6 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
ever visit scenes, the description of which afforded 
me so much satisfaction. This, however, in the 
providence of God, has since taken place; and 
I have been led, not indeed on a voyage of dis¬ 
covery, commercial adventure, or naval enterprise, 
but, as a Christian Missionary, on an errand of 
instruction ; not only to visit, but to reside a num¬ 
ber of years among the interesting natives of those 
isolated regions. The following pages record my 
observations in that part of the world. The account 
of the ancient customs, &c. of the people, and 
recent changes, have been derived principally 
from the people themselves, by my own inqui¬ 
ries, or the communications of my predecessors 
or companions in Missionary pursuits, with occa¬ 
sional illustrations from those who have visited the 
islands for purposes of commerce or science. 
Tahiti, and the isles in its immediate vicinity, are 
situated between five and seven degrees of latitude 
within the southern tropic. The principal island 
is supposed by some to have been discovered by 
Quiros, towards the end of the sixteenth century: 
on this point, however, different opinions exist, and 
no authentic knowledge of Tahiti was obtained until 
Captain Wallis, in the Dolphin, crossed the Pacific, 
about 160 years ago. He anchored in Matavai 
bay on the 19th of June, 1767, gave to the harbour 
the name of Port Royal, and to the land, King 
George the Third’s Island. The adjacent island 
of Eimeo was seen by Captain Wallis, and from 
him received the designation of Duke of York’s 
Island. In 1769, Captain Cook, who, with a num¬ 
ber of scientific gentlemen, had been despatched 
to the South Seas, for the purpose of observing the 
transit of Venus, anchored in Matavai bay. By 
him the native name was affixed to the island 
