Volume 1

Journal of voyages and travels by the Rev. Daniel Tyerman and George Bennet, esq. Deputed from the London missionary society, to visit their various stations in the South Sea Islands, China, India, etc., between the years 1821 and 1829 / Compiled from original documents by James Montgomery.

  • Tyerman, Daniel, 1773-1828.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Journal of voyages and travels by the Rev. Daniel Tyerman and George Bennet, esq. Deputed from the London missionary society, to visit their various stations in the South Sea Islands, China, India, etc., between the years 1821 and 1829 / Compiled from original documents by James Montgomery. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    field, were wholly subdued by the clemency of Pomare in sparing his vanquished enemies, a thing unheard of before in the exterminating wars of these islanders. Since then neither war nor battle has been known throughout the whole windward group. [See Ellis’s Polynesian Researches, vol. I. chap. x. pp. 245 to 280; and this Journal, vol. I. chap, vi. p. 158.] In the Leeward Islands, at Huahine, an idola¬ trous army of rebels yielded, without a blow, to Hautia, when that Christian chief offered them pardon and peace. [See this Journal, vol. I. chap. xiii. p. 278.] In Tahaa the idolaters, under King Fenuapeho, were routed by Tamatoa, King of Raiatea, and after the conflict the lives of the pri¬ soners, including Fenuapeho himself, being spared, this chief and all his people submitted to the conqueror, who re¬ stored to the former his sovereignty, and to the latter their insular independence. [See this Journal, vol. I. chap. xxvi. p. 555.] The universal rejection of heathenism, and accept¬ ance of the gospel, in each of these cases, followed the mer¬ ciful use of victory by the champions of the truth. There are on record shocking instances of the murder of natives for embracing the 44 new religion,” by the bigoted adherents of the old, but Captain Kotzebue may be safely challenged to produce one example of an individual being put to the alternative of preferring 44 death to the renunciation of his ancient faith.” It rests with him also to shew when, how, where, and hy whom, 44 wdiole races wTere exterminated —certainly not in any island, whose inhabitants have been converted to Christianity, in the South Seas. What he means at page 169, by 44 the bloody persecution instigated by the Missionaries, which performed the work of a