they all signed the treaty of peace by eating fern-root with the chief in the bush where he usually resided.

On the 10th Tepui demanded an axe as wages for his son 'Hongi, whom the missionaries were boarding and training gratuitously. Being refused so unreasonable a demand, he became quite furious, and threw the things about in all directions. A body of his men advanced, and placed themselves in readiness to enforce his claim. One of them, with a countenance distorted, and indicating all the malignity of a fiend, kept repeating, “An axe for 'Hongi." The brethren desired Tepui to restrain this savage, and they would talk with him. He ordered the ferocious fellow to be silent. They then reminded Tepui, that they were far from home, that they looked to him for protection, that their stores were nearly exhausted, and that before their friends could send them a fresh supply they were likely to be without food. This calm appeal touched the old man, and the tear started in his eye. He could not conceal the acuteness of his feelings, while, with a sort of growl, he muttered, "You shall not want food. But you have been more liberal to your servants, to whom you have given something every month, than you have been to Tepui." At the close of this altercation, one of the brethren remarked, "Little do our friends in England know of the exquisite trials we are daily called to experience from the ingratitude, treachery, and violence of this barbarous people."

On Sunday, December 14th, after the morning exposition of scripture and prayer, the missionaries crossed the river, and found, to their surprise, that the chief of Mudi Wai and a numerous retinue had just arrived. They seemed to be peaceably disposed. A great concourse of people soon assembled, to whom the brethren explained the love of Jehovah in the gift of his Son Jesus Christ, and a future judgment. Profound attention was paid to those addresses; and the strangers seemed quite surprised with every thing they saw and heard. From this interesting scene they went to the residence of Tepui. They

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found him and his principal wife stretched upon the ground near their hut. Those huts were more like dogkennels than habitations for human beings; and in hot weather they were intolerable. When not excited by war, the natives spent their time in sloth and idleness, living more like hogs than rational beings, and manifesting a great repugnance to all kinds of intellectual exercise. Tepui was in good temper, and appeared pleased to see them. They held a long service; at the close of which the chief desired them to take some native wine. This is a beverage made by squeezing the berries of the tu pakihi, a tree resembling the elder, and mixing the juice in a calabash with the root of the kôrau, which in taste resembles the sweet turnip. The wine was served up in a tin bason; and each guest was furnished with a spoon, made of a muscle-shell inserted in a wooden handle. This interview was equally gratifying to all parties. On returning home in the evening, they found Ranghee, one of their lads, who had been absent for some time assisting his widowed mother to plant her potatoes, awaiting their arrival. After answering some inquiries about his mother and other relatives, the lad said, “I found that the longer I stayed away, the more quickly did the things that I had learned here get away from my head. I have returned that you may bring them back to me again."

On the 19th, the first takāhi, or “fair,” ever held in the country, was opened in Wesleydale. Numerous natives arrived from the mouth of the harbour, and adjacent villages. Various articles of foreign and domestic manufacture were exhibited, and exchanged hands. Christianity, producing "good-will to men," and habits of industry, would soon unite those warlike tribes in friendly and profitable intercourse. During the first day of the fair, Tepui's wife was confined. The mission-family went in the evening to pay their respects. They found the lady in the bush, cheerful, and apparently quite well. The infant lay beside her, with its legs tied together to make them grow straight. The chieftess intimated, that a European gar

ment would much improve the appearance and comfort of her child. Her request was so moderate, on such an occasion, that it was readily complied with.

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On the following Sunday, they visited Jakey's son, and an old man of sixty years of age, whose symptoms were very similar. Their sufferings were peculiar and severe: both maintained that their lizard-god had insinuated himself into their chests, and was preying upon the substance of their hearts. They were supplied with medicine and rice, and exhorted to pray to the true Jehovah. The brethren observe, in reference to these and other cases: Age and affliction are indeed calamities in this country. There are no outward circumstances of comfort to relieve exhausted nature; no attached friends to soothe the spirit in its deepest sufferings; and no blessed hope to animate faith with sweet foretastes of that joy 'which is unspeakable and full of glory.' O ye Christians of other lands, will ye not shed a tear over this misery? will you not breathe to heaven a prayer, that God may reveal his mercy to these benighted islands of the South Seas, the inhabitants of which are living 'without God in the world,' and dying 'without hope?'”

Thursday, December 25th, was duly observed as Christmas-day. A prayer-meeting was held before breakfast, an appropriate sermon was preached in the forenoon, and the day was concluded with the usual evening exercise. Contrasting the state of things in England and New-Zealand, one of the brethren said, "While multitudes in our native land are going up to the house of God to celebrate the festival of our Redeemer's birth, we are amidst cruel and benighted Pagans, who have no knowledge of the benefits of the incarnation: but 'hitherto the Lord hath helped us.'

On the last day of the year, the missionaries assembled the people, and addressed them on the end of the world and the general judgment. They afterwards held a watch-night, when they renewed their covenant, and received the sacrament of the Lord's supper. The recol

lections of home, their present situation, and the stillness that reigned around them, all tended to give peculiar solemnity to those services. They could say, with David, "If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us: then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: then the proud waters had gone over our soul. Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth."

CHAPTER VIII.

DOMESTIC Condition of the Natives-Tepui's Entertainment-The Wife of Hudu strangles herself Is restored-The WheatHarvest Massacre at Tawiti Rai-Acts of Cruelty by E'i Too and Dua Tarra-Reproved by the Missionaries-Examination of the Schools-The Arrival of the Church MissionariesThey visit Wai Tangi and other Places-Nearly drowned by the Upsetting of their Boat-Ceremonies connected with the Dead-The Brethren preach the Resurrection-'Hongi and his Warriors invade Wesleydale―They plunder the People-Dishonesty and Violence of the Chiefs-They offer a Hog as a Reconciliation-Christ preached to an afflicted Chief and his Family Atrocious Conduct of Tara and Tepui-A Case of Insanity Singular Ceremony by a native Priest-First religious Service at Whau Puke-Female Degradation-The Ship "Endeavour," having on Board the Rev. D. Tyerman and G. Bennett, Esq., anchors in the Harbour-The Vessel is seized by the Natives-Passengers and Crew overpowered and made Prisoners--Liberated and saved by Tara and one of the Missionaries-The Passengers visit the Settlement-Opinion of the Brethren respecting those Transactions-A Body of Fighting-Men enter Toropapa-Tepui addresses the Warriors -Barbarous Practice at Marriages-Inquiry about the true God-An Attempt to interfere with the Tapu-Signal Encouragement The Natives instructed to cultivate their LandSlow Progress of the Children in the Schools-Tattooing a Chief's Wife-Important Discussion at Toropapa-Polygamy and the Resurrection-The Ship "Endeavour" returns, and is boarded by the Natives-Altercation with the Captain and Officers The Missionaries arrive, preach on the future Judgment, and save the Ship.

THE year 1824 opened upon the brethren without any remarkable change in the moral aspect of things in Wesleydale. On balancing favourable and opposing circumstances, they found their minds about an equal distance between hope and despair. Of the validity of God's promise they had no doubt; but whether they were to be the favoured instruments of its developement, still appeared to be questionable. They had just strength and courage sufficient to enable them to prosecute their plans of usefulness, faintly anticipating a favourable result.