| 1086 doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and stood on for the Island of St. Pauls, which we made on the 21st February. We lowered three boats and caught twenty barrels of fish of the rock cod species. The next day we went on shore where we found fifty or sixty miserable looking Frenchmen and one American from Albany;-these were the only inhabitants of the island. The peculiar form of this island deserves some notice. This island seems to have been thrown up by strong volcanic action, forming in the centre [center] of the island a huge crater. From the crater on the south the land is sunk leaving in the crater a basin or bay into which vessels of light draught may enter and have a safe and commodious harbor. In the centre [center[ of this harbor no soundings can be found. From this basin or crater rises on all sides, a hill, to the height of two thousand feet, broken only by the sunken part. This hill slopes gradually to the sea, and on the top many mounds are thrown up by eruptions. Boiling springs are found near the crater, in one of which we boiled a craw fish. Situated 38o42 S Lat. and 77o52 E. Long. Brother Grouard and myself ascended the hill, where we had an opportunity to pray undisturbed; a privilege we had not enjoyed for months. Nothing unusual occurred on our way to New Holland. On the 20th March made the south cape of Van Dieman's Land; an island south of New Holland; and on the last of March and first of April passed the islands called "Three Kings," and pursued our way to the Society Island of Toeboui, and went on shore with the Captain.
The next day all the the passengers went on shore also. This island contains about four hundred inhabitants; they having no missionary, and finding who we were, requested us to stay. Brother Pratt stayed among them. On this island were a company of Americans, eight or nine who were building a schooner: they received us kindly. We tarried here nine days, when we set sail for Tahiti; which we made on the 13th, and on the 14th came to an anchor in the harbor of Papeeti. The French have possession of this town and harbor, which is under martial law: the harbor guarded by a Frigate, Corvette, and Steamer. The French and natives had a battle a few days before our arrival, and three or four since. The French are generally victorious, for the natives are more afraid of the sound of big guns, than they are of bullets. After obtaining a permit of the French Governor to land, we went on shore;-where we could not obtain board among the white inhabitants for less that seven dollars per week. I however made a hon (friend) of a native with whom I lived for two dollars and a half per week. Brother Grouard boarded with Mr. Lincoln, (our fellow passenger mentioned above) at about the same price. A few days after our arrival a battle took place between the French and natives at Point Venus: in which an English missionary was accidently [accidentally] shot by the French: whose funeral I attended. On my arrival at the place of the funeral, I knocked at the door for admittance; but no one bidding me enter, and the door being ajar I entered without farther ceremony. On entering, I saluted them respectfully; but not one of the missionaries spoke to me, or even bowed.
No doubt their grief was so deep and their sorrow so profound, that they forgot for the time that they were gentlemen: their subsequent conduct proved that they were not, their pretensions to the contrary notwithstanding, I went with them to the meeting house; heard their sermon: followed to the grave, and returned with them:-yet not one of these very pious, self-denying, cross-bearing embassadors [ambassadors] of sectarianism, deigned to honor me with a word or a nod; although they distinctly understood who I was, report having anticipated our arrival by a week. We could not get an interview with them; and they soon closed the meeting house and locked it against us; which was built by foreign residents and shipmasters, for the benefit and use of foreigners. We hired a house for eight dollars per month, and commenced preaching in it, and soon baptised [baptized] from fifteen to twenty whites; Americans and English. In the mean time we began to acquire the Tahitian language, and to preach to the natives, hundreds of whom professed to believe our preaching, but would not obey. Their reason was that they dare not, because they expected assistance from the English against the French, and they feared the missionary influence with the English Government would be exerted against them if thy embraced our principles. Affairs being thus in Tahiti, Bro. Grouard and I thought best to visit other islands. Accordingly we ordained Bro. Lincoln to preside over the branch in Tahiti, and took our departure; Bro. Grouard East, and I West. I visited Morea, Huhena, Rieaties, Bobobolo, and Taha; from thence to the island of Mote one of the Harvey group.
From thence to the island of Mangla, where I landed. This island contains about four thousand inhabitants, whose language is a little different from the Tahitian, No missionary was on this island, so I offered to tarry and teach them; but they informed me that they had received letters from Mr Pratt and Mr. Baff,
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