Teha'apapa I

Attempt to seize the ship Hope. Death of Teha'apapa I

In a letter dated 16 November 1810 to the English missionaries in New South Wales, Pōmare II recounted an attempted seizure of the american ship Hope, under the command of Captain Chase, while it was anchored at Huahine. This plan had been proposed by the chief, Tapoa I, who was present on the island, awaiting favorable winds to sail to Mo'orea in order to support Pomare II. Tapoa suggested that Pōmare Vahine and Teha'apapa I join him in seizing the ship. However, Pōmare Vahine refused to involve the government of Huahine and responded to Tapoa I that if he intended to seize the ship, he should do so at Ra'iātea instead. Tapoa had to abandon the plan and later left Huahine for Eimeo. In his letter, Pōmare II reported that Teha'apapa died on the night of 25 July 1810, shortly after Captain Chase’s departure. The incident was later published by missionary John Davies in The Sydney Gazette on 25 May 1811. He reported that the Chief Tapoa I had proposed the seizure of the ship Hope to the "old queen", who mainly ran the government. She was the "grandmother" of the "true queen", aged around twenty years old. Teha'apapa I was therefore the grandmother of Teri'itaria II.