n
banana leaves, was a group of earnest bargainers for mysterious-looking
fish, luscious fruit, and vegetables; there, sheltered by a drooping
mango, whose rich clusters of purple and orange fruit hung in tempting
proximity to lips and hands, another little crowd was similarly
engaged. Orange-trees were evidently favourite _rendezvous_; and a row
of flower-sellers had established themselves in front of a hedge of
scarlet hibiscus and double Cape jasmine. Every vendor carried his
stock-in-trade, however small the articles composing it might be, on a
bamboo pole, across his shoulder, occasionally with rather ludicrous
effect, as, for instance, when the thick but light pole supported only
a tiny fish six inches long at one end, and two mangoes at the other.
Everybody seemed to have brought to market just what he or she
happened to have on hand, however small the quantity. The women would
have one, two, or three new-laid eggs in a leaf basket, one crab or
lobster, three or four prawns, or one little trout. Under these
circumstances, marketing for so large a party as ours was a somewhat
lengthy operation, and I was much amused in watching our _proveedor_,
as he went about collecting things by ones and twos, until he had
piled a little cart quite full, and had had it pushed off to the shady
quay.

[Illustration: Chaetodon Plagmance]

We strolled about until six o'clock, at which hour the purchasers
began to disperse, and were just preparing to depart likewise, when an
old man, carrying half-a-dozen little fish, and followed by a small
boy laden with vegetables and fruit, introduced himself to us as the
brother-in-law of Queen Pomare IV. and chief of Papeete, and, after a
short talk, invited us to visit him at his house. We consented, and,
following him, presently reached a break in the hedge and ditch that
ran along the side of the road, beyond which was a track, bordered by
pineapples and dracaenas, leading to a superior sort of house, built in
the native style, and surrounded, as usual, by bread-fruit, cocoa-nut,
banana, mango, and guava trees. We were conducted into the one large
room, which contained two four-post bedsteads and four mattresses,
laid on the floor, two or three trunks, and a table in the corner, on
which were writing materials and a few books. The chief himself spoke
a very little English, his son an equally small amount of French; so
the conversation languished, and after a decent interval we rose to
de