Natives of Tahiti. 147 



broad streets running in at right angles to the wharf traversed the 

 town ; a dockyard with spacious sheds and storehouses covered 

 a low point jutting out on the northern side of the harbour ; and 

 on a small picturesque island lying near the entrance was a gun 

 battery nestling under tall cocoa-nut trees, and yet so constructed 

 as not to detract from the romantic appearance of this beautiful 

 and marvellous work of nature. The Tahitians still retain and 

 deserve their old reputation for great amiability of disposition and 

 extraordinary good humour. One is greeted by almost every 

 native passed on the road with the friendly salutation "Yoronha" 

 (meaning "good-day"), accompanied by a merry smile. Indeed, 

 one cannot help being struck by the number of smiling, laughing 

 faces seen at Tahiti, and to my mind there is nothing more charac- 

 teristic of the Tahitians, as distinguished from all other islanders, 

 than the ever smiling face reflecting genuine good humour for 

 which there is no apparent cause. In many respects, however, 

 they seem to have improved but little since the time of Wallis. 

 Morality is still at a very low ebb, and the abuse of intoxicating 

 drinks is an evil which seems likely in time to create sad havoc 

 among them. For unfortunately, since the French annexation, 

 spirit shops have been thrown open to the natives, although, under 

 the old missionary regime, the possession of spirit of any kind 

 was forbidden by the command of Queen Pomare. Of late years 

 the population has been increasing, owing to the abolition of 

 infanticide, which was formerly the fashion of the country. 



The principal products of the island are cotton, sugar, cocoa- 

 nuts, oranges, and vanilla. These articles are sent to San Fran- 

 cisco, with which port there is monthly communication by means 

 of sailing vessels ; the cocoa-nut trade being perhaps in this, as in 

 most other Polynesian islands, the most reliable industry. Usually 

 the sun-dried kernel, known commercially as "Copra," is exported, 

 but sometimes the nuts are shipped entire. The cultivation of 

 the cocoa-nut tree does not require much trouble. The ripe nuts, 

 if exposed on the ground in places where they are free from the 



