Islands, which have not yet embraced the Gospel. "Two Russian vessels calling at the Paumotu Islands, the captain of one of the vessels went on shore, where he found a little girl crying very bitterly. On inquiring the cause, she made him | understand, that her father and mother had been killed in war; that those who had killed them had cooked and eaten them; and when the poor child asked for something to eat, they offered her a piece of her own father! The Russian captain pitied the poor child, brought her to Tahiti, where, having been taught to read, she now resides. Thus you see, although much has been done, that much still remains. 66 Before the people of Tahiti received the Gospel, they were sad mockers: when a Missionary came to preach to them, they would call out in derision, and tell the blind men that were there to go to the Missionary, that he could make them see: and called to the lame and leprous in the same manner, and told them to go and be healed. "Having thus given a slight sketch of what they were formerly, I will now proceed to say a few words upon their present state and character. They pay a strict outward regard to the Sabbath. At sun-rise they assemble, and have a prayer-meeting among themselves. About nine o'clock they assemble again; then we preach to them. Every body attends the morning service; not a man, woman, or child, is absent, unless it be on account of sickness. The people take no walks of pleasure on a Sabbath; no canoes or boats are to be seen on the sea; nor is any sort of work done on that day. The evening service is not so well attended; but those who do absent themselves must keep to their own houses, as they would be afraid to be seen walking about in service time. Although the Sabbath is so strictly kept, you must not suppose that all the people in Tahiti are real Christians. Alas no. There is a great outward profession; but the true marks of genuine godliness are only here and there to be found. These people are not sufficiently grateful to God for his distinguishing mercies towards them. As a people, they may be called ungrateful; they are not thankful for favours of a temporal nature bestowed by the Missionaries. They would feel themselves under no obligation to you, were you to save their lives. In general they respect us as men, but they have very little love for us for the sake of the work in which we are engaged. In a word, they know nothing of that affectionate love which British Christians bear to their pastors. This is a great grief to us, inasmuch as it manifests that they do not possess that affection for Divine things that they ought. But we pray that the time may come, when a larger effusion of the Divine Spirit shall be poured out upon them, and then shall divine love be more abundantly shed abroad in their hearts. "We dwell at Atehuru, the most extensive district in Tahiti; Mr. Darling also dwells near. Mr. D. and I have the charge of this large district Since we have formed this Missionary station, we have baptized upwards of 300 adults, and about 150 children. We do not consider these to be all Christians, but we baptize them because they profess Christ to be their Saviour, and him alone; and there is nothing immoral in their outward conduct. Many of them are very ignorant; but we meet with them one day in every week to instruct them in the principles of Christianity. We have gathered a small church out of the wilderness, which consists of 20 natives and ourselves; to these we administer the ordinance of the Lord's Supper once a month. We are occupied every day in the week, except Saturdays, in schools, both for adults and children, We preach every Wednesday evening, and hold various other meetings with the people. We feel happy and contented in our station, but earnestly desire more zeal and devotedness of heart in the work in which we are engaged." LAPLANDERS AND REIN-DEER IN ENGLAND. MR. EDITOR. SIR,-Judging the following article, which appeared recently in some of the public papers, worthy of more general notice and permanent record, I have transcribed and communicated it for insertion in your interesting and much diversified miscellany, at your convenience and pleasure. The amazing ease and celerity with which reindeer in Lapland travel over mountains bought another herd, twelve in number. These he not only succeeded in embarking in safety, but in bringing them alive and well to the Thames. Before relating the mishaps that befel them here, we may observe on the ex and valleys covered with snow and ice, the richness of their flesh and milk, the latter of which is said to be more nourishing than that of a cow; the thickness and warmth of their fur, (serving for clothing); and their susceptibility of government, and extraor-traordinary sagacity they displayed in dinary sagacity, render them a valuable, and prove them to be a wise and express provision of the all-wise Creator, for his intelligent inhabitants of those cold and solitary districts of the earth. They are essential companions for those far-northern Europeans; and must be the principal means and source of their long and dreary winter's comfort, convenience, and recreation; and tend greatly to prolong their lives. In sledges drawn by rein-deer, it is said, the Laplanders make long excursions on the snow, and, without much fatigue, travel fifty miles a day; and occasionally pass over hill and dale, two hundred miles in the same straight course. travelling. They were completely under the command of a leader or captain, which not only headed their march, but seemed upon every difficulty to issue orders which were promptly and implicitly obeyed. This was most remarkable when they came to the boat for embarkation. A new situation required stronger exercise of instinct, approaching to reason, and of courage, than had previously been called forth. The herdsman, a Norwegian, got into the boat, and invited the captain of the deer to follow him. Generally obedient to his wishes, the noble animal approached, and put his foot from the pier into the vessel. It was the first unsteady ground he had I have extracted from "Kames' ever trod, and he recoiled in alarm. Sketches of the History of Man," (a Fresh invitations, and fresh investiwork that is to be found in few of our gations of the boat ensued; the whole fashionable and novel-constructed li- herd looking on, and watching these, braries) a literal translation of two to them, as well as to the human specLapland Odes, communicated by tators, interesting proceedings. At Scheffer, in his history of that coun- last the captain felt assured: he entry;" which," says his lordship, "are tered the boat, and trod upon and full of the tenderest sentiments that examined every plank. When fully love can inspire;" which, from their satisfied, he uttered a kind of snort, simplicity, their natural and elevated and in three minutes the hitherto pasexpression of unrefined thought and sive herd had bounded into and filled feeling, cannot fail to gratify the the boat. Nor was this all the wonderreader; and which, I presume, willful display of animal intelligence: the not be deemed by you, either as ill-vessel was overloaded, and, as he had placed or improper concomitants of the article which precedes them. I am, Sir, Your most humble servant, Barnsley, Nov. 17th, 1821. A. Mr. Bullock, whose attention to the study of natural history is well known, has succeeded in bringing specimens of rein-deer to this country, which may perhaps lead to the conciliation of our mountain forests with this interesting animal. While on a tour in Norway, he procured a herd of twenty, the whole of which were killed by eating a poisonous plant, that grew upon a small island on which they were placed for security, previous to embarkation. He, however, was not to be driven from his object. He once more went into the interior, and intimated other things, he also intimated this to his followers. Were we not assured of the fact, we could hardly credit it; no sooner was this done, than the individual deer he appeared to address, leaped into another boat. On arriving in the Thames, it unluckily happened that the customhouse officer at Gravesend, did not feel himself authorized to allow the deer to be landed. But before the application could be made to the proper authorities in London, the majority of the poor herd fell victims to their confinement on ship-board. They began to die very fast, and eight of the twelve deer were thus destroyed. The remnant saved, consists of a male and female, a fawn*, and a male which has been cut. The latter is the *It died lately. captain, of which we have spoken, and the largest of the animals, being, we suppose, about ten hands high, and proportionably stout. The others are a hand or two lower. Their fur is astonishingly thick, very fine, and deThe horns licately soft and warm. branch in a singular and beautiful manner, and are entirely covered with a short fur. Those of the female form almost a perfect coronet, above a foot in height, and her head is of a most elegant shape. The captain's antlers are three feet in length; on one side branching from a single root, on the other having two branches bending forwards over the nose, issuing from the head with the main branch. The fawn had only two short protuber ances. Their hoofs are very broad, and flexible between the divisions. This enables them to clamber up the precipices, and hang on rocks inaccessible to all other animals. Their speed is prodigious. They seem to be reconciled to hay as food; like brandy, which is administered as a medicine; and there is nothing at present to cause a doubt of the practicability of naturalizing them in England. Along with the deer, Mr. B. has brought a native Laplander, his wife, and child. These beings are about four feet eight inches in height; the man being of the common size, the woman rather tall. The child, a curiosity in its way, is about five years old. II. Could I but know, amid what flowers, With all their verdant pride, And her envious darkness hide, I from the roots and bed of earth would tear. Upon the raft of clouds I'd ride, O' th' ravens I would borrow wings, POETRY. LINES FOR THE NEW YEAR. "There's nought remains at rest.” THE opening morn, the splendid noon, With heaven's bright planet grac'd; Meek Vesper, with night's silver moon, Tell-nought remains at rest. The tide returns, and ebbs again, The river hies with haste; With rills, and springs, into the mainFor nought remains at rest. The comet, wandering far on high, The various seasons, as they rise, Thus day and night, and star and flood, That, throughthe wondrous works of God,-- If action then be nature's law, This truth should be impress'd: "That life in deeds of love should flow All blessing, and all bless'd." SONNET. (Written on the Strand.) TO THE OCEAN. STUPENDOUS product of the Almighty's hand, Through whose wide fields ten thousand creatures play; Since all our labours for a while are sped, With hearts elate these boards to-night we tread, Determin'd, whilst thro' learning's path we For once, at least, if you approve-to play. stray, No tragic scenes are ours-no strain of woe, The heaving sigh or melting tear to draw, But such alone as soothe the lab'ring mind, When long to graver, weightier cares confin'd. Thus the lone travell'r, when the sun descends, To seek repose his weary way he bends, Elate he rises, and pursues his way. But when with sleep refresh'd, at dawn of day, At length the long-expected moment nigh, Unto our posts with anxious hopes we fly, For, when the trumpet to the battle sounds, The hoarse loud blast the dauntless beast astounds: But on your candour we to-night rely, Assur'd that truth will guide you in our destiny. December 25th, 1821. ON THE DEATH OF A FEMALE FRIEND. That into being leap'd at His command, WHEN gloomy themes invite the pensive muse, seas, obey! I've seen thy raging billows on the shore While on the ear the deep-resounding roar fill. But where mild peace commands, joy beams upon the plains. Nor of forgetfulness secure the blame. And cheerfulness disperse the mists of gloom? warms. But as to me the blessing is deny'd, A drooping mother she has left behind, E For oft their cravings did her hands appease, Like some sweet flow'ret whose superior grace, O'erpowers the various beauty of the fields, At death's approach her mortal powers resign'd; And wing'd her flight in his triumphal car. And fills the ethereal regions with its sound; In glorious grandeur now they move along, " ON THE SUN.-By B. F. HOPKINS. O THOU celestial muse, whose power divine Presides o'er splendid orbs that radiant shine, Propitious hear thy humble votary's prayer, Who now the theme subline does feebly dare. When Phosphorus, the fulgent morning star, Proclaims th' approach of Phoebus' beamy car; When the red orient ushers in his light That puts the twinkling stars to hasty flight, How beautiful the view!--the shades dispel, Thro' liquid plains the glitt'ring chariot hurl. And death triumphant in the body reigns; The soul, indignant at the vengeful foe, With grief reluctant seeks the shades below. Meantime when earth perceives his genial beam, The trees and plants with virent foliage teem; All nature seems reviv'd, and grateful pays The homage due to his enliv'ning rays. Phoebus, still pressing on with vig'rous force, Thro' the mid-heaven pursues his steady coure: Just as some mighty serpent of the deep, Who o'er the raging waves strict watch does keep, When he perceives afar his destin'd prey, Straight thro' the foamy tide he cuts his way; The swelling surge increases more and more, And roaring billows refluent beat the shore. Thus, while the solar god drives on his steeds, Sublime in august pomp he swift proceeds. Till now far past the heaven's meridian height, The length'ning shades foretell his setting light; A purple tinge o'erspreads the western sky, Bright Sol seems colonr'd with a crimson dye; Then soon he sinks beneath the mountain's brow, And bids, till rosy-finger'd morn, adieu. GOTHRE.-A FRAGMENT. THE sound smote his ear from the midst of a And fill'd him with fear while a moment he wood, stood; So shrill was the note, so loud was the strain, Ere he mov'd from the spot he would hear it again : He through the wood hied with hurried pace, Far in a lone den, near a ruinous tower, |