PROJECTED ASSASSINATION. 139 
The persecuted party was already formidable in 
point of numbers and rank, and the idolaters, in 
order to ensure success in their murderous design, 
invited the chiefs of Atehuru and Papara to join 
them. The time was fixed for the perpetration of 
this bloody deed. At the hour of midnight they 
were, to be attacked, their property plundered, 
their houses burnt, and every prisoner secured, 
to be slaughtered on the spot. The parties, who for 
a long time had been inveterate enemies to each 
other, readily agreeing to the proposed confedera¬ 
tion, were made friends on the occasion, and cordi¬ 
ally united in the plan of destroying the Christians. 
The intended victims of this treachery were un¬ 
conscious of their danger, until the evening of the 
7th of July; when, a few hours only before the 
horrid massacre was to have commenced, they 
received secret intelligence of the ruin that was 
ready to burst upon them. 
Circumstances, unforeseen and uncontrollable by 
their enemies, had prevented the different parties 
from arriving punctually at their respective points 
of rendezvous ; otherwise, even now escape would 
have been impracticable, and destruction inevi¬ 
table, as the Porionu, inhabitants of Pare, Ma- 
tavai, and Apaiano, would have been on the one 
side, and in their rear, and the party from Atehuru 
and Papara on the other. The delay in the 
arrival of some of these, afforded the only hope of 
deliverance. 
At this remarkably critical period, the whole of 
the party having to attend a meeting either for 
public worship, or for some other general purpose, 
assembled in the evening near the sea. No time 
was to be lost. Their canoes were lying on the 
beach. They were instantly launched ; and, hur- 
