36 T A H I T I. 



bread-fruit, and cocoa-nut trees. In this place Utami, one of the 

 principal chiefs, who is governor of this district, resides. With him 

 our travellers took up their quarters. His dwelling differs from other 

 native houses, in being divided into rooms, and having floors of 

 plank ; indeed, every thing about his establishment indicated more 

 refinement than they had yet met with. His table was set out after 

 the European fashion, and he gave them tea made of a native herb. 



Utami is a very intelligent person, and had been one of Pomare's 

 great captains. He related many anecdotes of the struggle in 1815, 

 which by his account appeared to have been a sanguinary one. He 

 stated, that on the retreat of the heathen party, all their prisoners 

 were put to death, by beating out their brains with clubs; that 

 numbers of them had been forced over precipices ; and that many 

 had fled even to the summits of the mountains, where they remained 

 until a general pardon and amnesty had been proclaimed by Pomare. 

 Even this was not accepted by all, for many remained in the wild 

 and dreary regions of the mountains, refusing to embrace the new 

 religion ; and of these some had continued to exist until within the 

 last five or six years. Utami was of opinion that this remnant was 

 now extinct. 



Among other things, he informed them that the wild race which had 

 previously inhabited the island, were accustomed to roam all over it ; 

 but that since they had been subdued or exterminated, none but the 

 cutters of sandal-wood had been accustomed to enter the mountainous 

 regions. These had been in the habit of ascendinsr the most difficult 

 peaks by the aid of ropes, and of steps cut in the rock, but he was of 

 opinion that no one now remained who knew the way. 



Utami was a fine-looking white-headed man, of giant proportions, 

 and when speaking of his former deeds in arms, showed a great deal 

 of fire and animation. Before he retired to rest he read a chapter in 

 the Bible, and made a prayer with much apparent devotion. He 

 seems to have a great disposition to adopt European improvements, 

 and was engaged in building a house, which when finished, will be 

 the best in the island. The floors will be all laid with plank, it will 

 have partitions of boards, and large windows with Venetian blinds. 



This village is the next in size and importance to Papieti. 



When this party first descended to the beach and reached Mira- 

 pahe, they found a vessel on the stocks there. This enabled them 

 to obtain some information in relation to the naval architecture and 



