286 
MISSIONARY TOUR 
CHAP. XI. 
Conversation with the Natives—Appearance of the Country 
in the Vicinity of Pualaa—Extinguished Volcano in the 
Valley of Kapoho — Description of the Horua, a native 
Game—Traditionary Story of a Contest between Pele and 
Kahavari—Incidents on the Journey to Hiro—Description 
of Ora—Public Worship at Waiakea—Conversation with a 
Priestess of Pele, the goddess of the Volcanoes—Opinion 
of the Natives respecting the permanent Residence of Mis¬ 
sionaries at Waiakea—Description of native Houses. 
It was about eight o’clock in the morning of the 7th 
when I joined Messrs. Thurston and Bishop at Pualaa, 
where we took breakfast, and afterwards spent the 
forenoon in conversation with the natives who thronged 
around us. 
Two or three old men, whom we afterwards learned 
were priests, seemed to dispute what we said about 
Jehovah’s being the only true God, and the Christian 
the only true religion. They said they thought their 
tad (traditions) respecting Tu, Tanaroa, Bono, or 
Orono, and Tairi, were as authentic as the accounts 
in our book, though ours, from the circumstance of 
their being written, or, as they expressed it, “ hana 
paia i ha palapala ,” (made fast on the paper,) were 
better preserved, and more aJcaaJca , clear, or generally 
intelligible. 
To this we replied at some length, after which the 
old men ceased to object, but continued to withhold 
their assent Diumbers sat around, and seemed inter 
