Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-03-09
THE LIFE In FAR TAHITI
One Place Where Money is Not
Necessary.
All luxury, Ease, ana Idicmcss- rco-
pie Who Give on Just Whut Nature
Hns.Giveu Them, md Arc satisfied
With IheirIot,
tFrom the New York Times.l

tFrom the New York Timesl
Inc earth is Gods footstool-so wise
men wrote. If it is, then the little
island OF Tahiti is the golden tassel on
tue ioots;ool. On this favored para
use IN the far Pacific landscape and
ne merge into a delicious dream, and
uoth are impressionist. Neither will
submit to photography or the pen.
Years Of study cannot itemize the pic
tufe. TO those who have visited this
corai-reefed spot there fingers forever
III the memory soft. sweet haze of
sniiting light and shade-a wilderness
oi happy silence and everlasting ease.
link OF q generous reef-bound eX-
fIhse OIL clear, transparent water, in
whose liinpid depths swim myrads OF
hhhE uWarfs dazzling as the changing
coiors OF the dying dolphin. Below
them garden of coral-the roses OF
me sea-plossoming in Il thousand tints
~ long, low stretch of bench bordcred
by tan cocaput trees, palms, and ever
oi9omins bushes. Long rows OF cheer
iul cottages, almost hidden by the
spreading branches of the breadfruit
trees rail- mountain peaks, rising
uhtil they are lost in n lacework of
CLOUDS: Brawny men darting here and
tnere in fruit-laden canoes, and b-v!es
oil dark-eyed girls strolling idly along
me sward. That is Tahiti as seen from
the side of the incoming ship-thc most
exquisite, fascinating and gorgeous
SPOT on the face of the earth
no one ever went to Tahiti without
leaving with pang of regret, and l
can JOIN in the score of writers from
Charles Warren Stoddard to Robert
Louis stevenson, who have visited its
SHORES, and say that few months
spent in its sunshine and in tho hos
pitality OF its people can never. never
be forgotten.
WHERE THE DAYS DIVIDE.
iahiti lies somewhere in that myster-
ious part of the South Pacific where two
Gays are rolled into one in order TO set
Alright the conventional calendar:
where to-mUTT0w becomes to-day with
subtle charm that is almost over
whciming. You go there by Il little
Wnlte Driy from San Francisco. which
SKINS over the waters of the West. TAX
lng up the best part of a month before
landing YOU in this world or idleness
and peace.
Life in Tahiti is the nearest approach
10 the IDEAL in all the world. Outside of
It's principal city, Papeete. which IS tho
commercial center of all the Islands in
the society group, of which Tahiti IS
one, The natives 9ass their days in
iiSi!esS dreaminess, q [ peace with them
serves ana all the world Fancy being
III iand where money is spurned. l
once mad the audacity to offer n Tahi-
,lan n dozen dollars for staying at his
nome, eating his food, and talking hin,
nearly TO death, revealing 10 his ,Inrul.
Nred mind the wonders of the United
otates, ana, TO my surprise. he threw it
on me ground, having been grossly in
suited. 1T those we board with over
mere would only get insulted as oosiIv
as That! The only payment that n. Tahi-
tan wants for his hospitality Is for the
person TO whom it is offered to accept
DAMSELS OF TAHITI
Much more than has been written has
Decn heard about the lovely Tahiti girl
ran. ianguorous, with the modesty of n
Castillian; walking like n queen in her
Mother hubbard gown and her flower
wreathed hat with these two articles
the attire of the Tahiti girls ends). with
her long black hair, ClistcninC with CO.
coanut oil, hanging 10 her waist. she is
one of the most attractive of her sex
BESIDES many personal charms that
might turn the head of an anchorite
she possesses the most attractive gifts.
Her eyes are black. har countenance is
expressive, and though the warm sun
has tinged her checks with hue of
brown. her complexion is as clear ms
the sky above her. Best of all. she
owns her own little home. where roses
always bloom and the bread fruit tree
and taro plant grow In profusion. \
certain acreage of land surrounding il
is hers also, and she is absolutely indie
pendent and can do exactly as she likes
and She does.
Every night in Papeetc scores of girls
and men come down the byways lead
ing to the market place, where they
congregate to sell their strings OF now-
crs and shells, ITd 70 join In the daily
festivities Finished with their even
ing meal. they come to gossip. dance.
and make merry. Around the great
fountain. throwing its silver bubbles to
10 q Ct 1fse- hAx /.
ful music to the wailing strains of an
accordion. Bursts of bbulous hilarity
come from the Spanish-ikc edinces
that surround the market place. shy
dansels promenade with the visiting
Europeans. the officers OF the French
men-ot-war, the array of municipal Of
ficials, and their own brawny lovers.
exchanging the same old secrets that
have been handed down through the
mystery of ages.