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POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
preaching from the words :—Let him that stole, steal 
no more.’" In his discourse, he had refuted the idea they 
had formerly held, that theft was no crime, but rather an 
act of merit, if committed with dexterity; and had shewn 
that the circumstance of detection or escape did not alter 
the moral quality of the act in the sight of God; that 
every means employed unjustly to deprive another of his 
property, was an act of theft, and that restitution ought 
to be made for past robberies, as well as honesty prac¬ 
tised for the future. The next morning, when he arose 
and opened his door, he saw a number of natives sitting 
on the ground in the front of his dwelling. Their ap¬ 
pearance was rather singular, and the unseasonable time 
of their assembling led him to inquire the cause. They 
answered, ^^We have not been able to sleep ah night j we 
were in the chapel yesterday; we thought, when we were 
pagans, that it was right to steal when we could do it 
without being found out. Hiro, the god of thieves, used 
to assist us. But we heard what you said yesterday from 
the word of God, that Jehovah had commanded that we 
should not steal. We have stolen, and all these things 
that we have brought with us are stolen goods.” One 
then lifted up an axe, a hatchet, or a chisel, and exclaimed, 
I stole this from the carpenter of such a ship,” naming 
the vessel, &c. Others held up an umeti, or a saw, or a 
knife; and, indeed, almost every kind of moveable pro¬ 
perty was brought and exhibited, with confessions of 
having been stolen. Mr. Nott said, rather smilingly, 
“What have you brought them to me for ? I do not want 
them.” (The sentiment had often been circulated, that 
the receiver of stolen goods was as bad as the thief.) “You 
had better take them home, and, if you have stolen any 
from your own countrymen, return them; and when the 
