Chap. IX. THE PATRIARGH'S FAMILY. 241 
authority, for either he himself or his second son 
always read the prayers and enforced the performance 
of the Christian observances. He had always adopted 
a great degree of civilization. His houses and clothes 
were always kept scrupulously clean ; he and all his 
family wore clean clothes, and washed with soap in the 
stream every morning ; the cooking was attended to 
with great care, and the food was always served up on 
carefully scrubbed tin plates. In short, whenever I 
spent an hour at this little village, I felt that it was the 
residence of a gentleman. There was a quiet, unob- 
trusive dignity in the well-regulated arrangements 
of the whole establishment. The slaves did their 
work without orders and without squabbling ; a harsh 
word was hardly ever heard. Every one vied in a 
tacit wish that the old gentleman should be comfort- 
able ; and it was pleasing to see him, sitting in his 
house almost always surrounded by some of his family 
— the men all well shaved and combed — the women 
in clean frocks and blankets, busy at some sewing or 
other work; while his son or his daughter-in-law would 
be kindly teaching him to write on a slate. I remember 
how proud he was when he could write his name ; 
and with what genuine kindness he pointed out his 
son Tommy's wife as having succeeded in teaching 
him. The family of Pf^atanui, so united and homely, 
were indeed a notable instance of the success of Mr. 
Hadfield's sweet and gentle teaching. No one could 
avoid feeling emulous of the praiseworthy qualities of 
many kinds which had enabled him to eflfect such an 
end. 
TVahine Iti, E Ahus> son, having heard of my 
arrival, came here to meet me, and to invite E Kuru 
to Ohau on the part of his father. But E Kuru and 
the rest were anxious to get on, and struck off to the 
VOL. II. R 
