CORONATION OF POM ARE III. 261 
one side, and his aunts on the other. His brother- 
in-law walked immediately behind, and was fol¬ 
lowed by Tamatoa, the king of Raiatea, and the 
members of the royal family. The governors, judges 
of districts, and magistrates, walking four abreast, 
closed the procession. 
When they reached the place of coronation, the 
king was seated in his chair; in the centre before 
him, on small tables, the crown, the Bible, and 
the code of laws, were placed. Those who were 
to take part in the transactions of the day were 
seated around and behind the king. 
The youthful Pomare, being only four years of 
age, was necessarily passive in the important 
business. Mr. Davies, one of the senior Mission¬ 
aries, spoke for him ; and as all were requested to 
take a part in the ceremonies, when the king had 
been asked if he promised to govern the people 
with justice and mercy, agreeably to the laws and 
the word of God, Mr. Nott placed the crown on 
his head, and pronounced a benediction upon the 
young ruler; Mr. Darling then presented him with 
a Bible, accompanying the presentation with a 
suitable address. 
As soon as the coronation ceremony was closed, 
a herald proclaimed pardon to all who were under 
the sentence of the law. Every exile was directed 
to return, and all were exhorted to become good 
members of society. The assembly afterwards 
repaired to the Royal Mission Chapel, where 
Divine service was performed, and thus the first 
Christian coronation in the South Sea Islands 
closed. 
The kings of Tahiti were not formerly invested 
with any regal dignity by receiving a crown, but 
by being girded with the maro ura , or sacred 
