ance in the heavens as the presage of a dread-
ful calamity, about to fall on some of the rulers
of the nation.

Hence you may learn something of the value of the natural sciences. Had these poor natives understood the cause of the eclipse of the moon, they would have been filled with admiration, rather than dismay, on beholding it; they would have gazed on this sublime spectacle, not as the frown of an implacable demon, but as a manifestation of the wisdom and power of the adorable Jehovah. This is but one instance, among many, which will show us how philosophy may come in aid of the Bible, to improve the condition of man in this world, and to lead his mind to the knowledge and contemplation of the only true God, who rules in heaven, and sways the destinies of men. How different, in this respect, is our own lot from that of the heathen, enjoying, as we do, the light of science, and the consolations of religion. Surely we can say with David, "The lines are fallen unto us in pleasant places; yea, we have a goodly heritage."

Mr. Ellis has related many instances of superstition which he met with, during his tour round Hawaii; one or two of these I will recat. Meeting with a female who was afflicted with a disorder which prevented her walking, he remarked to him, that she had incurred ne displeasure of the gods, by eating a fish hat was forbidden, and declared sacred: and

that in consequence of this, she made a cripple. Mr. Ellis also car a puoa, or tomb of a deceased prie built with stones and earth, and had vered with a house, which had, howe to decay. Around the house were set in the ground, three or four inc and these poles were drawn together ened at the top. On being asked tombs were thus surrounded, the p swered that it was to keep the s coming out.

"There is no superstition, perh Mr. Stewart, "more general and d in the minds of this people, than t that certain persons have the power ers and incantations, to destroy the others; and many doubtless have be tims to their credence in this devic ness. A person who has fallen und pleasure of one of these "kanak or sorcerers, is told that his power is over him, and that he will die. H believes in the efficacy of that pow perhaps that he has known many in it. Anxiety is awakened; his min filled with pictures of death; he can his spirits sink, his appetite fails effects of his imaginary fears becom causes of the evil he deprecates. F health and strength affected by the but unperceived causes, he conside

inevitable; refuses all nourishment, as unnecessary and unavailing; pines, languishes and dies, beneath the influences of his own ignorance and superstition. The less enlightened of the people think no one dies a natural death, and resolve every instance of mortality into the effects of the pule anana, prayer of sorcery, some other incantation of a similar kind, or into the equally insidious influence of secret poison."

Examples of the effects which the fear of this prayer of death has upon the minds of the islanders, may be found in the Journal of Mr. Richards; some of them I will extract. "We were called again," he says, "to visit the sick lad of the prince. We last evening found him trembling, and his extremities. cold, but these were nearly all the signs of disease which we could discover. On particular inquiry we were told, that the lad, whose funeral we attended two days ago, was prayed to death, and that the same sorcerer was engaged in praying this one to death.. All supposed, therefore, that he must die of course, whatever remedies should be used. We gave him opium, and applied bottles of hot water to his extremities; his attendants seemed surprised, when they saw him fall asleep, and found his extremities gaining their natural warmth. The boy seemed not less surprised

"The natives who are acquainted case, entertain different opinions in it. Some think there was an extr efficacy in our medicine; but other that the sorcerer either stopped p made a mistake in prayer. It is the opinion, that if a priest hesitates, or smallest mistake in his prayer, its destroyed. So great was the effec boy's alarm, that had there been n used, we have no doubt the end wo been serious, if not fatal."

"A similar instance has once oc our own family. We had caught a m ing a piece of cloth from our yard, the boys living with us to recover i succeeded; but in recovering the cl dentally tore the thief's tapa. He im ly threatened to pray them to deat supposed he could do it with perfect consequence of their having torn Had it not been for this accident, hi could have had no effect; but this t boys completely in his power. They alarmed, and one of them, notwithsta our arguments, appeared to believe t no hope for him, except by regain favour of the thief. This he tried in do. After three days he was taken supposed he had but a few hours We examined him, but could per signs of disease, except fear. He l