CHAPTER IV.

CRUISE OF THE JOHN ADAMS. -CONTINUED.

FROM the Sandwich Islands the John Adams sailed to the Society Islands, and as there are some things of interest in Lieutenant Foote's journal of the voyage, the account will be continued in his own words:

TAHITI, December 18, 1839.

"We arrived at these islands after a long passage of thirty-one days, running a distance of twenty-five hundred miles, and found the frigate Columbia, bearing the broad pennant of Commodore Read, which came in the day preceding. These islanders have made less advance in civilization than the people of the Sandwich Islands; for although churches are large and Christianity is the religion of the land, still it is a sad fact that licentiousness to a frightful degree prevails, and scenes of the most revolting kind occur.

"The men are larger and better proportioned than in the Sandwich Islands, and the women are beautiful. Nature has been so bountiful that labor is not necessary to support life. All vegetable production is of spontaneous growth. Cattle roam in the mountains. Streams gush from the hills. The climate is healthful during the year. So seductive are these islands that one almost ceases to wonder at the mutiny of the Bounty.

“L'Artemise had also visited these islands, and imposed restrictions scarcely less intolerable than at the Sandwich Islands. Captain Laplace had not only demanded the free introduction of Romanism, but had imposed on the queen the tax of building Catholic churches.

"As the mission here is English, and no tangible act of which we could complain had been committed, of course we had nothing to do. "The object of our visit is to investigate a supposed outrage on the American flag. The former American consul had protected, against the laws of the country, some French Catholic priests, who were forcibly expelled from the country, wherein he transcended his powers, and an

attack was made upon him, in which he received a severe wound, and his wife met her death.

"I can imagine no greater obstacle to the progress of religion than is to be found in those persons who, coming from different parts of Christendom, pass for Christians, and yet behave so badly. There are some creditable exceptions among the residents, and far be it from me to say that the guilty are found among them alone. No; transient visitors are in the condemnation, and, until quite recently, even vessels of war of all nations were the scenes of nocturnal orgies too bad to relate. This explains the cause why there is so little reciprocity of feeling among missionaries and their countrymen and foreign visitors; and this shows also that little weight should be attached to the opinions and censures of men whose real motive in decrying attempts to diffuse the blessings of Christianity is to be judged of by their own manner of life.

"As to the Catholic question, this is briefly the history of it: At the Society Islands, where the London Missionary Society has for forty years been successfully employed in teaching the Christian faith, frequent arrivals of Catholic priests, and French men-of-war to enforce their claims, have disturbed the mission and held the native government in constant terror. Several years since two French priests came to Tahiti to propagate Roman Catholicism. Queen Pomare and her chiefs peremptorily ordered them to leave the islands, assigning as a reason that it was contrary to her laws and desires that any other religion than the Protestant should be taught in her kingdom. They persisted in remaining until it was perfectly convenient for them to leave, the American consul sustaining them in this. He placed them in a house just beyond the precincts of the consulate. They were frequently warned to re-embark in the same vessel which brought them, and, still refusing to do so, the queen's order to put them on board was executed, and the ship proceeded to her destination, Botany Bay. Some weeks after they returned in an American vessel, and made attempts to land, which were resisted by the natives. The French frigate Venus, Captain Petit Thouars, arrived at Tahiti soon after, and exacted two thousand dollars from the London mission, probably to reimburse the captain of the American vessel for his detention, and for the necessity of his going to Valparaiso in consequence of the priests not being permitted to land. It was demanded also that the French Catholics should be put on the same footing with the Protestants. The Venus was followed by L'Artemise, Captain Laplace, who left the islands but a few months since. This frigate having run on a coral reef,

was with difficulty, by the assistance of the natives, got into port, when she underwent extensive repairs, having timber and all necessaries gratuitously furnished by the queen. At the expiration of six weeks she was drawn up and presented her broadside toward the town, and a message was sent to Pomare that a Catholic church must be built at her expense wherever there was a Protestant church, and that the same facilities must be extended to Catholic priests as to Protestant clergymen. Fear for the destruction of life and property prevailed, and the terms were submitted to. How this will be viewed in England, time will disclose. It is to be hoped that the English and our own government will take measures to prevent such outrages in the future.

"A scene took place in the wardroom of the ship which bears on this subject. While at Tahiti, on remarking to our new consul that I could not see the object of the squadron's being detained for the arrival of the queen, he said: 'Oh, it is exceedingly important; the queen has been duped by the English, and regards us as a feeble nation. British influence will try to prevent her coming. I wish her to see the ships. Their order and beauty will make a good impression. I have serious fault to find with the English consul, and also with Commodore Wilkes and the exploring expedition, who were, however, also deceived by the English, and made presents to the children of the English mission, totally disregarding the insult to our flag.' After running on in a rapid manner, I told him I was willing to read any documents he might bring forward, and if Commodore Wilkes had acted improperly, it was his duty to prove it. No man should shrink from doing his duty, cut where it may. As for the missionaries, if they had been guilty of the charges brought against them, of all persons they were the last who should escape with impunity. The next day the consul produced his documents. They consisted of three short letters between Queen Pomare and Commodore Wilkes.

"The letter of Commodore Wilkes contained his directions from the President of the United States to touch at Tahiti, and assure the queen of the good feeling toward her on the part of our government, and to distribute presents among her subjects; and that the President expected the queen to treat our consul kindly, to give him a lot for his consulate, and to regard him as the supervisor of our commercial interests; and that the present consul had been sent to supersede the one of whom she had complained as protecting French priests against her laws. The reply of the queen was short and in a conciliatory tone, she evidently wishing to be on good terms with our government, and stated that the

Extracts from Private Journal.

51

Roman Catholics were not Americans, for which reason she insisted upon their being taken from the consul, who transcended his powers in protecting them. These were the only points touched upon in the correspondence; and, on remarking that they were not enough to sustain the allegations made in his conversation of yesterday, he said that Commodore Read had the other papers, which he would procure; but he never presented them. I candidly told him that the data were not sufficient to enable me to form an opinion; but from what I had read and heard, I was convinced that no consul had a right to throw our flag around foreign Catholics to shield them from the laws of a government within his consulate."

The events of this cruise entered deeply into the religious feelings of Lieutenant Foote, and his private journal gives indications of great mental trials and heart-searchings.

A few quotations will doubtless prove interesting to the readers of this book, for, as has been said, though not a perfect man, the springs of our hero's character are to be found in his religious nature, and in his intense and unvarying desire to "act for God." These meditations show that, while above all a man of action, he did not live a shallow, surface life, but that the roots of his actions had their nourishment in a more hidden life:

"U. S. SHIP JOHN ADAMS,' VALPARAISO, January 7, 1840. "Discard the secret whisperings of pride. It is Christ himself that must be formed in the soul the hope of glory. Therefore, my soul, look to Jesus your Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit your Sanctifier, and give God all the glory for every good impulse of the affections.

"This day I renewedly dedicate myself to God; and although trials and temptations await me in a man-of-war, still grace is sufficient to overcome all, if I am faithful to the means which the Holy Scriptures furnish. Enlighten my mind to cherish clear conceptions of thy character, oh God. Communicate thy grace to my dear orphan daughter, that she may early be prepared to serve thee."

"VALPARAISO, February 7.

"This day I observe as one of prayer and humiliation for the manifold evils of my heart. I deplore the ascendency of my passions and my

pride. The world appears to be too much in a heart that is dedicated to God. Blessed Jesus! show me my true character. Give me a view of spiritual things.

"I resolve to watch and pray, to bear in mind that the Christian life is a warfare, that one must be uncompromising in his principles. I resolve to guard my tongue from speaking injuriously of others; to avoid levity of manner, on the one hand, and moroseness on the other; to perform the executive duties of the ship with impartiality, feeling that my official acts will be closely criticised on account of my profession of Christian principles; to devote every day suitable time to meditation and prayer, letting no day pass without one hour being wholly spent in religious reading and devotion."

"AT SEA, March 19th.

"Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Why with the fruits of holiness can not the Christian be satisfied? Alas! in my own case, the world, its honors and varied sources of gratification, steal upon me and are incorporated into all my plans."

"AT SEA, April 2.

"My mind being in an unusual state this day, induces me to note the circumstance notwithstanding the gale. Some trials belonging to the service cause me unpleasant feelings, but especially the singular deportment of a friend. Earthly ties bind us to the world, and when they are sundered we should throw ourselves on Him who is without variableness or shadow of turning.

Oh, enable me to become less sensitive to mortal friendships, and transfer my affections to my Redeemer; and, Heavenly Father, give me influence, that souls may be weaned from the world and placed supremely on thee. Bless this ship, her officers and men."

“AT SEA, April 22.

"Doubts as to the Christian religion suddenly flashed across my mind last evening. Why are these things? I know not, unless it is to show us our weakness, and that we must ever in this warfare rely on Christ."

"AT SEA, May 21.

"I could give wings to my faith, such are my views and feelings to-day. But, alas! what have they been the last month? Such as to condemn me, for the pride and vanity about the appearance of the ship, instances of passion, and coldness in my devotions. I would humble myself before God this day."