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- roasted bananas. Pipes were then lighted, and a brisk conversation
ensued.
These ladies of the court, if not very polished, were surprisingly free
and easy in their manners; quite as much so as King Charles’s beauties.
There was one of them—an arch little miss, who could converse with us
pretty fluently—to whom we strove to make ourselves particularly
agreeable, with the view of engaging her services as cicerone.
As such, she turned out to be everything we could desire. No one
disputing her will, every place was entered without ceremony, curtains
brushed aside, mats lifted, and each nook and corner explored. Whether
the little damsel carried her mistress’ signet, that everything opened
to her thus, I know not; but Marbonna himself, the bearer of infants,
could not have been half so serviceable.
Among other houses which we visited, was one of large size and fine
exterior; the special residence of a European—formerly the mate of a
merchant vessel,—who had done himself the honour of marrying into the
Pomaree family. The lady he wedded being a near kinswoman of the queen,
he became a permanent member of her majesty’s household. This
adventurer rose late, dressed theatrically in calico and trinkets,
assumed a dictatorial tone in conversation, and was evidently upon
excellent terms with himself.
We found him reclining on a mat, smoking a reed-pipe of tobacco, in the
midst of an admiring circle of chiefs and ladies. He must have noticed
our approach; but instead of rising and offering civilities, he went on
talking and smoking, without even condescending to look at us.
“His Highness feels his ‘poee,’” carelessly observed the doctor. The
rest of the company gave us the ordinary salutation, our guide
announcing us beforehand.
In answer to our earnest requests to see the queen, we were now
conducted to an edifice, by far the most spacious, in the inclosure. It
was at least one hundred and fifty feet in length, very wide, with low
eaves, and an exceedingly steep roof of pandannas leaves. There were
neither doors nor windows—nothing along the sides but the slight posts
supporting the rafters. Between these posts, curtains of fine matting
and tappa were rustling, all round; some of them were festooned, or
partly withdrawn, so as to admit light and air, and afford a glimpse
now and then of what was going on within.
Pushing aside one of the screens, we entered. The apartment was one
immense hall; the long and lofty ridge-pole fluttering with fringed
matting and tassels, full forty feet from the ground. Lounges of mats,
piled one upon another, extended on either side: while here and there
were slight screens, forming as many recesses, where groups of
natives—all females—were reclining at their evening meal.
As we advanced, these various parties ceased their buzzing, and in
explanation of our appearance among them, listened to a few cabalistic
words from our guide.
The whole scene was a strange one; but what most excited our surprise
was the incongruous assemblage of the most costly objects from all
quarters of the globe. Cheek by jowl, they lay beside the rudest native
articles, without the slightest attempt at order. Superb writing-desks
of rosewood, inlaid with silver and mother-of-pearl; decanters and
goblets of cut glass; embossed volumes of plates; gilded candelabra;
sets of globes and mathematical instruments; the finest porcelain;
richly-mounted sabres and fowling-pieces; laced hats and sumptuous
garments of all sorts, with numerous other matters of European
manufacture, were strewn about among greasy calabashes half-filled with
“poee,” rolls of old tappa and matting, paddles and fish-spears, and
the ordinary furniture of a Tahitian dwelling.
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