120 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
CHAP. V. 
Improyed circumstances of the females—Instruction in needlework— 
Introduction of European clothing—Its influence upon the people—Fre¬ 
quent singularity of their appearance—Development of parental affec¬ 
tion—Increased demand for British manufactures—Native hats and 
bonnets—Reasons for encouraging a desire for European dress, &c.— 
Sabbath in the South Sea Islands—Occupations of the preceding day— 
Early morning prayer-meetings—Sabbath schools—Order of divine 
service—School exercises—Contrast with idolatrous worship. 
While the enclosure of plantations and gardens, the 
erection of neat and commodious dwellings, schools, 
and the spacious building for the worship of the true 
God, after the European plan, were rapidly altering the 
aspect of the settlement, the natives themselves were 
undergoing a change in appearance, in perfect keeping 
with this transformation of the surrounding country. 
The females, no longer exposed to that humiliating 
neglect to which idolatry had subjected them, enjoyed 
the comforts of domestic life, the pleasure resulting 
from the culture of their minds, the ability to read the 
scriptures, and to write in their own language, in 
which several excelled the other sex ; they also became 
anxious to engage in employments which are appro¬ 
priated to their own sex in civilized and Christian com¬ 
munities. The females in Huahine, and the other 
islands, were therefore taught to work at their needle, 
and soon made a pleasing proficiency. 
