During the morning several of the seamen asked my permission to attend the church, that they might become baptismal witnesses to some of the natives who had requested their services; this I willingly allowed, cautioning them however to maintain the strictest propriety of conduct. On entering the church, where a large congregation was assembled, we found chairs and benches prepared for our accommodation. The Upper Orang Kaya and his wife requested me to stand godfather to their daughter, who was to be christened Diderika Hendrika; indeed, nearly all the congregation underwent this ceremony, even people who had attained the age of forty years. Among those who were united in matrimony, were many couples who had already lived, for a long period, in a state of wedlock; in fact, several cases occurred in which parents and children were married at the same time. On only one occasion was there any confusion, and this was caused by a ludicrous accident happening to the dress of a young bridegroom, who had arrayed himself for the ceremony in some old, worn-out, and smoke-dried clothes, which, above all, were too small for him. This was too much for any gravity to endure, and the young ladies especially could not restrain their merriment; but a friendly hand tendered the unlucky youth a sarong, in which he would gladly have enveloped himself entirely to conceal his confusion. To add to the solemnity of the occasion, several German flutes had been brought to accompany the psalms, the natives, especially the women, being extremely fond of the music of this instrument. At the request of M. Kam, my Amboynese piper attended to play second; but although the poor youth did all he could with hands and feet, he was unable to keep in tune, so that we were soon obliged to put a stop to the _disconcerto_. The ceremony was extremely long, but the attention shown by the audience was truly exemplary; indeed, in the mother country I have seen a congregation asleep from weariness at a much shorter service, so that in this respect our countrymen and countrywomen may learn an example from the simple inhabitants of the Arru Islands. Even after the service they assembled at the house of the teacher, and sang several more psalms; the newly married couples being also ceremoniously congratulated on the joyful occasion. While they were thus employed, I took the opportunity of paying a visit to the ruins of the fort.