POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 471 
bled in front of the chiefs house, ready to set out as 
soon as he should lead them. 
Before they started, Taua, a tall well-made chief, who 
had formerly been a warrior and a priest, and who was 
one of their orators, stood up in the midst, and addressed 
the assembly. His person was rather commanding, his 
features masculine, his head uncovered, and his hair 
short, black, and slightly curled. A light mantle of 
finely braided bark was thrown loosely over his shoul¬ 
ders, and his loins were girded with a purau, and in his 
hand he held a light spear. 
He spoke with considerable judgment and effect. 
They might as well, he said, leave their weapons at 
home, as to any use which he expected they would be 
required to make of them, but that still it was per¬ 
haps best to go prepared, and to shew these misguided 
young men, especially the king’s two sons, that it was 
their determination to make the laws, to which they 
had openly agreed, the rule of public conduct, to main¬ 
tain them as they were, and not to bend them to the 
views of those whose object was to introduce disorder 
and to foster crime; to let them know at once, that 
though they were chiefs, they, as well as their subjects, 
must respect the laws, or sustain the consequences. 
We think they will submit, (he added,) but perhaps we 
are mistaken, and the issue of this day is not altogether 
certain. God, who overrules all events, and sometimes 
uses the wicked to accomplish his purposes, may, per¬ 
haps, design by them to punish and to humble us, and 
to give them a temporary ascendency ; we ought there¬ 
fore to look to Him. 
I do not vouch for the accuracy of the language, but 
these are the sentiments he expressed. 
