286 POLYNESIAN RESEAIiCIIES. 
at Huahine ; some of the pirates absconded, and 
remained on shore. It was found that they knew 
something; of our vessels; but as they refused to 
say what they knew, surmises arose, and reports 
were spread that they had met us at sea, and 
either sunk our vessel or murdered the passengers. 
Such was the influence of this report when first 
circulated, that it was necessary to protect the 
deserters from the indignation of the populace. 
The whole of their statement was invested with a 
degree of mystery, which, together with the very 
protracted period of our absence, augmented the 
distress of Mrs. Ellis and our friends in Huahine. 
From this painful state of anxious uncertainty, 
they were however relieved by the appearance of 
the Mermaid off Fare harbour early in the month 
of October, and by our landing in health and 
safety in the evening of the same day. The 
pirates had fallen in with the schooner, which had 
been separated from us during the early part of 
the voyage; they by this means heard of our 
destination, &c. and this partial information 
accounted for the vagueness of their reports. 
In the close of the same month, the invitation I 
had received from the chiefs in the Sandwich 
Islands, and the American Missionaries, to remove 
thither, was submitted to the consideration of the 
Missionaries in the Leeward Islands, and they, 
with the deputation, were unanimous in opinion, 
that we ought to proceed to that important station 
by the earliest opportunity. The details of the 
first voyage to Hawaii, and some account of our 
proceedings there, v will be given in the succeeding 
volume. 
The Active, a small schooner, commanded by 
Captain Charlton, arriving at Huahine soon after, 
