THE NIGHT OF TOIL

CHAPTER I.

1796.

WHY THE DUFF LEFT ENGLAND.

On the other side of this earth there is an immense tract of water, called the South Seas. It is sprinkled with islands, as the grass is dotted with flowers in spring, or the sky is adorned with stars on a dark night.

I am going to give an account of one of these islands called Ta-hi-ti,* and I shall speak a little of some other islands that lie near it.

* The name of the island is pronounced as if spelt thusTah-hee-tee. The vowels in Tahitian names are called like those in French.

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DISCOVERY OF TAHITI.

Tahiti was first seen by an English captain called Wallis in the year 1767. At that time George the Third (the grandfather of our Queen Victoria) was King of England. There are a few islands near Tahiti; and this little cluster of islands is called the Georgian Islands, after King George.

Tahiti is a most beautiful place. In the midst mountains rise that reach the clouds, thick groves grow almost close to the shore, and clear streams run down the mountain sides into the sea. It is always summer there, while fresh sea-breezes make the air pleasant.

You will desire to know what kind of people lived in this pleasant island when Captain Wallis discovered it.

The inhabitants were tall and stout, with brown skins, dark eyes, and glossy black hair. They appeared merry and good-natured, and were generally laughing and playing.

When Captain Wallis returned to England, and described the islands of the South Seas, a great many people wished to see them. Other ships paid visits to Tahiti, and brought back more accounts of it, of the fine fruittrees that grew there, and of the pleasant lite the inhabitants led. There were some persons, however, who read these accounts with great sorrow. You are surprised to hear that any people were sorry to hear of so delightful

MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

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a place. But wait a little, and you will not be surprised. I have not told you yet the character of the people who lived in Tahiti: they were thieves, liars, and murderers-could they be happy?

There were some people who loved God in England who were grieved to think of the poor natives of Tahiti. "Ah!" thought they, "you may sit beneath your spreading trees, eating the golden bread-fruit, or drinking the sweet milk of the cocoa-nut: but how can you be happy when you know not of the paradise above, nor of the Saviour who can wash out your many crimes in his blood? for soon death will snatch you from your sunny isle, and bring you before the judgment-seat."

Did these people in England think it enough to grieve for the poor Tahitians? No-they remembered who had said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature ;" and they formed a plan to send the gospel to Tahiti.

Several gentlemen consulted together and collected money, and inquired whether any pious men would go as missionaries to the South Sea Islands.

At last they found thirty men who consented to go. Only four of these men were ministers : the rest understood useful trades.

The gentlemen who agreed to send them

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THE SHIF DUFF.

out were called, "The Directors of the London Missionary Society," because they met and consulted together in London.

They bought a ship called the Duff, and they found a very pious captain named Wilson to manage it. Captain Wilson engaged twentytwo sailors to go out with him: one of them was his own nephew, William. Six of the missionaries had wives, who were to go with their husbands, as well as three children belonging to them.

No one can tell what the missionaries felt when they left their native land, and set sail for a country of savages. One of them wrote in his journal," I felt deeply when leaving my native country, and my dear friends, whom I loved as my life: but loving the Giver of life, I trust, more than all, I went with tears of joy."

The missionaries embarked from London in the river Thames, on August 10th, 1796, at six o'clock in the morning. A beautiful flag waved in the wind as they set sail-it was purple, with three doves bearing olive-branches in their bills. It was not a ship of war, but a ship of peace, in which these holy men had entered. As they sailed down the river they sang the hymn beginning,