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GENERAL REFLECTIONS.

the conferring of his own name, by a high chief, whether on an individual in infancy, as in the present case, or in manhood, imparts a dignity here not surpassed by that of "the spur" or "garter" in more polished monarchies. The event was formally announced to the chiefs and the people at evening prayers, and a servant despatched with a very appropriate present for "the young Hoapili,” — a large bucket full of arrowroot: an article spontaneous in its growth, prepared to some extent by the natives, and by them called pia.

June 20. In all external things, here, there is a sameness, morning, noon, and evening, day and night, that, accompanied as it necessarily is by an utter want of society, would prove insupportable, I should think, to every civilized and intelligent resident but a missionary. True, the weather is perpetual June; we have no rain, no storms, no lowering clouds, and all immediately around is perennial verdure; but there is a death-like silence and want of animation in everything; a stillness of desolation that drowns the spirits and destroys the elasticity both of body and mind. There is nothing to be seen or heard of those things which enliven the most retired situations in our own country; no chirping birds, no gamboling flocks, no lowing cattle.

Even the few natives, who are at the same time at work on their small plantations, cause no interruption to the general silence; no sound of industry is created by the rude implements with which they cultivate the ground; and their labor is unaccompanied by anything like "the ploughboy's whistle," or "the reaper's song." In fine, little besides the shoutings of a midnight revel, intimates life, much less contentment and joy, among the dwellers of the land.

But our object, and our hopes, buoy us above the influence of this oppressive peculiarity, and impart a contentment and cheerfulness which often rise to undissembled joy. In contrast with this our chosen lot, fancy sometimes sketches scenes which might have been our own in which

"An elegant sufficiency, books, friendship, ease," are still combined with

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"Useful life,

Progressive virtue, and approving Heaven.”

But I would not exchange my situation and prospects, with the temporal and eternal interests of this people, connected with them-slight as they may be - for all the earthly enjoyment the most fascinating of these could secure. Even while I cast a momentary glance at them, my better judgment tells me and I doubt not tells me true that the enchantment by which they are surrounded exists only in "the visions of romantic youth;" and that any supposed addition to the happiness now in my possession, which the world could make, is but imaginary and deceitful. Little as I have ever experienced of the ills and disappointments of life, I know that were I to realize such scenes in their highest charms, of them I should be compelled at last to exclaim,

"Oh! what, in truth, is mortal pleasure but

The torrent's smoothness, ere it dash below!"

Monday, June 23. The first humble temple for the worship of Him "who dwelleth between the cherubims," ever founded between these dark mountains, has to-day been commenced. While we remarked the cheerfulness and animation with which the numerous natives engaged in the work, performed their task-though it has cost them already many days of hard labor in the mountains, and will detain them still many more from their families and plantations while we heard one and another, on every side, saying to us as we passed, "Ke hale a ke Akua," "ke pale pule,' ‚""maikai," "nui maikai,”. the house of God," "the house of prayer," "good," "very good," our thoughts and our hopes hastened us through the spiritual darkness of the present time to that period of light and gladness, "when the Lord's house shall be established on the tops of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it."

Evening. A sail was descried this afternoon, in the channel between Lanai and Molokai. Soon afterwards, five guns fired in rapid succession-the private signal of Liholiho announced the approach of his majesty. The brig came to an anchor just as we had finished evening

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ARRIVAL OF LIHOLIHO.

worship with Keopuolani; and Mr. Richards and myself accompanied Kekauonohi and Nahienaena to the beach, already thronged by the common people, to receive him. He landed in a small boat with a single chief, and saluted us in a polite and friendly manner. After embracing his queen and the princess, he took one under each arm, and hastened up the beach. The parting of the mother and son, when we left Honolulu, had interested us so much, that we felt desirous of witnessing their first interview after a month's separation. The chiefs had assembled, and were formally seated on their mats in a large circle, before the tent of Keopuolani, waiting the approach of their monarch. He entered the circle opposite to his mother, and where Wahine-pio, the sister of Kalaimoku, and mother of his youngest queen, was seated. Dropping on one knee, he saluted her; on which she burst into tears; and springing from her mat, led him to that of his mother. He knelt before her, gazed silently in her face for a moment, then pressed her to his bosom, and placing a hand on each cheek, kissed her twice in the most tender manner. The whole scene was quite affecting. I scarce ever witnessed an exhibition of natural affection where the feelings were apparently more lively and sincere. The king is a fine-looking man, and graceful in his manners; while gazing on him, the queen's heart seemed to float in her eyes, and every feature told a mother's joy.

Tuesday, 24. On going to the beach as usual this morning at sunrise, we found every indication of a scene of revelry just ended. Liholiho had taken possession of his mother's establishment; and, instead of the orderly and pleasant group which had uniformly before been waiting our arrival, we saw the ground everywhere strewn with the bodies of men and women, who evidently had sunk unconsciously to sleep, amid the vapors of the bottle. Several empty liquor-cases, of brandy, gin and rum, stood on a large mat in front of the tent in which the king was sleeping; and bottles, drained of their contents, were dispersed widely around.

None of our former party, chiefs or people, were to be found. At eleven o'clock we repeated our visit; but all was riot and debauchery; and not meeting with any of

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our pupils, we quickly turned from so melancholy a scene of licentiousness and intoxication.

At sunset we again went to the beach. The wild and heathenish sounds of the song and the dance were distinctly to be heard long before we reached the place of our customary worship; and the tent of the king was still the centre of revelry.

On arriving near the crowd, Taua, the private chaplain of the queen, quickly approached us, saying he had been sent to await our arrival, and to inform us that Keopuolani would attend prayers at the residence of her daughter, to which she had removed. This was a pleasing message to us; and our satisfaction was greatly increased on entering the lanai of the princess, to find the whole of our pupils assembled even Kekauonohi, the young queen.

Never can we forget the appearance of Keopuolani. The countenance and manner of no pious Christian mother could have manifested more real anguish of spirit in witnessing the dissipation of a beloved son. As we ap

proached, her eyes filled with tears, and with a voice almost inarticulate from emotions ready to overpower her, she lifted her hand, and pointing to the scene of intemperance and debauchery, exclaimed, "Pupuka! pupuka!" "Shameful! oh shameful!" and throwing herself backward with a convulsive sob, hid her face and her tears in a roll of kapa, against which she was reclining.

Our hearts were deeply touched; and our spirits at once assumed an elasticity that caused them to rise to a height proportionable to the depression under which they had labored. With an excitement of hope never known before, we commenced the evening sacrifice. Taua seemed to partake deeply in our feelings, and exercised a spirit of prayer that would have elevated hearts far more insensible than ours were at the time. While he affectionately presented the queen herself before the throne of God, and fervently besought the outpourings of the Holy Spirit upon her, we could scarce resist the belief that the strong principles of moral rectitude which she had uniformly manifested, and which were then so strikingly displayed, were but the dawnings of that light which would securely guide her immortal spirit to the realms of everlasting day: and

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DEFENCE OF THE MISSIONARIES.

touched with sympathy, as for a fellow child of God, we were constrained to mingle our tears with those of the parent, while he proceeded most humbly and importunately to supplicate the forgiveness, reformation, and eternal redemption, of her son. Before bidding her good night, she earnestly begged us to pray for the king; and on our replying that she must also pray for him, she said she constantly did, but that they both needed our prayers.

We afterwards learned that early in the morning she had reproved Liholiho for his habits of dissipation; warned him of the temporal and eternal consequences of them; and finding that he disregarded her advice, withdrew to the house of her daughter, where she was joined by the chiefs, except those he had brought with him.

Seeing how much his mother was devoted to her spelling book, and how deeply interested she was in all our instructions, the king, under the influence of his unhappy indulgences, said to her, "You study too much, — it is not good; you are old, and it is well for you to study a little only." To which Keopuolani replied, "True, I am indeed an old woman; soon I shall die: therefore I must learn soon, or I shall die before I obtain the good thing I desire." The king advised her to throw off all the restraints of our instructions, saying, "The missionaries are not good: they do not permit us to drink rum, nor to do anything we formerly did their teachings are false and evil; their prayers are not good. Let us return to our former customs; let us now, as we formerly did, drink a little rum together." The queen answered, "Why do you call my teachers evil? They are good only, and great is my love for them. Good is their prayer, evil only has been ours. Did you not in former times tell me that the teachers were good, and beg ine to regard their instructions, and cast away the customs of our old religion? So I have done; and I know that I have done well. Are not the missionaries the same, and their instructions the same? But now you disregard the new religion, and wish me to do so likewise; but I will not. I will never forsake my teachers. I will obey their word. Come you therefore with me; for never will I take my dark heart again!"

Two or three other chiefs, fond of dissipation, added