FIRST MISSIONARY VOYAGE [>797*
■- ’ Our time this “week was chieflyeifrployed in' dividing, and- cafrying1
to our relpedtive places of residence, the part o f the cargo which, in
the drvifion at Otaheite, -had fallen to our Riare. fIh it.we found fuch
an immenfe quantity o f jifeful and;neceflary iron stools; o f all fort's > as
far exceeded .our greateff expectation, and* filled .the natives w ith
afionifhmerit, Gur warmefi'acknowledgments are 'due^ Jand!fti-uR
fall infinitely fhort fofsimif/obiigationS, to thefofwipe Authdrl o f "all
our mercies, who hath .put it into The -hearts o f his peopleto provide,'
and o f his' honouredzfervarits, the directors,'' to' heftow drr,;US I fy
bountiful a fupply o f every - thing that could be deviled •forrbnr'cdrrpi
fort, ahdlthe furtherance of'the'iwork-i .iru which we-foe-’ieh’gkged f
but efpecially- for the wonderful manner in which he has prepared,
brought forward, and preferveehour dear captain, whom we cannot
but .cfleem as ;the. greiatefb teftimony .of the;divine fevou?- bpfiovfed
on our, fdciety. ' While bn the voyage, the profperity.atid. furtherance
o f the work feemed tojeng.rofs his whole attentions. TdTiis tfhdulge'nP
care in procuring'and allowing .us Teveryhdrafort^tnat Vobld hdenjoyed
by people in our circumflances, mighfibe imputed that’extraordinary
degree of.health.whkh we_ enjoyed.. His counfel aiKkaSvicfohas^ofteii*
guarded, us from the.i'ntrufion o f difcord. His converlatiori'' was
wholly 'calculated to Rimulate our zeal.. In out ahfence -he has been
mindful b f , ioiir. .iatereRs# and has .effecTudly prevented every .bam»-
plaint. The aflability and kindnefs of his condudt am©ngirth&'
natives ; has won him their .afledtions : andl indeed 'in what“TWe- HI:sver
reafon to believe is his, principal aim, he has fucceeded wonderfully,'
that- is, S ta . adorn the doiSrine o f . .God :our. «Saviour ’ in' a ll 'things
May the .Lord enable us to do likewife, and fill .our hearts with gratitude
: to himfelf, and to all the inftruments of his unbounded I go'oid-4-'
nefs 1 Ma y we -walk as-ehildren of fo. many mercies ; and knowings
that we are but Rewards of thofe gifts of his providence for which we
mull ere long -give an account, may we be -led to devote.’ ourfelves;
and all our. enjoyments, to. his praife and glory, that we; may."give in
our account with joy in the day of .our Lord Jefus.t i
Sept;] TO THE SOUTH-SEA ISLANDS. 273
CHAPTER XVI.
'Jjcjfrri'ption o f Tongataboo.
O u r dgair- i ftiettds; and fbeneifaiStors in the dire&ion May juftly iook
for Tome accquritofothisrcodhrty, where the Lord/fn -his- gracipus- pro-
^Menf^ittiifotigh ’theif inftrtimfentality,~ 'has placed u» $ and we fhirik
Our^VekbouUd/ in gratitude to them, to fumilh them ’frith thefullcft
information in-out power: but in this attempt we fold ourfelves much
dt adofs fdl IVaKt ofitfee Rev'. Mr. 'Gfeatheed’s mknufdript account J f
happened tl^rer Jfafb at,^0tah?ite',r an^ whichMf
we hadbrbUght with-g$,CwbuJ&«have\bfeen ufejfal in dirdfting' gt-
■ ttenficrtl'tb fevdrshbfojecSs .-feMdimay havesdfcaped bur mpbi'Ce,;.., bfotr
WithRandittg ^flurtierous invifatibns'.sssf; shave-received;. ti> vifilnoSher
ifo id s4of->btjS!grbu-jsj .we have1 not? ab yet feen.it our ofctyttcrcenaplfl,
as Xfbr want'df the language, fuch vifitsiuoiald-'be np way profitable to
the^dkfives, and kouW. have texpbfed lusCtdTfb jriasy uflneceffary
tSJnptationS.1:: x
- G.uf&bferVahflfls muRlfiharefore be-iVholly confined to Tarjj*ataboou
thfefoliation, extent! and prefiuiSbof whkb>Re already« fo,well known,
th&f-Rtfee refoMdsbu* little to be faid coflderamg 4it: i .-Cdptain- Cookes
Mfcdteh#l^fo%^r8tf*fovaeeurate as toirendek very little addition or correction
heceftaty; 'fho#ever^fc fptcC b f iriany-years which has.elapfed
fince his laR voyage has pi-educed fonts changes which it rflayndt.be
ifopropgf- to cciifltflunicate. -On-our a'rr ivklkwe fouhdffew p f his ■ old
ftifeflds rerflkiftingtfod'theifl iltupber has'fence bten 'reduced' by death-;
but his Uam^-tfS^fiill' mentioned with j^eat;refpedt b y rrianyi^ytheir
fucceffors> wh3-’ refcolle^-hM-favours beftowed Upflri them when in a
N s H