CHAPTER XXIII. 



Continuation of the Meeting atPapiete — Questions — Explanation — Meet- 

 ing ends — Pilotage — jNIr. Wilson — Queen's Visit — Fireworks — School 

 Intelligence — Letters — Inhabitants — Dress — Conduct — Abolition of 

 Spirits — Defect in Character — Domestic Scene — Aura Island — New- 

 ton at Bow Island — Pearl Ovster-shells — Divers— Steering — Queen's 

 Letter — Collection — Sail from Otaheite — AVhylootacke — Flight of 

 Birds — Navigators — Friendly — Feejee Islands — English Chief — Pre- 

 cautions — La Perouse, 



Reverting to the meeting at Papiete : — The queen's secre- 

 tary next asked to speak, and said that a law had been esta- 

 bhshed in the island, prohibiting the keeping, as well as the 

 use or importation of any kind of spirits. In consequence of 

 that law, the persons appointed to carry it into effect had de- 

 sired to destroy the contents of various casks and bottles of 

 spirits ; but the foreigners who owned the spirits objected, 

 denying the right to interfere with private property. The 

 Otaheitan authorities did not persist, as they were told that 

 the first man-of-war which might arrive would certainly take 

 vengeance upon them if they meddled with private property. 

 He wished to ask whether the Otaheitans ought to have per- 

 sisted in enforcing their own laws ; and what I should have 

 done, had the law been enforced with a British subject, and 

 had he made application to me. 



My answer was, " Had the Otaheitans enforced their law, I 

 could in no way have objected. In England a contraband 

 article is seized by the proper officers, and is not treated as 

 private property while forbidden by the law."" 



Much satisfaction was evidently caused by this declaration : 

 also, at a former part of the discussions, when a remonstrance 

 was made against Otaheitans paying the Truro debt, the 

 greater part of the assembly seemed to be much pleased. 



A respectable old man then stood up, and expressed his grati- 

 fication at finding that another of King William's men-of-war 

 had been sent — not to frighten them, or to force them to do as 

 they were told, without considering or inquiring into their own 



