Christianity. They called themselves Protestants;
but, of the faith they professed they
knew nothing but the name. Before entering
the house of prayer they all divested themselves
of their floral ornaments, with which
they again decorated themselves on departing.
Some of the women wore black satin blouses;
others, who were resolved on being particularly
fine, appeared in bonnets—gay creations
of Parisian millinery, of a fashion which had
been obsolete for at least half-a-dozen years.
It is impossible to conceive the ludicrous
effect produced by the broad, flat faces of
these Tahitian belles, under their fantastically
shaped bonnets.

Whilst the psalms were being sung, an
air of devotion pervaded the congregation,
many of whom joined in the singing with
tolerable correctness; but during the delivery
of the sermon, the clergyman was listened to
with the utmost indifference. The children
were engaged in playing, quarrelling, and
eating; and of the grown-up portions of the
assembly, those who were not gossipping
were sound asleep. I was assured that most
of the natives are able to read, and that
many of them can write; but, during worship
in the church, I saw only two individuals
(aged men) make use of their bibles.

The Tahitians are tall in stature, and
strongly made. Men of six feet high are by
no means uncommon. The women are like-
wise tall, and, in general, very stout. The
men are decidedly handsomer than the
women. Both sexes are alike remarkable for
beautiful white teeth, and fine dark eyes;
all have very large mouths, thick lips, and
broad, flat noses; the latter are so highly
admired, that, as soon as an infant is born,
it is customary to press down the cartilages
of the nose, in order to give to the feature
the broad, flat form which is an indispensable
condition of Tahitian beauty. Both men and
women have long black hair, which hangs
down their backs in one or two thick plaits.
The complexion of these islanders is copper
colour. Nearly all of them are tattooed on
the lower limbs; but the hands, feet, and all
other parts of the body are free of these
ornaments. The figures employed in this
tattooing, chiefly arabesques, are frequently
executed with much artistic taste.

The Governor of Tahiti, M. Bruat, made
arrangements for some grand public festivities
on the 1st of May, in honour of the fête of
Louis Philippe. In the forenoon, a sham
sea-fight was got up under the superintendence
of the sailors belonging to the French
ships in the port. This being ended, the
spectators adjourned to a meadow to witness
feats of agility, exhibited by some of the
natives in climbing a Maypole. At the
summit of this pole coloured handkerchiefs
and other trifles were the prizes won, to those
who were lucky enough to reach them. At
noon the principal native chiefs were invited
to a grand feast prepared for them on the
lawn fronting the Governor's house. The
banquet consisted of salt meat, bacon, bread,
roasted pigs, and fruit of various kinds. But
the guests, instead of sitting down, as was
expected they would, to partake of the
delicacies provided for them, divided the
whole into portions, and each carried his
share home with him.  In the evening there
were fire-works, illuminations, and a ball.

I was present at this ball, and was vastly
amused and interested. The assembled
company exhibited the most ludicrous contrasts
of art and nature. Elegant Parisian
ladies were seated, side by side, with coarse,
swarthy, native females; and French staff
officers, in full uniform, might be seen holding
conversation with half-naked Indians. Several
of the natives, desirous of making a partcularly
elegant appearance on this occasion,
wore loose white trousers; others had no
other clothing than the pareo and the loose
shirt over it. One of the chiefs, arrayed in
this costume, was a most pitiable object; he
was perfectly crippled by elephantiasis.

On the occasion of this ball I saw Queen
Pomare for the first time. Her figure is tall
and stout, but very well formed. She is
thirty-six years of age, but fresh and blooming;
and I have observed that the women of
Tahiti retain their youthful appearance to a
more advanced period of life than the women
of other warm climates. The countenance of
Queen Pomare is pleasing, and is almost continually
animated by a good-humoured smile.
She wore a robe of azure-blue satin, made
very full, and somewhat in the form of a
blouse. It was trimmed with rich black
blonde, set on in double rows. In her ears
she wore sprigs of jasmin, and a profusion of
flowers were wreathed in her hair. In her
hand she held a beautifully-worked cambric
handkerchief, trimmed with very rich broad
lace. On that evening she wore stockings
and shoes; but Her Majesty, on ordinary
occasions, goes bare-footed. I was informed
that the dress worn by Queen Pomare at this
ball was a present from King Louis Philippe.

The Queen's Consort, who is somewhat
younger than herself, is exceedingly hand-
some. The French have surnamed him
"Prince Albert of Tahiti," not only on account
of his good looks, but because, like Prince
Albert in England, he is not the King
regnant. At the ball he appeared in the
uniform of a French general officer, and wore
it with tolerable grace.

Besides Queen Pomare and her Consort,
there was another royal personage in the
company. This was King Otoume, the
sovereign of one of the neighbouring islands.
He was dressed in the most comical style
imaginable. He wore a pair of white trousers
very wide and short. Over his other garments
was a kind of surtout, made of cotton of a
bright canary colour. It had evidently been
made in imitation of a European coat; but
its shape and style of fitting proclaimed it to