98 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
Specific object^ to which also the natives might have 
access for the purpose of religious instruction^ a spot 
was selected near the grave of Mr. Lewis 5 and on the 
5th of March 1797^ with the assistance of a number of 
Pomare’s men, they commenced the erection of their 
chapel. The chiefs procured most of the materials, and 
when it was nearly finished, Pomare sent a fish as an 
offering to Jesus Christ, requesting that it might be hung 
up in their new chapel. This was the first building ever 
erected on the South Sea Islands, for the worship of the 
living God 5 and although the Missionaries were cheered 
with the hope of often beholding it filled with attentive 
hearers or Christian worshippers, they were obliged to 
pull it down early in the year 1802, to prevent its afford¬ 
ing shelter to their enemies, or being set on fire by the 
rebels, by which their own dwelling might have been 
destroyed. 
The pleasing anticipations which the Missionaries had 
been led to indulge in connexion with the second visit 
of the Duff, were destroyed by the arrival of the 
Albion, in Matavai bay on the 27th of December in the 
same year. Her commander. Captain Bunker, brought 
them no letters from England, but conveyed the melan¬ 
choly tidings of the capture of the Duff by a French 
privateer. He also delivered from Mr. Harris, who was 
settled in Norfolk Island, a letter acquainting them with 
the murder of three of the Missionaries in the Friendly 
Islands, the departure of one, the flight of the rest to 
Port Jackson, and the total destruction of the Tonga 
Mission. Their own circumstances were by no means 
prosperous; they had heard but once from England; 
they were expecting every day the arrival of the Duff with 
cheering tidings and additional aid; but the intelligence 
