On the floor are spread mats plaited of pandanus leaves, and
pillows stuffed with silk cotton from the cotton tree. We make little
calls upon the ladies, lie upon the mats, and smoke cigarettes made of
tobacco leaves rolled in a bit of dried pandanus, and admire their work,
or get a lesson; or they call upon us, and lie upon our mats. One day
there was an election in the Farehau. It takes place all over the island
once a year, and among others, the sub-chief and head-councillor is
chosen. For the latter, our Rui was a candidate. In the beginning, the
French deposed the born chiefs and told the people to elect men for
themselves. The choice of Tautira fell upon Rui, who declined the
honour, saying that Areia was his natural chief, and he could not take a
position that should belong to his superior; upon which the people
elected Areia chief, and Rui sub-chief and head-councillor. We all went
over to the Farehau, where Areia sat in the middle of his councillors on
a dais behind a long table. The Farehau is an immense bird-cage of
bamboos tied together with pandanus fibre, and thatched with palms. In
front of the dais the ground is deeply covered with dried leaves. The
costume of the dignitaries was rather odd. Areia wore a white shirt and
blue flannel coat, which was well enough; but on his plump legs were a
pair of the most incredible trousers: light blue calico with a small red
pattern, such as servant girls wear for gowns in England: on his feet
were neat little shoes and stockings. Rui was a fine sight, and we were
very proud of him; he sat, exactly like an English gentleman, holding
himself well in hand, alert as a fox and keen as a greyhound: several
men spoke from the farther end of the hall, making objections of some
sort, we could see. Rui listened with a half satirical, half kindly
smile in his eyes, and then dropped a quiet answer without rising from
his seat, which had the effect of raising a shout of laughter, and quite
demolishing his opponent. Voters came up to the table and dropped their
bits of paper into a slit in a box: some led children by the hand, and
some carried babies in their arms; across the centre of the great room
children and dogs ran chasing each other and playing. I noticed two
little maids who walked up and down for a long time with their arms
intertwined about each other's waists. Near where we sat (we were on the
dais, above the common herd), a pretty young lady having tied up her
dog's mo