IT was in the summer of 1842 that we arrived at the islands; the French had then held possession of them for several weeks. During this time they had visited some of the principal places in the group, and had disembarked at various points about five hundred troops. These were employed in constructing works of defence, and otherwise providing against the attacks of the natives, who at any moment might be expected to break out in open hostility3. The islanders looked upon the people who made this cavalier appropriation4 of their shores with mingled5 feelings of fear and detestation. They cordially hated them; but the impulses of their resentment6 were neutralized7 by their dread8 of the floating batteries, which lay with their fatal tubes ostentatiously pointed9, not at fortifications and redoubts, but at a handful of bamboo sheds, sheltered in a grove10 of cocoanuts! A valiant11 warrior12 doubtless, but a prudent one too, was this same Rear-Admiral Du Petit Thouars. Four heavy, doublebanked frigates13 and three corvettes to frighten a parcel of naked heathen into subjection! Sixty-eight pounders to demolish15 huts of cocoanut boughs16, and Congreve rockets to set on fire a few canoe sheds!
At Nukuheva, there were about one hundred soldiers ashore17. They were encamped in tents, constructed of the old sails and spare spars of the squadron, within the limits of a redoubt mounted with a few nine-pounders, and surrounded with a fosse. Every other day, these troops were marched out in martial18 array, to a level piece of ground in the vicinity, and there for hours went through all sorts of military evolutions, surrounded by flocks of the natives, who looked on with savage19 admiration20 at the show, and as savage a hatred21 of the actors. A regiment22 of the Old Guard, reviewed on a summer’s day in the Champs Elysees, could not have made a more critically correct appearance. The officers’ regimentals, resplendent with gold lace and embroidery23 as if purposely calculated to dazzle the islanders, looked as if just unpacked24 from their Parisian cases.
The sensation produced by the presence of the strangers had not in the least subsided25 at the period of our arrival at the islands. The natives still flocked in numbers about the encampment, and watched with the liveliest curiosity everything that was going forward. A blacksmith’s forge, which had been set up in the shelter of a grove near the beach, attracted so great a crowd, that it required the utmost efforts of the sentries26 posted around to keep the inquisitive27 multitude at a sufficient distance to allow the workmen to ply28 their vocation29. But nothing gained so large a share of admiration as a horse, which had been brought from Valparaiso by the Achille, one of the vessels30 of the squadron. The animal, a remarkably31 fine one, had been taken ashore, and stabled in a hut of cocoanut boughs within the fortified32 enclosure. Occasionally it was brought out, and, being gaily33 caparisoned, was ridden by one of the officers at full speed over the hard sand beach. This performance was sure to be hailed with loud plaudits, and the ‘puarkee nuee’ (big hog) was unanimously pronounced by the islanders to be the most extraordinary specimen34 of zoology35 that had ever come under their observation.
The expedition for the occupation of the Marquesas had sailed from Brest in the spring of 1842, and the secret of its destination was solely36 in the possession of its commander. No wonder that those who contemplated37 such a signal infraction38 of the rights of humanity should have sought to veil the enormity from the eyes of the world. And yet, notwithstanding their iniquitous39 conduct in this and in other matters, the French have ever plumed40 themselves upon being the most humane41 and polished of nations. A high degree of refinement42, however, does not seem to subdue43 our wicked propensities44 so much after all; and were civilization itself to be estimated by some of its results, it would seem perhaps better for what we call the barbarous part of the world to remain unchanged.
One example of the shameless subterfuges45 under which the French stand prepared to defend whatever cruelties they may hereafter think fit to commit in bringing the Marquesan natives into subjection is well worthy46 of being recorded. On some flimsy pretext47 or other Mowanna, the king of Nukuheva, whom the invaders48 by extravagant49 presents had cajoled over to their interests, and moved about like a mere50 puppet, has been set up as the rightful sovereign of the entire island—the alleged51 ruler by prescription52 of various clans53, who for ages perhaps have treated with each other as separate nations. To reinstate this much-injured prince in the assumed dignities of his ancestors, the disinterested54 strangers have come all the way from France: they are determined55 that his title shall be acknowledged. If any tribe shall refuse to recognize the authority of the French, by bowing down to the laced chapeau of Mowanna, let them abide56 the consequences of their obstinacy57. Under cover of a similar pretence58, have the outrages59 and massacres60 at Tahiti the beautiful, the queen of the South Seas, been perpetrated.
On this buccaneering expedition, Rear Admiral Du Petit Thouars, leaving the rest of his squadron at the Marquesas,—which had then been occupied by his forces about five months—set sail for the doomed61 island in the Reine Blanche frigate14. On his arrival, as an indemnity62 for alleged insults offered to the flag of his country, he demanded some twenty or thirty thousand dollars to be placed in his hands forthwith, and in default of payment, threatened to land and take possession of the place.
The frigate, immediately upon coming to an anchor, got springs on her cables, and with her guns cast loose and her men at their quarters, lay in the circular basin of Papeete, with her broadside bearing upon the devoted63 town; while her numerous cutters, hauled in order alongside, were ready to effect a landing, under cover of her batteries. She maintained this belligerent64 attitude for several days, during which time a series of informal negotiations65 were pending66, and wide alarm spread over the island. Many of the Tahitians were at first disposed to resort to arms, and drive the invaders from their shores; but more pacific and feebler counsels ultimately prevailed. The unfortunate queen Pomare, incapable67 of averting68 the impending69 calamity70, terrified at the arrogance71 of the insolent72 Frenchman, and driven at last to despair, fled by night in a canoe to Emio.
During the continuance of the panic there occurred an instance of feminine heroism73 that I cannot omit to record.
In the grounds of the famous missionary74 consul75, Pritchard, then absent in London, the consular76 flag of Britain waved as usual during the day, from a lofty staff planted within a few yards of the beach, and in full view of the frigate. One morning an officer, at the head of a party of men, presented himself at the verandah of Mr Pritchard’s house, and inquired in broken English for the lady his wife. The matron soon made her appearance; and the polite Frenchman, making one of his best bows, and playing gracefully77 with the aiguillettes that danced upon his breast, proceeded in courteous78 accents to deliver his mission. ‘The admiral desired the flag to be hauled down—hoped it would be perfectly79 agreeable—and his men stood ready to perform the duty.’ ‘Tell the Pirate your master,’ replied the spirited Englishwoman, pointing to the staff, ‘that if he wishes to strike these colours, he must come and perform the act himself; I will suffer no one else to do it.’ The lady then bowed haughtily80 and withdrew into the house. As the discomfited81 officer slowly walked away, he looked up to the flag, and perceived that the cord by which it was elevated to its place, led from the top of the staff, across the lawn, to an open upper window of the mansion82, where sat the lady from whom he had just parted, tranquilly83 engaged in knitting. Was that flag hauled down? Mrs Pritchard thinks not; and Rear-Admiral Du Petit Thouars is believed to be of the same opinion.
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1 prudent | |
adj.谨慎的,有远见的,精打细算的 | |
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2 subterfuge | |
n.诡计;藉口 | |
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3 hostility | |
n.敌对,敌意;抵制[pl.]交战,战争 | |
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4 appropriation | |
n.拨款,批准支出 | |
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5 mingled | |
混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系] | |
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6 resentment | |
n.怨愤,忿恨 | |
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7 neutralized | |
v.使失效( neutralize的过去式和过去分词 );抵消;中和;使(一个国家)中立化 | |
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8 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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9 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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10 grove | |
n.林子,小树林,园林 | |
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11 valiant | |
adj.勇敢的,英勇的;n.勇士,勇敢的人 | |
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12 warrior | |
n.勇士,武士,斗士 | |
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13 frigates | |
n.快速军舰( frigate的名词复数 ) | |
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14 frigate | |
n.护航舰,大型驱逐舰 | |
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15 demolish | |
v.拆毁(建筑物等),推翻(计划、制度等) | |
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16 boughs | |
大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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17 ashore | |
adv.在(向)岸上,上岸 | |
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18 martial | |
adj.战争的,军事的,尚武的,威武的 | |
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19 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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20 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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21 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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22 regiment | |
n.团,多数,管理;v.组织,编成团,统制 | |
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23 embroidery | |
n.绣花,刺绣;绣制品 | |
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24 unpacked | |
v.从(包裹等)中取出(所装的东西),打开行李取出( unpack的过去式和过去分词 );拆包;解除…的负担;吐露(心事等) | |
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25 subsided | |
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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26 sentries | |
哨兵,步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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27 inquisitive | |
adj.求知欲强的,好奇的,好寻根究底的 | |
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28 ply | |
v.(搬运工等)等候顾客,弯曲 | |
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29 vocation | |
n.职业,行业 | |
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30 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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31 remarkably | |
ad.不同寻常地,相当地 | |
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32 fortified | |
adj. 加强的 | |
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33 gaily | |
adv.欢乐地,高兴地 | |
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34 specimen | |
n.样本,标本 | |
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35 zoology | |
n.动物学,生态 | |
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36 solely | |
adv.仅仅,唯一地 | |
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37 contemplated | |
adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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38 infraction | |
n.违反;违法 | |
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39 iniquitous | |
adj.不公正的;邪恶的;高得出奇的 | |
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40 plumed | |
饰有羽毛的 | |
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41 humane | |
adj.人道的,富有同情心的 | |
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42 refinement | |
n.文雅;高尚;精美;精制;精炼 | |
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43 subdue | |
vt.制服,使顺从,征服;抑制,克制 | |
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44 propensities | |
n.倾向,习性( propensity的名词复数 ) | |
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45 subterfuges | |
n.(用说谎或欺骗以逃脱责备、困难等的)花招,遁词( subterfuge的名词复数 ) | |
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46 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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47 pretext | |
n.借口,托词 | |
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48 invaders | |
入侵者,侵略者,侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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49 extravagant | |
adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的 | |
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50 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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51 alleged | |
a.被指控的,嫌疑的 | |
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52 prescription | |
n.处方,开药;指示,规定 | |
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53 clans | |
宗族( clan的名词复数 ); 氏族; 庞大的家族; 宗派 | |
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54 disinterested | |
adj.不关心的,不感兴趣的 | |
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55 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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56 abide | |
vi.遵守;坚持;vt.忍受 | |
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57 obstinacy | |
n.顽固;(病痛等)难治 | |
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58 pretence | |
n.假装,作假;借口,口实;虚伪;虚饰 | |
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59 outrages | |
引起…的义愤,激怒( outrage的第三人称单数 ) | |
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60 massacres | |
大屠杀( massacre的名词复数 ); 惨败 | |
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61 doomed | |
命定的 | |
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62 indemnity | |
n.赔偿,赔款,补偿金 | |
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63 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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64 belligerent | |
adj.好战的,挑起战争的;n.交战国,交战者 | |
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65 negotiations | |
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过 | |
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66 pending | |
prep.直到,等待…期间;adj.待定的;迫近的 | |
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67 incapable | |
adj.无能力的,不能做某事的 | |
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68 averting | |
防止,避免( avert的现在分词 ); 转移 | |
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69 impending | |
a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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70 calamity | |
n.灾害,祸患,不幸事件 | |
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71 arrogance | |
n.傲慢,自大 | |
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72 insolent | |
adj.傲慢的,无理的 | |
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73 heroism | |
n.大无畏精神,英勇 | |
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74 missionary | |
adj.教会的,传教(士)的;n.传教士 | |
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75 consul | |
n.领事;执政官 | |
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76 consular | |
a.领事的 | |
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77 gracefully | |
ad.大大方方地;优美地 | |
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78 courteous | |
adj.彬彬有礼的,客气的 | |
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79 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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80 haughtily | |
adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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81 discomfited | |
v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词);使狼狈;使挫折;挫败 | |
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82 mansion | |
n.大厦,大楼;宅第 | |
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83 tranquilly | |
adv. 宁静地 | |
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