POLITICS AND COMMERCE. 35 



dence sufficient to convict him before his judges. 

 Nevertheless, it is unquestionable, that feeble 

 measures, or any indulgence to individuals, 

 would open a path for evasion, and destroy the 

 effect of what has been, for this people, a very 

 salutary and requisite law. The shores of Tahiti 

 now no longer exhibited the revolting scenes of 

 debauchery that disgraced them during our visit 

 in the year 1834. 



The practice, so prevalent with Asiatic and 

 other semi-civilized governments, of pandering 

 to the indolence and cupidity of the higher 

 classes by oppressing the inferior and more in- 

 dustrious grades of society, was but too evident 

 here. The farmers complained loudly of the 

 heavy duties the chiefs had imposed upon the 

 sale of their produce, and which compelled them 

 either to increase their price, and hence diminish 

 the demand for their commodities, or to relin- 

 quish a just remuneration for their toil. 



We found upwards of twelve sail, chiefly 

 American South-Seamen, at anchor in Papeete 

 harbour ; and during our stay, a schooner, be- 

 longing to an English resident here, reached the 

 same port, with a cargo consisting of twenty- 

 four tons of pearl-shell and many valuable 

 pearls, the result of four months fishing amongst 

 the islands of the Dangerous Archipelago. 



D 2 



