THREE CENTURIES' PERSPECTIVES
guments, both quoted directly from his journals. First, Tahitian
Christianity seems deep and genuine, not "for show" and only in the
presence of missionaries. Darwin cites an incident from his travels
with native Tahitians into the island's interior, far from scrutiny.
(This event must have impressed Darwin powerfully, for he told the
tale in several letters to family members back home and included an
account in his Voyage of the Beagle):
Before we laid ourselves down to sleep, the elder Tahitian fell on his knees,
and repeated a long prayer. He seemed to pray as a christian should, with
fitting reverence to his God, without ostentatious piety, or fear of ridicule.
At daylight, after their morning prayer, my companions prepared an excel-
lent breakfast of bananas and fish. Neither of them would taste food without
saying a short grace. Those travellers, who hint that a Tahitian prays only
when the eyes of the missionaries are fixed on him, might have profited by
similar evidence.
Second, and more important, Tahitian good qualities have been
created, or substantially fostered, by missionary activity. They were
a dubious lot, Darwin asserts, before Western civilization arrived.
On the whole, it is my opinion that the state of morality and religion in
Tahiti is highly creditable.... Human sacrifices,—the bloodiest warfare,—
parricide,—and infanticide,—the power of an idolatrous priesthood,—and
a system of profligacy unparalleled in the annals of the world,—have been
abolished,—and dishonesty, licentiousness, and intemperance have been
greatly reduced, by the introduction of Christianity.(On the subject of sexual freedom in women, so long an issue
and legend for Tahitian travelers from Captain Cook to Fletcher
Christian, FitzRoy remarked: "I would scarcely venture to give a
general opinion, after only so short an acquaintance; but I may say
that I witnessed no improprieties." Nonetheless, FitzRoy did admit
that "human nature in Tahiti cannot be supposed superior to erring
human nature in other parts of the world." Darwin then added a
keen observation on hypocrisy in Western male travelers who do
not sufficiently credit missionaries as a result of their private frustra-
tion on this issue: "I do believe that, disappointed in not finding the
field of licentiousness so open as formerly, and as was expected, they
will not give credit to a morality which they do not wish to practise.")
Many arguments float back and forth through this interesting