in
playing billiards.

At table I was seated between Prince Albert of Tahiti and the
canary-coloured King Otoume. 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, and so on; 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; but, on the whole, the entertainment passed off
in a becoming and good-humoured manner.

I subsequently dined with the royal family several times at the
governor's. The queen then appeared in the national costume, with
the coloured pareo and chemise, as did also her husband. Both were
barefoot. The heir apparent, a boy of nine years old, is affianced
to the daughter of a neighbouring 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 to 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 travelled
with his mistress.

Monsieur ---, {78} who let me into the secret, offered to take me
with him to Papara, where he resided; but even he did not travel
alone, as, besides his mis