456 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
valley at the head of the beautiful bay of Opunohu, 
usually called Taloo Harbour. Circumstances detained 
the king at Tahiti for many months after Mr. Gyles’s 
arrival in Eimeo^ and retarded very materially the 
progress of the undertaking. Sugarcane was, however, 
procured from the gardens of the adjacent districts, 
and sugar made in the presence of the natives, who 
were delighted on discovering that an article, so highly 
esteemed, could be made on their own shores, from the 
spontaneous product of their soil. 
The advantageous and expensive arrangements of the 
Directors, for the purpose of introducing these im¬ 
portant branches of commerce and productive labour, 
although not entirely frustrated, were in the first 
instance rendered to a great degree unavailing, by the 
unfounded and injurious reports of unprincipled and 
interested individuals, who beheld the advancement of 
the people in knowledge and civilization with any other 
feelings than those of satisfaction. 
Early in the year 1819, the captain of a vessel, the Indus, 
whom purposes of commerce led to Tahiti, informed the 
king that Mr. Gyles’s errand to Tahiti was merely ex¬ 
perimental ; and that, should the attempt to manufacture 
sugar succeed, individuals from distant countries, pos¬ 
sessing influence and large resources, would establish 
themselves in the islands, and, with an armed force, 
which he would in vain attempt to oppose, would either 
destroy the inhabitants, or reduce them to slavery. 
These alarming statements were strengthened by allusion 
to the present state of the West Indies, where Mr. 
Gyles had been engaged iii the manufacture of sugar 
and the culture of coffee. This device was employed for 
a short time with success against the establishment of 
