6 TAHITI. 



ture, and Captain Hudson, with his officers, succeeded in measuring 

 the height of Aorai, the peak which is next in height to Orohena. 

 This he found to be 6979 feet ; and as Orohena appeared to be about 

 1500 feet higher, the height of the latter peak may be set down as 

 about 8500 feet above the level of the sea. From these two peaks, 

 ridges diverge to all parts of the coast, throwing off spurs as they 

 descend. These ridges are precipitous, and for the most part narrow. 

 In many instances their summit is a mere edge, making walking 

 upon them not only dangerous, but often impossible. 



Soon after my arrival, I was visited by S. R. Blackler, Esq., our 

 consul, who resides at Papieti, distant eight miles from Matavai. 

 The resident missionaries, with Mr. Pritchard, Her Britannic Ma- 

 jesty's acting consul, and Mr. Mouremhout, the French consul, also 

 favoured me with a visit, as did several other persons, who all ex- 

 pressed their desire of being serviceable to us. 



The governor of the district of Matavai, Taua, was the first ac- 

 quaintance of any distinction that we made. He had already visited 

 the Vincennes on her anchoring. He is a fine-looking man, of huge 

 proportions, and has a large establishment near Point Venus, where 

 he monopolized nearly all the washing, which was performed by his 

 numerous dependents. By this business he derives some remune- 

 ration for the cost of feeding and clothing them, putting the gains of 

 their labour into his own pocket. Such, at least, is his own account 

 of the transaction. 



Taua's usual dress was a striped cotton shirt, nankeen pantaloons 

 that had once been yellow, and a round jacket of blue cloth. Both 

 shirt and pantaloons were too tight, and he had neither suspenders 

 nor stockings, although he wore shoes. In this guise he had an 

 awkward look, which he probably wo\ild not have exhibited in a 

 native costume. 



He was profuse in offers of hospitality at his own house, and 

 many of the officers were induced to accept his invitations. His 

 entertainments appear to have been of the same general character 

 with that to which I was treated, and which will, therefore, serve as 

 a specimen of the mode in which such things are done by the "good 

 society" of Tahiti. 



We reached his dwelling in time to see the preparations for the 

 feast. These were entrusted to his man of all work, Stephen, or 

 as he called him, " Stiffin." This useful personage exhibited his 

 dexterity, not only in cooking, but in killing the poultry. The bird 



