Incidents of the Fete. — French Laissez-Faire. 233 



drums and trumpets, and arranged themselves on the wide 

 road right in front of the ehieftainess of Fada, in consequence 

 of Maheanu, their ehieftainess, a zealous Protestant, not per- 

 mitting on her grounds the execution of any improper dances, 

 or the singing of broad songs. In fact, neither the Upa-Upa 

 nor any other of the numerous Tahitian " Cancans a la Chi- 

 carcf'' were suffered to be danced ; the consequence of which 

 was that they danced it all the more eagerly on the road. Six 

 drummers, each with his little kettle-drum, squatted cross- 

 legged on the floor, the right hand being employed to strike the 

 instrument. To this primitive music, enlivened at times by a 

 shrill cry, both men and girls now began to go through the most 

 indecent gestures, accompanied by leaping on and toying with 

 their partners till they had worked themselves up to such an 

 artificial frenzy of excitement, that each couple at last retired 

 exhausted and bathed in perspiration, under a flourish of 

 drums and a loud shriek from the orchestra. 



The French Governor, the representative of European de- 

 corum, was one of the most animated of the spectators, and 

 gave full swing to the recklessness of the Tahitians, who are 

 accustomed to push the law of hospitality to the extent of 

 prostituting their daughters, remarking, with much naivete, 

 that the natives would take it exceedingly ill were any one 

 to refuse to take part in certain old habits and customs, or 

 were to declare themselves openly opposed to their con- 

 tinuance ! 



At the close of the fete the Governor ordered some French 



