THE SOCIETY ISLANDS 515 



women, and children alike enjoy and suffer. The orange 

 has been for these people as the forbidden fruit of the 

 garden of Eden — the tree of good and of evil. 



In the Society Islands, as in many other places in the 

 Pacific, are to be found a number of buildings which 

 testify to the existence in former times of a people of a 

 higher development. They are generally in the form of 

 terraces or platforms, placed in elevated spots, and formed 

 of hewn blocks of stone which are often of great size. In 

 the centre is placed a sort of massive altar. A very 

 large building of this kind exists at Papawa in Tahiti. 

 Prom a base measuring 270 feet by 94 feet rise ten 

 steps or terraces, each about 6 feet in height. The 

 object of th-ese morals, as they are termed, is not very 

 clear. They were in many cases no doubt of a monu- 

 mental, if not sepulchral, nature ; but sacrifices were 

 apparently offered upon them in some instances, and it 

 seems that they also served on occasion as forts or 

 strongholds. 



The natives themselves only cultivate sufficient to 

 supply their daily wants, and sell the surplus produce of 

 their orange and coco-nut groves ; but on the southern 

 side of the island, in the district of Atimano, a large 

 plantation belonging to an English company was estab- 

 lished some years ago. It possessed 10,000 acres of rich 

 land, and imported 1600 Chinese coolies to cultivate it. 

 The forest was cleared away, and the land planted with 

 sugar-cane, cotton, and coffee, while broad roads bordered 

 with plantains and fruit-trees traversed it in every direc- 

 tion. The establishment of this gigantic farm formed a 

 small town picturesquely situated near the sea, and the 

 undertaking promised to be very successful, but reckless 

 speculations caused its failure, and the land now lies waste. 

 Attempts have been made by the French authorities to 



