THE SOCIETY ISLANDS,-Raiatea, Tahaa, Huahine, Borabora, Maupiti, &c., renounced idolatry in 1818. The Government is independent of the French at Tahiti. The population is, perhaps, 10,000.

The

MELANESIA is an indefinite title, like Micronesia, given by Missionaries and others to certain islands inhabited by the Papuan black races. Melanesian Mission has its head quarters at Norfolk Island, or at Mota, Bank's Island. It was founded by the adventurous and laborious Bishop Selwyn, and continued by the equally worthy and self-denying Bishop Patteson, who was murdered at Nupaka, near Santa Cruz, September, 1871. The Santa Cruz Islands, some of the New Hebrides, and the Solomon Islands, are regularly visited, and natives of the islands are taken and educated in the Mission schools, to act as schoolmasters and teachers to their brethren.

MICRONESIA,-the Gilbert Islands, Marshall's Islands, and the Caroline Islands. These Missions are under the care of the Missionaries of the [See page 110.]

American Board of Foreign Missions, and of the "Hawaiian Missionary Society.' They were commenced in 1852. On the Gilbert Islands there are also Missionaries, (Natives,) sent by the "Samoan Missionary Committee,” London Society.

PITCAIRN'S ISLAND, well known as the residence of the descendants of the mutineers of the Bounty, now removed partly to Norfolk Island, has a Missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.

THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS,-Tongataboo Islands, Habai Íslands, and Vavau Islands, population, about 30,000; discovered by Tasman, 1643. In 1797, the London Missionary Society sent 10 Missionaries to Tonga, but three of these were murdered, and the rest fled, in 1800, to New South Wales. The Mission was recommenced by the Rev. Walter Lawry, of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, in 1822, followed by John Thomas, Nathaniel Turner, J. Watkin, S. Rabone, Thomas West, J. Adams, and others. (Great credit is due to the Native Missionaries from Tahiti at Nakualofu, in Tonga, who carried on the work in the absence of any European Missionary.) In 1830-5 a great religious movement took place, and from that time these islands became by profession Christian. The King (George) is a Christian and a preacher, a noble-minded and able man. The Government has been much liberalized.

THE FIJIAN ISLANDS, 150 in number, of which 100 are inhabited; population, 150 to 300,000. The two largest islands are Viti Levu, and Vanua Levu. Lakemba and Levuka are also, from their position, of great importance. Tasman first discovered this group in 1648, and they were visited by Cook, Bligh, and Wilson. Of all the Polynesians, the Fijians were known as the most cruel and ferocious, and as addicted to cannibalism. The first attempt to introduce Christianity was made by the Native Agents of the London Missionary Society; but by an agreement made by the Wesleyan Missionary Society and the London Missionary Society in England, the Wesleyans engaged to give up their Mission in Samoa to the London Missionary Society, and the London Missionary Society engaged to withdraw from Fiji. The Wesleyan Mission was commenced in 1835, by Messrs. Cross and Cargill; others have also laboured with great zeal and success:-Hunt, Calvert, Waterhouse, Lyth, Williams, Hazlewood, Watsford, &c. Many were the discouragements and trials of the Missionaries, but in 1854 the King of Bau, the principal of all the chiefs of the islands, embraced Christianity, not, however, until many thousands of the Fijians had become Christians. Cannibalism has now ceased in the greater part of the Fiji Islands; and the success of the Missions, as represented in the Tables, has been marvellous. The islands are now being colonized by Europeans from Sydney, &c., and an attempt was made in 1870-1 to set up a sort of Native European Government, which has proved a failure. The Sovereignty is now offered to Great Britain, (1873,) and will we trust be accepted. In 1867 the Rev. Mr. Baker and 5 Native Missionaries were murdered by the barbarous natives of the island of Viti Levu.

NEW HEBRIDES, a large group of islands, about twenty larger and many smaller islands,-population, 200,000, barbarous as the Fijians were, as yet imperfectly known. The northern islands were discovered by De Quiros and Torres in 1606; the southern by Bougainville, 1768, and by Cook, 1774. On a visit of exploration for Missionary purposes, the Rev. John Williams, of the London Missionary Society, lost his life in 1839, at Erromanga. The London Missionary_Society, stimulated rather than discouraged, established a Mission in Tanna, Erromanga, &c.,1842-1850; but this Mission seems to have been absorbed into that of the Presbyterian Churches, which commenced in Aneitum, 1848, and extended to Tanna, Erromanga, and Fate, &c., &c. In Erromanga the Rev. G. N. Gordon and his wife were murdered, May 20th, 1861; and on the 25th of February, 1872, the Rev. J. N. Gordon was murdered by the natives. The perseverance of the Missionaries has been rewarded by a fair measure of success.

[See page 111.]

SAMOA, OR NAVIGATOR'S ISLANDS,-eight in number, the principal being Savaii and Upolu, discovered by the Dutch navigator Roggevin in 1722, and by Bougainville in 1769,-population, 150,000; first visited by Rev. Mr. Williams, London Missionary Society, in 1830-2. Several Native Missionaries were labouring in Samoa, when, in 1835, the Wesleyan Missionaries from Tonga commenced a Mission there; and soon after, the Rev. Mr. Platt, of the London Missionary Society, commenced another Mission, or rather, reinforced the Mission already established. By the agreement of the two Societies, the Wesleyans relinquished this Mission. Unfortunately the King of Tonga sent Native teachers to Samoa in 1856, and soon after the Wesleyan Committee in Sydney appointed European Missionaries. This action was disapproved of by the General Committee in London, but the Sydney Committee found it difficult to withdraw without producing greater evils than those arising out of two Missionary Societies labouring in the same field.

[See page 112.]

THE AUSTRAL ISLANDS, discovered by Vancouver, 1791, are 5 in number, supposed population, 4,000: Rapa, Raivavai, Toobouai, Rurutoo, Rimatara. Christianity was first introduced by Native Missionaries from Tahiti, 1822-5. HERVEY ISLANDS, (called also Cook's Islands,) discovered by Captain Cook, 1773, 1777, except Raratonga, which was discovered by the Missionary Williams in 1823. They are seven in number. Mangaia, Atiu, Miticro, Mauke, Aitutaki, and Raratonga,-population, 16,000; first Native Christian Missionaries from the Society Islands. When Mr. Williams had discovered Raratonga, he and Mr. Pitman settled as Missionaries there in 1827.

SAVAGE ISLAND, (NIUE,) discovered by Cook in 1773. The first Native Missionaries were placed there by Mr. Williams in 1830. Population, 5,000. These once savage people are now peaceable and civilized.

In

LOYALTY ISLANDS, discovered by Captain Cook; four islands, of which Lifu, Mare, and Uea are the chief. The barbarian cruelty and cannibalism of the population is now yielding to the influence of the London Missionaries, natives and Europeans. In the Lagoon (Beveridge Reef) and Loyalty Islands, and Ellis Islands, the Native Teachers have undergone great trials. April, 1872, there was a massacre of Protestant natives in the Loyalty Islands, 700 being compelled to join the Romish Church by a Popish chief; and so far, no efficient redress or protection has been given by the French authorities in New Caledonia, who claim the sovereignty of these islands.

Grammars, &c.-Hawaiian Grammar and Dictionary, by Missionaries of the American Board of Foreign Missions. Hawaiian Vocabulary, by the Missionaries of the American Board of Foreign Missions. Tahitian Grammar and Dictionary, by Missionaries of the London Missionary Society. Tongan Dictionary, by Rev. S. Rabone, Wesleyan Missionary Society. Tongan Grammar, by Rev. Thomas West, Wesleyan Missionary Society. Fijian Grammar and Dictionary, by the Rev. D. Hazlewood, Wesleyan Missionary Society. Raratonga (Hervey's Islands) Grammar, by Rev. A. Buzacott, London Missionary Society.

BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETIES.

1. The British and Foreign Bible Society has circulated 7,050 Scriptures and portions of Scripture in the Sandwich and Micronesian Islands, at a cost of £495. It has paid £40 for the printing of portions of the Aneitum Scriptures. For the expense of the Samoan translation, £200; on account of the Raratonga Scriptures, £70.

EDITIONS OF THE SCRIPTURES.

1. The British and Foreign Bible Society has published St. Matthew in the Faté language; the entire Bible in Hawaiian, and in the language of Tahiti; Gospel of St. John in Marquesan; the entire Bible in Tonguese and Fijian, and Samoan and Raratongan; the New Testament and part of the Old in the language of Aneitum; Genesis, St. Matthew, and St. Luke, in the language of Erromanga; New Testament and Psalms in the language of Niue; the Books of Genesis, Exodus, and the New Testament, in the language of Neugonesi and Mare (Loyalty Islands); New Testament and Psalms in Lifu; part of the New Testament in Jaian (spoken at Uea); and some chapters in the language of New Caledonia.

2. The American Bible Society has published the entire Bible in the language of the Sandwich Islands, and the New Testament in that language, and in English; also the Gospel of St. John in the language of Strong Island; Acts, Matthew, and Mark in the language of Marshall's Islands; Matthew, John, and Ephesians, in the language of Gilbert's Islands (Micronesia).

IX. MISSIONS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA.

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They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before Him; and His enemies shall lick the dust."-Psalm lxxii. 9.

"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose."—Isaiah xxxv. 1.

1. SOUTHERN AFRICA comprises the old Cape Colony, with its dependencies:-(1.) British Kaffraria (now united to the Cape Colony). (2.) Fingoland. (3.) Independent Kaffraria. (4.) Basutuland. (5.) Griqualand West, &c. (6.) Griqualand (New); the Colony of Natal; the Orange Sovereignty; and the Transvaal Republic. Beyond the Transvaal Republic to the North are the powerful Amandebele Tribes; to the West of these the scattered Bechuana Tribes; North of the Western Division of the Cape Colony are the Namaqua, Damara (Herrero), and Ovampo Tribes.

2. The population of these regions has been ascertained by census, in part. Where no census has been taken, the numbers are mere estimates: a supposed tolerable approximation to fact, but by no means to be depended upon.

Add to these, for the Matabele and Bechuana scattered tribes, about 300,000, and the Zulus and other tribes, from Natal to Delagoa Bay, say 250,000; and we may guess that probably South Africa south of 18° south latitude, and including the Portuguese settlements, may perhaps contain two millions of inhabitants! The importance of these regions however is not to be estimated by the number of their inhabitants, but by their character and ability. The European races naturalized in South Africa, and the natives brought under Christian and civilizing influence through Christian Missions and the restraining power of the Colonial laws, are the agents to whom we look for the future civilization and Christianization of one half of the African Continent. To some this may appear a sanguine anticipa

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