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

1835. PAPIKTF. CHURCH IMPOSTOR. 515 Papiete is a pretty and secure little bay. Around it is low land, ornamented with trees and European as well as native houses : but immediately behind the level part, hills rise to a height of two or three thousand feet. Lying to leeward of the island it enjovs less sea-breeze, and is therefore hotter than other harbours. In the middle of the bay is a little island belonging to the queen, where the colours of Otaheite (red, white, red, horizontal) are displayed. Several neat-looking white cottages showed that Eui'opean ideas had extended their influence hither : but I was sorry to see the new church, a large wooden structure capable of holding six hundred people, covered by a partly Otaheitan roof, in lieu of one formed completely in their own style. Instead of the circular end, an ugly gable terminates a high box-shaped house, resembling a factory. Mr. Pritchard * arrived fi'om Eimeo as we landed. Leaving him for a short time, I went to see a person who styled himself Baron de Thierry, King of Nuhahiva-j- and sovereign chief of New Zealand. About the house in which resides this self-called philanthropist, — said to be maturing arrangements for civi- lizing Nuhahiva and New Zealand — as well as for cutting a canal across the Isthmus of Darien, — were a motley group of tattowed New Zealanders, half-clothed natives of Otaheite, and some ill-looking American seamen. I was received in affected state by this grandee, who abruptly began to question me with — " Well, Captain ! what news from Panama .'' Have the Congress settled the manner in which they are to carry my ideas into effect ?" I tried to be decently civil to him, as well as to the ' baroness '; but could not diminish my suspicions, and soon cut short our conference. In his house was a pile of muskets, whose fixed and very long bayonets had not a philanthropic aspect. He had been there three months, and was said to be waiting for bis ships to arrive and carry him to his sovereignty. Born in England, of French emigrant parents ; his own account of himself was that * Now Her Majesty's Consul. f One of the Marquesas. Q T 9