another party was building a stone wall for the military barracks. I asked one of the young men what his object was in hiring himself at one-and-sixpence per day he answered, "I have set my mind upon having a horse, and shall work till I can buy one." I went further, and proposed the same question to another young Chief; and the reply was, "I am working to get money to buy a cow." This employment and money given to the natives brings crowds of them to Auckland, and some moral evil will incidentally spring out of it; but His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief is bringing a Bill before the Legislative Council, to prevent any person from either selling or giving anything intoxicating to any person of the native race.

Under so wise a rule as

that of Governor Grey, the interests of the natives will not be neglected, nor the efforts of the devoted Missionary trifled with and frustrated, except in cases to which the eye of Government does not extend, and then never without regret.

Now, in the scale of elevated men, the case will probably be seen at a future day in the following order; namely,

First, the New-Zealander, whose improved moral condition is founded in Christianity as brought to him by the Missionaries, and whose social state will have been further improved by a paternal Government, and by his association with civilized men.

Secondly, the Feejeean, whose moral necessities will be met by our Christian Mission to his country, and whose social improvement will have grown out of his moral renovation and industrious habits.

The

Thirdly, the Friendly Islander, whose idleness placed him far in the rear of New-Zealanders and Feejeeans, when in many respects he stood before them in both; but without labour there is no profit under the sun. I shall not despair, however, of that fine, elegant people, although at present they seemed almost ruined for want of industry. Gospel has done much for them: Education will now become the handmaid of Religion; and wise laws will soon be introduced, which will act powerfully on the whole nation. They now cease to be subject to club-law; and it is not to be wondered at, if a considerable amount of something bordering on licentiousness should here and there show itself. These interesting people are in a transition-state, and will soon take a new cast and mould, to abide during all the future days of their existence.

14th. I observed some of the natives trying to dress after the English fashion; but the failure was complete, and the effect all but ridiculous. An English bonnet, instead of the beautiful way in which the natives dress their hair, causes a sad falling off in their dark faces. A white shirt and a sable skin above and below, contrast rather unfavourably. But in Feejee, where the native fashion is to go very nearly without clothing, and where the sons and daughters of Chiefs are not allowed to have anything to cover them until they are grown up, Christianity has done its proper work; and where there are Christians, the naked are clothed with these the native cloth serves; but they highly value our cotton and calico to wrap themselves round with; it looks better, and wears longer, than their own poor fabric made from the bark of a tree.

I have seen their earthenware, in the manufacture of which they have made considerable advancement. They confine themselves to coarse brown ware, some of which they make for culinary uses, and others are fancy articles. Double canoes and drinking-vessels are made in small models. Some of their large cooking-vessels will hold a hogshead : others restrict their capacity to a couple of quarts. The clay seems good; but, as there are no ovens or kilns here, and they are only burnt by loose faggots of wood thrown round them, they are necessarily deficient in strength. Still, with care, they last a long time, and are a great addition to the usual artificial comforts in the islands of Tonga, and of some other groups. I have procured some specimens, which shall be forwarded to Messrs. Venables and Co., and Barker and Till, of Burslem, who, I am sure, I will readily send me out such suggestions as may be useful for the improvement of this art as now practised in Feejee.

15th. I have procured three Feejeean wigs of different sizes, and coloured variously. They are certainly an exact imitation of the several ways in which the Chiefs dress their natural hair, or rather get it dressed; for many hours are spent over this work, and there are professed hair-dressers among them. In general the natives of all these islands dress and wear their hair very beautifully; and when they try to imitate us by wearing hats or bonnets, they appear quite degraded, and sometimes ridiculous. The wigs which I have procured would add dignity to almost any wearer, and are done up as tastefully and elegantly, as

if they were designed for English Bishops, Counsellors, or Judges. When these people embrace Christianity, they cease to disfigure themselves by burning their skin, and cutting off their hair they also cast aside such pompous trifles as fine wigs, and showy ornaments worn on their legs and toes.

As

16th. Mr. Jaggar presented me with some native-made salt, weighing about eight pounds. They make this from salt water by the application of heat, they evaporate the water, and retain the salt in their earthenware ovens, or cookingpots. The damp of this climate is such that the salt, as well as sugar, very quickly becomes moist; but they guard against this by hanging their salt, very much in the form of loaf-sugar, over their fire-places: this prevents it from melting, but turns it black outside. the sugar-cane thrives well here, the time will, no doubt, come, when these people will be taught to turn this article to good account; as also many others, which their fine, well-watered country produces without the aid of the cultiva tor's hand; such as the tea-plant of China, carraway-seed, the lofty nutmegtree, turmeric, arrowroot, capsicum, and the sarsaparilla shrub. All these, and some others, I have seen and handled. The large and beautiful bread-fruit tree abounds here, with very many other native fruit-trees, most abundant in excellent fruit for the use of man: yet this is the land where sin has triumphed over the fallen race to such an extent, that the "vile affections" are not satisfied until the reeking murderer has eaten the man who was his neighbour, brought up with him. But the Liberator is come, the Redeemer is proclaimed in Feejee, and the ransomed of the Lord are begining to appear "clothed at the feet of Jesus, and in their right mind." Sunday, 17th.-The early prayermeeting was well attended, notwithstanding the heavy rain. At half-past nine I preached to a very interesting black congregation. Mr. Hunt interpreted with great facility and energy. Twelve adults and three children were publicly baptized, and great was the emotion manifested throughout the congregation. Surely "the power of God was present to heal." The private houses were generally vocal with songs of praise; and the voice of prayer, "with strong crying and tears," prevailed throughout the holy day.

to obtain some calico to cover her person; as she began to lotu yesterday in the metropolis, next door to the King.. Mr. Lyth was preaching there. The lotu people are increasing, and "of chief women not a few." Of course, we gave her the calico, and I shall take her lego, or garment, to the bazaar at Auckland, to assist us, by its sale, in building the house of the Lord. It is cheering to witness in all persons who lotu here, that two things are desired by them; namely, a garment to appear decent in, when they asseinble with the worshippers of God, and a book from which they may gather further instructions. Thus the body and the mind are cared for at the same time, and the principles of initial civilization and social comfort are fostered by Christianity.

When the melting heat will permit me, I ramble among the luxuriant woods and hills of this very picturesque country, more like New-Zealand than any other land that I have visited, in its uneven surface, and rich clay subsoil. Next to the mighty moral enterprise now in progress in the hands of my devoted brethren, by which a nation shall be induced to change its false gods for vital and pure religion, are the developed works of God in the kingdom of nature. In these I find a zest of delight only to be enjoyed in circumstances like mine, and by a person such as the Psalmist describes: "The works of God are great, sought out of them who have pleasure therein." Here everything is luxuriant and grand: the tree, the shrub, the flower, the leaf, are all fresh, strong, and brought to perfection. New and beautiful varieties meet the eye at every turn. Fruits and flowers teem by the way-side: the fruit is good for food, and the odours of the flowers defy description. are few, and their song not very attractive; but, in general, their plumage is rich and gay. The insect tribes are seen here to great advantage, especially the coleoptera. Many large and lazy butterflies present the eye with gorgeous hues. The libellula of this land are of a ruby colour; and I have seen here a beetle, the staphylinus, flying with eyes as bright as the Chinese fire-fly, emitting a clear light for a considerable distance. But if the botany and entomology of the tropical isles present us with extraordinary specimens of natural history, what can be said of the Feejeean conchology? It is here that we enter on a world of wonders, the more valuable because they can be secured and preserved; whereas, the heat and living insects render it very diffi

18th. An elderly woman has just called here to exchange her native dress, about eight inches wide, made to wrap round the middle. For this she wished

Birds