2 1 2 Voyage of the No vara. 



The Taliitians, long before the arrival of the French, had 

 a code or charter of tlieir own. The last was drawn up in 

 1823 by the Protestant missionaries, upon the model of that 

 of England, and was revised in 1826. Its provisions were 

 that the throne should be inherited by either male or female 

 descendants of the reigning dynasty. By it the island was 

 divided into seven districts ; the legislative power was vested 

 in an assembly of fourteen members, viz. two from each 

 district, who were to be re-elected every three years by the 

 people. This constitution underwent divers mutilations at 

 the hands of the French Protectorate, till it had lost all im- 

 portance. At present, however, it is the subject of lively 

 debate, and the Tahitian parliament at Papeete can reckon 

 some really distinguished speakers ; but its solution depends 

 much less upon the conviction of logic than the influence of 

 the French officials. 



We heard a very remarkable sj)eech from Ravaai, one of 

 the most gifted of the native orators, on the occasion of a 

 debate as to whether a law should be passed admitting beer 

 and French wines, duty free, into the island. Several 

 speakers were of oj^inion, considering the terrible spread 

 among both sexes of drunkenness, with all its attendant evils, 



" The Legislative Assembly of the States of the Protectorate will not meet in ses- 

 sion during the year 1859. Papeete, 10th February, 1859. 



(Signed) "Saisset." 



A similar notification drawn up in Tahitian, is countersigned by Queen Pomare. 

 One Tahitian, who was a member of the Legislative Assembly, remarked to us, after 

 reading the foregoing announcement in the Ilomteur Tahitian, " How then can any 

 one say beforehand whether or no there are no important questions to discuss?" 



