1835.] PAYING A DEBT. 409 



in the apparent degree of attention ; but 1 believe my 

 expectations were raised too bigli. 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, 

 although fluently delivered, did not sound well : a 

 constant repetition of words, like *' tafa ta, mata mai,''^ 

 rendered it monotonous. After English service a party 

 returned on foot to Matavai. 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 were then under the dominion of the 

 Queen of Tahiti. It was believed that the perpetrators 

 were instigated to this act by some indiscreet laws issued 

 by her majesty. The British Government demanded com- 

 pensation ; 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 

 Captain Fitz Roy to enquire concerning this debt, and 

 to demand satisfaction if it were not paid. Captain Fitz 

 Roy accordingly requested an interview with the Queen 

 Pomare, 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 ap- 

 peared, had not been paid ; perhaps the alleged reasons 

 were rather equivocal; but otherwise I cannot sufiRciently 

 express our general surprise at the extreme good sense, 

 the reasoning powers, moderation, candour, and prompt 

 resolution, which were displayed on all sides. I believe we 

 all left the meeting with a very different opinion of the 

 Tahitians from what we entertained when we entered. 

 The chiefs and people resolved to subscribe and complete 

 the sum which was wanting ; Captain Fitz Roy urged that 

 it was hard that their private property should be sacrificed 

 r the crimes of distant islanders. They replied that they 

 A ere grateful for his consideration, but that Pomare was 

 their Queen, and that they were determined to help her 

 in this her difilculty. This resolution and its prompt 

 <>;ecution, for a book was opened early the next morning, 



