188 RAGE FOR GOLD-LACE. 
the ladies, who admired and wanted every thing ; 
ner was it easy to convince them, that each 
article they coveted was indispensable to our 
convenience. 
The officers exerted themselves to maintain 
the good-humour of their guests by trifling 
presents, and, amongst other things, gave them 
a piece of sham gold-lace, several yards in 
length, which was received with extraordinary 
eagerness. The Royal sisters divided it be- 
tween them, and added it to the black crape 
trimming of their hats; and so great was the 
admiration excited by this novel article of 
finery, that the rage for gold-lace became an 
absolute fever among the more distinguished 
Tahaitian ladies. Vain now proved the severe 
lessons of the Missionaries, forbidding all 
adornment of the person. There was no end 
to petitions for lace, and the more our store 
of it diminished, the more highly did they 
value the smallest piece they could obtain. 
‘The tormented husbands came every day to 
the ship, willingly offering a fine fat pig and 
eight fowls for half an ell of the false lace, to 
satisfy the longings of their wives. They beset 
