a very noble figure of a man
appear upon the margin of a thicket and stroll nonchalantly near. The
nonchalance was visibly affected; it was plain that he came there to
arouse attention, and his success was instant. He was introduced; he was
civil, he was obliging, he was always ineffably superior and certain of
himself; a well-graced actor. It was presently suggested that he should
appear in his war costume; he gracefully consented; and returned in that
strange, inappropriate, and ill-omened array (which very well became
his handsome person) to strut in a circle of admirers, and be
thenceforth the centre of photography. Thus had Moipu effected his
introduction, as by accident, to the white strangers, made it a favour
to display his finery, and reduced his rival to a secondary _role_ on
the theatre of the disputed village. Paaaeua felt the blow; and, with a
spirit we never dreamed he could possess, asserted his priority. It was
found impossible that day to get a photograph of Moipu alone; for
whenever he stood up before the camera his successor placed himself
unbidden by his side, and gently but firmly held to his position. The
portraits of the pair, Jacob and Esau, standing shoulder to shoulder,
one in his careful European dress, one in his barbaric trappings, figure
the past and present of their island. A graveyard with its humble
crosses would be the aptest symbol of the future.

We are all impressed with the belief that Moipu had planned his campaign
from the beginning to the end. It is certain that he lost no time in
pushing his advantage. Mr. Osbourne was inveigled to his house; various
gifts were fished out of an old sea-chest; Father Orens was called into
service as interpreter, and Moipu formally proposed to "make brothers"
with Mata-Galahi--Glass-Eyes,--the not very euphonious name under which
Mr. Osbourne passed in the Marquesas. The feast of brotherhood took
place on board the _Casco_. Paaaeua had arrived with his family, like a
plain man; and his presents, which had been numerous, had followed one
another, at intervals through several days. Moipu, as if to mark at
every point the opposition, came with a certain feudal pomp, attended by
retainers bearing gifts of all descriptions, from plumes of old men's
beard to little, pious, Catholic engravings.

I had met the man before this in the village, and detested him on sight;
there was something indescribably raffish in his looks and ways that
raised my gorge; a