PREACHING AND CATECHISING. 71 
catechism to memory. The gospel was preached, 
not only in the immediate neighbourhood of 
Matavai, but in every district in Tahiti and 
Eimeo ; yet the people seemed more than ever 
disposed to neglect or ridicule it. Sometimes 
they said, We will hear our own gods; at other 
times they scoffingly asked the Missionaries, if the 
people of Matavai had attended to their word ; if 
the king, or any of his family, had cast away Oro; 
declaring, that when the king and chiefs heard the 
word of Jehovah, then they would also. 
Early in January, 1805, the Missionaries pre¬ 
pared a larger catechism; and, on the 6th of 
March, they adopted their Tahitian alphabet. In; 
forming this, the Roman characters were pre¬ 
ferred ; sounds in the Tahitian language attached 
to them ; and, for the purpose of facilitating the 
introduction of letters among the people, a native 
name was affixed to each. It was, however, a 
long time before any, among the native inhabit¬ 
ants of Tahiti could be induced to learn the 
letters of the alphabet; yet the Missionaries con¬ 
tinued their labours in preaching to the people, 
and teaching the catechism to the children. One 
or two vessels arrived, but brought no letters or 
supplies ; and, towards the close of the year, they 
experienced a heavy loss, in the destruction of a 
large and flourishing plantation. 
Three of the Missionaries had cleared, enclosed, 
and cultivated it; and had rendered it, as far as 
the productions of the island were available, sub¬ 
servient to their interests. They had stocked it 
with cocoa-nuts, oranges, limes, and citrons, of 
which, not fewer than six hundred plants, with 
other productions, were growing remarkably well. 
In one hour, however, the whole of the fence was 
