Inoneoftheseechoingandsunlessgullieswesaw，clusteredlikesea-birdsonasplashingledge，shrillassea-birdsintheirsalutationtothepassingboat，agroupoffisherwomen，strippedtotheirgaudyunder-clothes。Theclashofthesurfandthethinfemalevoicesechoinmymemory。Wehadthatdayanativecrewandsteersman，Kauanui；itwasourfirstexperienceofPolynesianseamanship，whichconsistsinhuggingeverypointofland。Thereisnothoughtinthisofsavingtime，fortheywillpullalongwayintoskirtapointthatisembayed。Itseemsthat，astheycannevergettheirhousesnearenoughthesurfupontheoneside，sotheycannevergettheirboatsnearenoughupontheother。Thepracticeinboldwaterisnotsodangerousasitlooks-thereflexfromtherockssendingtheboatoff。Nearbeacheswithaheavyrunofsea，Icontinuetothinkitveryhazardous，andfindthecomposureofthenativesannoyingtobehold。Wetookunmingledpleasure，onthewayout，toseesonearathandthebeachandthewonderfulcoloursofthesurf。Onthewayback，whentheseahadrisenandwasrunningstrongagainstus，thefinenessofthesteersman’saimgrewmoreembarrassing。Aswecameabreastofthesea-front，wherethesurfbrokehighest，Kauanuiembracedtheoccasiontolighthispipe，whichthenmadethecircuitoftheboat-eachmantakingawhiffortwo，and，erehepassediton，fillinghislungsandcheekswithsmoke。Theirfaceswereallpuffedoutlikeapplesaswecameabreastoftheclifffoot，andtheburstingsurgefellbackintotheboatinshowers。Atthenextpoint’cocanetti’wastheword，andthestrokeborrowedmyknife，anddesistedfromhislabourstoopennuts。Theseuntimelyindulgencesmaybecomparedtothetotofgrogservedoutbeforeashipgoesintoaction。
　　Mypurposeinthisvisitledmefirsttotheboys’school，forHatiheuistheuniversityofthenorthislands。Thehumofthelessoncameouttomeetus。Closebythedoor，wherethedraughtblewcoolest，satthelaybrother；aroundhim，inapackedhalf-
　　circle，somesixtyhigh-colouredfacessetwithstaringeyes；andinthebackgroundofthebarn-likeroombenchesweretobeseen，andblackboardswithsumsontheminchalk。Thebrotherrosetogreetus，sensiblyhumble。Thirtyyearshehadbeenthere，hesaid，andfingeredhiswhitelocksasabashfulchildpullsouthispinafore。’ETPOINTDERESULTATS，MONSIEUR，PRESQUEPASDE
　　RESULTATS。’Hepointedtothescholars：’Yousee，sir，alltheyouthofNuka-hivaandUa-pu。Betweentheagesofsixandfifteenthisisallthatremains；anditisbutafewyearssincewehadahundredandtwentyfromNuka-hivaalone。OUI，MONSIEUR，CELASE
　　DEPERIT。’Prayers，andreadingandwriting，prayersagainandarithmetic，andmoreprayerstoconclude：suchappearedtobethedrearynatureofthecourse。Forarithmeticallislandpeoplehaveanaturaltaste。InHawaiitheymakegoodprogressinmathematics。
　　InoneofthevillagesonMajuro，andgenerallyintheMarshallgroup，thewholepopulationsitaboutthetraderwhenheisweighingcopra，andeachonhisownslatetakesdownthefiguresandcomputesthetotal。Thetrader，findingthemsoapt，introducedfractions，forwhichtheyhadbeentaughtnorule。Atfirsttheywerequitegravelledbutultimately，bysheerhardthinking，reasonedouttheresult，andcameoneafteranothertoassurethetraderhewasright。NotmanypeopleinEuropecouldhavedonethelike。ThecourseatHatiheuisthereforelessdispiritingtoPolynesiansthanastrangermighthaveguessed；andyethowbalditisatbest！Iaskedthebrotherifhedidnottellthemstories，andhestaredatme；ifhedidnotteachthemhistory，andhesaid，’Oyes，theyhadalittleScripturehistory-
　　fromtheNewTestament’；andrepeatedhislamentationsoverthelackofresults。Ihadnotthehearttoputmorequestions；I
　　couldbutsayitmustbeverydiscouraging，andresisttheimpulsetoaddthatitseemedalsoverynatural。Helookedup-’Mydaysarefarspent，’hesaid；’heavenawaitsme。’Maythatheavenforgiveme，butIwasangrywiththeoldmanandhissimpleconsolation。Forthinkofhisopportunity！Theyouth，fromsixtofifteen，aretakenfromtheirhomesbyGovernment，centralisedatHatiheu，wheretheyaresupportedbyaweeklytaxoffood；and，withtheexceptionofonemonthineveryyear，surrenderedwhollytothedirectionofthepriests。Sincetheescapadealreadymentionedtheholidayoccursatadifferentperiodforthegirlsandfortheboys；sothataMarquesanbrotherandsistermeetagain，aftertheireducationiscomplete，apairofstrangers。Itisaharshlaw，andhighlyunpopular；butwhatapoweritplacesinthehandsoftheinstructors，andhowlanguidlyanddullyisthatpoweremployedbythemission！Toomuchconcerntomakethenativespious，adesigninwhichtheyallconfessdefeat，is，I
　　suppose，theexplanationoftheirmiserablesystem。Buttheymightseeinthegirls’schoolatTai-o-hae，underthebrisk，housewifelysisters，adifferentpictureofefficiency，andasceneofneatness，airiness，andspiritedandmirthfuloccupationthatshouldshamethemintocheeriermethods。Thesistersthemselveslamenttheirfailure。Theycomplaintheannualholidayundoesthewholeyear’swork；theycomplainparticularlyoftheheartlessindifferenceofthegirls。Outofsomanyprettyandapparentlyaffectionatepupilswhomtheyhavetaughtandreared，onlytwohaveeverreturnedtopayavisitofremembrancetotheirteachers。
　　These，indeed，comeregularly，buttherest，sosoonastheirschool-daysareover，disappearintothewoodslikecaptiveinsects。Itishardtoimagineanythingmorediscouraging；andyetIdonotbelievetheseladiesneeddespair。Foracertainintervaltheykeepthegirlsaliveandinnocentlybusy；andifitbeatallpossibletosavetherace，thiswouldbethemeans。Nosuchpraisecanbegiventotheboys’schoolatHatiheu。Thedayisnumberedalreadyforthemall；alikefortheteacherandthescholarsdeathisgirt；heisafootuponthemarch；andinthefrequentintervaltheysitandyawn。Butinlifethereseemsathreadofpurposethroughtheleastsignificant；thedrowsiestendeavourisnotlost，andeventheschoolatHatiheumaybemoreusefulthanitseems。
　　Hatiheuisaplaceofsomepretensions。TheendofthebaytowardsAnahomaybecalledthecivilcompound，foritboaststhehouseofKooamua，andcloseonthebeach，underagreattree，thatofthegendarme，M。ArmandAussel，withhisgarden，hispictures，hisbooks，andhisexcellenttable，towhichstrangersaremadewelcome。Nomoresingularcontrastispossiblethanbetweenthegendarmerieandthepriesthood，whoarebesidesinsmoulderingoppositionandfullofmutualcomplaints。Apriest’skitchenintheeasternislandsisadepressingspottosee；andmany，ormostofthem，makenoattempttokeepagarden，sparselysubsistingontheirrations。Butyouwillneverdinewithagendarmewithoutsmackingyourlips；andM。Aussel’shome-madesausageandthesaladfromhisgardenareunforgottendelicacies。PierreLotimayliketoknowthatheisM。Aussel’sfavouriteauthor，andthathisbooksarereadinthefitsceneryofHatiheubay。
　　Theotherendisallreligious。Itisherethatanoverhangingandtip-tiltedhorn，agoodsea-markforHatiheu，burstsnakedfromtheverdureoftheclimbingforest，andbreaksdownshorewardinsteeptalusesandcliffs。Fromtheedgeofoneofthehighest，perhapssevenhundredorathousandfeetabovethebeach，aVirginlooksinsignificantlydown，likeapoorlostdoll，forgottentherebyagiantchild。ThislaborioussymboloftheCatholicsisalwaysstrangetoProtestants；weconceivewithwonderthatmenshouldthinkitworthwhiletotoilsomanydays，andclambersomuchaboutthefaceofprecipices，foranendthatmakesussmile；andyetIbelieveitwasthewiseBishopDordillonwhochosetheplace，andIknowthatthosewhohadahandintheenterpriselookbackwithprideuponitsvanquisheddangers。Theboys’schoolisarecentimportation；itwasatfirstinTai-o-hae，besidethegirls’；anditwasonlyoflate，aftertheirjointescapade，thatthewidthoftheislandwasinterposedbetweenthesexes。ButHatiheumusthavebeenaplaceofmissionaryimportancefrombefore。Aboutmidwayofthebeachnolessthanthreechurchesstandgroupedinapatchofbananas，intermingledwithsomepine-
　　apples。Twoareofwood：theoriginalchurch，nowindisuse；andasecondthat，forsomemysteriousreason，hasneverbeenused。
　　Thenewchurchisofstone，withtwintowers，wallsflangeingintobuttresses，andsculpturedfront。Thedesignitselfisgood，simple，andshapely；butthecharacterisallinthedetail，wherethearchitecthasbloomedintothesculptor。Itisimpossibletotellinwordsoftheangelsalthoughtheyaremorelikewingedarchbishopsthatstandguarduponthedoor，ofthecherubsinthecorners，ofthescapegoatgargoyles，orthequaintandspiritedrelief，whereSt。Michaeltheartist’spatronmakesshortworkofaprotestingLucifer。Wewereneverwearyofviewingtheimagery，soinnocent，sometimessofunny，andyetinthebestsense-inthesenseofinventivegustoandexpression-soartistic。Iknownotwhetheritwasmorestrangetofindabuildingofsuchmeritinacornerofabarbarousisle，ortoseeabuildingsoantiquestillbrightwithnovelty。Thearchitect，aFrenchlaybrother，stillaliveandwell，andmeditatingfreshfoundations，musthavesurelydrawnhisdescentfromamaster-builderintheageofthecathedrals；anditwasinlookingonthechurchofHatiheuthatI
　　seemedtoperceivethesecretcharmofmediaevalsculpture；thatcombinationofthechildishcourageoftheamateur，attemptingallthings，liketheschoolboyonhisslate，withthemanlyperseveranceoftheartistwhodoesnotknowwhenheisconquered。
　　Ihadalwaysafterwardsastrongwishtomeetthearchitect，BrotherMichel；andoneday，whenIwastalkingwiththeResidentinTai-o-haethechiefportoftheisland，therewereshownintousanold，worn，purblind，ascetic-lookingpriest，andalaybrother，atypeofallthatismostsoundinFrance，withabroad，clever，honest，humorouscountenance，aneyeverylargeandbright，andastrongandhealthybodyincliningtoobesity。Butthathisblousewasblackandhisfaceshavenclean，youmightpicksuchamanto-day，toilingcheerfullyinhisownpatchofvines，fromhalfadozenprovincesofFrance；andyethehadalwaysformeahauntingresemblancetoanoldkindfriendofmyboyhood，whomI
　　nameincaseanyofmyreadersshouldsharewithmethatmemory-
　　Dr。Paul，oftheWestKirk。AlmostatthefirstwordIwassureitwasmyarchitect，andinamomentweweredeepinadiscussionofHatiheuchurch。BrotherMichelspokealwaysofhislabourswithatwinkleofhumour，underlyingwhichitwaspossibletospyaseriouspride，andthechangefromonetoanotherwasoftenveryhumananddiverting。’ETVOSGARGOUILLESMOYEN-AGE，’criedI；
　　’COMMEELLESSONTORIGINATES！’’N’EST-CEPAS?ELLESSONTBIEN
　　DROLES！’hesaid，smilingbroadly；andthenextmoment，withasuddengravity：’CEPENDANTILYENAUNEQUIAUNEPATTEDECASSE；
　　ILFAUTQUEJEVOIECELA。’Iaskedifhehadanymodel-apointwemuchdiscussed。’NON，’saidhesimply；’C’ESTUNEEGLISE
　　IDEALE。’Therelievowashisfavouriteperformance，andveryjustlyso。Theangelsatthedoor，heowned，hewouldliketodestroyandreplace。’ILSN’ONTPASDEVIE，ILSMANQUENTDEVIE。
　　VOUSDEVRIEZVOIRMONEGLISEALADOMINIQUE；J’AILAUNEVIERGEQUI
　　ESTVRAIMENTGENTILLE。’’Ah，’Icried，’theytoldmeyouhadsaidyouwouldneverbuildanotherchurch，andIwroteinmyjournalI
　　couldnotbelieveit。’’OUI，J’AIMERAISBIENENFAIRSUNEAUTRE，’
　　heconfessed，andsmiledattheconfession。AnartistwillunderstandhowmuchIwasattractedbythisconversation。Thereisnobondsonearasacommunityinthatunaffectedinterestandslightlyshame-facedpridewhichmarktheintelligentmanenamouredofanart。Heseesthelimitationsofhisaim，thedefectsofhispractice；hesmilestobesoemployedupontheshoresofdeath，yetseesinhisowndevotionsomethingworthy。Artists，iftheyhadthesamesenseofhumourwiththeAugurs，wouldsmilelikethemonmeeting，butthesmilewouldnotbescornful。