hilst the low "shaling" roar on the reef beat time in a
deep musical base.

We thought Papeetee by far the loveliest spot that we had seen, not
excepting charming little Hilo!

Pomaree's flag and the French tricolor floated side by side. The queen
was handsomely pensioned, as were also the chiefs, the French having
kindly taken possession of their heritage, under a forcible
protectorate. People may prate an ocean of nonsense about the injustice
of the thing, but the fact is, France wished colonies in the
Pacific--Tahiti was one selected, and the English themselves afforded an
excellent pretext to make the acquisition. Suppose, for
example--Catholics had been first in the field, and, by their
instigation, Protestant or Puseyite missionaries had been kicked into
the sea, would John Bull in his lion's mantle have calmly beheld his
subjects maltreated for heresy, in striving to preach the Gospel among
the heathen? No! not without baring his claws, and making them felt in
the tawny hides of every savage in Polynesia! Ay! and, if need be, in
white skins, also, though they had been French!

Then what sickly sympathy it is to talk of the wrongs and aggressions,
or the rights and laws of European nations as having a bearing upon a
handful of barbarians, subjected to the savage sway of tyrannical native
masters, when contrasted with the benefits conferred upon the world at
large, by their being under the enlightened rule of a civilized
government!

The French experienced hard fighting and much difficulty in subduing
Tahiti; and, even after all the trouble, loss of blood and money, it
seems highly probable that they are dissatisfied with their conquest,
and may shortly resign it: at any rate, the expenditure attending the
occupation must be very great, and it appears a mistaken policy in
retaining so large a garrison. There were thirteen hundred troops,
exclusive of ships of war always in port, posted in Tahiti--far more
than needed to overawe the natives, and too few to withstand a land
attack from a foreign foe. Trade is a mere bagatelle--the French have no
commerce--and whale-ships have deserted Papeetee, since most of the
produce is consumed by the garrison. The population, as in all
Polynesia, are constitutionally opposed to labor--they cannot bend their
energies to any steady employment, and, when compelled to work, they
pine away like unhappy monkeys--thus the soil, though rich and tillable,
is only made to produce a s