DEPARTURE FOR ENGLAND. 293 
undertaking alone these labours, while the men 
were idling away the noon-day hours in heedless 
slumbers, or spending them in songs or other 
amusements. 
The establishment of schools has in some 
degree overcome the love of wandering, and habi- 
tuated them to regularity and perseverance in their 
occupations, although at first found irksome and 
dificult. Desire of mental improvement, general 
acquaintance with writing, and fondness for episto- 
lary correspondence, furnish new and agreeable 
occupations for their leisure hours. The introduc- 
tion of needlework, the universal desire for Euro- 
pean clothing, together with the preservation of 
these articles of dress, having increased their do- 
mestic duties, occupies a great portion of their time. 
With the close of the year 1822, we terminated 
our regular labours in the South Sea Islands ; and 
on the 3lst of December, soon after the marriage 
of Pomare and Aimata, accompanied by two native 
teachers, Taua and his family, and Taamotu, a 
female who had been a member of the church, a 
teacher in the school, and an affectionate and 
valuable companion and assistant to Mrs. Ellis 
during my voyage to Hawaii, we embarked in 
the Active, and reached Oahu on the Sth of 
the following February. Towards the close of 
1824, an afflictive dispensation of Divine provi- 
dence removed us from these islands. This was, 
the severe and protracted illness of Mrs. Ellis ; 
the only hope of whose life was derived from the 
effects of a voyage to England. On our return 
we visited Huahine, anchored in Fa-re harbour, 
and had the high satisfaction of spending a fort- 
night in delightful intercourse with our Missionary 
friends, and the kind people of the settlement. 
