;835.j TAHITI AN PARLIAMENT. 415 



give credit to a morality which they do not wish to practise, oi 

 to a religion which they undervalue, if not despise. 



Sunday, 22nd. — The harbour of Papiete, where the queen 

 resides, may be considered as the capital of the island : it is also 

 the seat of government, and the chief resort of shipping. Cap- 

 tain Fitz Roy took a party there this day to hear divine service, 

 first in the Tahitian language, and afterwards in our own. Mr. 

 Pritchard, the leading missionary in the island, performed the 

 service. The chapel consisted of a large airy framework of 

 wood ; and it was filled to excess by tidy, clean people, of all 

 ages and both sexes. I was rather disappointed in the apparent 

 degree of attention ; but I believe my expectations w ere raised 

 too high. At all events the appearance was quite equal to that 

 in a country church in England. The singing of the hymns was 

 decidedly very pleasing ; but the language from the pulpit, al- 

 though fluently delivered, did not sound well : a constant repe- 

 tition of words, like " tata ta, mata mai" rendered it monoto- 

 nous. After English service, a party returned on foot to Ma- 

 ta vai. It was a pleasant walk, sometimes along the sea-beach 

 and sometimes under the shade of the many beautiful trees. 



About two years ago, a small vessel under English colours 

 was plundered by some of the inhabitants of the Low Islands, 

 which w^ere then under the dominion of the Queen of Tahiti. It 

 was believed that the perpetrators w^ere instigated to this act by 

 some indiscreet laws issued by her majesty. The British govern- 

 ment demanded compensation ; which was acceded to, and a sum 

 of nearly three thousand dollars was agreed to be paid on the 

 first of last September. The Commodore at Lima ordered Cap- 

 tain Fitz Roy to inquire concerning this debt, and to demand 

 satisfaction if it were not paid. Captain Fitz Roy accordingly 

 requested an interview with the Queen Pomarre, since famous 

 from the ill-treatment she has received from the French ; and a 

 parliament was held to consider the question, at which all the 

 principal chiefs of the island, and the queen, were assembled. I 

 will not attempt to describe what took place, after the interesting 

 account given by Captain Fitz Roy. The money, it appeared, 

 had not been paid ; perhaps the alleged reasons were rather equi- 

 vocal ; but otherwise I cannot sufficiently express our general 

 surprise at the extreme good sense, the reasoning powers, mode- 



