cradlewithwhichtheFrenchagentofpolicesoreadilysecuresaprisoner。Butwhetherphysicalormoral，tortureiscertainlyemployed；andbyabarbarousinjustice，thestateofaccusationinwhichamanmayverywellbeinnocentlyplacedispositivelypainful；thestateofconvictioninwhichallaresupposedguilty
　　iscomparativelyfree，andpositivelypleasant。Perhapsworsestill，-notonlytheaccused，butsometimeshiswife，hismistress，orhisfriend，issubjectedtothesamehardships。Iwasadmiring，inthetapusystem，theingenuityofnativemethodsofdetection；thereisnotmuchtoadmireinthoseoftheFrench，andtolockupatimidchildinadarkroom，and，ifheprovedobstinate，lockuphissisterinthenext，isneithernovelnorhumane。
　　Themainoccasionofthesetheftsisthenewviceofopium-eating。
　　’Herenobodyeverworks，andalleatopium，’saidagendarme；andAhFuknewawomanwhoateadollar’sworthinaday。Thesuccessfulthiefwillgiveahandfulofmoneytoeachofhisfriends，adresstoawoman，passaneveninginoneofthetavernsofTai-o-hae，duringwhichhetreatsallcomers，produceabiglumpofopium，andretiretothebushtoeatandsleepitoff。A
　　trader，whodidnotsellopium，confessedtomethathewasathiswit’send。’Idonotsellit，butothersdo，’saidhe。’Thenativesonlyworktobuyit；iftheywalkovertometoselltheircotton，theyhavejusttowalkovertosomeoneelsetobuytheiropiumwithmymoney。Andwhyshouldtheybeatthebotheroftwowalks?Thereisnousetalking，’headded-’opiumisthecurrencyofthiscountry。’
　　ThemanunderpreventionduringmystayatTai-o-haelostpatiencewhiletheChineseopium-sellerwasbeingexaminedinhispresence。
　　’Ofcoursehesoldmeopium！’hebrokeout；’alltheChineseheresellopium。ItwasonlytobuyopiumthatIstole；itisonlytobuyopiumthatanybodysteals。Andwhatyououghttodoistoletnoopiumcomehere，andnoChinamen。’ThisispreciselywhatisdoneinSamoabyanativeGovernment；buttheFrenchhaveboundtheirownhands，andforfortythousandfrancssoldnativesubjectstocrimeanddeath。Thishorridtrafficmaybesaidtohavesprungupbyaccident。ItwasCaptainHartwhohadthemisfortunetobethemeansofbeginningit，atatimewhenhisplantationsflourishedintheMarquesas，andhefoundadifficultyinkeepingChinesecoolies。To-daytheplantationsarepracticallydesertedandtheChinesegone；butinthemeanwhilethenativeshavelearnedthevice，thepatentbringsinaroundsum，andtheneedyGovernmentatPapeeteshuttheireyesandopentheirpockets。Ofcourse，thepatenteeissupposedtoselltoChinamenalone；equallyofcourse，noonecouldaffordtopayfortythousandfrancsfortheprivilegeofsupplyingascatteredhandfulofChinese；andeveryoneknowsthetruth，andal-KanbaAPp点com-lareashamedofit。Frenchofficialsshaketheirheadswhenopiumismentioned；andtheagentsofthefarmerblushfortheiremployment。Thosethatliveinglasshousesshouldnotthrowstones；asasubjectoftheBritishcrown，Iamanunwillingshareholderinthelargestopiumbusinessunderheaven。
　　ButtheBritishcaseishighlycomplicated；itimpliesthelivelihoodofmillions；andmustbereformed，whenitcanbereformedatall，withprudence。ThisFrenchbusiness，ontheotherhand，isanostrumandamereexcrescence。Nonativeindustrywastobeencouraged：thepoisonissolemnlyimported。Nonativehabitwastobeconsidered：thevicehasbeengratuitouslyintroduced。Andnocreatureprofits，savetheGovernmentatPapeete-thenotveryenviablegentlemenwhopaythem，andtheChineseunderlingswhodothedirtywork。
　　CHAPTERIX-THEHOUSEOFTEMOANA
　　THEhistoryoftheMarquesasis，oflateyears，muchconfusedbythecomingandgoingoftheFrench。Atleasttwicetheyhaveseizedthearchipelago，atleastoncedesertedit；andinthemeanwhilethenativespursuedalmostwithoutinterruptiontheirdesultorycannibalwars。Throughtheseeventsandchangingdynasties，asingleconsiderablefiguremaybeseentomove：thatofthehighchief，aking，Temoana。Oddsandendsofhishistorycametomyears：howhewasatfirstaconverttotheProtestantmission；howhewaskidnappedorexiledfromhisnativeland，servedascookaboardawhaler，andwasshown，forsmallcharge，inEnglishseaports；howhereturnedatlasttotheMarquesas，fellunderthestrongandbenigninfluenceofthelatebishop，extendedhisinfluenceinthegroup，wasforawhilejointrulerwiththeprelate，anddiedatlastthechiefsupporterofCatholicismandtheFrench。HiswidowremainsinreceiptoftwopoundsamonthfromtheFrenchGovernment。Queensheisusuallycalled，butintheofficialalmanacshefiguresas’MADAMEVAEKEHU，GRANDE
　　CHEFESSE。’Hissonnaturaloradoptive，Iknownotwhich，StanislaoMoanatini，chiefofAkaui，servesinTai-o-haeasakindofMinisterofPublicWorks；andthedaughterofStanislaoisHighChiefessofthesouthernislandofTauata。These，then，arethegreatestfolkofthearchipelago；wethoughtthemalsothemostestimable。ThisistheruleinPolynesia，withfewexceptions；thehigherthefamily，thebettertheman-betterinsense，betterinmanners，andusuallytallerandstrongerinbody。Astrangeradvancesblindfold。Hescrapesacquaintanceashecan。SavethetattoointheMarquesas，nothingindicatesthedifferenceofrank；
　　andyetalmostinvariablywefound，afterwehadmadethem，thatourfriendswerepersonsofstation。Ihavesaid’usuallytallerandstronger。’Imighthavebeenmoreabsolute，-overallPolynesia，andapartofMicronesia，theruleholdsgood；thegreatonesoftheisle，andevenofthevillage，aregreaterofboneandmuscle，andoftenheavierofflesh，thananycommoner。Theusualexplanation-thatthehigh-bornchildismoreindustriouslyshampooed，isprobablythetrueone。InNewCaledonia，atleast，wherethedifferencedoesnotexist，hasneverbeenremarked，thepracticeofshampooingseemstobeitselfunknown。Doctorswouldbewellemployedinastudyofthepoint。
　　VaekehulivesattheotherendofthetownfromtheResidency，beyondthebuildingsofthemission。HerhouseisontheEuropeanplan：atableinthemidstofthechiefroom；photographsandreligiouspicturesonthewall。Itcommandstoeitherhandacharmingvista：throughthefrontdoor，apeepofgreenlawn，scurryingpigs，thependentfansofthecoco-palmandsplendouroftheburstingsurf：throughtheback，mountingforestgladesandcoronalsofprecipice。Here，inthestrongthorough-draught，HerMajestyreceivedusinasimplegownofprint，andwithnomarkofroyaltybuttheexquisitefinishofhertattooedmittens，theelaborationofhermanners，andthegentlefalsettoinwhichallthehighlyrefinedamongMarquesanladiesandVaekehuaboveallothersdelighttosingtheirlanguage。Anadopteddaughterinterpreted，whilewegavethenews，andrehearsedbynameourfriendsofAnaho。Aswetalked，wecouldsee，throughthelandwarddoor，anotherladyofthehouseholdathertoiletunderthegreentrees；whopresently，whenherhairwasarranged，andherhatwreathedwithflowers，appeareduponthebackverandahwithgracioussalutations。
　　Vaekehuisverydeaf；’MERCI’isheronlywordofFrench；andIdonotknowthatsheseemedclever。Anexquisite，kindrefinement，withashadeofquietism，gatheredperhapsfromthenuns，waswhatchieflystruckus。Orrather，uponthatfirstoccasion，wewereconsciousofasenseasofdistrict-visitingonourpart，andreducedevangelicalgentilityonthepartofourhostess。Theotherimpressionfollowedaftershewasmoreatease，andcamewithStanislaoandhislittlegirltodineonboardtheCASCO。Shehaddressedfortheoccasion：worewhite，whichverywellbecameherstrongbrownface；andsatamongus，eatingorsmokinghercigarette，quitecutofffromallsociety，oronlynowandthenincludedthroughtheintermediaryofherson。Itwasapositionthatmighthavebeenridiculous，andshemadeitornamental；makingbelievetohearandtobeentertained；herface，whenevershemetoureyes，lightingwiththesmileofgoodsociety；hercontributionstothetalk，whenshemadeany，andthatwasseldom，alwayscomplimentaryandpleasing。Noattentionwaspaidtothechild，forinstance，butwhatsheremarkedandthankedusfor。Herpartingwitheach，whenshecametoleave，wasgraciousandpretty，ashadbeeneverystepofherbehaviour。WhenMrs。Stevensonheldoutherhandtosaygood-bye，Vaekehutookit，heldit，andamomentsmileduponher；droppedit，andthen，asuponakindlyafter-thought，andwithasortofwarmthofcondescension，heldoutbothhandsandkissedmywifeuponbothcheeks。Giventhesamerelationofyearsandofrank，thethingwouldhavebeensodoneontheboardsoftheCOMEDIEFRANCAISE；justsomightMadameBrohanhavewarmedandcondescendedtoMadameBroisatintheMARQUISDE
　　VILLEMER。Itwasmyparttoaccompanyourguestsashore：whenI
　　kissedthelittlegirlgood-byeatthepiersteps，Vaekehugaveacryofgratification，reacheddownherhandintotheboat，tookmine，andpresseditwiththatflatteringsoftnesswhichseemsthecoquetryoftheoldladyineveryquarteroftheearth。ThenextmomentshehadtakenStanislao’sarm，andtheymovedoffalongthepierinthemoonlight，leavingmebewildered。Thiswasaqueenofcannibals；shewastattooedfromhandtofoot，andperhapsthegreatestmasterpieceofthatartnowextant，sothatawhileago，beforeshewasgrownprim，herlegwasoneofthesightsofTai-o-
　　hae；shehadbeenpassedfromchieftochief；shehadbeenfoughtforandtakeninwar；perhaps，beingsogreatalady，shehadsatonthehighplace，andthroneditthere，aloneofhersex，whilethedrumsweregoingtwentystrongandthepriestscarrieduptheblood-stainedbasketsoflong-pig。Andnowbeholdher，outofthatpastofviolenceandsickeningfeasts，stepforth，inherage，aquiet，smooth，elaborateoldlady，suchasyoumightfindathomemittenedalso，butnotoftensowell-manneredinascoreofcountryhouses。OnlyVaekehu’smittenswereofdye，notofsilk；
　　andtheyhadbeenpaidfor，notinmoney，butthecookedfleshofmen。Itcameinmymindwithaclap，whatshecouldthinkofitherself，andwhetheratheart，perhaps，shemightnotregretandaspireafterthebarbarousandstirringpast。ButwhenIaskedStanislao-’Ah！’saidhe，’sheiscontent；sheisreligious，shepassesallherdayswiththesisters。’
　　StanislaoStanislaos，withthefinalconsonantevadedafterthePolynesianhabitwassentbyBishopDordillontoSouthAmerica，andthereeducatedbythefathers。HisFrenchisfluent，histalksensibleandspirited，andinhiscapacityofganger-in-chief，heisofexcellentservicetotheFrench。Withtheprestigeofhisnameandfamily，andwiththestickwhenneedful，hekeepsthenativesworkingandtheroadspassable。WithoutStanislaoandtheconvicts，IamindoubtwhatwouldbecomeofthepresentregimeninNuka-hiva；whetherthehighwaysmightnotbesufferedtocloseup，thepiertowashaway，andtheResidencytofallpiecemealabouttheearsofimpotentofficials。Andyetthoughthehereditaryfavourer，andoneofthechiefpropsofFrenchauthority，hehasalwaysaneyeuponthepast。Heshowedmewheretheoldpublicplacehadstood，stilltobetracedbyrandompilesofstone；toldmehowgreatandfineitwas，andsurroundedonallsidesbypopuloushouses，whence，atthebeatingofthedrums，thefolkcrowdedtomakeholiday。Thedrum-beatofthePolynesianhasastrangeandgloomystimulationforthenervesofall。Whitepersonsfeelit-attheseprecipitatesoundstheirheartsbeatfaster；and，accordingtooldresidents，itseffectonthenativeswasextreme。BishopDordillonmightentreat；Temoanahimselfcommandandthreaten；atthenoteofthedrumwildinstinctstriumphed。Andnowitmightbeatupontheseruins，andwhoshouldassemble?Thehousesaredown，thepeopledead，theirlineageextinct；andthesweepingsandfugitivesofdistantbaysandislandsencampupontheirgraves。ThedeclineofthedanceStanislaoespeciallylaments。’CHAQUEPAYSASESCOUTUMES，’saidhe；butinthereportofanygendarme，perhapscorruptlyeagertoincreasethenumberofDELITSandtheinstrumentsofhisownpower，customaftercustomisplacedontheexpurgatorialindex。’TENEZ，UNEDANSEQUIN’ESTPASPERMISE，’saidStanislao：’JENESAISPAS