whole exhibition. A servant, with a light kihei of painted native cloth thrown over his shoulder, stood behind his chair, holding a highly polished spittoon, made of the beautifully brown wood of the cordia in one hand, and in the other a handsome kahiri, an elastic rod, three or four feet long, having the shining feathers of the tropic-bird tastefully fastened round the upper end, with which he fanned away the flies from the person of his master. The beach was crowded with spectators, and the exhibition kept up with great spirit, till the overspread ing shades of evening put an end to their mirth, and afforded a respite to the poor children, whose little limbs must have been very much fatigued by two hours of constant exercise. We were anxious to address the multitude on the subject of religion before they should disperse; but so intent were they on their amusement, that they could not have been diverted from it. I succeeded, however, in taking a sketch of the novel assemblage, in which, a youth, who had climbed a high pole, (that, looking over the heads of the throng who surrounded the dancers, he might witness the scene,) formed a conspicuous object. A messenger now invited us to sup with the governor, and we soon after joined him and his friends around his hospitable board. Our repast was not accompanied by the gladsome sound of "harp in hall" or "aged minstrel's flowing lay," yet it was enlivened by an interesting youthful bard, twelve or fourteen years of age, who was seated on the ground in the large room in which we were assembled, and who, during the supper, sung, in a monotonous but pleasing strain, the deeds of former chiefs, ancestors of our host. His fingers swept no "classic lyre," but beat, in a manner responsive to his song, a rustic little drum, formed of a calabash, beautifully stained, and covered at the head with a piece of shark skin. The governor and his friends were evidently pleased with his lay, and the youth seemed repaid by their approbation. In the morning of the 16th, Messrs. Goodrich and Harwood endeavoured to ascertain the height of Mouna Huararai, by means of two observations at the extremity of a base line of 2230 feet. They made the height of the mountain to be 7822 feet; but their quadrant being an inferior one, we thought the height of the mountain greater than that given above, though it is never covered with snow. The accounts the natives gave us of the roads we were to travel, and the effects the short journeys already made had produced on our shoes, convinced us that those we had brought with us would be worn out before we had proceeded even half way round the island. We therefore provided a substitute, by procuring a tough bull's hide from the governor's storehouse, and making ourselves rude sandals; which we afterwards found very serviceable, as they enabled us to travel over large tracts of lava with much more expedition and comfort than we could possibly have done without them. At four P. M. the musicians from Kau again collected on the beach, and the dancer commenced a hura, similar to that exhibited on Monday evening. We had previously appointed a religious meeting for this evening, and, about an hour before sun-set, proposed to the governor to hold it on the beach, where the people were already assembled. He approved, and followed us to the edge of the circle, where we took our station, opposite the musicians. At the governor's request the music ceased, and the dancer came and sat down just in front of us. We sang a hymn; I then offered up a short prayer, and afterwards addressed the people from Acts xiv. 15; "And preach unto you, that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein." The multitude collected was from different and distant parts of the island, and appeared to listen with attention to the word spoken. To many, it was doubtless the first time they had heard of the name of Jehovah, or of Jesus Christ his Son, and we afterwards heard them conversing among themselves about the truths they had heard. After supper and family worship at the governor's, I spent the evening in conversation with him, partly on traditions respecting some remarkable places in the neighbourhood of Kairua, and partly on the subject of religion. I spoke on the desirableness of his building a place for the public worship of the true God, and the advantages of keeping the Sabbath as a day of holy rest, recommending him to set the common people a good example, and use his influence to induce them to attend public service on the Lord's day. He said it was his intention to build a church by and by, when the maka-ainana should become interested in these things, and when they should have a missionary to reside permanently with them; but that at present the people at Kairua were quite indifferent to all religion. For several days past we have observed many of the people bringing home from their plantations bun |