RIMATARA. 17 



a missionary's friend, from Hawaii, and there 

 I accordingly sent off through him, on a slip 

 of paper, very legibly written by the native 

 teacher, a Kimatara letter, of which the follow- 

 ing is a literal translation : 



" Dear Friend and Father, 



" May you be saved by the true God. This 

 is our communication to you. Come thou 

 hither upon the shore, that we may see you 

 in respect to all the words of God which are 

 right with you. It is our desire that you come 

 to-day. 



" From Teutino and his brethren." 



Eager to know something more of a people 

 from whom came so cordial an aloha, and 



" My very heart athirst 

 To look on Nature in her robe of green," 



I made ready to go ashore. The breakers were 

 not formidable enough, though beating with 

 fearful violence, to make me forego the novelty 

 of setting foot on a coral South Pacific island, 

 and the pleasure of a stroll among the trees 

 : seven weeks at sea. Taking, therefore, 



c 



