self unable to follow the course prescribed by his active zeal and
strong understanding, for the benefit of the islanders, proposes to
leave the country.

That Bengham's private views may not be too easily penetrated, religion
is made the cloak of all his designs, and the greatest activity and
strictness prevail in its propagation, and in the maintenance of church
discipline. The inhabitants of every house or hut in Hanaruro are
compelled by authority to an almost endless routine of prayers; and even
the often dishonest intentions of the foreign settlers must be concealed
under the veil of devotion. The streets, formerly so full of life and
animation, are now deserted; games of all kinds, even the most
innocent, are sternly prohibited; singing is a punishable offence; and
the consummate profligacy of attempting to dance would certainly find no
mercy. On Sundays, no cooking is permitted, nor must even a fire be
kindled: nothing, in short, must be done; the whole day is devoted to
prayer, with how much real piety may be easily imagined. Some of the
royal attendants, on their return from London, at first opposed these
regulations, and maintained that the English, though good Christians,
submit to no such restraint. Kahumanna, however, infatuated by her
counsellor, will hear of no opposition; and as her power extends to life
and death, those who would willingly resist are compelled to bend under
the iron sceptre of this arbitrary old woman.

A short time before our return, a command had issued, that all persons
who had attained the age of eight years should be brought to Hanaruro,
to be taught reading and writing. The poor country people, though much
discontented, did not venture to disobey, but patiently abandoning their
labour in the fields, flocked to Hanaruro, where we saw many families
bivouacking in the streets, in little huts hastily put together, with
the spelling-books in their hands. Such as could already read were made
to learn passages from the Bible by heart. Every street in Hanaruro has
more than one school-house: they are long huts, built of reeds, without
any division. In each of these, about a hundred scholars, of both sexes,
are instructed by a single native teacher, who, standing on a raised
platform, names aloud every single letter, which is repeated in a scream
by the whole assembly. These establishments, it may be supposed, are
easily recognised afar off; no other sounds are heard in the streets;
and