198 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAP, acted more from the impulse of their natural feelings, and expressed their 
opinions with greater freedom, we were more likely to obtain a correct 
knowledge of their real disposition and habits. 
To convey to the reader, who has not perused the above-men- 
tioned work, an idea of the political state of the island, in which there 
has been a material alteration since the period alluded to in the early 
voyages, it will be necessary to state briefly that since 1815 a code of 
laws has been drawn up by Pomarree II., with the assistance of the 
missionaries, which has subsequently been extended from time to time ; 
and that since 1825 a house of parliament has been established, to 
which representatives of the several districts in the island are returned 
by popular election. The penalties proposed by Pomarree were very 
severe, but that of death has as yet been enforced upon four culprits 
only. 
The limit thus imposed on the arbitrary power of the monarch, 
and the security thus afforded to the liberties and properties of the 
people, reflect credit upon the missionaries, who were very instrumental 
in introducing these laws : at the same time, had they been better read 
in the history of mankind, they would have been less rigid upon parti- 
cular points, and would have more readily produced those benefits 
which they no doubt hoped would ensue. Magistrates are appointed 
to try cases, and conduct their judicial proceedings in open court, 
and the police are continually on the alert both day and night to 
prevent irregularities, and to suppress the amusements of the people 
whom, from mistaken views of religion, they wish to compel to live a life 
of austere privation. 
We found the consul in possession of a small but comfortable 
house opposite the anchorage, which had been hastily run up by the 
natives for his use ; and we took the earliest and most favourable oppor- 
tunity of impressing the importance of his situation upon the inhabit- 
ants, by the salute due to his rank. Besides the missionary gentle- 
men, we found that several other Europeans were residing in our 
vicinity ; and as some of these, as well as the consul, had their wives 
and female relatives with them, we looked forward to the pleasure 
of varying our intercourse with the uncouth natives by more agreeable 
