1839.J POLITICS OF TAHITI. 173 



dence, and when the queen attends church, or shows herself 

 to her loving subjects, she is accompanied by a body-guard, 

 as an escort, consisting of about one hundred men, com- 

 manded by officers who can hardly be called martinets in 

 discipline. The uniform of this corps is a blue coat with 

 white pantaloons. The former is made after various pat- 

 terns, and worn in different ways — sometimes being buttoned, 

 sometimes hooked, and sometimes sewed about the person of 

 the wearer. The guard have muskets ; but, on Sundays, 

 they are only allowed to carry their ramrods. When the 

 queen and her husband issue forth, the royal standards are 

 borne before them, and the soldiers follow, two by two, with 

 the rabble at their heels. If an aquatic excursion is the 

 order of the day, a whaleboat, dignified as the royal barge, 

 receives the cortege. 



Although royalty is so often exhibited in caricature, at 

 Tahiti, it is probable that the people of this, and the other 

 islands belonging to the group, are as well-governed, and that 

 as great a degree of order is observed as in those countries 

 where there is more real brilliancy and show. Generally 

 speaking, the statesmen and politicians of the Society Islands 

 are well-informed, reasonable, and sagacious. They always 

 appear willing to redress grievances, and anxious to promote 

 the welfare and prosperity of their fellow-citizens. As in 

 more enlightened countries, there are two opposing parties, 

 one of which is headed by the queen and the missionaries, 

 and the other, by Pabfai, chief judge of the supreme court, 

 and Hitoti and Taua, two prominent chiefs. The former 

 are constantly proposing new innovations in laws and cus- 

 toms, and the latter, though by no means unfriendly to 

 reform, have resisted, with more or less earnestness, their 

 adoption. Sometimes the queen and her advisers have 

 pushed their favorite measures with too great zeal and sever- 

 ity, and their opponents, by appealing to the national feel- 

 ing and spirit, or threatening resistance, have achieved a 

 temporary success ; but the queen usually manages, in one 

 way or another, eventually to secure everything she wishes. 



