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POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
river, beneath the foliage that often formed beautiful 
natural arches over the water, and through which a 
straggling sun-beam was here and there seen sparkling 
in the ripple of the stream. 
After mingling my sympathy with the friends around, 
I spoke at some length to the young man, whose visage 
had considerably altered since the preceding day. I 
endeavoured to direct his mind to God, for mercy through 
Christ, and affectionately urged a personal and immediate 
application, by faith, to him who is able to save even to 
the uttermost, and willing to receive even at the eleventh 
hour, &c. 
All prospect of his recovery had ceased; our soli¬ 
citude was therefore especially directed to his prepara¬ 
tion for that state on which he was so soon to enter. 
This indeed had been our principal aim in all our inter¬ 
course with him. On this occasion he made no reply, 
(indeed I suppose he was unable, had he been disposed,) 
but he raised his head after I had done speaking, and 
gazed stedfastly upon me, with an expression of anguish 
in his whole countenance, which I never shall forget, and 
which is altogether indescribable. Whether it arose 
from bodily or mental agony, I am not able to say, but I 
never beheld so affecting a spectacle. 
Before I left his couch, I attempted to direct his mind 
to the compassionate Redeemer, and, I think, engaged in 
prayer with him. The evening was advancing when I 
took leave, and the conviction was strongly impressed 
on my mind, that it was the last day he would spend on 
earth. My eye lingered on him with intense and mingled 
interest, as I stood at his feet, and watched his short 
heaving and laborious respiration; his restless and fever¬ 
ish head had been long pillowed on the lap of his affec- 
