POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
475 
hastened by, exhibited very fully the scarlet jacket, 
rendered him altogether most ludicrous in his appear¬ 
ance. 
When the parties had all started, we returned to the 
valley to breakfast, but were surprised, as we passed 
through the settlement, to behold almost every house 
deserted. We inferred that those women and children 
who had not accompanied the men to Parea, had retired 
to places of greater security, or better observation. After 
breakfast, we spent some time in prayer that no blood 
might be shed, but that the issue of the interview between 
the rival parties might be conciliatory. We then 
launched our boat, fixed our masts and rudder, twisted 
up our matting sails, and waited, not without anxiety, 
the arrival of intelligence. 
The chiefs, before they left, had appointed the fol¬ 
lowing signals. If there was no resistance made by the 
young chiefs and their adherents, all would remain quiet 
till they returned. If they had to fight, they would send 
a man to fire a musket so near the valley that we might 
hear it. If the rival party was numerous, and there was 
danger, two would be fired. 
We remained in a state of great suspense during the 
forenoon, and hardly saw an individual in the settle¬ 
ment. About twelve o’clock we heard one musket fired, 
and very shortly afterwards another. This only in¬ 
creased our embarrassment, for although two had been 
fired, they had not been fired together, and, judging 
from the report, we inferred that one was much nearer 
than the other. We, therefore, determined to wait far¬ 
ther intimation, before we took any measures for our per¬ 
sonal security. In this state of uncertainty we continued, 
supposing a conflict had certainly commenced; and that 
