AT TAHITI.
_The cava feast, the yam, the cocoa's root,_
_Which bears at once the cup, and milk, and fruit,_
_The bread-tree which, without the ploughshare, yields_
_The unreap'd harvest of unfurrowed fields._
* * * * *
_These, with the luxuries of seas and woods,_
_The airy joys of social solitudes,_
_Tamed each rude wanderer._
[Illustration: Under the Trees, Papeete]
_Saturday, December 2nd_.--The anchor was dropped in the harbour of
Papeete at nine o'clock, and a couple of hours later, by which time
the weather had cleared, we went ashore, and at once found ourselves
in the midst of a fairy-like scene, to describe which is almost
impossible, so bewildering is it in the brightness and variety of its
colouring. The magnolias and yellow and scarlet hibiscus,
overshadowing the water, the velvety turf, on to which one steps from
the boat, the white road running between rows of wooden houses, whose
little gardens are a mass of flowers, the men and women clad in the
gayest robes and decked with flowers, the piles of unfamiliar fruit
lying on the grass, waiting to be transported to the coasting vessels
in the harbour, the wide-spreading background of hills clad in verdure
to their summits--these are but a few of the objects which greet the
new-comer in his first contact with the shore.
We strolled about, and left our letters of introduction; but the
people to whom they were addressed were at breakfast, and we were
deliberating how best to dispose of our time, when a gentleman
accosted us, and, seeing how new it all was to us strangers, offered
to show us round the town.
The streets of Papeete, running back at right angles with the beach,
seem to have wonderfully grand names, such as the Rue de Rivoli, Rue
de Paris, &c. Every street is shaded by an avenue of high trees, whose
branches meet and interlace overhead, forming a sort of leafy tunnel,
through which the sea-breeze passes refreshingly. There is also what
is called the Chinamen's quarter, through which we walked, and which
consists of a collection of regular Chinese-built bamboo houses, whose
occupants all wore their national costume, pigtail included. The
French commandant lives in a charming residence, surrounded by
gardens, just opposite the palace of Queen Pomare, who is at present
at the island of Bola-Bola, taking care of her little grandchild, aged
five, the queen of the island. She went down in a French man-of-war,
the 'Limier,' ten days ago, and has been obliged to remain, owing to
some disturbances amongst the natives. I am rather disappointed that
she is absent, as I should like to see a person of whom I have heard
so much.
Having completed our tour, we next went to call on the British Consul,
who received us kindly, and entertained us with an interesting account
of the island and its inhabitants, its pearl-fisheries and trade, the
French policy, the missionaries, &c., on all of which subjects he is
well informed. He has just completed an exhaustive consular report on
the condition of the island, which will, no doubt, appear in due
course in the form of a blue-book.
On our return to Messrs. Brander's office, where we had left one of
our letters of introduction, we found the manager, with whom we had a
long chat before returning on board.
[Illustration: Chætodon Tricolor.]
At 5 p.m. we went for a row in the 'Glance' and the 'Flash' to the
coral reef, now illumined by the rays of the setting sun. Who can
describe these wonderful gardens of the deep, on which we now gazed
through ten and twenty fathoms of crystal water? Who can enumerate or
describe the strange creatures moving about and darting hither and
thither, amid the masses of coral forming their submarine home? There
were shells of rare shape, brighter than if they had been polished by
the hand of the most skilful artist; crabs of all sizes, scuttling and
sidling along; sea-anemones, spreading their delicate feelers in
search of prey; and many other kinds of zoophytes, crawling slowly
over the reef; and scarlet, blue, yellow, gold, violet, spotted,
striped, and winged fish, short, long, pointed, and blunt, of the
most varied shapes, were darting about like birds among the coral
trees.
At last, after frequent stoppages, to allow time for admiration, we
reached the outer reef, hauled the boat up and made her fast, and, in
bathing shoes, started on a paddling expedition. Such a paddle it was,
too, over the coral, the surf breaking far above our heads, and the
underflow, though only a few inches deep, nearly carrying me and the
children off our legs! There were one or two native fishermen walking
along the reef, whipping the water; but they appeared to have caught
only a few small rock-fish, pretty enough to look at, but not
apparently good to eat.
The shades of night compelled us to return to the yacht, laden with
corals of many different species. After dinner the bay was illuminated
by the torches of the native fishermen, in canoes, on the reef. Tom
and I went to look at them, but did not see them catch anything. Each
canoe contained at least three people, one of whom propelled the boat,
another stood up waving about a torch dipped in some resinous
substance, which threw a strong light on the water, while the third
stood in the bows, armed with a spear, made of a bundle of wires, tied
to a long pole, not at all unlike a gigantic egg-whip, with all its
loops cut into points. This is aimed with great dexterity at the fish,
who are either transfixed or jammed between the prongs. The fine
figures of the natives, lighted up by the flickering torches, and
standing out in bold relief against the dark blue starlit sky, would
have served as models for the sculptors of ancient Greece.
_Sunday, December 3rd_.--At a quarter to five this morning some of us
landed to see the market, this being the great day when the natives
come in from the country and surrounding villages, by sea and by land,
in boats, or on horseback, to sell their produce, and buy necessaries
for the coming week. We walked through the shady streets to the two
covered market buildings, partitioned across with great bunches of
oranges, plantains, and many-coloured vegetables, hung on strings. The
mats, beds, and pillows still lying about suggested the idea that the
salesmen and women had passed the night amongst their wares. The gaily
attired, good-looking, flower-decorated crowd, of some seven or eight
hundred people, all chatting and laughing, and some staring at us--but
not rudely--looked much more like a chorus of opera-singers, dressed
for their parts in some grand spectacle, than ordinary market-going
peasants. Whichever way one turned, the prospect was an animated and
attractive one. Here, beneath the shade of large, smooth, light-green
banana leaves, was a group of earnest bargainers for mysterious-looking
fish, luscious fruit, and vegetables; there, sheltered by a drooping
mango, whose rich clusters of purple and orange fruit hung in tempting
proximity to lips and hands, another little crowd was similarly
engaged. Orange-trees were evidently favourite _rendezvous_; and a row
of flower-sellers had established themselves in front of a hedge of
scarlet hibiscus and double Cape jasmine. Every vendor carried his
stock-in-trade, however small the articles composing it might be, on a
bamboo pole, across his shoulder, occasionally with rather ludicrous
effect, as, for instance, when the thick but light pole supported only
a tiny fish six inches long at one end, and two mangoes at the other.
Everybody seemed to have brought to market just what he or she
happened to have on hand, however small the quantity. The women would
have one, two, or three new-laid eggs in a leaf basket, one crab or
lobster, three or four prawns, or one little trout. Under these
circumstances, marketing for so large a party as ours was a somewhat
lengthy operation, and I was much amused in watching our _proveedor_,
as he went about collecting things by ones and twos, until he had
piled a little cart quite full, and had had it pushed off to the shady
quay.
[Illustration: Chætodon Plagmance]
We strolled about until six o'clock, at which hour the purchasers
began to disperse, and were just preparing to depart likewise, when an
old man, carrying half-a-dozen little fish, and followed by a small
boy laden with vegetables and fruit, introduced himself to us as the
brother-in-law of Queen Pomare IV. and chief of Papeete, and, after a
short talk, invited us to visit him at his house. We consented, and,
following him, presently reached a break in the hedge and ditch that
ran along the side of the road, beyond which was a track, bordered by
pineapples and dracænas, leading to a superior sort of house, built in
the native style, and surrounded, as usual, by bread-fruit, cocoa-nut,
banana, mango, and guava trees. We were conducted into the one large
room, which contained two four-post bedsteads and four mattresses,
laid on the floor, two or three trunks, and a table in the corner, on
which were writing materials and a few books. The chief himself spoke
a very little English, his son an equally small amount of French; so
the conversation languished, and after a decent interval we rose to
depart. Our host asked if he might 'come and see my ship,' and
procured pen, ink, and paper--not of the best quality--for me to write
an order for him do so, 'in case lady not at home.' He also presented
me with some pictures of soldiers, drawn by his son--a boy about
eleven years old, of whom he seemed very proud, and expressed his
regret that we could not prolong our stay, at the same time placing at
our disposal the whole house and garden, including a fat sow and
eleven little pigs.
Several other visitors had arrived by this time, one of whom was on
horseback, and, as I was rather tired, he was asked if he would kindly
allow me to ride down to the landing place. He replied that he would
lend the horse to a gentleman, but not to me, as the saddle was not
suitable. I explained that this made no difference to me, and mounted,
though I did not attempt to follow the fashion of the native ladies
here, who ride like men. Our new friend was quite delighted at this,
and volunteered himself to show us something of the neighbourhood.
Accordingly, leading my--or rather his--horse, and guiding him
carefully over all the rough places, he took us through groves and
gardens to the grounds belonging to the royal family, in which were
plantations of various kinds of trees, and a thick undergrowth of
guava. After an enjoyable little expedition we returned to the yacht
at about half-past seven, accompanied by the small boy who had been
carrying our special purchases from the market all this time, and by a
little tail of followers.
At half-past eight we breakfasted, so as to be ready for the service
at the native church at ten o'clock; but several visitors arrived in
the interval, and we had rather a bustle to get off in time, after
all. We landed close to the church, under the shade of an hibiscus,
whose yellow and orange flowers dropped off into the sea and floated
away amongst the coral rocks, peeping out of the water here and there.
The building appeared to be full to overflowing. The windows and doors
were all wide open, and many members of the congregation were seated
on the steps, on the lawn, and on the grassy slope beyond, listening
to a discourse in the native language. Most of the people wore the
native costume, which, especially when made of black stuff and
surmounted by a little sailor's hat, decorated with a bandana
handkerchief or a wreath of flowers, was very becoming. Sailors' hats
are universally worn, and are generally made by the natives themselves
from plantain or palm leaves, or from the inside fibre of the
arrowroot. Some rather elderly men and women in the front rows were
taking notes of the sermon. I found afterwards that they belonged to
the Bible class, and that their great pride was to meet after the
service and repeat by heart nearly all they had heard. This seems to
show at least a desire to profit by the minister's efforts.
After the usual service there were two christenings. The babies were
held at the font by the men, who looked extremely sheepish. One baby
was grandly attired in a book-muslin dress, with flounces, a tail at
least six feet long dragging on the ground, and a lace cap with
cherry-coloured bows; the other was nearly as smart, in a white-worked
long frock and cap, trimmed with blue bows. The christenings over,
there was a hymn, somewhat monotonous as to time and tune, but sung
with much fervour, followed by the administration of the sacrament, in
which cocoa-nut milk took the place of wine, and bread-fruit that of
bread. The proper elements were originally used, but experience proved
that, although the bread went round pretty well, the cup was almost
invariably emptied by the first two or three communicants, sometimes
with unfortunate results.
After service we drove through the shady avenues of the town into the
open country, past trim little villas and sugar-cane plantations,
until we turned off the main road, and entered an avenue of mangoes,
whence a rough road, cut through a guava thicket, leads to the main
gate of Faataua[9]--a regular square Indian bungalow, with thatched
roofs, verandahs covered with creepers, windows opening to the ground,
and steps leading to the gardens on every side, ample accommodation
for stables, kitchens, servants, being provided in numerous
outbuildings.
[Footnote 9: 'Fuatawah' or 'Faataua,' _to make friends_.]
Soon after breakfast, Mrs. Brander dressed me in one of her own native
costumes, and we drove to the outskirts of a dense forest, through
which a footpath leads to the waterfall and fort of Faataua. Here we
found horses waiting for us, on which we rode, accompanied by the
gentlemen on foot, through a thick growth of palms, orange-trees,
guavas, and other tropical trees, some of which were overhung and
almost choked by luxuriant creepers. Specially noticeable among the
latter was a gorgeous purple passion-flower, with orange-coloured
fruit as big as pumpkins, that covered everything with its vigorous
growth. The path was always narrow and sometimes steep, and we had
frequently almost to creep under the overhanging boughs, or to turn
aside to avoid a more than usually dense mass of creepers. We crossed
several small rivers, and at last reached a spot that commanded a view
of the waterfall, on the other side of a deep ravine. Just below the
fort that crowns the height, a river issues from a narrow cleft in the
rock, and falls at a single bound from the edge of an almost
perpendicular cliff, 600 feet high, into the valley beneath. First one
sees the rush of blue water, gradually changing in its descent to a
cloud of white spray, which in its turn is lost in a rainbow of mist.
Imagine that from beneath the shade of feathery palms and broad-leaved
bananas through a network of ferns and creepers you are looking upon
the Staubbach, in Switzerland, magnified in height, and with a
background of verdure-clad mountains, and you will have some idea of
the fall of Faataua as we beheld it.
[Illustration: Waterfall at Faataua]
After resting a little while and taking some sketches, we climbed up
to the fort itself, a place of considerable interest, where the
natives held out to the very last against the French. On the bank
opposite the fort, the last islander killed during the struggle for
independence was shot while trying to escape. Situated in the centre
of a group of mountains, with valleys branching off in all directions,
the fort could hold communication with every part of the coast, and
there can be little doubt that it would have held out much longer than
it did, but for the treachery of one of the garrison, who led the
invaders, under cover of the night, and by devious paths, to the top
of a hill commanding the position. Now the ramparts and earthworks are
overrun and almost hidden by roses. Originally planted, I suppose, by
the new-comers, they have spread rapidly in all directions, till the
hill-sides and summits are quite a-blush with the fragrant bloom.
Having enjoyed some strawberries and some icy cold water from a
spring, and heard a long account of the war from the _gardiens_, we
found it was time to commence our return journey, as it was now
getting late. We descended much more quickly than we had come up, but
daylight had faded into the brief tropical twilight, and that again
into the shades of night, ere we reached the carriage.
Dinner and evening service brought the day to a conclusion, and I
retired, not unwillingly, to bed, to dream of the charms of Tahiti.
Sometimes I think that all I have seen must be only a long vision, and
that too soon I shall awaken to the cold reality; the flowers, the
fruit, the colours worn by every one, the whole scene and its
surroundings, seem almost too fairylike to have an actual existence. I
am in despair when I attempt to describe all these things. I feel that
I cannot do anything like justice to their merits, and yet I fear all
the time that what I say may be looked upon as an exaggeration.
Long dreamy lawns, and birds on happy wings,
Keeping their homes in never-rifled bowers;
Cool fountains filling with their murmurings
The sunny silence 'twixt the chiming hours.
At daybreak next morning, when I went on deck, it was a dead calm. The
sea-breeze had not yet come in, and there was not a ripple on the
surface of the harbour. Outside, two little white trading schooners
lay becalmed; inside, the harbour-tug was getting up steam. On shore,
a few gaily dressed natives were hurrying home with their early market
produce, and others were stretched lazily on the grass at the water's
edge or on the benches under the trees. Our stores for the day, a
picturesque-looking heap of fish, fruit, vegetables, and flowers, were
on the steps, waiting to be brought off, and guarded in the meantime
by natives in costumes of pink, blue, orange, and a delicate pale
green they specially affect. The light mists rolled gradually away
from the mountain tops, and there was every prospect of a fine day for
a projected excursion.
I went ashore to fetch some of the fresh gathered fruit, and soon we
had a feast of luscious pineapples, juicy mangoes, bananas, and
oranges, with the dew still upon them. The mango is certainly the king
of fruit. Its flavour is a combination of apricot and pineapple, with
the slightest possible suspicion of turpentine thrown in, to give a
piquancy to the whole. I dare say it sounds a strange mixture, but I
can only say that the result is delicious. To enjoy mangoes thoroughly
you ought not to eat them in company, but leaning over the side of the
ship, in the early morning, with your sleeves tucked up to your
elbows, using no knife and fork, but tearing off the skin with your
teeth, and sucking the abundant juice.
We breakfasted at half-past six, and, at a little before eight, went
ashore, where we were met by a sort of _char-à-bancs_, or American
wagon, with three seats, one behind the other, all facing the horses,
and roomy and comfortable enough for two persons. Our Transatlantic
cousins certainly understand thoroughly, and do their best to improve
everything connected with, the locomotion they love so well. A Chinese
coachman and a thin but active pair of little horses completed the
turn-out. Mabelle sat beside the coachman, and we four packed into,
the other two seats, with all our belongings.
The sun was certainly _very_ powerful when we emerged from the shady
groves of Papeete, but there was a nice breeze, and sometimes we got
under the shade of cocoa-nut trees. We reached Punauia at about
half-past nine, and changed horses there. While waiting, hot and
thirsty, under the shelter of some trees, we asked for a cocoa-nut,
whereupon a man standing by immediately tied a withy of banana leaves
round his feet and proceeded to climb, or rather hop, up the nearest
tree, raising himself with his two hands and his feet alternately,
with an exactly similar action to that of our old friend the monkey on
the stick. People who have tasted the cocoa-nut only in England can
have no idea what a delicious fruit it really is when nearly ripe and
freshly plucked. The natives remove the outer husk, just leaving a
little piece to serve as a foot for the pale brown cup to rest on.
They then smooth off the top, and you have an elegant vase, something
like a mounted ostrich egg in appearance, lined with the snowiest
ivory, and containing about three pints of cool sweet water. Why it is
called milk I cannot understand, for it is as clear as crystal, and is
always cool and refreshing, though the nut in which it is contained
has generally been exposed to the fiercest sun. In many of the coral
islands, where the water is brackish, the natives drink scarcely
anything but cocoa-nut milk; and even here, if you are thirsty and ask
for a glass of water, you are almost always presented with a cocoa-nut
instead.
From Punauia onwards the scenery increased in beauty, and the foliage
was, if possible, more luxuriant than ever. The road ran through
extensive coffee, sugar-cane, Indian corn, orange, cocoa-nut, and
cotton plantations, and vanilla, carefully trained on bamboos, growing
in the thick shade. Near Atimaono we passed the house of a great
cotton planter, and, shortly afterwards, the curious huts, raised on
platforms, built by some islanders he has imported from the Kingsmill
group to work his plantations. They are a wild, savage-looking set,
very inferior to the Tahitians in appearance. The cotton-mills, which
formerly belonged to a company, are now all falling to ruin; and in
many other parts of the island we passed cotton plantations uncleaned
and neglected, and fast running to seed and waste. So long as the
American war lasted, a slight profit could be made upon Tahitian
cotton, but now it is hopeless to attempt to cultivate it with any
prospect of adequate return.
The sun was now at its height, and we longed to stop and bathe in one
of the many fresh-water streams we crossed, and afterwards to eat our
lunch by the wayside; but our Chinese coachman always pointed onwards,
and said, 'Eatee much presently; horses eatee too.' At last we arrived
at a little house, shaded by cocoa-nut trees, and built in an
enclosure near the sea-shore, with 'Restaurant' written up over the
door. We drove in, and were met by the proprietor, with what must have
been rather an embarrassing multiplicity of women and children about
his heels. The cloth was not laid, but the rooms looked clean, and
there was a heap of tempting-looking fish and fruit in a corner. We
assured him we were starving, and begged for luncheon as soon as
possible; and, in the meantime, went for a dip in the sea. But the
water was shallow, and the sun made the temperature at least 90°, so
that our bath was not very refreshing. On our return we found the
table most enticingly laid out, with little scarlet crayfish, embedded
in cool green lettuce leaves, fruit of various kinds, good wine and
fair bread, all arranged on a clean though coarse tablecloth. There
was also a savoury omelette, so good that Tom asked for a second;
when, to our astonishment, there appeared a plump roast fowl, with
most artistic gravy and fried potatoes. Then came a _biftek aux
champignons_, and some excellent coffee to wind up with. On making the
host our compliments, he said, 'Je fais la cuisine moi-même, Madame.'
In the course of our repast we again tasted the bread-fruit, but did
not much appreciate it, though it was this time cooked in the native
fashion--roasted underground by means of hot stones.
Our coachman was becoming impatient, so we bade farewell to our host,
and resumed our journey. We crossed innumerable streams on our way,
generally full not only of water, but also of bathers; for the
Tahitians are very fond of water, and always bathe once or twice a day
in the fresh streams, even after having been in the sea.
In many places along the road people were making hay from short grass,
and in others they were weighing it preparatory to sending it into
town. But they say the grass grown here is not at all nourishing for
horses, and some people import it from Valparaiso.
The road round the island is called the Broom Road. Convicts were
employed in its original formation, and now it is the punishment for
any one getting drunk in any part of the island to be set to work to
sweep, repair, and keep in order a piece of the road in the
neighbourhood of his dwelling. It is the one good road of Tahiti,
encircling the larger of the two peninsulas close to the sea-shore,
and surmounting the low mountain range in the centre of the isthmus.
Before long we found ourselves close to Taravao, the narrow strip of
land connecting the two peninsulas into which Tahiti is divided, and
commenced to ascend the hills that form the backbone of the island. We
climbed up and up, reaching the summit at last, to behold a
magnificent prospect on all sides. Then a short sharp descent, a long
drive over grass roads through a rich forest, and again a brief
ascent, brought us to our sleeping-quarters for the night, the Hotel
de l'Isthme, situated in a valley in the midst of a dense grove of
cocoa-nuts and bananas, kept by two retired French sailors, who came
out to meet us, and conducted us up a flight of steps on the side of a
mud bank to the four rooms forming the hotel. These were two sleeping
apartments, a _salon_, and a _salle à manger_, the walls of which
consisted of flat pieces of wood, their own width apart, something
like Venetian shutters, with unglazed windows and doors opening into
the garden.
We walked about four hundred yards along a grassy road to the sea,
where Mabelle and I paddled about in shallow water and amused
ourselves by picking up coral, shells, and _bêche-de-mer_, and
watching the blue and yellow fish darting in and out among the rocks,
until at last we found a place in the coral which made a capital
deep-water bath. Dressing again was not such a pleasant affair, owing
to the mosquitoes biting us in the most provoking manner. Afterwards
we strolled along the shore, which was covered with cocoa-nuts and
driftwood, washed thither, I suppose, from some of the adjacent
islands, and on our way back to the hotel we gathered a handful of
choice exotics and graceful ferns, with which to decorate the table.
The dinner itself really deserves a detailed description, if only to
show that one may make the tour of Tahiti without necessarily having
to rough it in the matter of food. We had crayfish and salad as a
preliminary, and next, an excellent soup followed by delicious little
oysters, that cling to the boughs and roots of the guava and mangrove
trees overhanging the sea. Then came a large fish, name unknown, the
inevitable _bouilli_ and cabbage, _côtelettes aux pommes, biftek aux
champignons_, succeeded by crabs and other shellfish, including
_wurrali_, a delicate-flavoured kind of lobster, an _omelette aux
abricots_, and dessert of tropical fruits. We were also supplied with
good wine, both red and white, and bottled beer.
I ought, in truth, to add that the cockroaches were rather lively and
plentiful, but they did not form a serious drawback to our enjoyment.
After dinner, however, when I went to see Mabelle to bed, hundreds of
these creatures, about three inches long, and broad in proportion,
scuttled away as I lighted the candle; and while we were sitting
outside we could see troops of them marching up and down in rows
between the crevices of the walls. Then there were the mosquitoes, who
hummed and buzzed about us, and with whom, alas! we were doomed to
make a closer acquaintance. Our bed was fitted with the very thickest
calico mosquito curtains, impervious to the air, but not to the
venomous little insects, who found their way in through every tiny
opening in spite of all our efforts to exclude them.
_Tuesday, December 5th_.--The heat in the night was suffocating, and
soon after twelve o'clock we both woke up, feeling half-stifled. There
was a dim light shining into the room, and Tom said, 'Thank goodness,
it's getting daylight;' but on striking my repeater we found to our
regret that this was a mistake. In the moonlight I could see columns
of nasty brown cockroaches ascending the bedposts, crawling along the
top of the curtains, dropping with a thud on to the bed, and then
descending over the side to the ground. At last I could stand it no
longer, and opening the curtains cautiously, I seized my slippers,
knocked half-a-dozen brown beasts out of each, wrapped myself in a
poncho--previously well shaken--gathered my garments around me,
surmounted a barricade I had constructed overnight to keep the pigs
and chickens out of our doorless room, and fled to the garden. All was
still, the only sign of life being a light in a neighbouring hut, and
I sat out in the open air in comparative comfort, until driven indoors
again by torrents of rain, at about half-past two o'clock.
I plunged into bed again, taking several mosquitoes with me, which
hummed and buzzed and devoured us to their hearts' content till dawn.
Then I got up and walked down to the beach to bathe, and returned to
breakfast at six o'clock, refreshed but still disfigured.
It is now the depth of winter and the middle of the rainy season in
Tahiti; but, luckily for us, it is nearly always fine in the daytime.
At night, however, there is often a perfect deluge, which floods the
houses and gardens, turns the streams into torrents, but washes and
refreshes the vegetation, and leaves the landscape brighter and
greener than before.
At half-past seven the horses were put to, and we were just ready for
a start, when down came the rain again, more heavily than before. It
was some little time before it ceased enough to allow us to start,
driving along grassy roads and through forests, but progressing rather
slowly, owing to the soaked condition of the ground. If you can
imagine the Kew hot-houses magnified and multiplied to an indefinite
extent, and laid out as a gentleman's park, traversed by numerous
grassy roads fringed with cocoa-nut palms, and commanding occasional
glimpses of sea, and beach, and coral reefs, you will have some faint
idea of the scene through which our road lay.
Many rivers we crossed, and many we stuck in, the gentlemen having
more than once to take off their shoes and stockings, tuck up their
trousers, jump into the water, and literally put their shoulders to
the wheel. Sometimes we drove out into the shallow sea, till it seemed
doubtful when and where we should make the land again. Sometimes we
climbed up a solid road, blasted out of the face of the black cliffs,
or crept along the shore of the tranquil lagoon, frightening the
land-crabs into their holes as they felt the shake of the approaching
carriage. Palms and passiflora abounded, the latter being specially
magnificent. It seems wonderful how their thin steins can support, at
a height of thirty or forty feet from the ground, the masses of huge
orange-coloured fruit which depend in strings from their summits.
At the third river, not far from where it fell into the sea, we
thought it was time to lunch; so we stopped the carriage, gave the
horses their provender, and sat down to enjoy ourselves after our long
drive. It was early in the afternoon before we started again, and soon
after this we were met by fresh horses, sent out from Papenoo;[10] so
it was not long before we found ourselves near Point Venus, where we
once more came upon a good piece of road, down which we rattled to the
plains outside Papeete.
[Footnote 10: From 'pape,' _water_, and 'noo,' _abundance_.]
We reached the quay at about seven o'clock, and, our arrival having
been observed, several friends came to see us and to inquire how we
had fared. Before we started on our excursion, instructions had been
given that the 'Sunbeam' should be painted _white_, for the sake of
coolness, and we were all very curious to see how she would look in
her new dress; but unfortunately the wet weather has delayed the work,
and there is still a good deal to do.
_Wednesday, December 6th_.--It was raining fast at half-past four this
morning, which was rather provoking, as I wanted to take some
photographs from the yacht's deck before the sea-breeze sprang up. But
the weather cleared while I was choosing my position and fixing my
camera, and I was enabled to take what I hope may prove to be some
successful photographs.
Messrs. Brander's mail-ship, a sailing vessel of about 600 tons, was
to leave for San Francisco at eight o'clock, and at seven Tom started
in the 'Flash' to take our letters on board. The passage to San
Francisco occupies twenty-five days on an average, and is performed
with great regularity once a month each way. The vessels employed on
this line, three in number, are well built, and have good
accommodation for passengers, and they generally carry a full cargo.
In the present instance it consists of fungus and tripang
(_bêche-de-mer_) for China, oranges for San Francisco, a good many
packages of sundries, and a large consignment of pearls, entrusted to
the captain at the last moment.
So brisk is the trade carried on between Tahiti and the United States,
that the cost of this vessel was more than covered by the freights the
first year after she was built. In addition to these ships, there are
those which run backwards and forwards to Valparaiso, and the little
island trading schooners; so that the Tahitians can boast of quite a
respectable fleet of vessels, not imposing perhaps in point of
tonnage, but as smart and serviceable-looking as could be desired. The
trading schooners are really beautiful little craft, and I am sure
that, if well kept and properly manned, they would show to no
discredit among our smart yachts at Cowes. Not a day passes without
one or more entering or leaving the harbour, returning from or bound
to the lonely isles with which the south-west portion of the Pacific
is studded. They are provided with a patent log, but their captains,
who are intelligent men, do not care much about a chronometer, as the
distances to be run are comparatively short and are easily judged.
Mr. Godeffroy gave us rather an amusing account of the manner in which
their negotiations with the natives are conducted. The more civilised
islanders have got beyond barter, and prefer hard cash in American
dollars for their pearls, shells, cocoa-nuts, sandal-wood, &c. When
they have received the money, they remain on deck for some time
discussing their bargains among themselves. Then they peep down
through the open skylights into the cabin below, where the most
attractive prints and the gaudiest articles of apparel are temptingly
displayed, alongside a few bottles of rum and brandy and a supply of
tobacco. It is not long before the bait is swallowed; down go the
natives, the goods are sold, and the dollars have once more found
their way back into the captain's hands.
I had a long talk with one of the natives, who arrived to-day from
Flint Island--a most picturesque-looking individual, dressed in
scarlet and orange-coloured flannel, and a mass of black, shiny, curly
hair. Flint Island is a place whose existence has been disputed, it
having been more than once searched for by ships in vain. It was,
therefore, particularly interesting to meet some one who had actually
visited, and had just returned from, the spot in question. That
islands do occasionally disappear entirely in these parts there can be
little doubt. The Tahitian schooners were formerly in the habit of
trading with a small island close to Rarotonga, whose name I forget;
but about four years ago, when proceeding thither with the usual
three-monthly cargo of provisions, prints, &c., they failed to find
the island, of which no trace has since been seen. Two missionaries
from Rarotonga are believed to have been on it at the time of its
disappearance, and to have shared its mysterious fate.
_Thursday, December 7th_.--At eight o'clock I took Mabelle and Muriel
for a drive in a pony-carriage which had been kindly lent me, but with
a hint that the horse was rather _méchant_ sometimes. He behaved well
on the present occasion, however, and we had a pleasant drive in the
outskirts of the town for a couple of hours.
Just as we returned, a gentleman came and asked me if I should like to
see some remarkably fine pearls, and on my gladly consenting, he took
me to his house, where I saw some pearls certainly worth going to look
at, but too expensive for me, one pear-shaped gem alone having been
valued at 1,000_l_. I was told they came from a neighbouring island,
and I was given two shells containing pearls in various stages of
formation.
It was now time to go on board to receive some friends whom we had
invited to breakfast, and who arrived at about half-past eleven.
[Illustration: A Tahitian Lady.]
After breakfast, and a chat, and an examination of the photograph
books, &c., we all landed, and went to see Messrs. Brander's stores,
where all sorts of requisites for fitting out ships and their crews
can be procured. It is surprising to find how plentiful are the
supplies of the necessaries and even the luxuries of civilised life in
this far-away corner of the globe. You can even get _ice_ here, for
the manufacture of which a retired English infantry officer has set up
an establishment with great success. But what interested me most were
the products of this and the neighbouring islands. There were tons of
exquisitely tinted pearl shells, six or eight inches in diameter,
formerly a valuable article of commerce, but now worth comparatively
little. The pearls that came out of them had unfortunately been sent
away to Liverpool--1,000_l_. worth by this morning's, and 5,000_l_ by
the last mail-ship. Then there was vanilla, a most precarious crop,
which needs to be carefully watered and shaded from the first moment
it is planted, and which must be gathered before it is ripe, and dried
and matured in a moist heat, between blankets and feather-beds, in
order that the pods may not crack and allow the essence to escape. We
saw also edible fungus, exported to San Francisco, and thence to Hong
Kong, solely for the use of the Chinese; tripang, or _bêche-de-mer_, a
sort of sea-slug or holothuria, which, either living or dead, fresh or
dried, looks equally untempting, but is highly esteemed by the
Celestials; coprah, or dried cocoa-nut kernels, broken into small
pieces in order that they may stow better, and exported to England and
other parts, where the oil is expressed and oil-cake formed; and
various other articles of commerce. The trade of the island is fast
increasing, the average invoice value of the exports having risen from
8,400_l_ in 1845 to 98,000_l_ in 1874. These totals are exclusive of
the value of the pearls, which would increase it by at least another
3,000_l_ or 4,000_l_.
I speak from personal experience when I say that every necessary of
life on board ship, and many luxuries, can be procured at Tahiti.
American tinned fruits and vegetables beat English ones hollow.
Preserved milk is uncertain--sometimes better, sometimes worse, than
what one buys at home. Tinned salmon is much better. Australian
mutton, New Zealand beef, and South Sea pork, leave nothing to be
desired in the way of preserved meat. Fresh beef, mutton, and butter
are hardly procurable, and the latter, when preserved, is uneatable. I
can never understand why they don't take to potting and salting down
for export the _best_ butter, at some large Irish or Devonshire farm,
instead of reserving that process for butter which is just on the turn
and is already almost unfit to eat; the result being that, long before
it has reached a hot climate, it is only fit to grease carriage-wheels
with. It could be done, and I feel sure it would pay, as good butter
would fetch almost any price in many places. Some Devonshire butter,
which we brought with us from England, is as good now, after ten
thousand miles in the tropics, as it was when first put on board; but
a considerable proportion is very bad, and was evidently not in proper
condition in the first instance.
We had intended going afterwards to the coral reef with the children
to have a picnic there, and had accordingly given the servants leave
to go ashore for the evening; but it came on to rain heavily, and we
were obliged to return to the yacht instead. The servants had,
however, already availed themselves of the permission they had
received, and there was therefore no one on board in their department;
so we had to unpack our basket and have our picnic on deck, under the
awning, instead of on the reef, which I think was almost as great a
treat to the children.
We have, I am sorry to say, had a good deal of trouble with some of
our men here. One disappeared directly we arrived, and has never been
seen since. Another came off suffering from delirium tremens and
epileptic fits, brought on by drink. His cries and struggles were
horrible to hear and witness. It took four strong men to hold him, and
the doctor was up with him all last night. Nearly all the ships that
come here have been at sea for a long time, and the men are simply
wild when they get ashore. Some of the people know only too well how
to take advantage of this state of things, and the consequence is that
it is hardly safe for a sailor to drink a glass of grog, for fear that
it should be drugged. No doubt there are respectable places to which
the men could resort, but it is not easy for a stranger to find them
out, and our men seem to have been particularly unfortunate in this
respect. Tom talks of leaving two of them behind, and shipping four
fresh hands, as our number is already rather short.
_Friday, December 8th_.--I persuaded Tom to make another excursion to
the coral reef this morning, and at five o'clock he and Mabelle and I
set off in the 'Flash,' just as the sun was rising. We had a
delightful row, past the Quarantine Island[11], to the portion of the
reef on the other side of the harbour, where we had not yet been, and
where I think the coral plants and flowers and bushes showed to
greater advantage than ever, as they were less crowded, and the
occasional patches of sandy bottom enabled one to see them better. We
were so engrossed in our examination of these marvels of the deep, and
of the fish with which the water abounded, that we found ourselves
aground several times, and our return to the yacht was consequently
delayed.
[Footnote 11: The native name is 'Motu-iti,' i.e. _little island_.]
After breakfast I had another visit from a man with war-cloaks,
shell-belts, _tapa_, and _reva reva_, which he brought on board for my
inspection. It was a difficult task to make him understand what I
meant, but at last I thought I had succeeded in impressing on his mind
the fact that I wished to buy them, and that they would be paid for at
the store. The sequel unfortunately proved that I was mistaken. At
nine o'clock we set out for the shore, and after landing drove along
the same road by which we had returned from our excursion round the
island.[12] After seeing as much of the place as our limited time
would allow, we drove over to Faataua, where we found the children and
maids. The grand piano, every table, and the drawing-room floor, were
spread with the presents we were expected to take away with us. There
were bunches of scarlet feathers, two or three hundred in number, from
the tail of the tropic bird, which are only allowed to be possessed
and worn by chiefs, and which are of great value, as each bird
produces only two feathers; pearl shells, with corals growing on them,
red coral from the islands on the Equator, curious sponges and
sea-weed, _tapa_ cloth and _reva-reva_ fringe, arrowroot and palm-leaf
hats, cocoa-nut drinking vessels, fine mats plaited in many patterns,
and other specimens of the products of the island.
[Footnote 12: We paid a brief visit to Point Venus, whence Captain
Cook observed the transit of Venus on November 9th, 1769, and we saw
the lighthouse and tamarind tree, which now mark the spot. The latter,
from which we brought away some seed, was undoubtedly planted by
Captain Cook with his own hand.]
[Illustration: Tropic Feathers]
All the members of the royal family at present in Tahiti had been
invited to meet us, and arrived in due course, including the
heir-apparent and his brother and sister. All the guests were dressed
in the native costume, with wreaths on their heads and necks, and even
the servants--including our own, whom I hardly recognised--were
similarly decorated. Wreaths had also been prepared for us, three of
fragrant yellow flowers for Mabelle, Muriel, and myself, and others of
a different kind for the gentlemen.
When the feast was ready the Prince offered me his arm, and we all
walked in a procession to a grove of bananas in the garden through two
lines of native servants, who, at a given signal, saluted us with
three hearty English cheers. We then continued our walk till we
arrived at a house, built in the native style, by the side of a rocky
stream, like a Scotch burn. The uprights of the house were banana
trees, transplanted with their leaves on, so as to shade the roof,
which was formed of plaited cocoa-nut palm-leaves, each about fifteen
feet long, laid transversely across bamboo rafters. From these
light-green supports and the dark green roof depended the yellow and
brown leaves of the _theve_, woven into graceful garlands and elegant
festoons. The floor was covered with the finest mats, with black and
white borders, and the centre strewn with broad green plantain leaves,
to form the tablecloth, on which were laid baskets and dishes, made of
leaves sewed together, and containing all sorts of native delicacies.
There were oysters, lobsters, wurrali, and crawfish, stewed chicken,
boiled sucking-pig, plantains, bread-fruit, melons, bananas, oranges,
and strawberries. Before each guest was placed a half cocoa-nut full
of salt water, another full of chopped cocoa-nut, a third full of
fresh water, and another full of milk, two pieces of bamboo, a basket
of _poi_, half a bread-fruit, and a platter of green leaves, the
latter being changed with each course. We took our seats on the ground
round the green table. An address was first delivered in the native
language, grace was then said, and we commenced. The first operation
was to mix the salt water and the chopped cocoa-nut together, so as to
make an appetising sauce, into which we were supposed to dip each
morsel we ate, the empty salt-water bowl being filled up with fresh
water with which to wash our fingers and lips. We were tolerably
successful in the use of our fingers as substitutes for knives and
forks. The only drawback was that the dinner had to be eaten amid such
a scene of novelty and beauty, that our attention was continually
distracted: there was so much to admire, both in the house itself and
outside it. After we had finished, all the servants sat down to
dinner, and from a daïs at one end of the room we surveyed the bright
and animated scene, the gentlemen--and some of the ladies
too--meanwhile enjoying their cigarettes.
When we got down to Papeete, at about half-past four, so many things
had to be done that it seemed impossible to accomplish a start this
evening. First of all the two Princes came on board, and were shown
round, after which there were accounts to be paid, linen to be got on
board; and various other preparations to be made. Presently it was
discovered that the cloaks I had purchased--or thought I had
purchased--this morning had not turned up, and that our saddles had
been left at Faataua on Sunday and had been forgotten. The latter were
immediately sent for, but although some one went on shore to look
after the cloaks nothing could be heard of them; so I suppose I failed
after all in making the man understand that he was to take them to the
store and be paid for them there.
[Illustration: Chætodon Besantii]
At six o'clock the pilot sent word that it was no longer safe to go
out; but steam was already up, and Tom therefore decided to go outside
the reef and there wait for the people and goods that were still on
shore. At this moment the saddles appeared in one direction, and the
rest of the party in another. They were soon on board, the anchor was
raised, and we began to steam slowly ahead, taking a last regretful
look at Papeete as we left the harbour. By the time we were outside it
was dark, the pilot went ashore, and we steamed full speed ahead.
After dinner, and indeed until we went to bed, at half-past eleven,
the lights along the shore were clearly visible, and the form of the
high mountains behind could be distinguished.
Good-bye, lovely Tahiti! I wonder if I shall ever see you again; it
makes me quite sad to think how small is the chance of my doing so.