On the 28th of September, the well-used chains and anchors were raised
from their beds, and with a light wind we drifted slowly from the lonely
bay of Anna Maria. The sun arose the next morning, and a dim blue haze
alone pointed to the spot on the ocean where lie the Marquesas.
The fifth day after sailing from Nukeheva, we approached the
north-western clusters of the Society group, and passed a number of low
coralline islands, appearing like a raft of upright spars adrift upon
the sea. One was Kruzenstein's--named by Kotzbue, in compliment to his
old commander.
At sunrise of the following day, we were before Tahiti. The land rises,
grand and imposing, to the elevation of seven thousand feet. One
core-like ridge runs along the summit, branching off into numberless
steep valleys and acclivities, down to the water's edge. The peaks
pierce the sky bold and strikingly--thrown up into the most fantastic
and grotesque shapes--while more singular than all, cradled between a
great gap of the heights, is the Diadem of Faatoar, having a dozen
pointed elevations circling around a crown, like the serrated teeth of a
saw. Nearer towards the bases of these ridges are low points jutting
into the ocean, crowded with cocoanut trees--then a narrow belt of
lagoon, and the whole girdled by a snow-white wreath of foam,
embroidered on the coral reefs.
The morning was cloudless. To the southward, rising clearly and bright,
tinged by the glorious sun, undraped by a single atom of mist or vapor,
was the Island of Aimeo, equally varied and novel in its strange
formations; and when at a later day we sailed around it, while the
different phases were brought in clear relief against the heavens--we
discovered battlements, embrasures, pyramids--ruined towers with
terraces and buttresses--a cathedral with domes and spire--all so
fantastically blended in one beautifully verdant picture, as to leave
the imagination in doubt as to its reality!
We hove to in sight of the harbor of Papeetee. The French ships of war,
with chequered rows of ports, were lying with drooping flags and not a
breath of air, whilst with us the loud trade-wind was tearing crests
from the waves, and the frigate trembling under her top-sails.
A gun, and jack at the fore, and shortly there came dancing over the
waves, in a whale-boat, an officer, Monsieur le Pilot! Two hours we
remained outside, awaiting the breeze to fill the Port--and then wearing
round, the ship leaped, replete with life and vigor--every seam of the
stout canvas straining--towards an entrance through a coral gateway. The
sea was light green on either side of the aperture, barely wide enough
to admit us, when, at the turning point, the helm was put down, and the
strong wind bore the huge hull through the blue channel into the smooth
water within. Sails were brailed up, and at the proper moment down fell
the ponderous anchor--splash--with its unfettered cable rumbling to the
coral beds of Papeetee! What if there chanced to be a group of mermaids,
parting their wet locks, in the emerald villas below? Nothing! Crashing
through the snowy groves and shelly mansions, goes the ruthless anchor,
alike indifferent to all!
We were locked in by the reef--no ungainly ledge of black, jagged
rocks--no frightful barrier to make tempest-tost mariners shudder--but a
smooth parapet of coral, just beneath the surface, with the outer face
like a bulwark of adamant, where the swelling billows vainly expend
their rage, and then bubble rippling over in a liquid fringe of creamy
foam.
Skirting along the semi-circular shores of the harbor, is the town of
Papeetee. Lines of houses and cottages half smothered in glossy green
foliage--pretty, square-built, veranda'd, straw-colored dwellings and
barracks of the French--and midway between reef and shore, a little
bouquet of an islet, teeming with cocoanut, banian, bread-fruit and the
iron-wood tree, with its filmy, feathery, delicate tissue of leaves and
branches--all drooping over a few cane-thatched sheds and a _demi-lune_
battery of open-mouthed cannon.
Night came, and the breeze was done. Not a sigh disturbed the tranquil
water--the towering ships were mirrored and reflected by the
moonlight--red fires were shedding twinkling glooms from fishing canoes,
through the moon's silver flame, athwart the sparkling phosphorescent
surf--the sharp peaks of Tahiti were hanging high above, with
Aimeo dimly visible in the distance! Presently bugles from the
ships of war rang out clear and shrill in the calm night--drums
rattled--tap--tap--tap--flash--flash--the nine o'clock guns, and as the
reverberating echoes from the reports went dying away from valley to
valley, there came the clash of cymbals from the shore, and then the
full crash of a brass band, pouring forth the most delightful melody
from Norma; whilst the low "shaling" roar on the reef beat time in a
deep musical base.
We thought Papeetee by far the loveliest spot that we had seen, not
excepting charming little Hilo!
Pomaree's flag and the French tricolor floated side by side. The queen
was handsomely pensioned, as were also the chiefs, the French having
kindly taken possession of their heritage, under a forcible
protectorate. People may prate an ocean of nonsense about the injustice
of the thing, but the fact is, France wished colonies in the
Pacific--Tahiti was one selected, and the English themselves afforded an
excellent pretext to make the acquisition. Suppose, for
example--Catholics had been first in the field, and, by their
instigation, Protestant or Puseyite missionaries had been kicked into
the sea, would John Bull in his lion's mantle have calmly beheld his
subjects maltreated for heresy, in striving to preach the Gospel among
the heathen? No! not without baring his claws, and making them felt in
the tawny hides of every savage in Polynesia! Ay! and, if need be, in
white skins, also, though they had been French!
Then what sickly sympathy it is to talk of the wrongs and aggressions,
or the rights and laws of European nations as having a bearing upon a
handful of barbarians, subjected to the savage sway of tyrannical native
masters, when contrasted with the benefits conferred upon the world at
large, by their being under the enlightened rule of a civilized
government!
The French experienced hard fighting and much difficulty in subduing
Tahiti; and, even after all the trouble, loss of blood and money, it
seems highly probable that they are dissatisfied with their conquest,
and may shortly resign it: at any rate, the expenditure attending the
occupation must be very great, and it appears a mistaken policy in
retaining so large a garrison. There were thirteen hundred troops,
exclusive of ships of war always in port, posted in Tahiti--far more
than needed to overawe the natives, and too few to withstand a land
attack from a foreign foe. Trade is a mere bagatelle--the French have no
commerce--and whale-ships have deserted Papeetee, since most of the
produce is consumed by the garrison. The population, as in all
Polynesia, are constitutionally opposed to labor--they cannot bend their
energies to any steady employment, and, when compelled to work, they
pine away like unhappy monkeys--thus the soil, though rich and tillable,
is only made to produce a small quantity of arrow root, sugar, and
cocoanut oil.
Fortifications were progressing rapidly, and the harbor is very
susceptible of defence. Two heavy batteries, _en cavalier_, which, when
completed, were to mount sixteen traversing guns, mostly eighty-pounder
shells, will rake the entrance through the reef, at point-blank range;
twelve more cannon on Pomaree's little islet of Motunata, cross the fire
from the shore battery, and sweep in every direction over the
reef-seaward. There are besides, four small block houses, perched on the
salient spurs of the mountains in rear of the town, with each a long gun
which can be brought to bear on the harbor. All the world bear witness
with what skill the French use artillery on land, and it must be an
intrepid commander who attempts a demonstration on the island by the
harbor of Papeetee.
The Governorship was placed in the hands of M. Lavaud, to whom, with the
officers of the garrison, and officers afloat of the fine frigate,
Syrene, and steamer, Gassendi, we were indebted for many acts of
courtesy. They were all extremely Republican, under their reversed
tricolor.
Since the occupation of the Society and Marquesas groups, Tahiti has
been made the See of a bishop. But although the Catholics have
prosecuted their labors with laudable and philanthropic zeal, yet,
strange as it may be, they have not met with the same success as their
fellow missionaries in the Hawaiian Islands. Nor have the Tahitians,
together with the inhabitants of many of these southern groups,
forgotten the early truths taught them by their kind Protestant
teachers, and they still lament the untimely fate of John Williams: a
man of the noblest piety, possessed of the undaunted resolution and
industry of the Apostles of old, who fell a martyr to his faith and
labors, among the very savages he went to reform.
There were two excellent gentlemen, stationed at Papeetee from the
London Board of Protestant Missions--Messrs. Howe and Thompson--who, if
sound sense, unbiassed by narrow-minded sectarian prejudice, combined
with great practical information, and knowledge of the native character,
can be of service in their mission, they have indeed the true elements
of success. From the opportunities we had of judging in Papeetee and the
vicinity, there certainly was exhibited a more modest and correct
deportment among the natives than we observed elsewhere; and although
morality, strictly speaking, is unknown, there was still less outward
licentiousness visible than was a matter of hourly occurrence in the
other groups.
_Note._--In all the lighter sketches upon Polynesia, I cannot
resist paying the faint tribute of my own individual admiration to
Mr. Melville. Apart from the innate beauty and charming tone of his
narratives, the delineations of Island life and scenery, from, my
own personal observation, are most correctly and faithfully drawn.
At Nukeheva and Tahiti I made inquiry about his former associates,
and without in the least designing to sully the enchanting romance
of his fair Typee love, I may mention having seen a "nut-brown"
damsel, named Fayaway, from that valley, who apparently was maid of
all work to a French Commissary of the garrison. She was attired in
a gaudy yellow robe de chambre, ironing the Crapeau's trowsers!
_Credat Judeus!_ There was also a diminutive young _oui oui_
tumbling about the mats, so it is presumable she had become
childish of late; yet the proof is not strong, for it is quite as
much in vogue among these southern groups to change names and give
away infants, as the fashion in the Sandwich Islands of knocking
out a couple of front teeth to evince grief at the decease of near
friends or relatives, and the nymph alluded to may not be the
original Fayaway after all.
Mr. Melville's friend, Dr. Johnstone, whom he has immortalized in
Omoo, was excessive wroth, and refused to be pacified, resolving
shortly to prosecute the English publishers for libel. He politely
permitted me to transcribe some items from his dose book, declaring
however, that the "embrocation" so relished by the Long Ghost, was
a villanous preparation, having the least taste of gin in the
world, and made up from laudanum, turpentine, and soap linament!
Here is the memorandum:--
"Ship, Lucy Ann, Captain Vinton.
October 10th, 1842. Melvil Herman. Stocks.
Embrocation 75
19th. Do 75
----
$1 50"
I felt no inclination to task it, since I found the Doctor's other
prescriptions unexceptionable. The Ghost must have been seriously
indisposed; he had a large quantity: was supposed at the period of
our visit to be in Sydney, or after gold in California, but, with
his ubiquitous propensities, may have been in both places. Captain
Bob, of the Calaboosa, was "muckee-moi," so was Father Murphy, all
under the sod. Charming Mrs. Bell had taken to hard drink, _before_
Mr. Melville's rencontre, and may have been slightly elevated on
that occasion. H. M. _ci-devant_ Consul, Mr. Wilson, was in the
like vinous state, and occupied his leisure in the pursuit of
shells at the Navigator Islands. Shorty was still devoting his
talents to the culture of potatoes at Aimeo, and strongly suspected
of shooting his neighbor's cattle.