POMARE AND AIM AT A. 289 
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, how¬ 
ever, was at that time nearly as large as it has been 
since. He possessed a number of houses in dif¬ 
ferent parts of Raiatea and Tahaa, and was sur¬ 
rounded by a numerous train of attendants; one 
or two chiefs, of rank and influence, acting as his 
guardians, usually accompanied him. During 
the early parts of his life, he was frequently carried 
about on men's shoulders, according to the an¬ 
cient 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 pro¬ 
bably the last Tahitian chieftain that will ever ride 
in state on the necks of his people. 
Aimata, the only surviving child of the king of 
Tahiti, although about the same age, appeared in 
perfect contrast to her husband. Her form was 
neither athletic nor corpulent, her countenance open 
and lively, her jet-black eye sparkling and intelli¬ 
gent, her manners and address engaging, her dis¬ 
position volatile, and her conversation cheerful. In 
these respects she was the very opposite to Pomare, 
who was taciturn and forbidding. 
She gave early indications of superior intellec¬ 
tual endowments ; and, had her mental faculties 
nr. u 
