POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 28/ 
ferred to the following lines in one of their ballads, 
relating that event. 
“ O mea eid e Tareu eid 
Eid te poito a Bligh*' 
Such an one a thief, and Tareu a thief, 
Thieved (or stole) the buoy of Bligh. 
The song was one well known to most, and the existence 
of this fact, among the others that had taken place, and 
the remembrance of which the ballad was designed to 
preserve, was conclusive, and appeared to satisfy the par¬ 
ties by whom it had been questioned. Most of their 
historical events were thus preserved. These songs 
were exceedingly popular for a time. The facts on 
which they were grounded became thus generally known ; 
and they were, undoubtedly, one of the most effectual 
means they had of preserving the knowledge of the 
leading events of former times. 
Freed, in a great degree, so far as the,means of sub¬ 
sistence were concerned, from anxiety and labour, the 
islanders were greatly devoted to amusements: war, 
pagan worship, and pleasure, appear to have engaged 
their attention, and occupied the principal portion of 
their time. Their games were numerous and diversi¬ 
fied, and were often affairs of national importance. 
They do not appear ever to have been gamblers, or to 
have accompanied any of their sports with betting, or 
staking property upon success, as the Sandwich Islanders 
have done from the earliest periods of their history, but 
seem to have followed their games simply for amuse¬ 
ment. 
The Taupiti, or Oroa, was generally a season of 
public festivity, when thousands, of both sexes. 
