LUDICROUS ASSOCIATION. 
41 
who, next to the king and Karaimoku, was con¬ 
sidered the person of greatest influence in the 
island. When we called, the greater part of 
the inmates of the dwelling were sitting cross- 
legged on the ground, playing at cards. Ludi¬ 
crous spectacles of this kind were not unfre- 
quently exhibited during our stay: sometimes we 
saw a party of large chiefs and chief women 
sitting on their mats, or on the grass, under the 
shade of a tree, but very partially clothed, play¬ 
ing at cards, with one or two large pet hogs 
lying close by them; not small and cleanly 
things, that they might take under their arms, 
but full-grown, and in a condition, under proper 
management, to have made good bacon. Anna 
informed us, that his wife and himself had been 
treated with kindness; that on the preceding night 
they read together, in a retired corner of the 
house, a portion of the scriptures, and engaged 
in prayer; and that this morning, when Kaahu- 
manu perceived that they were about to do the 
same, she requested them to come near, that 
she and her people might join. I asked her if she 
did not desire to learn to read, to know and serve 
the true God; and she answered yes; but said, we 
cannot, unless the king does. If he embraces 
the new religion, we shall all follow. In the 
evening of this day we were present when Auna 
read the scripture, and offered family prayers 
publicly in Kaahumanu’s house: we united with no 
ordinary feelings, for the first time, in the worship 
of the true God with the people around us. 
The next day, the 17th of April, being the day 
on which our American friends held the weekly 
religious service, I had an opportunity of preach¬ 
ing in the Tahitian language. Soon after four in 
