208 ^ POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES, 
Puru and his adherents had not been much with the 
Missionaries. The people of Huahine and their chief 
were certainly among the most superstitious and idola¬ 
trous tribes of the Pacific. Pomare^ and not the Mis¬ 
sionary, had on this occasion been employed as the agent, 
under God, in influencing the mind of the young chief, 
who was likely to become the king of Huahine and 
Eimeo, and in a way which at once demonstrated that 
it was the purpose of God that he should be made ac¬ 
quainted with divine truth. Hence he was induced to pro¬ 
hibit an acknowledgment to the gods of his ancestors, and 
to invite the messengers of salvation to his camp, to speak 
unto him and his adherents words whereby they might 
be saved. While the Missionaries admired the means 
by which God had thus shewn them that the work was 
His, and not theirs, and thus deprived them of attributing 
any thing to their own influence, they rejoiced in the 
opportunity now afforded of proclaiming the tidings of 
mercy from the most High. Mr. Nott conversed a long 
time with them, and preached an instructive and affect¬ 
ing discourse from Isa. xlix. 7* I have often heard the 
young man^s mother-in-law, and other members of the 
household, speak of this discourse as having deeply 
impressed their minds. When Mr. Nott left them, he 
invited the chief and his adherents to visit the station 
on the Sabbath, and cultivate an intercourse with other 
Christian chiefs. 
On the following Sabbath, Taaroarii attended; his 
father also became, a few months afterwards, a sincere 
convert. They accompanied us to Huahine in 1818. 
Taaroarii died rather suddenly in 1821. His father is 
the venerable king of Huahine; and has, ever since his 
return, proved not only a father to the people, but a 
