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TAHITI THE ISLAND PARADISE
TAHITI THE ISLAND PARADISE
When the Almighty Architect of the universe created the earth we inhabit, He manifested His wisdom, goodness and foresight in adapting, in a most admirable manner, the soil, climate, and animal and vegetable life for the habitation of man, the supreme work of creation. By the gradual and progressive geographical distribution of man over the surface of the earth, he has become habituated to diverse climates and environments, and has found conditions most congenial to his comfort and the immediate
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THE ISLAND OF TAHITI
THE ISLAND OF TAHITI
I had heard much of the natural beauty of this far-off island and its interesting inhabitants, and decided to spend my midwinter vacation in 1904 in paying it a visit. Formerly the passage from San Francisco had to be made by a schooner, and required several months. For the last four years the island has been made readily accessible by a regular steamer service. The staunch steamer, Mariposa , of the Oceanic Steamship Company of San Francisco, sails from that port every thirty-six days, makes th
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OCEAN VOYAGE
OCEAN VOYAGE
But even here in the most peaceful part of the Pacific, when angered by the fury of a heavy squall, a diminutive storm agitates the waters into foam-crested waves, which, for a short time at least, impart to the ship an intoxicated gait. The effect of sun, moon and starlight on the smooth, undulating, heaving, billowing, tossing, storm-beaten surface of the ocean, is marvelous. When all is quiet, and the passenger is only conscious of the vibratory movements imparted to the ship by the ceaseless
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THE ATOLL ISLANDS
THE ATOLL ISLANDS
As we left the atolls behind us and neared Tahiti, we could see more clearly the outlines of the rugged island, disrobed, by this time, of its vestments of clouds. From a distance, the carpet of green which extends from its base to near the summit of the highest peaks is varied here and there by patches of red volcanic earth, thus adding to the picturesqueness of the scene. What at first appears as a greensward on the shore, on nearer view discloses itself as a broad fringe of cocoa-palms, exten
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THE LANDING AT PAPEETE
THE LANDING AT PAPEETE
Papeete is the capital of Tahiti, the seat of government of the entire archipelago, and the principal commercial city of the French possessions in Oceanica. It is a typical city of the South Sea world, as it is viewed from the deck of the steamer and while walking or riding along its narrow, crooked streets. From the harbor, little can be seen of its buildings, except the spire of the cathedral and the low steeples of two Protestant churches, the low tower of the governor's palace, formerly the
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THE CITY OF PAPEETE
THE CITY OF PAPEETE
The city is well supplied with pure water from a mountain stream, but lacks a system of sewerage. The gardens and grounds of the best residences of the foreigners present an exquisite display of flowers that flourish best in the tropic soil, under the invigorating rays of the tropic sun, and the soothing effects of the frequent showers of rain, which are not limited to any particular season of the year. Papeete, like all cities in the equatorial region, is a city of supreme idleness and freedom
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TOPOGRAPHY OF THE ISLAND
TOPOGRAPHY OF THE ISLAND
Let us see how Captain Cook was impressed with Tahiti when he first cast his eyes upon this gem of the Pacific: Tahiti is the same to-day as when Captain Cook visited it for the first time. The only decided changes which have taken place since are the building up of the capital city Papeete, and the construction of the ninety-mile drive. The beauty of the island has been maintained because the natives have preserved the magnificent primeval forests. Strip Tahiti of its forests and it will be mad
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THE CLIMATE
THE CLIMATE
History is the witness of the times, the torch of truth, the life of memory, the teacher of life, the messenger of antiquity. CICERO. It was my privilege during my brief stay in Tahiti to meet Tati Salmon, chief of the Papara district. He is a direct descendant of one of the two noble families of the island, the Tevas, and one of the most prominent and influential citizens of the island. I asked him to what race the Tahitians belonged. To this question he had a ready reply. He said: "We belong t
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HISTORY OF THE ISLAND
HISTORY OF THE ISLAND
The legend proves that the natives regarded Vaiari as the source of their aristocracy. Papara makes the same claim, for when Vari mataauhoe left Hototu he said to her: "You will bear me a child; if a girl, she will belong to you and take your name; but if a boy, you are to call him Teva; rain and wind will accompany his birth, and to whatever spot he goes, rain and wind will always foretell his coming. He is of the race of Ariirahi, and you are to build him a Marae which you are to call Matava (
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POMARE, THE ROYAL FAMILY OF TAHITI
POMARE, THE ROYAL FAMILY OF TAHITI
History shows that Tetua was not the only fighting woman in Tahiti, as at different times, in tribal wars, it was not uncommon for women to take an active part, and in more than one instance the leading part. On great occasions it is almost always women who have given the strongest proofs of virtue and devotion; the reason is, that with men, good and bad qualities are in general the result of calculation, whilst in women they are impulses, springing from the heart. COUNT MONTHOLON. Lieutenant Bl
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MISSIONARY RULE
MISSIONARY RULE
The Duff sailed for England August 14, 1797, leaving the missionaries to the mercies of rival factions, and they soon ascertained that Pomare and Tu were on anything but friendly terms. The missionaries had faith in Pomare, who chose one of them by the name of Cover as a brother. Temarii chose another by the name of Main. These two missionaries went to Papara August 15th, at the suggestion of the influential native priest, Manne Manne, to remonstrate against a human sacrifice which was to be mad
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WARS BETWEEN PROTESTANT AND CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES
WARS BETWEEN PROTESTANT AND CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES
The constant unrest of the islanders caused by outside interference provoked frequent rebellions, for "general rebellions and revolts of an whole people never were encouraged, now or at any time; they are always provoked." The two priests, bent upon a humane mission, who, by their presence in Tahiti, without any fault of their own, incurred the enmity of the Protestant missionaries, were the direct cause of French intervention which resulted in the protectorate and later annexation of the island
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THE LAST WAR
THE LAST WAR
She was intensely patriotic and had no fear of the results of her daring mission. She was very popular with the natives and well known to the French authorities, which aided her very much in formulating and carrying out her plans. She had no time to lose, as the decisive attack on her countrymen had been ordered and was to take place the next day. She called on Bruaat, the governor of the island, with the determined intention to end the war. He granted her twenty-four hours to accomplish her tas
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THE NATIVES
THE NATIVES
Much has been said about the beauty of some of the women of the South Sea Islands, but I am sure I do them no injustice if I say that these descriptions are overdrawn by sentimental writers and do not correspond, when put to the test of comparison, with the reality. When young, there is something fascinating about the women, imparted by the luxurious jet-black hair, the large black eyes as they gaze at the strangers With a smile that is childlike and bland. FRANCIS BRET HARTE. Beauty and youth a
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FOREIGNERS IN TAHITI
FOREIGNERS IN TAHITI
On February 16, 1878, a great storm overflooded the island and our American, who spent a whole night in the crown of a cocoanut tree, lost everything. Only five thousand cocoanut trees were left on the whole island. A man-of-war came from Tahiti three days later and ministered to the urgent needs of the survivors. The inhabitants of this little island suffer frequently from malaria and grippe. The latter disease returns regularly almost every year. Of the remaining diseases, diarrhea and dysente
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BUSINESS IN TAHITI
BUSINESS IN TAHITI
What will not length of time be able to change? CLAUDIANUS. Tahiti is exceedingly interesting to-day, but how much more so must it have been to Captain Wallis and his crew, who first set their eyes on this gem of the Pacific! When the Dolphin came in sight of this beautiful island that never before had been seen by a white man, we can readily imagine officers and crew straining their eyes to see first its rugged outlines, and later the details of the wonderful landscapes. Under the blue sky and
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OLD TAHITI
OLD TAHITI
As they approached nearer and saw the natural wealth of the island and its happy inhabitants basking in the sunshine, eating what Nature had provided for them without care or toil on their part, they must have come to the unavoidable conclusion that they at last had found a land where There was a never-ending spring, and flowers unsown were kissed by the warm western breeze. Then the unploughed land gave forth corn, and the ground, year after year, was white with full ears of grain. Rivers of mi
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RELIGION OF THE NATIVES
RELIGION OF THE NATIVES
The temples of the Tahitians were the maraes, enclosures of stones, where the offerings were rendered, and on certain occasions human beings were sacrificed. The largest marae ever built in Tahiti is located at Papara and the ruins of it remain to-day. At the time of Captain Cook's visit there were numerous maraes all over the island, which served as places of worship, sacrifice and burial. The supreme chief of the whole island was always housed in a marae and after his death the marae was appro
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THE INSIGNIA OF TAHITIAN ROYALTY
THE INSIGNIA OF TAHITIAN ROYALTY
Before the Europeans came to Tahiti, the beautiful little island was a sanatorium. The natives were temperate, frugal in their habits, subsisting almost exclusively on fish, fruit and vegetables, and lived practically an outdoor life even in their bamboo huts. They were unencumbered by useless clothing and spent, as they do now, much of their time in sea and fresh-water bathing. They were almost exempt from acute destructive diseases. They were free from the most fatal of acute contagious and in
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DISEASES OF TAHITI
DISEASES OF TAHITI
These are strong words, but they are nevertheless only too true. Civilization brings to savage races curses as well as blessings. The primitive people are more receptive of new vices than new virtues. In 1880 the number of inhabitants had again increased to thirteen thousand five hundred, but since that time it has been reduced to eleven thousand, as shown by the last census. When Captain Cook visited the island he emphasized particularly the absence of acute diseases. In speaking of chronic dis
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PRESENT PREVAILING DISEASES
PRESENT PREVAILING DISEASES
The wickedness of a few brings calamity on all. PUBLIUS SYRUS. The length of time the disease has existed among the natives has established a certain degree of tolerance or immunity, as it pursues a comparatively mild course, as I found very few instances of the ravages of the remote results of syphilis. I saw only one case of saddle nose, caused by tertiary syphilis. Leprosy is not as prevalent as in the Hawaiian Islands, but isolated cases are found in nearly all the islands belonging to this
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THE KAHUNA OR NATIVE DOCTOR
THE KAHUNA OR NATIVE DOCTOR
Massage as a remedial agent in the treatment of disease originated in the Orient, and the Tahitians were familiar with it and frequently made use of it. On this subject Captain Cook can speak from personal experience. During his stay in Tahiti in 1777 he suffered evidently from a severe attack of sciatica, the pain extending from the hip to the toes. King Otoo's mother, his three sisters and eight more women came on his ship one evening for the purpose of giving him treatment and remained all ni
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PHYSICIANS IN TAHITI
PHYSICIANS IN TAHITI
The military hospital at Papeete is the only one in the French colonial possession of the Society Islands, numbering one hundred and sixty-eight islands and containing thirty thousand inhabitants, of whom eleven thousand live in Tahiti. As some of these islands are more than one hundred miles apart, it is somewhat strange that the French government has not taken earlier action in establishing small cottage hospitals in a number of the larger islands, as in case of severe injuries or sudden illne
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HÔPITAL MILITAIRE
HÔPITAL MILITAIRE
O Christ! it is a goodly sight to see What heaven hath done for this delicious land. BYRON. The wealth of Tahiti is on its surface. Its mountains are not pregnant with precious metals nor has nature stored up in their interior material for fuel and illumination, as none of these are needful to make the people content and happy. The Tahitian has no desire to accumulate wealth; the warm rays of the sun reduce the use of fuel to a minimum, and the millions of glittering stars and the soft silvery l
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THE ISLAND OF PLENTY
THE ISLAND OF PLENTY
Tahiti's fabulous wealth consists in its inexhaustible soil and the perennial warm, stimulating breath of the tropic sun. It is the island of never-fading verdure and vigorous and never-ceasing vegetation. The fertile soil, the abundant rainfall throughout the year, the warm sunshine and the equable climate are most conducive to plant-life and here these conditions are so harmonious that there can be no failure of crops in the Lord's plantation. There never has been a famine in Tahiti, and there
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TAHITI'S NATURAL BREAD SUPPLY
TAHITI'S NATURAL BREAD SUPPLY
Arrowroot or Arru Root .—The commercial arrowroot is prepared from different starch-yielding roots, but the bulb of the Maranta marantaceæ produces more starch and of a better quality than any of the others. It is a native of the West Indies and South America, and is cultivated quite extensively in Tahiti. Many little patches of this plant may be seen along the road from Papeete to Papara, where the lowland soil is well adapted for its cultivation. The starch-producing plant which is cultivated
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THE COCOANUT, THE MEAT OF THE TAHITIANS
THE COCOANUT, THE MEAT OF THE TAHITIANS
By degrees man passes to the enjoyments of a vicious life, porticoes, baths and elegant banquets; this by the ignorant was called a civilized mode of living, though in reality it was only a form of luxury. TACTICUS. No such mistakes are made by the natives of Tahiti as long as they remain true to their ancient manner of living. With few exceptions, indeed, they lack the means of imitating the foreigners in living a life of luxury. Any native who departs too far from the simple, natural life of h
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THE COCOA-PALM
THE COCOA-PALM
It is meat, drink and cloth to us. RABELAIS. Fruits of palm-tree, pleasantest to thirst And hunger both. MILTON. This noble tree grows and fructifies where hard manual labor is incompatible with the climate, in islands and countries where the natives have to rely largely on the bounteous resources of nature for food and protection. The burning shores of India and the islands of the South Pacific are the natural homes of the cocoa-palm. It has a special predilection for the sandy beach of Tahiti
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THE FORESTS OF TAHITI
THE FORESTS OF TAHITI
The forest in the tropics has no rest. From one end of the year to the other, it appears the same. There is no general disrobing at the bidding of an uncompromising, stern winter. There are no arctic chills to suffer and no burden of snow to brave. Most of the trees are evergreen, and the few that imitate the example of their kind in the North by an annual change of their leaves, perform this task almost imperceptibly. There are no bald crowns and bare arms. Spring, summer and autumn mingle thro
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NOTED FOREST TREES OF TAHITI
NOTED FOREST TREES OF TAHITI
The cultivation of the aromatic vanilla-bean is one of the principal industries of Tahiti. The bean grows luxuriantly in the shady forests in the lowlands along the coast, and requires but little care. The climate and soil of Tahiti are specially adapted to the cultivation of the vanilla-bean, as the very best quality is grown here. The Vanilla aromatica is a genus of parasitic Orchidaceæ , a native of tropic parts of America and Asia, which springs at first from the ground and climbs with twini
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VANILLA CULTIVATION IN TAHITI
VANILLA CULTIVATION IN TAHITI
Papeete is not the place to study the natives, their habits and customs, as European influence and example have here largely effaced the simplicity and charms of native life. The rural districts are the places for the tourist to get glimpses of real native life. He will find there the best specimens of natives, and an opportunity to study their primitive methods of living. There is no other island of similar size where the traveler will find it so easy to visit all of the rural districts and vil
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THE RURAL DISTRICTS
THE RURAL DISTRICTS
We see the naked mountain-peaks and the bare backs of the foot-hills. Rock-ribbed, and ancient as the sun. BRYANT. We pass through magnificent groves of cocoa-palms, and now the road leads through a primeval forest with an impenetrable jungle on its floor, where The winds within the quiv'ring branches play'd, And dancing trees a mournful music made. DRYDEN. We pass through or near the quaint native villages peopled with naked children, scantily dressed women, and men whose only garment consists
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POINT VENUS
POINT VENUS
Matavai Bay, which the road follows for a considerable distance, is a beautiful sheet of water. It was in this bay that the ships of the early voyagers found a resting-place, and where on its shore the first white men touched the soil of Tahiti and came face to face with a people who had never heard of a world outside of the islands of the Pacific. The scenery all along this drive is truly tropical. The floral wealth is great and its variety endless. It was on this drive I found the passion-flow
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FAUTAHUA VALLEY
FAUTAHUA VALLEY
The village of Papara, the largest in the island, has been the acknowledged stronghold of the Tevas for centuries. Here the powerful chiefs of the clan have ruled their subjects with an inborn sense of justice until their jurisdiction and, power were curtailed by foreign intervention. For a long time the ruling house of the Tevas dominated the social and political life of the island. It was at Papara that the largest and most imposing marae was built, consisting of a huge pile of stones in the f
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VILLAGE OF PAPARA
VILLAGE OF PAPARA
TAHITIAN CANOE WITH OUTRIGGER As the carriage emerges from the dark shades of the forest into the dazzling sunlight in full view of the near-by ocean again. The winds, with wonder whist, Smoothly the waters kiss'd, Whispering new joys to the mild ocean. MILTON. Every turn of the wheel on this winding road brings new delights. The views of mountains and ocean, the strange trees and flowers, the childlike natives and their dusky, naked children, the quaint villages, the turbulent mountain streams
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IORANA!
IORANA!
TAHITI The waves that touch thy pebbly beach The scented breezes winging past The brilliant flowers, the glowing fruits, All, all are singing one sweet song, The sunset brush that tints thy skies The birds that fill thy woodland haunts The sparkling streams meandering through All, all are breathing one sweet song. The twilight hour that floods the soul Then gives us to the Queen of Night, The still lagoon with coral reefs All, all are breathing one sweet song. O Isle of Beauty! poets may Or soar
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ADDENDA
ADDENDA
The birds that fill thy woodland haunts The sparkling streams meandering through All, all are breathing one sweet song. The twilight hour that floods the soul Then gives us to the Queen of Night, The still lagoon with coral reefs O Isle of Beauty! poets may Or soar aloft on Fancy's wings But they can never voice thy charms, Whose very air is perfumed with O Isle of Beauty! artists may To lay upon the canvas wide But till they borrow heaven's power The task is vain, O Land of Peace, Where man kno
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