POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
51 
CHAP. III. 
Voyage to Tubuai—Notice of the mutineers of the Bounty—Origin 
of the inhabitants of Tubuai—Visit of Mr. Nott—Prevention of war— 
Settlement of native Missionaries—Arrival off Tahiti—Beauty of its 
natural scenery—Anchoring in Matavia Bay—Appearance of the dis¬ 
trict—Historical notice of its discovery—Of the arrival of the ship Duff 
—Settlement of the first Mission—Cession of Matavai.—Departure of 
the Duff—Influence of the mechanic arts on the minds of the people— 
Comparative estimate of iron and gold—Difficulties attending the acqui¬ 
sition of an unwritten language—Methods adopted by the Missionaries 
—Propensity to theft among the natives. 
On leaving Rapa^ we sailed in a northerly direction 
till the third of February^ when we reached the island 
of Tubuai, situated in lat. 23 degrees 25 minutes S., and 
long. 149 degrees 23 minutes W. At a distance it ap¬ 
pears like two islands, but, on a nearer approach, the high 
land is found to be united. 
Tubuai was discovered by Cook in 1777^ ^f^d after the 
mutineers in the Bounty had taken possession of the 
vessel, and committed to the mercy of the waves. Captain 
Bligh with eighteen of his officers and men, this was the 
first island they visited. Hence they sailed to Tahiti, 
brought away the most serviceable of the live-stock left 
there by former navigators, and in 1789 attempted a set¬ 
tlement here. Misunderstandings between the mutineers 
and the natives, and the unbridled passions of the former, 
led to acts of violence, which the latter resented. A mur- 
