Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-14
IN FAR OFF TAHITI
To Live There is to Dream the Happy
Hours Away.
NEVER A CARE 10 BURDEN THE Mind
Natives Live With Just What Ma
ture Has Given Them.
SOI-TH SEA HOSPITALITY


From the New York Times
The earth is Gods footstool-so wise men
wrote II il =. then the little Island OF Ia
hiti is the golden tassel on the footstool.
ON this favored paradise in the far Pacific
landscape ard life merge into delicious
dream and both are mpr-ssionist- Neither
viii submit To photography or the pen
Years of study cannot itemize the picture.
t. those who have visited this coral-reefed
spot there fingers forever in the memory
a soft. sweet haze of shifting light and
shade wilderness of happy silence and
everlasting ease.
Think of a generous reef-bound expanse
Of clear. transparent water, in whose limp
daptbs swim myriads Of finny dwarfs daz-
cling the changing culors of the dying dol
phin Below them a garden Of coral-the
roses Of the sea-blossoming in a thousand
tiuts. lorg. low stretch of beach. Dor
dsr.d bv tall coeoanut trees. palms and
ey..r-blOOming bushes. Long rows OF cheer-
full cottages almost hidden by the spread
ing branches of the breadfrult trees Ian
mountain peaks, rising until they are lost
in q lacework of clouds. BraWny men
darting here and there in fruit-laden ca
noes and bevies of dark-eyed girls strolllhg
idIv along the sward. That is Tahiti as
seen from the side of the incoming ship
geous spot on the face of the earth.
Never to Be Forgotten.
No one ever went TO Tahiti without leav-
ing with a pang of regret, and l can JOIN
in the score of writer's from Charles War
rem Stoddard to Robert Louis Stevenson
who have visited its shores. and say that
a few months spent in its sunshine and in
the hospitality of its people can never, new
err be forgotten.
Tahiti lies somewhere in that mysterious
part of the South Pacific where two days
are rolled into one in order to set arlSht
the conventional calendar; where tomorrow
becomes TODAY with a subtle charm that is
almost overwhelming. You go there by
little white brig from San Francisco. which
Skins over the waters OF the west. taxing
I'D the best part of a month before landing
YOU in this world of idlenass and peace.
Life in Tahiti is the nearest approach to
the ideal of all the world OUTSIDE or us
principal city. Papeete. which is the COM
merciaI center of all the islands in the So
Ciety group. of which Tahiti is one, the ma
tiveS pass their days in Il listless dreami-
ness. at peace with themselves and all the
world. Fancy being in land where money
is spurued. l once had the audacity to Of
f. Il Tahitian dozen dollars for staying
at his home. eating his food and talking
him nearly TO death. revealing TO his un-
tutuTed mind the wonders of the United
States and to my surprise ne threw it to
If those board with over here would
only get insulted easily as that! The
only payment that Tahitian wants for
his hospitality is for the person to whom
il is offered TO accept it.
Lovely Naidens of Tahiti.
Much more than has beer written has
been beard about the lovely Tahiti girl.
fall. larguorous. with the modesty of d
CaStii5u. walking like a queen in her
NTfr ri fOvyer-
wrva thed hat with these two articles the
attire Of the Tahiti girl ends. with her long
black hair. glisteninS with cocOanut oil,
hanging TO her waist, she is of the
most attractive of her sex. Besides many
personal cndrmS that might turn the head
81 IN anchOrite. she possess the most at
.raetiye SfttS. Her eyes are black her
epUntenanc- is express Sive. and though the
KaTm sun has tinged her checks with a
que of brow ,. her compile Xion is as clear as
The sky above her Best of all she owns
her own little home. where roses always
bloom and the breadfruit tree and taro
plant grow in profusion. y certain acreage
Of land surrounding il Is hers also. and she
i absolutely independent and can do exact
ly - she Hhes-and she does. Every night
In Papeetc scores of girls and men come
down the byways leading to the market
pia9" whore they Congregate to sell their
strings OF flowers and shells. and to join in
the daily festivities Finished with their
evening meal. they come to gossip, dance
and make merry Around the great foun-
tain throwing its silver bubbles TO the big
REL stars, they chant their soulful music to
the waiiing strains of an accordion. Bursts
OF bibuloES hilarity come from the Spanish
Ike offices that surround the market place.
Shy i'mSelS promenade with the visiting
Europeans. the officers of the French men
of-wac. the array of municipal officials and
Their D"u hrawny lovers. exchanging the
SANE old secrets that have been handed
down through the mystery OF ages.
Unlike Any Other Place
=" the evening passes in melody drink
ana love Then the curfew on the little
white Catholic church tells that the hour
of lo mas con @, and the great mass of mer-
rynakeFS suddenly stop their buzzing pleas
UrcS and silently file down the long lanes
al"nG the beach and through the cocoanut
groves to the rows of matched cottages
Red aad radiant the mellow moon fills the
AR with d magic light. The dead silence
LIcI with the heavy perfume is broken
"u.y ny the u1ceasing pounding of old
ocean against the barrier of coral sending
d hollow. rolling boom over the paIIid SCI
One 10y one the lamps go cut. the mosquito
IL ar spread around the beGsteads, and
Iahlu Is asleep.
THe American who visits Tahiti for tho
hESl tlmc VIII find himself in a land en-
LIZ unlike any other place in the world
ne r"HErnliona!ity of Introduction there
Is barred In Papeete. OF course where
IN seat Of government is situated and
Nhrre ne foreign cOnsuls reside a certai,
1'iiH OF society and dress is kent I'D which
somewhat resembles our New York forms
i'il "ut IN the districts. out in the deem val
le'S by the rivers. where the cocoauuts
grow and the vanilla and coffee plantations
lhrlFe ia The sun. there Is where the visitor
bailShc~ ms foreign customs and becomes
q native 1t Is not customary TO wait for
an invitation before visiting a Tahitiau
Just go Walk into his plantation, and up To
Ms door You viii find il open and Won
WELL not be greeted by a dog that loves TO
Sll'" mis- teeth or servant with a salyer
Aou VIII be greeted by the host himself
bra"rY- muscular and smiling-with ONT
Stretched hands. He will call all his famiI,
anu all his neighhors 10 see how he has
ben h"uored- He will give you the best
ch'tlr and tell his boy to stand by and fan
away the robust mosquito. He will GET Won
young cocOanuts to drink and cranes th,t
would pale those of Hamburg hotbouse
fame, and when you have been refreshed he
VIII sho" You 10 your room. and tell You to
FAY Your American clothes aside and tn
dress IN Tahiti fashion. This consists of n
sugar cane hat white shirt and a y,are1,N
a piece of colored print about four feet
square, which Is wound around the waist.
Under the Charm.
Once in Tahiti garb the charm of Tahiti
begins TO dawn. Once in this garb. living
under ieafy mango tree listening to the