of mangling the bodies. In this state they lay for three days, broiling under a tropical sun; until all who desired had gazed upon them, and their smell had become all but intolerable; then the cooking and eating proceeded, until the whole was devoured. It is proper to remark, that these very people turn away in disgust from a piece of pork which may happen to be only slightly tainted!

It is not at all unusual for the Feejeeans to inter a human body, or a part thereof, and especially the heart and liver, under the earth, in the place where they keep their bread, during any period they please; and, when they have an occasion for preserved flesh, it is exhumed, cooked, and eaten! Nothing is done, but to put it under the earth, and then to take it up again as a dainty dish!

These are the days of education, and in their way the Feejeeans are on the alert: they rub human flesh over the lips of their little children, and put a portion into the infant's mouth, that it may be nourished by its juice and trained in the practice of cannibalism!

A mighty Chief, now in power, eats human flesh, cut off limb by limb from the man whom he has selected, and that while he is yet alive; and he compels the remaining part of the mutilated man to look at the process of his own limbs being cooked and eaten by his own Chief! But these cases are rare.

There are parts of Feejee where they not merely kill and eat their enemies, but where the Chief lives upon his friends; and these are frequently eaten raw! This cannibal of Ragi-Ragi has been known to have a good supply of human flesh in his box salted down, and has lived upon it as his daily food, seldom eating any other kind of flesh.

In some few cases they take their enemies alive, and many of them together. But it is more common to take them to the capital, there by torture make sport for the public, and then kill and eat the captives.

One way of obtaining food is to lie in ambush, and seize upon females, as they return with water, or from bathing. These are killed and taken away; and there is a rule among them to this effect, that, in case a man can succeed in pouncing upon a female from the place of his concealment, and strike the death-blow so suddenly, that no one, friend or foe, shall hear or know anything of the matter, and then open the body and cover himself with the contents, that covering shields him from the claim of any one to have a share. he eats as much as he

can, and buries the remainder, to be exhumed for his own future use. While Mr. Jaggar was living at Rewa, the following event took place there, and was well known to all: The King of Rewa became angry with one of his young female servants, and commanded that one of her arms should be cut off. This was done accordingly. He directed that the girl should be compelled to eat her own flesh, or die. She did eat part of her own arm, after it had been cooked, and proceeded till she became very sick. She was then permitted to live.

There are some circumstances in connexion with these facts, which I am not able to set down: they are before me; but a veil must cover them! The whole of these things, and many more, are related to me by many witnesses, persons who cannot be deceived, and who would not deceive. I set them down on the spot, where no one doubts, or attempts for a moment to deny, their truth. They are far enough from being an inventory, but are merely given as specimens.

There is one thing remarkable in the revolting accounts which this people give of their man-eating career; that is, that the flesh of human beings is really very good, and they like it. The flesh of women is rather better than the flesh of men; and when the Chief wants something very delicate, or, in case many bodies are before him, a child is roasted for his repast.

A Rewa canoe was wrecked near Natawa, and many of the crew swam to the shore. The Natawa people found them, took them into the town, and at once began to make preparations for cooking them. They did not club them, lest a little blood should be lost; but they bound them until the ovens were heated. Some of the cannibals could not wait, but plucked off pieces, such as ears and noses, from the bodies of their victims, and ate them raw. When the ovens were ready, they begun to cut up the poor wretches, who were crying to their murderers for mercy. They first cut off their legs as far as the knees, afterwards the arms, and then the trunks. While they were thus engaged, they had dishes placed under the different parts to catch the blood; and if a drop happened to fall on the ground, they licked it

up.

The different parts were then cooked and eaten. The whole of this was seen by an intelligent Christian native, named Micah, or, in Feejee, Maicha, who is on the spot where I am now writing.

The Socinian says, that human nature

is very good; and the Feejeean says, that human flesh is good, for he has eaten it, and likes it. But perhaps the Socinian will not receive this testimony: whether he receive it or not, one fact is clear, that these people are in a state of nature, and are quite free from education and religion. The Apostle, writing to the Romans, describes human nature just as I see it in Feejee. "When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image, made like to corruptible man, and to birds and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator; who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections;" (and are not the facts above narrated a clear comment on what is meant by "vile affections ") and because of these things, "God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness," (far too gross and revolting to be placed on paper,)" covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful." (Rom. i. 21-31.) Here we have a perfectly accurate portrait of human nature as it was in Egypt and Moab, in Greece and Rome, and exactly as it is at this hour in the heathen parts of Feejee. But he must be a man of strong faith, who is able to believe that this human nature is very good. On such a mind the evidence of facts must weigh just as little as the testimony of Scripture. And when the goodness of human nature is preached up, the understandings of those who hear must be trampled under foot.

Mr. Hunt asserts, and the other Missionaries confirm it, that the Feejeean language contains no word for a corpse ; but the word they use, bakola, conveys the idea of eating the dead. This is their war-cry, when one of the enemy is slain, and his body found: "Here is a

dead body to be eaten :" the word they use is bakola.

They also affirm, that within the last four years, fully one thousand people have been killed within twenty miles of Vewa; and that they keep far within compass, when they say, that of these slain, five hundred have been eaten. As to the total number eaten in that period in all Feejee, it would not be easy to form a conjecture, inasmuch as many devastatory wars have been going on beyond the limits of twenty miles.

It seems that at Ngau, an island within sight of the place where I am writing, they prepare the human body, about to be cooked, in any form they may desire. The limbs are tied, say in a sitting form, and there they remain; the body is roasted, hot stones being placed within, as in the case of other animals: when dressed, they take the body up, paint the face red, place a wig upon the head, put a club or fan in the hands, as they may happen to fancy, and then carry the whole as a present to be eaten by their friends. They sometimes travel far with this spectacle, which, when met in the path, may easily be mistaken for a living man in full dress. When the carver commences his work, he observes the same rule as in dividing other food, only the cutis, or outer skin, is first removed, leaving what remains white. A man here, not long since, killed and roasted one of his wives, who had offended him in the preparation of some food: he ate a part, and hung up the rest in a tree in front of his house, for the other wives to see; and there it remained. He did not say, like Abraham, "Bury my dead out of my sight."

How correctly does the inspired book portray this degraded people! “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes." (Rom. iii. 12-18.) There are, however, a few in Feejee, who have now the fear of God; and they, to a man, abhor their former practices, and insist upon it, that, though cannibalism is a very ancient custom among them, yet that it did not formerly obtain to the same extent that it has done latterly; that the present overflowing of this tide

of blood, this abounding of iniquity, is of recent growth. Varani fully believes, and confidently asserts, this revival and extension of the works of darkness, these frightful and startling deeds of blood. He says, all the old people, and especially his own father, used to tell him, that these bloody wars and this eating of one another, upon the present enlarged scale, sprung up in their days, and did not obtain to such an extent in the generation before them. All testimony speaks to this effect throughout Feejee; so says Varani. His friends support him in this view; and it is difficult to imagine how the human race could long exist, where violence had become so rife, and death ruled as the King of terrors over the children of pride, whom he permitted not to live out half their days. The history of infanticide here is too revolting to be written: it may be enough to say, that it is very general, and has not merely become an abominable custom, but is reduced to a system. The chief women recommend the practice to the common people; and there are persons whose profession it is to aid and abet them therein.

"for

In the days of our Saviour, "the unclean spirit entered into many," and cases of possession became so alarming, as to clear whole neighbourhoods; no man dare pass by that way." But here the reader of holy Scripture is presently cheered by the appointment of chosen men to preach the Gospel. "Go your ways," said the Lord Jesus; "behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves!" The effect of their preaching among these "wolves" is recorded immediately after that appointment: "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name! And he said unto them, I beheld Satan, as lightning, fall from heaven." He was permitted to demonstrate his power and tyranny among men, and then he fell before "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Satan perhaps might see the agency of his overthrow at hand, and he came down in great wrath because he had but a short time. Wherever Christ's Gospel is preached with purity and power, there Satan falls, whether it be in India or in Feejee. The divine permission for him to rally all his force, and put forth all his energy, as the old murderer, serpent, and destroyer, is clearly enough set forth in Scripture. His availing himself thereof, and doing his worst, " in great wrath," and "as a roaring lion," are

also explicity revealed; and all this rage is increased and poured forth, because he is doomed to fall before the word of God. He knows this full well, and never loses the least opportunity allowed to him to assert his evil reign, and support his infernal kingdom. From the moment when the eye of Christendom first beheld the nude savage of the south, Satan saw his kingdom fall, because he knew that that eye would pity such wretchedness as would show itself where Satan had his seat; that the Christian sympathy thus awakened would send that mighty remedy for man's misery, the Gospel of the blessed God; and that this Gospel, which is never faithfully preached without avail, would most certainly overthrow and banish the kingdom of darkness, and rescue the slave of sin and Satan; as it is written in St. Paul's commission, and in every Christian Minister's commission, "I send thee to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; that they may receive the forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." (Acts xxvi. 18.) Satan is enraged at this loss of his dominion; he hates the doctrine of the Cross. What our Christian natives say of the time when their wars and cannibalism received a new impulse, and raged with new vigour, a vigour unknown to the former generations, and startling even to themselves, exactly corresponds to the period of their becoming known in Christendom; and the hopeful conclusion to which I am conducted is, that Satan, who held his goods in peace aforetime, now that he witnesses their discovery, and knows that a stronger than he will soon claim his goods, resolves upon a last struggle and mighty effort; and surely what is now in progress throughout these islands supplies a sufficient illustration of the energy that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Of this our own brethren here are fully sensible; and to them is the word of Scripture applicable, which saith, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph. vi. 10-12.)

How awfully grand must these transactions appear to the ministering angels,

who take such deep interest in men redeemed by the blood of the cross! And what a mystery is it, that, in neighbouring islands, the prey should have been taken from the jaws of the mighty; and that, after they had clean escaped out of the snare of the devil, they should again be brought into bondage, by the importation of an old form of heathen idolatry, under the Christian name; and that customs and forms of sin, long abandoned, should now again be revived, perhaps in forms somewhat less revolting, but not in the least more pure; and that a life of sin should be pronounced reconcileable with an end of safety! Surely he who hath done this must be the "Man of Sin!"

22d. We are now fully engaged with the business of the District-Meeting. All the characters of our brethren stand fair in every place: and, except at poor Somosomo, the great work prospers. The language has been mastered by most of them, and they speak it with surprising fluency. The New Testament is translated and printed in the Feejeean language. Measures are taken for the translation and printing of the Old Testament forthwith, and for a more extended system of education. Considering the heat of the climate, I am thankful to find the Mission families in such health as they are. When I look at the very great and formidable difficulties with which they have had to grapple, in their perils by sea, perils among false white men, and perils among the Heathen, this little band of Christian Missionaries exhibit to me many signal proofs of the special providence of God over these precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, though esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the potter's hands. Great, indeed, is the honour which the Master has put upon these his servants; great is the work already accomplished; and great is the labour which they have resolved to bestow upon this long debased and bloody people.

In the next world, a faithful Missionary from Feejee, with his quenched brands of saved sinners attending, who shall be his crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus, will stand so near the Apostles and Prophets, and martyrs of the Lamb, that ordinary Christians can hardly hope to rank with them, so near the throne of the world's Redeemer.

Among other entries in the Minutes are the following:-"Are the regular

contributions made in the classes, and at the renewal of the tickets, for the support of the work as far as possible? Yes; contributions have been made in the Vewa Circuit, consisting of mats, native cloth, pigs, yams, &c., amounting in value here to £16. 2s. 10d."

MISSIONARIES' CHILDREN.

"What can be done for the education of the children of the Missionaries in this District ?-Answer: Feeling as we do the extreme difficulty of educating our children in Feejee, we most gladly enter into an arrangement respecting a SchoolEstablishment for Missionaries' children, made by the brethren of the New-Zealand District in connexion with our excellent General Superintendent, the Rev. Walter Lawry, for the following reasons:

"1. Our children will be under the immediate care of Mr. Lawry, a point in our estimation of the utmost import

ance.

"2. They can be conveyed to NewZealand without expense to the Committee.

"3. They will, we are persuaded, receive a suitable and sufficient education, and, which is equally important, they will have good society, a thing which they cannot have in Feejee, except in their own families. We find that our utmost efforts to prevent them from being injured by the example and spirit of the natives are unavailing.

It

"4. The brethren will be comfortable in their work, until age, or sickness, or some such cause, may point out their providential path to leave the islands. The brethren have been particularly concerned respecting this point. seemed necessary that, without such a provision, they should return home much earlier than they otherwise desired, on account of the education of their children. The plan of educating them in New-Zealand fully meets the case.

"5. After residing in a torrid climate, it is desirable that the children be removed to such a place as New-Zealand, where the air is peculiarly healthy and salubrious.

"6. We are aware of the difficulties connected with this plan : suitable buildings have to be erected, and everything requisite for such an institution provided, which will involve considerable expense; but we are willing to bear our part of the burden, so far as pecuniary means are concerned; and Mr. Lawry has nobly engaged to be at the trouble of superintending the whole undertaking.

"7. We sincerely hope, that the Com

mittee will encourage this plan, as it will, we are persuaded, be advantageous in a high degree to the good cause in which we are engaged; our children will be educated, the Mission funds in the end materially saved, and we shall pursue our public duties with the satisfaction that we have not to neglect our families in order to attend to the interests of others.

"8. In addition to sending out two suitable persons to be at the head of the establishment, and furnishing the necessary school-apparatus, and also allowing the Rev. Walter Lawry to draw one hundred pounds for the first two years, if required, we beg to suggest that it would be very acceptable to us if the Committee would send out such linen and woollen articles as may be necessary for such an establishment, for bedding, &c., which we will most cheerfully pay for, if we have funds, but, if not, we hope our Committee will provide us with them.

"9. Mr. Lawry will make you fully acquainted with all particulars respecting the plan."

September 23d. This is our vernal equinox; the trade-winds blow strong, fully a nine-knot breeze; the season is considered rather cool, but the thermometer is 82° in the shade. The new comers are all melting with the heat; but the natives have a good fire in every house, and the old Missionaries button up their warm clothing, and say to us, "Wait till December and January." The process of acclimatizing is fearfully distressing, but afterwards all is easy and natural: not that this torrid heat does not produce a wasting prostration of strength and health, which now and then require a removal, in order to recruit again; but the feelings seem to be in some sense destroyed, and though death worketh, and the patient sinks, all around him seem more sensible of what is progressing than the man himself.

An occasional trip to New-Zealand will be necessary for these Christian heroes ; and such a trip in our own vessel will be inexpensive, and, by God's blessing, will fully meet the case.

24th. I received a visit from Thakombau, Tui Fiti, or King, of Feejee, who is about thirty-five years old, above the middle size, of a very dark complexion, but rather comely. He has many wives, and knows no restraint: two were killed in his house lately, because a house of his had been burnt, and they might have done it! He is an absolute ruler:

whom he will he kills, and whom he will he keeps alive. Upon the whole, he is rather favourable to our Mission here, but does not lotu. He professes great dislike to the introduction of Popery. War is his delight, and feasting on the bodies of the slain. He is sitting by my side while I write, and is urging me to persuade Governor Grey to visit him in a war-steamer, in order that they may be allied friends. He reposes confidence in England, but not in France; for the barefaced outrage of protecting Tahiti is known to him, and heartily denounced. He and his Chiefs say that they shall one day lotu, and that the Gospel will triumph in Fiti (so they pronounce the word Feejee). They seem to think that they shall be overcome, and submit to it, rather than seek unto the Lord that they may be saved. Their two great obstacles are,— casting off their many wives, and wearing decent clothes to hide their shame. for these formidable difficulties, many of them would openly avow what they now secretly whisper, their belief in Christianity.

But

This Pagan King has very little majesty, having little cultivation; but he has a feeling of pride or consciousness of power, which oozes out at all points. He has ceased to blaspheme our holy faith, as was his custom formerly. His hair is neatly dressed, and he has a small bandage round his loins, with a string of blue beads round each arm and round his neck, to which is suspended a circular boar's tooth. These are all his clothes and ornaments, except a strong black beard projecting about eight inches from his chin, and an abundance of oil besmearing his sable skin. His attendants, smoking about the Mission-house, are few, and not over-dignified; but the court ladies are still more offensive than the men.

It is, however, due to this people to say, that first impressions concerning them are generally the worst; for, while their character and customs are full of contradictions, they unquestionably possess many fine qualities.

26th. In the native prayer-meeting at sun-rise this morning, one said in his prayer, "Lord, help us to bear our cross, and, if it be heavy, help us to move on still, bending slowly. Untie the load of our sins. If this load were tied round our loins, we could untie it ourselves; but as it is tied round our hearts, we cannot untie it, but thou canst. Lord, untie the burden now!"

At nine I preached to this sable congregation, Mr. Hunt interpreting: both