5S4 



MISSIONARIES ADVICE. 



Nov, 



lightened and improved condition ; and that every reason 

 united to demand for them the steady co-operation of both her 

 and her chiefs. Finding that they hstened attentively to Mr« 

 Pritchard's interpretation, which I was told was as good as it 

 appeared to me fluent and effective, I requested permission to 

 say a few words more to the queen — to the effect that I had 

 heard much of her associating chiefly with the young and inex- 

 perienced, almost to the exclusion of the older and trustworthy 

 counsellors whom she had around her at this assembly. To be 

 respected, either at home or abroad, it was indispensably neces- 

 sary for her to avoid the society of inferior minds and disposi- 

 tions ; and to be very guarded in her own personal conduct. 

 She ought to avoid taking advice from foreigners, whom she 

 knew not, and whose station was not such as might be a 

 guarantee for their upright dealings : and she ought to guard 

 carefully against the specious appearances of adventurers whose 

 intentions, or real character, it was not possible for her to 

 discover readily. Such men could hardly fail to misinform her 

 on most subjects ; but especially on such as interested them- 

 selves ; or about which they might entertain the prejudices and 

 illiberal ideas which are so prevalent among ignorant or ill- 

 disposed people. I tried to say these things kindly, as the 

 advice of a friend : Pomare thanked me, acknowledged the 

 truth of my remarks, and said she would bear them in mind. 



Turning to the chiefs, a few words passed, previous to Taati 

 asking me, in her name, Whether they were right in allowing 

 a foreigner to enlist Otaheitans to serve him as soldiers ; and in 

 permitting them and other men to be trained, for warlike pur- 

 poses, upon their island?^'* My reply was, " If Otaheitan 

 subjects, so trained, almost under the queen"'s eye, act hostilely 

 against the natives of any other island, will not those natives 

 deem her culpable.^ To my limited view of the present 

 case, it appears impolitic, and decidedly improper to do so." 

 After a few words with Utaame and Hitote, Taati rose and gave 

 notice that no Otaheitan should enlist or be trained to serve as 



* Wrth reference to the so-called Baron de Thierry. 



