POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
85 
when they had increased their supplies. In the course 
of the night, two seamen absconded with the ship’s 
boat; and the next morning the captain and supercargo 
addressed a letter to the Missionaries, acquainting them 
with the desertion of the men 5 and their determination, 
in consequence of their deficiency of hands, to recover 
them, cost what it would; soliciting, at the same time, 
aid in effecting their apprehension. The Mission¬ 
aries recovered the boat, on the following day; and, 
anxious to afford the captain and supercargo of the 
Nautilus every assistance in their power, agreed to use 
their influence with the king, and two of the principal 
chiefs, to induce them to send the seamen on board. 
Four of the Missionaries went on this errand to the 
district of Pare, where the king and chiefs were residing. 
After walking between two and three hours, they reached 
the residence of Otu, the young king. The Sandwich 
Islanders were among his attendants, and they had 
reason to suspect that he had favoured the concealment 
of the seamen. 
Desirous of disclosing their business to the chiefs 
when together, they remained some time, expecting the 
arrival of Pomare, for whom they had sent. The king 
was sullen and taciturn; and, after waiting nearly half 
an hour for Pomare, the Missionaries departed, to wait 
on him personally, at his own dwelling. 
As they passed along, the natives tendered their 
usual salutations, and about thirty accompanied them. 
They had, however, scarcely proceeded a mile on their 
way, when, on approaching the margin of a river, they 
were each suddenly seized by a number of natives, who 
stripped them, dragged two of them through the 
river, attempted to drown them, and, after other 
