On The Road We Met A Large Party
Of Noble Athletic Men, Going For Wild Bananas.
I found that
the ship, on account of the difficulty in watering, had moved
to the harbour of Papawa, to which place I immediately
walked.
This is a very pretty spot. The cove is surrounded
by reefs, and the water as smooth as in a lake. The
cultivated ground, with its beautiful productions, interspersed
with cottages, comes close down to the water's edge.
From the varying accounts which I had read before reaching
these islands, I was very anxious to form, from my own
observation, a judgment of their moral state, - although such
judgment would necessarily be very imperfect. First impressions
at all times very much depend on one's previously
acquired ideas. My notions were drawn from Ellis's "Polynesian
Researches" - an admirable and most interesting
work, but naturally looking at everything under a favourable
point of view, from Beechey's Voyage; and from that of
Kotzebue, which is strongly adverse to the whole missionary
system. He who compares these three accounts will, I think,
form a tolerably accurate conception of the present state of
Tahiti. One of my impressions which I took from the two
last authorities, was decidedly incorrect; viz., that the
Tahitians had become a gloomy race, and lived in fear of the
missionaries. Of the latter feeling I saw no trace, unless,
indeed, fear and respect be confounded under one name.
Instead of discontent being a common feeling, it would be
difficult in Europe to pick out of a crowd half so many merry
and happy faces. The prohibition of the flute and dancing
is inveighed against as wrong and foolish; - the more than
presbyterian manner of keeping the sabbath is looked at in
a similar light. On these points I will not pretend to offer
any opinion to men who have resided as many years as I
was days on the island.
On the whole, it appears to me that the morality and
religion of the inhabitants are highly creditable. There are
many who attack, even more acrimoniously than Kotzebue,
both the missionaries, their system, and the effects produced
by it. Such reasoners never compare the present state with
that of the island only twenty years ago; nor even with that
of Europe at this day; but they compare it with the high
standard of Gospel perfection. They expect the missionaries
to effect that which the Apostles themselves failed to do.
Inasmuch as the condition of the people falls short of
this high standard, blame is attached to the missionary, instead
of credit for that which he has effected. They forget,
or will not remember, that human sacrifices, and the power
of an idolatrous priesthood - a system of profligacy
unparalleled in any other part of the world - infanticide a
consequence of that system - bloody wars, where the conquerors
spared neither women nor children - that all these have been
abolished; and that dishonesty, intemperance, and licentiousness
have been greatly reduced by the introduction of Christianity.
In a voyager to forget these things is base ingratitude; for
should he chance to be at the point of shipwreck on some
unknown coast, he will most devoutly pray that the lesson of
the missionary may have extended thus far.
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