SCHOOL PROCESSIONS. 327 
centre, tables were spread for the chiefs, and the 
parents and friends of the children : we sat down 
with them, gratified with their hospitality, but 
deriving far more pleasure from gazing on the 
spectacle on either side, than in partaking of the 
provision. Before the assembly departed, I gave 
a short address to the parents, teachers, and 
children. When I concluded, they all stood up ; 
the boys formed a circle on one side, and the 
girls on the other, and sang alternately the verses 
of a hymn in the native language ; after which, 
one of the teachers offered a short prayer,—and 
we retired, under the influence of emotions of 
satisfaction; but it was not easy to say whether 
joy was most powerfully exhibited in the counte¬ 
nances of the children or their parents. 
Towards the evening of the day, the children 
walked two and two, hand in hand, from one end 
of the settlement to the other, preceded by the 
flag belonging to the schools. The best boy in 
school carried the flag; which was not of silk 
emblazoned with letters of gold, but of less costly 
materials. The banners of the schools attached 
to the different stations were various; some of 
white native cloth, with the word “ Hosanna” 
impressed upon it in scarlet dye; another was of 
light, but woven cloth, with the following senti¬ 
ment inscribed upon it, Ta ora te hui arii e ia 
maoro teienei hau, “ Life and blessing to the 
Reigning Family, and long be this peaceful 
reign!” The one at Huahine was of blue cloth, 
with a white dove and olive branch in the 
centre, beneath which was inscribed the Angels’ 
Song, as the motto of the school.* Sometimes the 
children, as they passed along, would sing, 
* Luke ii. 7 4. 
