THE GEORGIAN AND SOCIETY ISLANDS. LETTER I. ARRIVAL AT TAHITI. Matavai Bay at Tahiti, A CLUSTER of low islands and coral reefs lies about midway, in a direct line, between the Washington and Georgian groups, rendering the navigation at that point somewhat intricate and dangerous. From a supposition, that we might be obliged to lie to at night, when in that vicinity, we did not expect to accomplish the passage from Nukuhiva to Tahiti, -a distance of seven hundred miles-in much less time than a week. In this, however, we were favorably disappointed. The trade wind proved unusually fine; and having made the first of the low islands early on the 14th instant-the second day from Taiohae-we succeeded in running by the whole chain the same evening, and, with an open sea before us, hastened on our course with unchecked speed. Five of the low islands-the Tikoas, the Palliser, and Elizabath island-were passed by us within two or three miles of their shores. Elevated a few feet only above the water, scarce in sight at a distance of six and eight miles, and but scantily tufted with groves of the cocoanut and pandanus, they present a strong contrast to the loftiness and magnificent scenery of the groups between which they lie. Though small-some fifteen or twenty miles only in circumference-they are inhabited: but the subsistence they afford is scanty and miserable, consisting almost exclusively, besides fish from the sea, of cocoanuts and the berry of the pandanus. Happily for the race dwelling upon them, though reduced in their outward circumstances almost to the Condition of the brute, the rich blessing of the gospel has reached their desolate shores. Through the influence of native missionaries from Tahiti, they have, within a few years, forsaken their idols and embraced the religion of the cross-have learned to read-possess the scriptures in the Tahitian version -and daily pay their vows to God by hymns and prayer, in neat and humble chapels of their own workmanship. On Saturday, the 15th instant, at twelve o'clock, we descried Matea, or the Island of Osnaburghhaving run some distance from our course to make it. Perceiving it to be only a lofty, volcanic rock, rising abruptly from the water in a truncated cone -once evidently a burning funnel-we did not approach nearer than twelve or fifteen miles; and bore away for Tahiti, the principal of the Georgian Islands, of which we gained an indistinct view, forty niles distant, at sunset the same evening. Having been under short sail during the night, we were yesterday morning still far from land; and it was ten o'clock before we were near enough to Point Venus to send a boat on shore, previously to bringing the ship to anchor. SCENERY AT MATAVAI. 9 The morning was hazy and unfavorable for the strength of impression which the sublimity and loveliness of the scenery is calculated to make. In this particularly in reference to my fellowvoyagers-I felt a disappointment. The image left in my mind, by a first sight of the same section of Tahiti in 1825, when on our voyage from the Sandwich Islands to England, was still so beautiful and so vivid, that I had hoped every circumstance in making the land at this time, would have been equally propitious to a similar effect on those now with me. Scarce any scene before beheld, had excited an admiration equal to that I then experienced. We had not yet made land, when I retired to rest the night previous; a fine moon, however, enabled us to press on without hazard; and, at the dawn of the day, we were close on the shores of the district of Matavia. It was not yet sunrise, when I went on deck; but the whole heavens were filled with the glow and richness of the near approach of "the king of day," and sufficient light was already cast upon the island, not only to disclose its general formation, but to present every distinct feature along the coast and in the mountains above, in the fullness of its verdure and beauty. The wild peaks and bare cliffs towering high in the centre of the island were uncovered, and in strong illumination from the sun, still beneath a watery bed. A belt of vaporish cloud hung midway on the purple sides of the mountains beneath, while the rich lowland-a mile and more in width-intervening between their bases and 10 BOARDED BY A NATIVE the beach, heavily covered with groves of the breadfruit, cocoanut, and other luxuriant tropical growth, stood in the purity of the morning, with a refreshing nearness and beauty on the sight. Spacious chapels of the purest white, with numerous lofty doors and windows-seeming in my eye, after a residence of three years at the Sandwich Islands, in the early stages of improvement there, like so many palaces amidst their palmy groves— were seen, at intervals of two and three miles, along the water's edge, while the plastered and whitened habitations of the missionaries and chieftains, and the cottages of the common people, studded the shores in long perspective, till, at a distance of five and six miles on either side, low points, richly covered with cocoanut trees, terminated the view. The most conspicuous objects were now still the same; but, with a noonday sun and misty atmosphere, they were seen under every disadvantage of shade and coloring, and excited a less lively admiration, than they otherwise would have done. While two or three miles from Point Venus, we were boarded by a boat containing one of the inferior magistrates of the district, in a dress of nankeen pantaloons, round jacket of blue silk, white shirt, and black cravat, with a Guayaquil hat. He introduced himself with great civility, and tendered his services to pilot the ship into the bay; but Captain Finch learning from him, that there was a regular pilot appointed by the government, declined the offer till he should come off, and till Mr. Lardner, our sailing master, should go in with a cutter and |