1835. 



ARRANGEMENT MURDERERS. 



533 



should choose to contribute, and a document signed by two 

 principal chiefs, expressing the sum already collected and paid ; 

 and their intention of forthwith collecting the remainder, and 

 paying it before a stipulated time. Difficulties about the pre- 

 sent, as compared with the former value of the shells, were 

 quickly ended by arbitration ; and their value estimated at 

 fifty dollars per ton : the ready way in which this question 

 about the value of the shells was settled, gave me a high idea 

 of the natives' wish to do right, rather than take advantage of 

 a doubtful point of law. 



I next had to remark, that the queen had given up the mur- 

 derers of the master and mate of the Truro in a merely nominal 

 manner, and not in effect ; and that she must expect to receive 

 a communication upon that subject by the next man-of-war. 



She asked me — whether I really thought they would be 

 required from her by the next man-of-war ? 



I replied : " Those men were tried and condemned by the 

 laws of Otaheite. Your majesty, as sovereign, exercised your 

 right of pardoning them. I think that the British Govern- 

 ment will respect your right as queen of these islands ; and 

 that his Britannic Majesty will not insist upon those men 

 being punished, or again tried for the same offence ; but the 

 propriety of your own conduct in pardoning such notorious 

 offenders, is a very different affair. It will not tend to diminish 

 the effect of a report injurious to your character, which you 

 are aware has been circulated." 



After a pause, I said, " I was desired to enquire into the 

 complaints of British subjects and demand redress where 

 necessary. No complaints had been made to me ; therefore I 

 begged to congratulate her majesty on the regularity and good 

 conduct which had prevailed; and thanked her, in the name 

 of my countrymen, for the kindness with which they had been 

 treated." 



I then reminded Pomare of the deep interest generally felt 

 for those highly deserving and devoted missionaries, whose 

 exertions, hazardous and difficult as they had been, and still 

 were, had raised the natives of Otaheite to their present en- 



