Every reader of Cook's Voyages must remember "Otto," who, in that navigator's time, was king of the larger peninsula of Tahiti. Subsequently, assisted by the muskets1 of the Bounty's men, he extended his rule over the entire island. This Otto, before his death, had his name changed into Pomaree, which has ever since been the royal patronymic.
He was succeeded by his son, Pomaree II., the most famous prince in the annals of Tahiti. Though a sad debauchee and drunkard, and even charged with unnatural2 crimes, he was a great friend of the missionaries3, and one of their very first proselytes. During the religious wars into which he was hurried by his zeal4 for the new faith, he was defeated and expelled from the island. After a short exile he returned from Imeeo, with an army of eight hundred warriors5, and in the battle of Narii routed the rebellious6 pagans with great slaughter7, and reestablished himself upon the throne. Thus, by force of arms, was Christianity finally triumphant8 in Tahiti.
Pomaree II., dying in 1821, was succeeded by his infant son, under the title of Pomaree III. This young prince survived his father but six years; and the government then descended9 to his elder sister, Aimata, the present queen, who is commonly called Pomaree Vahinee I., or the first female Pomaree. Her majesty10 must be now upwards11 of thirty years of age. She has been twice married. Her first husband was a son of the old King of Tahar, an island about one hundred miles from Tahiti. This proving an unhappy alliance, the pair were soon afterwards divorced. The present husband of the queen is a chief of Imeeo.
The reputation of Pomaree is not what it ought to be. She, and also her mother, were, for a long time, excommunicated members of the Church; and the former, I believe, still is. Among other things, her conjugal13 fidelity14 is far from being unquestioned. Indeed, it was upon this ground chiefly that she was excluded from the communion of the Church.
Previous to her misfortunes she spent the greater portion of her time sailing about from one island to another, attended by a licentious15 court; and wherever she went all manner of games and festivities celebrated16 her arrival.
She was always given to display. For several years the maintenance of a regiment17 of household troops drew largely upon the royal exchequer18. They were trouserless fellows, in a uniform of calico shirts and pasteboard hats; armed with muskets of all shapes and calibres, and commanded by a great noisy chief, strutting19 it in a coat of fiery20 red. These heroes escorted their mistress whenever she went abroad.
Some time ago, the queen received from her English sister, Victoria, a very showy, though uneasy, head-dress—a crown; probably made to order at some tinman's in London. Having no idea of reserving so pretty a bauble21 for coronation days, which come so seldom, her majesty sported it whenever she appeared in public; and, to show her familiarity with European customs, politely touched it to all foreigners of distinction—whaling captains, and the like—whom she happened to meet in her evening walk on the Broom Road.
The arrival and departure of royalty22 were always announced at the palace by the court artilleryman—a fat old gentleman who, in a prodigious23 hurry and perspiration24, discharged minute fowling-pieces as fast as he could load and fire the same.
The Tahitian princess leads her husband a hard life. Poor fellow! he not only caught a queen, but a Tartar, when he married her. The style by which he is addressed is rather significant—"Pomaree-Tanee" (Pomaree's man). All things considered, as appropriate a title for a king-consort as could be hit upon.
If ever there were a henpecked husband, that man is the prince. One day, his carasposa giving audience to a deputation from the captains of the vessels25 lying in Papeetee, he ventured to make a suggestion which was very displeasing26 to her. She turned round and, boxing his ears, told him to go over to his beggarly island of Imeeo if he wanted to give himself airs.
Cuffed27 and contemned28, poor Tanee flies to the bottle, or rather to the calabash, for solace29. Like his wife and mistress, he drinks more than he ought.
Six or seven years ago, when an American man-of-war was lying at Papeetee, the town was thrown into the greatest commotion30 by a conjugal assault and battery made upon the sacred person of Pomaree by her intoxicated31 Tanee.
Captain Bob once told me the story. And by way of throwing more spirit into the description, as well as to make up for his oral deficiencies, the old man went through the accompanying action: myself being proxy32 for the Queen of Tahiti.
It seems that, on a Sunday morning, being dismissed contemptuously from the royal presence, Tanee was accosted33 by certain good fellows, friends and boon34 companions, who condoled35 with him on his misfortunes—railed against the queen, and finally dragged him away to an illicit36 vendor37 of spirits, in whose house the party got gloriously mellow38. In this state, Pomaree Vahinee I. was the topic upon which all dilated—"A vixen of a queen," probably suggested one. "It's infamous," said another; "and I'd have satisfaction," cried a third. "And so I will!"—Tanee must have hiccoughed; for off he went; and ascertaining39 that his royal half was out riding, he mounted his horse and galloped40 after her.
Near the outskirts41 of the town, a cavalcade42 of women came cantering toward him, in the centre of which was the object of his fury. Smiting43 his beast right and left, he dashed in among them, completely overturning one of the party, leaving her on the field, and dispersing44 everybody else except Pomaree. Backing her horse dexterously45, the incensed46 queen heaped upon him every scandalous epithet47 she could think of; until at last the enraged48 Tanee leaped out of his saddle, caught Pomaree by her dress, and dragging her to the earth struck her repeatedly in the face, holding on meanwhile by the hair of her head. He was proceeding49 to strangle her on the spot, when the cries of the frightened attendants brought a crowd of natives to the rescue, who bore the nearly insensible queen away.
But his frantic50 rage was not yet sated. He ran to the palace; and before it could be prevented, demolished51 a valuable supply of crockery, a recent present from abroad. In the act of perpetrating some other atrocity52, he was seized from behind, and carried off with rolling eyes and foaming53 at the mouth.
This is a fair example of a Tahitian in a passion. Though the mildest of mortals in general, and hard to be roused, when once fairly up, he is possessed54 with a thousand devils.
The day following, Tanee was privately55 paddled over to Imeeo in a canoe; where, after remaining in banishment56 for a couple of weeks, he was allowed to return, and once more give in his domestic adhesion.
Though Pomaree Vahinee I. be something of a Jezebel in private life, in her public rule she is said to have been quite lenient57 and forbearing. This was her true policy; for an hereditary58 hostility59 to her family had always lurked60 in the hearts of many powerful chiefs, the descendants of the old Kings of Taiarboo, dethroned by her grandfather Otoo. Chief among these, and in fact the leader of his party, was Poofai; a bold, able man, who made no secret of his enmity to the missionaries, and the government which they controlled. But while events were occurring calculated to favour the hopes of the disaffected61 and turbulent, the arrival of the French gave a most unexpected turn to affairs.
During my sojourn62 in Tahiti, a report was rife—which I knew to originate with what is generally called the "missionary63 party"—that Poofai and some other chiefs of note had actually agreed, for a stipulated64 bribe65, to acquiesce66 in the appropriation67 of their country. But subsequent events have rebutted68 the calumny69. Several of these very men have recently died in battle against the French.
Under the sovereignty of the Pomarees, the great chiefs of Tahiti were something like the barons70 of King John. Holding feudal71 sway over their patrimonial72 valleys, and on account of their descent, warmly beloved by the people, they frequently cut off the royal revenues by refusing to pay the customary tribute due from them as vassals73.
The truth is, that with the ascendancy74 of the missionaries, the regal office in Tahiti lost much of its dignity and influence. In the days of Paganism, it was supported by all the power of a numerous priesthood, and was solemnly connected with the entire superstitious75 idolatry of the land. The monarch76 claimed to be a sort of bye-blow of Tararroa, the Saturn77 of the Polynesian mythology78, and cousin-german to inferior deities79. His person was thrice holy; if he entered an ordinary dwelling80, never mind for how short a time, it was demolished when he left; no common mortal being thought worthy81 to inhabit it afterward12.
"I'm a greater man than King George," said the incorrigible82 young Otoo to the first missionaries; "he rides on a horse, and I on a man." Such was the case. He travelled post through his dominions83 on the shoulders of his subjects; and relays of mortal beings were provided in all the valleys.
But alas84! how times have changed; how transient human greatness. Some years since, Pomaree Vahinee I., the granddaughter of the proud Otoo, went into the laundry business; publicly soliciting85, by her agents, the washing of the linen86 belonging to the officers of ships touching87 in her harbours.
It is a significant fact, and one worthy of record, that while the influence of the English missionaries at Tahiti has tended to so great a diminution88 of the regal dignity there, that of the American missionaries at the Sandwich Islands has been purposely exerted to bring about a contrary result.
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1 muskets | |
n.火枪,(尤指)滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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2 unnatural | |
adj.不自然的;反常的 | |
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3 missionaries | |
n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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4 zeal | |
n.热心,热情,热忱 | |
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5 warriors | |
武士,勇士,战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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6 rebellious | |
adj.造反的,反抗的,难控制的 | |
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7 slaughter | |
n.屠杀,屠宰;vt.屠杀,宰杀 | |
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8 triumphant | |
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
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9 descended | |
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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10 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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11 upwards | |
adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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12 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
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13 conjugal | |
adj.婚姻的,婚姻性的 | |
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14 fidelity | |
n.忠诚,忠实;精确 | |
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15 licentious | |
adj.放纵的,淫乱的 | |
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16 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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17 regiment | |
n.团,多数,管理;v.组织,编成团,统制 | |
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18 exchequer | |
n.财政部;国库 | |
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19 strutting | |
加固,支撑物 | |
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20 fiery | |
adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的 | |
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21 bauble | |
n.美观而无价值的饰物 | |
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22 royalty | |
n.皇家,皇族 | |
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23 prodigious | |
adj.惊人的,奇妙的;异常的;巨大的;庞大的 | |
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24 perspiration | |
n.汗水;出汗 | |
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25 vessels | |
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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26 displeasing | |
不愉快的,令人发火的 | |
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27 cuffed | |
v.掌打,拳打( cuff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28 contemned | |
v.侮辱,蔑视( contemn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29 solace | |
n.安慰;v.使快乐;vt.安慰(物),缓和 | |
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30 commotion | |
n.骚动,动乱 | |
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31 intoxicated | |
喝醉的,极其兴奋的 | |
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32 proxy | |
n.代理权,代表权;(对代理人的)委托书;代理人 | |
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33 accosted | |
v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 );跟…搭讪;(乞丐等)上前向…乞讨;(妓女等)勾搭 | |
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34 boon | |
n.恩赐,恩物,恩惠 | |
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35 condoled | |
v.表示同情,吊唁( condole的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36 illicit | |
adj.非法的,禁止的,不正当的 | |
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37 vendor | |
n.卖主;小贩 | |
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38 mellow | |
adj.柔和的;熟透的;v.变柔和;(使)成熟 | |
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39 ascertaining | |
v.弄清,确定,查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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40 galloped | |
(使马)飞奔,奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 ); 快速做[说]某事 | |
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41 outskirts | |
n.郊外,郊区 | |
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42 cavalcade | |
n.车队等的行列 | |
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43 smiting | |
v.猛打,重击,打击( smite的现在分词 ) | |
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44 dispersing | |
adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式 | |
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45 dexterously | |
adv.巧妙地,敏捷地 | |
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46 incensed | |
盛怒的 | |
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47 epithet | |
n.(用于褒贬人物等的)表述形容词,修饰语 | |
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48 enraged | |
使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 ); 歜; 激愤 | |
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49 proceeding | |
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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50 frantic | |
adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的 | |
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51 demolished | |
v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 );推翻;拆毁(尤指大建筑物);吃光 | |
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52 atrocity | |
n.残暴,暴行 | |
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53 foaming | |
adj.布满泡沫的;发泡 | |
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54 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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55 privately | |
adv.以私人的身份,悄悄地,私下地 | |
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56 banishment | |
n.放逐,驱逐 | |
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57 lenient | |
adj.宽大的,仁慈的 | |
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58 hereditary | |
adj.遗传的,遗传性的,可继承的,世袭的 | |
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59 hostility | |
n.敌对,敌意;抵制[pl.]交战,战争 | |
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60 lurked | |
vi.潜伏,埋伏(lurk的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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61 disaffected | |
adj.(政治上)不满的,叛离的 | |
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62 sojourn | |
v./n.旅居,寄居;逗留 | |
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63 missionary | |
adj.教会的,传教(士)的;n.传教士 | |
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64 stipulated | |
vt.& vi.规定;约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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65 bribe | |
n.贿赂;v.向…行贿,买通 | |
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66 acquiesce | |
vi.默许,顺从,同意 | |
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67 appropriation | |
n.拨款,批准支出 | |
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68 rebutted | |
v.反驳,驳回( rebut的过去式和过去分词 );击退 | |
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69 calumny | |
n.诽谤,污蔑,中伤 | |
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70 barons | |
男爵( baron的名词复数 ); 巨头; 大王; 大亨 | |
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71 feudal | |
adj.封建的,封地的,领地的 | |
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72 patrimonial | |
adj.祖传的 | |
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73 vassals | |
n.奴仆( vassal的名词复数 );(封建时代)诸侯;从属者;下属 | |
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74 ascendancy | |
n.统治权,支配力量 | |
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75 superstitious | |
adj.迷信的 | |
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76 monarch | |
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者 | |
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77 Saturn | |
n.农神,土星 | |
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78 mythology | |
n.神话,神话学,神话集 | |
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79 deities | |
n.神,女神( deity的名词复数 );神祗;神灵;神明 | |
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80 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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81 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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82 incorrigible | |
adj.难以纠正的,屡教不改的 | |
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83 dominions | |
统治权( dominion的名词复数 ); 领土; 疆土; 版图 | |
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84 alas | |
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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85 soliciting | |
v.恳求( solicit的现在分词 );(指娼妇)拉客;索求;征求 | |
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86 linen | |
n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的 | |
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87 touching | |
adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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88 diminution | |
n.减少;变小 | |
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