528 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
him to form letters on the sand, probably before Dr. Bell’s 
system was introduced to general notice in England. 
The hand-writing of Pomare, during the latter part of his 
life, was much better than that of any of the Missionaries. 
His earliest letters or notes, the first ever written by a 
native, were from Eimeo. In 1805 he wrote a letter to 
the Missionaries. In 1807 he wrote one to the Missionary 
Society, which being the first despatch ever forwarded by 
a native of those islands to Britain, is a great curiosity. 
The Directors had written, advising him to banish the 
national idol, to attend to the instruction of the Mission¬ 
aries, and to discountenance those sins which were so 
rapidly depopulating his country. In reply, he wrote a 
letter in the native language, which the Missionaries 
translated; he then copied the translation, and both 
letters, signed by his own hand, were forwarded to 
London. He expresses a determination to banish Oro 
to Raiatea, wishes them success in their efforts to instruct 
the people of Tahiti, which he calls a bad land, a regard¬ 
less land. He desires them to send a number of men, 
women, and children, to Tahiti, to send cloth, and then 
they will adopt the English dress, and tells them, that, 
should he be killed, they will have no friend in the 
islands. Come not here after I am dead,^' was his ex¬ 
pression. He also requested them to send him all the 
curious things in England, especially those necessary for 
writing, and, after enumerating pens, ink, &c. concluded 
his request by stating, Let no writing utensil be want¬ 
ing.” He signed his name, ^^Pomare, King of Tahiti,” &c. 
superscribed his letter to My Friends the Missionary 
Society, London.” 
Sedentary occupations and amusements appeared more 
congenial to Pomare than active pursuits; he found an 
