RETURN TO HUAHINE.

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conversation. If asked, "Did you not like such a speaker ?" 'Oh, yes! s!" "And did you not like such a speech ?” Yes, to be sure; and we like the bleating of a billy-goat."

Feb. 7. It was not till evening that we were able to put to sea again, in the hope of reaching Huahine by rowing hard all night-that island lying thirty miles distant, and the surge being still greatly agitated by the recent long-prevailing high winds. We were on board sixteen persons, Europeans and natives, exposed in an open boat, with little provision in case of need, and the probability, were a hard gale to come on (which the lowering aspect of the heavens portended), of being driven we knew not whither on the limitless ocean. But, after a sufficient trial of faith and patience to make us feel ourselves wholly at the mercy of Him "who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters, who maketh the clouds his chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind," the moon arose, and the remainder of the night was serene above, and not uncomfortably turbulent below. At five o'clock in the morning we landed at Huahine; a number of the kind hearted people were standing on the shore, who welcomed our return with their joyful iaoraanas; these we heartily re-echoed, and added our hallelujahs to the Lord, who, amidst the perils of the deep, had delivered us from all our fears.

Feb. 8. At the afternoon meeting, in the chapel here, about fifty candidates for baptism underwent a final examination, previous to their reception by that rite into the church of believers. Thirteen of these were young men and women, who, being above the age of childhood when their parents had taken upon themselves Christian vows, refused to follow their example then, but who are now to be baptized on their own voluntary confession. The candidates this day examined have been nearly three years under preparatory instruction, as well as on their good behavior in the sight of all their countrymen; and, having given satisfactory evidence both of their knowledge of gospel-principles and their conformity to gospel-precepts, are to be admitted into full fellowship with the people of God in this place.

Feb. 9. Among the peculiarities of the Tahitian language is one which (so far as we are aware) has no parallel in any other. The numerals have what may be called the distinction of tense; the prefix A being the sign of the past and

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NATIVE NUMERATION.

present, and E the sign of the present and future. Several

of them also have two names.

Past and Present.

Thus:

Present and Future.

If a person, therefore, were asked how many articles of a particular kind he had yesterday, how many he has to-day, or how many he shall have to-morrow (or at any past or future time), he would use different words in answering the question. Thus: "A ae buaa nanahi?" "How many hogs had you yesterday?" If he had six, he would say "Aono" -meaning "I had six." "But how many have you to-day?” If the number were the same as yesterday, he would say "Aono"-meaning "I have six." "But how many shall you have to-morrow?" He would then change the prefix from A to E, and say " Eono"-meaning "I shall have six." Or in the three cases he might use the second terms for six, and say afene, or efene. When the numbers run above ten they compute upon the usual principles; eleven being ten and one, twelve ten and two, &c. When they come to twenty, they say two tens; thirty, three tens, &c. A hundred has a distinct appellation, rau. They afterwards proceed by hundreds as previously by tens one hundred, two hundred, &c., till they reach a thousand, which is called. mano, Again connecting the units in succession with the mano, when they arrive at ten thousand they call that sum manotini. Then numbering manotinis as they had done manos up to ten times ten thousand, they call a hundred thousand rehu; and, counting upward on this, in like manner, to a million, they call that thu; beyond which they have no specific name for any specific number, though, by the use of ahurus, rauș, manos, manotinis, and rehus, they can multiply the thus (millions) to any amount expressible by hu

man terms.

BAPTISM ADMINISTERED.

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Feb. 10. (Lord's day.) Mr. Ellis preached in the forenoon from the words "Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.”—John xiii. 8. After this service the public baptism commenced, when nearly a hundred men, women, and children, were thus admitted into Christ's visible church. A hollow square having been made with benches at the lower end of the chapel, where there are no pews, the candidates took their seats, with their faces towards a table placed in the middle for the accommodation of the officiating ministers. Mr. Ellis, after a brief address, proceeded to administer this sacramental ordinance to the adults, seated as they were upon the forms before him; repeating over each the words of the Institution :

66

Bapatizo-[This is an engrafted word, there being no corresponding term in the native tongue]

te ioa no te Medua, e no te Tamaidi, e no te Varua Maitai." "I baptize thee, in the name of the Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

When the adults had all received baptism, an infant belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, and another belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Barff, were dedicated to God by the same rite— the symbol of regeneration, which Mr. Tyerman, at the request of the parents, administered. The children of the adult natives (on whom the ceremony had just been performed)-some in the arms, and some four or five years old-were then baptized by Mr. Barff; fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, being thus brought into the "communion of saints" on earth in the same hour; the former first giving themselves " unto the Lord," and then entering into covenant for those little ones which the Lord had given to them, to bring them up in his nurture and admonition. The scene was affecting and solemn beyond any thing that we had yet witnessed, and the season was truly refreshing from the presence of the Most High. Mr. Barff preached in the afternoon from Deuteronomy xxvi. 16-18: "This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments, &c. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, &c. And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people," &c.

Feb. 11. At the conversation-meeting, which was numerously attended, many texts were quoted, both by men and women, from various parts of scripture, that they might be particularly expounded by the missionaries. It is sur

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INDIGENOUS DISEASES.

prising with what eagerness these new converts to the gospel seize and treasure up the precious words of grace which they catch from the lips of their teachers, when quoted from still untranslated books of the bible; as well as with what diligence they commit to memory numerous chapters and whole gospels which have been rendered into their mother tongue. Some who cannot read themselves can repeat almost every text which they ever heard, and even large portions of the New Testament, which they have learned by hearkening to others, while these read aloud to little audiences which they sometimes collect in the open air, under a tree, or in their family circles. There are few, indeed, of those who regularly attend public worship who do not know by heart all the hymns that are usually sung there.

We have made minutes, from time to time, of the diseases which are most frequent in these islands. The following are the principal: :

Hotiti, pulmonary consumption, which carries off, on an average, three of every hundred that die.

Fefe, a species of elephantiasis, causing hideous enlargements of the arms and legs. About four in a hundred are affected by it here; though in Borabora, among a thousand inhabitants, there is only one invalid of this class. Unwholesome food, or too much food, heat, damp, ill-constructed dwellings, want of cleanliness, and indolent habits, induce this deforming complaint, which will, probably, be much more rare in future, from the exceedingly improved state of society.

Hydrocele, another gigantic tumefaction of morbid parts of the body, too frightful for description; which, it is to be hoped, purer and more temperate modes of living will likewise subdue. One in a hundred is more or less afflicted in this way.

Monumonu, or the throbbing-that is, the tooth-ache, is not common. The natives have the finest and most perfect teeth, perhaps, in the world.

Both

Tariaturi-a deaf ear; and vava-dumbness. these terms are used to signify the condition of a person born deaf and dumb. There is but one case of it in Huahine, where there are two thousand inhabitants.

Matapo-Blindness. Of this, in the same population, there are three instances.

Bupa, a shivering fit; and ahu-a burning fit-are em

INDIGENOUS DISEASES.

251

ployed to express the symptoms of intermittent fevers, which are frequent here, especially during the rainy season. They sometimes assume the form of ague.

Matapoto, a spasmodic affection of the face. It discovers itself by a pain in the forehead, which, proceeding downward, successively affects the eye, the ear, and the neck; this is followed by locked jaw, when the patient swoons outright, and, unless prompt relief be administered, speedily expires. The natives have a specific of some efficacy, which they immediately prepare, and force into the stomach by wrenching open the jaws. This malady, which is not uncommon, is most rife after long dry weather.

Tuabu-Hump-back. Two in a hundred have this unsightly encumbrance. It is induced by a fever, which leaves a tumor on the vertebral column. Children from four to five years of age are frequently thus afflicted. If the spine curves at a certain crisis of the complaint, the patient recovers; if not, he dies. Men are generally more distorted in this manner than women. In many cases the hump on the back is remarkably angular, and the chest proportionately enlarged, while the thighs and legs are long and small; yet the persons themselves are often very strong and active.

Ofao, taviri, aati, and obu—are names given to different symptoms of bowel-disorders, which, though often produced by the nature of their food, are seldom fatal.

Perioi-signifies a cripple; of these there are few. Avachape-means bandy-legged; this deformity is also rare, though it is the universal practice to carry young children astride upon the hips.

Tona, a relic of that loathsome disease which is the scourge of licentiousness, and which was very destructive in these islands after its introduction by European visitors. That plague is now extinct. The tona, which it left behind, afflicts the sufferer under its malignant effects with dreadful ulcers in different parts of the body.

Tabu-Scrofula. The word tabu signifies a cut, or scar. Many deeply-indented and disfigured faces and necks bear testimony to the prevalence of this ravager of strength and poisoner of health.

Oniho, a kind of small-pox, mild in its form, but leaving the skin pitted. It is infectious, attacks persons of all ages, and the same subject is liable to take it repeatedly.