36 THE WHALE AND 



Trade with the Natives. Letter from Teutino. 



having two or three lads and men in each, much 

 fairer-skinned and better looking than the ma- 

 jority of Hawaiians. 



The captain's boat anchored off the reef, 

 while the natives brought their articles of trade 

 in their pigmy canoes. By four in the afternoon 

 he had procured a boat-load of pigs and cocoa- 

 nuts, with which returning to the ship, we 

 stood off again until next morning, when the 

 captain gave orders for two boats. 



One of our sailors by the name of Johnson, 

 that had lived on Tahiti, and could talk a little 

 in their tongue, had told the natives the day 

 before that there was on board a missionary, or a 

 missionary's friend, from Hawaii, and there was 

 accordingly sent off through him, on a slip of 

 paper, very legibly written by the native teach- 

 er, a Rimatara letter, of which the following is 

 a literal translation : 



" Dear Friend and Father, 



" May you be saved by the true God. This 

 is our communication to you. Come thou hith- 

 er upon the shore, that we may see you in re- 

 spect 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." 



