ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 197 



the native church, at the lower extremity of the town. This is 

 an enormous building, one hundred and ninety-six feet in length 

 by sixty in breadth, and capable of containing four thousand 

 people. It is built in the native style, of grass tied in bundles on 

 a rude frame work of sticks, and the ridge pole, which extends 

 along the whole length of the apex of the roof within, is support- 

 ed by numerous roughly hewn pillars driven into the ground. 

 The natives, in great numbers, were flocking to the church ; men 

 in every variety of costume, from the plain and dignified dress of 

 the European gentleman, to the simple and primitive tapa or 

 native cloth ; and women, from the gay hat and feathers, silk 

 gowns and stays of polished life, to the light and much better 

 adapted robe of the country, with its invariable accompaniment, 

 the pau or waist-fillet of figured calico. While we were stand- 

 ing, surveying the moving throng, we observed a little two 

 wheeled cart approach, drawn by four men in the native dress, in 

 which sat one of the great rotund beauties of the island, attired in 

 gay silk, with a large black hat, from which drooped a magni- 

 ficent ostrich feather. This was Kinau, the ex-queen, and wife 

 of Kekuanoa, the commandante of the fort, commonly called the 

 colonel. At the door of the chui'ch she was assisted to dis- 

 mount ; and as she swept along by us and entered the aisle, she 

 made us a low and graceful bow, tossing back her great head, 

 and looking around upon the company assembled, with the air 

 of one who expected profound admiration and unlimited homage. 

 In the church, we were invited by Kekuanoa to take a seat on the 

 bench beside him and his wife ; and when Mr. Bingham commenced 

 the service by reading a native hymn, Kinau did me the honor to 

 present me with her book, pointing to the place with a dignified 

 and patronising air, which I acknowledged with all suitable 

 respect. 



The sermon, in the native language, by Mr. Bingham, was 

 delivered in an easy and fluent manner, and in the whole of the 



