s
companions, with the missionaries, to their home.

Within fifteen months after this, Rurutu was visited by Dr Tyerman and
G. Bennet, Esquire, who had been sent out by the directors of the London
Missionary Society to visit their stations in the Pacific. When they
reached it they were not certain what island it was, but were greatly
surprised at seeing several neat-looking white houses at the head of the
bay. A pier, a quarter of a mile in length, had been constructed of
vast coral blocks, affording a convenient landing-place. Besides the
two comfortable mission-houses, there was a large place of worship,
eighty feet by thirty-six, wattled, plastered, well floored and seated,
built within a twelvemonth, under the direction of the two native
missionaries, who performed much of the work with their own hands. Many
of the chiefs were dressed in European clothing, and all were attired in
the most decent and becoming manner. Not a vestige of idolatry was to
be seen, not an idol was to be found in the island.

Mr Turnbull, in his account of a voyage he made to the Pacific in 1804,
describes the way in which the then savage inhabitants of Raiatea
attempted to cut off the ship in which he sailed. See the contrast in
the conduct of the people of Rurutu shortly after they had embraced
Christianity. Captain Chase commanded the Falcon, an American trader,
which was cast away on a reef off their island. He says; "The natives
have given us all the assistance in their power from the time the ship
struck to the present moment. The first day, while landing the things
from the ship, they were put into the hands of the natives, and carried
up to the native mission-house, a distance of half a mile, and not a
single article of clothing was taken from any man belonging to the ship,
though they had it in their power to have plundered us of everything
that was landed. Since I have lived on shore, I, and my officers and
people, have received the kindest treatment from the natives that can be
imagined, for which I shall ever be thankful."

Aitutaki, one of the Hervey group, was another of the islands discovered
by Captain Cook. It contained about two thousand inhabitants, described
as especially wild and savage. Mr Williams heard of it from Auura, and
on a voyage to Sydney, which he was compelled to take on account of the
health of his wife, he landed on its shores two native missionaries,
Papeiha and Vahapata. On first landing th