No. 1.] [JANUARY, 1852. THE CHURCH MISSIONARY GLEANER. BRITISH SAILORS ON A FIELD OF ICE.-Vide p. 4. HUDSON'S BAY. At York HUDSON'S BAY is an immense arm of the Atlantic ocean, which extends far into Rupert's Land from its north-eastern shore. It is 900 miles in length, and at its greatest breadth 600 miles, and is surrounded by a coast of 3000 miles in circuit. It can be navigated only for a few months in the summer, and then not without much danger, from the shoals and sand-banks, &c., which abound in it. During the remainder of the year it is filled up with fields of ice. The severity of the winter in these regions is extreme. Fort, on its western shore, brandy freezes into a solid mass even in rooms where a fire is kept perpetually burning; and rivers and lakes, from ten to twelve feet deep, are frozen to the bottom. The air is filled with particles of sharp ice, and these, when driven by the wind against the hands and face, raise white blisters on the skin. On the southern shore, where the climate is a little less severe, and potatos and garden produce may be reared, although with difficulty, Moose Factory is situated, about 700 miles distant from Montreal, in Canada West: it is the Company's principal dépôt on the southern shores of the Bay. The Indians inhabiting this part of the country are of the Swampy Cree tribe. It having been resolved by the Church Missionary Society to place a Missionary at this spot, to dispense to these poor Indians the bread of life, Mr. and Mrs. Horden sailed from England for this Station on the 1st of June last, and reached Moose Factory on the 26th of August. Mr. Horden has forwarded to us a journal, some extracts from which will be interesting to our readers. The paragraph with which we commence refers to the entrance into Hudson's Bay. July 26, 1851-The sun shone very brightly in the morning, and we saw several large icebergs. In the afternoon the atmosphere became very thick and cold: all felt that they were experiencing the rigour of winter in the month of July. About six the mist almost instantaneously cleared off, the sun shone forth, and land was visible. Yes! we had entered the Straits, Resolution being to our right-a barren, bleak, but lofty and majestic shore; while on our left lay an immense field of ice, extending many miles. We passed thousands of pieces of every description and size; some resembling churches, others hills, valleys, mountains, and houses. It was most amusing to hear the sailors give names to the several pieces. "This is such a head, that the hull of such a vessel or barge," and so forth. All the sights I ever beheld were exceeded by this in boldness and majesty, combined with the most delicate colours. The men who traverse these seas behold the works of nature on the grandest scale. May they "look through nature up to nature's God," and praise Him for the wonders of His hands! July 29-A very fine morning. We received a visit from the Esquimaux. Three canoes came off to us, with a man in each, and a luggage-boat containing some women and children. Long before they came alongside we heard their voices, which are nowise musical. The men managed their pretty little canoes with great skill, using a double oar their first salutation was, "Good day!" then, "Will you give a saw?" &c. The men were fine strong-looking fellows, dirty, but not so bad as I had expected. Their features were regular, and eyes rather small. One of the women, who had a child in the hood for her head, was a very fine-looking person, not to say handsome. The face of one was tattooed with a needle, and another was very filthy. We obtained several of their seal-skin dresses, elk horns, fox skins, a spear, &c. Two men and a woman came aboard, and took great notice of Mrs. Horden, to whom they particularly the women-began to chatter very earnestly. O that they were under the influence of the Gospel, that these children of nature might become children of God! that their intellects - for I do not think they are even dull-might be used in the cause of Christ! But when, when will that come to pass? Aug. 2-To-day set in with heavy rain and strong wind: very little ice near us, but every thing threatened an uncomfortable day. The breeze increased to a gale, snow fell in large quantities, the sea rose, and the ship showed signs of derangement, and soon began to jump about as if it were mad in reality. We who were lodged in its bosom caught the infection slightly, feeling uncomfortable, and wishing for night. We were tossed about a great deal, yet obtained some hours' sleep. Aug. 3: Lord's-day-The gale increased. Larger quantities of snow fell than on the preceding day, the sea rolled more heavily, the ship jumped more fearfully, and we felt much more uncomfortable. We carried scarcely any sail, and, the wind being directly against us, made little or no progress, constantly tacking. The deck presented a curious but animated appearance, the men running about, with water falling in streams from them; yet they did their work cheerfully-with alacrity they were obliged, in consequence of the heavy wind. Aug. 8-A fine, cold morning. Large pieces of ice ahead, to avoid which we tacked. In the evening we saw a large white bear, the first during the voyage: it did not come near the ship. Aug. 9-A fine morning, scarcely a breath of wind stirring. Ahead was a field of ice, about fifteen miles in length: we sailed eastward to avoid entering it. We fell in with another pack about six, and sailed westward, having a good breeze, but were obliged to enter it. At first it caused little inconvenience, as it was rather slack; but as night came on we met with much larger blocks, and, sailing at eight knots an hour, the blows the ship received were tremendous, making her shake greatly. Aug. 10: Lord's-day-Surrounded with ice: atmosphere very thick. It fell calm about ten, and we anchored to a very large piece of ice, and filled our water-tank. We could have no service in the morning, but held full service in the afternoon, with the eighth homily. The ice opening, and a good breeze springing up, we got under weigh about seven, sailing through very thick ice. At nine, and afterwards, the sight on deck was exceedingly beautiful: the sun had sunk into the west, but had left a most beautiful horizon; while at the opposite point the moon rose in all her splendour, looking more beautiful from the dark clouds which lay behind her she cast her delightfully pale and subdued light over the vast extent of ice and water which lay intermixed, producing a most brilliant and striking effect. All were busy, for scarcely a moment passed without alteration in the position of the sails being required, and the helm forcing the ship in another direction. Having sailed a few miles we were again fast, and for four hours, though toiling laboriously, gained nothing. Aug. 11-We anchored to a large piece of ice at 4 A.M. It rained 4 OTAWHAO, NEW ZEALAND. or snowed almost the whole day. The wind blew very strongly, but did not open the ice; and being directly against us we did not endeavour to force our way, but lay quiet the whole day. Some of us went on the piece to which we were fastened: it was about two miles in circumference. Aug. 12-About 3 A.M. we loosed from the ice, and, having proceeded six miles in five hours and a half, were obliged to anchor again, the ice being very close and heavy around us. In the evening the men enjoyed themselves by playing at foot-ball on the ice, as the piece to which we were anchored was unusually flat. It is hardly needful to say that this is the scene represented in our frontispiece. We shall recur to Mr. Horden's journal in our next Number. www OTA WHAO, NEW ZEALAND. OTAWHAO is an interior Station of the New-Zealand Mission in the valley of the river Waipa. It was first visited by the Missionaries from Waikato Heads, and many of the people became Warekura, or professing Christians; and finding that they were exposed to much evil by dwelling in the same confined pa, or fortified village, with their heathen relatives, they built another, in 1839, at a short distance from the old one. A code of Christian regulations was drawn up, to which every inhabitant of the new village was to be conformed: it was, as they said, to be a pa for Christ; and all tattooing, disfiguring of the face, and other heathen customs, were to be disallowed, four of the principal Chiefs being charged with the due enforcement of the regulations. About a year afterward, our Missionary, the Rev. J. Morgan, was stationed there. Perhaps there are few places in the world where the tranquillizing influences of the Gospel are more apparent in their results than in New Zealand. Previously to the commencement of Missionary efforts, there was to be found, in that part of the island where Otawhao lies, an immense extent of country, more than forty miles square, without an inhabitant, although it had once contained many strong, well-filled pas. Some thirty or forty years previously, the powerful tribe of the Waikatos, situated on the river of the same name, had burst forth in torrents of furious war on the adjoining tribes, and nearly annihilated them. The whole region from Otawhao to lakes Rotorua and Taupo was wasted, pa after pa stormed, and much people devoured: the rest saved themselves by flight, and remained dispersed in different parts of the island, until, the Gospel of Peace having subdued the Waikatos, they were enabled to return to their former homes. The people of this district are now professedly Christian, improving as a body in industry and civilization. They grow large quantities of grain, and have erected water-mills. The inhabitants of Rangiaohia, four miles distant from Otawhao, forwarded to the late Great Exhibition a specimen of flour from native-grown wheat * They were known as "Warekura" from their meeting in the Warekura, or schoolhouse, for instruction. OTAWHAO, NEW ZEALAND. 5 ground in these mills. Nor has the bread that perisheth engaged their sole attention. They have been for some time very anxious for the erection of a Christian place of worship, commodious and convenient; and these people, who ten or twelve years ago were cannibals, have offered to subscribe 1007. toward its erection, if the Church Missionary Society will kindly assist them. At Otawhao itself the Natives are equally forward to aid in the building of a substantial church. Such measures are the more urgent, as there are, we regret to say, a Romanist party, with a resident priest, in the district the tares having been sown just at the time when the good seed was first introduced there by the Protestant Missionaries. We rejoice in the prospect of the speedy erection of two buildings, in which the Gospel will be preached in its simplicity and purity. Mr. Morgan, in a letter recently received from him, gives us the following graphic sketch of the improved habits of the Natives A few weeks ago, I married a native couple at Rangiaohia. When it became known that I had published the banns for this marriage, the Roman-Catholic party held a meeting to oppose it, as they wished the bride to marry a Roman Catholic. Hori-te-Waru-grandfather of the bridegroom, a pleasing young man-opposed them, saying that the girl was a Protestant, and must marry a Protestant. On the appointed day I rode over to Rangiaohia, accompanied by about thirty-five of the school-children and my own family. It was a general holiday. On arriving at the chapel, I found about 400 natives, Protestants and Roman Catholics, assembled, and all the Europeans of Rangiaohia and Orakau, about twelve in number. They had come to witness the ceremony, as one of them informed me, out of respect to the bridegroom. Some of the natives sat in groups, conversing, while others were busily engaged in killing pigs, and preparing abundance of other provisions for the feast. Instead of these provisions being brought to the spot, as formerly, by the women, they were brought down in carts, the property of, and driven by, natives. The sight was altogether novel in New Zealand, and I rejoiced at the very great improvements within the last year. Munu sent two cart-loads of very fine peaches, and another cart drove up with several large dead hogs. The native ovens were lighted, and the hogs, eight or ten in number, having been cut up, and-with abundance of kumera, potatos, and hues-put in, the bell rang to invite the natives to witness the marriage ceremony. The bride and bridegroom, with many of their friends, were dressed in European clothing. After the ceremony, the feast followed, and then the company separated. How different the scene from what I have witnessed in former years! When in a heathen state, marriages were seldom contracted from affection, but according to the will of friends. Here disputes would often arise two persons, each supported by their friends, claiming the same female. On finding that the female and her near relatives favoured one of the two, the disappointed lover would frequently take a taua, or fight, consisting of twenty, or perhaps a hundred, men and women, to the house in which the female resided. These parties generally went armed with spears or guns. Her friends, if apprised of their coming, would assemble to protect her. Here the struggle would commence, and it frequently happened that the female got into the midst of it. If she |