44 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Photograph by Ralph Stock 



TAHITI AN BEAUTIES IN A TARO PATCH 



It is from the rootstock of this plant that one of the staple foods of the Pacific Islands 

 is made. The fermented paste is known in Hawaii as poi. In temperate regions taro is our 

 ornamental caladinm or "elephant's ear." 



"What! in that thing?" remarked Mr. 

 Mumpus. 



I was smitten to silence for a space. 



"I heard you were making - pearls,'' I 

 told him on regaining something of my 

 equanimity, "and thought you might be 

 SO good as to tell me about it." 



For some reason, probably the appear- 

 ance of myself or my ship, Mr. Mumpus 

 took pity on me. 



"a pearl is a DISEASE oi" the oyster" 



"Come H]) to the house," he barked, 

 and led the way to a rambling erection 

 of corrugated iron and palm leaves con- 

 taining, as far as I could make out, a 



gaping "boy" of uncertain origin, some 

 empty soap boxes, and a microscope. 



"There's nothing new in what I'm do- 

 ing here," he told me over two brimming 

 shells of coconut milk, "nothing that the 

 Chinese have not been doing for centu- 

 ries. The pearl is a disease of the oys- 

 ter ; introduce the disease and you will 

 get a pearl." 



"Quite," said I. 



"No one has succeeded up to the pres- 

 ent," continued Mr. Mumpus, "but there 

 is no reason why it should not be done in 

 time, no reason at all. I am appreciably 

 nearer than I was a year ago, for in- 

 stance. In the meantime I am producing 



