ACQUISITION OF THE LANGUAGE. 235 
once the constant companion of their possessors, 
and the source of their highest enjoyment. 
When the Gospel of Luke was finished, an 
edition of Hymns in the native language was 
printed, partly original and partly translations 
from our most approved English compositions; 
and although the book was but small, it was 
acceptable to the people, who are exceedingly 
fond of metrical compositions, their history and 
traditions having been preserved in a metrical 
kind of ballad. This circumstance rendered the 
Hymn-book which was completed at Huahine, 
quite a favourite, and afforded the means, not only 
of assisting them in the matter of their praises to 
Almighty God, but enabled us to convey the 
most important truths of revelation in the manner 
most attractive and familiar to the native mind. 
While engaged in these labours, the principal 
object besides, that occupied our attention, was 
the study of the language. Several hours every 
day were devoted to its acquisition, and twice a 
week we met, when we were assisted by the 
instructions of Mr. Davies, who favoured us with 
the use of his manuscript vocabulary, and the out¬ 
lines of a grammar, which he had prepared several 
years before. In addition to these means, I found 
the composing, or setting, of the types for the 
Tahitian books, the best method of acquiring all 
that was printed in the language. Every letter in 
every word passing repeatedly, not only under my 
eye, but through my hand, I acquired almost 
mechanically the orthography. The number of 
natives by whom we were always surrounded, 
afforded the best opportunities for learning the 
meaning of those words which we did not under¬ 
stand. The structure of many sentences was also 
