2 73 
Love and Marriage in Polynesia. 
girl’s family admitted his visits and favoured 
his designs, but the object of his choice declined 
every proposal he made. No means to gain 
her consent were left untried, but all proved 
unavailing. He discontinued his ordinary 
avocations, left the establishment of the young 
prince who had selected him for his friend more 
than his servant, and repaired to the habitation 
of the girl he was so anxious to obtain. Here 
he appeared subject to the deepest melancholy, 
and, leaving the other members of the family to 
follow their regular pursuits, from morning to 
night, day after day, he attended his mistress, 
performing humiliating offices with apparent 
satisfaction, and constantly following in her 
train whenever she appeared abroad. His 
friends interested themselves in his behalf, 
and the disappointment of which he was 
subject became for a time the topic of general 
conversation in the settlement among natives 
and whites alike. At length the young lady 
was induced to accept his offer. They were 
publicly married, and there being nothing of 
the New Woman about this Polynesian beauty, 
lived very happily together. Their married 
life, however, was but of short duration, for 
19 
