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532 GENEROSITY OF OTAHEITANS.
tobe well treated by a powerful chief, into whose hands a gale
of wind, or warfare throws them, is a rare occurrence.
The Paamuto Isles are rich in pearl oysters. Pomare, or her
relations, desired to monopolize the trade. Unjustifiable steps
were taken, actuated, it is said, by her or by these relations;
and hence this affair.
They soon decided to pay the debt at once. Thirty-six tons
of pearl oyster-shells, belonging to Pomare, and then lying at
Papiete, were to form part of the equivalent; the remainder
was to be collected among the queen’s friends. Taati left his
place near her, went into the midst of the assembly, and
harangued the people in a forcible though humorous manner,
in order to stimulate them to subscribe for the queen. After
lie had done speaking, I requested Mr. Pritchard to state
strongly that the innocent natives of Otaheite ought not to
suffer for the misdeeds of the Low Islanders. The shells
which had come from those ill-conducted people, might well be
given as part of the payment; but the queen ought to procure
the rest from them, and not from her innocent and deserving
subjects. A document, expressing her intention to pay the
remaining sum v/ithin a stated time, signed by herself and by
two chiefs, with a certainty that the property would be obtained
from the Low Islanders, would be more satisfactory than immediate
payment, if effected by distressing her Otaheitan
subjects, who were in no way to blame.
Taati replied, “ The honour of the queen is our honour. We
will share her difficulties. Her friends prefer assisting her in
clearing off this debt, to leaving her conduct exposed to censure.
We have determined to unite in her cause, and endeavour
to pay all before the departure of the man-of-war.”
It was easy to see that the other principal chiefs had no
doubt of the propriety of the demand ; and that they thought
the queen and her relations ought to bear the consequences of
their own conduct. Taati, who is related to her, exerted himself
far more than Utaame, Hitóte, or any of the others. This part
of the business was then settled by their agreeing to give
the shells already collected, such sums of money as her friends
should choose to contribute, and a document signed by two
principal chiefs, expressing the sum already collected and paid;
and their intention of forthwith collecting the remainder, and
paying it before a stipulated time.. Difficulties about the present,
as compared with the former value of the shells, were
quickly ended by arbitration ; and their value estimated at
fifty dollars per ton: the ready way in which this question
about the value of the shells was settled, gave me a high idea
of the natives’ wish to do right, rather than take advantage of
a doubtful point of law.
I next had to remark, that the queen had given up the murderers
of the master and mate of the Truro in a merely nominal
manner, and not in effect; and that she must expect to receive
a communication upon that subject by the next man-of-war.
She asked me—whether I really thought they would be
required from her by the next man-of-war ?
I replied : “ Those men were tried and condemned by the
laws of Otaheite. Your majesty, as sovereign, exercised your
right of pardoning them. I think that the British Government
will respect your right as queen of these islands; and
that his Britannic Majesty will not insist upon those men
being punished, or again tried for the same offence; but the
propriety of your own conduct in pardoning such notorious
offenders, is a very different affair. It will not tend to diminish
the effect of a report injurious to your character, which you
are aware has been circulated.”
After a pause, I said, “ I was desired to enquire into the
complaints of British subjects and demand redress where
necessary. No complaints had been made to me; therefore I
begged to congratulate her majesty on the regularity and good
conduct which had prevailed; and thanked her, in the name
of my countrymen, for the kindness with which they had been
treated.”
I then reminded Pomare of the deep interest generally felt
for those highly deserving and devoted missionaries, whose
exertions, hazardous and difficult as they had been, and still
were, had raised the natives of Otaheite to their present enJill