286

REMOVAL OF THE

commence the record of the day by apprising you,my dear H——, that I am sadly disspirited just atpresent, and most cordially weary of the vileness ofthe Nukuhivans. Though somewhat hardened toscenes which I am obliged to witness, without thepower to control, I am more and more disgustedwith the nakedness and a hundred other of theodious appurtenances of heathenism forced on us atevery turn.

That the Taipiis might have no reason for sup-posing us the friends only of the tribes at war withthem, Captain Finch determined some days since toremove the Vincennes to their waters, to evince tothem our perfect neutrality, by holding similar in-tercourse and bestowing the same gifts on themthat he had on the Teiis, Taioas, and Hapas, andto exert his influence there also, in bringing thepresent hostilities to an amicable adjustment.

As mentioned in my last letter, he apprised thechiefs on Saturday of this design, and proposed tothem to send a deputation of their principal person-ages by the ship, to hold a conference under his pro-tection with the rulers of that tribe, that if possiblepeace might at once be formed. To this theyreadily acceded; appointing the young.prince Moana,and Te Ipu, a chief warrior from the Teiis andTaioas, and Piaroro from the Hapas. Thoughthere was no fear for the personal safety of theyoung prince in landing among the Taipiis, from thepower of his near relatives among them, still Haape,his guardian, made it a condition of his accompany-ing us, that he should go on shore only with the