314 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
Sacred Passage, leading to Opoa, the southern- 
‘most harbour in the island of Raiatea; and after 
rowing two or three miles, landed about midnight. 
Weary and famished, drenched with the rain, and 
suffering much from the cold occasioned by the 
wetness of our clothes, we were truly thankful, 
after the incidents of the day, to find ourselves 
once again on shore. The inhabitants of the 
dwelling which we entered soon rose from their 
beds, kindled a large fire in the centre of the 
floor, cooked us some provisions, and furnished 
us with warm and clean native cloth, to wear 
while our own clothes were dried. Having 
refreshed ourselves, and united in grateful thanks- 
giving to the Preserver of our lives, we lay down 
upon our mats, and enjoyed several hours of 
refreshing repose. I have often been overtaken 
with storms when at sea in European vessels, boats, 
and native canoes, but, to whatever real danger I 
may have been exposed, I never was surrounded 
by so much that was apparent, as during this 
voyage. 
After a few hours of unbroken rest, we arose 
recruited the next morning, found our dried 
clothes comfortable, united with our host and his 
family in the morning devotions, and then, while 
they were preparing refreshments, took a view of 
the district. We found it not very extensive, 
though the land is rich and good. The gardens 
were large, and, at this time, well stocked with 
indigenous roots and vegetables. Raiatea is not 
only the most important island of the Leeward 
group, from its central situation and its geogra- 
phical extent, but on account of its identity, in 
tradition, with the origin of the people, and their 
preservation in the general deluge. It has been 
i 
