VISIT TO THE SCHOOL. 205 
broader than the rest, with small ledges on the 
sides, filled with sand, for the purpose of teach¬ 
ing writing after the manner of the national 
schools in England. A number of pillars in the 
centre supported the ridge-pole, or rather the dif¬ 
ferent ridge-poles, which unitedly sustained the 
roof. The different joints in these, and the 
narrow horizontal boards supporting the bot¬ 
toms of the rafters, presented a kind of chrono¬ 
logical index to the history of the place. It was 
first erected by the liberality of a gentleman in 
London. He presented to Tapioi, the Marquesan 
youth who accompanied Mr. Bicknell to England, 
the articles with which the natives were hired to 
build this first school and chapel in Eimeo. It was 
then much more compact, and the width better pro¬ 
portioned than it now appeared. It had always been 
employed, not only as a school, but also as a chapel. 
When the number of scholars and worshippers of 
the true God increased, so as to render accommo¬ 
dation difficult, one of the ends had been taken 
down, a new piece of timber joined to the ridge¬ 
pole, the building lengthened about twelve or 
fifteen feet, and the end then closed up. When 
the place became again too small, a similar 
enlargement had been made; and, as the new 
piece which supported the roof, was laid upon the 
former ridge-pole, it distinctly marked the increase 
of Christian worshippers at the place within the 
last four or five years. 
The first Sabbath I spent in the islands, was a 
day of deep and delightful interest. The Mission¬ 
aries were accustomed to meet for prayer at sun¬ 
rise, on the morning of the Sabbath. This service 
I attended, and was also gratified to find, that not 
fewer than four or five hundred of the natives, 
