1835. 



PAPEETE CHUllCH IMPOSTOR. 



515 



Papiete is a pretty and secure little bay. Around it is 

 low land, ornamented with trees and European as well as native 

 houses : but immediately behind the level part, hills rise to a 

 height of two or three thousand feet. Lying to leeward of the 

 island it enjoys less sea-breeze, and is therefore hotter than 

 other harbours. In the middle of the bay is a little island 

 belonging to the queen, where the colours of Otaheite (red, 

 white, red, horizontal) are displayed. 



Several neat-looking white cottages showed that European 

 ideas had extended their influence hither : but I was sorry to see 

 the new church, a large wooden structure capable of holding 

 six hundred people, covered by a partly Otaheitan roof, in lieu 

 of one formed completely in their own style. Instead of the 

 circular end, an ugly gable terminates a high box-shaped house, 

 resembling a factory. 



Mr. Pritchard ^ arrived from Eimeo as we landed. Leaving 

 him for a short time, I went to see a person who styled himself 

 Baron de Thierry, King of Nuhahiva-f and sovereign chief of 

 New Zealand. About the house in which resides this self-called 

 philanthropist, — said to be maturing arrangements for civi- 

 lizing Nuhahiva and New Zealand — as well as for cutting a 

 canal across the Isthmus of Darien, — were a motley group of 

 tattowed New Zealanders, half-clothed natives of Otaheite, 

 'and some ill-looking American seamen. I was received in 

 affected state by this grandee, who abruptly began to question 

 me with — " Well, Captain ! what news from Panama ? Have 

 the Congress settled the manner in which they are to carry my 

 ideas into effect I tried to be decently civil to him, as well as 

 to the ' baroness but could not diminish my suspicions, and 

 soon cut short our conference. 



In his house was a pile of muskets, whose fixed and very 

 long bayonets had not a philanthropic aspect. He had been 

 there three months, and was said to be waiting for his ships to 

 arrive and carry him to his sovereignty. Born in England, of 

 French emigrant parents ; his own account of himself was that 



* Now Her Majesty's Consul. f One of the Marquesas. 



2 L 2 



