WE VISIT THE COURT
It was about the middle of the second month of the Hegira, and
therefore some five weeks after our arrival in Partoowye, that we at
last obtained admittance to the residence of the queen.
It happened thus. There was a Marquesan in the train of Pomaree who
officiated as nurse to her children. According to the Tahitian custom,
the royal youngsters are carried about until it requires no small
degree of strength to stand up under them. But Marbonna was just the
man for this—large and muscular, well made as a statue, and with an arm
like a degenerate Tahitian’s thigh.
Embarking at his native island as a sailor on board of a French whaler,
he afterward ran away from the ship at Tahiti; where, being seen and
admired by Pomaree, he had been prevailed upon to enlist in her
service.
Often, when visiting the grounds, we saw him walking about in the
shade, carrying two handsome boys, who encircled his neck with their
arms. Marbonna’s face, tattooed as it was in the ornate style of his
tribe, was as good as a picture-book to these young Pomarees. They
delighted to trace with their fingers the outlines of the strange
shapes there delineated.
The first time my eyes lighted upon the Marquesan, I knew his country
in a moment; and hailing him in his own language, he turned round,
surprised that a person so speaking should be a stranger. He proved to
be a native of Tior, a glen of Nukuheva. I had visited the place more
than once; and so, on the island of Imeeo, we met like old friends.
In my frequent conversations with him over the bamboo picket, I found
this islander a philosopher of nature—a wild heathen, moralizing upon
the vices and follies of the Christian court of Tahiti—a savage,
scorning the degeneracy of the people among whom fortune had thrown
him.
I was amazed at the national feelings of the man. No European, when
abroad, could speak of his country with more pride than Marbonna. He
assured me, again and again, that so soon as he had obtained sufficient
money to purchase twenty muskets, and as many bags of powder, he was
going to return to a place with which Imeeo was not worthy to be
compared.
It was Marbonna who, after one or two unsuccessful attempts, at last
brought about our admission into the queen’s grounds. Through a
considerable crowd he conducted us along the pier to where an old man
was sitting, to whom he introduced us as a couple of “karhowrees” of
his acquaintance, anxious to see the sights of the palace. The
venerable chamberlain stared at us, and shook his head: the doctor,
thinking he wanted a fee, placed a plug of tobacco in his hand. This
was ingratiating, and we were permitted to pass on. Upon the point of
entering one of the houses, Marbonna’s name was shouted in half-a-dozen
different directions, and he was obliged to withdraw.
Thus left at the very threshold to shift for ourselves, my companion’s
assurance stood us in good stead. He stalked right in, and I followed.
The place was full of women, who, instead of exhibiting the surprise we
expected, accosted us as cordially as if we had called to take our
Souchong with them by express invitation. In the first place, nothing
would do but we must each devour a calabash of “poee,” and several
roasted bananas. Pipes were then lighted, and a brisk conversation
ensued.
These ladies of the court, if not very polished, were surprisingly free
and easy in their manners; quite as much so as King Charles’s beauties.
There was one of them—an arch little miss, who could converse with us
pretty fluently—to whom we strove to make ourselves particularly
agreeable, with the view of engaging her services as cicerone.
As such, she turned out to be everything we could desire. No one
disputing her will, every place was entered without ceremony, curtains
brushed aside, mats lifted, and each nook and corner explored. Whether
the little damsel carried her mistress’ signet, that everything opened
to her thus, I know not; but Marbonna himself, the bearer of infants,
could not have been half so serviceable.
Among other houses which we visited, was one of large size and fine
exterior; the special residence of a European—formerly the mate of a
merchant vessel,—who had done himself the honour of marrying into the
Pomaree family. The lady he wedded being a near kinswoman of the queen,
he became a permanent member of her majesty’s household. This
adventurer rose late, dressed theatrically in calico and trinkets,
assumed a dictatorial tone in conversation, and was evidently upon
excellent terms with himself.
We found him reclining on a mat, smoking a reed-pipe of tobacco, in the
midst of an admiring circle of chiefs and ladies. He must have noticed
our approach; but instead of rising and offering civilities, he went on
talking and smoking, without even condescending to look at us.
“His Highness feels his ‘poee,’” carelessly observed the doctor. The
rest of the company gave us the ordinary salutation, our guide
announcing us beforehand.
In answer to our earnest requests to see the queen, we were now
conducted to an edifice, by far the most spacious, in the inclosure. It
was at least one hundred and fifty feet in length, very wide, with low
eaves, and an exceedingly steep roof of pandannas leaves. There were
neither doors nor windows—nothing along the sides but the slight posts
supporting the rafters. Between these posts, curtains of fine matting
and tappa were rustling, all round; some of them were festooned, or
partly withdrawn, so as to admit light and air, and afford a glimpse
now and then of what was going on within.
Pushing aside one of the screens, we entered. The apartment was one
immense hall; the long and lofty ridge-pole fluttering with fringed
matting and tassels, full forty feet from the ground. Lounges of mats,
piled one upon another, extended on either side: while here and there
were slight screens, forming as many recesses, where groups of
natives—all females—were reclining at their evening meal.
As we advanced, these various parties ceased their buzzing, and in
explanation of our appearance among them, listened to a few cabalistic
words from our guide.
The whole scene was a strange one; but what most excited our surprise
was the incongruous assemblage of the most costly objects from all
quarters of the globe. Cheek by jowl, they lay beside the rudest native
articles, without the slightest attempt at order. Superb writing-desks
of rosewood, inlaid with silver and mother-of-pearl; decanters and
goblets of cut glass; embossed volumes of plates; gilded candelabra;
sets of globes and mathematical instruments; the finest porcelain;
richly-mounted sabres and fowling-pieces; laced hats and sumptuous
garments of all sorts, with numerous other matters of European
manufacture, were strewn about among greasy calabashes half-filled with
“poee,” rolls of old tappa and matting, paddles and fish-spears, and
the ordinary furniture of a Tahitian dwelling.
All the articles first mentioned were, doubtless, presents from foreign
powers. They were more or less injured: the fowling-pieces and swords
were rusted; the finest woods were scratched; and a folio volume of
Hogarth lay open, with a cocoa-nut shell of some musty preparation
capsized among the miscellaneous furniture of the Rake’s apartment,
where that inconsiderate young gentleman is being measured for a coat.
While we were amusing ourselves in this museum of curiosities, our
conductor plucked us by the sleeve, and whispered, “Pomaree! Pomaree!
armai kow kow.”
“She is coming to sup, then,” said the doctor, staring in the direction
indicated. “What say you, Paul, suppose we step up?” Just then a
curtain near by lifted, and from a private building a few yards distant
the queen entered, unattended.
She wore a loose gown of blue silk, with two rich shawls, one red and
the other yellow, tied about her neck. Her royal majesty was
barefooted.
She was about the ordinary size, rather matronly; her features not very
handsome; her mouth, voluptuous; but there was a care-worn expression
in her face, probably attributable to her late misfortunes. From her
appearance, one would judge her about forty; but she is not so old.
As the queen approached one of the recesses, her attendants hurried up,
escorted her in, and smoothed the mats on which she at last reclined.
Two girls soon appeared, carrying their mistress’ repast; and then,
surrounded by cut-glass and porcelain, and jars of sweetmeats and
confections, Pomaree Vahinee I., the titular Queen of Tahiti, ate fish
and “poee” out of her native calabashes, disdaining either knife or
spoon.
“Come on,” whispered Long Ghost, “let’s have an audience at once;” and
he was on the point of introducing himself, when our guide, quite
alarmed, held him back and implored silence. The other natives also
interfered, and, as he was pressing forward, raised such an outcry that
Pomaree lifted her eyes and saw us for the first.
She seemed surprised and offended, and, issuing an order in a
commanding tone to several of her women, waved us out of the house.
Summary as the dismissal was, court etiquette, no doubt, required our
compliance. We withdrew; making a profound inclination as we
disappeared behind the tappa arras.
We departed the ground without seeing Marbonna; and previous to
vaulting over the picket, feed our pretty guide after a fashion of our
own. Looking round a few moments after, we saw the damsel escorted back
by two men, who seemed to have been sent after her. I trust she
received nothing more than a reprimand.
The next day Po-Po informed us that strict orders had been issued to
admit no strangers within the palace precincts.