greatly increased since the morning, owing perhaps to its being about high tide. At four o'clock P. M., the missionary families came on board, consisting of William Richards and wife, with eight children, David B. Lyman and wife, and two children, Titus Coan and wife, and an unmarried female in the employ of the mission, who, with the native servants, and their wives, and young children, amounted to twenty-three in number: the whale-boats of the American ship were procured for their embarkation. At five o'clock the Henry Freeling left the island of Maui; after reaching the Morakai channel, the breeze forsook us, and we were left to tumble about all the night in a heavy swell. Nearly the whole of our passengers were sea-sick; several of the females had with them sofa-beds, which were fixed upon the deck, and in which they remained the greatest part of the time they were on board. 31st. Having the advantage of a fine trade-wind in the course of the day, about five o'clock P. M. we anchored outside the reefs at Oahu in ten fathoms water. Having previously announced by a white flag at the mast-head, when passing Diamond Hill, that missionaries were on board, a fine doublecanoe belonging to the king soon reached the vessel, sufficiently large to convey all our passengers to the shore at once, with their luggage, besides a number of the natives who worked the paddles, and had been employed on the occasion. Just after the canoe left, a shark from eight to nine feet in length was taken by our sailors; a large portion of which was sent on shore by the pilot, Sugar-Cane,' for the use of his family. These islanders are so fond of the flesh of the shark, that it will always fetch a high price in the Oahu market, when offered for sale. 6 CHAPTER XXIX. OAHU ANNUAL MEETING OF THE MISSIONARIES-MEETING WITH BY THE SENIOR THE MEMBERS OF THE MISSION-ADDRESSED Oahu, Sixth Month 1st.-Early in the forenoon, the British Consul came on board in a whale-boat, and conveyed us to the shore, as our own small boat was in such a shattered condition from exposure to the sun, as scarcely to be fit to trust to for so considerable a distance, as from our present anchorage without the reefs, to the town of Honolulu. After landing, proceeded to the missionary establishment, and had an interview with the three missionaries from the island of Tauai, about ninety miles to leeward of Oahu, who had arrived yesterday in the Missionary Packet. Our situation was fully explained to them, and it was I believe understood, that unless one of them would kindly accompany us to that island, our making an attempt to visit the people would be useless. We remained on shore until near dark, but were favoured to reach the vessel without difficulty, she having displayed a light as a beacon to guide us. Whilst on shore we were informed that the neighbourhood of New Zealand had been visited, in the First Month last, with an awful tempest, in which much damage had been done to the shipping; that Captain Russel, of the American ship Zone, with whom we were personally acquainted, and to whom we were much attached, in endeavouring to save one of the sailors, had himself been washed overboard and lost. We met with him last year, at the Society Isle Huahine, and were much pleased with his serious and steady deportment. Several books and tracts were furnished for the use of the crew of his vessel, by whom he was much beloved. We were informed by the missionary family, that he had been much interested at the meeting that was held there with the natives, which he had attended. He had determined that that should be his last voyage, and so it has proved. I humbly trust he has safely entered a haven of eternal rest; where storm and tempest cannot come, nor pain nor sorrow find place. 2nd. During most of the day I had to struggle with discouraging circumstances; all perhaps needful, to keep the creature in its proper place. In the afternoon, landed with a view to ascertain from Hiram Bingham, whether one of the Tauai missionaries had consented to accompany us to that island as interpreter. Hiram Bingham said an adjourned annual meeting was about to assemble, and it would afford a good opportunity of getting to know what had transpired on that subject. The bell soon rang, and we repaired to the meeting. At a vacant opportunity the subject was brought forward by Hiram Bingham, but nothing came of it, as several of the parties were absent. I was afterwards informed that one of the Hawaii missionaries was kindly disposed to accompany us, which I rather viewed with regret, from being aware that he would expect to be brought back again by our vessel. Our suspense was at last relieved by a proposition from one of the Tauai missionaries to go with us, and an assurance that he would be ready to depart before the final conclusion of the annual meeting. Although this might occasion ten or twelve days' delay, yet the saving of time would be considerable, when compared with the first offer, which would involve our having to return again to Oahu, against a relentless trade-wind, the effect of which had been fully tried. The circumstances of the case in all its bearings considered, it seemed prudent to take the Henry Freeling again into harbour, rather than risk her any longer outside the reefs. It is no small trial to be thus delayed; but as it is not to gratify self that we linger on the way, the Lord knoweth, I trust we shall yet be able to redeem this apparent loss of time, and be favoured to improve the future to his praise. Although the prospect which had been spread before the view of my mind, for some weeks previous to our return to Honolulu, of seeing the whole of the missionaries and their families when collected at their general meeting, still remained strongly with me; yet the time did not seem come for me to take any steps to accomplish the same, until we had ascertained that the whole of them had arrived. Those who were present at the opening of this general meeting, concluded I was detained until an interpreter was ready to accompany us to the island of Tauai, and in a very kind and brotherly manner invited us to attend the several sittings of that meeting. The manner in which the affairs of the mission to these islands is conducted, could not fail to excite much interest in our minds; and although well aware that in our attendance at the meetings we should be subjected to witness many things that we could not unite in, yet, as they had always allowed us to do that which was most easy to ourselves, without a single remonstrance or the slightest appearance of dissatisfaction on their part, I was not satisfied to let such an opportunity pass away, however painful it might prove, without availing ourselves of it: at the same time, the unmortified part would gladly have been excused altogether. 3rd. This morning, one of the Tauai missionaries came on board to say, that he hoped to have his business in such a state of forwardness, as to enable him to return to that island before the final conclusion of the general meeting. A light breeze having sprung up from the southward, soon after breakfast the Henry Freeling got under weigh, and made sail for the harbour; before ten o'clock she anchored off the fort of Honolulu. Being desirous of going to the mission-station at Eva next First day, application was made to know whether a missionary would return thither to meet the natives on that day; but it appeared that the whole of them will remain here, on account of its being the usual time for the celebration of what is called the Lord's Supper.' We were informed that so few of the natives would remain within the compass of their own station, that a visit would be better deferred until next week. In the evening attended one of the general meetings, and had to wade through a painful season therein. 4th. The leak before alluded to in our vessel still continuing, although considerably lessened since our getting her into still water, it was deemed prudent that such parts of her should be well caulked, which were supposed to be the cause of her requiring so much pumping; while at the same time the needful repairs of the sails and rigging were going forward, in the expectation of again crossing the Equator, when altogether clear of these islands. Sixth Month 5th. (First day.)—Remained on board through the day with our own people. In the evening repaired to the Mariners' place of worship, where a time of suffering was my lot. 10th. Since First day my time has been pretty fully occupied in attending the different sittings of the general meeting of the members of the mission, as they came in course, and in procuring the supplies needful for the vessel, in exchange for such articles of barter remaining in our possession, as were most in demand. Having deferred going to Eva last week, as no interpreter could be procured, to-day I went in search of the missionary belonging to that district, and found that he had procured a large canoe, with the intention of setting forward to-morrow morning at the proper time of the tide, to enable us to pass in safety over the shallow places near the shore, and thus preclude the necessity of our being exposed to the swell outside of the reef. 11th. In the afternoon left the vessel and proceeded towards the Pearl river, at the head of which lies the station of Eva; we were favoured to reach it in less than five hours, though our progress was for some time impeded by the giving way of the outrigger; but the natives soon sprung overboard and put it in order again. At this place, a prayer-meeting has been instituted among the natives, and sixteen of them collected in the evening at the house where we lodged: this station has been but recently organized. 12th. (First day.)—Having retired early to rest last evening, we were seated at the breakfast table by six o'clock this morning. The horn was blown in good time to collect the people, and at ten o'clock we met about seven hundred of them in a shed open on every side, there being as yet no place of worship erected. I had largely to declare I had largely to declare among them the glad |