404 TAHITI. [cHaP. XVIII. 
into the feeling of admiration. The little winding- paths, cool 
frgm the surrounding shade, led to the scattered houses; the 
owners of which every where gave us a cheerful and most hos- 
pitable reception. 
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 savage; and an intelligence 
which shows that they are advancing in civilization. The com- 
mon people, when working, keep the upper part of their bodies 
quite naked ; and it is then that the Tahitians are seen to advan- 
tage. 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 and natural to the eye of an 
European than his own colour. A white man bathing by the 
side of a Tahitian, was 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 ornaments 
follow the curvature of the body so gracefully, that they have a 
very elegant effect. One common pattern, varying in its details, 
is somewhat like the crown of a palm-tree. It springs from the 
central line of the back, and gracefully curls round both sides. 
The simile may be a fanciful one, but I thought the body ofa 
man thus ornamented was like the trunk of a noble tree embraced 
by a delicate creeper. 
Many of the elder people had their feet covered with small 
figures, so placed as to resemble a sock. This fashion, however, 
is partly gone by, and has been succeeded by others. Here, al- 
though fashion is far from immutable, every one must abide by 
that prevailing in his youth. Ari old man has thus his age for 
ever stamped on his body, and he cannot assume the airs of a 
young dandy. The women are tattooed in the same manner as 
the men, and very commonly on their fingers. One unbecoming 
fashion is now almost universal: namely, shaving the hair from 
the upper part of the head, ina circular form, so as to leave 
only an outer ring. The missionaries have tried to persuade the 
people to change this habit; but it is the fashion, and that is a 
sufficient answer at Tahiti, as well as at Paris. I was much dis- 
appointed in the personal appearance of the women: they are far 
inferior in every respect tou the men. The custom of wearing a 
