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

534 MISSIONARIES ADVICE. NoV. lightened and improved condition ; and that every reason united to demand for them the steady co-operation of both her and her chiefs. Finding that they Ustened attentively to Mr. Pritchard's interpretation, which I was told was as good as it appeared to me fluent and effective, I requested permission to say a few words more to the queen — to the effect that I had heard much of her associating chiefly with the yovmg and inex- perienced, almost to the exclusion of the older and trustworthy counsellors whom she had around her at this assembly. To be respected, either at home or abroad, it was indispensably neces- sary for her to avoid the society of inferior minds and disposi- tions ; and to be very guarded in her own personal conduct. She ought to avoid taking advice from foreigners, whom she knew not, and whose station was not such as might be a guarantee for their upright dealings : and she ought to guard carefully against the specious appearances of adventurers whose intentions, or real character, it was not possible for her to discover readily. Such men could hardly fail to misinform her on most subjects ; but especially on such as interested them- selves ; or about which they might entertain the prejudices and illiberal ideas which are so prevalent among ignorant or ill- disposed people. I tried to say these things kindly, as the advice of a friend : Pomare thanked me, acknowledged the truth of my remarks, and said she would bear them in mind. Turning to the chiefs, a few words passed, previous to Taati asking me, in her name, " Whether they were right in allowing a foreigner to enlist Otaheitans to serve him as soldiers ; and in permitting them and other men to be ti-ained, for warlike pur- poses, upon their island.?"* My reply was, " If Otaheitan subjects, so trained, almost under the queen's eye, act hostilely against the natives of any other island, will not those natives deem her culpable? To my limited view of the present case, it appears impolitic, and decidedly improper to do so." After a few words with Utaame and Hitote, Taati rose and gave notice that no Otaheitan should enhst or be trained to serve as * With reference to the so-called Baron de Thierry.