POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
65 
of Mr. Hassel ; Mrs, Hassel with an infant is before 
them. On the left, next to the king, stands his father 
Pomare, the upper part of his body uncovered in homage 
to his son, and behind him is Hapai, the king’s grand¬ 
father. Haamanemane, the high-priest, appears in a 
crouching position, addressing Captain Wilson, and sur - 
rendering the district.—Haamanemane was also the taio, 
or friend, of Captain Wilson; and rendered him con¬ 
siderable service, in procuring supplies, facilitating the 
settlement of the Mission, and accomplishing other ob¬ 
jects of his visit. 
Presentations of this kind were not uncommon among 
the islanders, as a compliment, or matter of courtesy, 
to a visitor ; and were regulated by the rank and means 
of the donors, or the dignity of the guests. Houses, 
plantations, districts, and even whole islands, were 
sometimes presented; still, those who thus received 
them, never thought of appropriating them to their own 
use, and excluding their original proprietors, any more 
than a visitor in England, who should be told by his 
host to make himself perfectly at home, and to do as 
he would if he were in his own house, would, from this 
declaration, think of altering the apartments of the 
house, or removing from it any part of the furniture. 
It is, however, probable, that such was their estimate of 
the advantages that would result from the residence of 
the Mission families among them, that, in order to afford 
every facility for the accomplishment oi an object so 
desirable, and hold out every inducement to confidence 
for the Missionaries, as to their future support, they were 
sincere in thus ceding the district. They might wish 
them to reside in it, exercise the office of chiefs over 
the whole, cultivate as much of it as they desired, and 
K 
