394 TAHITI [CHAP, xvui. 



abundance has become as noxious as a weed. In Brazil I have often 

 admired the varied beauties of the bananas, palms, and orange-trees 

 contrasted together ; and here we also have the bread-fruit, conspicuous 

 from its large, glossy, and deeply digitated leaf. It is admirable to 

 behold groves of a tree, sending forth its branches with the vigour of 

 an English oak, loaded with large and most nutritious fruit. However 

 seldom the usefulness of an object can account for the pleasure of 

 beholding it, in the case of these beautiful woods, the knowledge of their 

 high productiveness no doubt enters largely into the feeling of admira- 

 tion. The little winding paths, cool from the surrounding shade, led to 

 the scattered houses; the owners of which everywhere gave us a 

 cheerful and most hospitable 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 common people, when working, 

 keep the upper part of their bodies quite naked ; and it is then that the 

 Tahitians are seen to advantage. 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 

 a Tahitian, 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 em- 

 braced 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, although 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 disappointed in the 

 personal appearance of the women ; they are far inferior in every 

 respect to the men. The custom of wearing a white or scarlet flower 

 in the back of the head, or through a small hole in each ear, is pretty. 

 A crown of woven cocoa-nut leaves is also worn as a shade for the 

 eyes. The women appear to be in greater want of some becoming 

 costume even than the men. 



Nearly all the natives understand a little English that is, they know 



