476 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
the two shots we had heard, had, perhaps, occasioned an 
equal loss of lives. 
At two o’clock in the afternoon, however, our anxiety 
was relieved by the arrival of Tauira, whom the chiefs had 
sent to inform us that all was peace ; that Moeore, the 
son of the king of Raiatea, and his adherents, had sur¬ 
rendered on the arrival of Hautea, and that the parties 
were retiring to the settlement. The messenger was 
almost breathless with speed; and while resting, he united 
with us in rendering grateful acknowledgments for the 
agreeable tidings. In an hour or two, Taauroa, one of 
our people, arrived, and told us the reports we heard were 
only random shots, fired as expressions of joy, and that 
it had been done without the knowledge of the chiefs. 
Towards sunset we walked to the adjoining district 
of Haapape, where we were happy to meet Hautia and 
his friends returning; the young chief, who was about 
six-and-twenty years of age, with his adherents, fol¬ 
lowing in their train as captives. We mingled our 
congratulations for the issue of the events of the day. 
We were also thankful to learn, that although one indi¬ 
vidual had a very narrow escape, 3 ^et no life had been 
lost, and no person injured. 
Two days afterwards we attended the trial of the 
rebels, at a special court, held in the open air. The 
conduct of each was candidly and impartially examined; 
and, as many, it was found, had gone merely to accom¬ 
pany the chief, or to procure food, without any intention 
of joining in the rebellion, they were liberated. The 
others, who had not only designed but commenced hos¬ 
tilities, by plundering the plantations, killing and eating 
the hogs of the party favourable to the laws, were sen¬ 
tenced to public labour, and were set to work in small 
