288 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
About a quarter of an hour after we had reached 
the place, two or three boats from the vessel rowed 
towards the shore. Several of the attendants of 
the young princess arrived in the first; and the 
queen and her sister, with the youthful Aimata, 
landed‘ from the second. ‘The visitors were met 
on the beach by the governor of the island, and a 
number of chief women, who conducted Aimata to 
the house where Pomare and his friends were wait- 
ing. They entered, and, after greeting the friends 
present, took their seats near where the young 
chief was sitting. | 
Pomare continued motionless, neither rising to 
welcome his guests, nor uncovering his head. 
Aimata sat close by her mother’s side, occasionally 
glancing at the individual who was to be her hus- 
band, and who sat like a statue before her. 
This was the first time either Pomare or Aimata 
had seen each other, and the interview was cer- 
tainly a singular one; for, after sitting together 
for about twenty minutes, the queen and her com- 
panions rose, and repaired to the house provided 
for their accommodation, and Pomare and _ his 
friends returned to their encampment. During the 
whole of the time they had been in each other’s 
company, they had not exchanged a single word. 
Shortly after this meeting, they were publicly 
married, and afterwards removed to the island of 
Tahiti, which has ever since been their principal 
residence. Pomare was about sixteen years of 
age, and his consort but little, if any, younger. 
Since the death of her brother, which took place 
in 1827, she has been considered queen of Tahiti, 
Fimeo, &c., though the regency, appointed to 
govern the islands during the minority of the late 
king, still manages the political affairs, acting, 
