THROUGH HAWAII. 
33 
We did not expect, when we first arrived, to spend 
more than a fortnight or three weeks in the Sandwich 
Islands; but circumstances unforeseen, and entirely 
beyond our control, detained us four months in Oahu. 
In two months I was enabled to converse with facility, 
and preach to the people in their own language, which 
I soon perceived was only a dialect of that spoken by 
the natives of Tahiti, and the neighbouring islands* 
Auna and his companion were at the same time dili¬ 
gently and acceptably employed in teaching some chiefs 
of distinction in Hawaii, who requested that he would 
relinquish his voyage to the Marquesas, and fix his resi¬ 
dence among them ; to which he cheerfully consented. 
Several of the principal chiefs also expressed a wish 
that I should associate with the teachers already en¬ 
gaged in their instruction. The American missionaries 
at the same time affectionately inviting me to join them, 
and the measure meeting the approbation of the de¬ 
putation, it appeared my duty to comply with their 
request. 
Early in February, 1823,1 returned to Oahu with my 
family, experienced a kind reception from the king and 
chiefs, and was privileged to commence my missionary 
pursuits in harmonious co-operation with my prede¬ 
cessors, the American missionaries, who were diligently 
employed in their benevolent exertions for the spiritual 
well-being of the nation ; avoiding, as they have uni¬ 
formly done ever since, all interference with the civil, 
commercial, and political concerns of the people, and 
attending solely to their instruction in useful knowledge 
and religious truth. 
The difficulties attending the acquisition of the lan¬ 
guage, and other circumstances, had hitherto confined the 
F 
