Conduct of foreign visitors. 

 Sale of ardent spirits. 



TAHITI AND EIMEO. 



Exhibition of private theatricals. 

 Native criticism. 



considerable quantities. The lamps, which are 

 always kept burning in their houses at night, are 

 made of the shell of a cocoa-nut. The wick is 

 formed of wild cotton, and is kept upright in the 

 centre of the bowl by two elastic strips of cocoa-nut 

 leaf crossing each other at right angles. 



Sugar is beginning to attract attention, and some 

 attempts have also been made in the culture and 

 preparation of indigo. 



Making straw or chip hats is a favourite occupa- 

 tion among the women, whose former employment 

 of making tapa has, as was stated in the preceding 

 chapter, been much diminished by the introduction 

 of European fashions. 



I have also before referred to the abortive at- 

 tempt of the missionaries to introduce machinery 

 for the manufacture of cotton, which will be again 

 mentioned in speaking of the island of Eimeo, 

 where .the experiment was made. 



Before closing my remarks on Tahiti, I consider 

 it my duty to say a few words in relation to the 

 transgression of the local laws by many of the ves- 

 sels which visit it, and some of which, I regret to 

 be compelled to confess, bear the flag of the 

 United States. I have particular reference to the 

 license always allowed to the crews, and in which 

 the masters and officers often themselves indulge, 

 in making brothels of their ships. They also do 

 not scruple to retail ardent spirits to the natives, 

 although they well know that it is contrary to a 

 law of the island, most strictly enforced on shore. 

 Such conduct not unfrequently gives rise to diffi- 

 culties very prejudicial to the interests of the 

 owners; but it is still more disgraceful when con- 

 sidered in its destructive effect upon the people 

 whose hospitality they are enjoying, and as a prac- 

 tice that they would not dare to indulge in, when 

 in the ports of any civilized nation. 



The influence of the example of these visitors 

 upon the natives is demoralizing in the extreme, is 

 calculated to retard their advancement in civiliza- 

 tion, and throws countless difficulties and obstruc- 

 tions ia the way of the laudable exertions of the 

 missionaries. 



Little idea can be formed by those who have 

 not witnessed it, of the extent to which the prac- 

 tice of vending spirits is carried, not only at 

 Tahiti, but throughout the Polynesian islands. I 

 am satisfied, that if the owners of the vessels which 

 indulge in it were aware of the traffic, and had a 

 just sense of their own interest, they would inter- 

 dict the sale of this pernicious article, and prohibit 

 the carriage of it in their ships. 



Captain Hudson, who was much troubled with 

 the illicit supply of spirits to his men, and was 

 aware of the fact that the practice of vending it 

 was contrary to law, endeavoured to discover the 

 parties engaged in this traffic. He did this not 

 only for the sake of his own crew, who, when 

 questioned, stated that their intoxication was pro- 

 duced by gin, bought at the rate of three dollars a 

 bottle, but to aid the natives in their exertions to 

 prevent the infraction of their laws by the white 

 residents. In pursuance of these objects, he called 

 a meeting of the chiefs, and stated his complaint. 

 They forthwith ordered search to be made for the 

 offenders by the police, by which some of them 

 were discovered and immediately fined. At the 

 examination, however, the chiefs stated to Captain 

 Hudson, with what truth I do not pretend to say, 



that seventy cases of gin had been landed by our 

 own consul, from whom they believed that the re- 

 tailers had obtained it, while the main stock being 

 upon his premises, under the United States' flag, 

 was protected from search. 



The repairs of the Flying-Fish were not com- 

 pleted before the 10th October, up to which time 

 the Peacock was detained, not only in order that 

 they might sail in company, but because her offi- 

 cers were still engaged in the survey of the har- 

 bours. In the interval of leisure which was thus 

 afforded them, the crew of the Peacock asked and 

 obtained permission to get up a theatrical enter- 

 tainment, for the amusement of the natives and 

 themselves. The council-house was placed at their 

 disposal for the purpose by the native authorities. 

 The play chosen was Schiller's " Robbers," the 

 parts of which had been rehearsed at sea, in the 

 afternoons a task which had been the source of 

 much amusement. An opportunity was now pre- 

 sented of getting it up well : the dresses having 

 been prepared, the day was appointed, and when it 

 arrived the piece was performed; the acting was 

 thought by the officers very tolerable, and finally 

 gave great delight to the natives. The latter, 

 however, were somewhat disappointed in the early 

 parts of the performance, for they had expected an 

 exhibition of juggling, such as had been given for 

 their entertainment on board of a French frigate. 

 While under this feeling, they were heard to say 

 there was too much "parau" (talk). After they 

 began to enter into the spirit of the performance, 

 the murders took their fancy; and they were 

 diverted with the male representatives of the fe- 

 male characters. 



A number of comic songs, which formed the re- 

 lief of the more serious play, were exceedingly 

 applauded; among others they laughed heartily 

 at " Jim Crow" sung in character, and could 

 not be persuaded that it was a fictitious cha- 

 racter. 



On the 25th September, the Vincennes sailed 

 from the port of Papieti for the island of Eimeo. 

 The distance between its reef and that of Tahiti, 

 measured by the patent log, is ten miles. 



I had been furnished with letters to the Rev. 

 Mr. Simpson, who is stationed as missionary at 

 Eimeo ; when we landed, he met us upon the 

 beach, and gave us a most cordial reception; we 

 were soon surrounded by nearly all the natives in 

 the place, male and female, old and young, who 

 followed us with expressions of wonder; their con- 

 duct reminded me of the manner in which an In- 

 dian chief is run after in the streets of our Ameri- 

 can cities. In spite of their excitement they were 

 all extremely civil, and said they only wished to look 

 at us, although some were disposed to feel us. 



Mr. Simpson led the way to his house, passing by 

 a thick and well-built stone wall, the only one which 

 I had seen used as an enclosure in these islands; 

 on my inquiring if it was the work of native labour, 

 I was informed that it had been erected by an 

 Irishman, who is now the overseer of Mr. Simp- 

 son's sugar plantation. This wall encloses a large 

 lawn, with a number of fine bread-fruit trees; on 

 each side of the walk was a row of low acacias, 

 which were at the time in full bloom, with flowers 

 of many colours, yellow, orange, red, and varie- 

 gated; at the end of the walk was a low thatched 

 white cottage. 



