2 lo Voyage of the Novara. 



Papeete or Papeiti {Pape^ water, Iti, little), which derives 

 its name from a rivulet which falls into the sea here, lies at 

 the bottom of a semi-circular bay, seven miles west of Point 

 Venus, the northernmost spot of the island. It is the chief 

 town on the island, the residence of the Queen, and the seat 

 of government, all which is not incompatible with its being* 

 of very limited dimensions, not rising above the grandeur of 

 an ordinary village. The dwellings of the Europeans, con- 

 structed for the most part of wood, covered with palm leaves, 

 partly extend along the shore, partly help to make pretty 

 regular streets, amid which rise up on every side bread-fruit 

 trees, cocoa-palms, and orange-trees, which make up in 

 cheerfulness for any deficiency in stateliness of aspect. 

 Southwards of the bay lie a belt of police barracks, the 

 Protestant place of worship [Fare-pure, house of prayer), and 

 the prison [Fare-auri, house of iron) ; eastward it is bounded 

 by the promontory of Fare-Ute, forming a sort of dock-yard, 

 wliere ships of 300 tons can be repaired. Not far from the 

 place of disembarkation, and near the centre of the townsliip, 

 rises one of the most elegant buildings in Papeete, namely, 

 that where the various stores for the troops are housed. The 

 mansion of the Governor closely adjoins the residence 

 assigned to the Queen, from which it is only separated by a 

 garden hedge. Both are extremely simple and unpretending 

 edifices, built of wood, and impress the visitor much less 

 than another large quadrangular building, built of stone in 

 the Oriental style, and surmounted by a cupola — this is tlie 



