The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-01-04
SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.

Deputies from the London Missionary So
world, between the years 1897 and 1929.
We are indebted to the Boston Courier for
the following notice and abstract there
from.
This journal is more than dry details
on missionary siatistics-it has fund of
curious collateral information diligently
collected and well recorded. The account
ofthe long four months passage to the South
Sea, is rendered interesting by many anec-
dotes, and the deputies had some leisure to
indoctrinate the sailors, race of men in
which the spirit of devotion is somewhat
dormant. The escape of a comrade, from
Il fall, introduced many nautical anecdotes
of supernatural sights and sounds. The
chief mate related that in a hard gale he
ordered some sailors to reef the mnintop
sail. The first who mounted heard strange
voice say, it blows hurd." Back he re-
coiled, and another on hearing the report
laughed and assembled. sit blows hard"
brought him down faster than he went up,
and the third and fourth were greeted in
the same way-lastly, went up the mate
j" 1t blows hard, was the salutaton-"Aye,
aye, old one. but we must ease the earrings
for all that" said the mate, and looking
round discovered parrot that had proba
bly, escaped from some other vessel, but
had not been seen before.
Another old Triton related that when
boy he had been sent up to clear rope
above the mzen-top-but he came down
almost at jump, and reported Old Davie
aft the cross-tree The stranger had
huge head, prick ears, and white google
eyes, but his body was concealed behind
sail. A trusty hand was sent up to recon-
noitre, who came down amazed, and after
taking quid, reported, sold Davle, sure
enough The mate next assembled, and
up peered the horrid head, bat he drew
forth horned, owl of the largest size,
though lad the bird flown silently away,
fire would not have melted out the belief
that it was but an owl. The Deputies we're
able to describe from actual observation,
several hurricanes and other dangers of the
sea, and even the Captain thought it was
all over, but they came in safety to Tahiti,
and the islanders collected in crowds on
Point Venus, ia vile name) to see the land
ing. The Missionary flag was fyng-that
is, on white ground dove flying with
an ollve-branch in his bill, enclosed in cir
Gle made by serpent with the tail in its
mouth" >
The national salutation of the islanders
is Iaorana-or "every blessing he on YOU"
equal to the eastern salem aieikoun,, and
much better than the western show dye
do" 1t is the fashion in Tahiti, (Otaheite
1t used to be as Niagara was once Niaga-
ray 10 use little lime in ceremony-and the
people came and seated themselves on the
Deputies seats, and examined every thing
they could see. 1t was a cheap pleasure
for the deputies to crafty them, and the
Islanders touched or removed nothing. The
men wore a wide piece of native cloth
around the middle and the women had in
addition shawl and bonnet Of plated
straw.
1t seems that Saturday is Sunday in Ia
hitl; and Monday comes on the Sabbath.
This was from a miscaculation of Captain
Wilson and the first Missionaries, and the
mistake has been continued
Pomarre the Chief was one of the men,
who like Peter the Great, can reform 9TH
ers but not himself He could not detach
himself from ardent spirits when he had
them-but he would suffer no distlaton in
his domlnons. He was early converted to
the christian faith, and his example drew
IN others--idcls were burnt and their tenn
pies destroyed But christianity has done
more than merely to destroy the idols-and
1t has destroyed worse Idols than any hide
Gus images carved in wood. The blessings
OF religion have been attended with the ben
ehts that come from industry, honesty and
gentleness-many can read the scriptures
which are partially translated and all allure
their old practices. There is in the Soce-
ty Islands no more infantlcide or " murder
OF the lnnocents," nor is there hGryng
alive OF aged relatives-nor is there even "A
neglect of them as in older christian coun-
tries. There are few of the depraved vag-
a6onds OF both sexes that used to make this
island one of the strong holds Of evil. The
churches are attended by hundreds of peo-
ple-who have not only faith hut zeal and
whoshave already sent Tahitan missionaries
to the Marquesas. The annals of the ISL
ands or continents, do not present so thor
ough ii change from evil to good, within so
brief time. 1t is nothing less than won
derful.
One of the old gods was Hro, who was
the classic Mercury, and presided over
thieves. His worsnippers have left him,
and there is hardly "A thief extant to do him
reverence. When the husband went forth
to steal, the wife would go to the mdrae or
temple. to propitiate Hiro by promising
part of the plumber. But the adventurer, if
successful. Wis too often without that prn-
ciple, which should he found even among
thieves, and cheated his very patron. He
would throw pigs tail to- llro, saying,
" Here is piece of pork | stole for you,
but don't tell''--and, say the Deputies, it is
hard to say whether he cheated most his
neighbor, his god, OF himself
The Tahitans have no peculiar names for
each sex; boy is some times called by
the name that signifies the bad woman
and the girl by the word that means n good
man. None are named after the King, or
even called by a name that sounds at all
like his. Tahite is monarchy, and there
is in Tahite a nobility that comes from
birth, and its privileges are well defined
and respected,
The language is soft and liquid, and it is
improving. The hog was the principal
quadrrped of the island, and the single
horse that is there, IA present to Pomnrre)
is called Z" the hog that runs over the