service, are of a refined nature, allowing little or nothing of the grossness of material idolatry; and that, on the contrary, when they are few, but at the same time exercised on very durable substances, then the greatest tendency exists to the worship of the mere works of man’s hands.  Sagacious and clever people, in other words, have cunningly devised fables for their creeds; the clumsy-headed and the idle fall down before stocks and stones, as if there were no such things as memory or imagination or understanding in the world.  It follows, that to extirpate gross idolatry, you must multiply inventions, and encourage ingenuity—­the first operation, it may be confidently said, to which missionaries among the heathens should direct their exertions.  It is no less certain, that to destroy spiritual idolatry, nothing short of the mighty power of God himself, implanting a new principle allied to his own nature, is available.  When missionaries obtain the management and dispensation of this new principle, then, and only then, they will succeed in making men worshippers in spirit and in truth.  But the propriety of their labours is to be evinced on other grounds, than the success attending them.—­E.]

The canoes, or boats, which are used by the inhabitants of this and the neighbouring islands, may be divided into two general classes; one of which they call Ivahahs, the other Pahies.

The Ivahah is used for short excursions to sea, and is wall-sided and flat-bottomed; the Pahie for longer voyages, and is bow-sided and sharp-bottomed.  The Ivahahs are all of the same figure, but of different sizes, and used for different purposes:  Their length is from seventy-two feet to ten, but the breadth is by no means in proportion; for those of ten feet are about a foot wide, and those of more than seventy are scarcely two.  There is the fighting Ivahah; the fishing Ivahah, and the travelling Ivahah; for some of these go from one island to another.  The fighting Ivahah is by far the longest, and the head and stern are considerably raised above the body, in a semicircular form; particularly the stern, which is sometimes seventeen or eighteen feet high, though the boat itself is scarcely three.  These never go to sea single; but are fastened together, side by side, at the distance of about three feet, by strong poles of wood, which are laid across them and lashed to the gunwales.  Upon these, in the fore-part, a stage or platform is raised, about ten or twelve feet long, and somewhat wider than the boats, which is supported by pillars about six feet high:  Upon this stage stand the fighting men, whose missile weapons are slings and spears; for, among other singularities in the manners of these people, their bows and arrows are used only for diversion, as we throw quoits:  Below these stages sit the rowers, who receive from them those that are wounded, and furnish fresh men to ascend in their room.  Some of these have a platform of bamboos or other light wood, through their whole length, and considerably broader, by means of which they will carry a great number of men; but we saw only one fitted in this manner.