Chapter 10
VII. THE VOYAGE FROM VALPARAISO TO CANTON VIA TAHITI. PART I. DEPARCHURE FROM VALPARAISO. Tahiti.
Manners and customs of the people. Fat and ball in honor of Luis Philippe. Excursions. A Tahitian dinner. The Lake Vajirija.
The Defile of Fanatua and the Diadem. Departure. Arrival in China. On the 17th of March, Captain Van Vecurianse sent me word that his ship was ready for sea, and that he should set sail the next morning.
The news was very unwelcome to me, as for the last two days I had been suffering from English cholera, which on board ship, where the patient cannot procure meat broth or any other light nourishment, and where he is always more exposed to the sudden changes of the weather than he is on shore, is very apt to be attended with grave results. I did not, however, wish to miss the opportunity of visiting China, knowing how rarely it occurred,
nor was I desirous of losing the two hundred dollars, forty pounds, already paid for my passage, and I therefore went on board, trusting in my good luck, which had never forsaken me on my travels. During the first few days I endeavored to master my illness by observing a strict diet, and abstaining from almost everything, but to no purpose.
I still continued to suffer, until I luckily thought of using saltwater buffs. I took them in a large tub, in which I remained a quarter of an hour. After the second bath I felt much better, and after the sixth I was completely recovered. I merely mention this malady, to which I was very subject in warm climates, that I may have the opportunity of remarking that sea-baths or cooling drinks, such as buttermilk, sourmilk,
sherbet, orange-yard, etc., are very efficacious remedies. The ship in which I made my present voyage was the Dutch bark Lootpuit, a fine, strong vessel, quite remarkable for its cleanliness. The table was pretty good, too, with the exception of a few Dutch dishes and the superfluity of onions.
To these, which played a prominent part in everything that was served up, I could not accustom myself, and felt greatly delighted that a large quantity of this noble production of the vegetable kingdom became spoiled during the voyage. The captain was a polite and kind man, and the maids and sailors were also civil and obliging.
In fact, as a general rule, in every ship that I embarked in I was far from finding the seamen so rough and uncivil as travellers often represent them to be. Their manners are certainly not the most polished in the world, neither are they extraordinarily attentive or delicate, but their hearts and dispositions are mostly good. After three days sailing, we saw on the 21st of March the island of St. Felix and on the
morning following St. Ambrosio. They both consist of naked, inhospitable masses of rock and serve at most as resting places for a few gals. We were now within the tropics, but found the heat greatly moderated by the trade winds, and only unbearable in the cabin.
For nearly a month did we now sail on without the slightest interruption, free from storms, with the same monotonous prospect of sky and water before us, until, on the 19th of April, we reached the archipelago of the Society Islands. This archipelago, stretching from 130 degrees to 140 degrees longitude, is very dangerous, as most of the islands composing it scarcely rise above the surface of the water.
In fact, to make out David Clarke's island, which was only 12 miles distant, the captain was obliged to mount to the shrouds. During the night on the 21st to the 22nd of April we were overtaken by a sudden and violent storm accompanied by heavy thunder. This storm our captain termed a thunder-gust.
While it lasted, flashes of lightning frequently played around the mast tops, occasioned by electricity. They generally flatter for two or three minutes about the most elevated point of any object and then disappear. The night of the 22nd to the 23rd of April was a very dangerous one, even the captain
said so. We had to pass several of the low islands in dark rainy weather, which completely concealed the moon from us. About midnight our position was rendered worse by the springing up of a strong wind, which, together with incessant flashes of lightning, caused us to expect another squall.
Luckily, however, morning broke, and we escaped both the storm and the islands. In the course of the day we passed the Baes Islands, and two days later, on the 25th of April, we beheld one of the society islands, Maitea. On the following morning, being the 39th of our voyage, we came in sight of Tahiti and the island opposite to it, Emao, also called Moreo.
The entrance into Papeiti, the port of Tahiti, is exceedingly dangerous. It is surrounded by reefs of coral as by a fortress, while wild and foaming breakers, rolling on every side, leave but a small place open through which a vessel can steer. A pilot came out to meet us, and although the wind was so unfavourable that the sails had to be trimmed every instant, steered us safely into port.
Afterwards, when we had landed, we were congratulated heartily on our good fortune. The shipman had watched our course with the greatest anxiety, and at the last turn the ship took, expected to see her strike upon a coral reef. This misfortune had happened to a Frenchman of war, that at the period of our arrival had been lying at anchor for some months, engaged in repairing the damage done.
Before we could come to an anchor, we were surrounded by half a dozen pirogues, or boats, manned by Indians, who climbed up from all sides upon the deck to offer us fruit and shellfish, but not as formerly for red rags or glass beads. Such golden times for travellers are over. They demanded money, and were as grasping and cunning in their dealings as the most
civilised Europeans. I offered one of them a small bronze ring. He took it, smelt it, shook his head, and gave me to understand that it was not gold. He remarked another ring on my finger, and seizing hold of my hand, smelt this second ring as well, then twisted his face into a friendly smile, and made signs for me to give
him the ornament in question. I afterwards had frequent opportunities of remarking that the natives of these islands have the power of distinguishing between pure and counterfeit gold by the smell. Some years ago, the island of Tahiti was under the protection of the English, but at present it is under that of the French.
It had long been a subject of dispute between the two nations, until a friendly understanding was at last come to in November 1846. Queen Pomare, who had fled to another island, had returned to Papeiti five weeks before my arrival. She resides in a four-roomed house, and dines daily with her family at the governor's table.
The French government is having a handsome house built for her use, and allows her a pension of 25,000 francs per annum, 141 pounds, 13 shillings, 4 pence. No stranger is allowed to visit her without the governor's permission, but this is easily obtained. Papeiti was full of French troops, and several men of war were lying at anchor.
The place contains three or four thousand inhabitants, and consists of a row of small wooden houses, skirting the harbour, and separated by small gardens. In the immediate background is a fine wood, with a number of huts scattered about in the different parts of it. The principal buildings are the governor's house, the French magazines, the military
bakehouse, the barracks, and the queen's house, which however is not quite completed. Besides these, a number of small wooden houses were in the course of erection, the want of them being greatly felt. At the time of my visit, even officers of high rank were obliged to be contented with the most wretched huts.
I went from hut to hut, in the hopes of being able to obtain some small room or other, but in vain. All were already occupied. I was at last obliged to be satisfied with a small piece of ground, which I found at the carpenters, whose room was already inhabited by four different individuals.
I was shown a place behind the door, exactly six feet long and four broad. There was no flooring but the earth itself. The walls were composed of wicker work. The bed was quite out of the question, and yet for this accommodation I was obliged to pay one flooring and thirty cruisers a week, about seven shillings.
The residence or hut of an Indian consists simply of a roof of palm trees, supported on a number of poles with sometimes the addition of walls formed of wicker works. Each hut contains only one room, from twenty to fifty feet long and from ten to thirty feet broad, and is frequently occupied by several families at the same time. The furniture is composed of finely woven straw mats, a few overlids, and two or three
wooden chests and stools. The last, however, are reckoned articles of luxury. Cooking utensils are not wanted, as the cookery of the Indians does not include soups or sauces, their provisions being simply roasted between two hot stones. All they require is a knife and a cocoa shell for water.
Before their huts or on the shore lie their pirogues, formed of the trunks of trees hollowed out and so narrow, small and shallow that they would constantly be overturning if there were not on one side five or six sticks, each about a foot long, fastened by a crossbar to preserve the equilibrium. In spite of this, however, one of these boats is very easily upset unless a person steps
in very cautiously. Then on one occasion I proceeded in a pirogue to the ship. The good-hearted captain was horror-struck and in his concern for my safety even reprimanded me severely and besought me not to repeat the experiment a second time. The costume of the Indians has been, since the first settlement of the missionaries,
about fifty years ago, tolerably becoming, especially in the neighbourhood of Papeiti. Both men and women wear round their loins a kind of apron, made of coloured stuff, and called a pareo. The women let it fall as low down as their ankles, the men not farther than the calf of their leg.
The latter have a short coloured skirt underneath it, and again beneath that large flowing trousers. The women wear a long full blouse. Both sexes wear flowers in their ears, which have such large holes bored in them that the stalk can very easily be drawn through. The women, both old and young, adorn themselves with garlands of leaves and flowers which
they make in the most artistic and elegant manner. I have often seen men, too, wearing the same kind of ornament. On grand occasions they cast over their ordinary dress an upper garment called a tiputa, the cloth of which they manufacture themselves from the bark of the bread and cocoa trees. The bark, while it is still tender, is beaten between two stones until it is as thin as
paper. It is then coloured yellow and brown. One Sunday I went into the meeting house to see the people assembled there. Note. All the Indians are Christians, Protestants, but I fear only in name.
End of note. Before entering they all laid aside their flowers, with which they again ornamented themselves at their departure. Some of the women had black satin blouses on, and European bonnets of an exceedingly ancient date.
It would not be easy to find a more ugly sight than that of their plump, heavy heads and faces in these old-fashioned bonnets. During the singing of the Psalms there was some degree of attention, and many of the congregation joined in very becomingly. But while the clergyman was performing the service I could not remark the slightest degree
of devotion in many of them. The children played, joked and ate, while the adults gossiped or slept. And although I was assured that many could read and even write, I saw only two old men who made any use of their Bibles. The men are a remarkably strong and vigorous race, six feet being by no means an uncommon
height amongst them. The women likewise are very tall, but too muscular. They might even be termed unwieldy. The features of the men are handsomer than those of the women. They have beautiful teeth and fine dark eyes, but generally a large mouth, thick lips and
an ugly nose, the cartilage being slightly crushed when the child is born so that the nose becomes flat and broad. This fashion appears to be most popular with the females, for their noses are the ugliest. Their hair is jet black and thick, but coarse. The women and girls usually wear it plaited in two knots.
The colour of their skin is a copper brown. All the natives are tattooed, generally from the hips half down the legs, and frequently this mode of ornamenting themselves is extended to the hands, feet and other parts of the body. The designs resemble arabesques.
They are regular and artistic in their composition and executed with much taste. That the population of this place should be so vigorous and well formed is the most surprising if we reflect on their depraved and immoral kind of life. Little girls of seven or eight years old have their lovers of twelve or fourteen, and their parents are quite proud of the fact.
The more lovers a girl has, the more she is respected. As long as she is not married, she leads a most dissolute life, and it is said that not all the married women make the most faithful wives possible. I had frequent opportunities of seeing the national dances, which are the most unbecoming I ever beheld, although every painter would envy me my good fortune.
Let the reader picture to himself a grove of splendid palms and other gigantic trees of the torrid zone, with a number of open huts and a crowd of good-humoured islanders assembled beneath to greet in their fashion the lovely evening, which is fast approaching. Before one of the huts a circle is formed, and in the centre sit two herculean and half-naked natives, beating time most vigorously on small drums.
Five similar colossi are seated before them, moving the upper parts of their bodies in the most horrible and violent manner, and more especially the arms, hands and fingers, the latter they have the power of moving in every separate joint. I imagine that by these gestures they desired to represent how they pursue their enemy, ridicule his cowardice, rejoice at their victory and so forth.
During all this time they howl continually in a most discordant manner and make the most hideous faces. At the commencement the men appear alone upon the scene of action, but after a short time two female forms dart forward from among the spectators and dance and rave like two maniacs. The more unbecoming, bold and indecent their gestures, the greater the applause.
The whole affair does not at most last longer than two minutes, and the pause before another dance is commenced not much longer. An evening's amusement of this description often lasts for hours. The younger members of this society very seldom take any part in the dances. It is a great question whether the immorality of these islanders has been lessened by French
civilization. From my own observations, as well as from what I was told by persons well informed on the subject, I should say that this has not yet been the case, and that for the present there is but little hope of its being so, while on the other side the natives have acquired a number of useless wants, in consequence of which the greed for gold has been fearfully
awakened in their breasts. As they are naturally very lazy, and above all things disinclined to work, they have made the female portion of the community the means of gaining money. Parents, brothers and even husbands offer to their foreign masters those belonging to them, while the women themselves offer no opposition, as in this manner they can obtain
the means for their own display and money for their relations without trouble. Every officer's house is the rendezvous of several native beauties who go out and in at every hour of the day. Even abroad they are not particular. They will accompany any man without the least hesitation, and no gentleman ever refuses
a conductress of this description. As a female of an advanced age, I may be allowed to make a few observations upon such a state of things, and I frankly own that, although I have travelled much and seen a great deal, I have never witnessed such shameful scenes of public depravity. As a proof of what I assert, I will mention a little affair which happened one day before
my hut. Four fat graces were squatted on the ground, smoking tobacco, when an officer, who happened to be passing, caught a glimpse of the charming picture, rushed up at double-quick pace and caught hold of one of the beauties by the shoulder. He began by speaking softly to her, but as his anger increased, he changed his tone to
one of loud abuse. But neither entreaties nor threats produced the slightest effect upon the delicate creature to whom they were addressed. She remained coolly in the same position, continuing to smoke with the greatest indifference, and without deigning even to cast upon her excited swan a look, far less answer him a
word. He became enraged to such a pitch that he so far forgot himself as to loosen the gold earrings from her ear and threatened to take away all the finery he had given her. Even this was not sufficient to rouse the girl from her stoiled calmness, and the valiant officer was at last obliged to retreat from the field of battle.
From his conversation, which was half in French and half in the native dialect, I learned that in three months the girl had cost him about four hundred francs in dress and jewellery. Her wishes were satisfied, and she quietly refused to have anything more to say to him. I very often heard the feeling, attachment and kindness of these people spoken of in terms of high praise, with which, however, I cannot unreservedly agree.
Their kindness I will not precisely dispute. They readily invite a stranger to share their hospitality and even kill a pig in his honour, give him a part of their couch, etc. But all this caused them no trouble, and if they are offered money in return, they take it eagerly enough, without so much as thanking the donor.
As for feeling and attachment, I should almost be inclined to deny that they possessed them in the slightest degree. I saw only sensuality and none of the nobler sentiments. I shall return to this subject when describing my journey through the islands. On the 1st of May I witnessed a highly interesting scene.
It was the fete of Louis Philippe, the King of the French, and the governor, Monsieur Bruin, exerted himself to the utmost to amuse the population of Tahiti. In the forenoon there was a tournament on the water, in which the French sailors were the performers. The boats with lasty horsemen put out to sea.
In the bows of each boat was a kind of ladder or steps on which stood one of the combatants with a pole. The boats were then pulled close to one another, and each combatant endeavoured to push his antagonist into the water. Besides this, there was a mat de cocagni, with coloured shirts, ribbons and other trifles
fluttering at the top, for whoever chose to climb up and get them. At 12 o'clock the chiefs and principal personages were entertained at dinner. On the grass plot before the governor's house were heaped up various sorts of provisions, such as salt meat, bacon, bread, baked pork, fruits, etc. But instead of the guests taking their places all around, as we had supposed they would
have done, the chiefs divided everything into different portions and each carried his share home. In the evening there were fireworks and a ball. No part of the entertainment amused me more than the ball, where I witnessed the most startling contrasts of art and nature.
Elegant French women, side by side with their brown, awkward sisters and the staff officers in full uniform, in juxtaposition with the half-naked islanders. Many of the natives wore on this occasion broad white trousers, with a skirt over them, but there were others who had no other garments than the ordinary short shirt and the pareo. One of the chiefs who appeared in this costume and was afflicted with elephantiasis offered
a most repulsive spectacle. Note Elephantiasis in this country generally shows itself in defeat and extends up as far as the calves of the legs. These portions of the body, when so affected, are greatly swollen and covered with scruff and blotches, so that they really might be taken for those of an elephant.
End of note. This evening I saw Queen Pomare for the first time. She is a woman of thirty-six years of age, tall and stout, but tolerably well preserved. As a general rule, I found that the women here fade much less quickly than in other warm climates.
Her face is far from ugly, and there is a most good-natured expression round her mouth and the lower portion of her face. She was enveloped in a sky-blue satin gown, or rather sort of blouse, ornamented all round with two rows of rich black blonde. She wore large jasmine blossoms in her ears and a wreath of flowers in her hair, while
in her hand she carried a fine pocket handkerchief, beautifully embroidered and ornamented with broad lace. In honor of the evening, she had forced her feet into shoes and stockings, though on other occasions she went barefoot. The entire costume was a present from the King of the French.
The Queen's husband, who is younger than herself, is the handsomest man in Tahiti. The French jokingly call him the Prince Albert of Tahiti, not only on account of his good looks, but because, like Prince Albert in England, he is not named the King, but simply the Queen's consort. He had on the uniform of a French general, which became him very well, the more so that
he was not in the least embarrassed in it. The only drawback were his feet, which were very ugly and awkward. Besides these two high personages, there was in the company another crowned head, namely King Otoume, the owner of one of the neighboring islands. He presented a most comical appearance, having put on, over a pair of full but short white
trousers, a bright yellow calico coat, that most certainly had not been made by a Parisian artist, for it was a perfect model of what a coat ought not to be. The monarch was barefoot. The Queen's ladies of honor, four in number, as well as the most of the wives and daughters of the chiefs, were dressed in white muslin.
They had also flowers in their ears and garlands in their hair. Their behavior and deportment were surprising, and three of the young ladies actually danced French quadrilles with the officers without making a fault in the figures. I was only anxious for their feet, as no one save the royal couple wore either shoes or stockings. Some of the old women had arrayed themselves in European bonnets, while the young ones
brought their children, even the youngest, with them, and, to quiet the latter, suckled them without ceremony before the company. Before supper was announced, the Queen disappeared in an adjoining room to smoke a cigar or two, while her husband passed the time in playing billiards. At table I was seated between Prince Albert of Tahiti and the canary-colored King Otume.
They were both sufficiently advanced in the rules of good breeding to show me the usual civilities, that is, to fill my glass with water or wine, to hand me the various dishes, but it was evident that they were at great trouble to catch the tone of European society. Some of the guests, however, forgot their parts now and then. The Queen, for instance, asked, during the dessert, for a second plate, which she filled
with sweetmeats, and ordered to be put on one side for her to take home with her. Others had to be prevented from indulging too much in the generous champagne, and on the whole the entertainment passed off in a becoming and good-humored manner. I subsequently dined with the royal family several times at the governor's. The Queen then appeared in the national costume, with the colored pario and chemise, as did
also her husband. Both were barefoot. The heir apparent, a boy of nine years old, is a fiancée to the daughter of a neighboring king. The bride, who is a few years older than the Prince, is being educated at the court of
Queen Pomare and instructed in the Christian religion and the English and Tahitian languages. The arrangements of the Queen's residence are exceedingly simple. For the present, until the stone house which is being built for her by the French government is completed, she lives in a wooden one, containing four rooms, and partly furnished with European furniture.
As peace was now declared in Tahiti, there was no obstacle in my making a journey through the whole island. I had obtained a fortnight's leave of absence from the captain, and was desirous of devoting this time to a trip. I imagined that I should have been able to join one or other of the officers, who are
often obliged to journey through the island on affairs connected with the government. To my great surprise, I found, however, that they had all some extraordinary reason why it was impossible for me to accompany them at that particular time. I was at a loss to account for this incivility, until one of the officers themselves told me the answer to the riddle, which was this.
Every gentleman always traveled with his mistress. Monsieur Blanc, who led me into this secret, offered to take me with him to Papara, where he resided, but even he did not travel alone, as, besides his mistress, Tati, the principal chief of the island and his family, accompanied him. Note, I purposefully abstain from mentioning the names of any of the gentlemen in Tahiti,
a piece of reserve which I think entitles me to their thanks. This chief had come to Papayiti to be present at the Fed of 1st of May. On the 4th of May we put off to sea in a boat, for the purpose of coasting round to Papara, 42 miles distant. I found chief Tati to be a lively old man, nearly 90 years of age, who remembered perfectly
the second landing of the celebrated circumnavigator of the globe, Captain Cook. His father was, at that period, the principal chief and had concluded a friendly alliance with Cook and, according to the custom then prevalent at Tahiti, had changed names with him. Tati enjoys from the French government a yearly pension of 6,000 francs, 240 pounds, which after his death will fall to his eldest son.
He had with him his young wife and five of his sons. The former was 23 years old and the ages of the latter varied from 12 to 18. The children were all the offspring of other marriages, this being his fifth wife. As we had not left Papayiti till nearly noon and as the sun set soon after 6 o'clock and the passage between the numberless rocks is highly dangerous, we landed at Paya, 22 miles,
where a sixth son of Tati's ruled as chief. The island is intersected in all directions by noble mountains, the loftiest of which, the Oroena, is 6,200 feet high. In the middle of the island the mountains separate and a most remarkable mass of rock raises itself from the midst of them.
It has the form of a diadem with a number of points and it is to this circumstance that it owes its name. Around the mountain range winds a forest girdle, from four to six hundred paces broad. It is inhabited and contains the most delicious fruit. Nowhere did I ever eat such breadfruit, mangoes, oranges and guavas as I did here.
As for coconuts, the natives are so extravagant with them that they generally merely drink the water they contain and then throw away the shell and the fruit. In the mountains and ravines there are a great quantity of plantains, a kind of banana, which are not commonly eaten, however, without being roasted. The huts of the natives lie scattered here and there along the shore.
It is very seldom that a dozen of these huts are seen together. The breadfruit is somewhat similar in shape to a watermelon and weighs from four to six pounds. The outside is green and rather rough and thin. The natives scrape it with mussel shells and then slip the fruit up long ways into two
portions which they roast between two heated stones. The taste is delicious, it is finer than that of potatoes and so like bread that the latter may be dispensed with without any inconvenience. The South Sea Islands are the real home of the fruit. It is true that it grows in other parts of the tropics, but it is very different from
that produced here. In Brazil, for instance, where the people call it monkey's bread, it weighs from five to thirty pounds and is full inside of kernels which are taken out and eaten when the fruit is roasted. These kernels taste like chestnuts.
The mango is a fruit resembling an apple and of the size of man's fist. Both the rind and the fruit itself are yellow. It tastes a little like turpentine, but loses this taste more and more the riper it gets. This fruit is of the best description. It is full and juicy and has a long, broad kernel in the middle.
The bread and mango trees grow to a great height and circumference. The leaves of the former are about three feet long, a foot and a half broad and deeply serrated, while those of the latter are not much larger than the leaves of our own apple trees. End of section 10.
