The Polynesian., 1840-12-19

gers and the nearest Oh k'lI, Co'C'NC vi I"
bencyolcncc which would lead men to exile
themselves for the benefit of others. The
property they brought with them, would also
be a strong temptation to plundcr, ana IN
deed we find that they invariably suffered IN
this respect Yet the savagcs treated them
no worse than they would have treated their
own flesh and blood, had the temptation
been the same And there is no fact more
indisputablr than that commerce first taught
them To fear and respect the white man, and
also made them dependent upon him for the
very nccpssarics of life, and by this means
they first learned to appreciate the character
of missionary. First unchecked a,arcc
governed them; this punished, then fear,
and finally, interest taught them to treat the
faced strangers as their friends. OF
late, little Of this difficulty has been expert
enced; the islanders are almost always eager
to receive and cherish their tcachers-a
change which we do not hesitate to say, is
in a great measure to be attributed to the
new perceptions which they have acquired
from foreigners. Next to New Zealand,
Tahiti, of all the Southern Islands, is most
lroqucnted by foreigners. Missionaries have
resided there upwards of forty years and
have finally succeeded in introducing all the
outward forms of Chlis,anity-of indeed
converting the natives from hcathcnism, and
b,,, "a,
ed with so full and brilliant success as at
some other points, yet this is to be attributed
to the untavorable circumstances that always
attend first experiment. The Tahitians
were nation luXurions and liccntious above
all others in the Pacific. and these qualities
will never be entirely cradicated They
form as much part of the nation as their
color and language, and we have it from the
themselves that these vices have
rather changed their forms, than diminished
their degrees. True it is, that it is dis
gused, and so much improvement has taken
place, that outward decency is preserved.
In other respects the Tahitans arc infinitely
changed for the better The Sabbath is OBJ
served, schools attended, the grinding tyr
ranny of the chiefs abolished, laws respect
ed, and regular government established.
All that missionaries can well do without
the assistance of Foreigners, has been done,
and quite as successfully as could have been
when we consider the materials
they had to. work upon. They have even
attempted to introduce some of the arts of
civilized life, and their zeal for encouraging
agriculture and the attemp, to form an cX-
port for the islands deserves much praise
Partial success has rewarded their labors i'm
these. particulars, but full as much as would
arise, from circumstances which
necessarily render these considerations of a
secondary nature. With missionary. NOR
al efforts are the great primary object, and
his attention can only be devoted to the i'm
provcmcnt of the ply steal condition of the
people, as auxiliary to the former; consc
qucntly, it can but be partially successful.
But with the merchant the case is reversed
All his time, energies and capital are di-
rcctcd towards the accumulation of property,
and the labor of others is necessary to effect
this. lie cannot succeed in any honorable
traffic, without bcnctting others, and thus,
through a law of bcncyOlCncc thc rood oc