POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
561 
each other’s company, they had nor exchanged a single 
word. 
Shortly after this meeting, they were publicly married, 
and afterwards removed to the island of Tahiti, which 
has ever since been their principal residence. Pomare 
was about sixteen years of age, and his consort but little, 
if any, younger. Since the death of her brother, which 
took place in 1827^ she has been considered queen of 
Tahiti, Eimeo, Sec., though the regency, appointed to 
govern the islands during the minority of the late king, 
still manages the political affairs, acting, however, in the 
name of Aimata, instead of that of her brother. 
Pomare was very young when the inhabitants of his 
native island embraced Christianity ; the first time we 
saw him was in 1819, when he appeared nine or ten 
years of age. His establishment, however, was at that 
time nearly as large as it has been since. He possessed 
a number of houses in different parts of Raiatea and 
Tahaa, and was surrounded by a numerous train of 
attendants; one or two chiefs of rank and influence, 
acting as his guardians, usually accompanied his 
movements. During the early parts of his life, he was 
frequently carried about on men’s shoulders, according 
to the ancient custom of the kings of the Society Islands. 
When the king of Tahiti embraced Christianity, this, 
with other practices connected with idolatry, was laid 
aside in the Windward Isles. It was occasionally adopted 
by the young chief of Tahaa, more, perhaps, to gratify 
the pride of some of his attendants, than to afford any 
satisfaction to his own mind. By him it has now 
been discontinued for a number of years, and young 
Pomare is probably the last Tahitian chieftain that will 
ever ride in state on the necks of his people. 
4 c 
II. 
