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Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

"The Voyage of the Beagle"

We attended divine service in the
chapel of Pahia; part of the service being read in English, and
part in the native language. Whilst at New Zealand we did not hear
of any recent acts of cannibalism; but Mr. Stokes found burnt human
bones strewed round a fireplace on a small island near the
anchorage; but these remains of a comfortable banquet might have
been lying there for several years. It is probable that the moral
state of the people will rapidly improve. Mr. Bushby mentioned one
pleasing anecdote as a proof of the sincerity of some, at least, of
those who profess Christianity. One of his young men left him, who
had been accustomed to read prayers to the rest of the servants.
Some weeks afterwards, happening to pass late in the evening by an
outhouse, he saw and heard one of his men reading the Bible with
difficulty by the light of the fire, to the others. After this the
party knelt and prayed: in their prayers they mentioned Mr. Bushby
and his family, and the missionaries, each separately in his
respective district.
DECEMBER 26, 1835.
Mr. Bushby offered to take Mr. Sulivan and myself in his boat some
miles up the river to Cawa-Cawa, and proposed afterwards to walk on
to the village of Waiomio, where there are some curious rocks.


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