Arizona republican., 1921-08-30
TAHITI |S GEM
 IF SOUTH SEAS
 SAYSLOCAL MAN
Dr. and Mrs. John A. Mess finger Return From Three Months Visit In Storied Islands; Real Paradise

The storied islands of the South | Seas. including particularly Tahiti, | of the Society Islands group, are as interesting and beautiful as any other spots on earth, even when the sensationalism and lurid word paint ings of so-called best sellers are dis counted 100 per cent. in the opinion of Dr. John A. Messinger. 2515 North Third street, who has just returned from three months trip to Tahiti on which he was accompanied by Mrs Messinger and their three chill | dren, Harry, Myrtle and Louis.
 With climate that is nearly per- feet, the temperature averaging 80 degrees throughout the year; with the tropic sun and fertile soil pro- ducing a superfluity of food at minimum of exertion, and with na- | ture, expressed in the translucent seas and the palm lined shores and the verdant hills, revealing herself to man under a hundred magnificent guises, Tahiti Is one of the gems of the Pacific, or, more truly, one of the gems of all the seven seas. And in addition to its natural attractions, its people, according to Dr. Messin- ger, are intelligent, good looking and l peaceable. The men are finely built and very muscular. as is shown in photographs brought back by pr. | Messinger and his wife, while the women are comedy and graceful, with fine features and an erect and easy carriage.
 At Sea 12 Days
 Dr. Messinger and his family left Phoenix on May Is, the trip to Ia hiti consuming 15 days, 12 of which were spent at sea. The trip from San Francisco was made on the "Marama," of the Union Steamship company of New Zealand. while the return voyage was made on the "Ta- hiti," owned by the same company. Service on both these vessels is de- scribed by pr. Messinger as excellent. while the ocean was smooth during both voyages, so that the trips were delightful.
 The harbor of Papeete, the capital
 of the French possessions in the South Seas, is described by pr. Mes
 singer and Mrs. Messinger as un-
 usually beautiful and extremely clean. The water is clear and is filled with fish of magnificent colors- reds, purples, greens-many of which , are very well-flavored. The shore ! line is a mass of vegetation, the palm trees sometimes growing so close to the water that they are wet
 by the spray.
 Papeete is we'll governed, as is , the entire island, which is under a
 good police system. One of its at fractions is a large market where ' meats, fish, vegetables, fruits and
 other commodities are sold. This
 market opens at o'clock in the morning and closes two hours later. , so that the housewife intent upon replenishing the family larder must be up early in the morning If she expects to make any purchases The t chief hotel is the Tiare, where Dr. l Messinger and his family lived for t three weeks. It is conducted by q l native and his wife, MT. and Mrs. Mauu, whose real hospitality, cour- : tesy and consideration were praised e highly by the returned travellers yes T terday.
 l Life Is Pleasant
 2 Despite the fact that the hotel is q without some of the features of the
 modern hotel. life there is described e as pleasant, with constant dances n and parties, the music for which I was furnished either by a large T American photograph, or a native I orchestra whose music came from a | guitar. a banjo and an accordion. T The dining room is on the porch, and | has neither walls nor screens. which | is accounted for by the fact that Pa e peete knows neither flies nor mos | quitoes in excess There arS of 7. course, no heating facilities because U of the mild and equable climate, and there Is not even any attempt to Il keep out the rain, as there is little !. wind. When the wind does rise. the s dense vegetation prevents it's being
 felt near the ground. The native
 houses have no solid doors or win |, dows. the doorways and window l openings being covered simply with
 calico curtains.
 American canned goods and other ! commodities are on sale in the J stores. Dr. Messinger bought ir
 Japeete Golden State butter canned l, in California which was not only 1T l. good condition but which remained t sweet for a week after it had beer r. taken from the can. He declares If however, that the American who zoe: n te- the South Seas will act wisely i l. he disregards the canned and pre-. d served American and European food: Is that are on sale there and lives or
 the native foods, which are nutri
 tious, tasty and builders of strength d Natives at Home in Sea 5. The natives, who are Maoris, ar, e, at home in the sea, and are exper = fishermen. They are also proficien e in producing the vegetables ant
 fruits of that region, and are goo'