Inpointofmorality，thevirtueofthewomen，ithasbeenoftensaid，ismostopentoexception。Butbeforetheyareblamedtooseverely，itwillbewelldistinctlytocalltomindthescenesdescribedbyCaptainCookandMr。Banks，inwhichthegrandmothersandmothersofthepresentraceplayedapart。Thosewhoaremostsevere，shouldconsiderhowmuchofthemoralityofthewomeninEuropeisowingtothesystemearlyimpressedbymothersontheirdaughters，andhowmuchineachindividualcasetothepreceptsofreligion。Butitisuselesstoargueagainstsuchreasoners；——
Ibelievethat，disappointedinnotfindingthefieldoflicentiousnessquitesoopenasformerly，theywillnotgivecredittoamoralitywhichtheydonotwishtopractise，ortoareligionwhichtheyundervalue，ifnotdespise。
Sunday，22nd——TheharbourofPapiete，wherethequeenresides，maybeconsideredasthecapitaloftheisland：itisalsotheseatofgovernment，andthechiefresortofshipping。CaptainFitzRoytookapartytherethisdaytoheardivineservice，firstintheTahitianlanguage，andafterwardsinourown。Mr。Pritchard，theleadingmissionaryintheisland，performedtheservice。Thechapelconsistedofalargeairyframeworkofwood；anditwasfilledtoexcessbytidy，cleanpeople，ofallagesandbothsexes。
Iwasratherdisappointedintheapparentdegreeofattention；butIbelievemyexpectationswereraisedtoohigh。AtalleventstheappearancewasquiteequaltothatinacountrychurchinEngland。Thesingingofthehymnswasdecidedlyverypleasing，butthelanguagefromthepulpit，althoughfluentlydelivered，didnotsoundwell：aconstantrepetitionofwords，like“tatata，matamai。”rendereditmonotonous。AfterEnglishservice，apartyreturnedonfoottoMatavai。Itwasapleasantwalk，sometimesalongthesea-beachandsometimesundertheshadeofthemanybeautifultrees。
Abouttwoyearsago，asmallvesselunderEnglishcolourswasplunderedbysomeoftheinhabitantsoftheLowIslands，whichwerethenunderthedominionoftheQueenofTahiti。Itwasbelievedthattheperpetratorswereinstigatedtothisactbysomeindiscreetlawsissuedbyhermajesty。
TheBritishgovernmentdemandedcompensation；whichwasaccededto，andthesumofnearlythreethousanddollarswasagreedtobepaidonthefirstoflastSeptember。TheCommodoreatLimaorderedCaptainFitzRoytoinquireconcerningthisdebt，andtodemandsatisfactionifitwerenotpaid。CaptainFitzRoyaccordinglyrequestedaninterviewwiththeQueenPomarre，sincefamousfromtheill-treatmentshehadreceivedfromtheFrench；andaparliamentwasheldtoconsiderthequestion，atwhichalltheprincipalchiefsoftheislandandthequeenwereassembled。Iwillnotattempttodescribewhattookplace，aftertheinterestingaccountgivenbyCaptainFitzRoy。
Themoney，itappeared，hadnotbeenpaid；perhapstheallegedreasonswereratherequivocal；butotherwiseIcannotsufficientlyexpressourgeneralsurpriseattheextremegoodsense，thereasoningpowers，moderation，candour，andpromptresolution，whichweredisplayedonallsides。IbelieveweallleftthemeetingwithaverydifferentopinionoftheTahitians，fromwhatweentertainedwhenweentered。Thechiefsandpeopleresolvedtosubscribeandcompletethesumwhichwaswanting；CaptainFitzRoyurgedthatitwashardthattheirprivatepropertyshouldbesacrificedforthecrimesofdistantislanders。Theyreplied，thattheyweregratefulforhisconsideration，butthatPomarrewastheirQueen，andthattheyweredeterminedtohelpherinthisherdifficulty。Thisresolutionanditspromptexecution，forabookwasopenedearlythenextmorning，madeaperfectconclusiontothisveryremarkablesceneofloyaltyandgoodfeeling。
Afterthemaindiscussionwasended，severalofthechiefstooktheopportunityofaskingCaptainFitzRoymanyintelligentquestionsoninternationalcustomsandlaws，relatingtothetreatmentofshipsandforeigners。Onsomepoints，assoonasthedecisionwasmade，thelawwasissuedverballyonthespot。ThisTahitianparliamentlastedforseveralhours；andwhenitwasoverCaptainFitzRoyinvitedQueenPomarretopaytheBeagleavisit。
November25th——Intheeveningfourboatsweresentforhermajesty；
theshipwasdressedwithflags，andtheyardsmannedonhercomingonboard。Shewasaccompaniedbymostofthechiefs。Thebehaviourofallwasveryproper：theybeggedfornothing，andseemedmuchpleasedwithCaptainFitzRoy’spresents。Thequeenisalargeawkwardwoman，withoutanybeauty，graceordignity。Shehasonlyoneroyalattribute：aperfectimmovabilityofexpressionunderallcircumstances，andthatratherasullenone。Therocketsweremostadmired，andadeep“Oh！”couldbeheardfromtheshore，allroundthedarkbay，aftereachexplosion。Thesailors’songswerealsomuchadmired；andthequeensaidshethoughtthatoneofthemostboisterousonescertainlycouldnotbeahymn！Theroyalpartydidnotreturnonshoretillpastmidnight。
26th——Intheevening，withagentleland-breeze，acoursewassteeredforNewZealand；andasthesunset，wehadafarewellviewofthemountainsofTahiti——theislandtowhicheveryvoyagerhasoffereduphistributeofadmiration。
December19th——IntheeveningwesawinthedistanceNewZealand。
WemaynowconsiderthatwehavenearlycrossedthePacific。Itisnecessarytosailoverthisgreatoceantocomprehenditsimmensity。Movingquicklyonwardsforweekstogether，wemeetwithnothingbutthesameblue，profoundlydeep，ocean。Evenwithinthearchipelagoes，theislandsaremerespecks，andfardistantonefromtheother。Accustomedtolookatmapsdrawnonasmallscale，wheredots，shading，andnamesarecrowdedtogether，wedonotrightlyjudgehowinfinitelysmalltheproportionofdrylandistowaterofthisvastexpanse。ThemeridianoftheAntipodeshaslikewisebeenpassed；andnoweveryleague，itmadeushappytothink，wasoneleaguenearertoEngland。TheseAntipodescalltoone’smindoldrecollectionsofchildishdoubtandwonder。OnlytheotherdayIlookedforwardtothisairybarrierasadefinitepointinourvoyagehomewards；butnowIfindit，andallsuchresting-placesfortheimagination，arelikeshadows，whichamanmovingonwardscannotcatch。Agaleofwindlastingforsomedays，haslatelygivenusfullleisuretomeasurethefuturestagesinourhomewardvoyage，andtowishmostearnestlyforitstermination。
December21st——EarlyinthemorningweenteredtheBayofIslands，andbeingbecalmedforsomehoursnearthemouth，wedidnotreachtheanchoragetillthemiddleoftheday。Thecountryishilly，withasmoothoutline，andisdeeplyintersectedbynumerousarmsoftheseaextendingfromthebay。Thesurfaceappearsfromadistanceasifclothedwithcoarsepasture，butthisintruthisnothingbutfern。Onthemoredistanthills，aswellasinpartsofthevalleys，thereisagooddealofwoodland。Thegeneraltintofthelandscapeisnotabrightgreen；anditresemblesthecountryashortdistancetothesouthofConcepcioninChile。Inseveralpartsofthebay，littlevillagesofsquaretidylookinghousesarescatteredclosedowntothewater’sedge。Threewhaling-shipswerelyingatanchor，andacanoeeverynowandthencrossedfromshoretoshore；withtheseexceptions，anairofextremequietnessreignedoverthewholedistrict。
Onlyasinglecanoecamealongside。This，andtheaspectofthewholescene，affordedaremarkable，andnotverypleasingcontrast，withourjoyfulandboisterouswelcomeatTahiti。
Intheafternoonwewentonshoretooneofthelargergroupsofhouses，whichyethardlydeservesthetitleofavillage。ItsnameisPahia：itistheresidenceofthemissionaries；andtherearenonativeresidentsexceptservantsandlabourers。InthevicinityoftheBayofIslands，thenumberofEnglishmen，includingtheirfamilies，amountstobetweentwoandthreehundred。Allthecottages，manyofwhicharewhite-washedandlookveryneat，arethepropertyoftheEnglish。Thehovelsofthenativesaresodiminutiveandpaltry，thattheycanscarcelybeperceivedfromadistance。AtPahia，itwasquitepleasingtobeholdtheEnglishflowersinthegardensbeforethehouses；therewererosesofseveralkinds，honeysuckle，jasmine，stocks，andwholehedgesofsweetbrier。
December22nd——InthemorningIwentoutwalking；butIsoonfoundthatthecountrywasveryimpracticable。Allthehillsarethicklycoveredwithtallfern，togetherwithalowbushwhichgrowslikeacypress；andverylittlegroundhasbeenclearedorcultivated。Ithentriedthesea-beach；
butproceedingtowardseitherhand，mywalkwassoonstoppedbysalt-watercreeksanddeepbrooks。Thecommunicationbetweentheinhabitantsofthedifferentpartsofthebay，is(asinChiloe)almostentirelykeptupbyboats。IwassurprisedtofindthatalmosteveryhillwhichIascended，hadbeenatsomeformertimemoreorlessfortified。Thesummitswerecutintostepsorsuccessiveterraces，andfrequentlytheyhadbeenprotectedbydeeptrenches。Iafterwardsobservedthattheprincipalhillsinlandinlikemannershowedanartificialoutline。ThesearethePas，sofrequentlymentionedbyCaptainCookunderthenameof“hippah；“thedifferenceofsoundbeingowingtotheprefixedarticle。
ThatthePashadformerlybeenmuchused，wasevidentfromthepilesofshells，andthepitsinwhich，asIwasinformed，sweetpotatoesusedtobekeptasareserve。Astherewasnowateronthesehills，thedefenderscouldneverhaveanticipatedalongsiege，butonlyahurriedattackforplunder，againstwhichthesuccessiveterraceswouldhaveaffordedgoodprotection。Thegeneralintroductionoffirearmshaschangedthewholesystemofwarfare；andanexposedsituationonthetopofahillisnowworsethanuseless。ThePasinconsequenceare，atthepresentday，alwaysbuiltonalevelpieceofground。Theyconsistofadoublestockadeofthickandtallposts，placedinazigzagline，sothateverypartcanbeflanked。Withinthestockadeamoundofearthisthrownup，behindwhichthedefenderscanrestinsafety，orusetheirfire-armsoverit。Onthelevelofthegroundlittlearchwayssometimespassthroughthisbreastwork，bywhichmeansthedefenderscancrawlouttothestockadeandreconnoitretheirenemies。TheRev。W。Williams，whogavemethisaccount，added，thatinonePashehadnoticedspursorbuttressesprojectingontheinnerandprotectedsideofthemoundofearth。Onaskingthechieftheuseofthem，hereplied，thatiftwoorthreeofhismenwereshot，theirneighbourswouldnotseethebodies，andsobediscouraged。
ThesePasareconsideredbytheNewZealandersasveryperfectmeansofdefence：fortheattackingforceisneversowelldisciplinedastorushinabodytothestockade，cutitdown，andeffecttheirentry。Whenatribegoestowar，thechiefcannotorderonepartytogohereandanotherthere；buteverymanfightsinthemannerwhichbestpleaseshimself；andtoeachseparateindividualtoapproachastockadedefendedbyfire-armsmustappearcertaindeath。IshouldthinkamorewarlikeraceofinhabitantscouldnotbefoundinanypartoftheworldthantheNewZealanders。Theirconductonfirstseeingaship，asdescribedbyCaptainCook，stronglyillustratesthis：theactofthrowingvolleysofstonesatsogreatandnovelanobject，andtheirdefianceof“Comeonshoreandwewillkillandeatyouall。”showsuncommonboldness。Thiswarlikespiritisevidentinmanyoftheircustoms，andevenintheirsmallestactions。IfaNewZealanderisstruck，althoughbutinjoke，theblowmustbereturnedandofthisIsawaninstancewithoneofourofficers。
Atthepresentday，fromtheprogressofcivilization，thereismuchlesswarfare，exceptamongsomeofthesoutherntribes。Iheardacharacteristicanecdoteofwhattookplacesometimeagointhesouth。Amissionaryfoundachiefandhistribeinpreparationforwar；——theirmusketscleanandbright，andtheirammunitionready。Hereasonedlongontheinutilityofthewar，andthelittleprovocationwhichhadbeengivenforit。Thechiefwasmuchshakeninhisresolution，andseemedindoubt：butatlengthitoccurredtohimthatabarrelofhisgunpowderwasinabadstate，andthatitwouldnotkeepmuchlonger。Thiswasbroughtforwardasanunanswerableargumentforthenecessityofimmediatelydeclaringwar：theideaofallowingsomuchgoodgunpowdertospoilwasnottobethoughtof；andthissettledthepoint。IwastoldbythemissionariesthatinthelifeofShongi，thechiefwhovisitedEngland，theloveofwarwastheoneandlastingspringofeveryaction。ThetribeinwhichhewasaprincipalchiefhadatonetimebeenoppressedbyanothertribefromtheThamesRiver。Asolemnoathwastakenbythementhatwhentheirboysshouldgrowup，andtheyshouldbepowerfulenough，theywouldneverforgetorforgivetheseinjuries。
