LIFE OF JAMES DWIGHT DANA 



the old king and his subjects, we continued sitting with 

 them for an hour or more. I felt a deep pity for the old 

 man. His gray locks hung thickly about a face marked 

 with a dignity and gentleness that would have become a 

 royal sage. A face so venerable agitated with terror, 

 with a tear trickling from his bedimmed eyes, and decrepit 

 limbs trembling with fright, called forth our strongest 

 sympathies. The natives finally became somewhat 

 familiar with us, and we took the liberty of going to the 

 village. The women were off in their canoes within the 

 lagoon, lying a long distance from the shores. A green, 

 velvety moss covered the village plain beneath the shades 

 of the tall palms. The houses were scattered through 

 the grove without much regularity, and though rude in 

 structure, were yet neat and well became the scene 

 around. They are low buildings containing but a single 

 apartment. The roof comes down within thirty inches 

 of the ground, and is thatched with grass and leaves. 

 The door is low and small. The furniture is of the 

 simplest kind, consisting of a few cocoanut shells, as 

 drinking-cups or water-vessels, and mats that are spread 

 on the ground to sit or sleep on. I had longed to see a 

 race of savages wholly unacquainted with white men, in 

 order to realize the description of Cook and other naviga- 

 tors, and here I have been gratified. We gave an account 

 of them to the missionaries at the Navigator group, 

 whither we afterwards sailed, and probably this island 

 will before long be blessed with the light of the Gospel. 

 We were too short a time with them to learn much of 

 their superstitions. Their god was a rude column planted 

 in the ground and covered with mats. 



' We reached the Navigators a few days after the 6th 

 of February and once more enjoyed the society of the 

 missionaries of these islands. On Tutuila the state of 

 the natives was peculiarly interesting. There had been 

 a continual revival for some months. Nearly all were 

 inquiring and joined in religious devotions, and many 

 have been united to the church. Mr. Murray, the earli- 

 est missionary there, a most devoted Christian, has been 

 absent for a while to visit the missionary station in the 

 South Pacific, with the hope of improving his health, 

 now much debilitated by his constant exertions and con- 

 finement at the station." 



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