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_ IT WAS about the middle of the second month of the Hegira, and
therefore some five weeks after our arrival in Partoowye, that we at
last obtained admittance to the residence of the queen.
It happened thus. There was a Marquesan in the train of Pomaree who
officiated as nurse to her children. According to the Tahitian
custom, the royal youngsters are carried about until it requires no
small degree of strength to stand up under them. But Marbonna was
just the man for this--large and muscular, well made as a statue, and
with an arm like a degenerate Tahitian's thigh.
Embarking at his native island as a sailor on board of a French
whaler, he afterward ran away from the ship at Tahiti; where, being
seen and admired by Pomaree, he had been prevailed upon to enlist in
her service.
Often, when visiting the grounds, we saw him walking about in the
shade, carrying two handsome boys, who encircled his neck with their
arms. Marbonna's face, tattooed as it was in the ornate style of his
tribe, was as good as a picture-book to these young Pomarees. They
delighted to trace with their fingers the outlines of the strange
shapes there delineated.
The first time my eyes lighted upon the Marquesan, I knew his country
in a moment; and hailing him in his own language, he turned round,
surprised that a person so speaking should be a stranger. He proved
to be a native of Tior, a glen of Nukuheva. I had visited the place
more than once; and so, on the island of Imeeo, we met like old
friends.
In my frequent conversations with him over the bamboo picket, I found
this islander a philosopher of nature--a wild heathen, moralizing
upon the vices and follies of the Christian court of Tahiti--a
savage, scorning the degeneracy of the people among whom fortune had
thrown him.
I was amazed at the national feelings of the man. No European, when
abroad, could speak of his country with more pride than Marbonna. He
assured me, again and again, that so soon as he had obtained
sufficient money to purchase twenty muskets, and as many bags of
powder, he was going to return to a place with which Imeeo was not
worthy to be compared.
It was Marbonna who, after one or two unsuccessful attempts, at last
brought about our admission into the queen's grounds. Through a
considerable crowd he conducted us along the pier to where an old man
was sitting, to whom he introduced us as a couple of "karhowrees" of
his acquaintance, anxious to see the sights of the palace. The
venerable chamberlain stared at us, and shook his head: the doctor,
thinking he wanted a fee, placed a plug of tobacco in his hand. This
was ingratiating, and we were permitted to pass on. Upon the point of
entering one of the houses, Marbonna's name was shouted in
half-a-dozen different directions, and he was obliged to withdraw.
Thus left at the very threshold to shift for ourselves, my companion's
assurance stood us in good stead. He stalked right in, and I
followed. The place was full of women, who, instead of exhibiting the
surprise we expected, accosted us as cordially as if we had called to
take our Souchong with them by express invitation. In the first
place, nothing would do but we must each devour a calabash of "poee,"
and several 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.
All the articles first mentioned were, doubtless, presents from
foreign powers. They were more or less injured: the fowling-pieces
and swords were rusted; the finest woods were scratched; and a folio
volume of Hogarth lay open, with a cocoa-nut shell of some musty
preparation capsized among the miscellaneous furniture of the Rake's
apartment, where that inconsiderate young gentleman is being measured
for a coat.
While we were amusing ourselves in this museum of curiosities, our
conductor plucked us by the sleeve, and whispered, "Pomaree! Pomaree!
armai kow kow."
"She is coming to sup, then," said the doctor, staring in the
direction indicated. "What say you, Paul, suppose we step up?" Just
then a curtain near by lifted, and from a private building a few
yards distant the queen entered, unattended.
She wore a loose gown of blue silk, with two rich shawls, one red and
the other yellow, tied about her neck. Her royal majesty was
barefooted.
She was about the ordinary size, rather matronly; her features not
very handsome; her mouth, voluptuous; but there was a care-worn
expression in her face, probably attributable to her late
misfortunes. From her appearance, one would judge her about forty;
but she is not so old.
As the queen approached one of the recesses, her attendants hurried
up, escorted her in, and smoothed the mats on which she at last
reclined. Two girls soon appeared, carrying their mistress' repast;
and then, surrounded by cut-glass and porcelain, and jars of
sweetmeats and confections, Pomaree Vahinee I., the titular Queen of
Tahiti, ate fish and "poee" out of her native calabashes, disdaining
either knife or spoon.
"Come on," whispered Long Ghost, "let's have an audience at once;" and
he was on the point of introducing himself, when our guide, quite
alarmed, held him back and implored silence. The other natives also
interfered, and, as he was pressing forward, raised such an outcry
that Pomaree lifted her eyes and saw us for the first.
She seemed surprised and offended, and, issuing an order in a
commanding tone to several of her women, waved us out of the house.
Summary as the dismissal was, court etiquette, no doubt, required our
compliance. We withdrew; making a profound inclination as we
disappeared behind the tappa arras.
We departed the ground without seeing Marbonna; and previous to
vaulting over the picket, feed our pretty guide after a fashion of
our own. Looking round a few moments after, we saw the damsel
escorted back by two men, who seemed to have been sent after her. I
trust she received nothing more than a reprimand.
The next day Po-Po informed us that strict orders had been issued to
admit no strangers within the palace precincts. _
Read next: PART II: CHAPTER LXXXII. WHICH ENDS THE BOOK
Read previous: PART II: CHAPTER LXXX. QUEEN POMAREE
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