524 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
On the 8th of December, 1821, the shout of Epahi, el 
A ship, ho ! re-echoed through our valley; we proceeded 
towards the beach, and, on reaching the sea-side, beheld 
a large American vessel already within the harbour. The 
captain soon landed, and informed us that our friends 
Messrs. Bennet and Tyerman were in the ship. We 
hastened on board, conducted them to the shore, and 
welcomed them to our dwellings. Mr. Bennet took up 
his abode with Mr. Barff, while we were happy to accom¬ 
modate Mr. Tyerman. The chiefs and people, who had 
been led to expect a visit from our friends greeted 
their arrival with demonstrations of joy; these friends 
remained some time in Fare, and the period they spent 
with us was one of unusual interest and enjoyment. 
In the close of this year, 1821, the Mission and the 
nation experienced the heaviest bereavement that had 
occurred since the introduction of Christianity. This 
was the death of the king, Pomare II. which took place 
on the seventh of December, the day preceding the de¬ 
putation’s arrival in Huahine. His health had been for 
some time declining, but his departure at last was sud¬ 
den. I spent the greater part of a Sabbath afternoon 
with him at Eimeo, in the beginning of October. He 
was then unable to leave the house, but was not con¬ 
sidered dangerously ill. I was then for some days with 
him, and had not seen him since. He had long been 
afflicted with the elephantiasis, a disorder very prevalent 
among the people ; but the principal cause of his disso¬ 
lution was a dropsical complaint, to which he had been 
for sometime subject. 
The conspicuous station' Pomare had occupied in the 
political changes of Tahiti, since the arrival of the Mis¬ 
sionaries, the prominent part he had taken in the aboli- 
