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POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
and among* whose long and graceful leaflets the breeze 
from the ocean, sweeping softly, gave even a degree 
of animation to the whole. The grass that grew 
underneath appeared like a rich carpet, spread by nature 
for the interesting ceremony; pendulous plants, some 
verdant in foliage, others rich and variegated in blossom, 
hung from the projections of the rocks, while several 
species of convolvulus and climbing plants were twined 
round the trunks of the trees, or hung in gay festoons 
among the gigantic and wide-spread leaves of the grove, 
ornamenting the whole with their large and splendid 
pink blossoms. Near one of the large cocoa-nut trees 
whose cylindrical trunk appeared like a natural pillar 
supporting the roof, there was a rustic sort of stand, 
four or five feet above the ground, on which Mr. Nott 
took his station. Before him, in a large arm-chair pro¬ 
vided for the occasion, sat Pomare, supported on the right 
by Tati, chief of Papara, and on the left by Upaparu, the 
king’s secretary. A number of chiefs, with the queen and 
chief women of the islands, sat around; while thousands 
of the natives, attired in their gay and many-coloured 
native or European dresses, composed the vast assemblage, 
each one having come as to a public festival, in his best 
apparel. Pomare was dressed in a fine yellow tiputa, 
stamped on that part which covered his left breast with a 
rich and elegant scarlet flower, instead of a star. Most 
of the chiefs wore the native costume, and the females 
were arrayed in beautifully white native cloth, and yellow 
cocoa-nut-leaf shades, or bonnets with wreaths of sweet- 
scented flowers round their necks, or garlands of the 
same in their black and glossy hair. The services 
commenced with singing, in which many of the natives 
joined, A solemn prayer was offered, after which Mr. Nott 
