ed in Tameamea's time, but is now permitted, from
Christian charity. Such characters as these, reckless of every thing
sacred, do not hesitate to make a jest of the missionaries, whose
extraordinary plans and regulations offer many weak points to the shafts
of ridicule.

When Mr. Bengham had concluded a discourse in the O Wahi language, which
might possibly have been highly edifying, but that it was addressed to
little else than empty benches,--for I did not understand him, and the
minds of the few other persons present were evidently occupied with very
different matters,--we returned to the palace in the same style that we
had left it. I then took my leave, having received a promise of being
amply supplied with provisions: the Queen also, at my request, ordered
a small house near her own to be prepared for our astronomical
observations, and our astronomer, M. Preus, took possession of it on the
following day.

Our arrival had created a great sensation on the island. A foreign ship
of war is an uncommon spectacle here--one from Russia more especially,
as the attempt of the insane Dr. Scheffer, in 1816, to raise the island
of O Tuai against Tameamea, in the hope of annexing it to the empire of
Russia, had naturally introduced a fear of similar projects, although
the absurd design was entirely discountenanced by the Emperor Alexander.
The English also, even in their writings, have contributed to spread the
ridiculous idea, that Russia entertained views against the independence
of the Sandwich Islands; and that Rio Rio's voyage was only undertaken
for the purpose of imploring the assistance of England against our
government. From the air of protection which England has for some time
past assumed towards these islands, it is probable that she herself
secretly harbours such a design, and only waits a favourable opportunity
for its execution; although the English always profess to acknowledge
the sovereignty of the native monarch, and the King of England, in
writing to Tameamea, calls him, "Your Majesty."

I am, however, far from desiring to maintain this opinion as founded on
any sufficient grounds. The alarm of the islanders, on the present
occasion, had been in great measure excited by a paragraph in a Mexican
newspaper, recently imported, which contained a new version of the
English fiction. The mistrust, however, did not long subsist. My
assurances of friendship, and the particularly good behaviour of the
whole crew,