On account of the rocks and formidable breakers, the party who went on shore were landed by the young men, two at a time, in their whale boat.  ‘The difficulty of landing,’ says Captain Beechey, ’was more than repaid by the friendly reception we met with on the beach from Hannah Young, a very interesting young woman, the daughter of Adams.  In her eagerness to greet her father, she had outrun her female companions, for whose delay she thought it necessary, in the first place, to apologize, by saying they had all been over the hill in company with John Buffet to look at the ship, and were not yet returned.  It appeared that John Buffet, who was a sea-faring man, had ascertained that the ship was a man of war, and, without knowing exactly why, became so alarmed for the safety of Adams, that he either could not or would not answer any of the interrogatories which were put to him.  This mysterious silence set all the party in tears, as they feared he had discovered something adverse to their patriarch.  At length his obduracy yielded to their entreaties; but before he explained the cause of his conduct, the boats were seen to put off from the ship, and Hannah immediately hurried to the beach to kiss the old man’s cheek, which she did with a fervency demonstrative of the warmest affection.  Her apology for her companions was rendered unnecessary by their appearance on the steep and circuitous path down the mountain, who, as they arrived on the beach, successively welcomed us to their island, with a simplicity and sincerity which left no doubt of the truth of their professions.’  The whole group simultaneously expressed a wish that the visitors would stay with them several days; and on their signifying a desire to get to the village before dark and to pitch the observatory, every article and instrument found a bearer, along a steep path which led to the village, concealed by groups of cocoa-nut trees; the females bearing their burthens over the most difficult parts without inconvenience.  The village consisted of five houses, on a cleared piece of ground sloping toward the sea.  While the men assisted in pitching the tent, the women employed themselves in preparing the supper.  The mode of cooking was precisely that of Otaheite, by heated stones in a hole made in the ground.  At young Christian’s, the table was spread with plates, knives and forks.  John Buffet said grace in an emphatic manner, and this is repeated every time a fresh guest sits down while the meal is going on.  So strict are they in this respect, that it is not deemed proper to touch a bit of bread without saying grace before and after it.  ‘On one occasion,’ says Captain Beechey, ’I had engaged Adams in conversation, and he incautiously took the first mouthful without having said grace; but before he had swallowed it, he recollected himself, and feeling as if he had committed a crime, immediately put away what he had in his mouth, and commenced his prayer.’  Their rooms and table are lighted up by torches made of doodoe nuts (Aleurites triloba), strung upon the fibres of a palm-leaf, which form a good substitute for candles.