470 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
veiled to consider the events of the preceding day. It 
vras one of the most interesting of the kind I ever 
attended. The public council was held in the open air, 
on the sea-beach, in the shade of several tamanu trees, 
that grew in front of the governor’s house. Hautia sat 
on a rustic native seat, near the trunk of the principal 
tree. The chiefs of the different districts, and the 
magistrates, were assembled near him, while most of the 
people of the settlement had gathered round to witness 
their proceedings, full of anxiety for the result. 
It appeared from the declarations of several, that the 
conduct of the young men, and especially the chiefs* 
sons, had not proceeded from any desire to ornament 
their persons with tatau, but from an impatience of the 
restraint the laws imposed; that they had merely selected 
that as a means of shewing their hostility to those laws, 
and their determination not to regard them; that if they 
might be allowed, without molestation, to follow their 
own inclinations, no disturbance of the present sort 
would be attempted; but that if the restraints of the 
laws were imposed, and its penalties enforced, they were 
determined to withstand them. It was also reported 
that they were armed, and intended to resist all attempts 
to enforce their obedience. 
After a short declaration, it was proposed to go and 
address them first with kindness, hut firmness, inviting 
them to return; that if they accepted the invitation, well; 
if not, that they should attempt to bind them, and bring 
them back; that if they resisted, to use force, but by 
no means to have recourse to arms unless they should 
be first assaulted. This was acceded to by all present. 
The men repaired for their arms, and in half an hour 
the greater part-^f the inhabitants of the district assem-' 
