Daniel Wheeler adds: "Tetohi and Puna remained with us until near midnight, and I think it may be said that by the breaking of bread our spiritual eyes were opened to perceive that the Great Master was there in marvellous condescension and mercy to bless the opportunity. It was indeed a heavenly banquet." Many were the proofs afforded to the faithful labourer that his mission was appreciated. The translation of the letter from the Queen is a noteworthy evidence of this.

"Tahiti, 30th June, 1835.

"I do away with the money for the anchoring of the vessel. This is the reason why I do away with it, because thine is a visit of love and not a trading voyage. If it was a trading voyage it would not be done away with; I would still demand the money for the anchoring; but because thine is a visit of love I have not therefore demanded the money. Health to thee and thy son in your (two) voyaging.

"Na Daniella Wisa."

"(Signed) POMARE V.

"We

Later on Daniel Wheeler writes: called to take leave of the Queen; we found her sitting on the steps at the back-door, with several of her chiefs squatting round about her, one of whom had been reading to the others, until interrupted by our approach. The King was sitting on the wall, eating part of a cocoa-nut. want of an interpreter I was unable to acknowledge the indulgence of the Queen in remitting the port-charges on our vessel."

For

AMONGST the trials incident to a missionary

life the Apostle Paul particularises "hunger,"

and an experience of this kind awaited our friends, who, landing on their way to Tantira, found "two o'clock in the afternoon a rather late breakfast hour." A "feeding" had, however, been prepared for them by the hospitable resident natives. We quote again from the Journal:-" After our arrival they killed and roasted whole a good-sized pig upon hot stones, covered over with leaves and then wood-ashes, with bread-fruit, taro, and the mountain-plantain. When this was ready, and

the floor covered over to a considerable extent with the large leaves of the paran-tree, it was presented to us in a formal manner with a bundle of the island cloth, made from the beaten bark of the bread-fruit tree, according to the custom of the country. The company then sat down upon the floor, consisting of Samuel Wilson (the missionary), Charles, and myself, with the boat's crew close to us, but according to usage forming a distinct party. We had a solemn pause before beginning to dine, and all remained still till this was over. One of our men, who had acted the part of cook, cut up the pig, using a knife with one hand, and holding the victim with the other; when the carver had separated the pig into a variety of shapeless lumps, he threw some of them to us and the rest to his comrades, and the whole was pretty soon out of sight. The milk of freshpulled young cocoa-nuts furnished our drink; and salt water, in calabashes, fresh from the Pacific, to dip the food in, was used instead of salt; this we found to be an excellent substitute. It may be said that we dined in public, as the place was

E

pretty well crowded with lookers-on, principally women and children." Two or three meetings for divine worship were held with the natives of Tantira, and the messenger of the Gospel had large service amongst them. They then proceeded to Hitea, which is a little to the north. A large company gradually gathered around, and a most interesting conversation took place, Samuel Wilson acting as interpreter. Daniel Wheeler asked the islanders whether, before they had seen the face of a missionary, they had not had sins committed long ago, which they would gladly have forgotten, brought to their remembrance. On this some of them answered, with unequivocal simplicity, and sincerity, yes, that they had, long enough ago-proving to the mind of the questioner, who was no doubt reading out of the lines of his own experience, that even when in an unconverted state and with scarcely any outward knowledge, the Holy Spirit is a reprover for sin. Samuel Wilson, their kind missionary-friend and interpreter, had to leave them in order to visit the Samoan Islands, and was furnished by Daniel