such astonishment at the wonderful doings of these white men, that they prayed to their gods to send them Captain Cook in his large canoe. Their prayer was as follows:-"O, Great Tangaroa, send your large ship to our land; let us see the Cookees. Great Tangiia, send us a dead sea, send us a propitious gale, to bring the far-famed Cookees to our island, to give us nails, and iron, and axes; let us see these outriggerless canoes."

As if an answer to this wish, a large ship did actually arrive, supposed to be the "Bounty." One man mustered up courage to venture on board, and on his return he told his wondering countrymen that it was a floating island; there were two rivers of water flowing on it; there were turo plantations, sugar-canes, bread-fruit and other trees growing on it; the keel scraped the bottom of the sea, for he had dived as deep as he could go, but could not reach the bottom. If it were the "Bounty," these things are easily explained, as she was fitted up to convey the productions of the South Seas to the West Indies. The native got a piece of iron from the ship, about two feet six inches long, which was dedicated to the gods.

A heathen woman had, by some means or other, been conveyed from the island of Tahiti to Rarotonga, and on her arrival she informed the Rarotongans of all the wonders she had seen; stating that they were not the only people in the world; that there were others entirely white, whom they called Cookees; that Captain Cook had been to her island; and that, subsequently to his visit, the servants of Jehovah and Jesus Christ, the white man's God, had come, and were still residing there; that at her island they had ceased to use stones axes for hewing their trees, for those servants of Jehovah, and others, had brought sharp things which they called opahi, with which they could cut them down with the greatest facility; that they had also ceased to use human bones as tools for making canoes and building houses, for the same people had brought them sharp hard things, with which they could effect their work with far greater ease; that their children did not now cry and scream while they had their hair cut, as they formerly did, when it was performed with sharks' teeth, for the Cookees had brought them bright things, which were so sharp, that the operation afforded them pleasure rather than pain; and that they had no need now to go down to the water to look at themselves, because these wonderful people had brought them small shining things, which they could carry about with them, and in which they could see themselves as plainly as they could see each other. These, with a variety of other very strange things, which this heathen female told the astonished inhabitants of this secluded garden of the ocean, excited so much interest, that the power

of Jehovah and Jesus Christ became great in the estimation of the people.

The circumstances under which the late lamented Mr. Williams first visited Rarotonga, are too well known to need repetition.

Although Makea had at first seemed so anxious to have teachers, yet he was one of the last to give up idolatry. The great goddess Rangatira was the object of his worship, and his people were determined not to permit her destruction; but at length they too gave way, and the reign of idolatry ended in Rarotonga; nevertheless, many of the natives still retained their idols,

On the 26th April, 1827, four years after his first visit, Mr. Williams accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Pitman to Rarotonga. He found that the entire population had abandoned idolatry, and were under the instruction of the native teachers. A code of laws was drawn up and publicly adopted, and many other things were done by the missionaries to promote the improvement of the people. At the pressing wish of the chiefs, Mr. Williams built a vessel on their island, in which he intended to visit the islands still in heathen darkness. This was the well-known "Messenger of Peace."

land, and other matters could how it was possible to speak could not be seen, and ex

Early in 1828, Makea accompanied Mr. Williams in this vessel, on a trial trip to the island of Aitutaki, previous to sailing to the Society Islands. He had never been to sea before, and was astonished at the accuracy with which the time for seeing be told. It seemed surprising to him with so much certainty about that which claimed, "Never again will I call those men warriors who fight on the shore; the English only, who battle with the winds and waves of the ocean, are worthy of that name." He was frightened at the shocks which the waves gave the vessel, and asked very seriously if she would not be knocked to pieces. As the wind was unfavorable, they were rather longer in returning; and the king began to feel anxious, fearing they had missed the island, or were sailing "into a wide, gaping space." The third day, after leaving Aitutaki, no land was seen, and he became very much distressed, despairing of ever again beholding his island. He was requested to lie down and sleep till the moon arose, when land would be seen; but all he said was, "Can I sleep, friend?" He waited on deck, and at the specified time Rarotonga hove in sight. His joy was unbounded, and his exclamations testified to the delight he felt in again beholding his native land.

Shortly after his return from Aitutaki, the missionary who was to be permanently settled with him arrived-one who was to be his friend and teacher, and to whom he ever remained closely attached. This

was Mr. Buzzacott. The day after his landing, the new missionary put on his apron, turned up his sleeves, and set to work at the forge. The people were delighted to see this, particularly the king, who exclaimed, "This is the man for us! this is the man for us!"

A month after Mr. Buzzacott's arrival, Makea and his wife left Rarotonga with Mr. Williams, in the Messenger of Peace, to visit the Society and Georgian Islands. He nominated his uncle Regent, to act for him during his absence, and gave particular instructions to his people how they should conduct themselves. The parting was very affecting. "For more than a month prior to our departure," says Mr. Williams, "little groups would collect in the cool of the evening, and when sitting around the trunk of some gigantic tree, or beneath the shade of a banana, would sing in plaintive tones the stanzas they had composed to express their sorrow at our approaching separation. On the evening of our departure, several thousands accompanied us to the beach; and as the boat left the shore, they sang with one voice, and we think we add, with one heart

'Kia ora e Tama ma;

I te aerenga i te moana e!'

Blessing on you, beloved friends;

Blessing on you in journeying on the deep.'

This they repeated at very short intervals, the sounds becoming fainter and fainter as we proceeded, until they were lost in the distance. The effect was so overpowering, that not a person in the boat could refrain from weeping." On reaching Tahiti, Makea and his wife were introduced to the queen, chiefs, and missionaries, from whom they received a most hearty welcome. A great meeting was convened at the island of Raiatea, where from two to three thousand people assembled from the neighbouring islands. The presence of Makea, and the sight of the rejected idols of his people, excited the liveliest interest on the occasion. He then visited the islands of Huahine, Tahaa, and Porapora. Wherever he went, he was treated with great respect and attention by chiefs and people, from whom he received many valuable presents. His commanding height, and his manly bearing, everywhere secured for him much admiration. After a stay of two months, he returned, and was joyfully welcomed home by his people and the missionaries.

Makea now began to appreciate and value the labors of the missionaries; and henceforward his attachment to them was unswerving and his love to the Saviour, to promote whose cause they had forsaken all, gradually increased, until it became his constant theme and only source of joy.

(To be concluded next month.)

POETRY.

TRUE PHILOSOPHY.

WITH Sweet flowers opening
On thy sight daily,
Sing as the birds sing,
Gladly and gaily.

Think not of autumn sere,

Winter's grim shadowsSing as the birds sing,

Over the meadows.

See what the hour reveals,

Fairly and truly—

Not what the cloud conceals;

But the cloud duly. Think every common day,

Is a good granted;

Hail every trial sent

As a seed planted.

Paint not the tempest's hour

Till it close o'er thee,

Trust not to fancy's power,

Have it before thee, Seen its aurora gleams,

Felt its dark terror, Then to thy work proceed Fearless of error.

God sendeth nought in vain,

Gladness or sorrow; Strength giveth of its gain,

Weakness must borrow.

Tempest and summer rain,
Give the true stature ;

Each one who skulks the pain

Narrows his nature.

K. B.-Hogg's Instructor.

SPEAK KINDLY OF THE ABSENT.

SPEAK kindly of the absent, ne'er

In bitterness expose

The weakness, frailty, or faults
Which they may oft disclose;
Oh, never wear a curling lip,
Or cold sarcastic sneer,

If a friend's failings be the theme
Which meets your listening ear.
For none are perfect-we ourselves
May be the laugh and jest,
Of many a cold unfeeling one,

Whose hands we oft have pressed-
Yes, pressed in friendship pure and warm,

With feelings kind and good;

And hearts which we have felt were true
To them in every mood.

Speak kindly of the absent, then,

And let their virtues be

Upon your tongue with gentle praise,

Yet free from flattery.

And never wear a curling lip,

Or cold sarcastic sneer,

If a friend's failings be the theme

Which meets your listening ear.

ANNIE WHITE.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

A Diamond lay

In a jeweller's tray,

And sparkled, and glittered, and looked very gay.

There a Loadstone, too,

Was exposed to view,

But looked very dull, (as loadstones do.)

The Diamond bright

Said, "You gloomy fright,

"You are quite a disgrace to me,—Out of my sight!