SANDWICH ISLANDS. 
51 
which is soft, harmonious, and curious in its inflections*. 
It is well adapted to rhyme, of which the natives are very 
fond, all their civil and religious history being contained 
in metrical tales and ballads. Early in 1822 the first Ha¬ 
waiian book,—it was only a primer,—was printed at the mis¬ 
sionary press at Oahu, and the hitherto savage dialect was 
henceforth to be counted among the languages of cultivated 
nations. 
The king, his queen, and the other chiefs of both sexes, 
applied themselves diligently to learn to read and write. 
Their progress was rapid; they soon began to write letters 
to each other ; and one of them remarked with delight that 
now, at whatever distance you might be from your friend, 
you might whisper in his ear, but that formerly you could 
only communicate by messengers who forgot or divulged 
what you trusted them to say for you. 
The missionaries of course were not negligent of the 
opportunity of instilling the doctrines of Christianity into 
the minds of their pupils, afforded by this very favourable 
disposition of the chiefs. One of the first converts was 
* See Ellis, Appendix, especially for a peculiarity in the pronouns. It is 
to he hoped that this gentleman, whose information and abilities abundantly 
qualify him for the task, will preserve the ancient mythological and historical 
legends of these Islands, now likely to be swept away by the progress of civiliza¬ 
tion. 
H 2 
