POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
99 
now received^ not only disappointed their liopes^ but de¬ 
pressed their spirits^ and darkened their prospects. In the 
letter sent at this time to the directors^ they express their 
anxiety to hear from England^ their conviction of the 
facilities that would be afforded towards the establishing the 
gospel in Tahiti and the neighbouring islands^ if they were 
joined by a body of Missionaries and an experienced 
director^ and recommended that a surgeon and several 
mechanics should be included in the number of those 
who might be sent. 
The Albion had scarcely sailed^ when large fleets of 
canoeSj filled with fighting men^ arrived^ and the island 
was agitated with the apprehension of hostilities between 
the king and chiefs. The removal of Oro^ the national 
idol^ from Pare to Atehuru^ was the cause of the 
threatened conflict: ammunition was prepared | a large 
assembly of chiefs and warriors met at Pare | and it was 
daily expected that the long concealed elements of war 
would there explode^ and plunge the nation in anarchy 
and bloodshed. At this critical period^ his majesty’s 
ship. Porpoise, arrived in Matavai bay. The letter and 
presents Pomare received by this conveyance from the 
governor of New South Wales, and the attentions paid 
to him by the commander of the vessel, tended, in no 
small degree, to confirm Otu in his government, and to 
intimidate his enemies. 
The governors of the colony of New South Wales 
have uniformly manifested the most friendly concern 
for the safety of the Missionaries, and the success of 
the several Missions in the South Seas. On the present 
occasion. Governor King, in a letter to Pomare, re¬ 
marked, that he could not too strongly recommend to 
his kind protection, the society of Missionaries whom 
