OF THE SOUTH SEAS 471 



over, but not fat, like many natives, was very dark and 

 slightly grizzled. He had a singular solemnity of ad- 

 dress, a benignity and detachment which were the ex- 

 ternals of a thoughtful, simple, generous nature, no 

 longer interested deeply in trifles. His house was to- 

 ward the farther end of the main street, and set upon 

 a spacious lawn a hundred feet from the street, which, 

 by the same token, was also a lawn, for there was no 

 sign of the unadorned earth. So httle wheeled traffic 

 was there that bare feet walked on a matting of grass 

 and plants as soft as seaweed on the beach. The street 

 was bordered with cocoanuts and pandanus, and the 

 chief's dwelling had about it breadfruit, papayas, and 

 cocoanuts. The grounds were divided from neighbors' 

 parks by hedges of tiare Tahiti, gardenias, roses, and 

 red and white oleanders. I drew in their perfume as 

 Ori-a-Ori said, "la ora 7ia!" and took and held my hand 

 a moment, while his grave eyes studied my face in all 

 kindliness. 



Choti put him the question of my habitation, and he 

 instantly offered me either a room in his own house or a 

 small, native building on the opposite side of the road 

 and nearer the beach. We walked over, and found it 

 unoccupied. It was a bird-cage, all one room, with a 

 thatch of pandanus and a floor of dried grass covered 

 with mats. The walls were of split bamboo, like reeds, 

 and the sun and air penetrated it through and through ; 

 but hanging mats were arranged, one as a door, and 

 others to keep out the rain. It was exactly suited for 

 sleeping and lounging purposes, and the chief said that 

 I could cook in a convenient hut. I brought in my be- 

 longings, which included bedding, and in half an hour 



