224 VOYAGES OF A NATURALIST 



a semi-circle cross-legged on the grass, facing a 

 conductor who gave out the words of the song in 

 a loud voice. The subject of the song, usually 

 chosen on the spur of the moment, refers to some 

 topic of local interest ; on this occasion the arrival 

 of the " Valhalla " was the chosen theme. The 

 singing was somewhat weird, but by no means 

 displeasing, and the entertainment would be 

 varied frequently by the conductor, who would 

 leave his seat and run a few paces towards us, 

 shouting and stamping, before he turned again 

 to the performers to urge them to greater efforts. 



The day before we left Tautira the ship was 

 visited by a continual stream of canoes, which came 

 from far and near, bringing gifts of fruit, etc., to 

 Lord Crawford. By nightfall the " Valhalla " had 

 the appearance of a huge vegetable and fruit 

 market ; there must have been at least a ton of 

 bananas, oranges, plantain, coconuts and other 

 fruit on board, as well as several Muscovy ducks 

 and a little piebald pig. When all was aboard the 

 chief of Tautira, one of the finest looking men I 

 have ever seen, made a speech, and then formally 

 presented the gifts. 



At ten o'clock the next morning we left Tautira 

 for Papeete again, to complete our coaling, which 

 took a long time owing to the scarcity of lighters. 



During our last day at Tahiti we were confined 

 to the ship by one of the heaviest storms I have 

 ever witnessed, the rain falling in such torrents 



