Extract of a letter from Mrs. M. A. Wallis, wife of the Rev. J. Wallis, Wesleyan Missionary, to her sister, Miss Reddick, Plaistow, Essex.

Kaipara, New Zealand, September 10, 1836. At Waingaroa our prospects were the most encouraging. The like has not been known in any other part of New Zealand in so short a time. We had upwards of five hundred constant attendants on the Sabbath-day at the chapel, and three hundred meeting in class as candidates for baptism. Many of these were very influential chiefs with their tribes. We have beheld some of the most rude and barbarous among these people forsake their cruel practices and superstitions, and become humble and teachable as little children. One in particular, who is baptized "William Naylor !" This is he who was our best friend when Nina (that ferocious chief) came against us. He with his people began to attend our chapel a few months after our arrival at Waingaroa. One Sunday evening at the conclusion of the service, he stood up and publicly declared himself on the Lord's side, which greatly encouraged us, and delighted our Christian natives. When we returned home from chapel, one of our boys said to me, Emota he rongatira nui wakaharahara tera tangata he knugi ir o te ao Water o nui tirani. "O Mother! a gentleman great, very great that man, indeed he is the King of all the world of New Zealand." I was amused at the boy's idea: he appeared to think it almost impossible for there to be a greater man, at any rate in the world of New Zealand. He had eight wives, seven of whom he has left, and is married to one, a good-looking woman named Katherine. He had a meeting with them, telling them his intention of forsaking all but one, because that to live in his present state was displeasing to God. He told Mr. Wallis, that his heart was greatly pained on account of the event. He is exceedingly well-behaved, and the most intelligent native we have met with, and as humble and teachable as a child. Another good creature, an aged man, who was very ill when we left Waingaroa, and is since dead, and I doubt not that his happy spirit is now before the throne of God. I remember, that when once looking at his poor wasted arms he said, "Ah! I shall soon be with Jesus, who shed his blood for me. O how joyful is my heart when I

think of the great love of God to me."

Instances of this

ind, and others of a similar nature which we had the hapdiness of witnessing in Waingaroa, are proofs, that however depraved and estranged from God the human heart may be, his grace is able to renew and bring it into subjection unto himself. Many of the people gave pleasing evidence that they were profited by the residence of a missionary amongst them, in their temporal as well as their spiritual condition. Before our going to Waingaroa, they scarcely cultivated food enough for their own use, and lived in small miserable huts such places as you would suppose it scarcely possible for human beings to live in; but last summer, whichever way we turned our eyes we beheld flourishing plantations of potatoes, Indian corn, pumpkins, &c. &c. Many had comfortable houses to dwell in, with wooden bedsteads raised from the ground. One of our chiefs thought he would endeavour to make himself a bedstead as much like ours as possible; but the best of it was, he made his bedstead first, and built his house over it: however, when finished it was very comfortable. Our station was in good condition, having large fowl-house, cow-house, and other houses, which were built by the natives. A pond was dug for the ducks and geese to swim in. A large new school-room was nearly finished for me; also our garden was in excellent order, containing almost all kinds of vegetables, and a great number of beautiful flowers. I used frequently to say to James, how delighted my mother would be to see our garden, and spend part of her time in it. Our brethren used to call our station a paradise! However, these things are as nothing compared to the spiritual state of the people, who are now left as sheep having no shepherd. It is scarcely possible for any one to judge of the feelings of a missionary under similar circumstances. It was a day of truly painful trial to us to bid adieu to that interesting people, and to the scene of our labours in that place, perhaps for ever! The Church Missionary Society claim the southerly part of the island, on account of having visited that part before the Wesleyans. The Committee at home decided the point. I hope that it will tend to the furtherance of the Gospel in these islands. We feel anxious concerning the two stations, which are not at present occupied, neither is it certain whether they will be. The natives, poor things, could not imagine why we were leaving them. Some said, Perhaps we have not behaved

so well towards you as we ought to have done, and on thaaccount you are leaving us. Others said, Do write to Engt land for your father to allow you to remain with us; and two chiefs said we should not go, for they would tie James's hands and feet. We told them that doubtless they would have another missionary; but they continued, That will not be good: our love to you both is very great, and we wish you to remain with us. But this we could not do. We left Waingaroa on the 1st of June, and after a pleasant passage of ten days arrived at this place (Kaipara). We are now living in a small house, built of the same kind of material as the one we first inhabited on our arrival in New Zealand. It is situated on the banks of a pleasant river, the length of which is one hundred and fifty miles. We are about seventy miles up. We shall not continue at this place many months longer, but shall remove either to Traihu, a distance of fifteen miles up a branch of the river, or to Mangakarer, forty miles farther up. Both places are delightfully pleasant; but whichever place it is, I expect then James will be a good deal from home, as the native settlements in this district are widely scattered. From one end of the circuit to the other is nearly two hundred miles; but the district meeting is writing to the Committee in London, for another missionary and his wife to be sent out to join us. I am now three days' journey from any European female. I often wish that you were here; but I am constantly so engaged in one thing and another that I seldom or never feel dull and in this part we have not so much reason to fear the invasion of enemies as we had at the southward. A party of our lads arrived a few days ago from the southward, on their way to Manquicura. We hear from them, and also from the Church Missionaries, that there is dreadful work at the southward. The Church Mission station at Rotariva, about forty miles from Waingaroa, has been stript and then burnt, taking three missionaries captive, knocking one down, and stripping them nearly of all their clothes. Mrs. Chapman, one of their wives, had previously left, and escaped to a mission vessel in a river called the Thames. The missionaries made their escape with the loss of every thing, both public and private. Multitudes have been killed, roasted, and eaten. The conquering party are enemy to the tribe Mr. Whitely and we were living with, and had we been there then we should probably have shared the same fate.

THE DISHONEST CAPTAIN AND SOUTH SEA

ISLAND MISSIONARY.

From the Rev. J. Williams' Narrative of Missionary Enterprizes.

SOME time after the introduction of Christianity into Rurutu, a circumstance occurred which afforded indubitable proof of its beneficial effects upon the minds of the inhabitants, and displayed at the same time the great advantages which accrue from missionary labours to our own and other maritime countries.

Captain Chase, who commanded an American whaler, was in the habit of touching frequently at Raiatea for refreshment. He determined, on his last visit to us, to call at Rurutu, on his way to America, in order to procure a supply of yams, which are both fine and abundant at that island, when, unfortunately, his vessel was wrecked upon the rocks.

The natives afforded him very efficient aid; in acknowledgment of which, the captain, on his departure, left the following document :

"The natives gave us all the assistance in their power, from the time the ship struck to the present moment. The first day, while landing the things from the ship, they were put into the hands of the natives, and carried up to the native mission house, a distance of half a mile and not a single article of clothing was taken from any man belonging to the ship, though they had it in their power to have plundered us of every thing that was landed; which fully proves the honesty of the natives of this island. Since I have lived on shore, myself, officers, and people, have received the kindest treatment from the natives that can be imagined, for which I shall be ever thankful. Myself and officers have lived in the house with Puna, who, together with his wife, have paid every attention to make me comfortable; for which I return my unfeigned thanks, being the only compensation I can make them at present.

(Signed) B. CHASE."

A short time after this, I received a letter from Captain Chase, speaking in the strongest terms of the kindness he had experienced, and informing me that he had committed the cargo and the stores of the vessel to the native teachers; but as they were not acquainted with the relative value of

money, he requested me to take the first opportunity of selling the property, and transmitting the proceeds to the president of the Marine Insurance Company in America. Some two or three months subsequently to this unfortunate occurrence, a trading vessel arrived at Tahiti. The Cap

tain of her, hearing of the wreck of the Falcon at Rurutu, and that there were only native missionaries at the island, it immediately occurred to him that he could easily deceive them and obtain the property! Instead of coming to Raiatea, and making a fair purchase of me, he raised his anchor and steered a direct course for Rurutu. On landing he was welcomed by the native missionary, to whom he stated that he had come for the oil belonging to the late. Falcon.

The missionary asked him if he had not a letter from Beni (meaning Capt. Benj. Chase). "Certainly," replied the captain, "but I have come from my ship without it: I will return for it immediately." He went off to his vessel, and wrote an order, with which he returned to the shore; affirm-. ing it to be from Captain Chase, he put it into the hands of the missionary.

The natives are very unsophisticated, at times, in the expression of their sentiments; and looking the captain significantly in the face, the teacher, in his broken English, said, "You are a liar. you a thief-you want to steal this property-you no have it." The captain, much enraged at this salutation, or more probably at being disappointed of his expected booty, began to bluster and storm. The teacher however took the captain by the hand, led him to his house, and opened his native journal, in which he had taken the precaution to get Captain Chase to write. Placing the forged paper by the side of the writing in the journal, he repeated his charge-"You a liar-you a thief — you shall not have this property." The captain threatened to go on board, load his cannon, and take it by force. He left the shore in anger, to carry his threat into execution; he, however, hoisted sails and took his departure. We know not from whence he came, nor whither he went.

This circumstance shows, that the conduct of civilized visitors is not at all times calculated to raise the European character in the estimation of the natives. It also shows, that the natives are not destitute of good sound common sense; while at the same time it exhibits in a striking light the advantages the people have derived from educa