POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
395 
ill visiting every district of the island, inducing the 
chiefs and people to embrace Christianity, that 'svill be 
remembered with more grateful feeling than the ciiv 
cumstance of his printing the first page of the first 
book published in the South Sea Islands. 
The spelling-book being most needed, was first 
put to press, and an edition of 2600 copies soon 
finished. The king with his attendants passed by the 
printing-office every afternoon, on their way to his 
favourite bathing-place, and seldom omitted to call, 
and spend some time in watching the progress of the 
work. He engaged in counting several of the letters, 
and appeared surprised when he found that, in sixteen 
pages of the spelling-book, there were upwards of five 
thousand of the letter «. An edition of 2300 copies 
of the Tahitian Catechism, and a Collection of Texts, or 
Extracts, from Scripture, were next printed; after which, 
St. Luke’s Gospel, which had been translated by Mr. 
Nott, was put to press. 
While the spelling-book was in hand, Mr. and Mrs. 
Orsmond arrived in the islands, and took up their 
residence at Afareaitu; increasing thereby the enjoy¬ 
ment of our social hours. 
The first sheet of St. Luke’s Gospel was nearly printed, 
when the Active, with six Missionaries from England, 
arrived. Among them were our fellow-voyagers, Mr. and 
Mrs. Threlkeld, and our esteemed friends Mr. and Mrs. 
Barff; we had parted with them in England, and were 
truly rejoiced to welcome them to the distant shores of 
our future dwelling-place. By the same vessel, a sup¬ 
ply of printing paper was sent from the British and 
Foreign Bible Society. Its arrival was most providen¬ 
tial. The paper sent by the Missionary Society was 
