h guest was placed a half cocoa-nut full
of salt water, another full of chopped cocoa-nut, a third full of
fresh water, and another full of milk, two pieces of bamboo, a basket
of _poi_, half a bread-fruit, and a platter of green leaves, the
latter being changed with each course. We took our seats on the ground
round the green table. An address was first delivered in the native
language, grace was then said, and we commenced. The first operation
was to mix the salt water and the chopped cocoa-nut together, so as to
make an appetising sauce, into which we were supposed to dip each
morsel we ate, the empty salt-water bowl being filled up with fresh
water with which to wash our fingers and lips. We were tolerably
successful in the use of our fingers as substitutes for knives and
forks. The only drawback was that the dinner had to be eaten amid such
a scene of novelty and beauty, that our attention was continually
distracted: there was so much to admire, both in the house itself and
outside it. After we had finished, all the servants sat down to
dinner, and from a dais at one end of the room we surveyed the bright
and animated scene, the gentlemen--and some of the ladies
too--meanwhile enjoying their cigarettes.

When we got down to Papeete, at about half-past four, so many things
had to be done that it seemed impossible to accomplish a start this
evening. First of all the two Princes came on board, and were shown
round, after which there were accounts to be paid, linen to be got on
board; and various other preparations to be made. Presently it was
discovered that the cloaks I had purchased--or thought I had
purchased--this morning had not turned up, and that our saddles had
been left at Faataua on Sunday and had been forgotten. The latter were
immediately sent for, but although some one went on shore to look
after the cloaks nothing could be heard of them; so I suppose I failed
after all in making the man understand that he was to take them to the
store and be paid for them there.

[Illustration: Chaetodon Besantii]

At six o'clock the pilot sent word that it was no longer safe to go
out; but steam was already up, and Tom therefore decided to go outside
the reef and there wait for the people and goods that were still on
shore. At this moment the saddles appeared in one direction, and the
rest of the party in another. They were soon on board, the anchor was
raised, and we began to steam slowly ahead, taking a last regret