GENERAL PROFESSIUN OF CHRISTIANITY. 203 
In the morning we arose somewhat refreshed ; 
and, in the course of the day, landed our goods 
from the vessel. A house had been prepared, by 
the king, for the expected Missionaries; but, as it 
was damp, and our residence at Papetoai was not 
likely to be permanent, we took up our abode in a 
dwelling already occupied in part by Mr. Crook 
and his family. 
_ I was astonished at the accounts I now received, 
of the change that had taken place among: the 
people. The profession of Christianity was general, 
many had learned to read, and were teaching 
others; all were regular in their exercises of 
devotion; and, in many of the small gardens 
attached to the native houses, it was pleasing to 
see the little fare bure huna, house for hidden 
prayer. The Missionaries, who, in 1812, had re- 
turned from Port Jackson, were joined in 1816 by 
Mr. Crook, who had been formerly stationed by Cap- 
tain Wilson in the Marquesas. They had visited Ta- 
hiti, for the purpose of preaching to the inhabitants, 
but they had not been able to re-establish the 
Mission in their original station, and were, con- 
sequently, all residing at Eimeo when we arrived. 
The chiefs of the district, and island, soon 
visited us, received a few articles as presents, and 
appeared highly gratified with what they saw, 
especially with some engravings of natural history. 
They sent us a present of food; or, as they call it, 
‘¢ faaamua,” a feeding; consisting of two or three 
large pigs, which were dragged along by force, 
squalling all the way, and tied to a stick near the 
door; a number of bunches of plantains, bananas, 
cocoa-nuts, and bread-fruit, were also brought, 
and piled up in three heaps on the sand, near the 
pigs. I was then called out, and a native repeated 
