i ?92-
• Januafy; occafion, ,a bundle of cloth and feme red feathers.. During,' this ejaculation,
which took up a confidarable time, the names.-of: the .party
were twice mentioned. He dikewife repeated the names of the! feveral
commanders who had vifited the.ifland; together with thofc of “ Keene
Gorge” .(that is, King.George/) and “ Britarne,” which were' frequently
expreffed. When thefe introductory ceremonies were finifhed, Mowree
attended them to every part of the -morai, and explained every particular.
He appeared to be well verfed in all the, ceremonials and rites
appertaining to their religion, which made (the party greatly-lament
their want o f a competent knowledge of the language, as they were
unable to comprehend his meaning, except .in a few common inftances.
Having left the morai, and proceeded weftward about a mile, they arrived
at a houfe furrounded ,by a plantation of ava belonging to Urripiah,
who was then at dinner with a numerous company, of our Matavai
friends ; and whiift our gentlemen were taking feme refrelhanent, a
meffenger arrived from Whytooa, whole guefts they were to be, and
who had gone before them from the morai, requefting their attendance
at his habitation, which they found lituated on the verge of the lea
fhore. In the front of it was an ava plantation, interfperfed with fugar
-cane, and bananas ; near the houle was a fmall fhrnbbery., .of : native ornamental
plants. The whole furrounded by a well conftrufted fence o f
bamboo, neatly interfered with clean paths, that led in different directions,
produced an effeft that was extremely pleafing;: and- redounded
much to the credit and ingenuity o f the. proprietor. Whytooa had taken
very effectual means to provide for their entertainment; for a large hog
had been committed to the oven, and was nearly ready for the table,
with an abundance Df other refrelhments. The manfion was large and
airy. By lines ftretched acrofs, they had quiet pofleffion of one half of
the building; and this partition prevented the idle curiofity of the af-
fembled natives from interrupting the comfort of their repaft. In the
afternoon they were vifited by Urripiah and feme of his attendants.
He obferved, that, in the abfence o f the royal brothers, and other principal
chiefs, it was not improbable thatfeme of the natives might take advantage
of this cirGumltance, and difeontinue their prefent orderly behaviour
-haviour in thé neighbourhood of the -yelfels and the encampment.
He therefore requefted Mr. Broughton would, in. his'namei, write to me, t— 1-—>
recommending the,five, following-.chiefs to he admitted into Our fociety
on board and on fliore; whofe prèfenee would be the means of 'effectually
reffraining the. populace. Their names wevePdeno, Matiapó,. and
Moerr.ee, of Matavai; and Tatoak, and Am heafi: of Ha'pino; in the
pfoteftion and good offices>of whom we might -place the fulleft confidence!
. Matiapo being prefent, he was charged by Mr.-Broughton with
this emfaaffy. From our earlieft acquaintance with this royal and -worthy
chief, 'his mind had .appeared to be wholly cngroll'cd in devifmg the
means for our comfort, and'for préfferving ;a friendly and good under-
flanding: between us and his countrymen; and,: even here, though retired
to his cottage, he was found equally zealous in the fame laudable
purfuit. They were alfo complimented by the young king Oioo with a
vilit. Has! approach was announced by the ufual ceremony of all the
natives prefent uncovering their fh&ulders;; and 'as' he could not with
propriety enter Whylooa’s fence, they , paid; him their refpefts on the
beach; whence, after..receiving.feme-trinkets; he haftened with'his royal
filler,! each carried as before, to meet Pomurrey, who was about to land
at die morai. 1 Towards die evening, a foene was prefented that gave a
very different turn to the feelings of the party. On paying their re-
fpects-to the royal family who had landed near them, the forrow and
dejeriion which appeared in the countenance of Pomurrey, induced an
inquiry into the caufe of his melancholy; he replied in a low tone of
voice, drat fi Matooard AtahoxO' was dead. Urripiah on hearing the
news burft into a flood of tears; and a forrowful gloomy fadnefs foon
overfpread the whole.aflembly.-. On advancing a little furdier, they *
-obferved . the queen-mother and Fier re te in tears near the canoe from
-which they had landed, fearching a bundle Containing feme!- flunks
teeth, with which the women of this country torture themfelves, to
manifeft their grief on fuch oeeafiens. After each had made choice o f
an inllrument for this purpofe, they retired in fdent affliction to a
neighbouring plantation.
The next morning, they were again honored by a vifit from Otoo and
feveral