THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. 24^ 



nesia, hut on the overthrow of every thhig existing. 

 We do not douht the events at Otaheite, but, at 

 the same time, we cannot conceive them ; and M. 

 Marin, who had previously visited these islands, 

 told us, what is very clear, that the natives, for the 

 most part, only visited the missionaries to have the 

 pleasure of mimicking their customs. 



We are indebted to the contributions of William 

 Mariner, and to the laudable diUgence of Dr. John 

 Martin, for the most valuable addition to the know- 

 ledge of Polynesia, in the satisfactory " Account 

 of theNatives of the Tonga Islands, London," 1818. 

 This important work was not published at the time 

 of our voyage ; and therefore the want of a 

 similar work on the Owhyeeans ; the desire tho- 

 roughly to study the traditions and the history, 

 the common and religious language; the religion 

 and customs, the social habits, and spirit of this 

 people, as well as the eager wish to examine, on the 

 mountains of Owhyee, the history of the plants, 

 and their migrations, urgently induced the na- 

 turalist of the expedition, on our first visit to 

 the Sandwich islands, to offer to remain there till 

 the return of the Rurick. This idea, which would 

 in the end have been baffled, by the present politi- 

 cal circumstances, was deemed incompatible with 

 the object of the expedition. It is now time, under 

 the protection of the noble-minded Tamaahmaah, 

 and with the assistance of the Europeans settled 

 in his kingdom, whose experience and knowledge 



11 2 



