WRITING GENERALLY ACQUIRED. 263 
by a second wife, whose name is Aimata, and who 
is about sixteen years of age, being his only sur¬ 
viving child, has succeeded to the government: 
she was married some years ago to a young chief 
of Tahaa, to whom her father had given his own 
name, so that Pomare is still the regal name. 
Her character, perhaps, is yet scarcely formed, 
and we can only hope she will prove a blessing to 
the nation. 
Although Pomare II. was the first pupil whom 
the Missionaries taught to write, and who excelled 
all others, his example induced many to make an 
attempt, while his success encouraged them to 
proceed; and it is probable, that as great a pro¬ 
portion of the population of the Georgian and 
Society Islands can now write, as would be found 
capable of doing so in many portions of the 
United Kingdom. Some progress had been made, 
by several of the most intelligent of the converts, 
before the abolition of idolatry in 1815, but it is 
only since that period that writing has become 
general. 
Various methods of instruction have been adopt¬ 
ed ; some of the natives have been taught altoge¬ 
ther by writing on the sea-beach, or on sand in 
the schools; others have learned to write on the 
broad smooth leaves of the plantain-tree, using a 
bluntly pointed stick, instead of a pen or pencil. 
The delicate fibres of the leaf, being bruised by the 
pen, become brown, while the other parts remain 
green. If it was necessary to read it immediately 
after being written: when held up to the light, the 
letters were easily distinguished. These plantain- 
leaf letters answer very well for short notes to pass 
among the natives themselves, but are liable to in¬ 
jury if conveyed to any great distance, or kept any 
