The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1899-02-23

neighbors to see how he has been hon.
ored- He will give you the best chair.
and tell his boy to stand by and fan
away the robust mosquito. He will get
you young eocoanuts to drink. and
grapes that would pale those of HAM
burg dollhouse fame. and when you
have been refreshed he will show you
to your room, and tell you to lay your
American clothes aside. and dress in
Tahiti fashion. This consists of a
sugar cane hat, a white shirt, and
pareu-a piece of colored print about
four feet square, which is wound about
the waist
Once in Tahiti garb the charm OF Ia
hiti begins to dawn. Once in this garb.
lying under leafy mango tree, listen
ing to the brook murmuring softly as il
winds its way through the underbrush
to the sunlit sea, watching the deep
red flowers drop from the branches of
the faruna, and hearing the plaintive
song of a Tahitian maiden born to
waste her time away-and you don't
care if the expansion treaty reaches to
the stars or if Buffalo Bill is elected
president The subtleness of the warm
fresh air and the odor of the ever
blooming flowers seem to drive away
all thoughts of worldly affairs. 1t is
a glory of absolute OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
you are bitten by centipede.
The native has no stove, but does his
pOnlFinu in, e
layer of these stones is placed on the
ground, and the edibles laid on them,
generally sucking pig, several chick
ems, breadfruit and taro plant. These
are covered with stone and a fire is
built around them. When the stones
are removed the dinner is cooked to
turn. A chicken is always roasted
without its head and claws being re-
! moved. The head is laid on the breast
and the claws are drawn over so as to
served up juicy and hot, it looks as
if it had died a peaceful death.
Fish is generally eaten raw, with
sauce made of grated cocoanuts and
lines. The idea may seem barbarous,
but the dish is very palatable; still it
must be remembered that the fish
caught around Tahiti, where the sea
is transparent for many fathoms, are
different from the fish of the dull and
green waters of the Atlantic.
Tables are unknown. and the feast
is spread on the ground on a cloth of
fresh green leaves. The diners sit on
mats Gailor fashion, if possible) sur
rounding the feast. The head of the
family thanks God in fervent words
for the bounty-a custom never forgot
ten in this far-away isle-and then a
black-eyed girl passes around with an
armful of wreaths of red and yellow
flowers. and crowns each one before
the meal is served, Knives and forks
are practically unknown. With a rib
of the succulent porker in one hand
and a small raw fish in the other, some
curried prawns spread out on leaf.
with a chicken wing, slice of taro and
collection of tropical fruits awaiting
their turn-who would envy the diner
at Delmonico's?
The drink is the cool water of the
young cocoanut. drunk from the shell,
sometimes favored with a dash of the
black Tahiti rum. After such a meal
there is nothing to do but to sleep.
Sleep over, a swim in the river, then
a long walk in the mountains or a sail
in a canoe among the coral reefs. Night
in a native village is generally spent
in driving to some big swimming pool.
Swimming in the darkness is a pecu-
liar yet a pleasant pastime. Or else.
the villagers gather round, and, sitting
in one big group, sing for hours and
hours their native songs. They have
no musical instruments to add the
touches of harmony, and yet their
voices mingle so beautifully in all the
great shades of song. from recurrent
minors to hundred chords, that they
sound like a mighty human organ
played without hands.
And all this costs nothing. All this
life of idleness, pleasure, good food,
love and music is simply the friendship
of the Tahitian given to the visitor
from the foreign land. If he did take
money what good would it do him?
What could he purchase to add to his
acme of idealism which his environ
ments have created? When you are
going away simply whisper "Marura"
II thank you" If you want to par
ticularly honor your host just kiss his
sleek coat of his mosquito bitten dog.
Flowers and songs follow you as you
drive back to Papeete; other natives
come to meet you by the roadside, and
ask you to stop and accept their hos
pitality also with hopeful smiles Who
would not.