POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
477 
parties, with police-officers to attend them. Although 
they were repeatedly interrogated as to the reasons for 
their conduct, they said but little in reply. In the 
evening of the same day, great numbers of the people 
attended our weekly service, when I endeavoured to 
improve the recent painful events, from the history of 
Absalom's rebellion. 
There have been several slight insurrections in Tahiti 
since the promulgation of the laws, but they have 
alfected only a small number. Disturbances at Raiatea 
and Borabora, similar to the above, have occurred ; at 
one time, Mr. Williams very narrowly escaped with his 
life, a plan having been formed for his assassination ^ 
They have not been recent, and the laws seem firmly 
established) but there are nlany, in all the islands, who 
find them an irksome restraint, and would most willingly, 
if an opportunity offered, abrogate them:. Such indi¬ 
viduals desire the return of the time when there was lio 
law, and every one followed his own inclinations. In 
Huahine, though they have been frequently violated, I do 
not think any attempt has been made to disannul them, 
since the one above alluded to. 
The South Sea Islanders are greatly addicted to war. 
It occurred very frequently, prior to the introduction of 
Christianity. During the fifteen years Mr. Nott spent 
in the islands, while the people were pagans, the island 
of Tahiti was involved in actual war ten different 
times. The Missionaries were painfully familiar with it. 
It surrounded their dwelling) and the wounded in battle 
have often, with the wounds fresh and bleeding, repaired 
to their houses for relief. This, however, was the only 
time that I saw any thing like it, though we often heard 
its rumours. 
