MR. ELLIS'S ATTENDANCE AT CHAPEL. 273

the brethren, and the other by the natives. He joined the brethren's prayer-meeting. At nine he attended the public service. The chapel was so full before the service began, that Mr. Ellis could scarcely enter. Mr. Davies was seated behind a table in the middle of one side. He rose, and gave out a hymn, which the people stood up to sing, and then he offered up a prayer. The people afterwards sat down. to listen to the sermon. When it was concluded, Mr. Davies offered up another prayer, and pronounced the blessing. The people were exceedingly attentive during the whole service, and Mr. Ellis felt overcome with joy to see so many hundreds of poor heathens worshipping the living God.

At eleven the brethren had service together in English. At four the natives again assembled in the chapel for public worship, when Mr. Nott preached.

The next Sunday Mr. Ellis attended the prayer meeting of the natives at sunrise. A native gave out a hymn, which was then sung; another native prayed; then the people sang again, and afterwards another prayer was offered. The service lasted about an hour, and was over about seven o'clock. Perhaps it may surprise you to find that the Scriptures were not read aloud during these services, but it is necessary to remember that the Scriptures were not yet

T

274

NEW HABITS OF THE NATIVES.

printed. The people, however, knew the little books, containing passages from the New Testament, almost by heart, and they were acquainted with many texts that the preachers quoted in their sermons; for they often wrote them down, as soon as they left the chapel, and studied them till they knew them.

On this Sunday, Mr. Ellis visited some of the natives in their dwellings between morning and afternoon service. He found them reading out of their little books with their families, and talking with them upon the things they read of.

Mr. Ellis was much pleased to observe how carefully they kept the sabbath, not even preparing their food upon that day. On other days they were become much more industrious than they once had been, for they had now left off the foolish games they formerly delighted in. Grown-up people no longer wasted their time in playing at ball, or shooting at a mark, or still worse, in wrestling, boxing, and cockfighting, but employed themselves in the useful labours of building and planting. Little gar

dens of taro (which resembles a potato) surrounded many of the dwellings. The greatest ornament of these gardens was a little house for secret prayer, which showed that the owners were looking for a better inheritance.

The brethren now consulted together respecting the place, where they should set up the

CHOICE OF A NEW STATION.

275

printing-press. They resolved to remove it to the other side of Eimeo, and agreed that Mr. Ellis, with Mr. Davies and Mr. Crook, should go and live there. By this means, the people at the other side of Eimeo would have an opportunity of receiving instruction.

In the month of March, the press was taken in a canoe to this place, which was called A-fare-ai-tu. The three brethren, and many natives, went with it. They fixed upon the spot where the printing-house was to be built, and then Mr. Ellis and Mr. Crook returned to fetch their families, while Mr. Davies remained at Afareaitu, to get things in order.

Soon after Mr. Ellis's return to Papetoai, the king and his family arrived there from Tahiti. Pomare dined, and spent the day with the brethren. He seemed pleased to hear that they were immediately going to erect a printinghouse, and he wrote a letter to the chiefs at Afareaitu, to desire them to make the people help in the work. He admired the drawings in Mr. Ellis's portfolio, and asked Mr. Ellis whether he thought he could learn to draw. When he was told that perhaps he might be able, he drew a sketch on a slate, and borrowed some drawings as copies.

On March 25th, the two brethren set out for Afareaitu. Mr. Ellis, with his wife, child, and nurse, went in a canoe, and Mr. Crook,

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SETTLEMENT AT THE NEW STATION.

with his wife and seven children, in another very large one. Though the voyage along the coast was only twenty miles, yet, from the wind being contrary, the party were obliged to sleep on shore, on the way, in a large empty house, where they were so much annoyed (as they often were) by mosquitoes, that Mr. Ellis preferred spending the night in the cool air, sitting, or walking by the sea-shore.

The next day the party arrived at Afareaitu. It was a lovely spot. A beautiful stream flowed from the mountains into this fruitful valley, and near this stream, the brethren had determined to build a printing-house, and dwellings for Mr. Ellis and Mr. Crook. In the mean while, the two brethren shared a large empty native house between them, and put up curtains of matting for walls. Mr. Ellis divided his part into a bed-room, sitting-room, and store-room. As the food was cooked out of doors, no kitchen was required. Mr. Davies had already settled himself in a very small house, that had been built long before by the natives, for the use of the preachers, when they visited the place; (for there was a chapel at Afareaitu.) This house reminded the missionaries of the room the Shunamite once built for Elisha.

While the printing-house was building, Mr. Ellis and Mr. Crook took great pains to improve themselves in the Tahitian language,

POMARE'S FONDNESS FOR PICTURES. 277

which Mr. Davies, who had been many years in the islands, could teach them. It was also arranged that Mr. Davies should preach, and pray in Tahitian, and that Mr. Ellis and Mr. Crook should conduct the services among the brethren in English. Mr. Crook, who understood medicine, undertook to attend the sick.

Mr. Davies, who had for many years laboured much in the instruction of children, had a great desire to have a school established. The people willingly helped in building a house, and the school was soon opened, and filled with grown-up scholars, as well as children. Many people came to live near, that they might attend both the school and the chapel.

Pomare sent the brethren a letter, desiring them to inform him, as soon as the printinghouse was finished, that he might come to see the printing. However, he did not wait till that time, but paid them a visit, bringing with him a quantity of boards for the brethren. His mind seemed much occupied with thoughts of drawing, and he looked with pleasure at some portraits of ministers in a magazine, and also at some pictures of beasts and birds. He did not, however, steal any, as he had once stolen the picture of Adam and Eve from Mr. Broomhall's Bible.

During his stay with the brethren, he re