PREPARATIONS FOR BATTLE. i'4? 
met together for his worship, which was not to be 
forsaken or disturbed even by the approach of an 
enemy. Auna, formerly an Areoi and a warrior, 
now a Christian teacher, who was my informant on 
these points, then read the hymn, and the congre¬ 
gation sang it. A portion of scripture was read, 
a prayer offered to the Almighty, and the ser¬ 
vice closed. Those who were unarmed, now 
repaired to their tents, and procured their 
weapons. 
In assuming the posture of defence, the king’s 
friends formed themselves into two or three 
columns, one on the sea-beach, and the other at a 
short distance towards the mountains. Attached 
to Pomare’s camp, was a number of refugees, who 
had, during the late commotions in Tahiti, taken 
shelter under his protection, but had not em¬ 
braced Christianity; on these the king and his 
adherents placed no reliance, but stationed them 
in the centre, or the rear. The Bure Atua 
requested to form the viro or front line, ad¬ 
vanced guard ; and the apoa viri , or cheek of 
their forces ; while the people of Eimeo, imme¬ 
diately in the rear, formed what they called the 
tapono, or shoulder, of their army. In the front 
of the line, Auna, Upaparu, Hitote, and others 
equally distinguished for their steady adherence to 
the system they had adopted, took their station on 
this occasion, and shewed their readiness to lay 
down their lives rather than relinquish the Chris¬ 
tian faith, and the privileges it conferred. Mahine, 
the king of Huahine, and Pomare-vahine, the 
heroic daughter of the king of Raiatea, with those 
of their people who had professed Christianity, 
arranged themselves in battle-array immediately be¬ 
hind the people of Eimeo, forming the main body of 
l2 
