POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
247 
bending the wreath of amity and peace^ while they 
were at the same time secretly and actively concerting 
measures for their destruction. 
The 12th of November^ 1815, was the most eventful 
day that had yet occurred in the history of Tahiti. It 
was the Sabbath. In the forenoon, Pomare, and the 
people who had come over from Eimeo, probably about 
eight hundred, assembled for public worship at a place 
called Narii, near the village of Bunaauia, in the district 
of Atehuru. At distant points of the district, they sta¬ 
tioned piquets ; and when divine service was about to 
commence, and the individual who wus to officiate stood 
up to read the first hymn, a firing of muskets was heard | 
and, looking out of the building in which they were 
assembled, a large body of armed men, preceded and 
attended by the flag of the gods, and the varied emblems 
of idolatry, were seen marching round a distant point 
of land, and advancing towards the place where they 
were assembled. It is war 1 It is war! was the cry 
which re-echoed through the place; as the approaching 
army were seen from the different parts of the building. 
Many, agreeably to the precautions of the Missionaries, 
had met for worship under arms; others, who had not, 
were preparing to return to their tents, and arm for the 
battle. Some degree of confusion consequently prevailed. 
Pomare arose, and requested them all to remain quietly in 
their places; stating, that they were under the special 
protection of Jehovah, and had met together for his worship, 
which was not to be forsaken or disturbed even by the 
approach of an enemy. Aunay formerly an areoi and a 
warrior, now a Christian teacher, who was my informant 
on these points, then read the hymn, and the congregation 
sang it. A portion of scripture was read, a prayer 
