lebrity, and was the sixth chief
among them. His authority seemed great, and he exercised it with
exemplary discretion.

Observing the provisions before us, he told us that they were for our
use, and desired us to partake of whatever we preferred. Seeing that we
were likely to be somewhat annoyed by the crowd of young persons who had
collected around us, he swung his battle-axe over their heads, and
giving them to understand that we belonged to _him_, immediately caused
them to disperse.

Arrangements were soon made for our accommodation. A part of one of the
"pyes" was appropriated to our use, and we were furnished with mats, and
other things for our comfort and convenience. Here we remained for about
a month, and were regularly supplied by the natives with a sufficiency
of provisions of various kinds, such as hogs, goats, fish, yams,
cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, preserved almonds, and occasionally with sweet
potatoes.

A change seemed now to have come over us. We were, it is true, amongst a
rude and barbarous people, cut off from all intercourse with the rest of
the world, and deprived of many things which we had been accustomed to
regard as essential to our happiness; but even then we found many
reasons for being grateful to the Disposer of events. Our actual wants
were supplied; and the natives soon evinced a disposition to consider us
friends, and treat us as such. To the latest day of our lives we shall
remember some of them with heartfelt respect and affection; and, most of
all, regret our inability to requite them for the favors which they
voluntarily bestowed upon us. Especially should we rejoice to revisit
that lonely spot of earth, and carry with us, to those children of
nature, the means of civilization, and the blessings of Christian faith
and Christian morality. And should the government of enlightened America
ever see proper to extend to them some proof of its regard, it would
afford us unspeakable pleasure to have it in our power to communicate to
them the exalted principles, which might incline this highly favored
nation to the performance of so noble a deed.

Finding it important to be able to converse with the natives, we
improved every opportunity to become acquainted with their language.
Having but little to occupy our attention, it was not long before we had
acquired a tolerable knowledge of it; and we found our situation much
more pleasant as we became familiar with it. Our great object was, as
t