RETURN OF THE MISSIONARIES. 89 
most touching, yet confident kind, from the king, 
who invited their return. 
The way being thus opened for the résumption 
of their work, and depending on the blessing of 
God, they again embarked, in the autumn of 1811, 
for the islands. During their absence, Pomare 
had remained excluded from his hereditary domi- 
nions, and in exile on the island of Eimeo. Whether 
the melancholy reverses he had experienced, and 
the depression of spirits consequent upon the dis- 
solution of his government, and the desolation of 
his family, led him to doubt the truth of that sys- 
tem of idol-worship to which he had been devoted, 
and on which he had invariably relied for success 
in every enterprise—or whether the leisure it 
afforded for contemplation and inquiry, under the 
influence of these feelings, inclined him to reflect 
more seriously on the truth of those declarations 
he had often heard respecting the true God, and 
to consider his present condition as the chastening 
of that Being whom he had refused to acknow- 
ledge—it is impossible to determine; but these 
disastrous events had evidently subdued his spirit, 
and softened his heart. . 
When the Missionaries who returned from Port 
Jackson landed in Eimeo, the king received them 
with the warmest demonstrations of joy. Mr. and 
Mrs. Bicknell, the first who arrived, resided some 
time in the same house with him. He spent much 
of his time in reading and writing, in conversation, 
and in earnest inquiry about God, and the way of 
acceptance with Him, through Jesus Christ,—and 
sometimes spoke mn terms astonishing even to the 
Missionaries themselves. One or two other natives 
appeared also favourably impressed in regard to the 
religion of the Bible. Under these auspicious appear- 
