on board. They rushed forward, and as the wave receded they scrambled
upwards till they reached the dry sand. How could they tell, though,
that they were not to meet with the fate from which they had a few days
before escaped? The lives of all were mercifully preserved, but it
seemed too likely that their canoe had suffered some material injury
from the blows she had received. A few, not without risk, ventured
again on board, and succeeded in landing most of their scanty supply of
provisions and water. A fire was then, after some time, lighted, round
which they collected to dry their drenched garments.

They were all too anxious to sleep. Soon after daybreak, some persons
were seen approaching in the distance. "Good news, my friends,"
exclaimed Marco, who was watching them; "they wear the dress of
Christians; they are clothed and in their right mind." A party of
natives now came up, and cordially welcomed the shipwrecked strangers.
Some hurried back to bring water and provisions, others examined the
canoe, which it was pretty evident was not in a condition again to go to
sea. Marco found that he could very easily understand them; so could
also Ned Hadden. They said that they had themselves been scarcely a
year before untaught savages, but that a large ship came to their
shores, and that those in her treated them kindly, and that a missionary
was sent who had taught them the new way; that they found it very good,
and that their great wish was to act in accordance with the precepts of
Christianity. The missionary, who had come from Raratonga, was living
not far off, and would soon be with them. Mr Manners, on hearing this
account, and calculating the position of the island, had little doubt
that this was the island visited by the Ajax, the natives of which had
at first given so hostile a reception to those who had landed on their
shores, but had finally been won over by kindness. This opinion was
confirmed when the missionary, a very intelligent Tahitian, arrived. He
said that the people had welcomed him from the first, and that all of
them, young and old, seemed anxious to learn the Truth.

Mr Manners was satisfied from all he saw and heard that a genuine
change had taken place among the people. He found that, though
tolerably industrious, and improving in that respect also, they did not
produce as yet much more food than they required for their own support.
He was therefore unwilling to remain longer amo