74 ISLAND OF TAHITI. 



in them, and these, if we may be allowed to judge from their 

 behavior, were not the most chaste. They wore a loose 

 dress resembling a night-gown, and had their hair decorated 

 with a profusion of flowers. The Tahitian women are very 

 fond of flowers, but the use of them in dress has been dis- 

 couraged by the resident missionaries, who have declared that 

 such vanities are unbecoming Christians. Consequently, when 

 'they are to appear before their teachers, they dispense with 

 this simple and harmless ornament. 



The governor of the district of Matavai, Taua, called on 

 us at an early moment. He came alongside in a whale-boat, 

 and it was soon found that his visit was not one of mere cere- 

 mony, but was intended to engage our washing, a business 

 which is monopolized by the chiefs. He is a large, fine-looking 

 man, about 45 years of age. He was dressed in a striped 

 cotton-shirt, nankeen pantaloons, and a round jacket of blue 

 cloth. He has a large establishment near Point Venus, and 

 he invited the officers to come there whenever they visited the 

 shore. 



About dusk some dozen women, of a character similar to 

 those above alluded to, came alongside, and applied for per- 

 mission to come on board, but finding their request could not 

 be granted they returned to the shore again. Several of these 

 females were certainly not more than twelve or thirteen years 

 of age. Were all visitors to act in like manner, these de- 

 praved females would not be so numerous as they are at 

 present ; but, I regret to say, that the opposite course is usu- 

 ally pursued. It is due to the missionaries to state such facts, 

 for they certainly add very much to their other difficulties, in 

 trying to improve the moral and religious condition of the 

 natives. Who will deny that bad example may not prove 

 even more potent than the most wholesome teachings 1 



