81. CHAPTER LXXXI.
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 every thing 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 every thing 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 honor
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 rose-wood, inlaid
with silver and mother-of-pearl; decanters and goblets of cut
glass; embossed volumes of plates; gilded candelabras; 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! aramai 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 etiquet, no
doubt, required our compliance. We withdrew; making a profound
inclination as we disappeared behind the tappa arras.
We departed the grounds 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.
