THE ATOLL GROUP OF TETIAROA.
FAUTAWA, TAHITI, _Christmas Day_.
A glad Christmas to you all, dear people! Would that some good fairy
could lend me a wishing-cap, that I might look in by turns on each home
gathering in the various corners of England and Scotland. These marked
anniversaries are always trying days, which awaken longings for the
bodily presence of the dear kith and kin in the far country. But I
confess I would rather that the said wishing-cap could bring all of you
here, away from the bitter frosts and snows, to this paradise of sweet
sunlight—and (selfish as it sounds when expressed in words) away from
constant sight of the shivering ill-clad and half-starved people, whose
deep-seated poverty you can in no wise alleviate,—to these isles, where
want, at least, never appears prominently.
The whole family party of brothers and sisters, mother, aunts, cousins,
and feudal retainers, moved out here again immediately after the
departure of the big ship, and we have resumed the pleasant existence of
delicious early bathes, and long idle days beneath the green shade by
the lovely river.
I am sitting now in my favourite bower of dark hybiscus with
lemon-coloured blossoms, which overarches the sparkling rivulet, as it
branches from the main stream—an enchanting spot. I have just been
reading the old Christmas service, which brings back many a vision of
langsyne. There was a grand midnight Mass last night at the Catholic
church, and of course service this morning, but none at the Protestant
church, I believe.
Now I must go in to breakfast, _alias_ luncheon, as a number of friends
are expected. This evening one of the neighbours gives a large dance, to
which, of course, we all go. Even non-dancers find such ploys attractive
when they involve a pleasant evening drive in an open carriage, and no
hot crowded rooms.
_December 31st._
I have had another small cruise in the Seignelay, which was ordered to
the isles of Tetiaroa, distant about twenty-four miles, thence to bring
back the king, who went there last week in an open boat.
It was arranged that I should sleep at the Red House, and go on board
with Queen Marau at daybreak. It proved to be rather a stormy morning,
with a good deal of sea on: the sunrise colouring was very striking,—the
mountains shrouded in heavy gloom, dark storm-clouds revealing the edge
of their silvery lining, and a luminous prismatic halo playing all round
the sun. Then the cloud-masses dispersed; dainty pink cloudlets floated
on a sky which graduated from a pale-lemon hue to the colour of a
thrush’s egg, so that the whole colouring suggested broken rainbow
lights, changing incessantly for half an hour.
Tetiaroa is a cluster of five low coral-isles, arranged in a circle,
connected by coral-reef, thus almost forming an atoll. The isles are
quite flat, nowhere rising more than four feet above the water. By
nature barren, they have been artificially rendered fertile by the
constant importation of vegetable mould from Tahiti; so now each isle is
a dense grove of cocoa-palms, whose roots are washed by the salt spray.
Tetiaroa is to Papeete as Brighton is to London, a favourite
bathing-place, where the Tahitians betake themselves to recruit their
languid energies by a course of strong brine, though Tahiti appears to
me too healthy to require any sanatorium. It is, however, worthy of
note, that statistics go to prove that, as a rule, all the low
coral-formations are healthy, whereas the inhabitants of high volcanic
isles are frequently subject to fever and ague.
Though an imperfect atoll, this cluster was specially interesting to me,
as a type of the eighty isles which form the Paumotus. Judging from this
sample, I am satisfied that there is little to be seen from the deck of
a ship. Could we ascend in a balloon, we should look down on a lagoon of
shallow, very bright-green water, encircled by five palm-clad isles,
connected by bands of rainbow-tinted reef,—say a garland of green roses
and tricolour ribbon. Could our balloon float above the Paumotu group,
eighty such garlands would be seen scattered on the deep-blue ocean,
each encircled by an outer belt of submarine prismatic colour, edged
with white breakers, marking where lies the barrier-reef.
At Tetiaroa, the only opening in the reef is so narrow as barely to
admit a canoe. We had, however, fully intended to land, but the surf was
so rough that we had to give up the idea, much to my regret, especially
as the day was devoted to heavy gun practice, which of course involves
ear-splitting noise and smoke. However, I can stand fire pretty well, so
took up a favourable position beside one of the cannons, and received
instructions in artillery practice. But I confess I was not sorry when,
after the fiftieth shot, the look-out man (who sat aloft like the sweet
little cherub) announced the approach of the king, and presently we
discerned a great crowd of natives wading across the reef, and dragging
his canoe. Ship-boats put off to meet him; and though embarkation in
such surf was no easy matter, it was safely accomplished, and a few
minutes later the Seignelay received, not his majesty alone, but also a
large number of pigs, and heaps of cocoa-nuts, presented to the lord of
the isles, as parting gifts from loving subjects.
It was late ere we landed at Papeete, so I again slept at the Red House,
where one of the Seignelay boats called for me at daybreak, and landed
me at the beautiful avenue of Fautawa, where I had a most enjoyable
morning of quiet sketching, till Mrs Brander sent her pony-carriage to
bring me home to the noonday breakfast.
Now the young folk are preparing for a midnight frolic. They intend to
have a very merry dance at a neighbour’s house; but as it is to be
impromptu, and the hosts are not supposed to prepare any supper, each
gentleman intends to carry a basket, ostensibly of fruit and flowers,
beneath which lie concealed sundry bottles of champagne, wherewith to
drink the New Year in. The girls are busy weaving garlands, that all may
be flower-crowned to-night.
Mrs Brander and her mother alone represent the more thoughtful element,
and go to Papeete to attend a great native midnight service. I am too
tired to do either, so can only say to you, as to the Old Year,
“Good-night! Good-night!”