218 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
CHAP. X. 
Erection of a printing-office—Increased demand for books 
—Establishment of the printing press—Eager anticipa¬ 
tions of the people—First printing in the island done by 
the king—Materials employed in binding native books 
—Printing the Gospel of St. Luke—Liberal aid from 
the British and Foreign Bible Society—Influence of the 
process of printing, &c. on the minds of the people— 
Visit of a party of natives from the eastern archipelago 
—Distribution of elementary books—Desire of the inha¬ 
bitants for the scriptures—Applicants from different 
islands—Estimation in which the scriptures are held— 
Influence of the press in the nation—Number of works 
printed. 
In a short time after our arrival at Afareaitu, the 
people began to erect the printing-office, and the 
frame of our dwelling. According to the direc¬ 
tions of the king, and the arrangements among 
themselves, the work was divided between several 
parties. The people of Afareaitu erected the 
printing-office ; and those of Maatea, a neighbour¬ 
ing district, my dwelling. The king wrote a letter 
to the chief of the district, hastening him in the 
undertaking, and in a few weeks came over him¬ 
self, in order to encourage the parties engaged in 
the work, which advanced with celerity, and was 
in a short time completed. 
When the printing-office was finished, as the 
purau branches composing the walls afforded but 
an indifferent shelter from the rain and wind, the 
