942 ' POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
ewe men; it was covered with a rich yellow pall, 
of thick native cloth, with a deep black border: 
Six young chiefs, in European suits of mourning, 
bore the pall; amongst them was the son of the 
king of Raiatea. His wife, his father, and near 
relations, followed, wearing also deep European 
mourning. Mrs. Barff and Mrs. Ellis, with our 
children, walked after these; the tenantry of his 
own district, and servants of his household, came 
next; and after them, the greater part of the popu- 
lation of the island. 
When we reached the place of sepulture, I 
turned, and looking towards the valley, beheld, 
I think, a scene of the most solemn interest that 
ever I witnessed. Before us stood the bier, on 
which was laid the corpse of the individual of 
brightest hopes among all I beheld, destined for the 
highest distinction the nation knew, whose tall, 
and, for his years, gigantic form, open and manly 
brow, had promised fair for many years of most 
commanding influence, an influence which we 
once hoped would have advanced his country’s 
welfare. Beside that bier stood his youthful 
widow, weeping, we have reason to believe, tears 
of unfeigned sorrow; and who, in addition to the 
loss she had sustained, was on the eve of becom- 
ing a mother. Near her stood his venerable 
sire, gray with age, and bending with infirmities, 
taking a last sad look of all that now remained 
of what had once been the stay of his declming 
years, his hope and joy; towards whom, in all his 
wayward courses, he had exercised the affection 
of a. father. | 
Around them stood the friends, and, along the 
margin of the placid ocean, and emerging from 
ihe shadowy paths that wound along the distant 
