VISIT TO EIMEO. 253 blessing upon its truth to themselves, and to all who heard it. Between the hours of public worship, I joined the mission family in an English service of singing, reading, and prayer, in Mr. Wilson's parlour. The greatest quietude reigned around; and the whole external observance of the day by the natives, in a suspension of all ordinary occupations and amusements, was such as to be worthy the imitation of older and more enlightened christian nations. LETTER XXXVIII. VISIT TO EIMEO, AND ARRIVAL AT THE Island of Raiatea: On the morning of the 26th ult., a party, of which I made one, sailed in two boats for the island of Eimeo, or Moorea, twelve or fifteen miles west of Tahiti. The Rev. Mr. Wilson kindly accompanied us in the excursion. On reaching the north end of the island, for which we steered on leaving Matavai, we entered within a reef skirting it at a distance of a quarter of a mile, and passing by the mouth of the bay of Paopao, or Cook's harbour, at present uninhabited, reached the missionary settlement at Papetoai, at the bay of Opunohu, or Taloo, a few miles farther west, early in the afternoon. The scenery along the northern shore is delightful, both bays lying cradled, like lakes, in the midst of mountains of the most picturesque wildness, and of the richest verdure. The whole surface of Eimeo is much more broken than that of Tahiti; and from whatever point viewed, its contour abounds in lofty pinnacles and shafts of wooded rock and mountain. We were received on the beach by the Rev. Mr. Simpson, and most hospitably entertained. Papetoai does not differ materially from Matavai and Papeeté, in the evidences of civilization and piety it presents. The chapel is very superior, and more substantial than any other building yet erected in the South Seas, being of hewn coral, not dissimilar in its appearance to a light freestone or marble. It is an octagon, sixty or seventy feet in diameter, well plastered and whitewashed within, and furnished with convenient seats constructed of the timber of the bread-fruit tree. The gallery, and a handsome pulpit, are of the same material. Early the next morning we left for Afareaitu, returning to the north-east point inside of the reef, and then coasting along the eastern shore, eight or ten miles, to a little islet marking the entrance of the harbour. Afareaitu is a lovely spot, surrounded by magnificent and beautiful objects. The South Sea academy, chapel, and cottages of the natives, stretching in a long line of whiteness around the bay, at the water's edge, beneath mountains springing almost perpendicularly more than three thousand feet high, present a delightful scene as you row in from the sea, and show what additional beauty the hand of art and civilization can scatter over the splendours of natural scenery. On the subject of the South Sea Academy, the cotton manufactory, and others of a similar kind, I must refer to the "Polynesian Researches" of our friend Ellis, in which you will find every desirable information respecting them. During the afternoon of Thursday, we made a water party for the missionaries and children of the academy, and visited the islet on the reef in front of the settlement. It commands a beautiful view of bay and mountains; and I occupied the time we were upon it, principally in taking a sketch, to add to the collection already in my portfolio. Our kind friends furnished us with a repast before ARRIVAL AT RAIATEA. 255 dawn on the morning of the 28th; and immediately after, bidding them farewell, with grateful feelings for the hospitality with which we had been entertained, we left the harbour, on our return to the ship, while the stars were yet twinkling in the sky. On the first Sabbath we were at Mataval, Mr. Pritchard preached on board the Vincennes, and with the Rev. Mr. Crook, from a distant station on the southern side of the island, spent the day with us; and on the last, Mr. Pritchard, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Marenhaut, and Captain Brock, were at worship, and dined on board. In the evening Mr. Stribling and myself went on shore, to take leave of Mrs. Wilson and her daughters; and at ten o'clock on Monday, the Vincennes took her anchor, and bore away for the Society Islands, a hundred miles distant. It was the intention of Captain Finch to have touched at Huahine, the most eastern of this group; and last evening, after passing Tabuae-manu, at too great a distance to discern it distinctly, I retired to my cot, with the pleasing anticipation of making an early visit on shore at Fare, the station and settlement in pastoral charge of the Rev. Mr. Barff, long the colleague, and still the intimate friend, of Mr. Ellis. The wind, however, was light and unfavourable during the night, and by morning we had fallen so much to the leeward of the whole island, that it was determined to proceed without delay to Raiatea, also in sight. By twelve o'clock we had approached so near the northern end of Raiatea, as to distinguish the chapel and cottages of the settlement, with a flag-staff and the banner of the nation, a broad horizontal stripe of white between two of red, flying from its top. At the same time a native pilot boarded us, and, carrying the ship through a narrow opening in the reef, with a small island on either hand, brought us safely to anchor opposite the village, a mile and a half north of the entrance by which we had passed within the reef. We are in the midst of another varied and beautiful panorama. The ship lies within a short distance of the shore, which is richly edged with groves and single trees, and a fine undergrowth of the banana, sugar-cane, and various shrubbery, surrounding and overhanging the white cottages of the inhabitants. These stand thickly, in regular lines, along a single street, two miles or more in length, and are backed by abrupt hills, covered with grass and bushes, till they rise into a bold cliff with a flattened top, standing high above the settlement, and forming a striking land-mark in approaching the island on the eastern side. Our arrival attracted little attention; not a canoe came off, nor did any collection of persons on the shore, or other appearance, indicate the childish excitement usual among uncivilized people, on such occasions. From the pilot we learned, that Tamatoa, the king of Raiatea, and the whole royal party from Tahiti, were at the adjoining island of Tahaa ; and it was not till the cool of the evening, that any of the ship's company landed. I then went on shore, with several gentlemen of the ward-room. The landing is on a substantially-laid quay of coral, where we met an intelligent lad of twelve years, the son of the Rev. Mr. Williams, the missionary of the station. He informed us that his father was at the chapel, delivering a customary weekly lecture; and, on directing our walk up the street, we met, and returned with him to the mission-house, and were introduced to Mrs. Williams and her family. Their establishment is more neat and rural, and more comfortable in its whole arrangement, than any we have before seen. The house is large and convenient, having three pleasant rooms in front, opening by large folding doors on a veranda extending the entire RESIDENCE OF THE KING. 257 length of the building, and commands, across an enclosure filled with shrubbery, fruit, and flowers, a fine view of the ocean. Every thing around looked neat and prosperous; and, on taking a walk through the village, we found the same features marked, in a greater or less degree, on the habitations and appearance of the people every where. Still, we are told that the evidences of improvement in the arts and manner of life here, are not equal to those exhibited at the neighbouring island of Huahine. LETTER XXXIX. INTERVIEW WITH THE KING TAMATOA, AND A SABBATH AT RAIATEA. Island of Raiatea, MR. Williams called upon Captain Finch and the officers of the ship, early on the morning after our arrival, and there has been since a daily and almost hourly interchange of civility and kindness between the Vincennes and mission-house. Some of our number spend every evening on shore; and Mr. and Mrs. Williams and family, and Mrs. Hunter, the wife of a Captain Hunter, at present on the South American coast, have passed a day with us on ship-board. Learning that the wife of the king had not accompanied him to Tahaa, Captain Finch and myself paid her a visit on the morning of the 3d instant. The king's house is a respectable building, of frame, wattled, plastered, and whitewashed, in the manner now extensively introduced throughout the Georgian and Society Islands. It is in the cottage style of one story, with a roof of thatch, and has four rooms on the floor; one large and airy, used as a receptionhall, and the others smaller, appropriated as sleeping and dressing apartments. The former has four glazed windows and two large doors, one in panels S |