POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
405 
grew dark ; I wished them good night, and afterwards 
retired to rest, supposing they had gone to sleep at the 
house of some friend; but, on looking out of my 
window about daybreak, I saw these five men lying 
along on the ground on the outside of my house, 
their only bed being some platted cocoa-nut leaves, and 
their only covering the large native cloth they usually 
wear over their shoulders. I hastened out, and asked 
them if they had been there all night: they said they 
had : I then inquired why they did not, as I had directed 
them, go and lodge at some house, and come again. Their 
answer surprised and delighted me; they said, We 
were afraid that, had we gone away, some one might have 
come before us this morning, and have taken what 
books you had to spare, and then we should have 
been obliged to return without any; therefore, after 
you left us last night, we determined not to go 
away till we had procured the books.’' I called them 
into the printing-office, and, as soon as I could put the 
sheets together, gave them each a copy; they then re¬ 
quested two copies more, one for a mother, the other 
for a sister; for which they had brought payment. I 
gave these also. Each wrapped his book up in a 
piece of white native cloth, put it in his bosom, wished 
me good morning, and without, I believe, eating oi 
drinking, or calling on any person in the settlement, 
hastened to the beach, launched their canoe, hoisted their 
matting sail, and steered rejoicing to their native island. 
This is only one instance among many that occurred at 
the time, both at Afareaitu and Papetoai, exhibiting 
the ardent desire of the people in general to possess the 
Scriptures as soon as they could be prepared for them, 
They frequently expressed their apprehensions lest the 
