MISSIONARY LABOURS. 375 
making fences, small canoes are frequently made 
of it by the Society Islanders. In addition to the 
above purposes, the nuts are often baked or roasted 
as an article of food, which the natives eat with 
salt. The nut contains a large portion of oil, which, 
possessing the property of drying, is useful in 
painting; and for this purpose quantities are car¬ 
ried by the Russian vessels to their settlements on 
the north-west coast of America. 
Before we prepared for our departure, we re¬ 
quested that the people of the place might as¬ 
semble, to hear the word which we had to speak to 
them. About two hundred collected, and were 
addressed from John vi. 40. They gave good 
attention, particularly the wife of Arapai, who was 
afflicted with an affection of the spine, which pre¬ 
vented her walking without support. She called 
us to her after the service, and told us she had 
incurred the displeasure of the gods by eating a 
fish that was tabu , or sacred, and that the disease 
which rendered her a cripple was her punishment. 
She said she had felt great pleasure on hearing 
the invitation of Jesus Christ, desired to go to him 
and obey his word, inquiring, at the same time, 
very earnestly, if we thought he could and would 
save her. We told her that eating the tabu fish 
was not the cause of her suffering, and encouraged 
her to repair, by faith, to Him who was able and 
willing to heal her body, if he saw fit, and who 
would assuredly save her soul, if she applied in a 
right manner; repeating several of the most pre¬ 
cious promises of our blessed Redeemer to those 
that are weary and heavy laden with sin, and 
desire salvation through his mercy. Numbers of 
the people crowded round us when the service 
was ended, and, with earnestness, besougf us to 
