word Church, which introduced it to our notice, is not once found in this master-piece of deception.*

Review of the fifth Article in the British Quarterly Review, published March, 1827, which exhibits the following title:"1. Voyage of His Majesty's ship Blonde to the Sandwich Islands, in the years 1824-1825. London. 1827.

"2. Narrative of a Tour through Hawaii, or Owhyhee; with Remarks on the History, Traditions, Manners, Customs, and Language of the Inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands. By William Ellis, Missionary from the Society and Sandwich Islands. London.

1826."

Before we introduce the next letter of Mr. Stewart, we have a few remarks to make on the following sentences of the British reviewer. Speaking of the departure of Riho Riho, when he went to England, the reviewer says

"It was his wish that Mr. Ellis should

accompany him as interpreter, but Starbuck, the master of the Aigle, (the vessel in which the king proposed to sail,) refused to receive the missionary, insisting that a Frenchman, of the name of Rives, a low, cunning, and profligate man, who had lived upwards of twenty years on the islands, should act as interpreter. This Starbuck is an American, although his owners were English. Boki, governor of Wahahoo, and Leliah, his wife, were to be of the party.

"On their arrival at Portsmouth, Starbuck landed them without ceremony or notice of any kind, and sent them off to Osborne's Hotel, in the Adelphi. This man had complete command of the money taken on board by the king; the original amount had been twenty-five thousand dollars-but when the chests were opened at the Bank of England, they were found to contain little more than ten thousand. Starbuck, when call. ed upon to account for this deficiency,

• The author has been since informed that the piece mentioned in the May number was not written by Barton W. Stone, but by another of similar principles.

alleged that three thousand had been spent at Rio Janeiro, and a certain sum in travelling from Portsmouth to London; the rest it may be supposed he took to himself as a remuneration for the passage. It is shrewdly suspected that his plan was, as soon as the remainder of the money should be exhausted, to carry the whole party to the United States."— p. 430.

We have not a word of defence to offer for Captain Starbuck. That he cheated Riho Riho out of several thousand dollars, we had indeed never heard, till we read the foregoing passages in the Review. But from what we have always heard, we are not prepared to acquit him of this, or of any other villany. But why are we reminded that this man was an American? Is it because he was too much of a rogue to be an Englishman? As his employers were English, might we not, with as good reason, intimate that he was too great a knave to find employment at home, and therefore sought and found it in Britain? But we hope ever to detest all insinuations of this character. We claim, that our countrymen should be considered neither

better nor worse than the people from whom they sprang. We do not believe, as has been seriously maintained in England, that the race has degenerated since it crossed the Atlantick. Both there and here, there are good men and bad; and probably in nearly equal proportions, among the same number of individuals promiscuously taken. We are truly sorry to see the manifest hostility to every thing American, which we think is palpable throughout the article on which we remark. The Quarterly Review is one of the most popular publications in England, governmental in its tone, and supposed to be countenanced by the ruling part of the nation. Hostility to whatever is American, in such a publication, is do believe that here lies about half an unhappy indication; and yet we the cause of the falsehoods and misrepresentation of which we com

plain. The remainder, after some allowance for ignorance and affectation, may probably be attributed to the circumstance, that the missionaries at the Sandwich Islands are not Church of England men, but the descendants of Puritans, neither ashamed nor unworthy of their ancestors. The suggestion with which the quotation closes, that Starbuck contemplated "carrying the whole party to the United States," after he should have reduced them to perfect poverty, seems to intimate, if it means any thing, that in this country he would be safe, and perhaps countenanced, in practising upon them any impositions which his diabolical spirit might devise. If this be the insinuation intended, we deem it too contemptible for a serious reply. The minutes we have taken from the statement of Mr. Loomis, relative to Starbuck and the voyage of the king, stand thus-"Captain Starbuck refused to take [as an interpreter] Mr. Bingham, as well as Mr. Ellis. He hated the whole missionary cause. He was an American, but in English employ, and wished to stipulate for certain privileges for the ships belonging to the English, his employers. Riho Riho expected to visit America, as well as England, when he embarked at Oahu."

We shall now insert the three remaining letters of Mr. Stewart, in which, as will be seen, the gravest charges of the Reviewer against the missionaries are triumphantly refuted.

Boston, July 14, 1827. My Dear Sir-The commander of the ship, whose voyage forms the subject of the Review, was the Rt. Hon. Lord Byron. The appearance of this nobleman at the Sandwich Islands, made a most happy impression on the minds of the chiefs, and was followed by results highly propitious to the interest of the nation, and to the ope

rations of the American Missionaries.

The dignity and rectitude of his whole character-a rectitude in such wide contrast with the deportment of too many of those who visit that distant part of the world; the wisdom and prudence of his counsels to the government; and the kindness of all his intercourse with the chiefs and people, fully secured to him the respect and confidence of every class. And, at the end of some ten weeks, he took his departure, amid the gratitude and prayers both of the chiefs and their teachers.

At the time the Blonde reached the Islands Mrs. Stewart was exceedingly ill. Mr. Davis, the surgeon of the frigate, to whom we were indebted for a voluntary daily attendance, strongly recommended the trial of a voyage for the benefit of her health. In consequence of this advice, accommodations were assigned to us, through the kindness of Lord Byron, on board the Blonde, in a trip she made to the Island of Hawaii. When at sea, both in going and returning, I had a seat at his lordship's table, and free access at all times to his society. During the whole month of our absence from Oahu, so full an opportunity was given me of forming a correct opinion of his character, and so perfect was the confidence I had just reason to place in the candour and sincerity of his heart, that I cannot believe without stronger, very much stronger evidence than any yet presented, that he ever gave the least authority for the misrepresentation and detraction of the Review.

That he has given such authority, the writer, though cautious in his language, is evidently desirous of impressing on the minds of his readers-With what good ground I utterly discredit the intimation, I will leave you, sir, to judge from some two or three of the many reasons in my possession.

The article under examination contains the following paragraph: -"There was one point on which Lord Byron appears justly to have felt some uneasiness, and this was the tone, manner and line of conduct of the American Missionaries, particularly one of the name of Bingham. The influence which this man had acquired over the simple natives, and his uncalled for interference in petty concerns, wholly unconnected with the mission, were but too manifest on many occasions-but never more openly, nor more offensively, than when Boki, one Saturday evening, expressed a wish to entertain his countrymen with an exhibition of phantasmagoria. The young king and his sister, with many of the chiefs and people, had assembled to see the show, when, behold! a message was received from this Bingham, that on so near an approach of the Sabbath, prayer was a fitter employment!-and such was the ascendency which this man had gained, that the two poor children were carried off in tears, and many of the chiefs and people followed to the Missionary meeting. Mr. Stewart, another of the Missionaries, ashamed of the indecency of such conduct, was anxious to explain the matter, by saying that they followed the Jewish mode of reckoning, and considered Sunday to begin on Saturday at noon."

This, sir, is a most uncandid and illiberal misrepresentation-or rather a representation so distorted and discoloured, as to be in its leading points absolutely false. The simple circumstances of the incident here referred to are the following:-An exhibition of the magick lantern had been promised to the chiefs by Mr. Bloxam, the chaplain, as an amusement with which they would be greatly delighted. No evening, however, was at the time appointed for the entertainment. On a Saturday morning, some ten days after the arrival of the Blonde, Lord Byron inci

dentally mentioned to me, that Kaahumanu, (a female chief-one of the regents of the island during the minority of the king,) had just taken breakfast with him:-had inquired when the show was to take place, and that at her request the evening of that day had been fixed on for the purpose. I offered no objection to the time specified, and expressed a belief that the natives would be highly gratified with the exhibition. I was afterwards informed (but not by Lord Byron) that the time was thus communicated, to afford an opportunity to the missionaries, if they thought proper, to be present on the occasion.-I did not, however, understand the remark in this manner, and the thought of making the arrangement known to my companions, did not occur to my mind. To the best of my knowledge they were all utterly ignorant of the intended show. Just in the edge of the evening, our attention was attracted by the sudden entrance of several natives to one of the mission houses, with the half terrified exclamation," Great is the displeasure of the British Chief!"—and we immediately saw a party of the highest chiefs, among others the Regent, Karaimoku, hurrying in much agitation through our enclosure. As soon as the confusion which took place admitted of an understanding, we ascertained the circumstances to be these:-The chiefs and their immediate associates had (at the advice of some native teachers educated in America,) without the approbation, attendance, or even knowledge of the missionaries, recently established a prayer meeting on Saturday night. This meeting had been altogether forgotten by Kaahumanu in making the appointment of the evening-from some cause, she did not, on her return to her residence, inform the other chiefs of the entertainment promised by Lord Byron, and they appeared to have been ignorant of it till the very mo

ment when they were assembling for their customary worship. As soon as she mentioned it, a consultation had taken place, and they despatched a messenger to Lord Byron, with the request that he would defer his visit to them with the phantasmagoria, till Monday night. Notwithstanding the message, he had arrived, was greatly displeased, and they in alarm had come to the missionaries for advice. A statement of the circumstances in reference to Lord Byron, was afterwards given to me by Mr. Bloxam himself. As the messenger was leaving the establishment of the chiefs, he saw the party from the Blonde approaching: not being able to speak English, he closed the gate through which they were about to pass, and exclaimed, tabu, tabu! (a term of prohibition). Lord Byron caught the word, and knowing its general meaning, in a tone of surprise and disapprobation, demanded of a native interpreter with him, who spoke English but very imperfectly, what the messenger said. The unusual tone and manner of the question threw the man into such a state of agitation, as to make him incapable of an intelligible reply. He could only repeat the words, "chiefs," and "missionaries," and "prayers," and "Sabbath," and "tabu," so incoherently, that Lord Byron received an impression, that the chiefs had forbidden his entrance to the enclosure by the advice of the missionaries, because it was the night before the Sabbath, and they were at prayers. It is by no means surprising, that, with this persuasion, he entered the yard with an appearance of displeasure-especially when it is recollected that the engagement for the evening had been made at the request of a leading chief, and with the knowledge of a member of the mission. As soon as his dissatisfaction was known, many of the chiefs fled to the mission house in the manner stated.

Mr. Bingham expressly told them there was no impropriety in the exhibition: that Lord Byron had proposed it only for their gratification and amusement; and by his advice some of the number, among others Karaimoku and the young king, returned to witness it. Some, however, would not, but went to their usual prayer meeting. No missionary attended this meeting, and none of their members were engaged in any service with the natives that evening. No message of any kind was sent by Mr. Bingham to the place of exhibition, or to any of the chiefs. The young king and his sister, instead of being carried off in tears, ran themselves from the place in terror; and no persuasion could induce the princess to leave her hiding place and return.

At the close of the evening, Mr. Bingham, knowing that the entertainment had been confused and interrupted, addressed a letter to Lord Byron on the subject. This led him to say to Mr. Bingham on meeting him the next day, "Why did not Mr. Stewart tell me on Saturday morning, that there was a religious meeting in the evening? I would not then on any consideration have made the appointment.I am the very last man (an assertion I fully believe) ever knowingly to interfere with the religious services of the people." On learning this mention of my name, I immediately wrote a note to his lordship, stating the true and only reason of my silence-my entire ignorance of any such meeting-and added an explanation of the circumstances as I understood and knew them to be. But that explanation was never marked with the ignorance and absurdity stamped on it in the Review. The case did not require any exhibition of my knowledge in Jewish antiquities; and if it had, I could have secured sufficient information on the point from some one of our native pupils, if from no other source, to have saved me

from so gross an exposure as that attributed to me by the Reviewer.

My letter received a prompt and kind answer, (still in my possession,) in which Lord Byron declares himself perfectly satisfied of the mistake in which the confusion of the evening originated: speaks of the event as a thing too trivial ever to merit another thought: and gives an assurance, that it has not left the slightest impression on his mind unfavourable to the mission. No interruption to the pleasant and friendly intercourse which had commenced between himself and the missionaries took place: and three weeks afterwards, at a publick council of the chiefs, called for the purpose of formally establishing the right of the young king to the throne, and at which Lord Byron presented the schedule of civil and political principles mentioned in the Review, he openly and fully avowed his approbation of our object and proceeding, and gave his sanction to the confidence and favour bestowed on us by the govern

ment.

The very last time this nobleman was on shore, previous to his final departure from Oahu, two months after the affair of the phantasmagoria, he led me aside for a moment's private conversation: at the close of which he requested my candid opinion of the general impression made by his visit. I expressed the firm belief, that no officer in the British navy could have given more entire satisfaction, or have secured more of the confidence and affection of both chiefs and people: and added, that I would assume the responsibility of saying, in the name of the missionaries, that in departing from the islands he carried with him their high respect, gratitude and blessing. He replied that he rejoiced in this assurance; and on his part, was truly happy to say to me that on his return to England, he should feel it a duty and privilege

to meet the inquiries of government and of the Christian publick, concerning the American missionaries, with the declaration that they were worthy of their confidence and favour, and were the best friends and benefactors of the nation.

And this, sir, was the report he gave on reaching Great Britain. Though we parted on the shores of Oahu, not expecting ever to see each other again in this world, we landed in England within a fortnight of the same time, and met in London a few weeks afterwards. But not till Lord Byron had given a satisfactory proof of the sincerity of his assurance to me on parting at the islands, by a publick speech, (before a highly respectable and numerous audience the late Mr. Butterworth, M. P. in the chair,) in which he mentioned the American missionaries with commendation, and gave a highly favourable account of their success.

Such are some of the reasons which lead me wholly to disbelieve that his lordship has been accessory to the detraction of the Reviewer. Yours, &c.

C. S. STEWART, Late of Sandwich Island Mission.

My dear Sir,

Boston, July 18, 1827.

The last charge I pledged myself to substantiate, against the Reviewer, is that of falsehood.

"By Mr. Ellis's own account," he says, "the subjects usually chosen for the discourses of the missionaries are the most unsuitable to be addressed to an uneducated multitude that can possibly be imagined-such, for instance, as the Virgin Mary and the immaculate conception-the Trinity and the Holy Ghost." These are points on which, as thus stated, not a single sermon was ever preached at the Sandwich Islands by any one of the missionaries; and it is with the most barefaced effrontery, that the writer refers to Mr. Ellis's book,