130 CBUISE OF THE 'CUBAQOA.' 



render this ceremouy, which took place in tlie Wesleyan 

 chapel, as effective as possible. The band of tlie ' Cura9oa,' 

 placed around the pulpit, played a variety of airs. Besides 

 the two missionaries, already mentioned, there was a third, 

 the Eev. Mr. Stevenson, who resided at Mua, twelve miles 

 in the interior. The scholars, boys and girls, were clustered 

 in tlie church under the superintendence of their respective 

 masters. Some of the girls, in addition to their crinolines, 

 wore muslin gowns witli flower patterns. After singing a 

 hymn, the examination, at which I assisted as one of the 

 judges, began ; first, the scholars were directed to write 

 upon slates, which some of tliem did excellently well ; 

 the best of them being the young Eachel, a schoolmaster's 

 daughter, a girl about sixteen years of age, as pretty as 

 intelligent. There was then an examination in reading 

 from the Bible, which proved that the natives as quickly 

 acquire the capacity of reading well as the whites. This 

 was followed by an examination in aritlimetic as firr as the 

 rule of three. This question was put : ' If a piece of tapa 

 measures so much, how many will it require to reach from 

 Tongatabu to London, the distance being, say, fifteen thou- 

 sand miles ? ' a sum which the majority of the scholars worked 

 with surprising rapidity. Sir William distributed as prizes to 

 tlie winners two books, one of which was the Bible, three small 

 hatchets, some pieces of red cotton print, and some pocket- 

 handkerchiefs. He then addressed them in a short speech, 

 congratulating them on their proficiency, and telling them 

 ' that their reading and writing would compare with that 



