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. PAAMUTO PIRACY. 531 I then reminded Poniare of the solemn nature of her agree- ment ; of the loss which her character, and that of her chiefs, would sustain ; and of the means England eventually might adopt to recover the property so nefariously taken away from British subjects. I said that I was on my way to England, where her conduct would become known ; and if harsh mea- sures should, in consequence, be adopted, she must herself expect to bear the blame. These words seemed to produce a serious effect. Much argu- mentative discussion occupied the more respectable natives as well as the chiefs ; while the queen sat in silence. I must here remark, in explanation of the assuming or even harsh tone of my conduct towards Pomare, at this meeting, that there was too much reason for believing that she had abetted, if not in a great measure instigated, the piracy of the Paamuto people (or Low Islanders). For such conduct, however, her advisers were the most to blame. She was then very young ; and during those years in which mischief oc- curred, must have been guided less by her own will than by the desires of her relations. I had been told that excuses would be made ; and that un- less something like harshness and threatening were employed, ill effects, instead of a beneficial result, would be caused by the meeting : for the natives, seeing that the case was not taken up in a serious manner, and that the captain of the ship of war did not insist, would trouble themselves no farther after she had sailed away ; and would laugh at those by whom the pro- perty was to be received. The ' Paamuto,' or Low Islands, where the piracies have occurred, in which she and her relations were supposed to have been concerned, were, and are still considered (though nomi- nally given up by her), as under her authority and particular influence. Her father was a good friend to all the natives of those islands ; and the respect and esteem excited by his un- usual conduct have continued to the present time, and shown themselves in attachment to his daughter. So much hostility has in general influenced the natives of difl'erent islands, that 2 M^