Difficult Position of the Queen. — French Ascendency. 239 



as a clever, well-educated woman, who spoke English with con- 

 siderable fluency, as also a little French, and in public affairs 

 displayed a surprising degree of shrewdness and tact. With 

 the French authorities she conversed exclusively in Tahitian. 

 She appears much to dislike the intervention of an interpreter 

 or secretary, preferring greatly to place herself directly 

 in communication with the official concerned, as an auto- 

 graph letter exhibits, which she addressed to the Treasurer 

 Receiver -general, requesting him to send her a carriage 

 in which to drive on business from her estate at Papaoa to 

 Papeete.* 



It is very surprising to find in the course of conversation 

 with natives of every grade, that notwithstanding the French 

 Protectorate has now lasted upwards of twenty years, the 

 French language has hardly made the slightest advance. 

 We met but two natives who could speak French. The 

 knowledge of English even is confined to the few individuals 

 who live entirely on the coast, and come frequently into con- 

 tact with foreigners. A law was in contemplation, however, 

 at the period of our visit, by the provisions of which no 

 native after the lapse of 10 years, that is to say, by 1869, 

 would be eligible for any Government employ, not even that 

 of a murtoi (police sergeant, literally "one who listens se- 



* Queen Fomare finds herself entirely dependent upon the French Protectorate. 

 On the slightest symptom of asserting her position she is met by a stoppage of her 

 allowance, and as, in consequence of the rather opulent mode of life adopted by the 

 generous-hearted lady, the incomings and outgoings are apt not to square, her pe- 

 cuniary straits are not infrequently made use of for political purposes. 



