116 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
fiuence in the eastern part of Tahiti, with his wife, 
and twelve or thirteen of his people, came over to 
Eimeef m order to receive instruction. The in¬ 
habitants of the Leeward Islands, whose encamp¬ 
ment he passed when on his way to Papetoai, 
strongly persuaded him to join their party, and 
carry the flag of the gods to Raiatea, entreating 
him to adhere to the religion of his fathers, and to 
beware of Matapuupuu, a man of influence, an 
Areoi, and a high-priest, from Huahine, who had 
recently joined the Christian converts, and Utami, 
a well-informed and enterprising man, chief in 
the island of Tahaa, who, with his wife, had also 
attached himself to their number. 
Fifty had now given in their names, as having 
renounced idolatry, desiring to acknowledge 
Jehovah alone as God, and to be instructed 
in the obedience his word required. Others at¬ 
tended in such numbers, that it was found neces¬ 
sary to enlarge the first place of worship they had 
ever used in the islands. The converts were punc¬ 
tual and regular in their observance of the outward 
ordinances of religion, in frequent social meetings 
for prayer, and seasons of retirement for private 
devotion. Their whole moral conduct seemed 
changed; the things they once delighted in, they 
now abhorred, and found enjoyment in what had 
formerly been a source of ridicule or aversion. Their 
habit of invariably asking a blessing, and returning 
thanks at their meals, and their frequent attention 
to prayer, attracted the notice of their countrymen, 
and procured for them, as a term of reproach from 
their enemies, the designation of Bure Atua , lite¬ 
rally, Prayers to God ; from Bure , to pray, and 
Atua , God ; the meaning of which was, the people 
who prayed to God, or the praying people. Bure 
