POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
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One thing only is desired by us all, that which Tati has 
expressed—the laws, which you hold in your hand.” 
The king then addressed Arahu, the chief of Eimeo, and 
Veve, the chief of Taiarabu, nearly in the same manner, 
and they replied as the others had done. Pomare then 
proceeded to read and comment upon the laws respecting 
murder, theft, trespass, stolen property, lost property, 
sabbath-breaking, rebellion, marriage, adultery, the 
judges, court-houses, &c., in eighteen articles. After 
reading and explaining the several particulars, he asked 
the chiefs if they approved of them ! They replied, aloud, 
^‘We agree to them—we heartily agree to them.” The 
king then addressed the people, and desired them, if they 
approved of the laws, to signify the same by holding up 
their right hands. This was unanimously done, with a 
remarkable rushing noise, owing to the thousands of 
arms being lifted at once. When Pomare came to the 
law on rebellion, stirring up war, 8ic. he seemed in¬ 
clined to pass it over, but after a while proceeded. At 
the conclusion of that article, Tati was not content with 
signifying his approbation in the usual way only, but, 
standing up, he called in a spirited manner to all his 
people to lift up their hands again, even both hands, he 
setting the example, which was universally followed. 
Thus all the articles were passed and approved. 
The public business of the day was closed by Mr. 
Henry’s offering a prayer unto Him by whom kings 
reign, and princes decree judgment, and the people 
retired to their respective dwellings. 
Pomare subsequently intimated his intention of ap¬ 
propriating Palmerston’s Island as a place of banishment 
for Tahitian convicts, and proposed to the Missionaries 
to publish his request that no vessel should remove any 
II. 3 D 
