POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
201 
Tuahine’s mind, on the subject of the Christian reli¬ 
gion, was in a state resembling that of Oito’s. Their 
conversation deepened their impressions; they frequently 
met afterwards for this purpose, and often retired to the 
privacy of the sequestered valleys or verdant shrub¬ 
beries adjacent to their dwellings, for conversation and 
prayer. The singularity of their conduct, together with 
the report of the change in the sentiments of the king, 
soon attracted observation: many derided them, but 
several young men and boys attached themselves to 
Oito and Tuahine, and this little band, without any 
Missionary to teach them, or even before any one was 
acquainted with the circumstance, agreed to refrain from 
worshipping the idols, from the evil practices of their 
country—^to observe the Sabbath-day,—and to worship 
Jehovah alone. They had established among themselves 
a prayer-meeting, which they held on the Sabbath, and 
often assembled at other times for social worship. 
This intelligence was like life from the dead to the 
Missionaries; they thanked God, and took courage; but 
before commencing their journey round Tahiti, they 
wrote to their brethren in Eimeo an account of what 
they had seen and heard : declaring all that they had 
heard was true, that God had ^^also granted to the 
Gentiles repentance unto life,^’ that some had cast away 
their idols, and were stretching out their hands in prayer 
to God, &c. The effect of their letter was scarcely less 
on the minds of the Missionaries in Eimeo, than the 
recital had been to themselves in Tahiti. They were 
deeply affected, even unto tears. I have often heard 
Mr. Nott speak, with evident indications of strong feeling, 
of the emotions with which this letter was read. And 
when we consider the long and cheerless years, which he 
2d 
