THE MISSIONARIES' HOPES.

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to present a young plantain-tree, and some small pigs, as peace-offerings. They were then permitted to return to their lands; though the houses of most were destroyed, having been pulled down for fire-wood. Their misfortunes had been caused by no fault of theirs, but were the result of the king's own wanton cruelty.

Thus peacefully closed this troublous year upon the missionaries, who, beholding the hand of God in their deliverance, hoped that they were one day to have the joy of saving souls from death. They cared not what afflictions they endured, what pangs unutterable, if they might at length enjoy this delight. Even the salvation of one soul, they felt, would more than repay them for all they had suffered.

CHAPTER XV.

1799.

A MYSTERIOUS EVENT.

THE more the missionaries saw of Otu, the more wickedness they discovered in him. He felt no gratitude for all the favours they had shown him. I will give you some instances of his ingratitude in several trifling circumstances. During the late war he sent his servants to

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THE KING'S THEFTS.

carry off a sow and five young pigs, belonging to Mr. Bicknell, who made no resistance to the demand. The missionaries complained of this conduct to Idia, and were pleased to see the pigs running near their house next day, though Idia had said nothing to them on the subject.

One day the king came to Mr. Broomhall's apartment, and asked to see a large Bible with pictures, that he had heard of. While he was looking at it, he asked Mr. Broomhall to show him another book; and while it was being fetched, he slily cut out of the Bible, a picture of Adam and Eve in Paradise, and then returned the Bible, without mentioning what he had done.

Notwithstanding this conduct, the missionaries continued to behave generously to Otu.

On February 1st a ship touched at Tahiti. While the ship was at anchor, Otu came one day to Mr. Broomhall, and slipping three pearls into his hand, desired him to keep them for himself, and to procure a pistol for him from the ship. When the brethren heard of this circumstance, they wrote to the captain to ask, as a favour, to purchase a gun for Otu, as they feared he would be offended, if he did not obtain one. At the same time they resolved, if they succeeded in procuring the gun, to return the pearls to Otu, to show him that they did not act from motives of interest.

The captain very kindly presented the gun

HIS VIOLENT PASSIONS.

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to the brethren, who gave it to Otu, and returned the pearls to him. They were pleased to see Otu present it to his mother Idia, and to hear him speak more graciously to her than usual; but they observed no difference in his general conduct afterwards.

It was awful to see how completely Otu, though a king, was the slave of his own violent passions.

One day when he had drunk a great deal of ava, and was asleep in his dwelling, he heard a man hallooing outside. He immediately desired his servants to kill him. To what a pitch of wickedness will men get, who have nothing to restrain their passions! How many feel such anger as Otu did, who dare not give the same barbarous order! The young man who had hallooed, ran to Mr. Broomhall for protection. Otu, hearing where the man had taken refuge, thought it would be a good opportunity to get something out of Mr. Broomhall, and sent a message requesting to have three yards of printed cloth, instead of the two yards of white cloth, that had been promised him the day before. While Mr. Broomhall was getting them, Otu himself appeared before the door and demanded the gift. Mr. Broomhall gave him the cloth, and entreated him to spare the young man's life; Otu consented, but in a very sullen manner.

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POMARE'S RECEPTION.

This unamiable tyrant was always surrounded by a train of flatterers, who slily praised him to each other, loud enough for him to hear. The titles bestowed on the king, and on all he had, were most absurd. His house was called the clouds of heaven, his large canoe the rainbow, his manner of riding was called flying, the torch that was carried before him lightning, and a drum that was often beat for his amusement, thunder. Thus, while in his conduct he resembled a beast and a devil, he fancied himself a god.

You remember that Pomare had been at the little islands, called Teturoa, during the war in December. Since that time he had been detained there many months by illness, and had been visited occasionally by Idia. On the evening of the 9th of July, the missionaries beheld thirty canoes, enter the river, that flowed between their houses. These canoes contained Pomare and Idia, and the train of servants, and the noisy areois that usually accompanied them. The brethren went out to meet Pomare, and were as kindly received as usual. Crowds of people from all quarters, flocked to welcome him, and many women showed their joy, by cutting themselves with sharks' teeth. Every one made him some small present. His rebellious son, Otu, sent some pigs and dogs, and young plantain-trees, as peace-offerings, and then pre

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sented himself before his father. Otu did not, however, ask his father to forgive his late conduct; for he was by no means conscious that he had behaved ill. Very little was said, either by father or son. The interview was ended by Pomare asking his son whether he had any ava, and by the king replying that he had some. Pomare then put his head to his son's feet, as they hung over the men's shoulders, and after this sign of respect, departed. It was a great relief to the missionaries to see the father and son on such peaceable terms, which they hoped would never again be broken.

But though they now enjoyed quiet, they were in much heaviness on account of the continued unbelief of the people. When they spoke to them of the Lord Jesus, coming down from heaven, the natives sometimes replied, "If this were true, would not Captain Cook and others, who came here before the Duff, have told us of it?" The missionaries tried to show them that though those captains had known the name of Christ, yet they had not known his customs, nor cared about them. It was dreadful to hear the blasphemous words that the people sometimes uttered against the Saviour, and how they jested about holy things; so that sometimes the missionaries felt inclined to speak of Christ no more in the presence of the heathen; yet they could

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