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of Maui prior to the arrival of Captain Cook; but, with the exception of this chief, all the natives we have conversed with on the subject, and we have conversed with many, declare that they had no idea of a ship before Capt. Cook was seen off Tauai. The ship they called motu, an island, probably supposing it was an island with all its inhabitants.

Marvellous reports respecting the ships and people were circulated through the islands, between the first discovery off Tauai and the return of the vessels from the north-west coast of America. Aa mo, skin of lizard's egg, a native of Tauai, who was on board one of the ships, procured a piece of canvass about a yard and a half long, which Tiha, king of Tauai, sent as a present to Poriorani, king of Oahu. He gave it to his queen Opuhani, by whom it was worn on the most conspicuous part of her dress in a public procession, and attracted more attention than any thing else. The piece of cloth was called Aa mo, after the man who had the honour of bringing it from the ships.

The most unaccountable circumstance connected with the priest Paao is his arriving alone, though he might be the only survivor of his party. If such a person ever did arrive, we should think he was a Roman Catholic priest, and the reported gods an image and a crucifix.

The different parties that subsequently arrived were probably, if any inference may be drawn from the accounts of the natives, survivors of the crew of some Spanish ship wrecked in the neighbourhood, perhaps on the numerous reefs to the north-west; or they might have been culprits committed by their countrymen to the mercy of the waves. The circumstance of the first party leaving the island in the same boat in which they arrived would lead us to suppose they had been wrecked, and had escaped in their boat, or had constructed a bark out of the wreck of their ship, as has subsequently been the case with two vessels wrecked in the vicinity of these islands.

It is possible that one or other of the islands might have been seen by some Spanish ship passing between Acapulco and Manilla; but it is not probable that they were ever visited by any of these ships. An event so interesting to the people would not have been left out of

their traditions, which contain many things much less important; and had the Spaniards discovered them, however jealous they might be of such a discovery becoming known to other nations, that jealousy would not have prevented their availing themselves of the facilities which the islands afforded for refitting or recruiting their vessels, which must frequently have been most desirable during the period their ships were accustomed to traverse these seas.

These accounts, but particularly the latter, are generally known, and have been related by different persons at distant places. All agree respecting the boat, clothing, sword, &c. of the party who arrived at Kearake'kua. Among others, the late king Rihoriho gave us a detailed account of their landing, &c. only a short time before he embarked for England. We feel but little doubt of the fact; but the country whence they came, the place whither they were bound, the occasion of their visit, and a variety of interesting particulars connected therewith, will probably remain undiscovered.

The 31st was the Sabbath. The stillness of every thing around, the decent apparel of those who were seen passing and repassing, together with the numbers of canoes all drawn up on the beach, under the shade of the cocoanut or kou-trees, combined to mark the return of the la tabu, or sacred day. An unusual number attended family prayers at the governor's house in the morning; and at half-past ten the bell was rung for public worship. About eight hundred people assembled under the ranai, and I preached to them from Heb. xi. 7. And after a succinct account of the deluge, I endeavoured to exhibit the advantages of faith, and the consequences of wickedness and unbelief, as illustrated in the salvation of Noah and the destruction of the rest of mankind.

After the conclusion of the service, several persons present requested me to remain till they had made some inquiries respecting the deluge, Noah, &c.

They said they were informed by their fathers that all the land had once been overflowed by the sea, except a small peak on the top of Mouna Kea, where two human beings were preserved from the destruction that overtook the rest; but they said they had never before heard of a ship, or of Noah, having always been accustomed

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to call it the kai a Kahinárii (sea of Kahinárii). After conversing with them some time, I returned to the governor's.

The afternoon was principally employed in conversation with him on the flood, and the repeopling of the earth by the descendants of Noah. The governor seemed to doubt whether it were possible that the Hawaiians could be the descendants of Noah; but said he thought their progenitors must have been created on the islands. I told him the account in the Bible had every evidence that could be wished to support it; referred him to his own traditions, not only of Hawaii having been peopled by persons who came in canoes from a foreign country, but of their having in their turn visited other islands and planted colonies, as in the days of Kamapiikai-the superiority of their war-canoes in former days-the resemblance in manners, customs, traditions, and language between themselves and other islanders in the Pacific, many thousand miles distant.

The longevity of mankind in the days of Noah also surprised him. Comparing it with the period of human life at the present time, he said, " By-and-by men will not live more than forty years."

At half-past four in the afternoon the bell rang again, and the people collected in numbers about equal to those who attended in the morning. I preached to them from the words, "Be not weary in well-doing, for in due season ye shall reap, if ye faint not "

Numbers thronged the governor's house at evening worship. The conversation afterward turned upon the identity of the body at the resurrection, and the reward of the righteous in heaven. The governor asked if people would know each other in heaven; and when answered in the affirmative, said he thought Christian relations would be very happy when they met there. Some who were present asked, "If there is no eating and drinking or wearing of clothes in heaven, wherein does its goodness consist ?" This was a natural question for a Hawaiian to ask, who never had an idea of happiness, except in the gratification of his natural appetites and feelings. In answer to the question, they were. however, informed that the joys of heaven were intellectual and spiritual, and would infinitely exceed, both in their nature and duration, every earthly enjoyment, At a late hour I took leave of the governor and

his family, thanking him at the same time for the hospitable entertainment we had received, and the great facilities he had afforded for accomplishing the objects of our visit.

About three o'clock in the morning, being awoke by the shouts of the men who were heaving up the anchor of the pilot-boat, I repaired on board, and immediately afterward we sailed with a gentle breeze blowing from the land. The wind was light and baffling, and it was noon before we reached Towaihae, where I learned with disappointment that the Nio had sailed to Oahu. On landing I was welcomed by Mr. Young, with whom I remained till the pilot-boat was ready to sail for Lahaina.

Late in the evening of the 2d of September, after preaching to the people of the place at Mr. Young's house, I went again on board the pilot-boat, but found her so full of sandal-wood that there was not room for any person below, while the decks were crowded with natives. The weather was unfavourable for getting under way till nearly daylight; and every person on board was completely drenched by the heavy rain that fell during the night.

During the forenoon of the 3d, we drifted slowly to the northward, and about noon took in eight hundred dried fish, after which we made sail for Maui. The weather was warm, the wind light; and all on board being obliged to keep on deck, without any screen or shade from the scorching rays of a vertical sun, the situation was very uncomfortable. At three P. M. we took the channel-breeze, which soon wafted us across to the south-east part of Maui.

As the shores of Hawaii receded from my view, a variety of reflections insensibly arose in my mind. The tour which, in the society of my companions, I had made had been replete with interest. The varied and sublime phenomena of nature had elevated our conceptions of "nature's God;" the manners and customs of the inhabitants had increased our interest in their welfare; while their superstition, moral degradation, ignorance, and vice had called forth our sincerest commiseration. We had made known the nature and consequences of sin, spoken of the love of God, and had exhibited the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Saviour to multitudes who had never before heard his name, or been directed

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to worship the holy and living God, and who would probably never hear these truths again. We cherish the hope that, under the Divine blessing, lasting good will result, even from this transient visit.

Many of the individuals we have met on these occasions, we shall in all probability meet no more till the morning of the resurrection. May we meet them then on the right-hand of the Son of God!

At sunset we arrived off Morokini, but were shortly after becalmed. The current, however, was in our favour through the night, and at daylight on the 4th we found ourselves off the east end of the district of Lahaina, and about a mile distant from the shore. Many of the natives jumped into the sea, and swam to the beach, holding their clothes above their heads with one hand, and swimming with the other.

On landing I waited on Keopuolani, the king's mother, whom I found ill; Karaimoku, Kaahumanu, Kalakua, and several other chiefs were reclining around her, weeping. After some time, Karaimoku proposed that they should unitedly pray for her recovery, and his proposal was acceded to.

Towards evening I visited the governor of the island, and also the king, who was then at Maui. The subsequent voyage of the latter to Great Britain, accompanied by his queen, and the melancholy event which terminated their lives while in London, excited considerable interest, and will probably be considered sufficient apology for a short account of them, although the event took place after my visit to Maui at this time.

The late king of the Sandwich Islands was the son of Tamehameha, former king, and Keopuolani, daughter of Kauikeouli, and Kakuiapoiwa. He was born in the eastern part of Hawaii, in the year 1795 or 1796. The name by which he was generally known was Rihoriho, which was only a contraction of Kalaninui-rihoriho, literally, the heaven's great black-from Ka lani, the heavens, nui, great, and rihoriho, applied to any thing burned to blackness. On public occasions he was sometimes called Tamehameha, after his father, though names are not always hereditary. Besides these, he had a variety of other names, the most common of which was Iolani. The word lani, heaven or sky, formed a component part

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