pposite to them
were piled potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, and all kinds of delicious
fruit. When the Master of the Ceremonies had arranged them all to his
satisfaction, he turned, for the first time, to me, and endeavoured,
with many comical pantomimic gestures, to make me understand that all
were mine. At length the Queen herself appeared, followed by a numerous
train of attendants. She walked first, carrying the little King in her
arms, and holding her daughter, the betrothed of the Prince of Ulietea,
by the hand. After her came her three sisters, all like herself, large
fat women, and then the whole crowd of the Court. The rear was brought
up by a multitude of people of the lower class, bearing viands for the
Royal entertainment, in utensils made of various kinds of gourds. Among
the dainties was a live pig, which squeaking and grunting in
anticipation of its fate, supplied to this orderly procession the
absence of a musical band.

The Queen and her three sisters were wrapped in sheets; and their straw
hats still bore streamers of black crape, as signs of mourning for the
late King. The little Pomareh, a pretty, lively boy, was dressed quite
in the European fashion, in a jacket and trowsers of bombasin; he wore a
round hat, but his feet, like those of all the other Tahaitians, were
bare. They object that any kind of shoe hinders their walking. The
young bride, a handsome girl, as I have before said, was very lightly
clad in a short striped shirt, without any covering on her head. The
giant Yeris who formed the Court, mostly wore white shirts, and round
straw hats with black ribbons.

It was the first time, since the death of her consort, that the Queen
had entered these precincts, and a shower of tears fell from her eyes at
the remembrance of the past. The whole court, as in duty bound, was also
immediately dissolved in grief; but this sorrowful mood did not last
long; their faces gradually cleared up--the Queen dried her tears, and
greeted me kindly. The Master of the Ceremonies then conducted the Royal
Family to the best mats, on which they sat down in the Asiatic fashion.
One of my chairs was placed opposite the Royal Family, and I was invited
to take my seat. In the mean time, the Master of the Ceremonies had
vanished to prepare the repast.

When the Queen, after surveying me from head to foot, had communicated
her remarks and opinions to the company, I requested the interpreter to
thank her, in my name, for