Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

514 TOMBS — POM ARE SUGAR. NoV. they detained us, sitting upon the sandy beach, till we could stop no longer. 18th. Mr. Wilson went with me in a boat to Papiete, the most frequented harbour of Otaheite. We passed inside the reefs, by narrow twisting passages among the coral rocks. Seeing two marks set up on an extensive rocky flat, partially covered by the water, I concluded they were placed as bea- cons ; but was told they were tabu (taboo) marks to keep people from fishing or picking up shells upon the queen''s ' preserve.' We passed the royal burying-ground, which is adorned by that peculiar tree, the aito, whose wood is so hard that it is called iron-wood. This tree looks like the English yew. It is purposely planted by the natives near their bury- ing-grounds, and used to be considered sacred. Another remarkable tree, resembling (although larger and finer than) the ilex, also casts a solemn shade over the tomb of Pomare.* The point of land on which the tombs and one of the royal houses stand, is one of the most agreeable places on the island, in point of position ; and was a favourite residence of old Pomare. A portion of their superstition hangs about the natives yet : I could not persuade them to approach the tomb of their king, although they told me to go and look at it. The tomb is a plain mass of masonry, sheltered by a roof of wood. At Toanoa, between this place (called Papawa) and Pa- piete, we saw Mr. Bicknell's sugar-mill. The sugar made there from native cane is of a very good quality, and cheap. Mr. Bicknell told me that the natives brought their canes to him ; and that latterly he had given up growing and attending to them himself. Noticing a large deficiency in some lead-work, he remarked : " That lead was stolen in the last civil war our books were then in high request, not to be read, but to make cartridges." That such a sad misapplication of numbers of books sent out by missionary societies, has also occurred in j New Zealand, as well as among the eastern Indian nations, I i have heard from many quarters. * The late king-.