My First Mission

sion, Who Determines to Go to the Marqueses Islands-Are Not

understand what they said. When they learned how the Lord had opened our way and aided us in acquiring the language, they felt that it might be

ui; for, to my view, prospects for accomplishing any gre

d with me to Maui, to be a

lder James Hawkins. He was on his way to Honolulu, and expected, if it was not contrary to counsel, to return home. He was dis

l's partner, remained on Hawaii for some time, striving to acquire the language, and to proclaim the gospel to

isit from the president of the mission. He had concluded to leave the Sandwich Isla

nds. They are probably descendants of one common stock. But they are naturally more fierce and savage than the Sandwich Islanders. It is said of some of them, that when t

an on the island he had been on, he thought we should accompany him. It was not from any fear that the people of the Ma

rney of several hundred miles to another land to labor. What were we to do? How far did the obedience which we owed to him require us to go? This was an important question. To disobey a man in the rightful exe

rity, which called him and us, to go to the Marquesas Islands; we knew of no opening there, or of any reason why we should go there in preference to any other place on the earth. If we f

his out; and he told us that probably it would be better for us to remain where we were until we gave the people a fair trial; and then, if we could not do anything, we could follow him, as he intended to writ

he will still be anxious to go forth among the people, even if he knows he will meet with privations and persecution. This was my feeling before the visit of the president of the mission, and after he left, my anxiety increased,

e Lord had revealed to me that I would find a people prepared to receive the truth; and I started as a man would who was going

a mission in the States, I started, feeling as proud of the privilege of swinging it a

d the privilege of preaching the gospel. This desire was now about to be gratified, a

friends, and were strangers in a strange land; our parting, therefore, as might

me; for at whatever place I stopped, I was received mos

r allowed to be uncovered. In planting this root they do not use seed. When a native gathers the "kalo," he carries it to his home, where he cuts off the tops. These are carefully saved, tied up in a bundle,

ger; not quite the shape of a tame turnip, but as large as a moderate sized one. There is a variety called the

fire burns out these sink to the bottom, and they are spread over the bottom and around the sides of the pit. The "kalo" roots are then laid in, mats are spread over t

they cook?"

ing hot, speedily convert it into steam, a

r cooked in this fashion than by any other method I know anyt

, and by the next day fermentation has commenced; or, as we would say if it were bread, it has "raised." Water is then added to it, and it is mixed until it is a little thinner than we usually make mush. There is a little sour taste

ce. A large calabash of "poi" is placed on the

ss, a small calabash of water is passed around, and each

ands waving a kahili, which is made by fa

d with laughter which they keep up, would lead a bystander to conclude that they enjoy their food. And they do. If the "poi" be good, and they have plenty of fish or meat to eat with it, they have great pleasure in eat

traveling among the people I soon learned that if I did not eat "poi" I would put them to great inconvenience; for they would have to cook separate food for me every meal. This would make me burdensome to them, and might interfere with my success. I, therefore, determined to learn t

ead was placed, and though I had not tasted the latter for months, I took the "po