Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-03-09

So the evening passes in melody.
drink, and love. Then the curfew on
the litue white Catholic church tells
that the hour OF 10 has come, and the
great mass of merrymskerss suddenly
STOP their buzain: pleasures. and si-
lontly file down the long lanes along
the beach and through the cocoanut
groves to the rows OF matched cot
tases. Red and radiant the mellow
moon fills the air with n magic light.
The dead silence filed with the heavy
perfume, is broken only by the un-
ceasin8 pounding OF old ocean aEains;
the barrier of coral. sending a hollow.
roiilnS boom over the pallid sea. One
by one the lamps go out. the mosquito
nets are spread around the bedsteads
and Tahiti is asleep.
AMERICANS FIRST VISIT.
Inc American who visits Tahiti for
the first time will find himself in n land
entirely unlike any other place in the
world. The conventionalitv OF intro
cuction there is barred. In Papeete. of
course. where the seat Of government is
situated. and where the foreign Con-
suls reside. n certain form OF society
ana dress Is kept up which somewhat
resembles our New York forms. BUT
out in the districts, out in the deem val
leys by the rivers, where the cocoanuts
grow, and the vanilla and coffee planta-
IONS thrive In the sun, there is where
the visitor banishes his foreign Gus
toms and becomes n native. 1t is not
customary to wait for an Invita- ton he
iorc visiting Tahitian. Just go. Walk
lnto his plantation and up to his door.
You VIII find 1t open, and you will not
be greeted by n dog that loves to show
his teeth or servant with salver.
You Will be greeted by the host himself
-brawny, muscular and smilinG-vith
outstretched hands.
He will call all his family and all his
ncighbors 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 cocoanuts to drink. and
grapes thatswould pale those OF Ham
burg hothouse fame, and when you
have been refreshed he will show YOU
to your room, and tell You to lay your
American cloths aside, and to dress In
Tahitian fashion. This consists of n SUI
gar cane hat, white shirt and n parcn
"A piece OF colorcd print about four
feet square. which is wound around
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 murnnuring softly as
1t winds its way through the under
brush 10 the Sunlit sea. Watching the
deep red flowers drop from the branches
OF the faruna, and hearing the plain
tive song OF 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 cir and Che odor OF tho ever
blooming flowers seem TO drive all
thoughts OF worldly affairs away. It is
d glory OF absolute contcntment-un-
less You are bitten by a ccntipede.
DISHES or THE NATINI-S
Various are the menus which the ma
tive host will prepare. He has no
stove, but does his cooking in an oven
made by hot stones. A layer of these
stones Is placed on the ground, and
the edibles laid on them. generally a
sucking pig. several chickens, bread
fruit, and taro plant These are GOV.
cred with stones and a. fire is built
around them. When the stones are
removed the dinner is cooked to a turn.
y chicken is always roasted without
its head and claws being removed. The
head is laid on the breast and the
claws are drown over so as to clasp II
down. and when the fowl is served IN
quick and hot, 1t looks as IL il had dicl
peaceful death.
Fish is generally eaten raw, with =
sauce made Of grated cocoanuts ana
lines. The idea may Seem barbarous.
but the dish is very palatab BILE; still IL
must he remembered that the nsf
caught around Tahiti, where the sea is
transparent for many fathoms. are
different from the fish OF the dull green
waters of the Atlantic.
Tables there are unknown, and the
feast Is spread on the ground on n
cloth OF fresh, green leaves. The diners
sit on mats Gailor fashion, II possible)
surrounding the feast. The head OF the
family thanks God In fervent words for
the bounty-a custom never forgotten
In this faraway isle-and then n 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 prac-
tically unknown. With n rib of the sue
culent porker in one hand and n small
raw fish in the other, some curried
prawns spread out on leaf, with a
chicken wing, n slice OF taro, and n
their turn, and the unlocked tables OF
Delmonico's become feasting place fer
the unfavored.
THEIR COCOANUT COCKTAILS.
Tho drink is the cool water of the
young cocoanut drunk from the shell.
sometimes Favored wish a dash of black
Tahiti rum. After such a meal there
is nothing to do but to sleep. Sleep
| over. a swim i'll the river. then r. long
walk into the mountains or sail in a
canoe among the coral reefs Night in
native village Is generally spent in
driving 10 some big swimming pool.
Swimming in the darkness is peculiar
yet n pleasant pastlme. Or else the
villagers gather round, and, sitting in
one big group. sing for hours and hours