138 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
not think it their duty to express any dissatisfac¬ 
tion with the code, imperfect as it was, and they 
uniformly avoided expressing any opinion which 
might weaken the power of the king, being de¬ 
sirous rather to afford him every facility in the 
settlement of the government of the country, than 
to throw difficulties in his way. 
In the month of May, 1819, the king, and 
several thousands of the people from Tahiti and 
Eimeo, assembled at Papaoa, for the purpose of 
attending the opening of the Royal Mission 
Chapel, and the promulgation of the new laws. 
The anniversary of the Tahitian Missionary 
Society being held at the same time, the Mis¬ 
sionaries from the several stations, in these two 
islands, were then at Papaoa. 
The thirteenth day of the month was appointed 
for this solemn national transaction ; and the spa¬ 
cious chapel which the king had recently erected 
was chosen as the edifice in which this important 
event should take place. It was thought no dese¬ 
cration of a building reared for public devotion, 
and solemnly appropriated to the worship of the 
Almighty, and other purposes directly connected 
with the promotion of his praise, that the grave 
and serious engagements by which the nation 
agreed to regulate their social intercourse, should 
be ratified in a spot where they were led to expect 
a more than ordinary participation of the Divine 
benediction. During the forenoon, the chiefs and 
people of Tahiti and Eimeo assembled in the 
Royal Chapel, and about the middle of the day 
the king and his attendants entered. The Mis¬ 
sionaries were also present-—but, regarding it as a 
civil engagement, attended only as spectators. 
The king, however, requested Mr. Crook to solicit 
