NATIVE MISSIONS. 
267 
gling sunbeam occasionally found its way, and 
among whose long and graceful leaflets the breeze 
from the ocean, sweeping softly, gave a de¬ 
gree of animation to the whole. The grass that 
grew underneath appeared like a rich carpet, 
spread by nature for the ceremony; pendu¬ 
lous plants, some verdant in foliage, others rich 
and variegated in blossom, hung from the pro¬ 
jections of the rocks, while several species of con¬ 
volvulus and climbing plants were twined round 
the trunks of the trees, ornamenting the whole with 
their large and splendid pink blossoms. Near one 
of the large cocoa-nut trees, whose cylindrical 
trunk appeared like a natural pillar supporting the 
roof, there was a rustic sort of stand, four or five 
feet above the ground, on which Mr. Ndtt took his 
station. Before him, in a large arm-chair pro¬ 
vided for the occasion, sat Pomare, supported on 
the right by Tati, chief of Papara, and on the left 
by Upaparu, the king’s secretary. A number of 
chiefs, with the queen and principal women of the 
islands, sat around ; while thousands of the people, 
attired in their gay and many-coloured native or 
European dresses, composed the vast assemblage, 
each one having come, as to a public festival, in his 
best apparel. Pomare was dressed in a fine yel¬ 
low tiputa, stamped on that part which covered his 
left breast with a rich and elegant scarlet flower, 
instead of a star. Most of the chiefs wore the 
native costume, and the females were arrayed in 
white native cloth, and yellow cocoa-nut-leaf 
shades, or bonnets with wreaths of sweet-scented 
flowers round their necks, or garlands of the same 
in their hair. The services commenced with 
singing, in which many of the natives joined. 
A solemn prayer was offered, after which 
