186 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
A similar branch-station was commenced at Tamahua, 
a populous and central village in the district of Maeva, 
on the borders of a beautiful and extensive roto, or lake, 
of the same name, in the northern part of the island. 
Here a school was opened by Tiori, an intelligent native, 
and three hundred and eighty adults and children were 
taught. A commodious native chapel was built, and a 
cottage for the accommodation of the Missionary who 
visited them. 
It was a considerable distance from Fare; I went on 
the Saturday afternoon, and spent the Sabbath at Maeva, 
where upwards of four hundred usually attended pub¬ 
lic worship. We continued our labours at these sta¬ 
tions until the summer of 1820 , when the greater part 
of the residents were induced to remove to the set¬ 
tlement at Fare harbour. Some of the happiest sea¬ 
sons I have enjoyed in Missionary occupations, were 
in connexion with my occasional services at this place. 
The scenery of the adjacent country is remarkably 
fine. The lake of Maeva is five miles in length, and 
of unequal breadth, though often two miles wide. Un¬ 
agitated by the long rolling billows of the Pacific, and 
seldom ruffled by the northern and eastern breezes, from 
which it is sheltered by mountains, its surface was often 
smooth as a polished mirror, reflecting the groves 
around, and the heavens above. It abounds with fish. 
These not only supply the inhabitants of the border of 
the lake with the means of subsistence, but, when viewed 
from the light canoe, as they sported in the depths be¬ 
neath, or leaped above its surface, enlivened.its solitude. 
On the eastern side, a number of streams rose among the 
mountains, and, winding their way through the valleys, at 
length united with its waters. On this side, though the 
