which occurred in connexion with it, while the chiefs of the nation were assembled, will doubtless tend more conspicuously than her direct aid to the furtherance of the gospel here, and the encouragement of our patrons at home."

In the month of November, of the same year, the king of the Sandwich Islands embarked for Great Britain. This was a singular step, and you will wish to know what reasons operated to induce him to take it. He had for a long time cherished a desire to visit countries of whose intelligence and wealth he had been taught to entertain high ideas; and he probably wished to examine for himself the state of those nations which had for centuries enjoyed the light of that religion which was now offered for the acceptance of his own people. He was anxious to gain knowledge, political as well as commercial, hoping by this means to increase his wealth and power. He had a particular desire to see the king and court of England; and intended, on his return from that country, to have paid a visit to the United States.

It was the wish of the king, and of the missionaries, that he should be attended by a chaplain, who should also act as an interpreter, and direct him in the thousand new and unexpected scenes and situations through which he was to pass. This was the more desirable, as he was unfortunately addicted

to dissipation, and might be easily led astray by the various temptations to which he would be exposed. He had of late been more interested than formerly in learning to read and write, and hopes were entertained that he might be brought at length under the influence of the gospel. As he had already given his decided approbation to the course the missionaries were pursuing, it was believed, that should he return with a love of the truths of the Bible, he might become a signal blessing to the nation over which he exercised an almost unlimited control. That no such friend and pious counsellor was suffered to attend him, must be ascribed to the same unfavourable influence I have before had occasion to mention.

He was accompanied by his favourite queen Kamehamalu, Governor Poki and Liliha his wife, and a few other attendants and servants. In the language of Mr. Bingham, "The people thronged the beach as he entered the boat, and their loud weeping mingled with the roaring of the cannon at his departure. His principal chiefs accompanied him on board, and took a respectful and affectionate leave of him and his attendants." He spent some time on his way at Brazil, but nothing of moment occurred until his arrival at the British metropolis. Here Providence had designed that both he and his consort should die. They enjoyed but a few weeks of health after they

arrived there, and during this time the king saw but little of the things contemplated on his undertaking the voyage. He never saw the king of England.

manner.

“The queen was the first who was attacked with a pulmonary inflammation; occasioned, in part, it is to be presumed, by her introduction into a climate more cool, and dense, and humid, than she had been accustomed to; and in part, doubtless, by an unpropitious change of regimen, though her style of living in Oahu was not wholly unlike to the English She died early in July, 1824. Her character has always been favourably described by the missionaries. Comparing her with her own countrywomen, she must have been an interesting female; and many expectations of good from her influence have been destroyed by her premature deathfor she had scarcely passed the morning of life when she died. The king survived her only a few days, and then sunk under the same disorder, brought on probably by the same causes, only aggravated by his former dissipation."

Poki, his wife, and attendants, after seeing the royal family, and learning something of the English manners and customs, embarked for their own country, on board the Blonde frigate, which also conveyed the bodies of the deceased sovereigns back to their native land.

Of the arrival of this ves

sel at the islands, I will speak in another letter; and in the meanwhile let us look at events which had taken place there after the departure of the king and queen.

The death of Keopuolani prepared the way for the first Christian marriage ever solemnized among the chiefs of the Sandwich Islands. According to their former customs, as soon as the remains of a deceased wife were removed from the sight of her husband, he made no delay in choosing another to fill her place. Immediately after the death of Keopuolani, no less than five persons offered themselves as candidates for the choice of her husband Hoapili. He however made known his intention of waiting a suitable time before selecting any one, and asked the missionaries whether it would be proper for him to be married in the manner of the people in America. After waiting a short time, he chose Kalakua, one of the widows of the late Kamehameha, for his wife, and was married to her on the 19th of October, 1823. "Thus," say the missionaries, "was the marriage covenant, in a Christian form, introduced among the chiefs of the Sandwich Islands, and the first knot tied by which the institution will be likely to be acknowledged by the chiefs of all inferior ranks through the nation. This we consider as another era in the history of our mission. The couple that have led the way are among the highest chiefs of the islands.

There are none more stable, none whom we should more expect to regard the marriage vows."

As another instance, of the gradual progress of Christianity, may be mentioned the growing disapprobation of the practice of theft, which had previously been so common and so generally unpunished. The chiefs, it is true, had even now great difficulty in restraining it; but a general change was going on in the feelings of the natives respecting it.

Yours,

E. E.

MY DEAR L.-In the month of May, 1824, died Kaumualii, king of Kauai, and his death was followed by a rebellion, in which his son George had a share. Although the conduct of this young man, in consequence of his intimacy with dissolute foreigners, was such as to disappoint the hopes the missionaries had entertained of him: yet he never manifested any thing like hostility towards them. It is even said, that he wept like a child, when he found himself unable to prevent the destruction of the private property of Mr. Ruggles, by the rebel army. On the defeat of the army he was captured, and afterwards resided at Oahu, where he died in 1826.

About the middle of this year, it was stated by the missionaries, that for some months past

M