TAHITI. 7 



selected was a cock, for the Tahitians well understand the difference 

 in value between it and the hens ; and Stephen exhibited much 

 adroitness in the slaying, plucking, and dressing. While this was 

 going on, the stones for the Tahitian oven, so often described by 

 voyagers, were heating, and when they had acquired the proper 

 temperature, the ashes were carefully swept off — bread-fruit, taro, 

 and plantains, wrapped in leaves, were then laid on the stones, with 

 the fowl in the centre, and the whole covered up. In about an hour 

 the oven was carefully opened, the contents exposed, and found to be 

 thoroughly cooked. The dinner was then served in an earthen dish, 

 with a knife and fork, when, although the fowl was somewhat tough, 

 it was greatly relished. The dinner hour was one o'clock. 



Taua, according to the universal opinion of the squadron, did not 

 improve upon a closer acquaintance. His intrusive and greedy dis- 

 position, not to mention his fondness for the bottle, rendered him 

 daily a less welcome visiter than at first. I must, however, do him 

 the justice to say, that if he were wanting in other traits of character 

 that ought to distinguish a chief, he did the honours of his house 

 admirably, and that he must be seen in the capacity of a host, if a 

 favourable opinion is to be formed of his character. 



On the invitation of the Rev. Mr. Wilson, I visited him at the 

 mission-house, and was kindly received. This gentleman is seventy- 

 two years of age, and is the oldest missionary on the island. In spite 

 of his advanced age, he still performs all the duties of his cure. The 

 church and the parsonage are both frame houses. The former, 

 which is neatly built, is capable of containing a large congregation. 

 The Sabbath occurred on Saturday, by our reckoning, and all labour 

 was suspended. I thought the attendance on worship small, com- 

 pared with what I had been led to anticipate. There were less than 

 two hundred persons present, and they did not appear to be as 

 attentive as they had been represented. The women were more 

 numerous than the other sex, and were dressed in a most unbecoming 

 manner. They wore high flaring chip bonnets of their own manu- 

 facture, loose gay-coloured silk frocks, with showy kerchiefs tied 

 around their necks. Nothing can appear more outre, than they do in 

 these habiliments, and I was at a loss to conceive how they could, in 

 particular, have been induced to adopt a covering for the head, which 

 affords no protection from the sun, and is in consequence so ill- 

 adapted to the climate. 



