40 TATI, CHIEF OF PAPARA. 



trict) cannot be estimated at less than two thou- 

 sand souls. 



Tati, the governor of this district, is a member 

 of the royal family of Tahiti ; and, owing to his 

 rank and possessions, bears considerable sway in 

 the politics of the island. In passing, we paid a 

 visit to this chief at his residence, a large and 

 very superior wooden building, newly erected, 

 and provided with an unusual quantity of Euro- 

 pean furniture. He received us cordially, and 

 produced a bottle of wine for our refreshment. 

 He is an elderly man, of tall stature, and very 

 corpulent. His features, which are coarse, 

 heavy, and by no means prepossessing, bear 

 some resemblance to the extant portraits of 

 Pomare II., to whom he is nearly related. In 

 his youth, Tati had been " educated for the 

 church ;" or, in other words, initiated in the 

 mysteries of heathen rites, to qualify him to act 

 as a priest amongst his idolatrous countrymen : 

 though, in his maturer years, he has proved him- 

 self a warm advocate for the Christian cause, 

 and a tried friend to the European missionaries. 



A short distance further on our journey, we 

 passed a dense plantation of venerable trees 

 one of the sacred groves of ancient idolatry 

 and without deviating greatly from our route, 

 approached the sea- side to visit the celebrated 



