66 GARDEN AT THE MISSION HOUSE. a hundred things to tell, and a hundred things to see. After ascertaining that all the missionaries were well, every thing in a most promising and prosperous state, and a great deal else of gratifying intelligence, we took a turn in the garden, where there is much to admire in the variety and luxuriance of the productions of this part of the islands. The location of the mission ground is much more eligible and delightful than when you were here in 1825; commanding fine views of the harbor, ocean, and surrounding shores, ornamented and shaded by clumps of the bread-fruit, and possessing a soil of almost unequalled richness. Every thing except the bread-fruit within the inclosure, is the growth of little more than two years. Yet, besides fine hedges of a native tree very similar in appearance to the mountain ash, of the ti-dracona-damask rose, and cape gooseberry, there are many fine coffee plants, covered with berries of an uncommonly large size, exhibiting a vigor and rankness unequalled by any I saw at Rio de Janiero, a fine vineyard, with vines trained into arbors; tamarind, fig, lime, lemon, orange, and mango trees, strawberries, &c. &c. In the shrubbery, I observed the pride of Barbadoes-casalpinia coriaria-the seeds of which I believe I brought to the island, thriving finely; and by its rich blossoms of crimson and orange, imparting an air of gaiety to every thing near. The strawberry bed too, is from seeds sent to me, and received after our return to America. The news of my arrival spread rapidly among the people; and the house soon began to be thronged GREETINGS OF THE ISLANDERS. 67 with those, who had a recollection of me, but whom, principally, I had forgotten. Many of them shed tears, as they embraced and kissed my hands, or sank at my feet, manifesting a degree of sensibility and affection-considering their slight personal knowledge of me--that was surprising, till informed of the happy fact, that a period of deep seriousness and religious feeling has long existed at this place, and that many of these are still under the influence of the lively affections of recent conversion of a conversion not only from the follies and sins of a worldly life, but from the ignorance, superstition, and prejudices of heathenism, to the love and services of true piety. : There were those in the number, however, whom you and I, not only know, but never can forgetparticularly Bartimeus, our blind friend of Lahaina, and John Honorii. They both reside at this station, as assistants to Mr. Goodrich. Many and repeated kind inquiries from them and others were made concerning yourself and children: and "aroha ino rakou," "great affection for them," repeatedly burst from their lips. Our limited half hour was gone before we seemed to have been fifteen minutes on shore: and we felt ourselves obliged even to decline the refreshments which Mrs. Goodrich had kindly prepared, and to take a hasty leave. The hope, that by some means, I might see them again, before the Vincennes should bid a final adieu to the islands, prevented the feeling that I was bidding them farewell; and I was thereføre saved an unnccessary sorrow. 68 ENTRANCE TO THE BAY, After a hard row of two hours, we gained the ship; and as soon as the boats were secured, stood away, as ́ we thought, for Maui. But the wind had already become light and baffling. A heavy swell and current were setting us within the points forming the bay, and our prospects of making much progress for the night were very uncertain: so much so, that after a moment's debate, to my surprise, but equally to my satisfaction, the captain determined upon running into the harbor, before the land breeze should come off; and by spreading a mountain of light sail, we were gently fanned in; and by five o'clock were snugly at anchor abreast of the river and waterfall, and of course in the immediate vicinity of this place. Mr. Goodrich, perceiving our design, boarded us in his canoe, in time to point out the best anchorage for a vessel of our class. As we entered the bay, the rays of the declining sun gleamed brightly over the wide extent of open campaign country, distinguishing this part of Hawaii from that of every other island in the Pacific I have yet visited-presenting its broad lawns and dark groves, in lights and shades of exquisite beauty, and in every variety of verdure, from that which seemed almost white to the deepest green. From the lofty, but primitive looking chapel, as a centre, the humble dwelling of the fisherman and the farmer were seen, widely scattered in every direction; some skirting the beach, as it swept round in the beautiful curvature forming the bottom of the bay; some hanging on the cliffs of the bolder shores; some just peeping from the thick foliage of a grove AND SURROUNDING SCENERY. 69 more inland, or slightly screened by the shade of a small clump or single tree; and some, again, standing unsheltered and alone, in the midst of a wide spreading field. Such was the foreground; while behind, an extensive country, marked in two or three places by old, long extinguished, and now verdant craters-rose gradually for miles, to the stately forests enriching the broad bases of Mounaroa and Mounakea, both in distinct view-the first appearing far in the south, above and beyond a line of green forests, in one long, regular, and distant arch of blue-the last, seemingly near, towering loftily against the western sky, in irregular and broken summits of gigantic magnitude. The admiration of all on board was greatly excited by the scene. I thought, myself, I had scarce ever gazed on one of simple nature more rich and lovely: and we all rejoiced to be informed, from the captain, that being now at anchor, the Vincennes would remain at least a week or ten days, before proceeding to the leeward. I early took leave of the ship, to spend the evening and night on shore, and kept my friends from their rest long beyond their accustomed hour. As is almost invariably the case in this district, heavy showers of rain fell during the latter part of the night and morning, and every thing without became so perfectly drenched, that I was kept within doors till a late hour. I felt no disposition, however, to complain of the cause, for the pattering of the rain on the thatch of the roof and sides of the house, proved a lullaby so soothing, as to make my repose of the kind, that "delights Above the luxury of common sleep." LETTER III. A WORSHIPING ASSEMBLY AT HIDO. U. S. Ship Vincennes, Byron's Bay, THE scenes of the sabbath have been such, dear H—, that a review of them, in my own mind, will not be an abuse of sacred time-nor will their perusal give rise to thoughts and affections unsuited to a day of God. At an early hour of the morning, even before we had taken our breakfast on board ship, a single islander here or there, or a group of three or four, wrapped in their large mantles of various hues, might be seen winding their way among the groves, fringing the bay on the east, or descending from the hills and ravine on the north, towards the chapel; and by degrees their numbers increased, till, in a short time, every path along the beach and over the uplands, presented an almost uninterrupted procession of both sexes and of every age, all pressing to the house of God. So few canoes were round the ship yesterday, and the landing place had been so little thronged, as |