THE CRUISE OF H.M.S. _GALATEA_ (_Continued_)
III. TAHITI AND THE SANDWICH ISLANDS
We arrived at Tahiti in June, 1869. Here is the most lovely climate in
the world. The inhabitants never seemed to do any work, with the
single exception of carrying bananas. In this exercise they were
extraordinarily expert, bearing enormous weights upon the shoulders,
the skin of which becomes hard like leather. I considered myself to be
fairly strong; but when I tried to carry one of the masses of bananas
under which the natives march swiftly all day long, up hill and down, I
found that I was able to carry it only for a short distance, and with
difficulty, on level ground. The people were perfectly delightful. We
went ashore and lived among them; and it was then that I understood how
it was that the men of the _Bounty_ mutinied. The fact was that those
discontented mariners could not bear to leave islands so delectable. I
do not of course, desire to justify their very reprehensible conduct.
All I say is that I can understand the strength of its motive. It was
simply the desire to remain in an earthly paradise which inspired the
men of the _Bounty_ when they left Otaheite in April, 1789, to set
Captain Bligh adrift in an open boat, with the nineteen men who stayed
by him, and a small stock of provisions. The captain and his men made
an astonishing voyage of nearly 4000 miles, and fetched up at the
island of Timor, south of the Malaccas, in the following June. Some of
the mutineers were subsequently {88} brought to justice in the year
1792. Six of them were condemned and three were executed. In 1814 it
was discovered that ten among the mutineers had colonised Pitcairn
Island.
We in the _Galatea_ stayed at Tahiti as long as we possibly could, and
enjoyed every moment of the time. One of our amusements was to float
down a narrow and swift stream and shoot the waterfall. At a point
some little distance from the coast, the stream ran deep and rapid
between banks which were about three feet apart. The natives, boys and
girls, used to drop into the stream and let themselves be carried down
feet foremost to a waterfall, which descended some 40 or 50 feet in a
wide pool; and it occurred to me that what they could do, I could
accomplish. I watched these intrepid children very carefully, and I
observed that they always came to the surface some distance away from
the fall. In spite of some dissuasion, I determined to attempt the
enterprise. I floated down the stream feet foremost, shot the fall,
and the moment I reached the foot of it I struck out under water. I
was amazed to find that the water was just like air, or an enormous
cauldron of soda water, buoying one up, and I came to the surface
without the slightest difficulty. Afterwards I went down head first.
The only thing to remember was not to come up under the fall itself.
Shooting the waterfall became a popular amusement.
Another of our diversions was surf-playing. This enchanting exercise
is performed with the aid of a long board shaped like a wedge. The
swimmer takes his board, pushes it before him over the breakers, while
he dives through them, then turns, and, leaning on the board, rides
back on the crest of the surf. The speed, whatever it may be, feels
like sixty miles an hour. It is one of the most exhilarating pastimes
in the world.
I remember that we all went to church on Sunday. During the service,
the Queen of Tahiti suddenly clapped her hands, whereupon the clergyman
desisted from his {89} ministrations, while her Majesty distributed
tobacco among the congregation. When it was well alight the Queen
again clapped her hands, and the clergyman went on with the service.
We left Tahiti with profound regret, receiving and giving many presents
on parting. From Tahiti we proceeded to the Sandwich Islands, where I
met many old friends, made during my sojourn four years previously.
The American population had quite forgiven and forgotten my boyish
freak, which had so agitated them at the time. Our old friend Queen
Emma, whom we had taken to Panama on her way to England to see the
Queen, had returned. I went to call upon her, driving tandem, as
already related. Turning in at the gate, I took the corner too
sharply, the wheels locked, and the buggy capsized. In the meantime
the Queen, having heard the jingling of the Canadian sleigh bells
attached to the harness, came out to find her visitor sitting on the
grass at her feet. The horses galloped on and wrecked the vehicle and
also themselves. Altogether it was a very expensive drive.
{90}