 On 27 November 1888, Teuruarii and Tameava, along with their retinue of chiefs, visited the neighboring island kingdom of Rarotonga aboard two ships named the Faaito and the Ronui, to ask for British protection against French aggression. They sent a formal petition to Queen Victoria and the Prime Minister asking for protectorate status over the two kingdoms. The request was ultimately refused. The petition read:
