第3章

ThesepointsofsimilaritybetweenaSouthSeapeopleandsomeofmyownfolkathomeranmuchinmyheadintheislands；andnotonlyinclinedmetoviewmyfreshacquaintanceswithfavour，butcontinuallymodifiedmyjudgment。ApoliteEnglishmancomesto-daytotheMarquesansandisamazedtofindthementattooed；politeItalianscamenotlongagotoEnglandandfoundourfathersstainedwithwoad；andwhenIpaidthereturnvisitasalittleboy，IwashighlydivertedwiththebackwardnessofItaly：soinsecure，somuchamatterofthedayandhour，isthepre-eminenceofrace。ItwassothatIhituponameansofcommunicationwhichIrecommendtotravellers。WhenIdesiredanydetailofsavagecustom，orofsuperstitiousbelief，Icastbackinthestoryofmyfathers，andfishedforwhatIwantedwithsometraitofequalbarbarism：

MichaelScott，LordDerwentwater’shead，thesecond-sight，theWaterKelpie，-eachoftheseIhavefoundtobeakillingbait；

theblackbull’sheadofStirlingprocuredmethelegendofRAHERO；

andwhatIknewoftheClunyMacphersons，ortheAppinStewarts，enabledmetolearn，andhelpedmetounderstand，abouttheTEVAS

ofTahiti。Thenativewasnolongerashamed，hissenseofkinshipgrewwarmer，andhislipswereopened。Itisthissenseofkinshipthatthetravellermustrouseandshare；orhehadbettercontenthimselfwithtravelsfromthebluebedtothebrown。AndthepresenceofoneCockneytittererwillcauseawholepartytowalkincloudsofdarkness。

ThehamletofAnahostandsonamarginofflatlandbetweenthewestofthebeachandthespringoftheimpendingmountains。A

groveofpalms，perpetuallyrufflingitsgreenfans，carpetsit(asforatriumph)withfallenbranches，andshadesitlikeanarbour。

Aroadrunsfromendtoendofthecovertamongbedsofflowers，themilliner’sshopofthecommunity；andhereandthere，inthegratefultwilight，inanairfilledwithadiversityofscents，andstillwithinhearingofthesurfuponthereef，thenativehousesstandinscatteredneighbourhood。Thesameword，aswehaveseen，representsinmanytonguesofPolynesia，withscarceashadeofdifference，theabodeofman。Butalthoughthewordbethesame，thestructureitselfcontinuallyvaries；andtheMarquesan，amongthemostbackwardandbarbarousofislanders，isyetthemostcommodiouslylodged。ThegrasshutsofHawaii，thebirdcagehousesofTahiti，ortheopenshed，withthecrazyVenetianblinds，ofthepoliteSamoan-noneofthesecanbecomparedwiththeMarquesanPAEPAE-HAE，ordwellingplatform。Thepaepaeisanoblongterracebuiltwithoutcementorblackvolcanicstone，fromtwentytofiftyfeetinlength，raisedfromfourtoeightfeetfromtheearth，andaccessiblebyabroadstair。Alongthebackofthis，andcomingtoabouthalfitswidth，runstheopenfrontofthehouse，likeacoveredgallery：theinteriorsometimesneatandalmostelegantinitsbareness，thesleepingspacedividedoffbyanendlongcoaming，somebrightraimentperhapshangingfromanail，andalampandoneofWhite’ssewing-machinestheonlymarksofcivilization。Ontheoutside，atoneendoftheterrace，burnsthecooking-fireunderashed；attheotherthereisperhapsapenforpigs；theremainderistheeveningloungeandALFRESCObanquet-halloftheinhabitants。Tosomehouseswaterisbroughtdownthemountainsinbamboopipes，perforatedforthesakeofsweetness。WiththeHighlandcomparisoninmymind，IwasstrucktorememberthesluttishmoundsofturfandstoneinwhichIhavesatandbeenentertainedintheHebridesandtheNorthIslands。Twothings，I

suppose，explainthecontrast。InScotlandwoodisrare，andwithmaterialssorudeasturfandstonetheveryhopeofneatnessisexcluded。AndinScotlanditiscold。Shelterandahearthareneedssopressingthatamanlooksnotbeyond；heisoutalldayafterabarebellyful，andatnightwhenhesaith，’Aha，itiswarm！’hehasnotappetiteformore。Orifforsomethingelse，thensomethinghigher；afineschoolofpoetryandsongaroseintheseroughshelters，andanairlike’LOCHABERNOMORE’isanevidenceofrefinementmoreconvincing，aswellasmoreimperishable，thanapalace。

Toonesuchdwellingplatformaconsiderabletroopofrelativesanddependantsresort。Inthehourofthedusk，whenthefireblazes，andthescentofthecookedbreadfruitfillstheair，andperhapsthelampglintsalreadybetweenthepillarsandthehouse，youshallbeholdthemsilentlyassembletothismeal，men，women，andchildren；andthedogsandpigsfrisktogetheruptheterracestairway，switchingrivaltails。Thestrangersfromtheshipweresoonequallywelcome：welcometodiptheirfingersinthewoodendish，todrinkcocoanuts，tosharethecirculatingpipe，andtohearandholdhighdebateaboutthemisdeedsoftheFrench，thePanamaCanal，orthegeographicalpositionofSanFranciscoandNewYo’ko。InaHighlandhamlet，quiteoutofreachofanytourist，I

havemetthesameplainanddignifiedhospitality。