440 
TAHITI 
CHAP. 
the murderous battles of former times, the survivors on the 
conquered side retired into the mountains, where a handful 
of men could resist a multitude. Certainly half a dozen men, 
at the spot where the Tahitian reared the old tree, could easily 
have repulsed thousands. Secondly, that after the introduction 
of Christianity, there were wild men who lived in the moun¬ 
tains, and whose retreats were unknown to the more civilised 
inhabitants. 
November 20 th .—-In the morning we started early, and 
reached Matavai at noon. On the road we met a large party 
of noble athletic men, going for wild bananas. I found that 
the ship, on account of the difficulty in watering, had moved 
to the harbour of Papawa, to which place I immediately 
walked. This is a very pretty spot. The cove is surrounded 
by reefs, and the water as smooth as in a lake. The cultivated 
ground, with its beautiful productions, interspersed with cottages, 
comes close down to the water’s edge. 
From the varying accounts which I had read before 
reaching these islands, I was very anxious to form, from my 
own observation, a judgment of their moral state,—although 
such judgment would necessarily be very imperfect. First 
impressions at all times very much depend on one’s previously- 
acquired ideas. My notions were drawn from Ellis’s Polynesian 
Researches —an admirable and most interesting work, but 
naturally looking at everything under a favourable point of 
view ; from Beechey’s Voyage; and from that of Kotzebue, 
which is strongly adverse to the whole missionary system. 
He who compares these three accounts will, I think, form a 
tolerably accurate conception of the present state of Tahiti. 
One of my impressions, which I took from the two last 
authorities, was decidedly incorrect ; viz. that the Tahitians 
had become a gloomy race, and lived in fear of the missionaries. 
Of the latter feeling I saw no trace, unless, indeed, fear and 
respect be confounded under one name. Instead of discontent 
being a common feeling, it would be difficult in Europe to 
pick out of a crowd half so many merry and happy faces. 
The prohibition of the flute and dancing is inveighed against 
as wrong and foolish ;—the more than presbyterian manner 
of keeping the Sabbath is looked at in a similar light. On 
