Jwmary. timents of affection; as I perfectly.recollect that, when I was here with Cap--
S— v— tarn Cook, Pomurrey treated his brothers with the moft cool indifference,
although, on the prefent occafion, there are few examples; o f three brothers
living in greater harmony,; or regarding each other with more fraternal
affeSipn: it fhould, therefore feem, that this fort of diftant deportment
is a neceffary appendage to the high office o f fovereign. Another
royal fon; and daughter honored us with their company. Thefe, with
a daughter remaining a t Morea, are all the children of Pomurrey now
living. His family originally confifted o f five, but one of his daughters
was deceafed. All thefe. j children were by his eldelt wife, known by the
name o f Pomurrey Whaheine, or the female Pomurrey; this lady I lhall
hereafter diftinguilh by the appellation of Queen Mother.; By his young-
eft wife he has had no children; lhe is called F ie r r e te. Our newevi-
fitors were, each like their brother Otoo, carried on men’s IhoulderS ; and
for the fame reafons which interdifted him, they could' not enter our habitations^
Theyouth feemedto. be about three oij, four years; younger,
than Otoo, and had taken the name o f Whyeadooa, in confequence. ofhis:
being the acknowledged fovereign of Tiarabou, under his brother Otoo-„
the daughter appeared to be about two or three years of age, to'whom,
or to the young lady remaining at Morea, I did not underhand- that any
particular titles or confequence were at prefent annexed; yet, this child
feemed treated with much refpect and attention.
We had a very large party of royalty and of the , different chiefs to.
dinner at. the marquee ;.'after which it,was propofed, that; the, Heava,
tip Eritarne,” that is, the Engliffi entertainments, were to commence/
Pomurrey rcquefted that feme guns from the (hips Ihouid be fired as a
prelude; that the marines on Ihore Ihouid go through their exercife,; and'
fire;, and that :the efforts of the field pieces Ihouid be exhibited. From
the latter were fired/both round anft cannifter lhot,: which the furrounding,
multitude. beheld with furprize, admiration, and terror, -manifefted by
their, eXpreflions, particularly f.pn .obferving the diftance to which the.
fiftall three, pounders threw the round (hot ; and the execution that; evi-,
dently could be done by the cannifter, which was fired-, at. a rock in the
fea, lying at a .convenient; diftance. On firing with fome difpatch, three,
rounds
rounds from the field pieces, the fear of Pomurrey completely overcame
his curiofity, and he exclaimed Ateerara ;” fignifying he was perfectly . Janmry‘
fatisfied.
In the evening, we were very fortunate in our difplay of fire works!
-They had been well prepared and preferyed; and wefe, without exception,
of their various kinds, equal to any I ever faw difcharged in Europe.
A numerous crowd were affembled on the ioccafion, who expreffed as
much aftonilhment and admiration, as if thefe had been the firft exhibited
in the ifland. I endeavoured to prevail on Pomurrey to aflift in
the performance. He once took the port fire in his hand, but his heart
failed, and calling his yoUngeft wife Fier re te, defined I would inftruft
her. She was by no means fo alarmed as her hufband; and, with a little
of my afliftance, lhe fired feveral rockets, a Catharine wheel, fome flower
pots, and balloons. Having difplayed an affortment of thefe, together
with fome water rockets, See. the exhibition was doled;' and the natives
retired in the moft perfectly good order to their refpe&ive habitations,
exceflively well pleafed with their entertainment; although it was evident,
that the major part had been as much affefied by terror, as admiration.
Pomurrey, with his two wives and After, came to breakfaft the
next morning, and expreffed great fatisfaffion and many thanks for the Sunday s.
pleafure which the laft evening had afforded them. The young king;
with his brother and filler, honored the encampment alfo with their pre-!
fence. Underftanding that our royal party were about to leave us for
fome -days, prefents were made them on the occafion; with which,
highly delighted with their excurfion, and their reception by us, they
departed.
The chronometers and other inftruments had now been landed nearly
a week; but, owing to the very unfettled ftate of the weather, until this
day, we had not been able to get correfponding altitudes^ The like caufe
had operated alfo in retarding the general tranfa&ions at the. encamp-'
ment; where whilft I was bufily employed at the obfervatory, Poatatou
arrived; having fent before him a magnificent prelent of hogs, vegetables,
cloth, mats, &c. I had been very intimate with this chief on my laft
vilit to this country; weperfeflly recollected each other; and the fincerity