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. DECKEE — MARE APPEAL. 535 a soldier, in a foreign cause. By tliis decree de Thierry lost his enlisted troops, except a few Sew Zealanders, and whaling seamen. One of the seven judges, an intelligent, and, for an Otaheitan, a very well educated man, named ' Mare,' asked to speak to me. " You mentioned, in the third place," said Mare, " that you were desired to enquire into the complaints of British subjects, and demand redress, if necessary. You have stated that no complaint has been made, and you have given us credit for our conduct : allow me now to complain of the behaviour of one of your countrymen, for which we have failed in obtaining redress." Here INIare detailed the following case of the ' Ve- nilia,' and said that no reply to their letter to the British government, had yet been received. Mare then added, in a temperate though feeling manner, " does it not appear hard to require our queen to pay so large a sum as 2,853 dollars out of her small income ; while that which is due to her, 390 dollars, a mere trifle to Great Britain, has not obtained even an acknow- ledgment from the British government ?" I ventured to assure Mare that some oversight, or mistake, must have occurred, and promised to try to procure an answer for them, which, I felt assured, would be satisfactory. The letter on the subject of the Venilia, very literally translated, is as follows: it is, for many reasons, a curious document. " Our friend, the king of Britain, and all persons in office in your government, may you all be saved by the true God ! " The following is the petition of Pomare, of the governors, and of the chiefs of Tahiti. " A whale-ship belonging to London, has been at Tahiti ' Venilia"' is the name of the ship, ' Miner' is the name of the captain. This ship has disturbed the peace of the government of Queen Pomare the first. We consider this ship a disturber of the peace, because the captain has turned on shore thirteen of his men, against the will of the governor of this place, and other persons in office. The governor of this district made known the law clearly. The captain of the ship objected to