404 TAHITI. [CHAP. xvm. 



into the feeling of admiration. The little winding paths, cool 

 from the surrounding shade, led to the scattered houses ; the 

 owners of which every where gave us a cheerful and most hos- 

 pitable reception. 



I was pleased with nothing so much as with the inhabitants. 

 There is a mildness in the expression of their countenances 

 which at once banishes the idea of a savage ; and an intelligence 

 which shows that they are advancing in civilization. The com- 

 mon people, when working, keep the upper part of their bodies 

 quite naked ; and it is then that the Tahitians are seen to advan- 

 tage. They are very tall, broad-shouldered, athletic, and well- 

 proportioned. It has been remarked, that it requires little habit 

 to make a dark skin more pleasing and natural to the eye of an 

 European than his own colour. A white man bathing by the 

 side of aTahitian, was like a plant bleached by the gardener's art 

 compared with a fine dark green one growing vigorously in the 

 open fields. Most of the men are tattooed, and the ornaments 

 follow the curvature of the body so gracefully, that they have a 

 very elegant effect. One common pattern, varying in its details, 

 is somewhat like the crown of a palm-tree. It springs from the 

 central line of the back, and gracefully curls round both sides. 

 The simile may be a fanciful one, but I thought the body of a 

 man thus ornamented was like the trunk of a noble tree embraced 

 by a delicate creeper. 



Many of the elder people had their feet covered with small 

 figures, so placed as to resemble a sock. This fashion, however, 

 is partly gone by, and has been succeeded by others. Here, al- 

 though fashion is far from immutable, every one must abide by 

 that prevailing in his youth. An old man has thus his age for 

 ever stamped on his body, and he cannot assume the airs of a 

 young dandy. The women are tattooed in the same manner as 

 the men, and very commonly on their fingers. One unbecoming 

 fashion is now almost universal : namely, shaving the hair from 

 the upper part of the head, in a circular form, so as to leave 

 only an outer ring. The missionaries have tried to persuade the 

 people to change this habit ; but it is the fashion, and that is a 

 sufficient answer at Tahiti, as well as at Paris. I was much dis- 

 appointed in the personal appearance of the women : they are far 

 inferior in every respect to the men. The custom of wearing a 



