he wished to know whether it was right that, without his knowledge or consent, the tree should have been cut down.

The magistrate, turning to the queen, asked if she had ordered the tree to be cut down. She answered, 'Yes.'-He then asked if she did not know that they had laws. She said, 'Yes;' but she was not aware that they applied to her. The magistrate asked, 'If in those laws (a copy of which he held in his hand) there were any exceptions in favour of chiefs, or kings, or queens.' She answered, No,' and despatched one of her attendants to her house, who soon returned with a bag of dollars, which she threw down before the poor man, as a recompense for his loss.- Stop,' said the justice,' we have not done yet.' The queen began to weep. Do you think it right that you should have cut down the tree without asking the owner's permission?' continued the magistrate. It was not right,' said the queen. Then turning to the poor man, he asked, 'What remuneration do you require ?' Teuhe answered, If the queen is convinced that it was not right to take a little man's tree without his permission, I am sure she will not do so again. I am satisfied—I require no other recompense.' His disinterestedness was applauded; the assembly dispersed; and afterwards, I think, the queen sent him, privately, a present equal to the value of his tree.

CHAP. VIII.

Visit from the Windward Islands-Opposition to the moral restraints of Christianity-Tatauing prohibited by the chiefs-Revival of the practice-Trial and penalty of the offenders-Rebellion against the laws and government-Public assembly-Address of Taua-Departure of the chiefs and people from the encampment of the king's son-Singularity of their dress and appearance-Interview between the rival parties-Return of Hautia and the captives-Arrival of the deputation at Tahiti-Account of Taaroarii-Encouraging circumstances connected with his early life-His marriageProfligate associates-Effects of bad example-Disorderly conduct-His illness-Attention of the chiefs and people-Visits to his encampment-Last interviewDeath of Taaroarii-Funeral procession-Impressive circumstances connected with his decease and interment -His monument and epitaph-Notice of his fatherHis widow and daughter-Institution of Christian burial-Dying expressions of native converts.

DURING the year 1821, besides going to Tahiti, I made three voyages to Raiatea, and spent several weeks with the Missionaries there. These voyages were not dangerous, although we were often out at sea all night, and sometimes for nights and days together.-The Hope, whose arrival at Tahiti in April had afforded us so much satisfaction, called at Huahine on her way to England, with a cargo she had taken in at Tahiti. Shortly

after this, we were also favoured with a visit from Messrs. Darling and Bourne, who accompanied the captain of the Westmoreland from Tahiti, in the ship's long-boat. After meeting the Missionaries of the Leeward Islands at Raiatea, they passed some weeks with us in Huahine. Their visit was peculiarly gratifying, being the first we had received from any of the Missionaries in the Windward Islands, though we had been at Fare harbour upwards of three years. The season they spent with us was also distinguished by one or two important circumstances.

Paganism had been renounced in 1816, and a general profession of Christianity followed the commencement of the Mission here; there were, however, a number who felt the restraint Christianity imposed upon their evil propensities, to be exceedingly irksome. These were principally young persons; and though, from the influence of example, or the popularity of religion, they had attached themselves to the Christians, they were probably hoping that a change would take place in the sentiments of the nation more favourable to their wishes, and relax the restriction which the precepts of scripture had imposed. They did not, however, disturb the tranquillity of the community.

But when the chiefs intimated their intention of governing for the future according to the principles and maxims of the Bible, and that the new code of laws had received the sanction of Pomarevahine, as well as that of the ruling chiefs on the island, they began to be apprehensive that the existing state of things was likely to be permanent. They then first exhibited a disposition to oppose their application. Several who had transgressed had been by the chiefs admonished and dismissed;

the latter, at the same time, firmly declaring their determination to enforce the laws which they had promulgated.

Among other prohibitions, that of tatauing, or staining the body, was included. The simple act of marking the skin was not a breach of the peace, but it was intimately connected with their former idolatry, always attended with the practice of abominable vices, and was on this account prohibited. In the month of July, it was discovered that a number, about forty-six young persons, had been marking themselves. The principal chiefs said, that formerly the disobedience of so numerous a party to any order of the chiefs, would have been considered equivalent to a declaration of war, and they should have sent armed men after them at once, and either have slain or banished the delinquents; but now, as they had laws, they wished to know whether it would be right that they should all be tried, and, if found guilty, have the sentence annexed to the crime pronounced against them.

We told the chiefs it would not be wrong, and the next morning attended the trial. It was conducted with the greatest candour and forbearance on the part of the magistrates and accusers, and an equal degree of submission on the part of the offenders, though it appeared they had supposed that from their numbers, and the circumstance of one or two young chiefs of distinction being among them, the government would not have noticed their conduct. They were sentenced to build a certain quantity of stone-work on the margin of the sea.

In a day or two afterwards, it was discovered that Taaroarii, the king's son, a youth about

eighteen years of age, had also been tataued; and this being considered as an expression of his disapprobation of his father's proceedings, and of his determination as to the conduct he designed to pursue, produced a great sensation among the people. His venerable father was deeply affected, and the struggle between affection for his son, and his duty to the people, was evidently strong. The latter prevailed; he directed him to be tried, and attended him to the trial: here he affection

ately admonished his son to profit by his experience, and warned the spectators, telling them not to be deceived, and suppose that the laws, by which they had mutually agreed to be governed, would be violated with impunity. Some of the latter observed, If the king's son does not escape, what will become of the common men?

Taaroarii, the chief of Sir Charles Sanders' Island, and the expected successor to his father in the sovereignty of Huahine, now assisted in building the portion of stone-work allotted to him. His friends and attendants performed the greater part of the labour-still, there was a feeling of pride, that would not allow him to stand altogether idle. I visited his house one evening, and entered freely into conversation with him on the subject. He observed, that he was sorry for what he had done, but appeared to indicate, that he did not wish it to be thought that the work assigned him was any punishment.

Several unsteady young men and women, who followed the example of the first party, were also tried, and sentenced to similar punishments; and afterwards two principal personages in the island, by having their bodies tataued, joined their party : these two were, the son of the king of Raiatea, who