POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
457 
the Mission among the Sandwich Islands; where the 
king and chiefs were told, that though foreigners first 
went in a peaceable and friendly manner to the West 
Indies, they subsequently went with all the apparatus 
of war, attacked and defeated the inhabitants, hunted 
the fugitives with blood-hounds, finally exterminated 
them, and remained masters of the islands. 
Though the inconsistency of this statement with 
the defenceless manner in which the Missionaries had 
come amongst them, would have been self-evident to an 
enlightened mind,—being supported by an incontro¬ 
vertible historical fact, it was remarkably adapted, to 
operate powerfully upon an individual but partially 
informed, and exceedingly suspicious of every measure 
that might permanently alienate the smallest portion of 
territory, or lead to the establishment of foreign pro¬ 
prietorship, and consequent influence, in the islands. 
This view of the enterprise led Pomare to decline 
rendering that assistance which it was expected would 
have been readily imparted, and the want of which 
retarded considerably the progress of the work. The 
necessary labour required from the natives was paid 
for at a remarkably high price, and often diflicult to 
obtain on any terms. 
Matters continued in this state until the month of 
May, 1819, when a national assembly of chiefs and 
people from Tahiti and Eimeo met at Papaoa, in the 
district of Pare. The Missionaries from the several sta¬ 
tions assembled at the same period, for the purpose of 
commemorating the anniversary of the Tahitian Aux¬ 
iliary Missionary Society. 
Before they returned, the king informed them, that, 
apprehensive of unfavourable results from the reports 
3 N 
