1835. 



PAOFAl's LETTER INHABITANTS. 



547 



in giving to me a box and some other things besides. I and 

 my wife will feel grateful to you when we look at these things. 

 This is another thing with which I feel pleased ; your having 

 shown me the many good things on board your ship ; and your 

 men ; they have great excellence, and a good character. 

 " That you may be saved is the wish of your servant, 



" Mare.'' 



A letter from Paofai, the brother of Hitote, directed to 

 ' Fitirai,' is similar. 



" Dear Friend, " Tahiti, Nov. 26, 1835. 



" Peace be unto you and your family, in the name of God. 

 These are my words to you. I feel very much gratified by 

 your great kindness in giving me a trunk, and several other 

 things. For this cause I thank you with grateful feelings. 

 My wife and family will also feel grateful to you. Dear friends 

 may the peace of the Messiah, who_ is the King of Peace, be 

 with you. Amen. "Paofai."* 



Among the natives of Otaheite let us not overlook the sons 

 and daughters of the earlier missionaries. Those whom we 

 had the pleasure of seeing did credit to the country of their 

 parents ; to Otaheite ; and to those excellent persons who must 

 have taken such pains with their education. I presume not to 

 speak from what I have seen only, but from the corresponding 

 accounts of others, added to what I witnessed myself. 



I will now make a few general remarks, previous to quitting 

 the island. It did not appear to me that the men of Otaheite are 

 separated visibly into two classes, as some accounts had led us 

 to expect. All of the higher class, whom we saw, or about whom 

 we could learn anything, certainly were large, but rather un- 

 wieldy : yet among the lower class there were numerous stout 

 tall men, as tall as the chiefs, and more actively made. A few 

 were of a middle size, and a very few, low in stature : but all 

 well-proportioned and muscular; though their muscles are not 

 liard and knotty, like those of a hard- working white man ; they 



* The original letters, in the hand-writing of Mare and Paofai, are in 

 my possession. 



2 N S 



