364 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES,, 
stone image, about six feet high, standing at one 
corner of the wall* which they said was a ta, or 
image of Riroa. We talked some time with the 
people around, who were principally priests, on the 
folly of deifying and worshipping departed men. 
The only answer, however* which they made was, 
Pela no i Hawaii nei: So it is in Hawaii here. 
At five o’clock in the afternoon, about three 
hundred of the natives of the place assembled for 
public worship, in front of the head man’s house, 
where tliev were addressed from Luke xiv. 23. 
The people were attentive, and frequently inter¬ 
rupted the speaker by their exclamations. Some 
said, “ Jehovah is a good God; the living God is 
a good God : great is his love.” 
After the service, they sat talking on what they 
had heard, and occasionally making inquiries, till 
the sun had set, and the moon had nearly reached 
the mid-heaven. The chief, in particular, seemed 
much interested, and, during the evening, he and 
several others expressed themselves very desirous 
that a Missionary should come and reside with 
them, that they might be instructed fully in all 
these things. 
According to the number of houses which we 
have seen, in all 265, there are, at least, 1325 
inhabitants in this sequestered valley, besides po¬ 
pulous villages on each side along the coast, which 
might be easily visited. This circumstance, toge¬ 
ther with the fertility of the soil, the abundance of 
water, the facility with which, at most seasons of 
the year, supplies can be forwarded by water from 
Kairua or Towaihae, combine to render this an 
eligible spot for a Missionary station; but, not¬ 
withstanding all these favourable circumstances, 
together with the great desire of the people to be 
