was engaged to convey us to the Sandwich Islands. While we were preparing for our departure, viz. in the month of December, 1822, a marriage took place between Pomare, the young chief of Tahaa, and Aimata, the only daughter of the late king of Tahiti. The parties met at Huahine, which was midway between the residence of the families to which they respectively belonged. Young Pomare had received his name, as a mark of special favour, from the king of Tahiti.

More than a week before his intended bride arrived from Tahiti, Pomare sailed from Tahaa, and landed at Fare, where he was entertained with the attention and respect suited to his rank and prospects, by the chiefs of Huahine. It was not, however, at that time supposed that his consort would become the queen of Tahiti, as her brother, with whom her father had left the government, was then living.

In the month of December, Aimata,, accompanied by her mother and aunt, arrived at Huahine, on board the Queen Charlotte, a brig belonging to the king. The afternoon of the day on which the vessel anchored was fixed on for her landing, and introduction to her future husband. We walked down to the settlement, to witness the meeting of the youthful pair. A small open house, belonging to the governor, was the place appointed for their first interview. When we reached the spot, we beheld the young chieftain, who, for his age, was remarkably stout, dressed in full native costume, with a large purau, and a flowing tiputa; he wore, also, an English beaver hat. He was seated at one end of the building on an iri, or native seat, waiting with gravity of appearance the arrival of Aimata.

About a quarter of an hour after we had reached the place, two or three boats from the vessel rowed towards the shore. Several of the attendants of the young princess arrived in the first; and the queen and her sister, with the youthful Aimata, landed from the second. The visitors were met on the beach by the governor of the island, and a number of chief women, who conducted Aimata to the house where Pomare and his friends were waiting. They entered, and, after greeting the friends present, took their seats near where the young chief was sitting.

Pomare continued motionless, neither rising to welcome his guests, nor uncovering his head. Aimata sat close by her mother's side, occasionally glancing at the individual who was to be her husband, and who sat like a statue before her.

This was the first time either Pomare or Aimata had seen each other, and the interview was certainly a singular one; for, after sitting together for about twenty minutes, the queen and her companions rose, and repaired to the house provided for their accommodation, and Pomare and his friends returned to their encampment. During the whole of the time they had been in each other's company, they had not exchanged a single word.

Shortly after this meeting, they were publicly married, and afterwards removed to the island of Tahiti, which has ever since been their principal residence. Pomare was about sixteen years of age, and his consort but little, if any, younger. Since the death of her brother, which took place in 1827, she has been considered queen of Tahiti, Eimeo, &c., though the regency, appointed to govern the islands during the minority of the late king, still manages the political affairs, acting,

however, in the name of Aimata, instead of that of her brother.

Pomare was very young when the inhabitants of his native island embraced Christianity; the first time we saw him was in 1819, when he appeared nine or ten years of age. His establishment, however, was at that time nearly as large as it has been since. He possessed a number of houses in different parts of Raiatea and Tahaa, and was surrounded by a numerous train of attendants; one or two chiefs, of rank and influence, acting as his guardians, usually accompanied him. During the early parts of his life, he was frequently carried about on men's shoulders, according to the ancient custom of the kings of the Society Islands. When the king of Tahiti embraced Christianity, this, with other practices connected with idolatry, was laid aside in the Windward Isles. It was

occasionally adopted by the young chief of Tahaa, more, perhaps, to gratify the pride of some of his attendants, than to afford any satisfaction to his own mind. By him it has now been discontinued for a number of years; and young Pomare is probably the last Tahitian chieftain that will ever ride in state on the necks of his people.

Aimata, the only surviving child of the king of Tahiti, although about the same age, appeared in perfect contrast to her husband. Her form was neither athletic nor corpulent, her countenance open and lively, her jet-black eye sparkling and intelligent, her manners and address engaging, her disposition volatile, and her conversation cheerful. In these respects she was the very opposite to Pomare, who was taciturn and forbidding.

She gave early indications of superior intellectual endowments; and, had her mental faculties

been properly cultivated, she would probably have excelled most of her own sex in the society in which she was destined to exert the highest influence. The restraint and application, however, which this required, were ill suited to her lively disposition, and uncontrolled habits of life. She has, nevertheless, been a frequent, and, while she continued, a promising pupil of the Missionaries, having, in a short time, made a pleasing progress in the acquisition of knowledge. She has for some time made a profession of Christianity. To the Missionaries she has invariably proved friendly; and, since she has been the queen of Tahiti, has patronized and encouraged their efforts.

Pomare and Aimata had been, by their respective families, betrothed to each other for some time prior to their meeting in Huahine. Considerable preparations had been made for the celebration of the marriage, and as the parties were nearly related to the reigning families in the Windward and Leeward Islands, arrangements were made for entertainments corresponding with the rank and dignity of the bridegroom and his bride.

About noon on the day appointed, the young chieftain with his guardian and friends reached the chapel, where we were waiting to receive them. Aimata, attended by her mother-in-law, the queen of Tahiti, her sister, and the wife of Mahine, chief of Huahine, arrived shortly after. The royal party were attended by the dependents of Hautia, the governor of the island. In honour of the distinguished guest, these dependents or guards were not only arrayed in their best apparel, which was certainly any thing rather than uniform, but they also marched under arms. Many of the raatiras of Huahine attended, out of respect to the reigning family.

When the ceremony commenced, Mr. Barff and myself took our station near the communion table in front of the pulpit; Pomare and his friends standing on our right, and Aimata with her relatives on the left. The raatiras formed a semicircle three or four deep immediately behind the bride and bridegroom, while the body of the chapel was filled with spectators. Most of the chiefs appeared in European dresses, some of which being large loose gowns of highly glazed chintz of a brilliant red and yellow colour, intermixed with dresses of black and blue broad cloth, presented a novel spectacle.

The principal part of Pomare's dress was manufactured in the islands, and worn after the ancient fashion. Aimata wore a white English gown, a light pink scarf, and a finely platted hibiscus bonnet, trimmed with white ribands. The queen, Pomare-vahine, and all the females of the royal party, appeared in white dresses of foreign manufacture. The raatiras wore the native costume peculiar to their rank and station, while the dress of the multitude behind them presented almost every variety of European and native clothing.

The rich and showy colours exhibited in the apparel of the chiefs, the uniform white raiment of the queen and her companions, in striking contrast with their olive-coloured complexions and dark glossy curling hair, presented an unusual appearance. The picturesque dress of the raatiras, who wore the purau or beautifully fine white matting tiputa, bordered round the neck and the edges with a most elegant fringe, and bore in the right hand a highly polished staff, or kind of halbert, of black iron-wood, together with the diversified appearance of the spectators, greatly increased the novel and imposing effect of the whole.