858 MISSIONARY TOUR 
side of the chief, and gave him a brief outline of our 
tour—our object—and the instructions given to the 
people. In the mean time, fish was prepared for sup¬ 
per by a fire of sandal wood, which, instead of filling 
the house with disagreeable smoke, perfumed it with a 
fragrant odour. After family worship in the native 
language, we retired to rest. 
The next morning unveiled to view the extent and 
beauty of the romantic valley. Its entrance from the 
sea, which was blocked up with sand-hills, fifty or sixty 
feet high, appeared to be a mile or a mile and a half 
wide. The summits of the hills, which bordered the 
valley, seemed 600 feet above the level of the sea. 
They were nearly perpendicular, yet they were mostly 
clothed with grass, and low straggling shrubs were here 
and there seen amidst the jutting rocks. A number of 
winding paths led up their steep sides, and, in several 
parts, limpid streams flowed, in beautiful cascades, 
from the top to the bottom, forming a considerable 
stream, which, meandering along the valley, found a 
passage through the sand-hills, and emptied itself into 
the sea. The bottom of the valley was one continued 
garden, cultivated with taro, bananas, sugar-cane, and 
other productions of the islands,^ all growing luxuri¬ 
antly. Several large ponds were also seen in different 
directions, well stocked with excellent fish. A number 
of small villages, containing from twenty to fifty houses 
each, stood along the foot of the mountains, at unequal 
distances on each side, and extended up the valley till 
projecting cliffs obstructed the view. 
Morning worship was attended by our host and his 
family, and about half-past ten the people of the neigh¬ 
bourhood assembled in front of the house. Mr. Thurs 
