THE TAHITI AN. 135 



SOUTH PACIFIC. 



The captain with whom we descended the river Parana 

 was an old Spaniard, and had been many years in South 

 America. He professed a great liking for the English, but 

 stoutly maintained that the battle of Trafalgar was merely 

 won by the Spanish captains having been all bought over, 

 and that the only really gallant action on either side was 

 performed by the Spanish admiral. It struck me as rather 

 characteristic that this man should prefer his countrymen 

 being thought the worst of traitors, rather than unskilful or 

 cowardly. 



THE TAHITIAN. 



AT Tahiti 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 sav- 

 age, and an intelligence which shows that they are advanc- 

 ing 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 arid natural to the eye of a European 

 than his own color. A white man, bathing by the side of 

 a Tahitian, w T as 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 orna- 

 ments follow the curves of the body so gracefully that they 

 have a very elegant effect. One common pattern, varying in 



