156 SOMU-SOMU. 
would bring vessels to their place, which would give them opportunities 
of obtaining many desirable articles. 
The presents from the missionaries are small; but an axe, or 
hatchet, or other articles of iron, are acquisitions, in their minds, 
which their covetousness cannot forego the opportunity of obtaining. 
They express themselves as perfectly willing that the missionaries 
should worship their own spirit, but they do not allow any of the 
natives to become proselytes, and none are made without their sanc- 
tion, under fear of death. 
It is not to be supposed, under this state of things, that the success 
of the missionaries will be satisfactory, or adequate to their exertions, 
or a sufficient recompense for the hardships, deprivations, and strug- 
gles which they and their families have to encounter. There are few 
situations in which so much physical and moral courage is required, 
as those in which these devoted and pious individuals are placed; and 
nothing but a deep sense of duty, and a strong determination to per- 
form it, could induce civilized persons to subject themselves to the 
sight of such horrid scenes as they are called upon almost daily to 
witness. 
On the afternoon of the 9th, the Porpoise joined me here, agreeably 
to appointment. 
On the 10th, I endeavoured to get the chiefs on board the Porpoise 
to sign the treaty, or regulations, which the chiefs of Ambau and 
_ Rewa had done. For this purpose I gave them an invitation to come 
on board; but no inducement could persuade them to place themselves 
in our power, for fear of a like detention with Vendovi. Finding that 
they were determined to persist in their refusal to come on board, I 
asked that a council of chiefs should be held on shore. To this the 
king agreed, and issued his orders for the meeting. It took place in 
his house, which is built much after the fashion of an mbure, though 
of larger dimensions; it had four apertures for doors; the fire-place 
was in one corner, and part of the house was curtained off with tapa. 
A large number of junk-bottles were hung from a beam, both for use 
and to display his wealth, for they are very much valued. The king 
also possessed a chair, two chests, and several muskets. The former 
he seemed to take much pleasure in sitting in, having discovered, as he 
told the interpreter, that they were very comfortable for an old man. 
We had a full meeting, and I was much struck with the number of 
fine-looking men who were present. Their complexions were dark, 
and they resembled one another more than any collection of natives I 
had before seen in the group. 
The two sons of the king were present. Tui Illa-illa, who is the 
