THE SOCIETY ISLANDS 
515 
women, and children alike enjoy and suffer. The orange 
has been for these people as the forbidden fruit of the 
garden of Eden—the tree of good and of evil. 
In the Society Islands, as in many other places in the 
Pacific, are to be found a number of buildings which 
testify to the existence in former times of a people of a 
higher development. They are generally in the form of 
terraces or platforms, placed in elevated spots, and formed 
of hewn blocks of stone which are often of great size. In 
the centre is placed a sort of massive altar. A very 
large building of this kind exists at Papawa in Tahiti. 
From a base measuring 270 feet by 94 feet rise ten 
steps or terraces, each about 6 feet in height. The 
object of these morais , as they are termed, is not very 
clear. They were in many cases no doubt of a monu¬ 
mental, if not sepulchral, nature; but sacrifices were 
apparently offered upon them in some instances, and it 
seems that they also served on occasion as forts or 
strongholds. 
The natives themselves only cultivate sufficient to 
supply their daily wants, and sell the surplus produce of 
their orange and coco-nut groves; but on the southern 
side of the island, in the district of Atimano, a large 
plantation belonging to an English company was estab¬ 
lished some years ago. It possessed 10,000 acres of rich 
land, and imported 1600 Chinese coolies to cultivate it. 
The forest was cleared away, and the land planted with 
sugar-cane, cotton, and coffee, while broad roads bordered 
with plantains and fruit-trees traversed it in every direc¬ 
tion. The establishment of this gigantic farm formed a 
small town picturesquely situated near the sea, and the 
undertaking promised to be very successful, but reckless 
speculations caused its failure, and the land now lies waste. 
Attempts have been made by the French authorities to 
