicts is one man of some distinction, who
has been sent here for sedition: There are two padres or priests
alsoamong the convicts. I spoke a few words to him in Latin but he
made as bad a hand at Latin as myself- The inhabitants appear to
be indolent, dirty and uncultivated lounging about with unshaven
beards and filthy clothes. The whole no. of houses are 25 mostly
clustered up together.*
As to the general aspect of the island it is exceedingly grand;
while I stood in the village I seemed to be in the midst of a
splendid amphitheatre formed by the hand of nature; The whole island
is a cluster of mountains, some of which are extremely high: the
loftiest peaks are perhaps 1,000 feet above the surface of the
ocean. They are composed of redstone, trap, and Basalt. The sides
of the mountains are covered with a thick, rich shrubbery, and
present upon the whole a most grand spectacle- About 5 0.clock our
boats were rowed into the vessel and is now on her way to the
S. Islands*They are built by inserting poles in the ground & then plastering
them with mortar, and thatched.

- 17 April 10th Lat.19°. Lon.90°

Nothing particularly interesting has occured since we left
Juan Fernandez: We have had fine weather and fair winds, sailing
sometimes at the rate of 10 knots per hour; we had a distant view
of St. Felix in lat 26° but could see nothing but a broken pile of
lofty mountains enveloped in the distant clouds- The health of most
of our company is good; Mrss Emerson, Spaulding & Chapin are gaining
strength slowly. We are not now much troubled with the rocking of
the vessel which is favourable to our reading. This indeed is my
principal employment, as well as one of the greatest sources of my
enjoyment. Since our imbarkation I have read the following works
nearly in the order in wh. they are written, Baxters S. Rest, Help
to xtion Examination, Stewarts Visit to the South Seas, 3 vol. Ellis's
Polynesian researches, 3 vol. "Life of Scott, Br. of Legh Richmond,
Nathan Dickerman, (?) on Women, James's Family Monitor, Life of
Whitfield, Flavel on the heart, and part of Eberles Mat. Med. &
Theraputics; making in all 16 volumes. Besides these I have read
some scetches of poetry as Popes Essay on man, H. K. White & the Bible
in course as far as the 12th Chap of 2 Samuel.
I have read all the above works with much pleasure, and I hope
some profit, but none with more of either than "Flavel on the heart"This small volume may be safely recommended to every one who is
seeking for true happiness or true religian. Such a felicity of ex­
pression, cogency & clearness of reasoning, and scill in quoting,
illustrating and applying the Scriptures both of the Old & New
Testament, every where appears in the work as to interest and
convince and profit every inquirer after truth. The author doubt­
less had long and carefully studied the mysteries of his own heart.
He had searched it and judged it impartially by the light of divine
revelation. He had properly weighed his obligations to his Maker
and his fellow men and without running into wild speculations looked
at the endless vicissitudes of human life, the weakness of fallen
man, and the various dangers which beset the xtian pilgrim on his
journey home: and bringing the stores of reason & religion to his
aid proposes
a balm for every wound
a cordial for every fearThe reading of Whitfields life, I think was profitable to meSince the days of the Apostles there arose not a greater (man) than
this servant of the Lord Jesus- 0, what zeal, what wisdom, what
industry, patience, boldness and benevolance, he constantly displayed.'
His whole clerical career was glorious, and it terminated gloriously.
Though in perils oft, he ceased not while he had strength to do his
Masters work- He has well been compared to the angel in the
Apocalypse, who was seen flying in the midst of heaven, with the
everlasting gospel in his hand. Whitfield is resting 3E±om his
labours, and 0 if every soul born into the Kingdom, by his instru­
mentality, be a gem in his eternal crown, what a splendid diadem
shall it be.' I had rather receive his reward than be king of the
universe and be a sinner-

- 18 Rev. Thomas Scott, for unwearied perseverance in study, and
preaching the word, amidst trials, both in his own person, and
from his enemies, which were not few, presents an example that is
enough (to) cover common men with shame and confusion.
Legh Richmond also is a lovely character. He was remarkable
for the sweetness of his temper, the gentleness of his manners, his
concientiousness in duty, and his expansive benevolence. For the
benefit of Gods ancient people he was indefatigable in labour. His
example also as a parent is worthy of notice.
But what is the advantage of so much reading, unless we are
profited thereby? Here I have cause for humiliation. After all
my reading I seem to grow no better. Knowledge is of little use un­
less it makes its possesser more humble, wise, and useful. But I
fear it is not so with me: May God give me more of his spirit to
sanctify all my reading, and make it contribute to my usefulness
and his glory—
April 18th

S. Lat 5°. Lon.105°

This morning two vessels appeared off our larboard bow, the
Lima of Nantucket and the Galena of N. Bedford. Capt. Winslow of
the Lima visited us and spent a short time on the Averick. He has
been out above 10 months and has secured about 500 Bis of oil, and
expects to remain in this region as long as he has success. He
informed us that he had a long (60 days) and stormy voyage around
Cape Horne- Expecting that he might have an pppertunity of sending
to America soon, we gave him some letters to transmit to our
friends. It is gratifying after being several months at sea to
behold the countenance of a countryman of another vessel.
I have just finished reading Taylors Holy Living and Dying,
and must say that I have read few books with more interest and
profit. The Author is well styled, the Shakespere of Divinity;
for a knowledge of human nature, of the history of ancient nations,
and the word of God, all of which he brings to bear on his subject,
he certainly excells.
April 27th Lat. b° N.

Long. 119°.

During the night of the 23d we crossed the Equator, three months
and twenty three days after crossing it in the Atlantic. The weather
is now very similar to what it was in the same lat. in the other
Ocean, rather rainy and swampy. The heat in the middle of the day
is very intense unless it is cloudy, yet it is generally much
moderated by sea breezes: These are a great blessing to those who
“
go down to the sea in ships." I find that something has had con­
siderable effect on my appetite, as it (is) not so voracious as
formerly- I find it profitable too to eat moderately of as light
diet as I can get, and also to exercise freely and regularly- But

- 19 it is one inconvenience on such long voyages that the provisions
become stale, and much of the diet consists of animal food- My
health is however very good, as also of all on board except one or
two of the ladies who are rather feeble yet.
Yesterday was a day of considerable excitement on board. The
cry "there she breeches", "there she blows was heard just after dinner
from the mast head and the spouts and backs of Sperm whales were soon
seen at a small distance from the ship- Four boats were lowered down
immediately, but before they reached the spot where the whales were
seen, they disappeared and were not seen again until the boats had
returned and the ship was again under sail. A number were then seen
close by us, and three boats were lowered down and went (in) pursuit
of them but they seem to have been frightened and the boats were
unable to overtake them, although they pursued them about three
miles. We now enjoy a refreshing shower of rain.
The following is a list of the names of our brethren and
sisters together with their weights

(157 lb.
(119.

William P. Alexander
Mary Ann McKinney

Age
State
26 Paris, Ky.
22 Harrisburgh, Pa.

(135
(115

Richd Armstrong
Clarissa Chapman

26

(133
(103

Alonzo Chapin
Mary Ann Jenny

27 W. Springfield, Mass.
27 Boston

U5k
( 98

John S. Emerson
Ursula S. Newell

31
25

(111

(1^3

Cochran Forbes
Rabecca Smith

26 Westown, Pa.
26 Newark, N. J.

(135
(

Henry R. Hitchcock
Rabeca Howard

31
23

(1^3
(12k

David B. Lyman
Sarah Joiner

28 New Hartford, Conn.
26 Royalton, Vt.

(111
(100

Lorenzo Lyons
Betsy Curtis

2k
19

Colerain, Mass.
Eldridge, N. Y.

(123
(119

Ephraim Spaulding
Julia Brooks

29

Ludlow, Vt.

Edward Rodgers

25

Boston

Weight

128

25

'T
'
Pa.
Russel, Mass.

Chester, N.Hampshire
Nelson, Do.

fry
Gt. .Berrington, Mass.
Owasco, N. Y.

21 Buckland, Mass.

These names and ages were taken down during the former part
of my voyage, and of course are not precisely correct at present.
The weights were ascertained last week by an old pair of steel-yards
on deck.

- 20
April 30th Lat. 7 . Long. 121°
Nothing unusual has oecured within a few days past. The
weather is very variable; sometimes clear and warm, but generally
cloudy, and heavy. We have recently had abundance of rain, and
of course plenty for washing clothes. To this unaccostomed labour
most or rather all of our brethren have been obliged to address themselves- We have been even glad to be able to get water to do it
with, for this is one of the most valuable articles on a long voyage.
I have washed almost entirely in salt water since we embarked.
I am now reading the last vol. of Eberles Mat. Med. and
think it will be profitable to me. But I feel much the want of a
more extensive acquaintance with medicines from observation. I
am also reading the last part of the Pilgrims progress- a book
full of important truth.
One of the most interesting as well as profitable means of get­
ting exercise on board is the turning-lathe. This impliment has kept
up an almost incessant clatter ever since we recovered from sea-sick­
ness. We have all had a turn at it: Its productions have been
handles of various kinds, sugar dishes, salt-cellars, sugar dishes,
pepper boxes, sand-boxes, etc. Br. Alexander procured a limb of
sandal-wood on the Isl. of Juan Fz which has been divided and
subdivided among us until all are supplyed with some little
curiosity to send to our friends. The wood is solid and receives
a beautiful pollish under the chissel. Br. Spaulding owing to
former experience excels all of us at the lathe. He has turned
several beautiful sand boxes and emery-boxes or cups, e.i. cups in
the form of very small wine glasses into wh. emery balls may be
glewed for the purpose (of) holding needles.
I should here record what I have before omited that Thursday
the 19th of Apl was set apart by us as a day of fasting, humilia­
tion and prayer to God, in view of our lukewarmness over want of
success among the sailors, our unhallowed feelings towards God
and each other, and in short our sins in the sight of God- It was
I trust good day to our souls, although no very palpable fruits
are yet manifest. We held two meetings for prayer and conversation
one at 3 o.clock in the afternoon, the other in the evening; At
the former we each one confessed our sins before God and to each
other, and implored forgiveness & the divine blessing to attend us
in future. The principal sins confessed were levity, iratability,
selfishness, unbrotherly feelings toward each other, and a want of
zeal for God; There seems to be a better state of feeling among
us since that time, but for one I feel as though I am still going
on at the same "poor dying rate". My heart wanders from God and
my affections and feeble and cold- 0 that God wd deliver me from my
besetting sins, of which those just mentioned are some, but not
the one thousandth part-

- 21 As to the officers and crew, if there is any change in them
it is for the better. The Capt. is still attentive to meetings
and daily worship, and sometimes appears to be thoughtful, but
there is nothing decisive in his case. Mr. Chadwick appears to be
somewhat softened dovm but is still far from righteousness.
May 1st
We are still in the Swamp and have head winds; But the heat
is not very intense. It is now in my birth 82° Farenhight. Within
a few days the ruling passion among us has been that of writing.
The brethren are writing up their journals and preparing letters
for their friends, but as is usual I am among the last to be seized
with this passion. Somehow or other, I write but little, perhaps
because I feel so little interest in noting the passing common events
of every day. I will now however tjry to remedy the defect in some
measure by stating some minute particulars in our manner of living.
Agreeably to our custom one is appointed every week to super­
intend the affairs of the table. His duty it is to deal out the
provisions to the Stuard from day to day: and a sholesome task it
is. He has the exquisite pleasure of going once or twice a day into
the
, and there to lift, and struggle, and sweat amidst ropes
and casks and smell the most offensive until he is fully satisfied.
The reason of his having this duty to perform is because of the
carelessness of the Steward and cabin boys, whose appropriate duty
it is to attend to these things. The Steward understands his duty
but cares not to perform it, finless he is under the influence either
of the rope or flattery. He has since our imbarkation taken several
paroxisms of all feeling and ill conduct, but recently has been
pretty good. Our cabin boy John Case too is a very bad boy. He
is both ill natured and unwilling to do his duty without chastise­
ment. But he too has lately improved very much. He is more
pleasant and more dutiful than formerly. With these the Butler
must deal, and get along the best way he can. He also waits on the
table with an assistant and their two wives, and continues in office
one week; And so it goes on alphabetically. Dr. Chapin was appointed
by the board to take charge of our provisions but the task proved
rather burdensome wh. led to the above regulations.
Our provision upon the whole has been good and well preserved.
Our pork is fine but very fat, our hams are excellent our beef both
dried & salt is fine. I have not yet become fond of the sea-bread
but when toasted, or made in pudding it is quite palatable; we have
also good crackers, good peas, beans, tollerable good butter, but
no cheese as it was damaged during the former part of the voyage.
I find tea coffee and chockolate rather unsuitable for my system in
this climate and am half resolved to abandon the use of them. A
beverage made of the shells of the cocoa is very pleasent and
destitute of the bad qualities of the other drinks. Our dried apples
cannot be found wh. is quite a misfortune.

- 22 April 3d.
For ten days we have been in the Swamp. We have variable
winds, much rain, and cloudy sultry weather, but this evening we
seem to be again in the trade wimds and are going at the rate of
10 knots an hour. All is well: yesterday a fine Dolphin was caught
by one of the sailors, which is among the most beautiful of fish.
There are multitudes of them and skipjacks, flying fish, dollars,
and large white tropical birds around the ship. All are engaged in
writing today.
May 9th

Lat. 18°.15! Long. 1^2°

Today about 12 o.clock the sun to us was perpendicular but
owing to a strong trade wind, the heat was not very intense. Indeed
this evening at worship some of our wives had their cloaks on and
found them comforting— Have spent the forenoon in rigging a tub
or looking at Mr. Maxie doing it- All is well without, for several
days we have had a strong trade-wind. We had a perpendicular on
the 13th Jan. in the Atlantic in Lat.21° .*+5Three months and
26 days.
May 21

Honolulu

On Thursday morning (17th) last we came to anchor in this
harbour, and beheld for the first time the sable heathen among whom
we so long expected to live and labour. Our brethren early in the
morning discryed the American flag waving at our mast head and
came on board to welcome us to the toils, privations & privileges
of the missionary-life. They imbraced us most cordially, and soon
we were conveyed in boats to the town & were again greeted by the
sisters of the mission at their houses. Soon we assembled at Mr.
Chamberlin, which is large & commodious where the general letter from
the board was read by Mr. Bingham, and a hymn sung & a prayer offered
to God for his blessing on us all. I was affected at the simplicity
and apparent godly sincerity of our brethren here. Their hearts
seem to be in the worke before them. 0 may we all forget the things
that are behind, and place our hearts upon our work and live for
him who loved us and gave himself for us. On Saturday night I
preached at Mr. C ’
s from Phil.2.5, but felt under some constraint
and my thoughts were wild & confused.
June 5th

Honolulu

'

This has been a day of peculiar interest in this placeThe people are overwhelmed with sorrow in consequence of the death
of the regent Kaahumanu, the wife of Iawahameha/. Her desease was
a diarhea, and has been preying on her system since our first
arrival and before it. A few days ago she was removed to her
country residence in the valley of Manoa, where there is a fresh
breeze and pleasent scenery, and where she was faithfully attended
by three physicians: but all efforts to restore her to health were
vain. Heavens decree was that she must die, but it pleased God

- 23 to prepare her for the solemn event- Her house was set in order and
her lamp burning- She died in the exercise of a firm faith and lively
hope in Christ.
The voice of wailing is heard in all directions and many seem
to be sincerely sorrowful at the loss of their pious regent- She
was much beloved and useful in her latter days. Mr. Bingham,
"Whitney and several of the other Missionaries were present when she
died- Her loss will be sensibly felt by the Mission, but it is
better to put confidence in God than in princes. Today Br. Alexander
& I visited the valley of Manoa.
June 26th

Honolulu-

We have just closed our annual meeting and our brethren and
their families are beginning to scatter to their respective stations.
We were more than three weeks in session, during which time questions
of the last importance to the welfare of the mission were brought
under discussions Among these we?e the principal were the propriety
of establishing a mission on the Marquesas or Washington Islands,
the relative advantages of fixed salaries when compared with the
common stock system, improvement of the high school, location of
last reinforcement, the disposal of books, and the means of
affecting a revolution in the present oppressive system of taxa­
tion in the government. The two first of these occupied the meeting
Several whole days, especially the Marquesas question. The subject
was dark and frought with difficulties on every hand, but after
four or five days deliberation, it was resolved to send a deputa­
tion to the Society Islands to confer with our English brethren
there on the subject of a mission to the Marquesas, as the princi­
pal difficulty in our way arose from their request that we should
not occupy that field.
July 16th
This evening an event has occured which I deem worthy of a place
both in my journal and in my memory. A missionary society has been
formed amongst the members of the church in this place for the pur­
pose of aiding in the extension of the Redeemers Kingdom in
neighbouring islands. The most sanguine hopes of the brethren
have been exceeded in this affair, for none anticipated such re­
sults. It was remarked by one of the pioneers of this mission
today at dinner that he did not believe that one of the chiefs
would contribute a dollar for the object but how pointedly has his
unbelief been reproved.1 About $107-2 has been already paid in &
more is expected. Considering all circumstances, the recent
ignorance and heathenish state of the people, their contracted
views, and want of training to such duties, and above all their
poverty, and the difficulties they have to get a little money,
this is truly encouraging- They seem to engage cheerfully in the

-

2h

-

work, some of the chiefs gave five dollars each, and governor
Adams gave $2*f.50. May these dear people find by experience that
there is that giveth and yet increaseth, and that it is more
blessed to give than to receive.'
July 18th
Yesterday I became a father and of course now am the subject
of feelings before entirely unknown to me- An infant daughter is
now commited to our charge, to train up for usefulness, for
happiness, and for heaven: and who is sufficient for the responsi­
bility! I cannot think of it without agitation. But we have both
I trust, in faith given it to God, and out of the mouths of babes
and sucklings he hath ordained praise. If we train it up in the
way it should go, we have his declaration, that when it is old, it
will not depart from it. If I know in my heart, it is my desire
that whatever may be the lot of this child in the present world,
God will save it from the ruins of the fall and raise it to glory
and immortality beyond the grave, through the infinite merits of
his son Jesus ChristThis afternoon the Miss. Packet has sailed for the Society
& Georgian Islands, to carry Brs. Whitney, Tinker, and Alexander
on a deputation to those islands, in order to confer with the Eng.
Missionaries there in reference to a mission to the Marquesas islands,
and the spread of the gospel in the other islands of the Pacific.
Aug. 13th

Honolulu

The Man of War. Patomac, commanded Downs is now here- This
is a fine large brig of sixty guns and carries, officers and all,
500 men- She has recently been engaged in a bloody battle with
the Malays on the coast of Summatra, who commited some outrage
upon an American Merchant vessel. They took possession of five
ports, burned their town, the town of
and killed about
100 men. The Patomac has been here ^ weeks and expects to sail
to-morrow for Valparaise- Com. Downs has conducted himself, so
far as I know, with very great propriety since he has been here.
He has called frequently at our houses, taken tea with the
missionaries several times, and attended church on the Sabbath.
In his deportment he is polite and affable, easy in his manners,
and very fond of ladies and children. Some of the officers have
manifasted hostility to the mission but many of them have mani­
fested much kindness towards us, and have made liberal donations
to all our familie of conveniences for clothing house-keeping- One
deserves to be kept in memory; The crew have purchased an excellent
bell for the church in this place, and presented it. This will be
an invaluable gift for this people.
The young King Kauekeouli was absent when the Patomac arrived,
but was sent for to Maui: Since his arrival here he has made several

- 25 entertainment for the Commander and his officers, one in the valley
of Manoa and the other in the Parrey. These the natives call a
Luau, from a part of the Karo-top, which forms an important part
of the feast- Not much however can be said in favour of the moral
tendency of these entertainments- The Commander in turn gave an
entertainment on board his vessel, to the chiefs, missionaries and
foreigners- The dinner was sumptuous, and good order prevailed so
long as I was on board. A dead set has been made against the
mission since the Man of War has been here, by the foreign residents,
but if God is for the mission who can be against it?
On Saturday, I preached on board the Patomac, (it being their
Sunday) from Heb.l2-lM~ and was kindly treated- The men were attentive
and some appeared solemn- The names of the Principal officers are
the following- Com. Downs, Lieut. Zubrick, Lieut. Wilson, Lieut.
Pinkam, Purser Mr. Slacum, Chaplain John M. Grier, Surgeon Dr. Jack­
son, Assist. Surgeon Dr. Folse, Teacher Mr. Warrener. Mr. Grier
& Mr. Warrener have lived among the missionaries since they have been
in port.
Sept. 15th
Yesterday Mr. Fenlyson the governor of the colony at Columbia
River, sailed from this place. The items of information respecting
the Indians on the N.W. coast are the following- that the Indians
are considerably numerous, generally stationary on the cost, but
roving in the interior where they live by the chase; they are found
in groups of ^00 or 500 each, and live on fish principally on the
coast- are very savage and hostile to foreigners; but the governor
thinks it possible to civilize and christianize them. One and the
most destructive evil prevalent among them is intemperance. This
is very prevalent tho the J&um is not supplyed by the H. B. company
but from vessels touching there occasionally- they all believe in
the existance of a Supreme Being and believe in a future state of
rewards and punishments though these rewards and punishments will
be to their own crude notions of pleasure and pain. Those that live
by hunting believe that good people will go where they will catch
plenty of deer and buffaloe, and have good weather always, but the
bad will go where they will be always chasing deer but will never
be able to catch any and of course be always hungry. They worship
idols, the sun and moon, the stars, etc. Mr. Douglas informed me
that vast numbers of them had been carried off by desease recently.
Nov. 17th
This morning at sunrise the Missionary Packet was seen by us
off Diamond Hill. The Hawaian flag at her mast-head assured us
that we were not mistaken in supposing she had returned from a
voyage to the Society, Georgian and Marquesas Islands. Filled
with anxiety to know the result of a conference with our English
brethren of the South-sea islands, of a visit to the Marquesas Ils.
and fearful that some one of the little band might have fallen a
prey to death on the passage, Br. J^SJL and I went to the whorf,

where a friend furnished us with a boat & crew to convey us on board
the Ann, a whale ship commanded by Capt. Brayton: there another boat
and crew were furnished us to go out and meet the Packet. All on
board were safe, Br. Whitney having remained at Maui, Brs. Alexander
and Tinker alone stood on the deck to receive us. They were in
good health and buoyant spirits, and taking a seat in our boat came
on shore, and were received into the embraces of their beloved wives
and the mission families.
After breakfast all the brethren and sisters of the station
assembled at our house to join in thanksgiving to God for his mercy
and to hear the result of their observations and inquiries. Mr.
Tinker read an abridged account of them, in which we all felt a
deep interest. The deputation reported that the English brethren
in the South Seas were with one exception willing that we should
go on and occupy the Washington islands, and that those islands were
in a favourable state for the reception of missionaries. They
express strong desires to have usgo among them speedily. May the
great head of the church gratify their wishes and send them the
bread of life as fast as the wings of the wind can carry it.
July 15. On board the brig. Dhaulle
in lat.0°. & Long.l^l W.
We are no (now) l*f days from Honolulu during most of which time
we have had strong winds and of course much sea sickness, though not
more than we anticipated- have had but two days of calm rainy
weather in the swamp which we are now past and today are running
close upon a strong southern trade wind.
We are all tollerably well, though our ladies somewhat
enfeebled by heat and sea sickness- Our accommodations are not of
the best kind, as our room Is small & much filled up with baggage
but we have no reason to complain. The Lord has mercifully keep
us so far, and will be our refuge still. Capt. Bancroft is
pleasant and indulgent to us, for which I desire to be thankful.
I can hardly conceive of a more intollerable prison than to be
placed on board a small vessel with poor accommodations, distressed
& dispirited with sea-sickness, and withal an unkind, unobliging,
unfeeling captain. We have plenty of food and it is well prepared
at proper seasons, and our only regret is that so much of it is
animal.
We have prayers in our cabin in
on deck when the Capt. & Mr. Smith, a
sometimes the two mates Messrs Gibson
ing on Sabbath either in the cabin or

the morning & in the evening
passenger, always attend &
& Brown- We have also preach­
on deck.

Our little Caroline we find to be a troublesome charge on
the vessel, but we have been providentially provided with a faith­
ful native man of the S.(?) Islands, who is able & willing to take
almost the entire care of her.

- 27 J j M 2b

Tahiti

Arrived here this morning about 10 o.clock. This is certainly
a beautiful island. Nature here wears her loveliest dress. The
eye every where meets with virdant & fruitful groves. From the
beach to the topmost pinacle of the mountain everything is green
& flourishing. But the state of morals among the Tahitians is
deplorable. The mass of the population is given to idleness,
dissipation & vice. Intemperance is the great master evil of this
fair land. It runs through every grade of society and extends its
baleful influence to every part of this group of islands. This too
is (?) here as elsewhere of ten thousand other evils scarcely
less appaling than itself. Time is spent in idleness & folly, books
& mental improvement neglected, equity disregarded family discord
& strife produced, and above all the vast concerns of the soul
neglected. Intemperence in my view turns the whole complexion of
society dark and dismal any where, but among a heathen people
unaccustomed to restraints, it makes dreadful havoc- War too has
been here with some of its bloody horrors- It was occasioned by
the late marriage of the Queen Pomare which, seeing she had not
been divorced from her former husband, some of her people regarded
as unlawful, and therefore considered themselves justified in
disregarding her authority as Queen. After using various concilia­
tory measures, which had no effect, the Queen sent an armed force
& after a smart skirmish in which between 20 & 30 were killed, the
rebels were completely routed. Peace is now restored, but as it is
not the peace of the Gospel, its foundation is but sand; the wicked
are like the troubled sea that cannot rest.
We have been kindly received & hospitably entertained in the
family of Rev. Z. Pritchard, to whom & his wife we feel under great
obligations for their kindness to us all, and especially to our
ladies who were enfeebled by sea-sickness.
25.
Mr. Bicknel, a merchant here & relative to an elder member of
the mission now deceased, has given us a fine young cow & calfthe choice of his numerous herd of cattle. This gentleman dertainly
deserves our thanks; He has thus testified at once his generosity,
his interest in our cause, and his concern for our welfare.

26.
This afternoon we took leave of our kind Christian friends Mr.
& Mrs. Pritchard & are now on our way before a fine westerly wind
to the land of our future toils & cares.
August 10th.
Massachusetts bay- Island of Nuuhiva. The Dhaulle came to
anchor this morning. Our deck was soon crowded with naked and
noisy natives who (men, women & children) came swimming off to us
in multitudes, as soon as the anchor was east. It throws a shade

- 28 of melancholy over my weak mind to think of spending my days among
these wild, naked, rude & fierce barbarians: But I find consolation
in the Gospel, whose truths never were more cheering to my mindOf how small importance is it where a man is or what are his circum­
stances in this life, if he possesses a well grounded hope of a
pure, holy & eternal rest in the Kingdom above! This hope is now,
& may it ever be, the anchor of my soul. One of our first items of
information was very melancholy, and calculated to produce fear in
our breasts. About 3 weeks ago, several foreigners residing in
this valley, went in a boat to the other side of the island for the
purpose of trading with a small tribe living there: While some
distance from the shore, the natives rose upon them, and attempted
to murder all of them, but two of them Collins & Morrison, taking
the alarm in season made their escape through the assistance of some
friendly natives. But two others by the name of
were killed by clubs and eaten by their murderers. In a few minutes
after they were killed, their bowels were taken out and eaten raw.1
What can be more revolting to the feelings of human nature than
such an act? The bodies were hung up to become tender before
they were eaten. The distressing event is said to have been owing
to a dispute which the two foreigners Collins & Morrison who escaped,
had had with the king of the valley of Iaiou. It was his intention
to have killed them, but providentially the stroke fell on two
others. This even illustrates what is the state morals among this
hitherto neglected people.
Hape, the most important chief in this valley is still sick;
but lying on his ba£k he received us with much apparent kindness
and at once offered us his own house to live in. We found him
lying on a single mat in his house and much wasted away. All the
chiefs & people appear to be pleased with our coming, but it is
evident that they are only looking at the lo(a)ves & fishes,
instead of any spiritual advantage- They expect that our coming
will bring many ships here & they will get to be as great a people
as those of Oahu.
Nothing excited so much interest as our wives & children.
While they remained in their cabin, which they deemed most prudent
until the curriosity of the natives had abated, every hatch & hole
through which they cd be seen was thronged with astonished spectatorsThe actions of some of them were truly ludicrous, when they first
saw the ladies & children; They jumped on the deck, clapped their
hands, laughed & uttered words of astonishment: While others showed
their perfect destitution of delicacy by lascivious gestures & the
most filthy language. In this respect too the females are no better
than the males- They all seem to be indelicate as even the brutes,
and more so.
7 A .i, isVj
12

.

Today Mrs. Parker & Mrs. Armstrong ventured on shore- the first
foreign females that ever came ashore in these islands. The interest

- 29 they excited and the actions of the natives are not easily
described. They came running from every quarter inquiring of
each other ihea ta oahij^e "where are the women?" They crowded so
close upon us before & behind that it was difficult to pass along
the beech comfortably. Some would come up close to the ladies as
they walked by our sides, and look under their bonnets, then dance,
& shout, & laugh & run as though they had really lost their senses.
Some of the men were rather troublesome, but after a short call on
Hape we returned to the ship in safety.
The natural scenery of this valley certainly merits all that
has been said in its praise. The lofty hills which encircle it
are barren towards the top, but so firtile is the land and so
plentiful the showers of rain and the streams of water running
here & there down from the hills that the whole valley is covered
with the most beautiful groves of bread-fruit, cocoanuts & a great
variety of small shrubbery as well as mats of luxuriant vines, grass
8tc.

15 .
Today we left the Dhaulle to take up our abode among these
rude, noisy & depraved islanders. They have been as kind as we
cd expect in carrying our goods ashore, & from the landing to the
house: Nothing has yet been stolen from us; not because there is
no disposition on the part of the natives to steal but much owing
to the vigilence of Hape who, being unable to walk, had himself
carried to where our goods were landed & there lay & watched them
all day long. When any small article was landed such as might be
easily carried off he had it laid close by him that he might watch
it.
This afternoon our house a scene of noise & confusion. It
is a half house, built of small poles & covered with bread-fruit
leaf. It is about ^5 feet long &:i12 wide. 10 feet is divided
off for a store-room & when the other part is divided it leaves
us about 12 feet square for each family. When our beds & small
furniture are put in this, we have hardly room to move. This
afternoon our windows & doors are so crowded that we suffer for
want of air- a thing we very much need when labouring to regulate
things inside. It has been a hard day upon our wives, who were
weakened somewhat by the voyage & have had to come ashore in the
burning sun in the midst of a crowd of noisy, rude & troublesome
natives, and then had to go to work and fix things so as to be
able to live. With all our efforts we have not been able to keep
the natives out of our rooms so as to enable us to get along with
our work. Like Aesop's flies, driving out one set would only
leave room for another twice as troublesome to enter.
21.
Today the Dhaulle has left us & we are thrown more than ever
on divine providence.

- 30 September 1-2
Today as our custom is we had english service at 10 0,clocksermon by Mr. Parker- text "prepare to meet thy God" All the foreign­
ers who understand our language, with one exception were present &
gave good attention. May the spirit of God send the truth to their
hearts & make it effectual to their salvation. Our sanctuary has
hitherto been Hapes house which he offered to us the first sabbath
we were ashore & we have thought best to continue it there,
It is built of small poles & leaves, with one side open, and the
eve so low that we must stoop very low to enter it & after we have
entered can stand erect only near the middle.
The natives crowd around us & gaze while we are at worship;
they appear to be much interested in the singing, but the whole
performance seems to be a strange thing to them- We have some men
building houses & although they work but little any day we could
not prevail on them to leave off to-day- We are here deprived of
the solemn sailings of the Sabbath, we have been accustomed to
enjoy. Heathen songs & plays & tumults constantly disturb our
rest & meditations. We are so close to the shore that the noise
of a heavy surf sometimes drowns all other sounds except the screams
of the natives playing in it, and we are unable to hear when we
speak to each other, but we have (not) been so much disturbed to­
day by any thing as by the play called here the uta- in the Sand­
wich Islands, the huda. The exercise consists of clapping of hands
so as to keep regular time & send forth different sounds. At a
distance this sounds very much to me like many axes cutting timber
in a forest- all going at once. But while the company six in a
circle clapping their hands, one or two stand up and doubling up
one arm so as to form a hollow inside the elbow, strike oh it with
the palm of the other hand which produces a loud hollow sound like
beating on a hollow log. Another important part of the play is
beating the drum: This is made simply of a log hollowed out, with
a sharks skin stretched over the ends, and the music of it is no
better than beating on an empty barrel. There are commonly^several
of these in a play, and they can be heard at considerable distance.
The whole is accompMifed’
with a kind of song or chant and in the
whole performance a strict regard is had to time. The uta is the
common play at all the feasts, and both the sound and the sight of
it looks as much like heathenism as anything I see.
*•*?
Feasts here are numerous and last for several days. Hape
had one about the time of our arrival in commemmoration of his
mother, at whifih about 80 hogs were killed and a great quantity of
popoi was consumed; and there have been several recently in our
neighborhood, the noise of which could be heard all over the
valley- The guests eat enormously at these feasts, and much food
is wasted by them as well as time.
The food of the natives consist almost entirely of bread-fruit,
cocoanuts, fish & pork. Of the two last they have not abundance,

- 31 at least at present, but they have commonly a sufficiency of the
two former- The cocoanuts are the largest and finest I ever saw
and the bread-fruit yields three crops in the year, one of which is
much more plentiful than the other two. During these seasons, the
natives bury in the ground what lasts them until the next season.
This that is buried when dug up & pounded into a thick paste is
what is called popoi.
One of our first objects is to build convenient houses to
dwell in, but we find no small difficulty in either getting timber
or natives to work. The only timber fit for building is bread­
fruit & cocoanut, and these as they afford their only means of
subsistance, the natives are unwilling to cut down; And we are
unable to get them to work, because we have but little to hire them
with, that they value- The things most sought after by them are
powder, muskets, files, axes, iron hoops, & tobacco; of which we
have none but a few files & hatchets consequently we can get but
little work done: For one quid of tobacco I can hire a native to
work a whole day, while he would turn up his nose at one hundred
times its value in another article. Money they know nothing about.
But we have by perseverence and the good will of Hape, suc­
ceeded in getting most of the larger sticks of timber for our houses
though we are obliged to go ourselves and work with our men. It
requires no small amount of patience to get along with such a
people. They are greatly averse to any kind of work, and when they
do attempt it, one works while half a dozen look on: And if a native
works two or three hours in a day it is as much as he is willing to
do.
Like all other heathen this people are slaves to superstition.
At every step we are liable to run across their tabus. When Hape
offered us his house to live in, a cocoanut log lay in it which we
wished to have removed. He assented but evidently with reluctance
and when it was removed by ourselves (for no Marquesian would take
hold of it) a number around us shed tears lest no strangers would
any more come to that house. There are also bread-fruit trees which
a native would not eat for any price, neither would he eat a fowl,
or a certain kind of hog for any consideration. Our watches are re­
garded as Gods and I suppose some have a notion that we possess
singular power over the lives & welfare of men. Indeed one man said
the other day in a company where we were the subject of conversation,
that he was sure we could take all those old men who have long
white beards and transform them into young men. They are a people
too who see a great many ghosts & apparitions in the night, of
which they are very much afraid, and consequently seldom go abroad
alone in the night.

- 32 15. Sabbath

.'£?(*+•

Our preaching in the native language commenced today. Br.
Alexander endeavoured to tell those who assembled though few,
something about Jehovah, the true God. The sermon did not exceed
two minutes in length, but seemed to be comprehended, and arrested
their attention as well as could be expected. I asked some women
after the exercise if they understood what was said they replied
that they did, and approved of it, but said the most of the people
did not like our God. They are an unthinking people & it is very
difficult to engage their attention to any subject which requires
thought, or is not connected with their immediate temporal concernsThe Spirit of God however can bring the dead to life, in his agency
is our hope19.
Today I have attended moanas wedding. In the morning we were
told of his intention, and Mr. Alexander & myself concluded to
accompany him to the house of his bride. His head was shaved in
the morning, and dressed off with a wrapper of white tapa, a
wreathe of handsome feathers, and a long human beard inserted so as
to stand up like a cockade on the forehead- A string of whales
teeth were cast about his neck, large bunches of human hair tied around his ancles, and a thick fold of tapa around his loins; These
constituted his marriage dress. Preceeded by two of his old fathers,
he set off for the house of his bride about 2 miles inland. On
our arrival at the house, we found three women sitting before the
door with a large piece of tapa spread on their laps ready to re­
ceive the young chief; He took his seat on one of their laps, and
Br. A. & I sat on each side of him. The bride, a very pretty girl
of about 12 or 13 years, sat inside on a fine new mat; dressed with
a fold of white tapa, a fine turban of the same, and a piece of red
tapa around her waist. By & by Moana came in & took his seat by her
side, and an hour or two were spent in talking beating the drums,
in performing the uta. and then a scene of feasting on bread-fruit,
cocoa-nut milk and hogs which is to last for several days. We had
pressing invitations to stay & partake of their feast but begged
to be excused, & returned home22

.

My first effort at preaching in the Marquesian language was
made to-day. My subject was Jesus Christ, and the sermon not more
than three minutes in length. The audience was small chiefly com­
posed of women & children: And so great was their disorder, talk­
ing and laughing, that I could scarcely hear myself speak all the
time, though I find some who sat near me heard and understood most
of what was said. In the afternoon I conversed with several on
the subject of the sermon, and I feel satisfied that this people
will not give up their idolatry without a struggle. They say our
God is kikino (bad) because he will not allow one women to have more
than one husband, or rather, will not allow her to have as many as

- 33 she pleases. They say Christ is kikino because he was killed and
put in the ground: And their gods are good. I have not yet met
with one who is willing to abandon his idols, and break his tabus.
In talking with two men this evening on the subject of their idols,
they seemed to grow quite angry & treated our God with the utmost
contempt.
30.
Today returned from the valley of Iaioa which I visited in
company with Mr. Angel. That valley though small certainly merits
all that has been said in praise of its beauty. The old chief
Iauahauia was not at home, but I spent a night in his house where
I had a single mat to sleep on and kaku to eat; a crowd gathered in
in the evening & I endeavoured to tell them of Jehovah & Jesus ChristThey said it was good, but stood to it that their Gods are true &
powerful- I have not met with one native any where who is willing
to renounce his Gods. The old prophet, as I saw him next day, de­
sired me to come and live with him, but he evidently only looks
after loves (loaves?) & fishes He appeared to be exceedingly
coveteous and in every respect a bad man. On attempting to return
in a whale boat we were driven off to the leeward, the wind being
strong, and put in to a small bay 6 or 7 miles south west of Iaioa
from thence we traveled by land to this place. The most difficult
& dangerous route I ever traveled- On the mountains we had a heavy
shower which rendered our traveling still more fatiguing & un­
pleasant.
On our return we found that Hape had had a rupture with his
wife, and they had separated- He determined to pull down the house
he lived in & burn it. This circumstance lead to the disclosure
that they had often quarreled before & that nothing is more common
than quarrels between husbands & wives- When we tell them the evils
of their custom, of one woman having two or three husbands, they
acknowledge the evils of it, and say it is the source of many
quarrels & much misery both to parents & children.
Oct. b.
The more I become acquainted with this people, the more I am
convinced of their awful state as to morals. Pauls description of
heathen nations in the first & third chapters of his Epistle to
the Romans, is not too strong to apply to them in the strictest
sense. Indeed he might have added another to his catalogue of
abominations not less horrid than the worst he has mentioned- I
mean cannabolism- It is highly probable that many of the persons,
especially the elder ones, around our doors every day have eaten
human flesh and wd not hesitate to do it again if they had oppertunity,
though they deny that they ever did it, and continually cast it as
a reproach on the Iaipis that they, kaikai euaua (eat men)- A
report is now in circulation that the natives intend when their old
Iaua (or man god) dies they will kill us and take our property.
The Iaua is now sick, and expected to die soon but the report does
not trouble us much as our things are not of such a kind as to

-

3b

-

excite their cupidity very much, and because they know it wd be
against their own interest to injure us In that case ships wd not
be so likely to visit them, and this is their chief concern: At
any rate we dwell in a strong city for the Lord is our refuge &
rock, in him will we trust. If it is for his glory that we shd
become martyrs, let his will be done. To depart & be with Christ
is far better than dwelling amidst such a land as thisThe people do seem really be filled with all unrighteousness,
fornication, wickedness, coveteousness, maliciousness, envy, murder,
debate, deceit, malignaty. They are back-biters, haters of God,
despiteful, proud, disobedient to parents- without understanding,
covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful
Their mouths are full of cursing & bitterness. Their throat is an
open sepulcher- with their tongues they use deceit & the poison
of asps is under their lips- Their feet are swift to shed blood:
destruction & misery are in their way and the way of peace they have
not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. This
forcible exhibition of heathenism is exceedingly applicable to this
people in their present state- Not one of these epithets is in­
applicable, and others equally strong might be applied to them
without exaggeration, such as maneaters, thieves, liars etc. The
epithets most applicable in this description of the Apostles are
the following; fornication, coveteousness, deceit, covenant-breakers
With the first of these we meet every day. It is one of their most
darling (daring?) sins, and one which it will require more than
mere moral suasion to persuade them to abandon. The total destitu­
tion of delicacy both among males & females, renders their society
almost intollerable for an hour to one who can understand their lan­
guage. Indeed I cannot see that they possess a whit more modesty
or restraint than the inferior animals and many of them appear
worse, for they take pains to exhibit their pollution & licentious­
ness in our presence. It seems to me that no language can be more
applicable than that of the Apostle, "Their throat is an open
sepulchre", from which streams of moral pestilence constantly pour
forth- I scarcely set down a moment any where among a crowd of
natives without either hearing something from their lips, or seeing
something in their actions to distress & disgust me: Ana often I
have returned home after being at work among them perfectly sick at
heart & threwn myself down to seek forgetfulness of what I had seen
& heard in sleep- What renders dealing with them in any respect
perplexing is their unblushing falsehood. I believe I may safely
say I have been told lies by natives since I have been here ten
times for once I have been told the truth. Lying is common that
they have no confidence in one anothers statements, and find it
hard to believe we are sincere when we tell them the truth. When
we have contracted with a man for a hog, or for a days work, or
any such thing we are but little more sure of it than before unless
we have something to offer that is exceedingly enticing. They are
also full of deceit. In the presence of each other they will be
very fair & friendly, while behind each others backs they will
revile, calumniate, steal or injure the very same persons. We
experience the same treatment $ls0 from them. Their thievishness

- 36 ill & expected soon to die when a human sacrifice must be offered
according to custom. This they are devising plans to obtain, and
it is said they intend to unite with the Iaipis who also desire a
victim, and conquer this valley. The Iaipis have been expected
here in the attitude of war for some time, on which account some
of the foreigners & natives keep a watch every night on the beech
in two or three places where they are expected to land. Their mode
of attack is to come in the night in their large canoes & land at
some convenient place or lay off & swim ashore. Then one proceeds
silently to a house, looks in & counts the persons sleeping, when
he returns & selects from his companions as many as there are
individuals to be killed who with short heavy clubs in their hands
proceed to the house & commence the work of death. They kill all
if they can and carry them off for victims.
Every few days we hear of skirmishes between the different
tribes, & sometimes one two or as many as ten are killed, in a day,
but they are so cowardly & unskillful in war that their conflicts
are not generally bloody. A more implacable, deadly hatred cannot
exist than what exists between the different tribes of this peopleThey may most truly be said to be "implacable, unmerciful.'1
What is to be our lot is very uncertain. We have sometimes
fears within while there are fightings without, but they are a
people given to so much falsehood, and so easily alarmed that we
know not when or how much we are in danger. At any rate we dwell
in a strong city for God is for us and who can be against us?
This evening our little band observed the Lords Supper. It
was a sweet season to me. I preached from Prov.if.23. May the Master
of the feast ever attend us with his blessing in this lonely land,
and keep us near the fountains of his grace.
Nov. 3.

V

One of us still endeavours to say something to the people
every Sabbath, but it is awkwardly spoken & imperfectly understood.
We endeavour too in our daily intercourse with the people to call
their attention to divine things, though for want of a knowledge
of their language, what we say is very general and not very clear
to them. We can however tell them that their Gods are lies and no
Gods- that Jehova is the only true Gotl. We can also tell them that
many of their customs & actions are evil, such as stealing, lying,
filthy talk, fighting, evil speaking, adultery & the whole tribe of
tabus, etc. But scarcely any effect of our example or instructions
is yet perceptable. When we tell them their gods are tivaua (false),
they reply that our God is tivaua, and has no power. Sometimes
they will challenge us to cure Hape, the sick chief, and then they
will break their tabus- They assert that their gods are powerful
and will cite instances without number in which their power has
been exhibited in killing men, in saving them, etc. But their

- 35 is another sin that rims wide & deep, and what is remarkable many
of them with whom I have conversed contend that it is good to steal
though they are fully sensible of its evil tendencies. This
prevalence of theft is one source of the extreme poverty of the
people. When we urge them to cultivate their lands and raise
potatoes, fowls, etc. they reply “
what is the use, when it will be
all stolen "from us"? They care not either to have any more
property than they can either carry around with them, or have
constantly under their eyes We often see a man with a knife fastened
on a string around his neck, an old spoon or something else by way
of ornament fastened on the same, with a long spear in his hand and
this constitutes his fortune as far as household or personal property
is concerneds Moreover it is much as he desires since more would
be cumbersome to him, and require more care than he is willing to
bestow upon it.
But no sin grows more rank here than coveteousnesss They seem
to look with a coveteous eye on every thing they see, that pleases
their fancy, although if it were given them, they would not keep it
a day, or return any thanks to the donors Such however is their
indolence that their desire for property does not create industry.
It is painful to witness the evil effects of the influence of
foreigners on this people- I mean not the foreigners who reside
amongst them but those who have visited them. Though they cannot
understand a sentence of decent English many men, women & children
have learned the most obscene & blasphemous words in our language.
Their mouths are litterally "full of cursing & bitterness, & the
poison of asps is under their tongues"- 0 that the time had come
when the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto God, then
seamen instead of spreading abroad among those who are already bad
enough firebrands, arrows & death, will carry with them the sweet
savour of the gospel.
Oct. 13 .
It is also true of this people that their feet are swift to
shed blood, & the way of peace they have not known- Three days
ago a company of Iaipis came to the head of this valley in order
to procure a victim for sacrifice. They lay in ambush with their
muskets until "several" this tribe, not suspecting, came along the
path by which they lay, when they fired but missed their aim, and
the others made their escape though narrowly. The fact is their
hearts are full of war; it occupies a great part of their conversa­
tion, and thoughts- Muskets, powder & balls are in the greatest
demand, though they are so unskillful as to be able to do but
little injury on either side with all their apparatus of war.
27.
The atmosphere is still filled with rumours of war. A re­
port is now abroad that the Iaipis & Iaioans intend to make war
speedily against this bay & the Hapas. The Iaua of the Iaioans is

- 37 m««

feelings towards their gods are rather those of fear than of
reverence & love; When challenged to show wherein their Gods show
any love to them, they are at a stance & can make no reply. I have
lately heard some of them openly say that their gods are false &
bad- that they eat men, etc. and that Jehova is the true God. They
have so little regard for truth however, that I have but little
confidence in such expressions, especially when made in my presence.
Some of the people however are evidently becoming ashamed of their
foolish tabus. Whatever has been carried on mens shoulders is tabu
for the women to pass over, and as I saw some women a few days ago
passing along a path where some bread-fruit leaves were scattered
which had been carried by the men, and carefully removing the
leaves before them & laying them aside, I spoke to them, & told
them how foolish they were, they were evidently embarrassed, and
said by & by the tabu will be done; They said they were kikino
(bad)Qne thing is evident that the tabus are very oppressive to
the women, much more so than to the men, and therefore they will
be likely first to cast them off. Indeed it is not difficult now
to persuade many of the women to violate a tabu, provided no men are
present, but as they are so much in favor of the men, they are
interested to uphold them and therefore will deride & abuse severely
any who will break them. When the men make a feast, they take care
to carry all this food into a tabu house, whither the women cannot
go, and there they will feast day after day, while their families
at home are suffering from hunger, not because there is no food,
for natures God has provided abundance of that in this land but
because they cannot climb the bread-fruit trees & get it. And when
the husband comes home at night after feasting & carousing all day,
he will throw himself down on his mat and say his belly is full, and
how can he clim£ a bread-fruit tree now?
7th.

Mo--

Today moved into our new house- It has been a day of care &
bustle and yet one attended with many pleasant feelings. Our
situation has heretofore been extremely uncomfortable, our room
small, crowded & exposed continually to the noise, filthy language,
intrusions & theft of the natives, the inconvenience attending our
cooking out in the public street, where our wives, if they ventured
out, were liable to be insulted and maltreated, and above all in
the case of my own family our little Caroline, now fifteen months
and just acquiring language, was becoming familiar with native sounds
and learning native words much faster than our own, that we have
looked sometimes with almost a feverish impatience to the time when
we could find some relief in a more comfortable house and a more
retired situation. To this day therefore we have looked with no or­
dinary anticipations of relief, and yet we have feard that the
transportation of our goods tho the distance is not over ten rods

- 38 might so excite the cupidity of the natives as to expose them to
plunder or a great deal of theft but we had less difficulty than
we anticipated; though we have found it necessary to use the utmost
care & vigilance in our power in removing our things. While two
or three stout men carried, some of us remained in the room we
left and others in the new house, as watchers. Nothing has yet been
stolen, whatever may happen hereafter.
29.
For several days past the very atmosphere has been filled with
roumers of war- Blood-shed & death constitute the almost entire con
versation of both natives & foreigners, and the latter have been so
alarmed as to keep watch all night, lest their enemies come upon
them while asleep. The first report was that the Iaipis had formed
an alliance with the Iaioans to make war on the Iayis and extermi­
nate them wholly. It seems however this is nothing more than idle
talk of which there is not a little afloat continually. At any
rate we have seen no good evidence as yet that such an alliance
has been formed - - It has also been reported day after day
that the Iaipis intend coming by night in twelve canoes to obtain
a victim in this valley. It has also been said that the Iaipis
have threatened to come & burn our houses while we are asleep,
because we live amongst the Ieis and are regarded as their friends.
The channel through which these reports pass is the relativesbf
the Ieis, who live amongst the Iaipis, & communnicate with their
friends here. This is a people so much given to falsehood, and
have so little else to do but talk, that it is difficult for us to
know how much danger we are in, or whether we are in any or not.
At any rate we dwell in a strong city for the Lord is our refuge
& rock: In Him we may trust tho the heathen rage and plot
destruction against us.
*T
Dec. 3.
Hape who has long been ill seems to be fast approaching his
end on earth, which occasions some new exhibitions of heathenism:
He lies in a small house, which is at particular times filled with
women who come to wail over him. But their tears do not appear to
be those of very deep-rooted affection as they may be seen sitting
with their hair all disshiveled, the tears streaming from their eyes
and they uttering the loudest lamentations over their sicK chief,
and in a minute or two the same individuals are seen laughing as
loud as they were crying before, and indulging themselves in levity
& folly; The heathen are without natural affection. The way the
men express their sorrow is by beating drums, blowing conchs,
clapping hands, singing songs, etc. In the night season they
sometimes keep up a hedious & distressing noise during a great part
of the night to the no small annoyance of their neighbors.

- 39 Hape is likely to die as he has lived a heathen. He evidently
clings to his idolatry & superstition and has no proper ideas of
what is before him. When asked what he thinks of Jehoval, he replies
that he is good, but will not allow that his gods are false & cruel,
or that the tabus are foolish. He would believe in Jehova he says,
if he would cure him and so would all the people: But they say
if Jehova is so great and good, why does he not cure Hape? In that
case they say they will all take him as their God, & break their
tabus.
if.
T <?c ts
We were aroused this morning about 3 oclock by the firing of
guns, the blowing of chonks, the beating of drums, and heathen songs
& clapping of hands, the meaning of all which we well understood.
Such performances usually attend the death of any important person,
and in this case Hape was supposed to be just expiring he however
did not expire until about 7 0.clock. About that time I walked
down to see him as I heard he was still alive but he had breathed
his last & two men were just carrying him out of the house in which
he lay into a tabu house in order to wash him and dress him. There
heathenism began to exhibit a scene such as I have never before
witnessed or had any proper notions While a few men were attending
to the corpse, the women commenced a loud wailing accompanied with
dancing on the stone pavement before the house, throwing up their
arms with a quivering motion of the hand: At the same time throwing
off all their garments and exposing themselves in the most indelicate
manner possible & without the least apparent modesty; But what
rendered the scene most shocking of all, was their cutting them­
selves with sharp stones. Two sisters of the deceased chief sat
wailing & sometimes dancing and thus gashing their bodies until the
blood ran trickling down them as though they had been wounded in
battle. As soon as the news spread almost the whole population
of this valley & some from neighbouring valleys assembled, the women
dressed in fine white tapa & some with beautiful head-dresses, made
of fine birds feathers, human hair, and white tapa, in order to
express their regard for their departed friend, and the men dressed
in all the fine things they could collect: The part they perform
is beating of drums, singing, or chanting, clapping of hands, and
sometimes yelling in the most terrific manner. This too is an
occasion of great feasting: ten hogs are to be killed tomorrow, and
a large number perhaps 30 cowfish (a sort of fish much resembling
the porpoise, only of a darker colour & larger) besides other small
fish have been procured for the occasion. The noise of drums,
songs, shouts and clapping of hands with the loud wailings and dis­
gusting performances of the women have been kept up all day, until
my heart aches through & through over the
the follies &
pollutions of the heathen around me. About 10 o.clock Mr. Alexander
and I walked down to witness what was passing in the crowd that had
assembled, and there were from twelve to twenty women dancing
shamelessly in the burning sun, with all their unseemly parts
uncovered, and evidently gratified to be gazed upon by admiring

Vo

-

-

spectators- In this way they express their regard for the deceased
person though it is not very easy to trace the connexion between the
action & the object, especially since there is not the slightest
appearence of grief to be seen in the countenances of the performersThe whole performance in fact partakes more of the nature of a farse
than any thing else. Not only the most prominent performers, but
even the nearest relatives of the deceased are seen wailing aloud
apparently in an agony of grief, and the next moment laughing as
heartily and acting with as much levity as though nothing was the
matter. The whole scene is most distressing to a civilized man to
behold & much more to Christian- Alas for apostate.1 what is without
a revelation? into what excesses will he not run.1 how low will he
sink in folly, pollution, & crime!
5. jj)«c.f8^
The performance of funeral rites has continued all night
without cessation and with rather more noise & tumult than in the
day time. The same individuals however do not perform all the time,
but the rites are kept up by fresh companies from other parts of
the island. As the consequence probably of yesterdays excesses in
wailing, dancing, etc. in so much heat, two women last (night?)
expired, and one of them is now stretched alonside of Hape. But
last night about 12 o.clock a messenger brought tidings to our ears
which produced no little agitation in our bosoms. The tidings were
that Morrison an Englishman who has lived here for seven or eight
years, and whose name is mentioned in Stewarts Visit to the South
Seas, was apparently dying. As he lived about 3A- of a mile from
us on the other side of the valley, and the road very rough, it
was sometime before Mr. Alexander & I arrived where he was, but on
our arrival we found that the sad news was too true. Not a symptom
of life remained though he had laid down as well and rather better
than usual as he has been for some time complaining of rumatie
pains. We have endeavoured to bu^y his remains in as Christian a
manner as possible, for the sake of example to the natives as well
as out of regard to the individual. While depositing the body in
the grave a native friend of the deceased presented a roasted pig,
to be deposited by the coffin lest his friend should suffer from
hunger. This is a silent admonition to us all to be prepared for
death at all hours. Morrison after he fell asleep as usual, never
spoke after. The cause of his death I suppose to have been
apoplexy. May the Lord bless these solemn warnings to us all!
The funeral rites of Hape still continue unabated. The whole
has become a scene of feasting, drunkenness, indecency, & reveling.

8.
The noise of drums, songs, and the coarse melancholy sound
of the chonk (the most doleful of all sounds) still remind us even
in the hours of night that we are in a heathen land: But we hope
for a cessation soon, as the people from Hapa have had there turn,

{-pec ■
'*
-

hi

-

and the Iaioans are now taking theirs, with which the koika will
terminate.
There being a great many strangers about, I have spent a good
deal of time for a few days in conversing with them on the subject
of their religion, their human gods, their idols, tabus, etc. but
they universally defend them with all their cruelties & absurdities
to the utmost of their power. Their understandings are so darkened
& their prejudices so deeply rooted that it is difficult to pursue
any train of reasoning on any subject with them, or to confine their
attention for any length of time to one subject— much more to an
unwelcome one, and therefore we can do little yet but use positive
assertion, which goes but little ways against such ignorance &
prejudice.
They ascribe the death both of Morrison & Hape to the power
of their gods and one declared to me that one of their gods would
kill Jehovah by and by- Some admit that Jehovah is a true God, but
not the only true God.
Being the sabbath we had divine service this morning in Hapes
house, and a larger number of people were present than on any former
occasion. In the crowd were the old Iauahauia, mentioned in
Stewarts letters, the principal chief & human god of Iaioa, and a
chief from the Iaipis who are at war with the Ieis, (as on such
occasions there is a cessation of hostilities) together with a number
of chiefs and strangers from other parts of the island. They
appeared attentive while Br. Alexander declared & applied to them
the ten commandments, and many of them repeated them aloud as he
delivered them. The truth came close on the old Ieiua, but he had
taken too much kava (an intoxicating herb) to be much disturbed or
moved by it.
We have
Marquesian in
interest- On
in the native

translated three verses of a Hawaian hymn into
the singing of which the natives take considerable
last Sabbath also I made my first attempt to pray
language, but I am obliged to keep very near shore-

As Marquesians never bury their dead Hape still lies, though
putrid, in the house which we formerly occupied in which for want
of a better we are obliged to hold divine service. A kind of trough
made by hollowing out the half of the trunk of a large tree, and
smoothing it very handsomely, is his coffin, in which he lies
wrapped in large folds of tapa & ornamented around with long pieces
of beautiful white tapa streching from his feet partly along his
body & thence upward to the top of the house, on which are fastened
three large wreaths of long black feathers taken from the cock,
?
several bunches of whales teeth, and a strip of scarlet bumbaget
which is considered a most splendid ornaments All this is combined
with braided green cocoanut leaf, and so arranged as to display no
small degree of taste.

- 1+2 But the corpse was this morning brought out and washed so
near our dwellings as to render our situation today almost in­
tolerable. Br. Alexander was obliged to take refuge in our house
where the stench was as much as we could bare.
Today had a long conversation with Iauahauia, the pretended
god of Iaioa. Our topic was his system of idolatry, his pretentions
to supernatural power, his tabu, and the vices of the people, as well
as the claims of Jehovah to be the true God, and only God- The vices
of his people the old man did not hesitate to condemn though he is
perhaps as much given to them as any man on the island, but for his
wooden gods, his tabus, and his own supernatural power, he contended
with a decisian and a zeal worthy of any cause. He was not however
at all out of humour with me for telling him that his idols were
nothing but carved wood fit for fuel only, his tabus foolish and
absurd, and his own pretensions false. He wished to have me go to
Iaioa and live with him, and teach him, but it is evident that he
is looking more after the “
loves (loaves?) & fishes," than after the
golden treasures of true wisdom. In the afternoon I spent a half
an hour in conversation with a number of chiefs and people from
Iaioa, and was at least gratified with their attention to what I
said. The old Iaua as a mark of regard has exchanged names with
me.

lb.
My time has for some time been principally occupied in
endeavouring to acquire the language & teach the natives to read.
As soon as the necessary family duties of the morning are over,
I take my seat in my room appropriated for native company, and
there converse with all who may come in, men women and children:
Whenever a new word occurs, I write it down with the meaning if I
can find it & if not, leave it to be sought for afterwards. I
endeavour to vary the conversation as much as possible in order to
take the wider range through the language but usually turn to
something connected with morals or religion, in order to acquire
a facility in speaking on those subjects as soon as possible.
Our attempts to teach the natives the use of letters have
hitherto been almost fruitless. A company may call to-day and
learn a few of the letters of the alphabet but we may not see the
same individuals again for a week or a month, until they have for­
gotten the very first letter. So every day we have pretty much a
new set of scholars, and when they do call it is no small diffi­
culty to engage their attention for even a moment. They wd much
rather gaze about the room, talk about something filthy or trifling,
or more commonly lay down and sleep, than attempt to learn. Some
of them are very bright and with application wd learn rapidly but
many especially among the adults are as stupid as blocks. Their
confirmed habits of indolence, their fondness for sensual pleasure,
as well as their unsteady fugutive mode of life operate much against
their improvement in any way.

-

1+3 -

15 - Sabbath

1)ee

Today we have been at our wits end to know where to hold
worship. Our usual place, has been Hape’
s house, because there
we generally have the largest audience, but today that place has
been intollerable on account of the stench arising from his dead
body. It has been so for several days although the natives both
sleep &neat as near him as they can get, and regard it as honour­
able so to do, Hape being a high chief- Even in our own houses
which are from 8 to 10 rods off, we are often reminded that we are
in the "region & shadow of death"- The smell is insupportable when
the wind blows in our direction, but providentially it usually
blows another wayWe finally held worship this forenoon in Mr. Parkers house
where a few natives had assembled. It was my turn to conduct the
exercise, and after singing a native hymn, I attempted to tell
them of the goodness of God Jehovah and contrast it with the crueltys
and bloody rites of their gods. Some sat & seemed to listen to what
was said but others talked & laughed, and ridiculed: And some were
disposed to quarrel demanding in the midst of the discourse who it
was that killed Morrison.’signifying that it was their gods and not
Jehoval. No small amount of patience is requisite to preach to
such an audience: Not unfrequently we cannot be heard at all for
the interruption occasioned by laughing, talking, jesting, rideculing, quarreling and filthy noises of the company.
Dec. 29
Our ears are again assailed by rumours of war. Our neighbours
have been thrown into considerable trepidation by a report the
Iaioans & Iaipis have united to come upon them in arms, after they
shall have routed the people of Aditoka another small valley- This
is a favourable time to turn their attention to the source of their
wars & enmities-viz.their false god who demand human victims, and
I endeavoured to improve the oppertunity yesterday in private con­
versation & today in my sermon, I endeavered to show the people
the transcendent superiority of Jehova over their human gods and
then told them when they cast away their gods their wars would cease
and their fears with them. They said tiatohu kikino to matau AtuaTrue, bad are our godsB Many of them acknowledge that their gods
are the source of all their wars, but yet say they are powerful and
they are afraid of their displeasureI am satisfied that the entire population are or have been
cannibals. A few days ago in conversation with a few individuals
considerably advanced in years, something like the following
dialogue took place- "When your ffaua or godman dies, what is the
first thing to be done- Ans- We seek a heaka or human victims
Where will you get him? Waihoi? Iaipi nehe- io Iaioa hehe: where
indeed from the Iaipis perhaps, from Iaioa perhaps— When you have
obtained a human victim: what then? Haika matou: we worship our
god (that is done by clapping hands, singing, beating drums, etc)
When this is done what is the next thing;- "Kaikai te auaua*’ eat
the man: heho eat him? the people back towards the mountain in

this valley. What are their names? Here two or three old women
sitting by pointed to the individuals with whom I was conversing
and said "these men eat the victim." At this the one man engaged
held down his head & smiled as though he was puzzled, but said
nothing. By and by he said "with us it is good to eat men but with
you it is bad."
January 3d 183^
Last night at half past 10 we became the happy parents of a
X little son. Providence has smiled upon us, and may the young
immortal commited to our charge grow up under his fostering care
to be an instrument of good in the world and an air of glory here­
after.
List of My Books
taken May 2*fth 1832

vol.

Library of Useful Knowledge 5
Eberles Mat. Modica
2
Horne on the Psalms
1
1
Goods book of nature
Jahn's Archeology
1
1
Stewarts Philosophy
Botany
1
Talors Holy living & dying
1
Millers Essay on the duty
of a ruling Elder
1
1
Paleys Nat. Theo.
Woodbridge's Geog.
1
1
Worcesters History
10
Edwards Works
Ernesti on Interpretation
1
2
Josephus
Prideeauxs Con
3
Euclid
1
Paynes Elements
1
Virgil
1
Blakes Nat. Phil.
1
Gastons collections
1
Fabers Dif. of Infidelity
1
do
do of Romanism
1
Paleys Evidences
H. Newell
Millaers Ch. Hist.
Wilkins Astronomy
Village Sermons
Larger Catechism
Infant S. Hymn book
Am. first class-book
Chemistry

1
1
5
1
3
1
1
1
1

Continued
Fishers Catechism
Mem. of Mrs. Judson
Butlers Analogy
Elements of History
Markii Med.
Payson's Sermons
Alexander on the Canon of S.
Memoirs of Payson
Memoirs of Legh Richmond
Cecils Remains
Help of Xi^n Examination
Roman Antiquities
Alexanders Geo. of Bible
Hulls lectures on Grammar
Urquharts life
Fabers dif. of Romanism
Cowpers Poems
Woods on Baptism
Family Monitor
Tribute to mem of Pilgrims
American Chesterfield
Childs Expositor
Beauties of K. White
Bible
Confession of Faith
Walkers Dictionary
Lords Supper
Tylers History
Bickerstett on prayer
Flavel on the heart
Kirk White
Stewarts Heb. grammar
Tales of a Traveller
Help to Genesis

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

»*5 Continued

Continued
Hales Geography
Catlins Theology
Cases of Conscience
Bible
Life of Scott
Paradise lost
Self Knowledge
? Cornett Weisome
u ' Pilgrims Progress
Church members guide
Hume & S*s Hist, of Eng.
General class-book
History of U.S.
Baxters, S's Rest
Beauties of Shakespere
Pollocks course of time
Am. popular lessons
Life of H. Martyn
Crudens Concordance
Mich. Heb. Bible
Simonis’
s Lexicon
Guide to peace
Alexanders hymns
Dwights
do
Murrays Grammar
Weeks Catechism
Walkers Dictionary
Bucks Theo. Die.
Wheelers Compend of Hist.
,**Vi Manuel of duf aut schools
Miss. Gazetteer'
Greek lexicon
Bush’
s Life of Mohamed
Revival sermons
Webbers Mathematics
Flavel’
s Touchstone
Campbell on the gospels
Hornes Introduction
Stewarts Commentary
Birds Sermons
Buchans Dom. Med.
Grunds Solid Geometry
Do Plane geometry
Jamiesons Rhetoric
-tea Musieu Sacra
Handal & Hadyn^mu.
Popes Essay on man
Village Hymns
Babington on EduGoldsmiths Nat. Hist.
Preachers Manuel
Jamiesons Logifr
Mem. of Mrs. Huntington
Jays Exercises
Johnsons Dictionary

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1

1
1
1
1
1

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

Peter Parley’
s Geo.
Hist, of Redemption
7 Schlensners Lexicon
Chalmers Evidences
Alexanders do
Blairs Lectures
Night Thoughts
Beecher on Intemperance
SermonsT on Sabbath
Salvation made sure
Bible
Henry Wilhelm
Childs Expositor
Swans Letters on miss.
Hames Lectures
Tollicoffer on EduHomes Redeemers tears
Willistons Sermons
Stewarts Visit to S. Seas
Right to read S. defended
Picteti Theologia
Coleburns Sequal
All religions
Bonycastles Algebra
Hamilton on Baptism

1
1
1
1
1
1

1
1
1

1
1

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1

Books taken from the
circulating Library of
the MissionMissionary Herald from 1822 to 1830
Martyns Sermons
Orations on Washington
Ecclesiastical Catechism by McLeod
Christian Orator
rv Sacra Pdivata
View of Heresies
Knoxes Essays
Panoplist 3d & 5th vols.
1+
Latin Dictionary
2
Ellis’
s Pol- Researches
1
Robinson’
s Lexicon
1
Tour
around
Hawaii
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

J u t a f 4 .( i f

. k6 -

5 tc t-.('u
The sweet potatoe here is small and indifferent, and the
peaches want that delicious flavour wh. they possess in N. America.
Visited also the convent of St. Antonio, situated on the brow
of a hill back of the Empirial Palace, was introduced by a servant
into a small but beautiful garden in the midst of which stood a
large font of holy water,- was introduced also into several chapels
in the same hugh building, and impressed much with the splendor
there exhibited- Alas how much pains will men take to adorn temples
made with hand in order to secure heaven, but how little will they
take adorn the heart- the seat of holiness, & the fountain of life!
But a few steps from this convent unwitnessed, a most dis­
gusting scene- In a large bason, supplied from a fountain with water,
stood perhaps 100 negroes washing clothes, men women & children,
but chiefly women, some were entirely naked, others partly and
some with their clothes tied up around their waist. This proves the
state of morals in that place to be deplorable, for who that possess­
es the least sense of delicacy could contemplate such a spectacle
without disapprobation and disgust.
During my absence on Wednesday Mr. Ker, an English merchant
sent a boat manned by five strapping negroes to convey us all to
his country residence at Praya-Vermilia, near Boata Fogo Beach.
Several of our company were absent, and it was inconvenient for
others to comply at that time with the gentlemans kind request; But
Br. Forbes & wife, Mrs. Lyon & Mrs. Armstrong consented to go with
to. Wilson, Mr. Ker's messenger, and enjoy his hospitality. On
Thursday a boat was sent for the remainder of us, and we all had a
delightful visit- We passed close along the base of the Sugar Loaf
and the adjacent mountain and landed on Praya VerMilia beach. It
was truly enchanting to contemplate the scenery around us. No pen
is adequate to describe it. Mr. Ker’
s mansion is situated in a
deep and firtile valley, with a range of lofty and irregular
mountains on each; The Corcovado elevates its lofty peak in full
view, while the clouds roll along and hang in sublime confusion
around its top. The sides and very tops of these mountains are
covered with beautiful virdure; the stately cocoa-nut grows luxuriant­
ly and flowers abound- Upon the whole they present a most grand
appearance, and are well calculated to impress the mind with the
majesty and wonders of natures God.
We spent the afternoon wh. was far advanced when we arrived
in walking in Mr. Kers garden, (he being yet in the city) and de­
lighting ourselves with the fruits and flowers. The garden wants
cultivation but still it afforded us much to contemplate the
cinnamon tree, the clove, the pomgranate, etc. Early in the even­
ing we partook of a plentiful repast, and soon after Mr. Ker, in
company with Mr. McKie, & capt. Ainly, returned from the city.
I was much pleased with all of them both as gentlemen & Christians.
Mr. Ker appeared to be truly cordial and in his hospitality, and pious
in his conversation. And what deserves notice, his peculiar senti­
ments in regard to the second coming of Christ did not seem to

-if7

-

prevent the exercise of his kind feelings towards us. After
prayer we repaired to our vessel leaving Mr. & Mrs. Lyman who
was unwell, at Mr. Ker's house, while we shd be in port.
Mr. Ker insisted upon our all coining to visit him again on
the following Sab. eve. the 22d. After attending worship on board
the Inscaloosa, Capt. Chase, under the Bethel flag where Br. Alex­
ander preached to a very respectable congregation of seamen and
some English residents, most of our co. were conveyed in a large
boat such as Mr. Stewart describes, to Mr. Kers where it fell to
my lot to preach. It afforded me much pleasure to declare the
truths of the Gospel in that destitute land. My text was heb.l2.1lf:
Several of the ship-masters, Capts. Chase, Holbrook, Phillips,
Hardie, & Swain were present and several english neighbours. The
meeting was interesting and solemn; After tea we returned again
to our vessel. Several of our co. visited Mr. Ker once or twice dur­
ing the two following weeks; Br. Emerson & Forbes preached there
on two evenings to small audiences, and on one afternoon Mr. Ker
exhibited his sentiments on the second coming of X.
We experienced very much kindness from the Capts above
mentioned; Their services & those of their boats were at our bidding:
Capt. Hardie, being an intimate friend of some of my friends in Balt,
showed me & mine marked attention. Br. Alex=- & wife & my f & wife
dined with him on the Laffayette and enjoyed our visit much. Part
of our co. on one afternoon visited Capt. Holbrooks vessel, with
whom I was much pleased-